Chapter Summaries

Darth Malthael confirmed that Anakin Skywalker was heading to Teth Planet to rescue Gaddula, while secretly arranging an ambush and a plan to frame the Republic. After Anakin captured Gaddula at B'omarr Monastery, a massive droid army attacked the outnumbered clone troopers.

• Darth Malthael told Anakin Skywalker where to find Gaddula and said his special operations team would come to rescue him.
• Anakin led the clone troopers in an assault on B'omarr Monastery and found Gaddula in its basement.
• Justin Levis watched Anakin and Gaddula, while a drone recorded them to create evidence that could shift blame for Gaddula's death onto the Republic.
• Justin Levis alerted Cun Te and Shi Aimin as more than twenty thousand droids and over a hundred Vulture droid fighters attacked the monastery.
• The clone troopers fought back but were overwhelmed and began falling back toward the monastery.

Anakin Skywalker protected Gaddula from Asajj Ventress while a hidden sniper and an arriving ship turned the battle against the droids. Shi Aimin led the Fourth Legion soldiers into the fight as Ventress escaped to join the droid army.

• Gaddula begged Anakin Skywalker to save her, and he sensed Asajj Ventress hiding nearby.
• Ventress attacked Anakin and tried to kill Gaddula, forcing him to defend them both as the droid assault intensified.
• A hidden sniper repeatedly disrupted Ventress's attacks, and she fled through a secret passage when the clone soldiers came under pressure.
• A cloaked ship revealed itself and shot down Vulture droid fighters attacking the area.
• Shi Aimin led twenty-one Fourth Legion soldiers forward under droid fire, using his shield and sniper rifle to attack.

Shi Aimin fought through the droid army and reached Anakin Skywalker at the besieged monastery, offering to help the Clone Troopers evacuate. Anakin remained wary of Shi Aimin’s secretive chief as Shi Aimin left to attack another OG-9 homing spider droid.

• Shi Aimin cleared a path through droids while two Fourth Legion squads followed and helped finish off the attackers.
• Anakin and the Clone Troopers defended the monastery with their lone AT-TE as droids pressed against the walls.
• Shi Aimin arrived at the monastery and introduced himself as a man sent by his unnamed chief to help Anakin.
• Shi Aimin shielded Anakin from blaster fire and urged him to prepare the Clone Troopers and Gaddula to withdraw.
• Anakin connected Shi Aimin’s secretive remarks to the Archangel of Death, while Shi Aimin charged off to confront another OG-9 homing spider droid.

Anakin Skywalker and Shi Aimin helped evacuate Gaddula while the Clone Troopers held the monastery against the robot army. Cun Te escaped aboard his Astero-class exploration frigate with Gaddula and his crew, while Anakin, Shi Aimin, and other survivors left in a G-9 cargo ship.

• Shi Aimin returned to the monastery gate and told Anakin Skywalker about a G-9 cargo ship hidden in a hangar.
• Cun Te landed his ship, and Gaddula and the Fourth Legion soldiers boarded while the Clone Troopers stayed behind to hold the line.
• Anakin brought the G-9 cargo ship back, and Clone Troopers took control of it to support the fight against the Vulture fighters.
• Captain Rex introduced himself to Shi Aimin and urged him and Anakin to leave while the Clone Troopers defended the monastery.
• Cun Te picked up Justin Levis and escaped into hyperspace with Gaddula aboard the Astero-class exploration frigate.

Anakin Skywalker escorted Hutt Gaddula to the Calamity Legion on Tatooine, then learned that Teth Planet was under Republic control and accepted a ride to Rodian planet. Meanwhile, Alok Besadi opened Tatooine's routes to the Republic for a month, prompting Master Windu to order a fleet to reinforce Christophsis.

• Anakin kept Gaddula apart from the others aboard the ship as his crewmates largely ignored him, though Shi Aimin tried awkwardly to talk with him.
• The ship landed on Tatooine, where the Calamity Legion received Gaddula and escorted her away after she dismissed Anakin's diplomatic appeal.
• Cun Te told Anakin that Teth Planet was under Republic control and offered to take him to the free port on Rodian planet; Justin Levis and Shi Aimin each gave Anakin a keepsake.
• Alok Besadi offered the Republic access to Tatooine's routes for one month after Gaddula's rescue, and Sheev Palpatine accepted on the Republic's behalf.
• Master Windu ordered Admiral Wullf Yularen to lead a fleet to Christophsis and join Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The Republic fleet under Wullf Yularen attacked General Trench’s Separatist forces in orbit around Christophsis, using reinforcements to open a gap in the blockade. Six Acclamator-class assault ships then landed Republic troops on the planet, leaving the Confederacy’s ground commander Volm Lothsom facing a dire situation.

• General Trench’s fleet and Wullf Yularen’s twenty Hunter Class Battlecruisers exchanged fire while their Vulture and V-19 fighters battled across Christophsis’s orbit.
• Wullf Yularen sent fifteen Aquitenes-class light cruisers around the Separatist flanks, then exploited the resulting gap by bringing in six Acclamator-class assault ships.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi warned Wullf Yularen that the Separatists seemed too eager to retreat and that he sensed something dark brewing.
• Wullf Yularen told Obi-Wan Kenobi that Anakin was traveling to Christophsis after requisitioning a cargo ship at a Rodian free port.
• The Acclamators bombarded Separatist positions and landed the 327th Star Corps and 501st Legion, along with supplies for Christophsis’s resistance.

The Republic’s reinforcements strengthened the defense of Christophsis, forcing Passel Argente to seek more droids and mercenaries as his fleet fell short. Meanwhile, General Grievous ordered Tang Xiao to attack the Republic 19th Army, and Count Dooku invited him to the secret maiden voyage of a new flagship.

• Eight thousand Clone Troopers landed near Crystal City, reinforced Bail Organa, and deployed artillery and armored units against the droids.
• Volm Lotham requested help from Passel Argente, who could secure only a small number of additional ships and rejected asking the Confederacy High Command for aid.
• General Trench warned Passel Argente that the Republic’s fleet and fighter strength threatened the campaign, while Count Dooku reprimanded him for starting the battle without authorization.
• Tina Ree Kee urged Passel Argente to recruit mercenaries, gather a million droids, and contact arms dealer Yuri Orlov, and Passel Argente agreed.
• General Grievous ordered Tang Xiao to attack the Republic 19th Army within a week, and Tang Xiao agreed while considering how to lure its fleet from its defenses.
• Count Dooku invited Tang Xiao to attend the secret maiden voyage ceremony of the Confederacy’s new flagship.

Tang Xiao received orders to attack Planet Kaal while keeping the Christophsis operation on schedule, then visited Count Dooku’s shipyard on Parmant. There, Dooku revealed Malevolence, a Conqueror-class battleship equipped with a fleet-destroying secret weapon, and introduced its chief designer as the ship prepared to depart.

• Tang Xiao ordered his commanders to plan an offensive against Planet Kaal without delaying the capture of Christophsis, and Helmut Zemo suggested analyzing Governor Sulama’s humiliation at Bespin to anticipate his decisions.
• Tang Xiao arrived at Parmant, where Count Dooku showed him the Confederacy’s vast shipyard and explained that the bound engineers being executed were spies who had discovered a secret warship.
• Count Dooku revealed Malevolence, a massive Conqueror-class battleship hidden beneath the shipyard, and described it as a vessel capable of destroying an entire fleet.
• Tang Xiao boarded Malevolence with Count Dooku and saw its twin disc-shaped weapon systems on a holographic projection.
• Ruggle Schmong, Malevolence’s chief designer, reported that the ship was ready to depart.

Tang Xiao heard Rugel Shimon explain the Malevolence’s energy-recycling weapon system as the battleship left Parmant for Rishi. There, Count Dooku ordered the Malevolence to attack a Republic fleet, and its new weapon prepared to fire.

• Rugel Shimon explained that the Conqueror-class battleship captured energy normally wasted by starship engines and could use it as a weapon.
• The Malevolence rose from the dockyard, left Parmant, and traveled with Tang Xiao and Count Dooku toward Rishi.
• The Malevolence emerged near three Republic Hunter Class battlecruisers and escort ships gathered around a half-built space station.
• Count Dooku ordered electronic jamming and an attack on the Republic fleet.
• After the Republic ships detected the Malevolence’s immense energy output and tried to retreat, Count Dooku ordered the Focused Directed Ion Pulse fired.

The Malevolence used a powerful EMP to disable a Republic fleet and space station, then destroyed the stranded ships and escape pods. General Grievous arrived aboard the Malevolence, and Count Dooku announced that the next act would begin.

• At Count Dooku's command, Rugal Shemon fired the Malevolence's EMP at the Republic fleet and half-built space station, cutting their power and life support.
• Tang Xiao feigned shock at the attack and praised Rugal Shemon's design while Count Dooku secretly probed him with the Force.
• The Republic ships' crews struggled in zero gravity as the Malevolence closed in and fired on their helpless vessels.
• The Malevolence destroyed the Republic ships and hunted down their escape pods, leaving no survivors.
• General Grievous arrived aboard a Belbullab-22 fighter, and Count Dooku said they could begin the next act.

Count Dooku confronted Tang Xiao with his theory that Tang Xiao was the hidden Sith Lord known as the Archangel of Death. The chapter ended with Dooku pointing his crimson Lightsaber at Tang Xiao while General Grievous readied four Lightsabers, and Tang Xiao remained silent.

• Count Dooku sent Rugel away and told Tang Xiao that the Malevolence was a safe place for him.
• Count Dooku and Tang Xiao discussed the Republic's corruption, the Core Worlds' domination, and a possible threat from beyond the galaxy.
• Count Dooku revealed that Darth Pregas, or Hego Damask II, had secretly taken the Archangel of Death as an apprentice.
• Count Dooku concluded that Tang Xiao was the Archangel of Death and drew his Lightsaber on him.
• General Grievous unfolded four arms and aimed a Lightsaber in each while Tang Xiao lowered his head and said nothing.

Count Dooku detained Tang Xiao and accused him of being the Archangel of Death, then tested his blood and discovered that Tang was not Force-sensitive. After apologizing, Dooku asked Tang to contact the Archangel of Death, and the communicator connected.

• Count Dooku and General Grievous cornered Tang Xiao, and Grievous restrained him while Dooku demanded he admit he was the Archangel of Death.
• Tang Xiao claimed he had followed Hego and sought revenge after a supposed disciple told him Hego had been killed by someone in the Galactic Republic.
• Count Dooku cut Tang Xiao’s hand and tested his blood, finding a Chlamydiae density of only 1,000 and concluding Tang was not Force-sensitive.
• Count Dooku released Tang Xiao and apologized, while Tang warned that Dawn Star Planet would not let the offense go unanswered.
• Tang Xiao offered to try contacting the Archangel of Death with his communicator, and the call connected after Dooku ended the communications jamming.

Darth Malthael explained to Count Dooku that he pursued the Sith goal of becoming a One-Man Sith through immortality, then announced he would personally retrieve Tang Xiao. Malthael arrived in a colossal cannon-shaped warship, which charged and fired at the Fang-class battleship.

• Count Dooku questioned Darth Malthael about his purpose, and Malthael said the Sith path culminated in becoming a One-Man Sith through immortality.
• Darth Malthael revealed that Tang Xiao was his chosen bridge and rebuked Count Dooku for kidnapping him.
• Darth Malthael refused Count Dooku's offer of compensation and said he would retrieve Tang Xiao himself.
• A sensor-operating B-1 detected a powerful hyperspace arrival, and Malthael's 14,100-meter cannon-shaped warship emerged.
• Count Dooku ordered shields to full power as Malthael's warship charged and fired at the Fang-class battleship.

Tang Xiao’s staged danger during the Malevolence test convinced Count Dooku that Darth Malthael considered him expendable, while the Plague demonstrated its overwhelming firepower. After the Plague departed, Tang Xiao revealed that he had used Essence Transfer and a clone to survive the meeting, leaving Dooku’s suspicions cleared.

• The Plague’s Hypermatter Railgun struck Malevolence, shattered its shields, and broke off part of its bow.
• Tang Xiao panicked and blamed Count Dooku, while Darth Malthael warned Dooku not to test his patience.
• Ulu-Ulix dragged Tang Xiao onto a shuttle as Count Dooku and General Grievous watched, and Darth Malthael presented the Plague as Dooku’s new partner.
• Darth Malthael ended the transmission, and the Plague left the area by hyperspace with Tang Xiao aboard.
• Tang Xiao met Darth Lilim in the medical laboratory, where she revealed his original body and a cloned body.
• Tang Xiao explained that he had used Essence Transfer to attend the meeting in a clone, and that the Plague’s attack had made Dooku believe he was expendable.

Tang Xiao completed an Essence Transfer into his original body after using a clone to deceive Count Dooku, but he remained deeply bound to the Dark Side. He left the chapter planning to use the Plague Titan warship to provoke Darth Sidious.

• Tang Xiao awoke in his original body after transferring his essence from the clone, and Darth Lilim and Uru Ulic greeted him.
• Tang Xiao reflected that he had inherited Darth Pregas's legacy but had sunk further into the Dark Side, while Pregas's schemes had produced Darth Sidious and Darth Malthael.
• Tang Xiao had the clone corpse removed and considered the limits of the Fourth Civilization's cloning technology and Essence Transfer, which could not preserve Force talent.
• Tang Xiao explained that he had deceived Count Dooku into believing Tang Xiao and Darth Malthael were separate people, despite the clone body dying aboard the Plague Titan.
• Darth Lilim questioned why Tang Xiao had let Count Dooku command Plague, and Tang Xiao said Darth Sidious would react when he learned Pregas had left behind the warship.

Anakin Skywalker arrived at Christophsis, where Obi-Wan Kenobi reprimanded him for commandeering a passenger ship and assigned him command of the 501st Legion. As the Republic fleet battled General Trench in orbit, a vast Separatist droid army landed and Volm Lotham launched an all-out assault on Crystal City.

• Anakin Skywalker arrived aboard a commandeered passenger ship and apologized to its civilians before Obi-Wan Kenobi reprimanded him for bringing them into the battle.
• Anakin admitted that Chancellor Palpatine had arranged the ship, and Obi-Wan ordered him to accept punishment after the fighting.
• Obi-Wan told Anakin that reinforcements were limited after a Republic fleet near Rishi had been destroyed, then appointed him commander of the 501st Legion.
• Anakin flew toward Christophsis in his Delta-7 starfighter with R2-D2, while Obi-Wan and Admiral Yularen prepared to attack General Trench's fleet.
• General Trench attacked the Republic fleet as Republic starfighters and Y-wing bombers damaged Separatist warships, allowing Hardcell-class transports to land millions of droids on Christophsis.
• Volm Lotham committed his forces to a massive assault on Crystal City as the space battle threatened to deprive his army of air support.

Anakin Skywalker arrived at Crystal City and prepared to counter the Separatist assault with newly arrived reinforcements. At the spaceport, he learned that Ahsoka Tano had been assigned as his apprentice, a decision he rejected as the chapter ended.

• Volm Lotham ordered his droid forces to launch a full assault on Crystal City, destroying buildings and shelters as they advanced.
• Anakin Skywalker joined the battle above Crystal City, then met Rex and learned that the defenders had been forced to retreat seven kilometers.
• Anakin decided to attack the Separatists' armored units and headed to the spaceport to meet incoming reinforcements.
• Anakin found that the reinforcements included one thousand Clone Troopers and fifty AZ-7 self-propelled artillery pieces.
• Ahsoka Tano introduced herself as Anakin's apprentice, and Anakin objected while Ahsoka insisted the assignment was settled.

Anakin’s forces drove Volm Lotham’s droids back and secured another Republic victory on Christophsis, while Passel Argente struggled to find help. San Hill offered him experimental warships and other support in exchange for ninety percent of Christophsis’s future revenues, then told Tang Xiao the deal was done and received approval for Sefrans Tann to launch an attack.

• Anakin and Rex led Torrent Company in a raid that destroyed a droid tank unit and disrupted the enemy offensive.
• Republic fighters and artillery overwhelmed the droid forces, forcing Volm Lotham to retreat to the eastern outskirts.
• Passel Argente failed to secure aid from other Separatist leaders, whose forces were committed elsewhere or unwilling to help.
• San Hill offered Passel experimental warships, a commander, and a way to counter Republic fighters in exchange for ninety percent of Christophsis’s future revenues.
• San Hill reported the deal to Tang Xiao, who approved the plan and told Sefrans Tann to launch his attack.

General Trench arranged a false-intelligence operation to mislead the Republic while his forces prepared for an attack. A Republic spy called 007 infiltrated the Intelligence Department and planted a decryption key, leaving Colonel Lott convinced that the Separatists were targeting Christophsis.

• General Trench told Volm Lotham that the Republic could be tricked into believing Tang Xiao's fleet would come to Christophsis, and he sent Sergeant Slick to help carry out the plan.
• Republic intelligence officers intercepted encrypted messages from Bespin, but Colonel Lott could not determine what the repeated word “Christophsis” meant as Separatist forces assembled.
• 007 blackmailed Republic official Jintero into helping him infiltrate the Republic Intelligence Department and threatened his family to secure his cooperation.
• Disguised as Major James Bond, 007 entered the Intelligence Department and inserted a small storage device into its data terminal.
• The storage device enabled the cipher robot on Hoth to decrypt the messages, and Colonel Lott concluded that “Christophsis” meant Planet Christophsis.

Colonel Lott assessed intelligence that the Separatist fleet near Bespin might raid Christophsis, while Governor Sulama learned that senators were blaming him for the Republic’s defeat at Bespin. The chapter ended with Sulama receiving new information that further darkened his expression.

• Colonel Lott traced the Christophsis intelligence to Republic Intelligence Headquarters on Coruscant and ordered his officers to assess the Separatist fleet at Bespin.
• Colonel Lott judged that Admiral Matt Horner’s Fleet A could be preparing to strike Christophsis and reported the possibility to Governor Sulama.
• An elderly woman told Sulama that senators were discussing his responsibility for the Battle of Bespin and that Chancellor Palpatine planned another counteroffensive.
• Sulama received a communication, and his expression grew darker as he read it.