**Chapter 580**
**Scene 1**
**Coruscant – Jedi Temple Council Chambers**
**Anakin Skywalker POV**
Anakin Skywalker shifted uncomfortably in his seat within the Jedi High Council Chamber. The circular room felt heavier than usual, the weight of the war pressing down on everyone present. He, Obi-Wan, and several other Jedi had been recalled from Valahari for this emergency session. The news from the Outer Rim had been… overwhelming.
The holonews feeds were still buzzing with reports from Quell — dubbed the "Second Battle of Super Ships" due to the sheer number of massive Separatist vessels destroyed. Ahsoka Tano, Dagon's padawan, had reportedly killed General Grievous in personal combat alongside Knights Stella, Flare, and Kayla. Dagon himself had destroyed Grievous's fleet at the Battle of Belderone and had now launched a full campaign to capture Felucia after shattering the massive blockade there.
Master Kit Fisto activated the central holomap, the glowing projection showing the current state of the galaxy. "The status from the 11th Sector is that they are now fully secured. All CIS forces are retreating to the Corporate Sector and the Commerce Guild sectors near Serenno and other CIS core worlds. We now effectively have control of both the Hydian Way super hyperspace route and the Perlemian Trade Route in the 12th Sector."
Oppo Rancisis leaned forward, his multiple limbs shifting. "That is effectively the majority of the Slice, not counting the part in Hutt Space and half or more of the New Territories that make the Outer Rim. Very effective and promising Dagon is. This war certainly has an effect."
"Yes," Obi-Wan said, his voice measured. "And Masters Tiplar and Tiplee speak very highly of him. Master Aayla even taught them how to use battle meld among their troops, which she learned from Dagon."
Yoda's ears twitched as he tapped his gimer stick on the floor. "Stronger with each battle Dagon becomes, so has his Padawans and the Jedi who follow him. Incredible knowledge he has learned from the Sith holocrons he found on Malachor. Stronger than all of us he is, possibly."
Shaak Ti brought up a recorded hologram. "Yes, but he did find the piece of information we have been wondering about since Naboo all those years ago. The Sith Lord Darth Plagueis… a Muun."
The recording played — the Colicoid representative's testimony about the Muun Sith Lord who had convinced the main hive to fully commit to the war three years before Naboo.
"If it is a Muun, that would explain the funds for the CIS war effort and the recruitment of Jango Fett," Eeth Koth said. "Does Master Windu or any of the Jedi on Mygeeto know of this?"
"No," Yoda replied. "Keeping this information secret we are. No lengthy transmissions, lest our enemy finds the truth."
Luminara Unduli leaned forward, her expression cautious. "What about Nox? Dagon's Sith Lord he resurrected along with Ashara. Are we sure we can rule him out?"
"I have met Nox," Obi-Wan said. "He is a lot like Anakin except more respectful and responsible… and less needy."
"Hey!" Anakin protested.
Obi-Wan gave him a dry look. "Yes, apparently with Ashara at his side, his Sith abilities, his pain and anger are gone, leaving him… well, the strength of a Sith Marauder of old."
"Which is the equivalent to probably a few Masters together right now," Kit Fisto added.
The discussion turned to the ongoing offensives. "Felucia is ongoing on path to victory," Kit Fisto said, "but Mygeeto is halted. One month and no progress. Only captured one city out of eleven, and the blockade is not full around the planet."
"Dagon said that Mygeeto was the pearl of the Muuns and to take the planet required a committed force," Oppo Rancisis noted. "And it appears it also needs an experienced general as well. I propose the vote of officially making Dagon Vice Supreme Commander of the Republic."
Luminara Unduli frowned. "Are we really sure it's a good idea? While he is effective, the original reason Yoda made him but not official was because he needed a fallback for his methods, which are more of ancient Sith lords than Jedi of old."
"While I do support Dagon in his ways of winning battles and rescuing Jedi — heck, he even risked his own life to rescue me and all of us from the thought bomb under the Temple — he is a quiet Jedi who still mainly keeps to himself," Ki-Adi-Mundi said. "But I know we should at least wait for the rest of the Council to be here and Dagon's own voice."
Everyone agreed. The chamber fell into thoughtful silence as the weight of the proposal — and the growing legend of General Dagon Marek — settled over them.