**Chapter 700: Phantom Nova**
**Scene 1**
**Bormus, Secret Landing Pad**
**Etain Ter-Murkan POV**
Following Anakin Skywalker down the shuttle's ramp onto the desolate landing pad, Etain Ter-Murkan couldn't help but glance around with a mixture of confusion and mild disappointment. The wind howled across the bare cliffs that rose sharply on all sides of the pad, their surfaces polished smooth by centuries of relentless wind and sand. In the sky above, the eerie bluish-green flashes of the planet's famous "northern lights" danced across the atmosphere, casting shifting shadows over the rocky landscape.
"Master, what are we doing here?" Etain asked, gesturing toward the empty cliffs. "I mean, on Bormus? There's nothing here."
Anakin sighed, adjusting the hood of his cloak against the biting wind. "There was no need to rush in at the last minute… Actually, that's good. Everyone thinks there's nothing here."
"And in reality?" Etain pressed, her curiosity piqued.
"In reality, there's a BTL/B bomber factory hidden inside these cliffs," Anakin replied. "We're supposed to inspect it at the Chancellor's personal request and pick up the first batch of aircraft."
Etain blinked. "What do you mean, 'take it away'? There are only two of us."
"The pilots for them should have arrived here by now," Anakin said, scanning the horizon.
Etain looked around again, more carefully this time. The barren cliffs and empty landing pad gave no indication of industrial activity. "You can't say there's production here… Who built it?"
"Grana," Anakin explained. "Although initially there was supposed to be a podracing factory here."
Before they could approach the massive doors built seamlessly into the rock face, the doors hissed open. A tall Gran in rich, flowing robes stepped out, his three eyestalks swiveling nervously.
"General Skywalker!" the Gran exclaimed. "We weren't expecting you so early…"
"I'm just in time," Anakin replied smoothly. "Sorry, I don't know your name."
"I am Lim Lilm, production engineer, at your service," the Gran said respectfully, gesturing toward the open doorway with all three arms. "Please, follow me."
Following Lim inside, the two Jedi found themselves in a long, glass-fronted corridor that overlooked a truly massive hangar workshop. Etain whistled in genuine surprise. At least ten full assembly lines stretched out below them, where BTL/B bombers were being pieced together with mechanical precision. The speed of the conveyors suggested the factory was capable of producing up to four hundred aircraft per day — and this was only one visible workshop.
"It's such an honor to host you here," Lim continued chattily as they walked. "Guests rarely drop by. As you can see, generals, production is in full swing. We're even slightly exceeding our order for this month. If you're worried about your intended shipment, I assure you that all the bombers are ready and even fueled…"
A little behind the engineer, Etain leaned closer to Anakin and whispered, "Teacher, why is he behaving so strangely?"
"Well, we just came from the Chancellor himself. And… we had a thing with the Gran," Anakin admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Which one is this?"
"Yes, we had to scare them once when production was just getting going," Anakin explained. "Their senator, Aask Aak, kept delaying the release of the product, so we had to intervene."
Suddenly, everyone looked up.
In the sky above Bormus, a distant but brilliant pocket nova bloomed — a searing burst of phantom energy shaped unmistakably like Dagon Marek's Dark Star symbol. The explosion of light was so intense it momentarily drowned out the planet's northern lights, casting long, shifting shadows across the cliffs.
Etain's eyes widened. "Master… what is that?"
Anakin stared at the sky, his expression hardening. "That's Dagon. And whatever he's doing… it's just begun."
**Scene 2**
**Bormus, Hidden Bomber Factory**
**Anakin Skywalker POV**
The Gran engineer froze mid-step, his three eyes widening in terror as the phantom nova continued to burn in the upper atmosphere. The symbol of Dagon's Dark Star hung there like a judgment from the heavens — a warning, a declaration, or perhaps the opening move of something far larger.
Lim Lilm's voice trembled. "General Skywalker… is that… is that one of your people?"
Anakin didn't answer immediately. He reached out with the Force, feeling the distant ripples of immense power and chaos emanating from the direction of the anomaly. Whatever Dagon had just done, it had torn a hole through "sub-hyperspace," creating a temporary pocket nova visible across half the system.
"It's not one of mine," Anakin said finally. "But it's someone I know very well."
Etain stepped closer, her hand instinctively resting on her lightsaber hilt. "Should we be worried, Master?"
"Always," Anakin muttered. "With Dagon, you should always be worried."
Lim Lilm bowed repeatedly, clearly shaken. "The shipment is ready, General. One hundred and twenty BTL/B bombers, fully armed and fueled, as per the Chancellor's orders. We can load them onto your transports immediately."
Anakin nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. The sudden appearance of Dagon's symbol so close to a secret Republic weapons factory couldn't be a coincidence. Something big was happening — and the fact that Palpatine had sent them here just days before made his stomach twist with suspicion.
"Load the bombers," Anakin ordered. "We're leaving as soon as they're secured."
As the Gran hurried off to comply, Etain turned to her Master. "Do you think Dagon knows about this place?"
Anakin's expression darkened. "If he doesn't… he will soon."
**Scene 3**
**Orbit Above Bormus**
**Distant Observation**
High above the planet, hidden among the debris of an old asteroid field, a lone scout probe droid recorded the events unfolding below. Its photoreceptors captured the brilliant phantom nova, the sudden activity at the secret factory, and the two Jedi moving with purpose.
The droid transmitted its data in a heavily encrypted burst before self-destructing.
Far away, in the shadows of a hidden command center, a hooded figure reviewed the feed. A slow, satisfied smile spread beneath the hood.
"So… the game begins in earnest," the figure whispered. "Let them chase shadows while the real storm gathers."
The brightest star was rising — and its light would burn away the lies of the Republic.