Chapter Summaries

Rubeck and the High Priest discovered that the Great Bird Spirit God's statue was transmitting a clear message and plans for a cloning chamber, so Rubeck agreed to try building it. Meanwhile, Tang Xiao and his hostile “daughter” appeared in the royal palace, where he summoned Adele and said he wanted a third son.

• The High Priest told Rubeck that the Great Bird Spirit God had ordered the Ayrou to help complete a warship.
• Rubeck went to the temple altar and saw the statue transmitting a clear message that included a large set of data.
• The High Priest said the data described a cloning chamber built inside a warship, and Rubeck agreed to try manufacturing it.
• Tang Xiao and his “daughter” appeared in his office, splitting his desk in two during their arrival.
• Tang Xiao summoned Adele and told her he wanted a third son.

Tang Xiao returned from Mortis and secured the “son’s” corpse in a stasis chamber while the “daughter” remained at the capital. After reviewing the Fourth Civilization’s military setbacks, he prepared to convene the Supreme Military Council and decide Sefrans Tann’s fate.

• The “daughter” watched Tang Xiao and Adele-Ulan, then left to meditate atop the Civilization Monument after Tang Xiao asked her to go elsewhere.
• Judgment delivered a stasis chamber, warned Tang Xiao that the “daughter” posed a grave threat, and reported that Olegar had behaved obediently while showing interest in Mandalore.
• Tang Xiao placed the “son’s” corpse in the stasis chamber and ordered Judgment to work with Peggy Carter and the National Security Bureau to eliminate internal threats.
• Tang Xiao reviewed reports of defeats at Arkania Planet and the Battle of the Twin Heroes, as well as Operation Zero being halted, then summoned Qi Jian.
• Qi Jian reported that Sefrans Tann had been stripped of her military positions and imprisoned after her disastrous defeat; Tang Xiao vowed she would regret her failure.

Tang Xiao's government committed the Kingdom of Dawn to further wartime mobilization and planned Operation One, while Daphne Clement presented Hari Seldon's economic reform to address the worsening domestic crisis. The reform proposed redefining the Kingdom's currency around rare substances extracted by Matter Unloaders from neutron stars.

• Tang Xiao's military conference approved more war taxes and bonds, expanded military recruitment and production, encouraged private fleets, and ordered all fronts to take a defensive posture.
• Tang Xiao assigned Marshal Matt Horner to refine Operation One, which aimed to destroy Death Squadron, the Empire's Northern Fleet, and its 12th Army in the Eastern Territory.
• Daphne Clement introduced the Hari Seldon Reform as unemployment, fiscal strain, food disputes, and rebellions threatened to deepen the Kingdom of Dawn's economic crisis.
• Hari Seldon proposed replacing the Kingdom's failing currency system with one founded on rare neutron matter extracted by Matter Unloaders.

Hari Seldon established Neutron Steel, an armor material made from neutron-star matter, as the backing for the Kingdom of Dawn's new currency. The plan relied on the military guaranteeing exchanges and on the Kingdom's expanding warship program to sustain demand.

• The InterGalactic Banking Clan (M) blockaded the Mensua Nebula while smelting ships began extracting neutron-star matter from the Matter Unloader.
• Arroyo Barlow and his engineering team examined the material and developed Neutron Steel, a new warship armor stronger than Durasteel.
• Hari Seldon proposed backing the new currency with Neutron Steel, redeemable at exchange points and accepted by Kingdom of Dawn warship component factories.
• The Kingdom of Dawn military agreed to guarantee the currency, while the Central Bank planned electronic credit currency and limited physical Neutron Steel coins.
• The Supreme Military Command estimated the Kingdom would need at least 100,000 capital ships to secure the galaxy, creating sustained demand for Neutron Steel.

Hari Seldon’s currency reform backed Kingdom of Dawn Currency Number Four with Neutron Steel and cut the Kingdom’s financial and trade ties to the Galactic Empire. Tang Xiao then turned to the threat posed by Grand Admiral Thrawn and concluded that Sefrans Tann could not defeat him.

• The Kingdom of Dawn established Neutron Steel reserves and issued individually coded ingots as the backing for Currency Number Four.
• The Kingdom of Dawn announced it would stop holding Galactic Empire credits, require foreign trade to use Currency Number Four, and stop recognizing Imperial credits after one year.
• The Kingdom of Dawn imposed high tariffs on Galactic Empire products, while the currency split threatened to force Rebel Alliance organizations to choose which side to support.
• Tang Xiao considered Grand Admiral Thrawn the Kingdom of Dawn’s nearly insurmountable military obstacle.
• Tang Xiao judged Sefrans Tann incapable of defeating Thrawn because her arrogance and emotional reactions left her vulnerable to her enemies.

Tang Xiao judged Sefrans Tann's command abilities and concluded that her failures and fear of Thrawn had shattered her confidence. He tortured her for three days, then ordered her to resume serving him and conquer the galaxy, leaving her terrified but fanatically devoted.

• Tang Xiao reviewed Sefrans Tann's past defeats and concluded that her reputation as an invincible commander had begun to fade.
• Tang Xiao entered Tann's cell and tortured her with a lightning whip for three days, preventing her from fainting or dying.
• Tann awoke in Tang Xiao's bedroom, and he reminded her that she belonged to him and would suffer for any further failures.
• Tang Xiao told Tann he would forgive her defeat by Thrawn but demanded that she conquer the Milky Way Galaxy for him.
• Tang Xiao kissed Tann roughly, and the terror in her eyes gave way to fanaticism.

On Bothawui’s independence anniversary, the Bosa’s break from the Galactic Empire stood amid a wave of uprisings and planetary autonomy declarations across the galaxy. The Rebel Alliance emerged as a force capable of eluding both the Empire and the Kingdom of Dawn, though how it wielded that power remained unknown.

• The Bosa used the Empire’s war against the Trade Federation to establish an independence administration on Bothawui and later sever ties with Imperial rule.
• Bothawui publicly declared independence and neutrality, prompting the Galactic Empire to send ten Imperial-class Star Destroyers that vanished without a trace.
• Palpatine sent Inquisitorius judges to investigate Bothawui, but uprisings had already spread across thousands of Outer Rim systems.
• More than two hundred planets within the Kingdom of Dawn also responded to the Declaration of Freedom and asserted autonomy.
• The Rebel Alliance’s operatives evaded the Kingdom of Dawn’s intervention fleet, demonstrating their ability to affect both major powers.

The “Declaration of Freedom” ignited uprisings across the galaxy, challenging the authority of the Galactic Empire and the Kingdom of Dawn. Both governments struggled to contain the movement, which was supported by Rebel Alliance infiltration and growing military capabilities.

• The “Declaration of Freedom” called for planetary autonomy and blamed Tang Xiao and Palpatine for dragging planets into war.
• The Galactic Empire and the Kingdom of Dawn dispatched fleets, arrested propagandists, and launched campaigns against the declaration, but their efforts achieved little.
• A Rebel Alliance trap destroyed or captured an Imperial fleet, while a leak allowed liberals to evade the Kingdom of Dawn fleet.
• Uprisings, strikes, sabotage, and attacks spread across the galaxy, and evidence suggested that the Rebel Alliance had infiltrated both governments and could produce large warships.
• On April 17, 10BBY, a Kingdom of Dawn transport fleet carrying rare metals was hijacked after its escort commander contacted Rebel Alliance operatives.
• The Galactic Empire's Aldhani vault was robbed of more than a billion in hard-currency credit ingots.

Mon Mothma met with Lexi Dio and secretly coordinated with the Rebel Alliance, while Imperial Intelligence seized on their apparent proposal for military occupation. The Alliance planned to suspend organized operations, support isolated uprisings, and build its own industrial capacity.

• Mon Mothma rejected covert prompting devices and dressed plainly before visiting Lexi Dio, who signaled that they were communicating secretly.
• Mon Mothma and Lexi Dio used their conversation about tea, the Arkania heist, and Imperial policy to exchange rebel intelligence, funding limits, and warnings about contacting their liaison.
• Mon Mothma proposed military occupation of suspected rebel worlds, and Lexi Dio agreed to draft the measure; Armand Isard ordered it forwarded to Lord Blackhole as an Imperial recommendation.
• At an antique shop, Mon Mothma told the disguised Leader that Lexi Dio would submit the occupation proposal and warned that it could cause more casualties.
• The Leader explained that provoking an excessive Imperial response was part of the Alliance's plan, ordered organized personnel underground, and directed Mon Mothma to seek help from Incom Corporation and the Zann Consortium.

More than a hundred thousand B-1 battle droids surrounded an anti-war protest on Sunset Boulevard and broke up the crowd after its leaders rejected repeated warnings. The demonstrators were trapped, shocked, arrested, and dragged away as the droid Legion secured the area.

• MTT armored troop transports blocked the roads around the administrative center as B-1 battle droids deployed across Sunset Boulevard.
• Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched against the war, the New Deal, and Tang Xiao, while the Police Chief urged them to calm down.
• The protest leader accused Tang Xiao of pursuing personal ambition, and the crowd overran the police line and surged toward the administrative center.
• A yellow-painted B-1 battle droid issued three warnings, then ordered the droids to begin suppression procedures.
• The battle droids used electrified shields to subdue and handcuff demonstrators, who fled into surrounding buildings and were dragged out for arrest.

William Burns staged a report depicting the Hoth Planet riots as destructive violence while presenting battle droids as protectors. As fighting engulfed Givin City on Lothal Planet, a Givin authorized the Beast Legion to crush an organized rebellion, and its armored soldiers began killing marked targets.

• William Burns and battle droids staged scenes of looting and a rescued medic for Dawn News footage that blamed the Hoth Planet riots on destructive mobs.
• A Givin watched the report from a spacecraft above burning Givin City and said the unrest there required strong measures.
• The Givin contacted the Beast Legion and ordered it to restore peace, citing authorization from High Command.
• Orbital drop pods delivered Beast Legion soldiers in CMC-300 powered armor to Givin City.
• The Beast Legion charged into the smoke and began slaughtering marked targets amid a rebellion that field intelligence described as organized and armed.

Hari Seldon presented the Kingdom of Dawn’s strategy for containing the Rebel Alliance and liberal thought while continuing its war against the Galactic Empire. The High Command approved most of his proposals, including a Southern Free Trade Zone to channel liberal opposition into a governable territory.

• Hari Seldon told the High Command that the Kingdom of Dawn had to fight a prolonged two-front struggle against the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance while gradually assimilating its liberal-minded population.
• Hari Seldon reaffirmed that taking Coruscant remained the Kingdom’s foremost objective and proposed eventually allowing the Rebel Alliance to establish the New Republic there.
• Hari Seldon argued that the Kingdom could confront the New Republic through political, economic, and social pressure, exploiting its lack of industry and research capacity.
• Hari Seldon proposed rapid-strike forces, more detailed sector defense zones, and local Defense Fleets to address recurring rebellions.
• Hari Seldon proposed granting limited autonomy to planets in a Southern Free Trade Zone, with Christophsis as its stable political and military center, to contain liberals and the Rebel Alliance.
• Hari Seldon presented further administrative policies, and the High Command approved most of his proposals.

Hari Seldon’s political rise was celebrated as the Kingdom of Dawn’s New Deal helped it withstand the Rebel Alliance. On Lothal, a planned uprising engulfed Givin City, and the Beast Legion’s Black Beast Squad advanced to confront a Jedi Knight.

• Daphne Clement watched Hari Seldon speak and regarded him as the future political core of the Fourth Civilization.
• Hari Seldon drafted much of the New Deal using Tang Xiao’s guidance on countering the Rebel Alliance.
• The Rebel Alliance launched a premeditated uprising across Givin City, attacking battle droids and seizing key facilities.
• Tang Xiao sent the Beast Legion to reinforce the Givin, and the Black Beast Squad marched through the city, killing rebels and earning points.
• Al-Sharad Heite destroyed three missiles fired at the squad and identified their attacker as a Jedi Knight.
• Commander ordered the Black Beast Squad to kill the Jedi Knight.

The Black Beast Squad attacked Givin City's communications center, where A'Sharad Heite confronted Jedi Knight Bultar Swann as she broadcast a call for Lothal Planet to resist. After killing Swann and finding information about a Sith artifact, Heite left the squad to pursue revenge elsewhere.

• The Black Beast Squad charged through Rebel Alliance defenses and stormed the communications center, with A'Sharad Heite sensing a Jedi Knight upstairs.
• Heite confronted Bultar Swann as she activated a broadcast urging the people of Lothal Planet to resist the Givin colonizers.
• Bultar Swann fought Heite with Teräs Käsi and a Lightsaber, but Heite shattered his powered armor and killed her after breaking free of its restraints.
• Heite found an encrypted storage device containing Shaak Ti's message about a Sith artifact held by the smuggler Resk, and kept it along with Swann's Lightsaber.
• The Commander had Romarimonte treat Heite's wounds and covered his departure by declaring A'Sharad Heite dead; Heite then left the Black Beast Squad to seek revenge.

Galen Marek, known as Starkiller, attacked the Rebel Alliance command center on Lianna after his master ordered him to leave no survivors. He fought through the rebels’ defenses and began killing the AT-RT pilots.

• Galen Marek awakened from meditation aboard a shuttlecraft as it entered the combat zone over Lianna.
• Galen ordered the hatch opened, leaped from the shuttlecraft, and used his Lightsaber and the Force to survive the fall after the shuttle exploded.
• Galen landed amid Rebel Alliance soldiers, hurled a burning shuttle engine at them, and received orders from his master to destroy the command center without survivors.
• Galen deflected heavy blaster fire and charged several AT-RT scout walkers operated by Rebel Alliance soldiers.
• Galen killed one AT-RT pilot with his Lightsaber and crushed another pilot together with his walker using the Force.

Galen Malek, known as Star Killer, attacked the Rebel Alliance on Lianna while Darth Vader’s forces supported him from the air. He reached the basement target and confronted Jedi Master Synk, who recognized his identity, as their duel began.

• Galen Malek cut through Rebel Alliance soldiers on Lianna while the rebels called for reinforcements and Vader’s TIE fighters bombed the planet.
• The Rebel Alliance captured TIE fighters and evacuated looted components aboard freighters and corvettes, though Imperial forces intercepted some transports.
• Galen tracked his target to a former hospital and killed the Rebel Alliance soldiers guarding the basement.
• Jedi Master Synk emerged from below and nearly struck Galen, then identified him as Darth Vader’s secret assassin.
• Synk took a defensive lightsaber stance and tried to delay Galen until Rebel reinforcements arrived, while Galen answered with a cruel smile.

Galen Malek crushed the Lianna uprising and reported his victory to Darth Vader, only to be stabbed on Darth Sidious’s orders. Vader convinced Sidious of his obedience, while the chapter ended with him killing an officer who tried to report a rebel base.

• Star Killer defeated and killed Master Synk after restoring communications and revealing that the Executor had arrived at Lianna.
• The Executor and its forces surrounded Lianna, destroyed Rebel supplies, and crushed the uprising.
• Galen Malek met Juno Eclipse and PROXY aboard the Rogue Shadow before traveling to the Executor to report to Darth Vader.
• Darth Vader stabbed Galen Malek and told Darth Sidious that he had killed Star Killer as ordered.
• Darth Sidious threatened Vader over secretly taking on Galen Malek, and Vader maintained that he had been only a tool.
• After Sidious’s projection vanished, Darth Vader crushed a marine officer’s neck when the officer tried to report a Rebel base.

Galen Malek dreamed that he killed a Jedi who appeared to be his father, then woke to learn that Darth Vader had faked his death to deceive the Emperor. Vader tasked Galen with uniting and strengthening the Rebel Alliance so they could overthrow Darth Sidious and seize control of the Galactic Empire.

• Galen Malek dreamed that he intervened in Darth Vader’s duel with a powerful Jedi and killed the Jedi, whose face resembled his own.
• The dying Jedi apologized to Galen, and Galen realized he might have killed his father before Vader stabbed him in the chest.
• Galen woke restrained in a medical room, where Darth Vader explained that he had spared him and made the Emperor believe he was dead.
• Vader told Galen that they would kill the Emperor and rule the Galactic Empire together.
• Galen suggested the Kingdom of Dawn as a possible source of troops, but Vader said they needed the rebels and dissidents instead.
• Vader ordered Galen to aid and unite the Rebel Alliance, while Vader worked from within the Empire to bring down Darth Sidious.

Galen Malek was freed by PROXY after Darth Vader sent him to find the rebels, while the Empire suffered heavy losses fighting the Kingdom of Dawn. Vader repelled an attack on the Executor, purged the Emperor’s infiltrators, and ordered Rock Johnson to keep eliminating unwanted officers as the fleet prepared to withdraw.

• Darth Vader released Galen Malek and told him to find the rebels, while warning him that the Dark Side was always by his side.
• PROXY revealed that six months had passed since Malek’s death and that the Empire had suffered badly in two offensives by the Kingdom of Dawn.
• A Kingdom of Dawn Ankollon-class Titan warship and Ogre-class Siege Cruisers attacked the Executor with torpedoes, but Darth Vader held them in place until Imperial defenses destroyed them.
• Rock Johnson told Darth Vader that the Emperor’s planted officers had been purged from the Executor.
• Darth Vader ordered the fleet to withdraw from its fight against Ling Liang and told Rock Johnson to continue removing unwanted officers; he rejected Rock calling him Anakin.

Imperial Finance Department officials restricted Mon Mothma’s household spending and sealed an antique shop tied to her charitable foundation. At a banquet, Mon Mothma and Bail Organa discussed the Empire’s investigation and the loss of their funding channel.

• Two Imperial officials accused Mon Mothma’s expenditures of failing review standards, imposed restrictions on her household finances, and said they had sealed an antique shop.
• Perrin Fertha defended Mon Mothma and promised to confront Finance Department officials at a banquet hosted by the Minister of Internal Affairs.
• Perrin Fertha asked Mon Mothma about her foundation while they traveled to the banquet, then spoke enthusiastically about collecting antiques.
• Perrin Fertha became the center of attention at the banquet while Mon Mothma was regarded as a wealthy woman devoted to pleasure.
• Bail Organa told Mon Mothma that the Empire had examined their expenditure records and that the sealed antique shop had cut off their funding channel.
• Mon Mothma told Bail Organa that her accounts would withstand the investigation.