Christie Golden - Ascension

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Ascension is a work of fiction.
Names, places, and incidents either are products of
the authors imagination or are used fictitiously.

Copyright 2011 by Lucasfilm Ltd. & or where indicated. All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.

Excerpt from Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse copyright 2011 by Lucasfilm Ltd. & or where indicated.
All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.

Published in the United States by Del Rey,
an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

D EL R EY is a registered trademark and the Del Rey colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

This book contains an excerpt from the forthcoming book Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse by Troy Denning. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the final content of the forthcoming edition.

eISBN: 978-0-345-51959-7

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www.fateofthejedi.com
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Jacket design: Ian Keltie and David Stevenson
Jacket Illustration: Ian Keltie

v3.1

This book, my last entry into this amazing nine-book adventure, is dedicated to those who walked it right alongside me:

Aaron Allston
Troy Denning
Shelly Shapiro
Sue Rostoni

The co-creativity of this team has been and continues to be nothing short of phenomenal. Thank you for letting me be a part of it.

In addition to the awesomeness of my fellow writers and editors, I wish to also thank the following:

Leland Chee
Pablo Hidalgo
Jeffrey Kirby
David Moench
David Pomerico
Joe Scalora
And the 501st

May the Force be with you!

Abeloth

Allana Solo; child (human female)

Ben Skywalker; Jedi Knight (human male)

Darish Vol; Grand Lord of the Lost Tribe of the Sith (human male)

Drikl Lecersen; Moff (human male)

Gavar Khai; Sith Saber (human male)

Han Solo; captain, Millennium Falcon (human male)

Haydnat Treen; Senator, member of the triumvirate governing the Galactic Alliance (human female)

Ivaar Workan; Sith High Lord (human male)

Jagged Fel; Head of State, Galactic Empire (human male)

Jaina Solo; Jedi Knight (human female)

Leia Organa Solo; Jedi Knight (human female)

Luke Skywalker; Jedi Grand Master (human male)

Padnel Ovin; Senator from Klatooine (Klaatoinian male)

Saba Sebatyne; Jedi Master and member of the triumvirate (Barabel female)

Tahiri Veila, escaped convict (human female)

Vestara Khai; Sith apprentice (human female)

Wynn Dorvan; member of the triumvirate (human male)

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE CIRCLE ,
CAPITAL CITY OF TAHV, KESH

T HE SUN BEATING DOWN UPON THE STAINED-GLASS DOME OF THE C IRCLE Chambers painted the forms of all those assembled in a riot of colors. Yet it was not hot in this large room; regulating the temperature was childs play for such masterful users of the Force as the Sith assembled here.

It was an emergency meeting. Even so, formalities were strictly observed; the Sith were nothing if not meticulous. Grand Lord Darish Vol, the leader of the Lost Tribe, had summoned the meeting less than a standard hour earlier. He now sat upon a dais in the very center of the room, elevated above all others, enthroned on his traditional metal-and-glass seat. While there had been sufficient time to don his colorful formal robes, he had not had time to sit and permit his attendants to paint his gaunt, aged face with the vorshandi swirls and decorations appropriate to the meeting. Vol shifted slightly on his throne, displeased by that knowledge, displeased with the entire situation that had necessitated the meeting in the first place.

His staff of office was stretched over his lap. His claw-like hands closed about it as his aged but still-sharp eyes flitted about the room, noting who was here and who was not, and observing and anticipating the responses of each.

Seated on either side of the Grand Lord were the High Lords. Nine members of the traditional thirteen were here today, a mixture of male and female, Keshiri and human. One, High Lord Sarasu Taalon, would never again be among that number. Taalon was dead, and his death was one of the reasons Vol had called the assembly. Seated in a ring around the dais were the Lords, ranked below the High Lords, and standing behind them were the Sabers.

Several of their number were missing, too. Many were dead. Some well, their status remained to be seen.

Vol could feel the tension in the room; even a non-Force-sensitive could have read the body language. Anger, worry, anticipation, and apprehension were galloping through the Chambers today, even though most present hid it well. Vol drew upon the Force as naturally as breathing in order to regulate his heart rate and the stress-created chemicals that coursed through his body. This was how the mind remained clear, even though the heart was, as ever, open to emotions and passion. If it were closed, or unmoved by such things, it would no longer be the heart of a true Sith.

I tell you, she is a savior! Lady Sashal was saying. She was petite, her long white hair perfectly coiffed, her purple skin the most pleasing tone of lavender. Her mellifluous voice rang through the room. Ship obeys her, and was not Ship the She stumbled on the choice of words for a moment, then recovered. the Sith-created construct who liberated us from the chains of our isolation and ignorance of the galaxy? Ship was the tool we used to further our destinyto conquer the stars. We are well on our way to doing so!

Yes, Lady Sashal, we are, countered High Lord Ivaar Workan. But it is we who shall rule this galaxy, not this stranger.

Although the attractive, graying human male had been a Lord for many years, he was new to his rank of High Lord. Taalons untimely demise had paved the way for Workans promotion. Vol had enjoyed watching Workan step into the role as if he had been born to it. While Sith truly trusted no one but themselves and the Force, Vol nonetheless regarded Workan among those who fell on the side of less likely to betray him.

She is very strong with the dark side, High Lord Takaris Yur offered. Stronger than anyone we have ever heard of. That was quite a statement, coming from the Master of the Sith Temple. Few on Kesh had as extensive a knowledge of the Siths pastand now their present as they expanded across the starsas this deceptively mild, dark-skinned, middle-aged human. Yur had ambition, but, oddly for a Sith, it was largely not personal. His ambitions were for his students. He was content to teach them as best he could, then set them loose on an unsuspecting world, turning his attention to the next generation of Tyros. Yur spoke seldom, but when he did, all listened, if they were wise.