Corellian system

Allana could feel the Errant Venture dropping out of hyperspace. No one aboard the bridge seemed alarmed, so she assumed the Star Destroyer had made it, relatively safely, to the Corellian system. Thrace lay behind her, in their bed, with an arm around her waist. Their six year old daughter, Tenel Fariana, was snuggled up against her.

Allana felt her husband kiss the back of her head. She smiled in mild amusement. Of course, the one time neither of them could sleep, their daughter would decide that she couldn't sleep by herself. But Allana couldn't blame their adorable little girl. The events of the last few days had left everyone more than a little rattled. Tenel Fariana had said that it had hurt her to feel all those people dying. Such statements were so much more profound when they came from children.

Six was far too young to be thinking about war. Allana felt horrible over how Tenel Fariana had been traumatized, even if it had been relatively minor. She knew this violence wouldn't be stopping anytime soon. So long as there was sentient life, there would always be something going on. Allana would have to resign herself to the fact that her and Thrace's daughter would eventually just get used to it, perhaps, even a bit a numb. Tenel Fariana would simply grow up more quickly, whereas most people these days never really grew up at all.

Bumblebee woke up lying on the grayish floor of the Mon Calamari cruiser's flight deck. He had not expected to survive the aftermath of his battle with Barricade. But the presence of the Allspark, resting on his chest, made it apparent that she had somehow repaired him. Bumblebee gently placed her on the floor, and sat up. His fellow Autobots rested nearby, all in their alternate forms. All accept for Jazz, of course. He had known Jazz for millions of years, and could scarcely process the fact that the friend who had been like a brother to him was gone. Jazz had died for nothing, Pit slaggit! And so had thousands of others. All those deaths had been in vain. Kuat had still fallen to the evil ones.

Bumblebee managed to slowly fold up into his vehicular form. "Ah was concerned 'bout you," Ironhide commented.

"Thank the Allspark for my recovery," Bumblebee responded.

"Indeed. Ah have a new understanding of why she didn't create us to use the Force. It ain't just cuz of how easy such power can corrupt us. That power was almost more than mah systems could handle. Almost rustin' overloaded."

Some distance from the Errant Venture floated one of many communications satellites. It cataloged the positions of the various Galactic Alliance ships and the planets. A signal, completely undetectable unless one knew where to look, traveled through hyperspace.

Kuat

A cruel, demonic smile possessed Megatron's face as he received the data from Soundwave. There had been no doubt that the enemy fleet would regroup at the Corellian system. It was rather obvious that one of the planets there would be next in line as the capital world of the Galactic Alliance, and that the enemy would have retreated there. It was the most logical choice. The Corellian system was, or at least could be, defended by more than just a large fleet. Each of the planets housed a massive repulsor weapon, more than capable of destroying the Nemesis. Megatron would simply have to be extremely careful.

The Decepticon leader helped Starscream weld another precisely cut piece of the Tho Yor's hull over some of the Nemesis' exposed circuitry. Similar repairs, by no means elegant, were being effected all along the hull and interior of the ship. Mixmaster was in charge of the more delicate matters, such as repairing damaged circuitry. Megatron never ceased to be impressed by the smaller Decepticon's resourcefulness.

The battle had gone better than Megatron had allowed himself to hope. The losses had been essentially negligible. Brawl had just been a mindless brute to throw against the enemy. As was Scavenger. The quadruped, at his enormous size, had been an absolute glitch to power, and would not have lasted much longer. But he had more than served his purpose.

And not only had the enemy not learned of Soundwave, they also hadn't learned that, with a little help, Athena could likely create a battle meditation. It had to be obvious to the Jedi that Darth Krayt would not be able to form another battle meditation at this time. Thus, the enemy was unlikely to expect such a thing anytime soon.

Admiral Daala, with good reason, believed that the capture of Kuat would give more legitimacy to her Reborn Empire. Which, in turn, would likely compel more people to join her cause. As would her alliance with the Decepticon crew of the Nemesis.

Darth Krayt sat cross legged upon the floor of the Sith Meditation Sphere, his hands resting upon his knees. He could feel the dark side swirling around him. The tattooed Sith Lord channeled his rage into the Force, allowing its energies to seep into him. He directed these currents into his brain, to heal the damage done by the Allspark.

At the same time, Krayt could feel a strange lifeless emptiness creeping through his brain, also intent on healing the damage. Those vaping Vong implants. The Sith Lord didn't want their help, not when it would weaken his connection to the Force. So Darth Krayt grabbed more aggressively at the dark power surrounding him, until it became almost noxious. The Force would heal him, before the Vong flesh had the chance to do so.

He suddenly felt his spirit being taken from his body, being transported through time and space. About a dozen indistinct, shadowy figures stood around a softly glowing cube. One of the shadows suddenly smote one of its fellows. The shadow walked over to the cube and picked it. The figure began to glow with the power of the cube. Some of the other shadows rose up and smote this glowing shadow. These figures returned the cube to its place. They left the thief as though they assumed it was dead, but Krayt somehow knew that this being had lived. He did not know what this all meant, but he knew he had to tell Megatron.

A/N: I know that was short, and perhaps it could have been better. But after being stuck on this chapter since December, I'm ready to post the darn thing. This series will continue in Star Wars: The Cybertronian Chronicles: The Fallen.