Those final, fateful moments of the Jenova slipped away, as the massive blast receeded. In a second, twelve thousand lives snuffed from the galaxy, as the perfectly placed torpedo struck and mangled the hardpoint just as the superlaser passed through it, stopping the blast and setting off a chain reaction that cut through durasteel like it was Corellian softrock.

Xylon survived only by luck, or by his final realization of what was about to occur. The scorched bridge around him was ghostly silent, every last officer onboard dead as stone. The superlaser ran up through the craft, of course, so though it was primarily the frontal portions of the ship which were destroyed, the bridge took considerable damage.

Coughing, Xylon stood. The burns on his chest ached, but he barely felt them. A glance at the sensors showed they were leaking atmosphere. The Jedi Master waved at the door's lock, shutting the port.

In those moments, he stared out the huge viewport. The battle outside was chaos, and it didn't take a genius to understand that the Republic was losing.

"After all I have done," Xylon said, shaking with pure rage. "After all I have been, this cruel fate you find for me!? After all I have done for the lightside, is nothing enough to redeem my past!?" Xylon said, looking around as if to query the Force. "After everything I have done to right my wrongs, in the most important battle I have ever fought, the Force abandons me and seals this fate!?" He shouted. "Is nothing I do enough!?"

The durasteel door behind him crashed to the ground, and five soldiers rushed through. He could sense their power in the Force. "You allow these," He continued shouting, not to the soldiers, but to the Force, "These creatures to exact their unholy vengeance upon me!? I can feel them," He said, "I can feel their hate, their perversion of the Force!"

"No more!" He shouted once more, startling the confused Achrions. "I will not be chained to your whims, fate of the Force! I will not be your pawn! I will not be your plaything!"

Then he did something so few had ever seen Xylon do; he drew his lightsaber. Lighting the blade, he stepped forward, in his rigid posture, deflecting the Achrion's blaster shots as they came at him. He swept the blade up, sending a blaster bolt into the face of one of the masked horrors, then brought it down in one smooth motion, cutting another in half.

In seconds, the immensely powerful Jedi Master had killed all five. He strode to the console. "I will change the future!" He shouted, entering the Jenova's final course into the computer.

He could flee, and he knew that, no matter what, the Eclipse Star Destroyer would be annihilated.

But he wouldn't flee.

Xylon knew. He knew that the pinpoint timing of the fire upon the superlaser was no accident. He knew what it would take to achieve such timing, and he knew how that kind of power could be achieved. He had felt it.

And as the half-destroyed Jenova rocketed towards the second Victory Star Destroyer, the other Achrion-carrying craft from which Xylon had sensed the Force emissions, Xylon knew exactly what he had to do. As the Victory Star Destroyer buckled under the ramming enslaught of the Jenova, Xylon entered another course -- this one, for the nearest Imperial Star Destroyer.

He took that one, too.

And as the momentum, damage, and engine degradation finally caught up with the Jenova, Xylon knew. Maybe for the first time, in his tortured life, he was taking a course he knew was right.

And as the fire took him, he knew peace.

And then, Xylon Hexyra, redeemed Sith, Supreme Military Chancellor of the New Republic, and Rogue Jedi Master was gone.

<hR>
[center]<font size="5">Interlude:
</font><font size="3">Galactic Reckoning</font>

3N Network Holonet Broadcast:
Nina Viaal
Location: Hapes

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of one of the New Republic's greatest leaders, Xylon Hexyra. Confirmed dead in the destruction of the Eclipse Star Destroyer, Jenova, the Jedi Master was the most respected military analyst in the Republic.

The Jenova's destruction came just before the confirmation of the mystery commander's identity, twenty days after the fall of Ossus. The commander of the Chiss Imperium forces is confirmed to be, as was speculated, Grand Admiral Thrawn. One of the most devious admirals in the history of the galaxy, Thrawn's last campaign marks a dark chapter in the history of our Republic.

Thought dead, Thrawn has begun this latest campaign with the assisstance of the aforementioned Chiss Imperium, a dissident group from the recently-explored Unknown Regions. The massive fleet of the Imperium has swept across the relative-north (when Bastion marking the farthest north planet) portions of our galaxy, ravaging a swath of destruction.

Flashpoints of conflict have been confirmed all over Republic, Rogue Jedi, and Imperial borders, as far relative-east as the Corporate Sector. The Empire and Republic have confirmed almost around-the clock fighting, with no word yet on victors. Our military analysts say, even if the Imperial and Republic forces aren't losing yet, it's a safe bet they will be soon.

On the heels of Xylon Hexyra's death, Senator and President of the Rogue Jedi Order, Jereck Musaile, has stepped forward (despite minor opposition) to take the reigns of power. His allies are rooted almost entirely, our political analysts say, in the military portions of the Republic. Many Senators are already supporting President Musaile, calling him, "A strong leader in a time of confusion."

In other news, the unfortunate confirmation of the death of our RNN associate, Virona Ty, has come through sources inside RNN offices today. Virona was a good friend of 3N Networks, and we mourn her passing.

-Nina Viaal,
NR News Network
<hr>

"The hell im scared Corran. You know better than that."

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Corran left the bridge and Kamon settled in. He checked over everything. When he went to flip one of the switches, he was unable to do it.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Kamon cried out and doubled over in pain. He knew what had happened. The contact with his Master was lost. Xylon Hexyra was dead. He cried out again as he was wracked with pain, tears streamed down his face.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> At about this time, Corran came running into the bridge.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

"Master Hexyra is dead," <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Kamon screamed.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Lupercus smiled as he felt it, the pain, the agony, the collective fear of the galaxy increase as the Rogue Jedi Master died. All the other Hapan Sith felt it too, laping it up, bathing in the hatred that was their birthright. Here he was, on the bridge of his own flagship, watching, feeling and knowing the every explicit detail of the destruction of the last hope of the Galaxy.

And more importantly, the last hope of Hapes...<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

Corran heard Kamon cry out and a second later he knew why. He felt Xylon Hexyra die. Not as close to Xylon as Kamon was and not as in tune with the force either he had only a little trouble putting aside his pain. Immeaditly he ran to the bridge where Kamon was.

"Master Hexyra is dead," Kamon had screamed.

"Kamon! Settle down! Quit thrashing around!" Corran said using the force to add emphasis to what he said. Kamon slowed down a bit but not a lot.

"Stop it!" once again Corran added emphasis using the force. Slowly he began to wear Kamon down. Know Kamon was thrashing around less and COrran felt he could put him in a Hibernation trance. Reaching out into the force he reached out to kamon. Ignoring the raw blinding pain that kamon felt that was the bane of a jedi he slowly, carefully pushed Kamon down. Down into a deep sleep. Finally Kamon relaxed.