Bilbringi Shipyards

A little over a year had passed since the once-hidden Sith Empire had emerged from the farthest reaches of the galaxy to threaten everything that the Republic gave to its citizens and even tried to extend to those who remained outside of the jurisdiction on planets maintaining their own law and order. Now, things had changed. The Sith were no longer simply trying to push in from the Outer Rim, threatening far off systems that generally stretched the resources of the centrally-focused Republic. They were, on sound word from the Jedi Knight Keth Agrav, moving in to strike near the Core and aim to drive a fatal blow into the heart of the Republic with the intent to cripple it once and for all, letting the Sith have reign over the galaxy once more. It was a nefarious plot that most likely would have caught the Jedi completely off guard had that same Jedi Knight not survived the feint at Korriban and returned to known space to relay the danger.

Planets across the galaxy, Republic members and those unaffiliated alike, bore evidence of this brutal war of attrition. Bilbringi was one such planet. Given that it was home to one of the major shipyards accessible to the galaxy, it was one of the hubs of the Republic navy. Most of its docks were filled with all manner of starships seeking repairs from the various arenas across the galaxy that they had been warring in. Currently, 6 of the docks were preparing to discharge the ships designated as part of the Sunbelt fleet, newly christened by High Admiral Rosina because of the familiarity between the ship's commanding officers maintained after the mission they had returned from. These six ships, all coming into formation around the largest among them; the Venator-class Star Destroyer named Matrix which served as the Sunbelt fleet's flagship, were preparing to embark for Corellian space to serve as the command structure for the influx of Republic ships being prepared to handle the anticipated attack by the Sith Empire.

Currently, they were waiting for a single T-6 Shuttle to leave the shipyard's main control center and land on the Matrix. The shuttle would be ferrying across the two Jedi that had been assigned a few weeks prior to the Sunbelt fleet. The delay stemmed from the shuttle about to take on more Jedi passengers than the human Zak Caranthyr and the Shistavanen Keth Agrav. Having just arrived as per the High Admiral's orders, a pair of Scythe-class battlecruisers were undergoing repairs. They had brought with them a member of the Jedi Council which had only in the last few months dispersed even the majority of its own Council members to participate in the battles raging in the Outer Rim. This was the serene but very experienced Nautolan Jedi Master Rael Starfall. Also along was a Jedi Knight paired with General Starfall just as Zak was paired with Keth; the Barabel prodigy Haska Herotyne. Word had been circulating around the Republic Navy that the Barabel, renowned as per his species for being fierce hunters, was single-handedly leading ever-weakening forces in the defense of Serenno, a planet on the edge of the Eastern Outer Rim theater of combat. According to reports of the surviving soldiers who were evacuated when the Sith finally diverted enough forces to finally overwhelm Haska's defenses, the Barabel Jedi had performed unbelievable feats of combat. Showing such proficiency with his dual bronze-colored blades that whole battalions of Sith-allied soldiers were unable to stand against him. He had been the only reason Serenno had stood for so long.

The four Jedi were now sitting in the committee salon that was kept for those just disembarked from their transport, which for them was waiting at the end of the docking corridor just outside the viewport that dominated one whole wall of the salon. Keth, having used brief Jedi healing trances while he moved from location to location during this lull in the action, was nearly healed from his previous engagements. His wrist was still tender and his breath caught every so often, but one more trance would take care of those ailments and he would be back to full strength and ready to engage the Sith forces once more. Between the light conversation the Jedi had been engaged in, Keth had been surveying Haska with interest, noting that despite the Barabel's miraculous feats, he also bore permanent signs of damage despite the internal healing being accomplished. In some places the scales that covered his body were either discolored or chipped. A scar ran down the right side of the Barabel's face and continued down his neck below the collar of his tunic, pushing a jagged gap between the scales as if refusing to simply fade away. It reminded Keth that he was missing most of his canine left ear and that the fur refused to grow back on the now scarred patch on his chest where he had been struck with Force lightning by direct contact. Yes, the war had taken its toll on these Jedi warriors, no matter how skilled.

Starfall had just been explaining how he now planned to have Haska and himself join Keth and his fleet as they moved for Corellia, expressly because the two Scythe battlecruisers that they had arrived on were being repaired and sent directly to Fondor to act as part of the false defense force Keth had devised with High Admiral Rosina when they had last met. It all fit the plan that the Falleen High Admiral had prepared that the Jedi would be assembling in force at Corellia, ready to spring their own trap in hopes of catching the highest rank Sith off guard and kill them before they could cause enough damage to actually make any inroads against the Republic's Core worlds. Naturally, Zak, a younger Jedi who was absolutely thrilled to have the now-famous Haska Herotyne and a Jedi Master join them eagerly agreed to their joining. Keth, with natural Jedi calm, agreed to make the transfer official.

As the four prepared to depart, Master Starfall addressed the Shistavanen.

"Jedi Agrav, your heroic acts have been well documented by the Council. I have been told to inform you that you are being considered for elevation to the rank of Jedi Master."

Humility born out of being a realist at heart, Keth cocked his head at the Nautolan who's big black eyes were seemingly always humorous.

"It is an honor to be considered, Master Starfall. I'd think concluding this war is my most pressing task at the moment, regardless."

Rael smiled earnestly at that.

"Funny; Haska said the same thing when I told him of his consideration for elevation."

Keth was not at all surprised that the Barabel was being considered for the rank of Master. In his opinion, the reptilian Knight was more than qualified, even if Keth had not been able to sense much from the Jedi at all during their encounter.

The four Jedi moved down the docking umbilical to their waiting T-6 shuttle. Haska spoke.

"This one thinkz your featz against the Sith Lordz make you most deserving, Keth. This one will be blunt in saying he envies you for the opponentz you have faced."

Keth smiled, harmlessly bearing fangs, at the Barabel. Both of their species were predatory by nature, so the Shistavanen well understood Haska's statement.

"I'm not overly exaggerating when I say I almost wish you could have had the chance to face them. I consider myself lucky to be alive and well to talk about it."

Haska sissed in what was a Barabel's laugh. The reptilian species was known for a rather off sense of humor.

"This one is not sure whether wishing me encounterz with Sith Lordz is a compliment or an insult."

Starfall heartily laughed at that, prompting smiles from all the Jedi. They reached the T-6's hatch and entered, quickly starting the ship up and leaving the shipyard center behind, heading for the Matrix. The conversation had stopped there as the Jedi remained all business reaching the Star Destroyer. They docked there without incident and left the shuttle into the bast hangar bay of the Venator. Boasting the ability for a compliment vastly exceeding most other Star Destroyers of similar classification, the Venator usually was filled with more starfighters and support craft than the eye could readily count. But after a few costly engagement, the remaining starfighters in the hangar required less than half of the full ability of the destroyer. It was an unspoken testament to the attrition of war that plagued the galaxy as of late.

Somber at the reminder, the squad of Jedi made their way in near silence out of the hangar, prepared to go about any number of banal tasks as the Sunbelt fleet moved for hyperspace and therefore Corellia. Meditation, intel briefing, and any number of activities awaited them on the next leg of their journey. After all, they wanted to be sharp for the Sith invasion fleet that was coming straight at them like a hammer.

The Sunbelt fleet soon reached the required coordinates and jumped to hyperspace, leaving the busy Bilbringi shipyards behind.