Kor Chokk Grand Cruiser Yammka’s Sword
In hyperspace returning to the Baanu Amnan

‘The will of the Slayer truly shines on you, Fearsome One.’

After the tsaisi finished with the Sith beneath his feet, Varesh held down his hand. The serpent stretched up to wrap around his wrist, and coiled back around his arm. Then he crushed the remains of the Twi’lek’s skull under his foot.

Varesh turned round to Tsaak. ‘It was as I foresaw.’ The Warmaster returned to his throne at the centre of the Hall of Confluence, the Scepter of Power hissing as he stepped over the piles of bodies, mostly children. He swung his hand around the hall to take in the whole scene, ‘See the mark of our success,’ he called to the High Priestess across the chamber. ‘Yun-Yammka was with us. The Sseeth heretics were judged for their blasphemy. The infidel cowards who sided with us will burn in the chaos left in our wake.’

‘You are the gods’ hand, Warmaster,’ Seef said. ‘It is through you they perform their will.’

He did not answer but instead watched as his tsaisi slithered down his arm again to the nearest body, then wrapped around the metal bar still clutched in the cold hand. The snake flowed back up into his lap and held out the lightsaber hilt for him to examine. Tentatively, Varesh thumbed the activation switch and the bloodshine sword snap-hissed to life.

Seef looked uneasy. ‘Great One, you should not taint yourself with machines . . .’

Ignoring her, intrigued by the thrum in his ears, Varesh waved the weapon experimentally.

‘Warmaster—’

Varesh looked up from the weapon. ‘You worry too much, High Priestess. Is today not proof of what I have said all along? Yun-Yammka understands the need for sacrifices.’

‘But the infidels’ machines are heresy.’

‘And yet by your own pronouncement the Warmaster is the voice of the gods,’ Tsaak interrupted. ‘It is by his hand we have devastated the Sseeth fleet and raised their cities, why their citadel now burns and why thousands more lay dead. Is this victory not too the will of the gods?’

Varesh watched as the priests argued.

After a few minutes he stood up, the lightsaber still in his hand. ‘Enough.’

The priests fell silent.

‘By the Slayer’s hand we have atoned for Nas Choka’s heresy. This is proof enough the gods’ light shines once more upon their Chosen Race. It is now for the Supreme One to return and lead us to reclaim Yuuzhan’tar and end the Jeedai heresy once and for all.’

Matalok Cruiser Voice of Agony
In hyperspace returning to the Baanu Amnan

The baby screamed as Niiriit sank the amphistaff’s fangs into its arm.

The master shaper looked delirious. This was the culmination of a lifetime of research. Eckla knew this. She did not know how, she just knew. Remulus Sadow’s blood was the key.

‘A Child of the Ancients . . .’ the shaper murmured. Her hands were shaking as she withdrew the engorged amphistaff. ‘So many years searching . . .’

Eckla was more reserved, her eyes switching between the baby and the captive Sith in the Embrace behind her. Ashura’s cursing as he fought with his restraints was louder than the baby itself. Eckla feigned a smile. ‘You should be proud. Your ward’s blood will cure the affliction our race has borne for millennia.’

‘I don’t give a kriff about your karking race!’

The baby continued screaming as Niiriit carried on with the operation.

‘That’s too bad.’

Ashura started to speak but a cord tightened around his throat, choking him.

‘If I . . .’ he spluttered, coughing blood with each word, ‘had . . . the Force—’

‘—now you know what it feels like,’ she snapped. Eckla ran a finger down the gash on her cheekbone. ‘Courtesy of one of you.

‘How does it feel to know I command the Force here?’ she added and smiled at Krag.

The captive Sith looked at the figure behind her. ‘Why? Why betray your oath to the Overlord?’ Ashura coughed another mouthful of blood on the floor. ‘You’re no better than your treacherous Master.’

Krag did not move.

‘Go ahead,’ Eckla said. ‘You may speak. Tell him the truth of the Gods I control.’

‘I was a Son of Sadow but I saw the Light and am now a servant of the Truth.’

The Embrace cut Ashura off again when he tried to answer.

Krag continued, ‘It is with his blood,’ Krag nodded towards the baby, ‘the Chosen of the God’s Children will be extolled and have justice at last.’

‘Traitor . . . you’re just . . . a slave.’

Eckla laughed.

‘The days of slavers are over. In my world, the slaves will be the ones who rule.’

Ashura stared at her in silence. A few moments later his face twisted into shock, as if the Embrace had garrotted him, however Eckla had not touched anything. ‘No . . .’ Eckla narrowed her eyes.

‘No what?’ she asked, checking again the Embrace was not choking him to death.

‘Before . . . from the worldship . . . I remember you . . .’

Eckla jerked backwards and pulled on the Embrace’s vines to make them tighten.

Ashura managed to gargle out two last words before he passed out:

‘Eshin . . . Shul . . . !’

Eshin spun back to Niiriit—the shaper had not been listening, her attention was fully absorbed by the baby’s screams. When Niiriit noticed Eshin staring, she held out the bright red amphistaff. Its belly was bulging.

‘I have what we need.’ Niiriit frowned at the Sith. ‘Did he say something?’

‘Nothing important,’ Eshin said quickly and turned to leave without a backward glance. ‘Let’s finish this.’