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Chapter 95 - Chapter 94: The War... Continues!

In his secret office on Coruscant, Sidious slumped wearily in his chair.

Remaining near the Jedi required constant effort to conceal the aura of the Dark Side, leaving him exhausted and increasingly irritable.

Fortunately, with no pressing business today, Palpatine decided to review the mysterious Jedi report sent by Ayzad.

He could have simply asked the Jedi Council, but that might have raised suspicions. Why would the Speaker suddenly show interest in a specific Jedi General?

Moreover, given the recent Clone Jedi incident, such inquiries would only invite unnecessary complications.

Inserting the data crystal into the reader, the contents of the first document appeared:

Name: Solo Victor

Age: 23 standard years

Species: Human

Birthplace: Unknown (the Jedi who brought him to the Temple left no records)

Parents: Unknown

Entered the Temple: Presumably at birth

Midi-chlorian Count: 4,839

Master: Nong Alto (killed in action)

The following was a dry summary of his career: training experience, apprenticeship, and mission records after being promoted to Warrior.

When Sidious saw the words "Balance Order," he merely scoffed.

An ordinary Jedi, even one of mediocre skill, had repeatedly drawn the galaxy's attention by directly confronting the Sith.

But soon, some peculiar details caught his attention.

Opening the second document, Palpatine immersed himself in the intelligence analyst's report.

The report compared Victor's behavior before and after the Battle of Geonosis, noting significant changes in his combat style, attitude towards others, beliefs, and even mannerisms. There were even some inexplicable actions.

He had used funds from an unknown source to purchase four cruisers, which had since been dispatched to Pantora.

The final conclusion was stark: "The discrepancies in behavior are too great. Suspected to be two different individuals."

Palpatine leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingertips lightly against the armrest.

Solo Victor, who exactly are you?

Meanwhile, in a hidden stronghold, a woman's voice rang out: "Well, Baron? How have you been?"

"Lady, it's a pleasure to see you again. You're as beautiful as ever."

"Save your flattery," the woman said coldly.

"I assume you're here for a specific purpose?"

"You're very perceptive," she nodded. "I need information about someone."

"Oh? Someone who can still capture your interest? Who is he?"

"Don't waste time on irrelevant questions. His name is Solo Victor."

After leaving the meditation chamber in the Jedi Temple, Solo found a quiet corner, his mind churning with turbulent thoughts, half of them filled with bitter curses.

Jabim... May everyone involved go to hell!

He had managed to forget the horrors of that planet for a time.

Back in his original world, forums had endlessly debated the date of the Battle of Jabim. Some argued, based on comics, that it occurred before the Battle of Muunilinst.

At that time, Anakin was still Obi-Wan's apprentice, yet the comics already featured Ventress, who was supposed to have debuted during the Battle of Muunilinst.

Another official guide claimed the battle took place during the war's second year.

Yet here, it was set to begin at the start of the third year.

Still, everyone agreed that the Vietnam War and even World War I paled in comparison to Jabim's meat grinder.

As far as Solo knew, the Republic had suffered a catastrophic defeat there, losing hundreds of thousands of Clone Troopers, all their equipment, and what remained of the locals' trust within just two months.

The battle's devastating outcome led Palpatine to order the suppression of detailed information.

However, the Separatist Alliance made no such reservations, spreading news of the defeat until it was known throughout the galaxy, plunging Coruscant's civilians into considerable panic.

It was then that the 501st Legion first appeared, tasked with securing the capital and suppressing the resulting unrest.

Solo couldn't help but wonder:

Was this all part of Sidious's master plan, or a spontaneous improvisation?

Either way, Solo knew that the Sith Lord hiding within the Republic would profit from this chaos.

And now, these Jedi were pushing him into this pit of filth.

Even Yoda... he's in on it too!

Sigh...

I need to stay calm. The die is cast, and complaints won't change a thing.

Even though I know some of the battle's trajectory and can make minor adjustments, completely turning the tide would be as difficult as climbing to the stars.

"Damn it! Why me? If I find out who's behind this, I'll make them pay dearly."

And Amidala... she's making Solo's blood boil.

What is she doing meddling in the Jedi Council? And standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Palpatine?

But... it's hard to say who's manipulating whom.

As for Palpatine, if Solo hadn't known he was a Sith from the start, he would never have suspected the Speaker was Force-sensitive.

He's such a refined old man, with eyes so kindly. What a hypocrite.

His performance is flawless. He's probably been completely immersed in this role for years. Hollywood owes him an Oscar.

Just then, the data pad chirped, signaling an incoming document.

Solo mechanically reached for it.

"General Viktor," Aayla Secura's voice pulled him from his thoughts. The Twi'lek Jedi, who had listened to his entire exchange with the Council, spoke. "This isn't my place to say, but wasn't your attitude toward the Council and Senator Amidala a bit... confrontational?"

"Oh, I'm being quite restrained," Solo said with a cold smile.

"Is the situation really that dire?" Aayla frowned, sensing that Solo's earlier panic wasn't unfounded.

"You can't possibly imagine how bad it is. Remember this: we're going to get our asses kicked at Jabim. This path is paved with blood."

"More dangerous than facing a Sith?" Aayla still struggled to understand. "We're Jedi—"

"The Jedi are not omnipotent," Solo replied gravely. "War treats all sentient beings equally. Moreover, war isn't just a clash with an enemy—it's politics by other means!"

Aayla's frown deepened, her antennae tensing with worry. She had witnessed the brutality of battle firsthand—seen Solo's report on the Battle of Donovia, experienced his heroic actions on Kamino. Yet she had never seen such a heavy burden in his eyes before. The Jedi who always found a glimmer of hope in despair now looked as if his gaze had been soaked in Jabim's icy rain, cold to the bone.

"I know war isn't a duel," she said softly, her voice tinged with a barely perceptible urgency. "I've seen the wide eyes of fallen Clone Troopers and heard the wails of children in villages razed by war. But precisely because of that, we should be more cautious, not—"

She paused, as if carefully choosing her words. "To fight fate with fury."

Solo chuckled bitterly. "Prudence? The Council has given us just enough time to clean up the mess, not to be prudent. They want the ore and political leverage, not the lives of Clone Troopers or the livelihoods of the locals."

Aayla was silent for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward, her tentacle gently brushing against Solo's arm.

Twi'lek tentacles carried emotional resonance, an unconscious display of her concern.

"I can go with you," she said, her gaze resolute. "My unit has just finished resupplying and is familiar with guerrilla warfare. We might be able to reduce your casualties."

Solo's head snapped up, meeting her clear eyes.

He had always known this Twi'lek Jedi's kindness, but he never imagined she would voluntarily step into this meat grinder.

"Are you crazy?" His voice was hoarse. "There's no air cover, no rear support. We might all die in the mud."

"Then let's die together!"

A faint, stubborn smile tugged at the corner of Aayla's lips.

"Stop joking. We all have our own missions." Solo sighed, his tone softening. "I should go prepare—"

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