The Jedi Council was in session, as was right and proper considering what had happened, but it was also the last place Stellan wanted to be. Outside the nearly completed Jedi outpost, the relief work was well under way. Medical and support ships had arrived from the Core, and the large majority of Jedi were on the streets of Lonisa securing buildings and tending to survivors.

The outpost itself had become the center of the relief effort. The Republic administration building had been hit in the final attack and, while it was still standing, had been decreed structurally unsafe. What remained of Samera Ra-oon’s staff had been transferred to the Temple and were doing their best to help folk get home when most of the transports in the spaceport had been destroyed. The job hadn’t been expected of them. Samera and her team had simply taken the initiative, volunteering to oversee the cleanup.

“Is there word from Starlight?” The question snapped Stellan back to the here and now. It had been spoken by Keaton Murag, another relatively new member of the Council who had been elevated just prior to the Great Disaster.

“Yes,” Grand Master Veter responded. “Although Marshal Kriss is still engaged at Miluta.”

“Along with half the Jedi in the sector, it seems.” Teri Rosason—always a combative member of the Council—had already been critical of Avar’s handling of the Drengir affair, especially her alliance with the Hutts. Now she was positively scathing as news reached them that Avar had summoned more Jedi than expected to support her assault on the Drengir’s supposed rootworld. “Marshal Kriss seems to think she can do what she wishes, with or without the will of the Council.”

“Nonsense,” Yareal Poof, the long-necked Quermian, interjected. “Master Kriss is operating well within the parameters we afforded her.”

“And in direct response to Chancellor Soh’s request to deal with the Drengir threat as quickly and effectively as possible,” Master Adampo pointed out, the Yarkora joining the conversation for the first time since the holoconference began. Master Rosason made a response, but her words were lost in static, the Council’s images scrambling for a moment. Communications lines had largely been restored, but the wider network was struggling to cope with the sheer amount of data beaming back and forth from Valo. At this rate Stellan was surprised no one had suggested breaking out the antique courier droids the Republic had used in their first push for the frontier a century or so before.

The Masters’ holos swam back onto the walls, Yareal caught mid-sentence.

“—besides, Master Kriss had no way of knowing what was happening on Valo. None of us did until the reporter’s message got through.”

Rosason tutted. “Can you imagine what would have happened if the Togrutas hadn’t responded?”