As the discussion continued, an aide whispered something to Regrad, who in turn nodded to Dolash. The Azguardian Jedi quickly left the conference and surmounted the winding staircase leading out of the cavern and back up to the ground. There, some uneasy guards remained fixed in place, watching a pair of newcomers that Dolash had neither seen nor heard of before.

However, even two strangers can recognize each other when the Force flows, and in this temple grounds it flowed much stronger. He still didn't know who this was, but he sensed a sort of warped but ultimately acceptable perception. Dolash was not one to judge - he knew that upon brief inspection, the Force portrayed his own mind as split and fractured like glass, the Force was sometimes hard to interpret - but he overall sensed no taint about him.

The tall, grey being in the light brown Jedi robes stood in the entryway for a few moments more, scrutinizing the newcomers. Finally, slowly, he nodded. "They may enter, sergant. Return to your posts, I will escort them down."

In silence and unspoken agreement, the Azguard gestured for them to follow and led them through the twisting reaches of the temple's underground hall.

Down in the conference, small discussions were breaking out - all in terms of action. In a moment, plans were made and then swept aside, with ideas as wide-ranging as the deployment of fleets and retaliatory attacks being thrown around like common punctuation. From such grand designs did action spring, this Regrad knew.

After hearing from the Jedi Irtar, and allowing the discussions to continue for a few minutes more, Regrad pressed for silence to speak again as a report reached his hands.

"It appears here, that as of now the Galactic Coalition has engaged and repulsed Black Dragon forces in the East - explaining Panacka's absence. However, it also appears that we triumphed.

"Time is becoming critical, and now that we have had a chance to discuss and consider, some things have to be said. The Coalition must prepare for war, but this will not be a war solely for the Coalition's interest. Instead, we commit to a galactic effort to destroy the Empires and dark forces in this galaxy for the greater good. This is a collaborative effort, one that will require Jedi and other great warriors to tip the scales at the crucial moment.

"Allow me to wax strategic momentarily: Before victory, there will be war. Wars are to be fought with soldiers, towards the purpose of setting up an endgame. The Endgame is then fought between the mightiest warriors of either side, the triumphing side destroying the opposing warriors and thus dissolving their armies. The war, wether it be fought with vast armies or stealthy agents, or even just words and threats, is where the warriors choose sides and become stronger, up until the endgame. In the coming war, we must seek both to become the stronger warriors and win our battles to ensure that the endgame is more favourable to our side.

"To this purpose, I will lead the Azguardian fleet out of Azguard, and focus all my power into maximizing the strength of my people - we will provide the muscle to win wars and if necessary the numbers to match our enemy in the endgame. But I will also seek our warriors, the few, those amongst the Coalition and abroad who will follow us to the endgame.

"Joren will stay in the Commonwealth, and make it strong. The strength of his commonwealth may be needed to stave off tests of our lines and to make war in prelude to the endgame. But Joren may also find warriors amongst his own kind, or in his battles, who may be able to aide us in the end, so to that task he is also set.

"Panacka will do the most fighting in this war with the Dragons, and through it shall he prepare the East to serve as our spear in the Endgame. His soldiers will be greatly experienced and stubborn, and with the aide of the Knights shall they serve as the defenders of the Coalition and our advancing line.

"Ion, your forces in the West must also become strong, for although war is not upon you it may fall at any moment. You must seek the warriors within your number and stay strong on all fronts to aide us in the endgame.

"I know I speak so cryptically, so let me repeat - each of us must be strong enough to fight the war, but we must know that the war will not be won by our fleets or our armies, they will be won by the wise strategists and the mighty Jedi, by the unstoppable warrior and the secretive spy. These we must find, these each of us must find. These I will orchestrate, in time.

"The warriors who will become strong during these wars so that they might fight and defeat the Empire are the Jedi, also. They are our hidden allies, and they are rebels and turncoats. They are few, but in the final battle everything will be revealed - or destroyed.

"Irtar, as a Jedi, you are one of these warriors. Go to Raioballo, spread what good you can, bring our message and see who you can find to join this fight. Dolash - whom has just rejoined us - go forth and find these ghosts, find if their strength can be leant to us and if their cause is a threat to the galaxy. Silus, Frakutsk, and others - as Jedi, you must band together, become strong, find your place in this battle, this endgame. You will all be needed for the final push.

"Ferguson, your spies, your agents, your friends in the dark places of the galaxy. So too will we need them. Find them, bring me who they are and what they can do, and I will combine their strength with the strength of everyone else who pledges to this cause.

"Together, we have the strength to overthrow the Empire. Joren, Ion, Panacka, and myself can fight the battles, but wars are not won by this alone. We need the Jedi, we need rebels and rogues and warriors so that at the right moment, at the endgame, we will triumph. I still believe the last war was decided by a handful of men aboard each of the four command vessels of the Coalition fleet - a battle where mighty Sith warriors disabled the hulking Command vessels and brought down the battle on our heads.

"So now I will leave us all to our planning. Discuss what can be done to make nations stronger, to raise armies, to find warriors - weaknesses in defence and rumours. All of these things I will take and shape a battleplan, and this plan will bring us to that key moment to strike off the head of the Imperial serpent. I forever sound vague until action is taken, I know, but trust me - for now, what we need is strength, is unity. Tell me here today that we are committed, and though it sounds as though I have said nothing but metaphor and grand generalizations you will find it all quite suddenly making sense.

"What we need now, more than ever, is unity of purpose. We need to go forth, committed, as one, and from there I can guarentee a path to victory. A boast? Perhaps, but then perhaps it is time for boasting. Let us continue our discussions."

Viryn lent over to Ferguson, and whispered "Is Regrad F*cking insane? He's not making any sense!"

Ferguson sighed "You get used to that, it's what Azguards do - five minutes of content in half an hour of words. What he's saying, though, is pretty simple. Can he count on everyone here to do their part, be prepared to fight to destroy the Empires of the galaxy, and find those who can? If so, then he promises victory. That's about the long and short of it. We could probably all go home if all the Jedi and the rest of s said 'yeah, sure'."

"Well why didn't he say that?" said Viryn, scowling.

"It sounded more statesmanly the other way." said Ferguson, with a sigh "Plus, he's trying to avoid bringing up the fact that all of this was prompted by a Force dream about prophecies and purpose."

Silus listened through Regrad's little speech with heavy-lidded eyes and his head resting on the arm. If there was anyone he felt less like dealing with right now, it was politicians. Regrad's long-winded and elaborate prattle was wearying... Silus was tempted to shout for him to get to the point already.

Finally, Regrad motioned Dolash forward. The Jedi Knight's behavior towards the Coalition leader, or perhaps even Dolash's presence made the two Jedi sitting next to him whisper to each other in surprise. Silus smiled thinly. If that caught them offguard, then at least he had the advantage.

The azguard Jedi opened his hand, a small crystal rising from it of its own accord and floating over the table. There was a mass straightening in their seats as everyone tried to get a better look at the strange woman who had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. He heard a few gasps of awe, and even his own eyes were widened in surprise. Silus had read Dolash's report of the strange findings inside the frozen temple, but seeing the actual event for himself... it boded ill tidings.

He did not like the idea of crazed Jedi ghosts popping up everywhere, with nothing but a single crystal being able to control them.

Dolash was right about that, at least... whatever this was, it wasn't a normal occurence in the Force. Old Jedi had come back as ghosts before, or so Silus had read, but they had always been in control of themselves. If there was problems in the Force, that would be a great threat to everyone.

Silus and the various council members exchanged glances. Ill tidings, indeed.

Finally, Regrad finished his speech, giving them a few prescious moments to discuss this danger.

"I don't like the idea of glowing blue corpses of old Jedi flapping about and causing trouble," Silus stated to them. "I want Jedi sent out to investigate more of these incidents and bind any ghosts they find to these crystals. At least until we can figure out what we're going to do with them."

Master Tyban, a tall Jedi with skin that hung tightly over his face, giving him an almost skull-like aspect. Time had taken away much of his hair as well, only adding to this impression. He sat open-mouthed at Silus.

"Are you mad? This could happen anywhere. The effort alone needed-..."

"Ghosts of old Jedi, long dead, mad and raving in the streets, anywhere in the galaxy. Old Jedi who are capable of causing great harm. Old Jedi who also happen to know many secrets from our past that have been lost with time."

"... Is worth the risk, I think." Tyban finished.

"I'm glad you see as I do," Silus said. He leaned to one of the Knights. "Send word to the academy that I want this started on immediately." The Jedi nodded and left.

The various speeches started again, and Silus sat restlessly listening to Regrad go on about the Coalition's various plans, and what it would need from its allies. Finally, he hit the heart of the matter and why the Jedi were there in the first place. Silus glanced at his fellow Jedi... there were looks of concern, some of consideration, others staring sternly at the azguard in front of them.

But they had to see some reason in what Regrad was saying, no matter their political views about an alliance between the Jedi and Galactic Coalition.


Silus turned to the rest of the Jedi, watching them with his hands clasped under his chin. Finally, after much planning between Vodo, the 'alliance' supporters and himself, with Frakutsk's help, it was time to make their move.

"We have to do this. If we're to survive through all this, we have to publicly ally with the Coalition."

Master Tyban shook his head. "You remember what happened the last time the Jedi were involved in the affairs of a galactic government. This is their war, not ours."

Silus leaned forward to address the human. "And what makes you think the Empire won't attack us anyway? Or have you forgotten that they've done it once before? We know the Sith have a large amount of power in the Empire. It's only a matter of time before they decide to wipe us out. There's too few of us to stop them. At the very least, an alliance will open up our resources and allow us to better increase our numbers."

"And what of Naboo?" voiced another Jedi. "An alliance will make the Empire a serious danger to them for merely being associated with us. The queen would never accept such a thing."

Silus nodded to Dolash, who took his turn to speak. "The queen is in full support of an alliance. She recognizes the danger the Empire presents, and understand an alliance will better protect her people."

The Jedi raised her eyebrow at Dolash, and then turned her gaze back on Silus. "You've been having discussions with the queen without informing the council, Silus."

Silus shrugged. "You didn't need to know."

The Masters looked among themselves, some grimacing in anger and annoyance. Pissing off the council wasn't Silus's concern right now.

"Without our support, the Coalition could very easily be swept away by the Empire. A few lightsabers alongside them could be what it takes to topple this New Order."

"But this will open us up to the Empire's scorn, let alone create a way for the Coalition to betray us as the Republic did before."

"The Empire will try to destroy eventually, Tyban," a fellow Jedi said. Silus hid a grin; so far, their plan was working.

It took still more convincing to bring the other Jedi to their side, with Master Tyban standing his ground until the very last, where he nodded his head in defeat. Silus turned to Dolash and openly smiled.

"Go inform Regrad that the Jedi accept his alliance."

Upon hearing the news, Regrad got up from his position at the table, going to where the Jedi were sitting. He bowed low to them, saying "I thank you, wise Masters, for your support - and the recognition of the threat to us all." He looked to Frakutsk, Dolash, and Silus in particular, before retaking his seat.

"What has been done today is, in truth, the recognition of our Firm Foundations. We've been dismissed, we've been ground down, we've lost friends and allies, but we've rebuilt. Wether we fight for the Light, or for the principles of the old Republic, or for our homes is now immaterial - after so long, we can fight again, after being pushed back on all fronts.

"Now that this alliance has been recognized, and our forces rallied, it is time for us all to return to our homes scattered throughout the galaxy. When needed, I will call on you - and should you need me, then you need only call. Rely upon each other, rely upon yourself. Go forth with confidence, for by coming here you have been able to do what you could not otherwise have done - look across the table, and know that there are others on your side, throughout the galaxy, willing to fight for the same cause. Perhaps that is the greatest thing to come of this meeting."

With that, the Council of Ilum broke up. The Coalition officials from the various provinces, the military leaders, the friends and allies, the Jedi, all rose from their seats discussing the significance. Through the throngs, Regrad pushed through to Silus, shaking the Master's hand and saying "I promise you will not regret - What strength there is in the galaxy is nothing without the Jedi. We must speak about the details of this of alliance soon, but not here. The Council was meant so that we could all meet, and to dispell the feeling that we are each alone in this galaxy.

"I have a stop to make on the way back, but after that, I will gladly meet with you to discuss what we can do for you, and what the Jedi can do for the galaxy."

He once again shook Silus firmly by the hand, following the groups out of the deep cave and into the light of Ilum above.

One by one, then by the score, these allies rose. Ion of the West, Joren of the North, Yolem of the South. Viryn, the Minister of Ethics. Ferguson, the master of spies. Then rose Silus, his hard features illuminated as he reached the cave mouth. The Jedi rose with him, following proudly in his wake, as did others - allies enshrouded in cloaks, wrapped in the secrecy of the war. At last came Regrad, who stood outlined by light at the mouth of the cave.

"The sun..." said Yolem, pointing to the system's star that hung low to the ground. "I cannot tell - is it dawn, or is it dusk? Does it rise, or fall?"

Regrad looked at the distant burning light, which turned the frozen wastes of the eternally cold planet into fields and mountains of gold. "It doesn't matter." he said "There is enough light to guide our way home."