Star Wars: The Eternal Slumber/Chapter 10

Boba Fett watched as the Mandalore council gathered into their dark chambers.

Thousands of years ago this would have never been possible. In the land of the living, one man, the Mandalore, controlled all Mandalorians. However, this lead to natural power struggles in the netherworld. Originally, the netherworld made the newest Mandalore their leaders. The problem was, however, that, in most cases, the former Mandalore was reluctant to give up his position, which lead to many civil wars in the early history of the Mandalorian netherworld.

When Mandalore the Ultimate arrived in the netherworld, he was met by the hostile hands of Mandalore the Indomitable. He felt that Mandalore the Ultimate's revolutionary rule was wrong for the future of the mandalorians. Mandalore the Ultimate had changed the face of Mandalorian culture forever, bringing in many different species due to the lack of Taung after the Old Sith Wars. Mandalore the Indomitable felt the culture should stay purely Taung, not littered with this new form of Mandalorian that was no more than Aruetiise to him. A great war followed, piting the new against the old, and bringing the formally scattered clans into two strong armies. At the end of the war, Mandalore the First, who had become Mandalore the Indomitable's partner, began to see how these so called aruetiise were more Mandalorians than outsiders. The three sat down and became a Triumvirate, and, eventually, as Canderous Ordo came into the fold, the Council was born. Today, the Council functioned more as a team than in former years. They hadn't had a time of inner war since the Deathwatch incident, and even that was quickly solved.

Jango, Boba's father, pressed a button on the table, and a large image of the manifest appeared in front of them.

"Feirfek, they got hit hard." Jaster said, as the prisoner list appeared.

"So the Jedi were telling the truth." said Alpha-02.

"It does present a problem." said Ung Kusp. "This war has all the signs of being the imperial war all over again."

"We stayed neutral then." said Mandalore the Indomitable. "Why not now?"

"The council may have stayed neutral, but the army didn't. We took just as many losses as any other sentient race." said Canderous. "I get the feeling we'll have no choice but to side with someone by the time the war ends.

Jango pressed another button on his table, and an image of a snow base replaced the manifest. "We've received intelligence that the Jedi have taken the Grey Jedi base as a safe haven. They plan to meet with the leaders of the Sentient Republic to arrange an alliance.  Our little clone friend tells us that the Sith know of the meeting."

"Ambush." Boba said.

"That what I think, as well."

"Canderous spoke up. "We could gain favor with the Jedi if we help them escape the ambush."

"Or," said Mandalore the Ultimate, "We could help the Sith with the ambush to gain favor with them."

"Sith Di'kuts." Alpha-02 hissed. "I'll never forgive them for my imprisonment."

"I think this one should come down to a vote." said Fenn Shysa.

"I agree." said Jango. "Votes?"

"Jedi." said Canderous.

"Sith." said Mandalore the Ultimate.

"Sith." said Mandalore the First.

"Jedi." said Jaster Mereel.

"Sith." said Mandalore the Indomitable.

"Jedi." said Fenn Shysa.

"Jedi." said Mandalore the Resurrector.

"Sith." said Ung Kusp.

"Sith." said Mandalore the Lesser.

"Jedi" said Mandalore the Vindicated.

Jango looked at Boba. "Bob'ika?"

Boba sat back in his chair, head slightly tilted up.He didn't view this as right versus wrong, but what was right for the Mandalorians as a whole.

"We've got Sith at our front door, intending to take our prisoners. We have already attack part of their squad, which makes our chances of allied work with them slim to none.  Even if we hadn't, the sith would never honor our wishes after the war." He took a deep breath. "I have to go with the Jedi."

"Well." said Jango, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Jedi it is. Now down to what must be done.  First off, who's going to lead the attack on the squad outside?"

"I'll do it. I'll even free the Jedi to help." said Canderous.

"Who's willing to take a team to help the Jedi out of the ambush?"

"I'll do it." said Boba. "I'm getting sick of just sitting anyway."

Jango nodded. "Then I guess we're done here. Oya!"

Darth Revan stood on the hillside outside Republic city. Frost mixed with green grass in this frosty region. While beyond the subzero Temperatures of the Icelands he had just crossed over, it was still a cold place. Snow often fell, but left little cover unless followed by a large storm.

He knew the Jedi and their Grey Jedi friends had a meeting with the Sentient Republic soon, and knew they would make a partnership that would ruin the war for the Empire. He had the ambush all set out before him. The landing pad for the Can-cels where set up on this side of the city, where Varactyls, tamed Reek, Banthas, Dewback, TaunTauns, and all forms of riding beasts waited to move guasts around the huge city.

Revan had sniper teams positioned all around the city and inside, waiting for his cue. A mass of forces were awaiting his orders for the ambush from the tundras beyond, hidden from prying eyes, led by Bane. He had some of his best Sith right their with him; Darth Maul, Ajunta Pall, Ulic Qel-Droma, Andeddu, Freedon Nadd, Darth Nihilus, Zannah, and Exar Kun, all loyal to the cue he planed for the future. Maul and Kun were new to the group, replacements for Karness Murr and Githany, two sith that were all to loyal to their Emperor. Nadd himself had portions of his until recently private army of Krath in reserve, ready for the battle, just in case.

Ordinarly, Revan would say attacking a base such as this would be an impossible task, even with the forces and his Sith squad, which he had come to name his "Death Squad". However, the Sith had non-Force Sensitive friends outside their order to call on.

The first to arrive was General Grievous. While far from the mechanical monster he had been in his late life, he was still a formidable opponent. He was now the leader of the Kaleesh in the netherworld. While he wore Kaleesh style armor, but in a cortosis weave metal. He still wore four lightsabers on his belt, but he couldn't use them the way he did in his metal form. Instead, he used two in battle, with the skill of a Jedi knight or a Sith apprentice. He had his best warriors with him as bodyguards.

Second, he saw Aleema Rar stroll from the other side of the hill. He disfigurment had never gone away when she died, unlike grievous, because of she died with the dark side fueling her insane behavior. She had left the Sith for her Killik roots, but promised they would back the Sith if need be. Six larger Killik and several dozen smaller Killiks strolled with her.

Next, a large, multi-colored Ssi-Ruuk, the Ssi-Ruu Keeramak. He had several Black scaled bodyguards with him. They had agreed to help the Sith generations ago, when the Sith started sending sacrifices to them as gifts for help. The Ssi-Ruu considered all species lesser beings, but somehow saw a kinship with the Sith. That, however, didn't mean after the battles they wouldn't stab them in the back. That was something they'd have to deal with after the war.

Nil Spaar was the next to appear, with a mass of Yevethan bodyguards trailing behind him. These Yevetha were another race of creatures that thought all other species were lesser beings. They managed to get them to side with the sith by promising them Republic City after the war. They were another so called ally race they'd have to deal with latter on.

Rokur Gepta brought the next group, the organization known as the Sorcerers of Tund. They all believed that the force was mere magic for their use. Palpatine had discovered them and made the assumption that the Sorcerers concepts were based on ancient sith writings. Revan had recently made contact with the sorcerers and made an agrremet to elp them delve into the art of what they call "dark magic".

Next, a group of Nightsisters came up the hillside, all on Rancors, with Zalem as their lead. Some Dathomiri Nightsisters had already, in fact, joined up with the Sith, but they were few and far between. This day would sow a permanent alliance between the two Dark side cults.

Finally, a group of ancient Rakata soldiers strode up the hills. The Rakata once held terrible powers of the dark side, and had used them to conquer a large portion of the galaxy. At this point, however, they had little to no powers, but still remained formidable opponents. The Sith promised the Rakata they would aid them in regaining their powers as long as they promised to help them in the war.

They all had agreed to be allied together. The best part, however, was that they were all on his side of the coming revolution against the emporer.

"I come before you as the second in command of the Sith." he said formerly. These allies were to be swrn in now but it was a mere formality. "Who will aid us in our crusade?"

"The nightsister of Dathomir will join you."

"The Yevetha pledge their blood to you, milord."

"The Ssi-Ruuk will sign your treaty."

"The Sorcerors of tund are at your disposal, milord."

"The Rakata will aid our forces to yours, Lord Revan."

"The Killik will stand behind you, milord."

"The Kaleesh pledge their armies to you, milord."

"Then let this pact be signed by the blood of the Jedi." Revan said, opening his comlink. "Darth Bane, prepare our armies. Tonight, the Jedi Council will die!"