**Chapter 746: Crimson-71**
**Scene 1: Republic Military Headquarters, Coruscant**
**Dagon POV**
The secure briefing chamber deep within Republic Military Headquarters was dead silent. Grand Admiral Valentra and the assembled high command stared at the holographic reconstruction of Black-Site 34's ruined labs. The frozen planetoid, the shattered stasis tanks, the writhing black mass — all of it played on loop.
Atroxa stood beside me, her red skin stark against the white walls, voice calm but edged with remembered horror. "Crimson-71. Imagine the nastiest bio-weapon you can conceive. Make the damned thing sapient, able to use the Force, and you have a vague idea of what our bio-weapon experts and one clearly deranged Sith Lord managed to cook up four thousand years ago. It can twist living things to serve its purposes. It has limited capability to infest technology. All it wants is to spread and consume."
I stepped forward, mask in place, voice distorted but carrying the full weight of command. "Crimson-71 is a sapient plague. It infects, consumes, and re-purposes organic entities. It has limited ability to infect technology as well. Depending on its spread and how many infected forms it controls, its ability to use the Force grows." I smiled thinly at Valentra. "It evolves gestalt nodes that enhance its Force-related abilities. As it gets stronger, it produces more advanced forms — not merely modified infected hosts, which are bad enough on their own. All it desires is to feed, consume, and spread. It is highly intelligent, impossible to control or reason with. If not contained, we are looking at a galaxy-wide extinction event."
Valentra's face had gone pale. "And this thing was just… *sleeping* on a frozen rock for four thousand years?"
I nodded. "I found the location hidden in data recovered from Atroxa's original coffin. The Prophets had fragments of the coordinates, but they didn't fully understand them. The main site dated back to the ancient Sith Empire during the Great Hyperspace Wars, roughly six thousand years ago. They treated it like a relic rather than the apocalypse it is."
Atroxa continued, "We believe additional fragments and possible secondary samples exist in other relics from the later Galactic War period. Vitiate was thorough. He buried his failures… but he never truly destroyed them."
One of the admirals leaned forward. "Can it be destroyed?"
"Fire works. Purification waves work better," I replied. "But it adapts. Rapidly. We burned the primary site, but I cannot guarantee we got everything. This is why Project Rebirth and Ascension must be accelerated. We may need enhanced soldiers and genetic countermeasures sooner than expected."
Valentra exhaled slowly. "Then we treat this as a Code Black priority. All Republic forces are to report any anomalous biological outbreaks immediately. No matter how small."
I turned to leave, the women following. "One month and two weeks until the Confederacy's planned offensive. We cannot allow Crimson-71 to become their weapon… or ours."
**Scene 2: Serenno – Count Dooku's Castle**
Deep in the ancient halls of Serenno, Darth Sidious stood before a massive holographic star map. His yellow eyes burned with malevolent satisfaction as he studied the Core Worlds.
"My lord, you cannot be serious," Dooku pleaded, his usual aristocratic composure cracking. "If this works, we will lose any remaining goodwill with the neutral systems and the rest of the Confederacy. Deploying a weapon like this… it crosses every line."
Sidious turned slowly, hooded face twisted in contempt. "No matter. The chains of democracy have served their purpose long enough. It is time to let the Force set us free."
He glided closer to the map, fingers tracing the route to a specific world. "Have you found the appropriate target? One that will cause maximum damage?"
Dooku's expression was grim. "Yes, my lord. Alsakan. As we speak, a stealth ship is being loaded with what remains of the virus. The surviving Sun Guard have been deliberately infected and placed aboard. Soon, Alsakan will fall… and the Republic with it."
"Excellent," Sidious hissed, lightning crackling faintly between his fingers. "This will expose the Republic to catastrophic delay. By the time our *Spear of Light* offensive is ready, we will strike with everything we have. The Dragon will be forced to divert resources. His precious Core will burn from within."
Dooku bowed, though his eyes betrayed deep unease. "As you command, my lord."
Sidious laughed softly, the sound like breaking glass. "Let the galaxy see what true fear tastes like. The Sith will rise from the ashes… and Dagon Marek will finally learn his place."
**Scene 3: Devastation – Private Strategy Room**
Back aboard the *Devastation*, en route to the next staging point, Dagon stood with his growing inner circle. Miaria's tail was wrapped possessively around his waist. Atroxa and Talon flanked him, while Aubrie watched the star map with quiet intensity.
"If Sidious gets his hands on even a fragment of Crimson-71…" Atroxa began.
"He already has," Dagon said grimly. "Our scouts intercepted chatter. A stealth ship left Serenno two days ago. Destination: Alsakan."
Talon's lekku twitched. "Then we intercept it."
"Or we let them deploy it," Miaria suggested coldly, "and use the chaos to our advantage while we prepare the cure."
Dagon shook his head. "No. We cannot allow a galaxy-killer to run loose. Not even as bait. Project Ascension volunteers will be ready within days. We accelerate Rebirth. And we hunt every last sample of Crimson-71 until nothing remains."
He looked at the four women around him — queen, ancient Sith, young Sith, and evolved healer. Each had been broken. Each had chosen to stand with him.
"The war was already dark," Dagon said quietly. "Now it has teeth."
Miaria leaned up and kissed his scarred cheek. "Then we bite harder."
As the *Devastation* continued its journey, the Dragon prepared for the next shadow war — one fought not just with fleets and armies, but with viruses, ancient horrors, and the fragile line between monster and savior.
One month and two weeks remained until *Spear of Light*.
The galaxy held its breath.