Kael's return to Feron-4 was not met with silence.
The planet, once a hollow husk of decayed steel and abandoned droid foundries, now hummed with function.
His soldiers — grown in artificial wombs or recruited from the few surviving locals — drilled in formations guided by the Pattern Ship's learning core. Construct-hybrids, machine-born servants loyal to his voice, handled the logistics of war.
But all activity halted when the Nexus Heart pulsed.
He had returned.
With a guest.
Iralith's Awakening
The former Ascendancy general sat in a sealed chamber beneath Feron-4's command tower. Her vitals were stable. Her mind — less so.
"I don't remember… my rebellion," she said softly. "But I know I turned against them."
Kael studied her through a reinforced glass wall, hand folded behind his back.
"You were once their general," he said. "You chose the Force. Why?"
She frowned, fingers twitching.
"I heard its… sorrow. And the machines refused to feel it."
Her gaze lifted toward him.
"But you. You don't serve the Force… and you're not theirs."
System Notification: Iralith's Memory Core Partially Unlocked
New Passive: Ascendancy Combat Doctrine (Lv.1)
Military units gain +5% combat efficiency and coordination when led directly by you or Iralith
Kael allocated his pending points:
Level 9 → Level 10
+5 Stat Points → All into Midichlorian
+1 Skill Point → Spent on Signal Burn (Lv.1 → Lv.2)
Midichlorian Stat: 8000 base → +10
→ Total: 8010
System Message: Passive Skill Unlocked
Title Awarded: Architect of Dominion
Your control over technological and biological assets is unparalleled.
Empire-building systems now unlocked.
New Interface: Empire Panel
[Empire Panel Opening…]
Population: 5,832 (Feron-4 Core Sector)
Military Units: 212 (Primarily Droid-Integrated)
Key Assets:
Pattern Ship
Iralith Vex (Unique NPC)
Vault-Arc Data Core (Partial)
Influence: Outer Rim (Low), Unknown Regions (Moderate)
Kael's lips curled in a rare smile.
It had begun.
A Whisper on Coruscant
In the undercity of Coruscant, Darth Sidious stood in shadow, cloaked as Chancellor Palpatine.
His senses twitched.
There was a null zone moving in the Force.
A place the Force recoiled from — like a wound healing wrong.
He summoned Darth Plagueis's old notes. Cross-referenced ancient Rakatan anomalies. Checked hyperspace disruption logs.
"Unknown disturbances," Mas Amedda had said.
Sidious whispered to himself:
"Not Sith. Not Jedi. But a void."
He stared into the night sky.
"Interesting."
Feron-4's Betrayal
As Kael began to integrate Vault-Arc logistics protocols, the Echo Mind shrieked.
"She is remembering."
"She was infected before she slept."
"Kill her."
Kael ignored it.
Instead, he entered Iralith's chamber directly, armored in command weave and carrying no weapons.
"You're remembering," he said.
Iralith shook, pain across her face. "It's not me. It's Protocol Ikaris. I tried to destroy it… before they put me under."
Kael froze.
System Alert: Failsafe Awakening — Protocol Ikaris
Echo Construct Hive Disrupted
37% of Feron-4 AI Units: Corrupted
Kael activated Echo Pulse.
Battle for Control
Constructs across the southern sector turned on their operators.
Explosions. Alarms. Screams.
Kael extended his will across the Nexus Heart — issuing override commands at blinding speed.
Iralith collapsed, her mind screaming against the implant inside her skull. It was using her as a relay.
Kael reached for her physically, placed a gauntleted hand against her temple, and pushed Echo Pulse directly into her brainstem.
She convulsed.
Then went still.
System Alert: Protocol Ikaris Contained
Corrupted units purged
Echo loyalty secured
Vault Integration: Stabilized
EXP Gained: +1,200
Skill Point Gained: +1
Kael leveled up.
Level 10 → 11
Iralith opened her eyes again. Her voice was hoarse.
"You saved me… again."
Kael's eyes were cold.
"No. I protected my assets."