<span style="font-family: Constantia;"><span style="font-size: 125%; line-height: 116%;">The raid on Chandrila had not gone as planned.  Oh, the attack had overall been a success, but the presence of Kerian had undone the victory he had achieved over the Sith on that world.  Worse, he had failed to kill her - much less even harm her.  The same could not be said for what she had managed to do to him.  All his training...all his hard work had been for nothing.  That was the theme which now played out in his mind as he lay in his bed aboard the cruiser:  <span style="font-style: italic">VALOR</span>.  Her sacrifice had been for nothing just as much as all of his training had been for nothing. <br/>And if that had not been bad enough - to have her compare him to the Sith he despised so much only made his personal defeat even harder.  It was true that he gave no quarter in combat to soldiers or warriors of the Sith Empire.  Once he began an attack - he did not let up, but he had never murdered any civilian or taken a life that had not been part of the war.  Death, however, was still death, and taking a life was still a stain upon a person's soul.  What gave him the right to challenge her now?  She had made it abundantly clear that he was as much in the wrong as the Sith were, but was he?  After all, wasn't he simply fighting to restore the Republic...to bring the tyranny of the Sith to an end??  Or, had it become a war of vengeance?  Was he doing this for the Jedi and for those who had lost their freedom, or was he doing it for what the Sith had done to his friend???<br/><br/>And, so he lay in his bunk thinking of all that had now transpired up to this point.  In it, he saw himself becoming harsher, colder, a creature of war. That was not the Jedi way.  A Jedi fought for defense:  defense of self and defense of others...not for war.  But, Zyan had been leading troops into battle in the hopes of restoring the Republic's territories, and bringing the Sith to an end.  In fact, he was the only Jedi still fighting.  The rest were with his Master:  Nilenn...what few remained at least.  There were no other Jedi fighting anymore.  He was the last one still out among the stars trying to stop the Sith.<br/><br/>Was it wrong to fight against the darkness?  No, but he realized that with Keiran's words he had allowed the darkness he hated to become a part of him.  That only made the defeat at her hands that much more difficult to accept.  Here he was the Dawn Knight, but he was radiating darkness instead of shining forth like the light they saw him as.  Of course, he also realized that part of his defeat against her had been her own unique lightsaber style - a blend of three forms that had made rather difficult for his own blend to keep up with.  No other Sith he had fought had accomplished what she had.  He had thought his own style was unique and perfectly suited for fighting any Sith, but she had proved otherwise. <br/>It was one more failure which now plagued him.  Before retiring to his quarters - Zyan had ordered the cruiser to return to Sanctuary.  There was no way he could lead troops in battle after the revelations of today.  If he was to continue fighting the darkness that had swept over the galaxy - it would have to be done a different way.  A part of him wished she had killed him.  He truly felt like he did not deserve to live, and that was not a way to be thinking while leading others.  Such a disposition would eventually get everyone of his team killed.<br/><br/>The war was over.  The Sith had won.  He - the last combating Jedi - could not continue.  If it meant by fighting that he would turn to the Dark Side as well - then what was the point.<br/><br/>What was the point of trying to free the people if he was lost in the darkness as well?<br/><br/>An idea began to form in his mind...perhaps spoken to him from some aspect of the Force, but either way the idea came to him and he did not ignore it.<br/><br/>It was four hours later when he came to the bridge - nine since they had left Chandrila.  There he found the ship's commander:  Cassandra Jade. <br/>The woman in command of VALOR greeted him with a nod before he motioned her forward with a slight gesture of his right hand.  <br/><br/>Before he could speak, Cassandra did instead, "We all know you suffered a terrible defeat, Sir.  Don't let it stop you from fighting the Sith."<br/><br/>"I won't, but I think it is time we fight on a different level.  The raids will never give us a true victory over the Sith.  I was thinking, however, that perhaps there is a better way to help the Republic's citizens against the Sith," Zyan began.<br/><br/>"Oh?  Do tell, Sir.  I know, I for one, would love to find other ways of combating the Sith and helping the people.  The raids only give a brief relief - nothing more.  While such disrupts the Sith's operations - it isn't enough to ever achieve a true victory.  So, what is the new plan?" Cassandra replied with a nod of understanding.<br/><br/>"Humanitarian aid, Commander.  We are going to use our abilities and tactics to bring in new supplies to beleaguered citizens, help them rebuild after enemy raids and attacks, and give them the ability to stand on their own.  I think in this way news will spread across the Republic that they have not been abandoned, and the Sith will be seen as the ruthless enemy they truly are.  We will fight to win the hearts and minds of the people, and they will in turn fight the Sith on their own terms.  The Sith want to rule the galaxy and take over the Republic, but conquest cannot do that alone forever.  Eventually, those under the tyranny of the Sith will rebel and strike out.  So, we will help the best way we can.  We will aid those in trouble with supplies, medical aid, rebuilding efforts, coordinating and preparing their defenses, teaching, and so on.  The Sith, who do none of these things, because they are only there for their own personal needs will suddenly find a populace that is not without hope...is not lost in despair and defeated.  The Sith, of course, will strike at them...break down their rebellions, but the more they tighten their grip - the more rebellions they will have.  What few Sith that might be more liberal will not be enough to change the attitude and stance of the main host of the Empire or their Dark Council," Zyan further explained.<br/><br/>"An intriguing idea, Sir.  When do we start?" Cassandra said with a smile of hope.<br/><br/>"As soon as we reach Sanctuary we will resupply, and I will find out which planet or moon is in need of aid.  For this to work - we are going to need the rest of the task force.  So, I want you to make sure that our five frigates and the other cruiser:  <span style="font-style: italic">DEFIANCE</span> are ready.  I want the operation under way by tomorrow," the Dawn Knight ordered.<br/><br/>"It will be taken care of," Cassandra assured him, and with that he left the bridge to meditate.  They were still a good two hours away from Sanctuary, and he intended to meditate and rest before putting his new operation together.  Once in his bunk, Zyan spoke up quietly to the darkness and to the woman who was not there to hear:  "You may have been right, but I will show you that the Sith are the true evil, and I will do it without turning."</span></span>