Chapter Summaries

Tang Xiao recruited Professor Mordin Solus to organize the Salarian settlement on Kef Bir and help the Fourth Civilization study the Amarr Empire’s advanced technology. Mordin accepted the research project and set out with Tang Xiao to inspect Kef Bir.

• Tang Xiao decided not to awaken the Legendary figure and went to meet Professor Mordin Solus, who had left his medical examination early.
• Tang Xiao explained that one million Salarian fertilized eggs and twenty Salarians were aboard the mothership, and Mordin immediately began planning the settlement’s social and industrial divisions.
• Tang Xiao asked Mordin to establish a research team to study the Amarr Empire’s technology in preparation for a war expected in ten years.
• Mordin accepted the research request but said he needed consultants and experts, then requested an immediate trip to Kef Bir.
• Tang Xiao had Daphne Clement summon the Kef Bir development experts and accompanied Mordin to inspect the moon.

Tang Xiao welcomed Professor Mordin and the other Salarians to Kaveh-Bir Planet, where the Salarians agreed to join the Fourth Civilization and help develop their species and technology. The chapter ended with Arroyo Barlow beginning to analyze Amarr Empire technology as Tang Xiao prepared for war and further expansion.

• Tang Xiao awakened twenty more Salarians, and he and Daphne Clement prepared Kaveh-Bir Planet to become the Fourth Civilization’s first extraterrestrial colony.
• Tang Xiao brought the Salarians to Ansett Island aboard a Neruda Envoy Cruiser and warned Professor Mordin that their population growth had to be managed until the civilization gained more territory.
• Tang Xiao told Mordin that war was unavoidable and revealed that the Kig-Yar could serve as support for the Salarians.
• Mordin and the other Salarians thanked Tang Xiao for giving their species a chance to survive and pledged loyalty to the Fourth Civilization.
• Mordin assigned Professor Arroyo to analyze Amarr Empire fleet technology, and Arroyo Barlow said he would begin immediately.

Tang Xiao supported Professor Modin’s plan to rebuild the Salarian population while a fugitive named Tur Ulan sought help through Douglas Stamp. Tang Xiao awakened the unknown Legendary Class figure, who emerged from the medical center and introduced himself as Shi Aimin.

• Tang Xiao ordered the Glory mothership to support Professor Modin’s development work on Kave-Bill Planet.
• A shadowy fugitive subdued Douglas Stamp and identified himself as Tur Ulan, asking him to tell the senator that Hego’s apprentice needed to meet him.
• Douglas memorized the communication code carved into a piece of fruit, ate it, and destroyed the safe house before leaving.
• Tang Xiao ordered the Mainframe to awaken the unknown Legendary Class figure and waited outside the medical center with Edra Kestis, ready to kill the newcomer if necessary.
• The newly awakened man greeted Tang Xiao enthusiastically and introduced himself as Shi Aimin.

Tang Xiao discovered that his newly awakened Legendary Class was Shi Aimin, a comedic Captain America parody, and tested his strength at the Dawn Star Planet barracks. After Shi Aimin defeated five soldiers, he sensed that Tang Xiao was impressive and agreed to spar with him.

• Tang Xiao realized Shi Aimin was a comedy-sketch version of Captain America, though he confirmed Shi Aimin was eager to help and believed he could fight.
• Tang Xiao took Shi Aimin to the army barracks on Dawn Star Planet to assess his abilities.
• Shi Aimin casually lifted a 140-kilogram barbell one-handed, convincing Tang Xiao that he had genuine strength.
• Shi Aimin defeated five soldiers in a sparring match and then helped them up, irritating the watching troops.
• Tang Xiao stopped the instructor from challenging Shi Aimin and asked whether Shi Aimin wanted to spar with him.
• Shi Aimin said he could tell Tang Xiao was impressive and accepted the offer to spar.

Tang Xiao sparred with Shi Aimin, discovered that his opponent’s strength and fighting skill surpassed his own, and won by using the Force and Dark Illusion. After ordering the soldiers to study the Force, Tang Xiao received a secure call from Francis Underwood asking whether he knew Tur Ulan.

• Tang Xiao challenged Shi Aimin to spar, then knocked him down when his first punch lacked force.
• Shi Aimin fought seriously and overwhelmed Tang Xiao with exceptional strength and combat skill, forcing Tang Xiao to rely on the Force to keep up.
• Tang Xiao restrained Shi Aimin with the Force and used Dark Illusion and enhanced speed to kick him out of the ring.
• Tang Xiao explained the Force to Shi Aimin and ordered all the soldiers to study it.
• Francis Underwood contacted Tang Xiao and asked whether he knew someone named Tur Ulan.

Tang Xiao summoned Tur Ulan to Sojourn Planet to test his loyalty and decide whether to recruit him. Tur Ulan offered to serve Darth Malthael, rebuild the Echani Sun Guards, and reveal a Sith artifact, but his fate remained uncertain.

• Tang Xiao arranged for Francis Underwood and Dryden Vos to get Tur Ulan off Coruscant and send him to Sojourn Planet.
• Tang Xiao told Edra Kestis to teach Shi Aimin about the Jedi Order, then flew the newly renamed Red Comet to Sojourn.
• Tur Ulan arrived alone in a shuttle and explained that Darth Sidious had betrayed Pregas, killed him, and tried to kill Tur Ulan.
• Darth Malthael challenged Tur Ulan's loyalty and dismissed his desire for revenge, but Tur Ulan insisted he wanted to serve and help kill Sidious.
• Tur Ulan offered to rebuild the Echani Sun Guards and disclose the location of a Sith artifact as Darth Malthael revealed the Red Comet behind his shuttle with its cannons aimed at him.

Darth Malthael forced Tur-Ulan to share what he knew about a suspected Sith artifact linked to Jedi Master Lucien Draay, then inspected Project G and its prototypes. He brought Tur-Ulan aboard and faced his desperate offer to help avenge Lord Pregas and kill Sidious.

• Malthael destroyed Tur-Ulan’s shuttle, and Tur-Ulan escaped in a pod and revealed that Lord Pregas had investigated a Sith artifact supposedly buried with Lucien Draay.
• Tur-Ulan sent Malthael his investigation files, and Malthael left him drifting while he inspected the Cyrcexis Group’s space station and Project G testing grounds.
• Malthael spoke with Tremi-Brad, who said the prototypes were undergoing live tests and could mature within ten years, while complaining about the heat and asking for more cola concentrate.
• Malthael returned to Tur-Ulan, pulled his escape pod into the Red Comet, and heard him pledge his life and soul to avenge Lord Pregas and kill Sidious.
• Malthael ignited his lightsaber before Tur-Ulan, who mistook him for Lord Pregas and then prostrated himself.

Malthael spared Tul Ulan and appointed him to train the Fourth Legion, a secret army being raised on Dawn Star Planet. Tul Ulan believed the force would help him kill Sidious, while Malthael warned that failure to train its emotionless soldiers could cost him his life.

• Malthael reviewed Tul Ulan’s information about a Sith artifact connected to Lucien Draay and decided he needed another way to investigate it without sending Edra Kestis to the Jedi Order.
• Malthael accepted Tul Ulan as an instructor for his army and revealed his Sith title, Darth Malthael.
• Malthael brought Tul Ulan to Dawn Star Planet, where Tul Ulan saw the planet’s industrial development and a Star Ring under construction.
• Malthael showed Tul Ulan the hidden training base and the Fourth Legion, whose young recruits received combat instruction while they slept.
• Malthael ordered Tul Ulan to turn the Fourth Legion into an invincible army and warned that its soldiers might kill him if his training failed.

Malthael assigned Tur Ulan to train the Fourth Legion while keeping him under close watch. Tang Xiao declined Count Dooku’s request for Dawn Star Planet to join a joint declaration against the Republic, leaving Dooku’s efforts to recruit the planet unresolved.

• Malthael told Tur Ulan to train the Fourth Legion’s 16,000 soldiers on Hypori and keep deaths and permanent disabilities below 20%.
• Tur Ulan accepted the assignment, while Malthael privately resolved to keep him isolated from the outside world.
• Tang Xiao received Count Dooku’s scheduled communication after inspecting United Mining Group’s excavation site and the Star Ring under construction.
• Count Dooku urged Tang Xiao to issue a joint declaration with his movement to attract more planets and strengthen their opposition to the Republic.
• Tang Xiao refused, citing Dawn Star Planet’s responsibility to its five million people and its inability to confront the Republic directly.
• After the call ended, Tang Xiao concluded that Count Dooku wanted Dawn Star Planet’s shipbuilding capacity to reassure potential allies without promising direct military support.

Tang Xiao rejected Count Dooku’s invitation to publicly support the Separatist Movement, choosing instead to exploit the Separatist tide for Dawn Star Planet’s own goals. He secretly traveled to Yag'Dhul to meet with representatives from the Givin and Semirres, where Toonbuck Tula was stunned by the Titan warship under construction.

• Tang Xiao considered Count Dooku’s invitation a trap tied to Darth Sidious’s plans and refused to make Dawn Star Planet his obedient ally.
• Tang Xiao told Francis Underwood that he had rejected Count Dooku, and Francis outlined their plans to court senators, expand Claire’s mutual aid fund, and arrange a secret meeting.
• Tang Xiao, Baron Helmut Zemo, and Gross Shelby secretly traveled to Yag'Dhul to meet with Givin leaders Daggus and Yatabare.
• Toonbuck Tula and the Semirres governor arrived, and Toonbuck Tula gaped at the enormous Titan warship under construction.

Tang Xiao, Baron Zemo, Senator Daggus, and Toonbuck Tula discussed the dangers of resisting the Galactic Republic and the need to unite their planets’ industrial strength. They agreed to form the Cooperative Alliance, an industrial coalition intended to give its members influence in any future conflict.

• Tang Xiao showed Daggus and Tula the Ragnarok-class Titan warship and warned that the Republic would destroy it if it learned of its construction.
• Daggus and Tula explained why their planets no longer trusted the Republic and supported Count Dooku’s resistance.
• Baron Zemo and Tang Xiao warned that a war with the Republic could end in defeat and catastrophe unless the opposing planets coordinated their strength.
• Tang Xiao proposed limiting the alliance to planets with significant industrial capacity, and Daggus recognized the value of combining their capabilities.
• Tang Xiao, Daggus, and Tula agreed to establish the Cooperative Alliance to coordinate their planets’ industries.

The Cooperative Alliance began secret weapons projects and planned a hundred Kol-class Battleships while Francis Underwood built a New Rim Faction in the Republic Senate. The alliance expanded its military preparations as Francis and Ainlee Tim reunited former Rim Faction senators against Chancellor Palpatine.

• Tang Xiao became leader of the Cooperative Alliance, which aligned its political stance toward Count Dooku’s Separatist Movement without taking concrete action.
• The alliance formed a secret engineering team of Givin specialists and launched the highly classified Ankylon project.
• The alliance planned to build one hundred Kol-class Battleships, with Semirres Planet responsible for construction and the first order divided among the three member worlds.
• Francis Underwood repeatedly attacked Sheev Palpatine in the Senate over taxation, the Outer Rim, and the Republic’s unity.
• Francis supported Ainlee Tim and helped reunite former Rim Faction senators as the New Rim Faction.

Francis Underwood strengthened the New Rim Faction while Claire Underwood expanded her aid programs into refugee resettlement and employment. Tang Xiao began colonizing the Kuna Cluster, and the first 500,000 settlers arrived on Kuna's Tooth.

• Francis Underwood guided the New Rim Faction as Senator Tim led it publicly, while Francis and Palpatine used their political disputes to build influence and recruit allies.
• Claire Underwood expanded the Outer Rim Territories Mutual Aid Fund and launched refugee resettlement and employment plans, with transparent working conditions and compensation.
• Tang Xiao chose the Kuna Cluster for colonial expansion, targeting its habitable planets and mineral-rich Kuna's Eye to give the Fourth Civilization a stronger foundation.
• Tang Xiao purchased five Luukri-Hok-class freighters from the Trade Federation to support the colonization of Kuna's Tooth Planet.
• In the second half of 31 BBY, the first pioneering group of 500,000 Outer Rim recruits arrived on Kuna's Tooth aboard the freighters.

Tang Xiao learned that the InterGalactic Banking Clan had loaned seven billion credits to Kuat Drive Yards and decided to confront San Hill. A cloaked figure then terrified San Hill into revealing the Clan’s plans and realizing that Darth Sidious was controlling Count Dooku’s role in the Separatist war.

• Semir Tang told Tang Xiao that the InterGalactic Banking Clan was transferring seven billion credits to Kuat Drive Yards, and Tang Xiao decided to visit San Hill.
• A cloaked figure entered San Hill’s heavily guarded estate, silenced him, and forced his guards and guests to kneel.
• The figure questioned San Hill about the Kuat Drive Yards loans and learned that Hego had ordered him to keep the project running.
• The figure revealed that Hego’s plan involved San Hill backing Count Dooku’s Separatists while profiting from both sides of the war.
• The figure explained that Darth Sidious had killed Darth Pregas and claimed his plan, and San Hill realized Sidious was truly controlling Count Dooku.

Darth Malthael threatened San Hill and warned him to reconsider his role in the war, leaving San to suspect that the mysterious visitor was Tang Xiao. San invited Tang to Geonosis for Grievous’s reconstruction, and Tang agreed before traveling to Dawn Star Planet to confront Edra Kestis.

• Darth Malthael identified himself as Darth Pregas's other apprentice and true heir, threatened San Hill, and left evidence of San’s campaign scandal.
• San Hill connected the visitor to Tang Xiao and Hego’s remaining authorization, then called Tang and invited him to Geonosis to see Grievous.
• Tang Xiao accepted San Hill’s invitation to leave for Geonosis the next day.
• Tang Xiao flew to Dawn Star Planet and found Edra Kestis meditating in the Valley of Serenity.
• Tang Xiao sensed Edra’s power and told her that it had fallen long ago.

Tang Xiao brought Edra-Kestis to meet San Hill and travel to Geonosis, after provoking her with the dark history of Count Dooku and her former Jedi student Komari Vosa. The visitors entered Geonosis, a vast underground industrial world, where the Geonosians gathered to watch them.

• Edra-Kestis accused Tang Xiao of corrupting her with the Dark Side, and he asked her to teach him the ways of a Jedi Knight.
• Tang Xiao told Edra about Komari Vosa’s crimes and claimed that Count Dooku had watched her die, leaving Edra shaken and refusing to admit she had fallen to the Dark Side.
• Tang Xiao took Edra aboard a Ministry-class shuttle to meet San Hill, introducing her as his bodyguard and secretary.
• San Hill’s fleet traveled to Geonosis, where Tang Xiao’s group descended through a surface spire into the planet’s underground nests.
• Countless Geonosians emerged from holes around the visitors and watched them arrive.

Tang Xiao met Count Dooku on Geonosis, where Dooku dismissed Edra Kestis as a Sith Alchemy experiment and discussed using Jedi Master Dias's corpse to restore the dying Grievous. The chapter left Grievous's revival as Dooku's plan for gaining the Separatists an exceptional military commander.

• Tang Xiao and his companions descended to an underground medical laboratory, where Count Dooku and Poggle the Lesser examined a dying mass of flesh and a Jedi corpse.
• Tang Xiao introduced Edra Kestis to Dooku, who recognized her Dark Side Force and called her a crude Sith Alchemy experiment, leaving her stunned.
• Dooku and Tang Xiao discussed the need for military talent, and San Hill praised Grievous as the commander who had led the Caladanians to victory over an interstellar civilization.
• Dooku revealed that the dying being was Grievous and said he planned to use Jedi Master Dias's corpse in an attempt to revive him.
• Edra recognized the corpse as Master Dias, and Dooku told her that he had killed the Jedi Master.

Count Dooku transfused Master Sifo-Dyas's blood into Grievous, saving his life but failing to give him Force talent. After Dooku declared that the Jedi would be his enemies, Edra Kestis confronted him and attacked with Force lightning.

• Count Dooku drained Grievous's blood and replaced it with blood from Master Sifo-Dyas while Tang Xiao watched.
• Count Dooku confirmed that the transfusion had saved Grievous but had not transferred Sifo-Dyas's Force talent.
• Poggle the Lesser promised to build Grievous a powerful cyborg shell, and Count Dooku said Grievous would lead their droid army against the Galactic Republic and the Jedi.
• Edra Kestis demanded to know why Count Dooku had made the Jedi his enemies, and he defended his plans to transform the Galactic Republic.
• Edra Kestis accused Count Dooku of lying to her, then rushed at him with Force lightning as Tang Xiao, San Hill, and the others scrambled for cover.

Tang Xiao and Count Dooku subdued Edra-Kestis, then discussed the Separatists’ battlecruiser plans over dinner on Geonosis. Dooku estimated the fleet they would need to defeat the Republic, while Tang Xiao privately doubted his assessment.

• Edra-Kestis attacked Count Dooku with uncontrolled Force lightning until San Hill pressed Tang Xiao’s remote, allowing Tang Xiao to inflict soul-deep pain on her.
• Count Dooku threatened Edra with his crimson Lightsaber, revealing that he had fallen from the Jedi Order, and Archduke Poggle’s warriors carried her away at Tang Xiao’s order.
• At dinner, Tang Xiao explained his contract with the Fourth Group, and Count Dooku invited him to observe trials of the Hiigaran-class battlecruiser.
• Count Dooku said the Separatists needed 500 Hiigaran-class battlecruisers to defeat the Judicial Fleet and perhaps 2,000 or more to defeat the Galactic Republic.
• Tang Xiao laughed at Dooku’s confidence but privately thought he underestimated the Republic’s industrial capacity.

Tang Xiao dealt with Edra Kestis’s despair and discussed the Hiigaran-class battlecruiser with San Hill before they met the revived Grievous. Grievous learned that his body was nearly destroyed and pleaded to return to Caladan Planet to save his people, but San Hill questioned whether they had any reason to help him.

• Tang Xiao carried Edra Kestis back to the ship, threatened to starve and revive her, and locked her in the storage hold.
• Tang Xiao considered the leaked information about the Hiigaran-class battlecruiser and spoke with San Hill about possible cooperation on another secret project.
• Poggle the Lesser reported that Grievous had awakened, and Tang Xiao and San Hill went to the medical laboratory to speak with him.
• San Hill told Grievous that he had been rescued from the sea near Geonosis and suggested that a Galactic Republic defense fleet might have shot down his ship.
• Grievous demanded to return to Caladan Planet to fight the Huk, but San Hill said Grievous’s ruined body and unfinished contract gave them little reason to help him.