Recaps

Darth Malthael escaped Celeste Morne after absorbing Karness Muur's ghost, then traveled to Planet Dagobah to use the Dark Reaper to control the ancient Sith's influence. The artifact began draining both his Dark Side Force and life force, which he believed he could withstand through his mastery of life.

• Darth Malthael awoke in the secret chamber as Celeste Morne threatened him, then blasted her away when she attacked.
• Darth Malthael failed to remove the Muur Talisman from Celeste Morne and left her in the chamber after forcing Lucien Drai back into Kresh's Gauntlet.
• Darth Malthael ordered Helmut Zemo to handle matters in his absence and send a T-850 robot resembling Tang Xiao to the Victory Celebration.
• Darth Malthael flew the Red Comet to Planet Dagobah, carrying the Dark Reaper's core to a cave outfitted with a machine and battle droids.
• Darth Malthael activated the Dark Reaper to extract the unstable Dark Side Force affecting him, but the artifact also began draining his life force.

After seven days of drawing on the Dark Reaper, Darth Malthael emerged from the darkness transformed and departed Dagobah. The Galactic Republic’s defeat at Eriadu secured the Fourth Civilization’s hold on the region and brought several valuable worlds and the Sothropp Corporation under its control.

• Darth Malthael endured the Dark Reaper’s extraction of his Force and life force while absorbing Karness Muur’s forbidden knowledge of Sith curses, alchemy, and eternal life.
• After seven days, Darth Malthael emerged from the darkened cave gaunt and pale, reconnected with Helmut Zemo, and flew away from Dagobah.
• The Galactic Republic’s failed counteroffensive annihilated the 18th Army, but Sheev Palpatine kept its designation and continued giving Wilhuff Tarkin forces to command.
• The Fourth Civilization secured Eriadu and the junction of the Rimma Trade Route and Hediah Route, protecting its rear territories and gaining strategic planets.
• The Sothropp Corporation joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems and allied with the Fourth Civilization, while Dolla Planet and Salust came under its control.
• King Antbbianplourr III surrendered Ayatu 6 Planet to the Fourth Civilization and kept his throne after accepting Dawn Star Planet’s administration and garrison.

During a rare pause in the fighting, the Fourth Civilization used its expanded territory and resources to strengthen its military and reorganize its industries. It began a secret second Ankollon-class Titan warship and established Holy Advent, an openly accessible institute for studying the Force.

• After securing the Eriadu system, the Fourth Civilization brought Mustafar, Malastare, and several other planets within its sphere of control, becoming a powerful state within the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
• The army planned new equipment and began training one million recruits, while its first hundred Scorpion tanks entered service alongside War Wolf and Goliath mechs.
• The navy prepared to mass-produce Doomsday Battlefield-class battlecruisers, upgrade Kohl-class ships, and advance the Hell-Angel and Calamity-class projects, including tests of the Particle Beam Lance.
• Tang Xiao began separating the Fourth Group from the state system, while the Yag'Dhul shipyard secretly started construction of a second Ankollon-class Titan warship.
• The Fourth Civilization established Holy Advent, a public, semi-religious and semi-scientific institute for studying the Force.

The Fourth Civilization established the Holy Advent Institute, making Force education and testing available across society and challenging the Jedi Order’s influence. Ghost Academy and the Holy Advent Cult also emerged, while Gabriel Tosh’s Ghosts began using Glitterstim to awaken recruits and Ni Yongxiao’s spice empire expanded.

• The Fourth Civilization founded the Holy Advent Institute, introduced Force courses in schools, registered Chlamydiae density, and passed laws declaring Force-sensitive people equal to ordinary citizens.
• Sith Lords and Count Dooku celebrated the setback to the Jedi Order before returning to their rival schemes.
• Ghost Academy and the Holy Advent Cult quietly appeared, and Gabriel Tosh gathered five Ghost warriors to train recruits with Force talent.
• Gabriel Tosh used Glitterstim to forcibly awaken people whose Chlamydiae density was too low for them to wield the Force through training alone.
• Ni Yongxiao’s gang controlled spice production and smuggling across the Fourth Civilization’s territory, with Dryden Vos, Madam Proxima, and Umbrella Pharmaceutical Group involved in the business.

Ghost Academy used Glitterstim to identify and train potential Force-users, while the Twilight Covenant reserved its advanced academy for the rarest talents. As social pressures grew in the Fourth Civilization, the Holy Advent Cult emerged and came to worship Tang Xiao as a messenger of God.

• Umbrella Pharmaceutical Group continued studying Glitterstim and began researching Sith Alchemy after Sherry Birkin received knowledge from Tang Xiao.
• Ghost Academy secretly abducted candidates with Chlamydiae densities between 1,000 and 4,000, testing them with Glitterstim and training those who reacted to the Force.
• Ghost Academy sent candidates who failed to react to the Force to Kessel's mines, while the Twilight Covenant invited fewer than fifty exceptionally gifted Force-sensitives to study at its academy.
• The Fourth Civilization encouraged colonization and expanded agriculture and entertainment to manage population growth and rising social pressures.
• The Holy Advent Cult formed around a mystical interpretation of the Force and began worshipping Tang Xiao as a divine messenger.

The Galactic Republic launched a counteroffensive against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, capturing Mimban after a costly battle and beginning a surprise landing on Ombara. Anakin Skywalker and Pong Krell were assigned to lead the campaign to retake Ombara, where the outcome remained unresolved.

• On September 24, 21 BBY, the Republic began the Second Battle of Mimban with 300,000 troops, most of them conscripted natural-born soldiers.
• The Republic soldiers struggled against the Separatist robots, suffering more than 20,000 casualties before Clone Troopers broke the deadlock and the Republic secured Mimban a week later.
• After Ombara seceded and joined the Confederacy, the Republic fleet secured its outer orbit and began landing troops.
• The Republic assigned Anakin Skywalker’s 501st Legion and a Clone Army led by Pong Krell to seize Ombara’s capital and restore the planet to the Republic.
• Obi-Wan Kenobi’s death on Cerea led to his former 212th Attack Battalion being incorporated into Pong Krell’s Clone Army.

The Galactic Republic fleet began its landing operation on Ombara, a pitch-black world of immense strategic value, while Separatist frigates harried it from a distance. Anakin Skywalker discussed the dangers of black holes with Pong Krell as the Republic faced the challenge of landing in the planet’s darkness.

• Eight Hunter Class Battlecruisers and five Acclamator-class assault ships began the landing operation as ten Generous-class frigates exchanged fire with them from long range.
• The chapter explained how the Ghost Nebula blocked starlight while plasma in the planets’ atmospheres provided Ombara and Atoa with warmth and ultraviolet radiation.
• The chapter described Ombara’s resources and hyperspace routes, which made its sudden betrayal of the Galactic Republic strategically important.
• Anakin Skywalker said Ombara’s darkness made him feel as though he were beside a black hole.
• Pong Krell recounted how he had led a fleet past a black hole at Sarka, sacrificing one-third of his warships to attack the Separatists and win.

Anakin Skywalker and Pong Krell argued over the cost of an assault on Umbara, then divided their forces for the coming attack. As five Republic assault ships descended through heavy fire, Anakin ordered the advance force to make a forced landing.

• Pong Krell urged Anakin Skywalker to accept heavy Clone casualties and use an advance force to secure a landing near the Umbara capital.
• Anakin and Pong Krell split their forces, with Anakin's 501st Legion attacking the capital and Krell leading the 212th Attack Battalion to cut its supply lines.
• Ahsoka Tano objected to Krell treating the Clones as expendable, while Anakin defended Krell's record as a war hero.
• One hour later, five Acclamator-class assault ships descended into Umbara's atmosphere and came under intense anti-aircraft and Zenuas 33 starfighter attacks.
• After Anakin Skywalker's ship's shields were breached and its underside came under attack, he ordered the advance force to deploy and force a landing.

On Umbara, Clone forces established a landing zone after heavy fighting, but Pong Krell ordered the exhausted 212th Attack Battalion to advance on a heavily defended airfield. Cody obeyed and led his troops back into battle.

• Anakin Skywalker sent two companies into the darkness of Umbara, where one LAAT/I assault transport was destroyed by an ion cannon blast.
• Pong Krell assigned Cody to secure a landing zone, and Cody led the 212th Attack Battalion in destroying Umbarian defenders and anti-air artillery.
• Four Acclamator-class ships landed safely, and Clone Troopers established defensive positions around them.
• Pong Krell ordered Cody to feint against the airfield and cut off its supply routes despite the 212th Attack Battalion's losses.
• Cody gathered his exhausted troops, gave them a brief meal, and led them back into battle.

Pong Krell led the Clone Army’s costly assault on an Umbarian airfield, and a flanking attack helped them capture its first defensive line. Elsewhere, Cody’s outnumbered 212th Attack Battalion struggled to hold back the Umbarian advance before a trooper detected something moving beneath them.

• Pong Krell ordered the Clone Troopers to attack the airfield and slaughtered Umbarians while destroying a self-propelled artillery vehicle.
• Umbarian defenses and Ghost Tanks inflicted heavy casualties, but Krell forced the Clone Troopers to resume their assault after an initial retreat.
• Clone Trooper commanders sent AT-RT walkers around the flank, where they exploited the Ghost Tanks’ close-range blind spots and drove the defenders back.
• The Clone Army captured the Umbarian first defensive line outside the airfield.
• Cody led the 212th Attack Battalion in a delaying retreat against a force more than ten times its size.
• A Clone Trooper reported that sensors detected something passing beneath the battalion.

Cody’s 212th Attack Battalion retreated toward a forest to wage guerrilla warfare as Umbarians launched underground attacks on Republic positions. Pong Krell confronted the Umbarians’ Impeding Assault Tanks, which devastated the clone forces, and he let one carry him away from the battlefield.

• Cody ordered the battered 212th Attack Battalion to fall back to a forest and delay Umbarian reinforcements with guerrilla warfare.
• An Impeding Assault Tank burst from underground and destroyed a Republic artillery position, while more underground attacks struck clone forces elsewhere.
• After hearing the 212th Attack Battalion’s warning, Pong Krell prepared his legion for an underground threat and attacked the ground with his Lightsaber.
• Three Impeding Assault Tanks emerged and inflicted heavy losses on the clone forces, destroying an AT-TE with their disintegration beams.
• Pong Krell clung to an Impeding Assault Tank, destroyed several of its blaster cannons, then stopped attacking and let it carry him away.

Pong Krell blamed Cody for the losses caused by the Impeding Assault Tanks, removed him from command, and ordered Gregor to hold back the Umbarians. After capturing the airport, Krell learned that an encrypted message signed by Archangel of Death had been found there.

• Clone Troopers destroyed one Impeding Assault Tank and drove the last one underground, then Pong Krell returned with the heads of two Umbarian tank drivers.
• Pong Krell accused Cody of disobeying orders and causing the surprise attack's heavy losses, then relieved him of command.
• Pong Krell ordered Gregor to take command, hold back the Umbarians, and arrest Cody; Cody accepted his arrest and urged Gregor to protect the Clone Troopers.
• Pong Krell led a full-scale assault that captured the airport, where Clone Troopers moved the command center and sorted through supplies.
• A Clone commander told Pong Krell that the airport control tower contained an encrypted message signed by Archangel of Death, startling him.

Tang Xiao contacted Pong-Krell and exposed his plan to betray the Galactic Republic, offering him a path to power if he helped the Confederacy win on Ombara. Pong-Krell agreed to consider the plan, and Tang Xiao told him to slow the Clone Army so the Umbarians could gather reinforcements.

• Pong-Krell sealed off the control tower after learning that a transmission bearing the name Archangel of Death had appeared.
• Pong-Krell opened the message and spoke with its sender, who revealed that he knew Pong-Krell intended to destroy two Clone Armies and join the New Order.
• Tang Xiao identified himself and challenged Pong-Krell to name what he wanted, prompting Pong-Krell to admit he sought strength, power, and wealth.
• Tang Xiao told Pong-Krell he was unworthy to join him directly and directed him to seek Count Dooku after helping the Confederacy win on Ombara.
• Tang Xiao instructed Pong-Krell to slow the Clone Army's advance and give the Umbarians time to gather reinforcements, noting that Asajj Ventress was heading to Ombara.

Pong Krell abandoned his plan to pit his troops against the 501st Legion after Tang Xiao exposed him, then prepared a risky assault on the Umbara capital. As the Kent lifted off under attack and the Clone Army advanced, Pong Krell ignored Anakin Skywalker and received a cryptic Sith message just before a Geonosis Fanblade fighter targeted the ship.

• Tang Xiao exposed Pong Krell's plan to provoke a clash with the 501st Legion, and Pong Krell submitted to his orders before destroying the communications terminal.
• Pong Krell accused the command data of being a virus, ordered the computers replaced, and sent Cody to the brig to face a court-martial and possible execution.
• Pong Krell ordered the reserves pulled into a full assault on the Umbara capital and sent the Kent Acclamator-class assault ship into the air for support.
• Umbara fighters attacked the Kent as Pong Krell's troops began their assault, while Anakin Skywalker's 501st Legion remained delayed by resistance.
• Pong Krell ignored Anakin's call and received the Sith-script message, “I will accept this fruit,” as a Geonosis Fanblade fighter rushed toward the Kent.

Asajj Ventress attacked the Republic assault ship Kent after coordinating with Pong Krell, while Cody was delivered aboard as a prisoner accused of desertion. Ventress destroyed the hangar’s failsafe and forced the doors open, leaving her fighter inside the ship.

• Clone Troopers brought Cody aboard the Kent, where its crew took him into custody and sent the 212th Attack Battalion troopers to the storage hold.
• The Kent's crew learned they were also supposed to receive starfighters and kept the hangar open while ordering point-defense guns to watch it.
• Asajj Ventress, acting on intelligence from Tang Xiao and Pong Krell, approached the Kent with six Umbara transport aircraft.
• The Kent opened fire as Ventress raced toward the hangar, but she destroyed both point-defense turrets and narrowly slipped through the closing doors.
• Ventress fired on the hangar's mechanical failsafe, destroying it and reopening the doors.

Ventress and Umbarian soldiers seized the Kent and turned its guns on the Republic forces, while Pong Krell blamed Cody and persuaded Anakin to help retake the ship. Cody escaped from the damaged prison and secretly made his way toward the bridge, suspecting the Umbarians had captured the Kent.

• Ventress bombarded the Kent’s hangar, then led Umbarian soldiers in a charge toward the bridge.
• Pong Krell’s assault on the Umbara capital suffered heavy losses before Anakin Skywalker’s 501st Legion attacked from another direction.
• The Kent destroyed a grounded Acclamator and bombarded both Pong Krell’s troops and the 501st Legion.
• Pong Krell falsely told Anakin that Cody had betrayed them and arranged to meet him at the Kent’s Hangar Platform.
• Cody woke in the damaged prison, escaped, and hid from Umbarian soldiers while making his way toward the bridge.

Cody discovered Pong Krell conspiring with Asajj Ventress aboard the seized Kent, but Ventress detected him and cut off his escape. Anakin arrived to investigate and found Cody, only to be ambushed by Ventress as Krell attacked Cody.

• Cody overheard Pong Krell and Asajj Ventress plan to retake the Kent and kill Anakin, but Ventress sensed him and destroyed the ventilation duct.
• Anakin and Ahsoka discussed their suspicions about Krell and the claim that Cody had seized the Kent; Anakin decided to board alone.
• Anakin flew into the Kent through its damaged hangar and met Pong Krell, who claimed he had found no one aboard.
• Cody emerged from a maintenance passage and warned Anakin that Krell was a traitor and Ventress was aboard.
• Krell attacked Cody, and Anakin intervened; Ventress then struck at Anakin with her crossed red Lightsabers.

Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano fought Asajj Ventress and Pong Krell aboard the Kent warship, where Krell revealed his fall to the Dark Side. Cody helped them escape, leaving Krell to turn toward the bridge and secure victory in the battle for the Ombara planet.

• Anakin Skywalker fought Ventress while Ahsoka Tano blocked Pong Krell from joining the battle against Anakin.
• Pong Krell attacked Ahsoka, and Anakin broke away from Ventress to protect her and confront Krell.
• Anakin and Ahsoka struggled against Krell and Ventress as Krell's power grew and his eyes began to glow gold.
• Pong Krell unleashed Force lightning against Anakin, but Cody fired from the LAAT/I transport to give the Jedi an opening.
• Anakin hurled fighter wreckage at Krell, then helped Ahsoka reach the transport as he covered their retreat.
• Ahsoka piloted the transport through the hangar ceiling and out of the Kent warship, while Krell berated Ventress and headed for the bridge.

Anakin Skywalker reported Pong Krell’s betrayal and retreated from Ombara as Sefrans Tann’s fleet destroyed the Republic fleet at Ambria. On Rendili, Gali Ulan saw an opportunity to sell the Victory-class Star Destroyer to the Republic, but Bangjila Ulan ordered him to contact the Archangel of Death.

• Anakin Skywalker reported Pong Krell’s betrayal to the Jedi Order, withdrew his forces, and requested reinforcements.
• Sefrans Tann led the Destruction and its fleet to crush the Republic force assembling in the Ambria system, ending its planned counterattack on Onderon.
• Chancellor Sheev Palpatine and Master Windu joined a military conference to discuss the Republic’s response.
• Gali Ulan told Bangjila Ulan that the Ambria battle data could help secure Republic orders for the Victory-class Star Destroyer and promote the Victory II-class plan.
• Bangjila Ulan dismissed Gali Ulan’s excitement and told him to contact the Archangel of Death.

Bangjila Ulan decided to seek the Archangel of Death’s support by offering Adele Ulan in a marriage alliance, while secretly preparing to seize control of Rendili’s defense fleet. At the Republic Ship Supervision Committee meeting, the Kallak-class light cruiser was approved for continued procurement.

• Bangjila Ulan told Gali Ulan that Rendili’s shipbuilding proposals were unlikely to survive the Republic’s review and ordered him to offer Adele Ulan in a marriage alliance with the Archangel of Death.
• Gali Ulan agreed to continue submitting the Victory-class and Victory II-class proposals while secretly arranging a dinner with the Ship Supervision Committee’s vice chairman.
• A cloaked woman appeared before Bangjila Ulan, and he ordered her to ensure his targets could be killed within ten minutes and to protect Adele Ulan.
• On October 22, 21 BBY, the Republic Ship Supervision Committee began reviewing recent naval combat performance and new shipbuilding proposals on Coruscant.
• The committee approved continued procurement of Damorian Manufacturing Corporation’s Kallak-class light cruiser for the next year.

The Republic Ship Supervision Committee reviewed warship procurement, approving orders for some vessels and rejecting others. Gali Ulan arrived to find the major manufacturers divided into powerful blocs, then watched Kuat Drive Yards secure enormous contracts while Rendili StarDrive remained sidelined.

• The committee ordered 1,219 Kallak-class light cruisers from Damorian Manufacturing Corporation and directed the company to revise them to carry starfighters.
• The committee rejected further procurement of the Centax-class heavy frigate because it could not counter Separatist Javelin-class missile frigates.
• Gali Ulan arrived as Rendili StarDrive's representative and saw Kuat Drive Yards and Corellia Engineering Company surrounded by allied companies, while Rendili's group had only its subsidiaries.
• Gali Ulan greeted the committee experts and privately cursed them for taking his money without helping him, while a Rendili/Van Jervaris Drive Yards representative signaled that everything was settled.
• The committee approved continued orders for 2,193 Pelta-class frigates and increased the Aquitenes-class light cruiser order to 4,000, prompting Gali Ulan to resent Kuat Drive Yards' political advantage.

The Ship Supervision Committee reviewed Kuat Drive Yards’ Hunter Class Battlecruiser, with Sheev Palpatine questioning its vulnerability to newer Separatist ships. Lila Blythex explained the design’s limitations and presented the Knight-class Star Destroyer as Kuat’s contingency plan.

• The committee chairman described the Hunter Class’s strengths and its growing vulnerability to the Kohl-class and Behemoth-class battlecruisers.
• Sheev Palpatine asked whether the Separatists had designed those ships to exploit the Hunter Class’s weaknesses, and the chairman confirmed they had.
• Lila Blythex explained that the Hunter Class was built to support planetary operations, leaving little room for armor, blast compartments, or future upgrades.
• Gali-Ulan privately accused Lila of claiming credit for her father Willix Blythex’s design.
• Lila presented the Knight-class Star Destroyer as Kuat Drive Yards’ contingency plan.

Lila Blythex presented Kuat Drive Yards’ Knight-class Star Destroyer, which Sheev Palpatine approved alongside a major Hunter Class Battlecruiser order. Gali Ulan later learned that Willix Blythex had designed the warship’s original basis and discussed the Republic’s fighter programs, while Rendili StarDrive appeared to be losing ground to Kuat and Republic Sienar Systems.

• Lila Blythex presented the Knight-class Star Destroyer, a 1,600-meter artillery-focused vessel with no hangars, and said Kuat was also developing the more versatile Imperator-class.
• Sheev Palpatine approved an order for 500 Knight-class Star Destroyers at 122 million credits each and ordered 600 Hunter Class Battlecruisers to transition toward carrier duties.
• Gali Ulan contacted Willix Blythex, who explained that Lila had based the Knight-class on his original Victory-class design and that the new ship fell short of its potential performance for its price.
• Willix Blythex said he had designed the V-wing fighter at Jedi Master Sass Tinn’s request because the V-19 could not adequately counter the Geth, and Gali expected the V-wing to replace it in a large production order.
• Gali Ulan told Willix that Republic Sienar Systems had Kuat’s support for a TIE fighter program seeking 10 billion credits in research funding, then ended the call without explaining Rendili’s position.

The Republic Ship Supervision Committee gave Rendili StarDrive only a token order for Victory-class ships, despite Gali-Ulan presenting their combat performance. Sheev Palpatine recognized that Rendili had been sidelined and expected it to descend into chaos.

• Kuat Drive Yards and Corellia Engineering Company secured hundreds of billions in orders while the Committee stalled Rendili StarDrive’s review and questioned the Victory-class combat data.
• The Committee ordered only twenty Victory-class ships, leaving Gali-Ulan furious at the paltry support for Rendili.
• Gali-Ulan announced that the Victory II-class preliminary design was complete and that five prototypes would be built within three months.
• Sheev Palpatine grinned at Gali-Ulan’s announcement and persuaded the Committee chairman to promise a special review of the prototypes.
• Palpatine summoned Mas Amedda and predicted that Rendili would descend into chaos because it could not receive orders; Mas Amedda questioned why Rendili would betray the Republic while it still hoped to sell the Victory II-class.

Palpatine suspected Rendili of planning a betrayal and ordered Mas Amedda to seize its Planetary Defense Fleet at the first sign of unusual activity. On Corellia, Tang Xiao met with Crimson Dawn leader Dryden Vos, who welcomed him nervously.

• Palpatine took Gali Ulan's composed expression as evidence that Rendili had a plan, though Mas Amedda doubted the conclusion.
• Palpatine ordered Mas Amedda to seize control of Rendili Planet's Planetary Defense Fleet if Rendili showed unusual activity, then told him it was time to end Rendili.
• The chapter described Corellia's shipbuilding industry, its five habitable worlds, the Corellian Corridor, and the criminal activity that had grown around the region.
• Tang Xiao visited Corellia and watched the industrial port as ships and construction machines worked around the planet.
• Dryden Vos, leader of Crimson Dawn, greeted Tang Xiao warmly and expressed gratitude that he had come to visit.