Chapter Summaries

Shepard, Huang Yehao, and Vishal decided to seek a way to contact headquarters from the Xiala planet, despite the dangerous journey and Mongar-Mongar’s control of the planet. Vishal revealed that Xiala’s civilization had been wiped out by Mongar-Mongar, but he agreed to join the mission as the group’s last hope.

• Shepard doubted the old man’s legend, while he claimed the Mind-harp could only be activated in the Rafa system and that Crakull was nearing its end.
• Shepard explained that the crew had lost contact with headquarters and that the Normandy’s strained hyperdrive could not safely retrace their route.
• Vishal proposed using a super communications station on the Mongar-Mongar-controlled Xiala planet to send a message back to headquarters.
• Jeff Moro warned that reaching Xiala would require at least twenty hyperspace jumps near a supermassive black hole and would likely be a one-way trip.
• Vishal agreed to accompany Shepard and Huang Yehao, then recounted how Xiala’s final transmissions had falsely claimed Mongar-Mongar was gone and the planet was peaceful.
• The group realized that Mongar-Mongar had devoured everyone on Xiala, leaving the planet peaceful only because its civilization had been destroyed.

Shepard persuaded the Pistol and Elder factions to send ships with her expedition to the Xyala system, where the team planned to contact the rear and oppose Mongal-Mongal. On Dawn Star Planet, Tang Xiao rejected Francis Underwood’s resignation while Ling Liang raised doubts about Oruba Goresla’s victory report and the Anjiliac family.

• Vishal explained that Mongal-Mongal preserved the brains and bodies of the people it devoured, leaving the Xiyala victims as mummified corpses.
• Shepard urged the group to contact the rear through Xiala planet, seek the Mind-harp secret in the Rafa system, and protect Crakull planet as the last bastion against Mongal-Mongal.
• The Pistol faction agreed to send thirteen ships, and the Elder faction agreed to send twenty, after initially rejecting Shepard’s plan.
• Shepard’s team departed for the Xyala system aboard the Normandy with thirty-three ships carrying supplies.
• Tang Xiao rejected Francis Underwood’s renewed resignation, and Ling Liang questioned Oruba Goresla’s victory report and the Anjiliac family’s obedience.

Tang Xiao investigated the Anjiliac family and warned his children that they would be drawn into war, while harshly confronting Tang Xing over his studies. An urgent message then revealed that Shepard's fleet had reached Crakull, near the Mnggal-Mnggal core world of Mugg Fallow.

• Tang Xiao ordered Ghost Agents to investigate the Anjiliac family, learned that Tis Doran was its true leader, and ordered a search for the missing Jabba and Gorga.
• Tang Xiao found Tang Yun studying and Tang Xing drawing, then told both children that they would have to prepare for war and demanded they take responsibility.
• Tang Xiao threatened to punish Tang Xing's teacher and warned Adele Ulan that she must not overstep her role or he might exile Tang Xing.
• Tang Xiao received an urgent report from He Ru that Shepard had sent a message from Crakull, almost at the Mnggal-Mnggal core planet of Mugg Fallow.

He Ru reported that Shepard was stranded on Xiala planet and proposed a dangerous plan to use the Mind-harp against Mongal-Mongal, though the artifact’s powers and the route to success were uncertain. Despite the Supreme Operations Command’s objections, Tang Xiao ordered the Endless-class Super Carrier to reinforce Shepard and intelligence assets to investigate the Rafa system, saying he trusted her because she was Shepard.

• He Ru told Tang Xiao and the commanders that Shepard was holding out on Xiala planet and that reaching her would require the Endless-class Super Carrier.
• He Ru explained that Shepard wanted reinforcements to reach Crakull planet, seize the Mind-harp if necessary, and investigate the Rafa system to learn how to activate it.
• Qi Jian questioned how Shepard’s plan could defeat Mongal-Mongal when the Mind-harp’s abilities, Mug-Farlow’s coordinates, and the location of Mongal-Mongal’s core were all uncertain.
• The commanders urged Tang Xiao not to risk the super carrier on Shepard’s unverified report.
• Tang Xiao ordered He Ru to send the Endless-class Super Carrier to Xiala planet and told Salatan-Morse to investigate the Rafa system, explaining that he acted because Shepard was Shepard.

Tang Xiao decided to send the Endless-class Super Carrier Eternity to rescue Shepard and destroy Mongal-Mongal despite the mission’s many risks. He ordered the operation to begin immediately, leaving the Duchy of Dawn committed to confronting the threat.

• Tang Xiao’s advisers weighed the uncertain Mind-harp, Mongal-Mongal’s defenses, and the risk of losing the Eternity, while Tang Xiao insisted Shepard was worth trusting.
• Qi Jian warned that the Eternity could be sunk, and BIG-BOSS opposed the mission as impossible.
• Harry Seldon argued that Mongal-Mongal had to be destroyed because it threatened the Duchy and could spread beyond the Unknown Regions.
• Ling Liang said experiments on Levik planet had worsened the danger and that losing one carrier was a small price to pay.
• Tang Xiao ordered the mission to proceed, and Lieutenant General He Ru said the Eternity would depart at once.

Tang Xiao ordered Salatan Morse to gather intelligence on the Rafa system despite the risk of provoking the Galactic Empire. On Planet Seven, researchers discovered that the Toka people might be degenerated Saru, but a mysterious group in black arrived and restrained Dr. Yako Vesti.

• Tang Xiao ordered Salatan Morse to mobilize his forces and gather intelligence on the Rafa system, accepting that the operation might provoke the Galactic Empire.
• Dr. Yako Vesti and other scholars discussed their century-old research into the Saru civilization at the Imperial station on Planet Seven.
• A geneticist reported that the Toka people could produce Saru sounds that human vocal organs could not.
• Dr. Yako concluded that the Toka people might be degenerated Saru and decided to move the research team to Planet Five.
• A sinister voice promised to take the researchers to Planet Five, then an invisible force pinned Dr. Yako to his chair as three figures in black bodysuits appeared.

Ghost Agents forced Dr. Yako Vesti and his research team to investigate the Mind-harp and explain how to activate it. Yako’s findings linked the Saru people’s ancient catastrophe to the Killiks and suggested the Toka people were degenerated descendants of the Saru.

• Ghost Agents captured Dr. Yako Vesti and his son, then demanded information about the Mind-harp.
• After showing Yako an image of the Mind-harp, a Ghost Agent ordered him to discover how to activate it within three days.
• The Ghost Agents took Yako and his team to a cloaked ship, where they joined scholars from the Duchy of Dawn.
• Dr. Yako Vesti explained that the Saru people had recorded a civilization-ending crisis connected to the Celestials a hundred thousand years ago.
• Yako and the Duchy of Dawn scholars connected that era to the Killiks’ degeneration and concluded that the Toka people might be the Saru people’s descendants after losing their intelligence.

Wang Tao’s group investigated the hollow Saru Relics on Planet Five and discovered an underground energy line, while Shepard’s forces fought Mongar-Mongar’s vast corpse army to defend Xiala’s super signal relay. The battle entered its fourth day with ammunition and strength running low, but the defenders continued to resist.

• Dr. Yako-Vesti showed Wang Tao’s group the Plastic Pyramids and explained that the tallest pyramid contained a laser-made gap, revealing the structures were hollow and connected to an underground energy source.
• Wang Tao decided to enter the pyramid, and Dr. Yako-Vesti admitted his team lacked the equipment and funding to excavate it; Wang Tao agreed to request support.
• Mongar-Mongar sent waves of Xiyala corpses up the mountain toward the super signal relay, while the defenders and Lugubra fought them back with ground and aerial firepower.
• Shepard’s force defended the relay through the battle’s fourth day as Mongar-Mongar’s numbers continued to overwhelm their limited supplies.
• Mongar-Mongar formed a gigantic mud head near the fortifications and threatened to torture the defenders, but a blaster cannon shot from the sky blasted it apart.

Shepard and her allies fought Mongar-Mongar’s endless sludge and corpse army while their weapons, supplies, and strength ran low. Huang Yehao ordered the Normandy to use its remaining nuclear warheads to create a temporary quarantine zone, then took command as the Korlok ships bombarded the trapped enemies.

• Jeff Moro fired the Normandy’s Turbolaser at Mongar-Mongar, but it re-formed itself and tried to provoke the defenders.
• Shepard directed the fighters to destroy the corpses’ joints while Ghost Agent Senluo, Reaper, B-1 battle droids, and Lugubra attacked the advancing horde.
• Huang Yehao urged Shepard to use the Normandy’s four remaining nuclear warheads after learning the fighters had little food or water and the Lugubra were tiring.
• Shepard ordered the nuclear launch, and the blasts cleared a temporary quarantine zone around the mountain.
• Huang Yehao took command while the Korlok ships bombarded Mongar-Mongar inside the zone.

The Eternity arrived at Xiala and turned the tide of the desperate battle against Mongal-Mongal, though Shepard warned that the fighting had only begun. Meanwhile, Wang Tao and Dr. Yako-Vesti explored a buried Saru altar and learned that the Saru people had deliberately regressed themselves to escape a disaster connected to the Celestials.

• The Korlok forces ran out of supplies and retreated to orbit, leaving the ground troops battered and close to losing their position.
• The Eternity emerged from hyperspace and devastated Mongal-Mongal forces with turbolasers and nuclear missiles while its cruisers joined the battle.
• Huang Yehao recognized that Dawn Star Planet had received their transmission, while Shepard said the battle had only just begun.
• On Planet Five, Wang Tao, Dr. Yako-Vesti, and the Ghost Agents entered a buried Saru pyramid after excavations uncovered its lower half.
• Dr. Yako-Vesti explained that the Saru had left records for their descendants after their intelligence regressed and said the pyramid complex had served as transmitters.
• Dr. Yako-Vesti identified Crystalline Life-Orchards as the means by which the Saru people regressed themselves, while the Mind-harp was likely a focusing device.

Wang Tao learned that the Saru people hid an underground city and left behind the Mind-harp to restore their intelligence and conceal their world, while Dr. Yako struggled to translate its activation instructions. On Xiala, Shepard woke aboard the Eternity, learned she had been promoted, and erupted at the sight of Sherry Birkin.

• Dr. Yako explained that the Saru people retreated underground during a catastrophe linked to the Celestials and used the Crystalline Life-Orchards to reduce their descendants to primitives.
• Dr. Yako said activating the Mind-harp would restore the Toka people's intelligence and conceal the planet, but he needed time to translate the instructions.
• Wang Tao ordered Dr. Yako to report the discovery to Dawn Star Planet and told him to find a way to activate the Mind-harp quickly.
• The Eternity secured the super signal relay on Xiala, and Shepard and Huang Yehao's group rested for two days.
• Shepard met Lieutenant General He Ru, who said she had been restored to her rank and promoted to colonel, and told her they would remain on Xiala while the rear worked on the Mind-harp.
• Shepard saw Sherry Birkin arrive in an Umbrella Pharmaceutical Group lab coat and charged at her with a punch.

Sherry Birkin and Shepard clashed over Umbrella’s role in creating Mongar-Mongar’s sub-consciousnesses until a message from Levik planet revealed the Mind-harp’s purpose and limitations. Shepard insisted on going to Crakull planet to use the artifact against Mongar-Mongar, arguing that the Lugubra could help isolate and destroy its core on Muge-Falu planet.

• Sherry Birkin and Shepard argued, while Huang Yehao and Ruper nearly brought their forces to blows before Hunk ordered the U.S.S. operatives to stand down.
• Lieutenant General He Ru received a message from Levik planet explaining the Mind-harp and the Saru people.
• Sherry Birkin mocked Shepard’s plan because the Mind-harp could restore the Saru people’s intelligence and only function in a Saru colony atop a Plastic Pyramid.
• He Ru urged the group to retrieve the Mind-harp from Crakull planet and retreat to Levik planet, but Shepard refused to abandon the Korlok and Lugubra or lose their chance to reach Mongar-Mongar.
• Shepard explained that the Lugubra could digest Mongar-Mongar sludge and proposed using the Mind-harp to isolate Muge-Falu planet before attacking the creature’s core.

After learning that the Mind-harp could create a planetary signal barrier, Shepard received word that Crakull planet was under attack amid a civil war and Mongal-Mongal’s invasion. She sent Lieutenant General He Ru’s forces to intervene and ordered them to secure the planet and search for the Mind-harp.

• Shepard and her allies learned that the Mind-harp could block Mongal-Mongal’s control for forty standard days, though it had to be activated through Saru transmission towers.
• The Normandy reported that Mongal-Mongal had invaded Crakull planet while a coup and riots spread across it.
• Lieutenant General He Ru took the Eternity to Crakull planet, where Huang Yehao explained that the Elder faction had attacked the weaker Pistol faction and the Pistol faction had let Mongal-Mongal through the defenses.
• Shepard ordered the arrest of both factions’ leaders, the formation of a Provisional Military Government under Vishal, and an immediate search for the Mind-harp.
• Lieutenant General He Ru ordered Marines to secure Crakull planet’s major spaceports and Hypermatter production plants so the planet could remain a forward base.

Tang Xiao committed the three Endless-class Super Carriers to a mission to destroy Mongal-Mongal and Mugg Fallow Planet, despite his advisers' warnings about provoking the Galactic Empire. Ander Viking reported that his simulations could not break through the Rotten Star Ring with the available ships, and Tang Xiao revealed that another warship might be available.

• Matt Hona and Qi Jian urged Tang Xiao to reconsider sending the Endless-class Super Carriers into Imperial territory, but Tang Xiao ordered Infinity to reinforce Shepard and the Eternal to carry Ander Viking into battle.
• Ling Liang argued that the carriers could travel quickly through the Unknown Regions and that the operation had to begin before the Galactic Empire could react.
• Tang Xiao defended his decision, saying he trusted Shepard to solve the Mongal-Mongal problem, and ordered Ander Viking to join the operation.
• Ander Viking explained that his simulations failed to breach the Rotten Star Ring because his fleet lacked enough firepower to overcome at least fifty thousand warships.
• When Matt Hona said there was no fourth Endless-class Super Carrier, Tang Xiao said there was one more warship.

The Empire learned that the Duchy of Dawn had sent the Endless-class Super Carrier Infinity into the Rafa system and suspected it was seeking Saru Relics. Palpatine ordered arrests over an alleged betrayal while Vader prepared to trap the carrier.

• Armand Isard learned that Eternal had appeared on Dawn Star Planet, while Infinity had departed Mandalore and the Duchy of Dawn had built at least three Endless-class Super Carriers.
• Isard received word that Infinity had destroyed three Imperial border outposts and lost contact with four others, and he warned the Empire that war had begun.
• Palpatine convened a military conference and demanded an attack on the Duchy of Dawn, but Darth Vader said the Imperial fleet was tied down at Kato-Neimoidia and would need forty days to launch another offensive.
• Vader proposed trapping Infinity in the remote Rafa system, and Isard reported that the system contained an Imperial research project on the Saru people.
• Isard accused Yako Vesti and fourteen research-team members of betraying the Empire and selling their findings to the Duchy of Dawn, and Palpatine ordered their arrest along with their families.

Palpatine approved Dunn Vesex’s plan to seize Chiss territory and ordered Tarkin to move against Mandalore. The next day, Thrawn predicted that Gillard Perine would be assigned to lead the operation against Chiss territory and warned him it was disastrously foolish.

• Palpatine ordered Armand Isard to identify and secretly execute Imperial traitors, then demanded that Tang Xiao pay for the Rafa system incident.
• Dunn Vesex proposed provoking resistance in Chiss territory and the Illumine Kingdom of Kilji, using the Imperial Seventh Army and Thrawn’s knowledge of the Unknown Regions.
• Palpatine approved Dunn Vesex’s plan to occupy Chiss territory, while Wilhuff Tarkin secured permission to send the Imperial Fourth Army against the Mandalore star sector.
• Thrawn served Gillard Perine Lansher brew and predicted that Perine would be assigned to command the operation against Chiss territory.
• Thrawn told Gillard Perine that the planned operation was explosively stupid.

Thrawn explained why Dunn Vesex’s plan to invade Chiss territory was reckless, then helped Gillard Perine devise a limited operation to undermine the Duchy of Dawn’s reputation. Meanwhile, Crakull’s society collapsed and the fleet lost contact with the rear until an enormous warship arrived near the planet.

• Dunn Vesex ordered Gillard Perine to prepare an operation against Chiss territory, and Perine agreed after Thrawn signaled him to comply.
• Thrawn showed Perine how Chiss territory’s worsening conditions made the Duchy of Dawn appear as a liberator, and argued that a direct invasion would make the Empire look like an aggressor.
• Thrawn proposed that Perine aim for small victories that damaged the Duchy of Dawn fleet’s reputation and produced a favorable battle report for Dunn Vesex.
• Shepard’s forces destroyed the Elder faction’s ships and Korlok stronghold, after which the Lugubra withdrew their support and the faction surrendered.
• The Korlok’s social order collapsed, production stalled, and the Mongal-Mongal broke through at Xiala planet, cutting Crakull off from the rear; Shepard’s group retained the intact Mind-harp.
• Thirteen days later, a 13,774-meter-long super warship appeared near Crakull planet.

The unfinished Archangel-class Titan warship Emissary arrived to join the battle at Mugg Fallow, astonishing the Duchy of Dawn’s forces. The chapter revealed that Tang Xiao had ordered the vessel deployed despite Matt Hona’s protests, leaving Matt to command it in battle.

• The enormous, unfinished Emissary arrived, and Lieutenant General He Ru, Shepard, and Huang Yehao were stunned by its size.
• Matt Hona identified himself as Emissary’s acting captain and said he would follow Lieutenant General He Ru’s command.
• Thirteen days earlier, Tang Xiao had announced that he would send the Archangel-class Titan warship to Mugg Fallow for a test of its completed Doomsday Weapon System.
• Matt Hona had protested that the 67%-complete warship would be risked against the Rotten Star Ring, then resigned as Navy Commander.
• Tang Xiao had appointed Matt Hona acting combat commander and asked him to bring Emissary back safely.

Shepard and the assembled commanders prepared for a dangerous operation against the Rotten Star Ring, despite lacking a way to activate the Mind-harp and facing long odds. The arrival of the Infinity brought their final force—and the mysterious Plastic Pyramid—together at Crakull.

• Matt Hona explained the unfinished Emissary Titan warship's vulnerabilities and warned that its Doomsday Weapon could fire only once.
• Matt Hona introduced Ander Viking as the operation's military commander, while Shepard objected to sending a child into battle.
• Ander Viking warned that simulations gave them poor odds of breaking through the Rotten Star Ring, and Matt Hona urged him to do his best.
• Matt Hona confirmed they had found no way to activate the Mind-harp, leaving Shepard burdened by the operation's risks.
• Two days later, the Infinity arrived at Crakull, completing the assembly of three Endless-class Super Carriers and an Archangel-class Titan Warship.
• Shepard and the others noticed the enormous Plastic Pyramid mounted on the Infinity.

Grand Inquisitor Hydra arrived at Rafa Planet Five and learned that the Duchy of Dawn’s Infinite Super Carrier had taken the entire Saru people Relics. The chapter ended with the Infinite arriving at Crakull planet carrying the enormous Plastic Pyramid beneath it.

• The Imperial fleet surrounded Rafa Planet Five after a battle, and Hydra arrived to inspect the vast pit left by the excavation.
• Colonel Bades explained that the Infinite had seized the Relics and escaped by jumping to hyperspace from within the planet’s gravity well.
• Hydra ordered the Infinite tracked and Sefrans Tann’s whereabouts confirmed, then arrested Bades for dereliction of duty, treason, and bribery.
• On Crakull planet, Shepard and the others watched the Infinite arrive with the cut-in-half Plastic Pyramid secured beneath it.