First, from a practical standpoint, Solo knew he couldn't bring any new technology to the table.
The cultural and technological level of this world was several orders of magnitude more advanced than his own home.
The only thing he might find useful was his historical knowledge.
After all, "history always repeats itself."
Speaking of which, Solo's academic background leaned toward Central Asian and Western studies, and he still retained some basic military theory in his mind.
At the very least, he could recall a few ancient battles, remember the war maps from his history textbooks, and visualize the red and blue arrows and small squares representing attack and defense.
Moreover, as time passed, humanity had only updated its weapons and tactics; the core logic of strategic thinking remained virtually unchanged throughout history.
And that was pretty much the extent of Solo's knowledge base.
Next, Solo began sorting through the original memories of this Jedi body, hoping to find any other useful information.
Meditation techniques, a rudimentary understanding of politics, and a basic grasp of starfighter technology.
As for the war history of this distant galaxy, his knowledge was scant.
Essentially, this was all the useful information Solo had.
However, he also knew one crucial detail:
The war would last three years, after which the Emperor would issue Order 66, leading to the purge of all Jedi!
Solo forced himself to remain calm, suppressing the panic rising within him.
As a Jedi, how could he survive this mess?
He recalled his university professor's words: "Break down the problem into smaller parts, solve them one by one. Perhaps by solving some parts, you can turn others into advantages. Of course, you might also encounter new problems—it all depends on luck."
Solo sincerely hoped his luck would improve.
He began brainstorming possible courses of action.
The first option, which Solo called "Lying Flat," involved doing nothing and simply following the original plot.
The outcome would either be death in battle or execution under Order 66.
This was clearly not viable.
The second option, "The Prophet," involved running around shouting, "I know everything! The Chancellor is a Sith!"
The idea seemed tempting at first glance, but Solo quickly dismissed it.
Who would easily believe the ravings of an anonymous Jedi?
Moreover, he would likely be killed outright in the process.
Without a second thought, Darth Sidious's power far exceeded imagination.
Sidious controlled nearly a third of the galaxy's underworld and was deeply intertwined with the financial system. For example, the Banking Clan had long been under the control of his master, Darth Plagueis, and Sidious had naturally inherited this influence.
Furthermore, no force could currently prevent Palpatine from issuing Order 66.
With a massive number of Clone Troopers stationed on Coruscant, Sidious could strike at any moment.
In the original timeline, four Jedi Masters—including Kit Fisto and Mace Windu—had attempted to arrest Palpatine.
These were no pampered idealists from peacetime, but battle-hardened veterans of the three-year Clone War.
Yet even so, Sidious had nearly killed them all. Later, even Master Yoda couldn't subdue him alone.
Solo couldn't decide if Palpatine was simply too powerful, or if the Jedi Order had lost its backbone after the Battle of Ruusan, having grown complacent and weak after a millennium of peace. Either way, the path of the "Prophet" was a dead end.
The third option: "Run for your life."
Hide in some remote corner of the galaxy or an uncharted region, hoping for safety.
But Solo knew this wouldn't work. The Jedi were sensitive to the Force; complete concealment was impossible.
The outcome would be either capture by the Jedi or the Separatist Alliance.
Even if he miraculously evaded both, Darth Vader would eventually find him and tear him to pieces.
How many Jedi remained in the galaxy?
Solo estimated at least ten thousand, but likely only a few dozen would survive until Luke left Tatooine.
Even if he miraculously lived that long, the Yuuzhan Vong would invade.
Solo calculated mentally: it was currently 22 years before the Battle of Yavin, and the Yuuzhan Vong would arrive 21 years after it—a total of just over forty years.
Did he really want to face such a "surprise" in his old age?
Absolutely not.
The fourth option: "Why not just join the Sith?"
In other words, become a Sith.
Solo found the idea utterly laughable.
*Become a Sith?*
*How?*
*Could he really find Darth Revan's holocron and persuade Marka Ragnos's ghost to become his master?*
*That was pure fantasy.*
The core issue was that Darth Sidious had no need for rivals. Bane's Rule of Two—one master, one apprentice—was deeply ingrained in his very being.
Even if Sidious recognized the flaws in this doctrine, he would never allow an outsider to interfere.
If Solo dared to reveal even a hint of ambition to become a Sith, Sidious would either personally "take care" of him or have Vader strangle him.
The Force was merely a guarantee of personal power, and three years was far too short a time to change anything significant.
Moreover, in this vast galaxy, there were far more intriguing pursuits to pursue.
In the end, Solo reached a conclusion:
To survive, he needed to become someone "of consequence," someone the Jedi and Palpatine would find "unprofitable" to eliminate.
After all, even the later Imperial Inquisitors had been recruited from the ranks of former Jedi.
Many willingly defected, while others were transported to Byss for re-education on specialized prison ships.
The impending Clone War would offer numerous Jedi opportunities to rise as commanders and distinguish themselves.
Solo had to become one of them.
After accumulating sufficient prestige, he would need to secure the support of influential figures.
Ideally, this would come from the Senate, though finding a sane person within that body was a task of epic proportions.
Senator Chui's name flashed through his mind, only to quickly fade.
While she was honorable, her influence was too limited to be of significant help.
Next, he would need to find a way to circumvent Order 66.
This was particularly challenging, but with time on his side, he was confident he could devise a solution.
Beyond these political maneuvers, Solo also needed to enhance his Jedi abilities.
Training. Relentless training.
He knew he could never reach the level of Skywalker, let alone Yoda or Palpatine. But cultivating himself to the level of Obi-Wan or Ventress seemed within reach.
Gradually, a vague plan began to take shape in Solo's mind.
***
The fleet would reach Coruscant in fifteen hours. Solo began meditating to accelerate the healing of his wounds.
After all, he likely wouldn't have another chance for such undisturbed rest anytime soon. The coming days were bound to be fraught with tension.
Meanwhile, in the command center of the flagship *Hailfire-class*, the Jedi Council was holding an emergency meeting.
Master Yoda sat with his eyes closed, listening intently to Mace Windu's report, his expression grave.
"...The special clone trooper team that infiltrated the arena has retrieved all Jedi remains and transported them to the cruisers. Master Trebor's sacrifice has been confirmed." Windu's face remained as impassive as a stone carving, showing no flicker of emotion. "We failed. If not for the timely support of the clone army, none of us would have escaped the arena alive. Masters, Knights, Padawans... nearly two hundred Jedi have perished."
Even as he delivered such devastating news, his voice remained utterly devoid of emotion.
"How are Kenobi and Skywalker?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked. "I heard they sustained severe injuries at the hands of Count Dooku."
"Their pride has suffered far greater wounds than their bodies," Shaak Ti replied. "Skywalker will require a prosthetic arm to regain full mobility."
"My former apprentice has grown very strong," Yoda said, slowly opening his eyes, a hint of concern in his voice. "But I sense a disturbance in the Force—a ripple of the dark side within him."
Shaak Ti turned to Yoda, hesitated, then spoke. "There's one Jedi who concerns me. He survived the arena battle but was severely wounded. His name is Solo. I must confess, I've never met him before."
"Hmm..." Yoda murmured, recalling the information. "This young Jedi... he comes from the Balance Order, a disciple of Knight Nong Alto. Why does he interest you, hmm?"
"His strength isn't remarkable," Shaak Ti explained, "but there's something about him—an aura that draws me in, sparking my curiosity."
Yoda fell silent, closed his eyes, and entered a brief meditative state. After a moment, he spoke again. "He has lingered on the edge of life and death. Now, doubt torments him."
"Just like all of us," Shaak Ti said, lowering her head, a trace of weariness in her voice.
The casualties of this battle weighed heavily on every Jedi's heart.
Solo ended his meditation two hours before the fleet was scheduled to exit hyperspace.
His injuries had healed faster than expected, barely hindering his movements. Still, he decided to keep the bandages on for now.
An extra layer of protection couldn't hurt.
With his mind clear, he revisited the plans he had been formulating earlier, finally settling on a course of action.
The first step of his plan was... to find something to eat.
Having gone nearly a day without food or water, he was starving.
Solo slowly rose from his bunk, his body still a little shaky but thankfully intact.
Looking at Skywalker sleeping soundly in the adjacent bunk, snoring softly, he silently apologized three times: "Forgive me, Skywalker. Ahsoka Tano will never become your apprentice. I'm keeping that role for myself."
In this war-torn galaxy, building his own team was paramount. Letting such a remarkably talented individual fall into the wrong hands would be a waste.
Whether it was the Clone War or the Jedi purge under Order 66, this step was crucial.
After asking a nearby Clone Trooper for directions to the mess hall, Solo moved slowly along the corridor, following the signs at a leisurely pace.
The Hailfire-class assault landing craft resembled a massive wedge, measuring 700 by 400 meters. The sheer scale of the vessel was staggering; it took Solo a full twenty minutes just to walk from the infirmary to the mess hall.
This was understandable, given that the ship could accommodate 16,000 clone troopers.
The mess hall was packed with people.
More accurately, it was packed with clones.
Solo waited briefly in line, collected a tray of simple rations, and headed for the nearest empty seat.
As soon as he sat down, he felt a gaze fixed on him.
Looking up, Solo was surprised to realize he "recognized" the other clone.
Of course, all clones looked identical, yet for some reason, he could distinguish this particular one.
*This must be another perk of the Force,* he thought.
"Greetings, Lieutenant," Solo said, breaking the silence.
"Sir," the clone lieutenant nodded, paused, and then asked with clear astonishment, "How did you recognize me?"
His voice carried, and several nearby clones paused their meals to stare curiously at them.
"I remembered you, Lieutenant," Solo replied with a smile. "We charged together yesterday."
"But how? We all look the same," the lieutenant pressed, his eyes filled with confusion.
In their eyes, outsiders couldn't possibly distinguish between Clone Troopers.
"No, Lieutenant, you are different," Solo said with conviction. "This is a truth I tell you as a Jedi."
With that, he lowered his head and began eating the food on his plate, ending the conversation.
He had no interest in knowing what the colorful, mushy food was made of; all that mattered was filling his stomach.
As Solo shoveled the paste-like substance into his mouth, he refined his plan of action in his mind.
According to his recollection, the main force of Clone Troopers was now arriving on Coruscant in waves.
Next, once Chancellor Palpatine approved the Jedi to hold the rank of general, they would be deployed to battlefields across the galaxy within days.
After all, the Republic couldn't afford to wait for the Confederacy of Independent Systems to regroup and attack their undefended border worlds.
As a Jedi, Solo deeply disliked Palpatine. But objectively speaking, as the "future Emperor," Palpatine's capabilities were undeniable.
This was somewhat similar to those famous emperors in history who, on one hand, carried out brutal repressions, their hands stained with blood, while on the other hand, led their nations to victory in great wars.
You might not like him, but you couldn't deny Palpatine's political skill.
If Palpatine hadn't "extracted" emergency powers from the Senate, those senators would likely still be bickering endlessly in their "Hutt-style talk shop" until battle droids stormed the Senate building and finally woke them up.
According to the plot of the *Clone Wars* animated series, if reality mirrored the storyline, the Confederacy of Independent Systems would launch its first counterattack and strike within three days of the Battle of Geonosis.
By the end of the month, the flames of war would engulf the entire galaxy.
This meant Solo had little time left—at most, seventy-two hours.
First, Solo needed to visit the archives at the Jedi Temple.
Even if he couldn't thoroughly research there, he at least needed to download documents on ancient warfare.
Only by studying real battle examples could he quickly fill the gaps in his knowledge of space combat.
Then, he needed to find the young Ahsoka Tano and make her his apprentice.
Solo believed Tano wouldn't refuse.
Tano was nearly fourteen years old.
According to Jedi tradition, apprentices were usually chosen by their masters at thirteen. But due to her impulsive temperament and stubborn nature, no one had been willing to take her on, causing her considerable anxiety.
Solo's proposal would likely be a rare opportunity for her.
*Ah, Jedi Masters, you've truly misjudged her,* Solo sighed inwardly. *Tano's talent is undeniable, yet you've let it go to waste.*
Solo also had his own selfish reasons.
After all, no one could guarantee he wouldn't encounter Grievous, Asajj Ventress, or other Sith disciples in battle.
Ahsoka's lightsaber skills, at the very least, could give him an edge in a critical moment.
She might still be lacking now, but given time, she would undoubtedly grow into a top-tier Jedi Knight.
Solo remembered how Ahsoka had survived her first encounter with Ventress after leaving the Temple, proving her immense potential.
The fleet finally emerged from hyperspace, revealing the full splendor of Coruscant.
How could one describe this planet?
Perhaps only seeing it with one's own eyes could truly convey its grandeur.
Coruscant, the capital of the Galactic Republic, was a true "planetary city" with a population exceeding a trillion.
For millennia, it had been the political heart of the galaxy, a symbol of power and civilization.
As Solo gazed out the viewport at the "steel forest" of skyscrapers, he finally realized that his life had been irrevocably changed, and there was no turning back.
*Very well, let the war begin!*
Shortly after arriving on Coruscant, the Jedi Order and Senator Padmé Amidala boarded a shuttle and flew toward the Jedi Temple.