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“Once we wipe out the enemy here on Ruusan our armies will sweep across the galaxy virtually unopposed. Conquering territory in every sector, we will encircle Coruscant and the other Core Worlds like a noose, drawing ever tighter until we choke the very life out of the Republic!”

There was a roar of approval from the crowd. When Kopecz spoke again, even he seemed to have lost some of his hostility.

“But victory here is not assured. We may have Hoth’s army surrounded and pinned down, but there’s a Jedi fleet with hundreds of reinforcements lurking on the edges of this system.”

“Their reinforcements are on the edge of the system,” Kaan admitted with a nod, not bothering to deny what every single one of them knew to be fact. “Just as they have been for the past week. And that’s exactly where they will stay: far away from the surface where they are needed.

“The bulk of our fleet is in orbit around Ruusan itself, and the Jedi lack the numbers or the firepower to break through our blockade. If they can’t unite their numbers with those here on the surface, Hoth and his followers will fall. And once we have finished them off we can mop up the tattered remnants of the Order at our leisure.”

Kopecz, mollified, sat down with one final comment. “Then let’s finish Hoth off quickly and get off this blasted rock.”

“That’s exactly the point of this strategy conference,” Kaan said with a smile, knowing he had once again averted a potential schism in the Brotherhood. “We may have lost a few skirmishes here and there, but we are about to win the war!”

Githany stepped up and handed him a holomap with the latest data from their reconnaissance drones. He gave her a nod of thanks and unfurled it on the table, then bent down for a closer look.

“Our spies indicate Hoth’s main camp is located here,” he said, jabbing a finger at a heavily wooded section of the map. “If we can flush them out of the forest we might be able to—”

He stopped short as a dark shadow fell across the map. “What now?” he demanded, pounding his fist on the table and snapping his head up to find the cause of this latest interruption.

An enormous mountain of a man stood in the doorway, blocking the light streaming in from outside. He was tall and completely bald, with a heavy brow and hard, unforgiving features. He wore the black armor and robes of the Sith, and a hook-handled lightsaber hung at his side. Though he had never met the man before, Lord Kaan had heard enough about him to know exactly who he was.

“Darth Bane!” he exclaimed. He cast a quick glance in Githany’s direction, wondering if she had betrayed him. From the expression on her face, it was obvious she was just as surprised as he was to see their visitor alive and well.

“We … we thought you were dead,” he began uncertainly. “How did—”

“I’m tired,” Bane interrupted. “Do you mind if I sit?”

“Of course,” Kaan quickly agreed. “Anything for a Brother.”

The big man sneered as he settled into one of the nearby chairs. “Thank you, Brother.”

There was something in his tone that put Kaan’s guard up. What was he doing here? Did he know that Githany had tried to poison him? Did he know Kaan had sent her?

“Please continue with your strategy,” Bane urged with a casual wave of his hand.

Kaan’s hackles rose. It was as if he was being given permission to continue; as if Bane was the one in charge. Gritting his teeth, he looked down at the map again and resumed where he had left off. “As I was saying, the Jedi are hiding in the forests. We can flush them out if we split our numbers. If we deploy our fliers, we can flank their southern lines—”

“Bah!” Bane spat out, slapping his open palm down hard on the table. “Deploying fliers and flanking armies,” he mocked, rising to his feet and thrusting an accusing finger at Kaan. “You’re thinking like a dirt general, not a Sith Lord!”

A heavy silence had fallen across the room; even Kaan was left speechless. He could feel all eyes on him, watching intently to see what would happen next. Bane stepped in close, his face just centimeters from Kaan’s own.

“How did you ever