Darth Nox stood at the command console of his ancient Sith Interceptor, his gaze fixed on the holographic displays in front of him. Lana Beniko stood nearby, her expression tense as they sifted through the HoloNet's archives, searching for answers to the questions that had been gnawing at Nox since his awakening.
Xalek, his ever-faithful apprentice, sat cross-legged in the corner of the room, deep in meditation. His connection to the dark side had grown over the years, sharpened under Nox's tutelage. Now, even as his mind sought answers through the Force, Nox could feel Xalek's struggle. There was something deeply wrong with the galaxy, a darkness that neither of them could yet identify.
The assassin droids, HK-51 and HK-55, stood idle at the entrance to the ship, awaiting further orders. Their yellow photoreceptors gleamed in the dim lighting of the cockpit as they processed Nox's commands.
"Bring the ship you arrived in," Nox commanded, his voice laced with cold authority. "I want it positioned next to my Interceptor. We may need to depart at a moment's notice."
Both droids responded in unison, their metallic voices devoid of emotion. "Affirmative, master."
As the droids exited the ship, Nox turned his attention back to the console, fingers deftly gliding over the controls. Data streams flickered to life in front of him, painting a picture of the galaxy as it stood now. The Republic, the Jedi, and the absence of the Sith Empire... none of it made sense. Everything was wrong, as if the galaxy had reshaped itself in ways Nox could barely comprehend.
Lana, her brow furrowed in concentration, scanned the vast database of galactic history. Her fingers hovered over the screen, occasionally pausing to process a particularly odd entry before moving on. She glanced at Nox, her unease palpable in the Force.
"Something is very wrong," she said quietly, almost to herself. "The Sith Empire... gone. The Republic... more powerful than ever. It's like we've woken up in a galaxy that doesn't even remember us."
Nox's expression remained stoic, but inside, a torrent of thoughts raced through his mind. His connection to the Force had been honed to a fine edge, sharper than ever before, yet the galaxy seemed to pulse with an unfamiliar energy, one that was distant and... weaker. His power felt disconnected from the events that had transpired during his long sleep, and that alone was cause for concern.
Lana's voice broke through his thoughts again. "Look at this," she said, gesturing to the screen. "The Ruusan Reformation. It took place nearly a thousand years ago."
Nox's eyes narrowed as he examined the information before him. The Ruusan Reformation had stripped the Jedi of their military power, abolished the concept of Jedi Lords, and placed them under the direct supervision of the Supreme Chancellor and the Republic's Judicial Department. The Jedi had abandoned their battle armor, disbanded their starfighter corps, and renounced all military ranks. In essence, they had relinquished much of their autonomy, tying themselves to the Republic in ways that seemed foolish, even suicidal.
"Fools," Nox muttered, his voice thick with disdain. "They've allowed themselves to be neutered by the very system they once served. They've traded their power for the illusion of peace."
Lana nodded in agreement, though her face remained troubled. "It's strange. The Jedi were always cautious, but this... this doesn't make sense. They've weakened themselves. By aligning so closely with the Republic, they've lost the independence that made them dangerous."
Nox crossed his arms over his chest, his mind racing with possibilities. "The Jedi were never willing to bend to authority like this. Even at the height of the Republic, they maintained their status as warriors and protectors, separate from the political games of the Senate. Now, they've become pawns."
He turned to Lana, his eyes burning with the intensity of his thoughts. "This Ruusan Reformation... it has changed the very fabric of the galaxy. The Jedi are no longer the warriors they once were."
Lana's gaze remained fixed on the data. "But even so, how could they allow themselves to be this... weakened? To give up their ranks, their armies? And why would the Sith Empire allow itself to be destroyed? It doesn't add up."
As the ship's computer continued to scroll through the HoloNet's records, a particular entry caught Nox's eye. It was brief, almost a footnote in galactic history, but its implications were staggering.
"There's nothing here about the Eternal Alliance," Nox said slowly, his voice dark with suspicion. "No mention of the war against Zakuul, no reference to the battles we fought, the armies we built. Nothing."
Lana's eyes widened as she scanned the information for herself. "It's as if the Eternal Alliance never existed," she said in disbelief. "All I can find is a reference to a militia led by someone called the 'Hero of Tython,' who fought against the Sith Empire. But no mention of the Alliance, or of you, or even Theron Shan."
Nox clenched his fists, a wave of anger rolling off him. He had ruled the Eternal Alliance, shaped its destiny through blood and conquest. The idea that such an important part of galactic history could be erased, forgotten, was incomprehensible.
"Abraxes," Nox growled, invoking the Hero of Tython's true name. "He was never the leader of the Alliance. He was a member of it, yes, a powerful one, but he never ruled."
Lana nodded, her confusion growing by the moment. "Exactly. And yet, the history we're seeing... it paints him as the leader of some sort of militia, not the Eternal Alliance."
The room fell silent as the full weight of their discovery sank in. Something—whether it was the Force itself or some other power—had erased the Eternal Alliance from the galaxy's memory. The battles they had fought, the lives they had changed, the alliances they had forged—all of it had vanished without a trace.
"What could have caused this?" Lana asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Nox's expression hardened, his eyes glowing with a dangerous intensity. "There are forces at work here that we do not yet understand. Time itself has shifted, and we are the only ones who remember what truly happened."
He turned to Lana, his voice filled with grim determination. "But we will find the truth. And when we do, we will reclaim what is ours."
Lana nodded, though the uncertainty in her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil. She had always been pragmatic, able to adapt to any situation, but this... this was beyond even her understanding.