**Chapter 518**
**Reflections and New Bonds**
**Dagon POV**
**Aboard the Gray Wolf – En Route to Coruscant**
Two weeks had passed since the fall of Valahari.
The sector was still unstable, but under Republic control for the first time weeks still it was a short campaignbut still. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker had been reassigned to fleet operations elsewhere, while I was being recalled back to the 12th Sector. Before that, however, I had one final stop at the Jedi Temple.
Only the *Gray Wolf* would make the journey. The rest of the task force had already departed with the captured Valahari starfighters and salvaged materials, heading back to Lantilles for refit and redistribution.
I stood alone on the observation deck, watching the stars streak by in hyperspace. The quiet hum of the ship was soothing after weeks of near-constant combat.
*Let's see where we are in the timeline,* I thought, mentally mapping events.
So far, the majority of battles that should have happened in the first year hadn't occurred — at least not as they did in the original history. Without the *Malevolence*, a lot of planets in the 20th Sector had been saved. Christophsis had been won quickly and decisively. Boz Pity, Saleucami, and even Metalorn had fallen thanks to my interventions and now under our control. The 12th Sector was stable — stronger than it had any right to be this early in the war.
That meant Palpatine's original three "evil planets" of the Confederacy had been reduced to two: Mygeeto and Felucia.
But recent events were shifting faster. Due to my actions, the CIS was scrambling. They still outnumbered Republic fleets in raw tonnage, but without key Outer Rim worlds, they were losing their logistical advantage. Now they were desperately recruiting neutral systems, offering technology, protection, and credits.
"So the second year begins," I murmured. "Most likely they'll send me to one of those contested planets soon. The Second Battle of Geonosis should start sometime this year… and that Mandalorian peace crisis."
I remembered the dramatic line from the old holorecordings: *'The fate of a thousand neutral systems hangs in the balance.'*
A soft smile crossed my face. The war was changing. And I was one of the reasons why.
**Good news, at least.**
The first fifteen Nebula-class Star Destroyers from Sienar were ready for delivery. Another fifteen would be finished by the end of the week. If all went well, I could integrate them into my battle groups and finally have a fleet capable of challenging — and destroying — CIS super-ships like the *Subjugator*-class.
I allowed myself a moment of satisfaction before heading back toward my quarters.
**Scene 2**
I had barely settled into meditation when the door to my private chambers hissed open. Soft footsteps approached. A warm, familiar presence pressed against me.
Ahsoka's lips met mine in a slow, deep kiss.
I smiled against her mouth, gently pulling her into my lap without breaking the kiss. Her lekku draped over my shoulders as she straddled me, hands resting on my chest.
When we finally parted, she was breathing a little heavier, cheeks flushed. "The girls and I have been talking," she said softly. "We want to try recreating what happened with Erictia. The soul bond. The merge."
I raised an eyebrow, amused. "You're all plotting now?"
Ahsoka grinned. "Maybe. We figured high-stress moments trigger it, but maybe we can… encourage it during quieter times too."
From the doorway, the others appeared — Shin, Zule, Flare, Kayla, Stella, Visenya, Erictia, and Aayla. They were all in various states of undress, clearly prepared for whatever might happen.
Erictia, still a bit clingy from her earlier episode, crawled onto the bed beside us. "It felt amazing… being so close to you. I want the others to feel that too."
Shin sat on my other side, brushing her fingers along my jaw. "We're not rushing anything. But… we're curious. And we love you. All of us."
Zule leaned in, kissing my neck. "Plus, with Flare, Stella, and Kayla getting their own Padawans soon, intimate moments might need to be more… private. No more kissing on the bridge, I suppose."
I chuckled, wrapping an arm around Ahsoka's waist. "I was lucky Dittmar and the clones didn't mind. The other admirals and officers seem surprisingly tolerant too. Apparently, if you win enough battles, certain… eccentricities are overlooked."
Kayla smirked. "Winning does have its privileges."
Flare crawled closer, resting her head on my thigh. "But seriously… do you think we can recreate that soul merge? Or was it a one-time thing because of the battle stress?"
I thought for a moment, gently stroking Ahsoka's back. "Nox said it happens when the bond is exceptionally strong and mutual, especially in high-stress environments. But love… real love… seems to be the key. We'll try. Carefully."
Erictia nuzzled against my side. "I still feel it sometimes. Like a warm thread connecting us. It's beautiful."
Ahsoka kissed me again, slower this time, more exploratory. The other girls moved in closer, hands and lips gently exploring — not rushing, just savoring the closeness. The bond between all of us hummed warmly, a living network of affection and trust.
For the next hour, there was no war. No Valahari. No Dooku.
Just nine people deeply in love, exploring what that love could become.