The High Republic: The Battle of Jedha

After the events of The High Republic: Convergence, the Jedi travel to Jedha in this all-new Star Wars audiobook original.

Jedha. The worn streets of this ancient world serve as a confluence for the galaxy. Visited by all, yet owned by none. Here, the Jedi are but one creed among many worshipping and studying the Force. From the Guardians of the Whills to the Path of the Open Hand, countless beings come to learn, and to share, in peace.

As all of Jedha prepares for its Festival of Balance, the galaxy still reels from the violence on Eiram and E'ronoh. But after foiling a plot to escalate the war between the two planets, the Jedi believe that a lasting peace may be within reach. Master Creighton Sun and Jedi Knight Aida Forte arrive on Jedha with delegations from both planets to formally end the "Forever War." The Jedi hope that the harmony of Jedha's many factions, along with the signing of a peace treaty, will create a symbol to the rest of the galaxy of what can be accomplished through unity.

But not all are happy with the Jedi's involvement or ready to concern themselves with peace. Rumors begin to swirl that the Jedi bring war in their wake. The distrust and anger that for so long fueled the Forever War now threaten to corrupt the communities of Jedha. When violence breaks out on the sacred moon, the war that was meant to end on Jedha may soon engulf the entire world.

Zero hours until the Battle of Jedha begins, people are gathered in the Second Spire on Jedha for a peace summit that is overseen by a nervous mediator Tilson Graf, who says it is time to begin the proceedings. Ambassador Tintak of E'ronoh agrees, saying that both he and Ambassador Cerox of Eiram wish to return to their separate planets to help with reconstruction efforts. Graf, hesitant and anxious, pulls himself together at the prodding of Jedi Master Creighton Sun, before declaring the gravity of the moment due to the length of the Eiram and E'ronoh War, before beginning to explain how they got to that moment. He is interrupted by Ambassador Cerox, who begins to tell them that they know why they are there and to get on with it, before she is interrupted by the sounds of a riot outside the building. Jedi Knight Aida Forte reveals to Creighton that a crowd of rioting people are approaching the spire, just as a rock gets thrown through the window. Creighton gets everyone away from the windows, before after even more noise, Mesook, a member of the Guardians of the Whills, bursts in and tells them that the civilians are rioting and swarming the building and they are unable to hold them back without massacring them, but the Guardians refuse to fire on them unless they must. Graf says that they should get to safety and Creighton calls the ambassadors to him just as a speeder bike crashes through the room's giant window, glass shards flying everywhere, one spearing and killing a man. Creighton yells for everyone to get down.

Seventy-two hours before the battle begins, in the anteroom of the Second Spire on Jedha where the Jedi are staying, Creighton Sun looks up at the sky and says how wrong it feels that military transports are hanging in the skies. The planets Eiram and E'ronoh had brought them for the signing of their treaty. As Aida Forte joins him at the window, they lament the war, conflict, and hatred that caused them to bring the transports due to their fear and loss. Aida insists that the heirs of both planets, Princess Xiri A'lbaran and Prince Phan-tu Zenn will unite their people and finally end the conflict, which Creighton truly believes as well, though still worries that it will make the people of Jedha and its new Convocation of the Force think they brought the conflict to them. Aida insists that everyone knows the conflict is over and that soon the chancellors will arrive for the treaty to be made law, but Creighton reveals that Chancellor Mollo had sent him a transmission informing him that both he and Chancellor Greylark will not be attending due to Republic security restrictions, and Morton San Tekka is to mediate the proceedings instead. Creighton explains that it is just a way to show them that the Republic isn't overstepping its bounds and that no mediation is needed because the ambassadors were ordered to sign by the heirs, who were unable to attend due to overseeing reconstruction efforts, especially since long range communications buoys had been destroyed. Aida suggests that Creighton should enjoy Jedha while he's here and at least visit the Kyber Mirrors, but then B-9H0 enters and informs them that Jedi Knight Gella Nattai is ready to speak with them, explaining that desert storms were believed to have affected the city's communication network. As they leave, Aida once again says he should think about it.

Creighton and Aida speak with Gella via holo, Gella first saying that she feels good about her decision to become a Wayseeker, which had been approved. Aida tells her tensions are running high there, Creighton explaining it is because the Convocation of the Force, a new non-partisan council, had co-opted the Season of Light and turned it into the Festival of Balance to make a point, but it had proved controversial. Gella warns them that the last time they tried to oversee a peace deal they had faced assassination attempts and the betrayal of the Ferrols and Axel Greylark, the latter still being shocking to him because he is Chancellor Greylark's son. When asked, Gella explains that they still didn't understand Axel's motives and hadn't figured out who he was working with. She says they should remain alert due to forces who would be happy to see the war continue, but Aida says that the spirit of Jedha and the heirs will nullify any protests to peace. Gella tells them to still be weary, call her if they need her, and wishes them good luck before ending the transmission.

Meanwhile, Jedi Master Silandra Sho is on a transport shuttle that is facing turbulence as it enters Jedha's atmosphere. She bumps into a man who introduces himself, as Tilson Graf, which Silandra recognizes means he is part of the illustrious hyperspace prospecting Graf family. She introduces herself as a Jedi and asks why a member of a rich family is taking a third-class public transport, Tilson explaining that he had been excommunicated from his family and is there because he is a 'collector' of historic events and thus wishes to witness the signing of the treaty between Eiram and E'ronoh. Just then, the ships engines fail due to it passing through a sandstorm, but Silandra manages to use the Force to safely land the ship, which impresses Tilson. The two then say their goodbyes and part ways.

On the shuttle docks, Silandra meets with Mesook, a member of the Guardians of the Whills and an old friend of hers. He introduces her to his fellow Guardian Selik, before expressing his worry at her shuttle's landing. She compliments his lightbow, which he hopes he never has to use in the more wild greater city where they have little jurisdiction. Selik and Mesook explain that they had to get special dispensation to oversee the security at the peace conference and are going to meet with Creighton Sun to discuss it, Silandra surprised that he is here. Selik leaves to cover Mesook as he begins to show Silandra around the city, first showing her the Final Protector, a massive statue of a Jedi to remind the people of Jedha that they are always protected. When she asks if the people are, he jokes that they have him and Selik, and that nothing can ever go wrong with them there.

Silandra and Mesook walk through a busy marketplace, Silandra commenting on how she feels she is seeing it with new eyes, leading to the two discussing how much has changed and how much hasn't, like Silandra still using her shield. The two then come across a group of protestors chanting 'The Force will be free' and saying that the Force must be free from manipulation and those who use it in order for it to find balance and then allow everyone to truly know peace. A human girl runs up to Silandra and givers her a flower as a gift, telling Silandra her name is Naddie. Just then, Marda Ro, her adult caretaker, tells Naddie to get away from Silandra as she is a Jedi and is dangerous. Naddie cries as Marda leads her away, Silandra trying to comfort and speak with her, but Marda silences her, telling her that Naddie will not speak with someone who bends the Force to their own will. After they leave, Mesook explains to Silandra that they and the protests are part of a religious sect called the Path of the Open Hand, saying that they had recently arrived there and are harmless despite their dislike of the Jedi. Silandra postures that this is why the new Convocation is a good thing, and then agrees to get something to eat, asking Mesook to tell her what he's been up to since she last saw him. Mesook says that it will be a short conversation because nothing interesting ever happens on Jedha.

At the Path of the Open Hand's almshouse, Marda shepherds Naddie inside, before allowing the girl to give her a hug to calm down. Marda tells her she didn't do anything wrong. Naddie asks if Marda's Jedi friend Kevmo Zink was a bad person. Marda explains her belief that he wasn't bad, but misguided, claiming that when the Jedi use the Force the Force tries to find balance, so if you save a life with it someone else must die to restore the balance. When Naddie asks why Kevmo died, Marda confirms that it was because he used the power of the Force. She also assures Naddie that giving her the flower wasn't the wrong thing to do because it offered the Jedi a chance to join the Path. When Naddie asks what happened if she didn't join, the leaders of the Path, the Mother and the Herald arrived, the former telling Naddie that the Force will balance the Jedi's crimes and level itself. After the Mother shoos Naddie away to play with the other Littles, the three agree that the Littles must be protected from the Jedi as well as all who use the Force and express concern that Jedha seemed to be filled with that type of person. The Mother says they must continue to make themselves heard, before Marda asks about the Leveler, which the Mother says will have its time. The Herald also confirms to Marda that he will petition the Convocation soon, giving Marda hope that the Path will be admitted and thus will have a say in the guiding of the Force. The Mother agrees, and says they will show the Convocation who the Jedi truly were.

Meanwhile, Church of the Force adjunct Keth Cerepath leaves his droid P3-7A outside the Enlightenment tapbar, explaining that the patrons find him too preachy and he'll only be in for a few minutes. P3-7A is an old church droid that Keth had had repaired that could only speak in religious scripture.

Keth goes in and gets a drink of Retsa from Kradon Minst, the bar's owner. Regulars Moona and Piralli ask about his mood, deciding that he's just had a bad day. The two express that the military transports have caused orbital traffic to be a nightmare and the Festival of Balance has unbalanced Moona's business, which Keth says is not cheering him up. Keth finally explains that he has been assigned to look after Morton San Tekka on behalf of the Church of the Force, the Church and the wealthy hyperspace prospecting San Tekka clan having close ties. When Keth says that its a lot of responsibility, Moona suggests leaving him alone with P3-7A and he'll want nothing more to do with him. They all then discuss the droid and how creepy he is, Keth ignoring their suggestions to scrap him and insisting he's his friend. Keth ultimately explains that he had thought the peace conference was his chance to do something meaningful, as he is tired of nothing exciting ever happening there and wants a bit of excitement. He wants a story of his own, the kind he could later tell to friends in a place like Enlightenment, but instead is assigned to babysitting and running errands. Moona and Piralli tell him that he worries too much and only needed them and his weird droid. Keth starts to leave, but Kradon makes him pay for his drink before asking him to bring the San Tekka to the bar to spend all of his money.

Sixty-four hours before the battle begins, Creighton and Aida attend the reception party for the summit. Creighton is not enjoying it, but Aida tells him that his charm is perfect for situations like this and to let loose to blend in. The two discuss the ambassadors from Eiram and E'ronoh in the room, Creighton explaining that they had just been made ambassadors, as the planets had only had military structures and not political ones during the war. Creighton explains that they were chosen from the noble families of each world, and were meant to represent the will of the heirs. Creighton admitted that they might not like it, but at least both understood their duty, remaining confident peace would be made on Jedha. The two split up to talk to the ambassadors, Creighton downing a drink as Aida leaves.

Creighton runs into mediator Morton San Tekka and Keth Cerepath, who is attending to him. The two introduce themselves to Creighton before Morton expresses that he is a little apprehensive to mediate given that he is not a politician and not an elected official, which Creighton says makes him perfect for the job due to his independent perspective. Morton also expresses his slight concern that the proceedings might not go well, especially due to the military transports, but Creighton assures him that it should go smoothly and without incident. Morton then expresses his gratitude at Creighton being there as well as thanking him on behalf of the San Tekkas and the Church of the Force for his contribution to ending the conflict. Creighton says he's glad someone on Jedha still approves of the Jedi Order, but Morton insists that the rumors of anti-jedi sentiment are greatly exaggerated and the Jedi were welcome in the holy city just as everyone else, pointing out that the Order also had a seat on the Convocation. Morton then bid him farewell, and tells him that he would look forward to this unsavory time of galactic history being behind them by that time the next day.

Lesser Councilor Linth of E'ronoh makes a toast to Ambassador Tinkak of E'ronoh for helping to usher in peace. Tintak is modest and insists it was a team effort. They then extend the toast to the fallen on both sides of the war. Aida speaks with Tintak, who asks her why she wasn't participating in the toast. She explains that she already had enough with one drink, which Tintak says is wise in case there was trouble lurking. Aida insists that there is no danger, but Tintak says that there is too much at stake to be lax. He is also embarrassed by the celebration of his people, saying that he still didn't trust Eiram after everything and would only celebrate after the treaty is signed. Aida suggests a place for him to get good food on Jedha, and then the two part ways, both saying the next day would be a great day.

Elsewhere at the party, Ambassador Cerox finds Creighton, and points out he was speaking to Morton. Creighton explains Morton is the mediator for the summit, but Creighton calls it a 'signing', which makes Cerox say that calling it that was making it out to be that they are all friends again and the war didn't happen. They both apologize for their remarks, and then Creighton asks about the accommodations, Cerox saying that she is uncomfortable with all of the Guardians of the Whills around and thought the Jedi were supposed to protect them. Creighton insists that the Guardians are only a precaution, and that the Jedi were only there to see the negotiations through, and should only need to use their lightsabers if something went terribly wrong. Cerox says that she still doesn't trust the delegates from E'ronoh and points out that their planet was the one that started everything by bombing civilians and manufacturing a crisis to stage an invasion. Creighton insists that the E'ronoh contingent will sign the treaty and with it the war will end and its agreed terms will become law. She says they are all happy the war was ending, especially Tintak, who she claims knew his people were losing, earning her a warning from Creighton. She then forces Crieghton to take two drinks and join in the celebration and the two of them toast to peace.

Fifty-four hours until the battle begins, Marda Ro brings water to a disciple of the Path of the Open Hand named Phinea inside the Path's almshouse. Marda says that she did it because she knew Phinea's back had been hurting, Phinea explaining that the cold on Jedha seems to seep into their bones, which Marda agrees with. When Phinea questions if they will be able to continue to take part in the marches, Marda says she knew it is hard to adjust because Jedha isn't like Dalna, but that the Path could make a difference there. Phinea is impressed with her and says she'll take the Path far, and that the Convocation is sure to agree with the Herald's petition with her at his side. Marda explains that she will not be going with the Herald, suspecting it is because her species, the Evereni, are not trusted in the wider galaxy and the prejudice might be a distraction from the Herald's words. The Mother then appears and insists that is not the reason, and that she just needs Marda's valuable advice and counsel by her side, as the Herald will do what is best, and she and Marda need to conceive of their next journey on the Gaze Electric. The Mother then leaves to prepare for, in her words, a 'momentous day.' Phinea encourages Marda to sit while she fetches her breakfast to help her face the long day.

Soon after, Creighton and Silandra excitedly reunite in the streets of Jedha near the Dome of Deliverance. Creighton reveals he's there for the treaty signing and he asks her about living on the frontier, which she says has been illuminating. She is happy to hear that the conflict's over, but after seeing Creighton's reaction asks him if the situation is severe and to have faith in himself, the people, and the Force. Creighton reveals that he is worried about the consequences of the summit's failure, but Silandra insists that he's done everything he can and can't sign the treaty for them. Creighton reveals he is taking the morning off to visit the Kyber Mirrors beneath the Dome of Deliverance at Aida's suggestion. When she says she is going there too and they can go together, he asks her if she is there for the Season of Light in the first place, but she corrects him and calls it the Festival of Balance. She says that it is pleasant idea, but Creighton says he will stay away. Silandra tells him she'd been to the mirrors once before after she became a knight, and that they are an opportunity for quiet reflection that show you what you need to see, be it truths, the past, the future, possibilities, or just your own face. The two arrive at the Dome of Deliverance, which Creighton finds breathtaking, Silandra saying that you could fit half the city's population inside and still have extra room. They enter, Silandra showing him where to go.

Meanwhile, Keth Cerapath wakes up from what he believes is an alarm, but is actually a communication from Morton San Tekka telling him he is late. Morton asks him to try in get there in a half an hour and not get waylaid on the way. Keth asks P3-7A why he didn't wake him, and realizes from his scripture reciting that he is mad about being left outside Enlightenment and wants to come to the peace treaty. Keth tries to explain no droids are allowed inside, but eventually relents and agrees to open a viewport when no one is looking.

Later, after Creighton and Silandra exit the Dome of Deliverance, both agreeing that they could feel how strong the Force is down there. Creighton starts to share what he saw, but then hesitates, which causes Silandra to tell him that he doesn't need to share if he didn't wish to. Silandra tells him that she saw Peleth, her old Padawan that had died. She says that it was beautiful because she is one with the Force, Silandra glad she had finally stopped blaming herself and instead is at peace with it. Creighton also reminds her that she had her new Padawan, Rooper Nitani, who Silandra says is always craving adventure. Creighton says that reminds him of a young Silandra, recalling a time on Taltos when she got stuck in a saphantine burrow. Silandra tells Creighton that he hasn't changed either, still stuck in where no one else will to help people in need one good deed at a time, saying it made him the best of them. She once again assures him that he can handle the peace treaty and the end of the war, and is allowed to relax and find peace. Silandra reminds him she is always there if he needs a friend, and tells him to go make sure the treaty gets signed, the two deciding they will meet again the next day when it is all over and celebrate before parting ways.

Forty-eight hours until the battle begins, in the grand chamber of the Second Spire which has been prepared for the signing, Keth arrives late, telling Morton that he had been stopped by the security. Morton tells Keth the preparations are finished and explains that the attendees will arrive soon, then he will give a speech, and then they will sign the treaty, hopefully all over in a half an hour. He also says there will be another party after, but that he will likely only show his face briefly and Keth won't have to attend. Keth then goes to fetch Morton a glass of water from a service droid.

Immediately after, Crieghton arrives at the grand chamber and means with Aida, telling her he met Silandra Sho and had visited the mirrors. As people begin to file into the room, the two rush off so they can escort the ambassadors to the signing.

Somewhere above the grand chamber, Keth uses fetching Morton's water as an excuse to open a viewport and let P3-7A inside before heading back down, warning the droid if he gets caught Keth will have nothing to do with it.

Moments later, Creighton leads Ambassador Cerox backstage in as Morton begins his speech, in which he declares that this treaty will be one of the most important triumphs of their generation, they stand on the precipice of something bigger than all of them, and welcomes a new age of peace. Cerox complains he is going on too long just as he introduces the two ambassadors. Tintak goes on stage and thanks the audience, which Cerox says is posturing and makes him a fool. Creighton and Cerox agree to just get it over with, but just as they're about to walk out, he stops her and tells her that something is wrong and she needs to wait there. He activates his lightsaber and runs out into the larger room, where a droid uses its thrusters. Creighton yells to warn everyone about the droid, but he's too late, and a massive explosion erupts and rumbles through the whole spire.

The grand chamber is on fire and collapsing into rubble. Creighton holds a collapsing wall up with the Force and Aida runs to assist him. Still using the Force, Creighton tells Mesook and Selik, who have just run in, to get everyone clear. Once everyone is clear, Creighton and Aida allow the section of wall they were holding collapse to the ground. Creighton tells Aida to look for survivors while they still can until the fire takes hold, the two calling out and lifting broken beams while searching. Creighton discovers Morton San Tekka in the wreckage and calls Aida over, before using his lightsaber to cut a fallen girder in their way and getting Aida to help him move it out of the way. Just then, Keth runs past the Guardians of the Whills and shouts for Morton San Tekka. Creighton calls him over and shows him the body, Aida confirming that Morton had died. Keth says that he had gone to fetch water and should've been there, but Creighton insists that there was an explosion and there was nothing he could have done. He further elaborates that it appears to be sabotage to stop the peace treaty being signed by killing all of them, and that the bomb was carried in by a droid, which shocks Keth. Mesook approaches and tells them they need to leave, Creighton and Aida carrying Morton's body as Keth begins to realize the extent of what's happened. Keth then asks about his droid, saying he had been there and was now missing. Creighton asks what kind of droid it was, and when Keth confirms it was a church ceremonial model, Creighton began to consider it was the droid that had caused the explosion. Another section of wall then collapses and Aida and Creighton force Keth to leave desire his protests as the fire continues to expand.

Soon after, in the Path's almshouse, Marda Ro cares for a sick child when Pela, a member of the Path, runs up to her and tells her there has been an explosion in the Second Spire where they are holding the peace conference. The two run outside and see it, and Ro decides that the Jedi's involvement in the peace talks had caused the explosion because it was the Force finding balance. Marda tells Pela to gather as many members of the Path as possible to help the injured and bring them to the almshouse, thus showing the people of Jedha the good the Path can do. Marda stays behind to inform the Mother of the explosion and discuss with her what it means for the Path.

Forty-five hours until the battle begins, people are picking through the wreckage as water is sprayed on the building. The local sects have rallied to help the injured and the ambassadors have left to their orbital transports until they are told its safe to return. Creighton and Aida discuss how the ambassadors are very shaken, Ambassador Cerox even insisting that E'ronoh is to blame, and how this could set back or entirely jeopardize the entire peace process. Aida suggests that it might have been an assassination of Morton San Tekka under the guise of a terrorist attack, but Creighton says they can't rule anyone out and they needed to be careful because implicating the wrong people or saying the wrong thing could restart the war. The two resolve to clear Eiram and E'ronoh of the blame, insisting that it was an outside party just like Axel Greylark, even suggesting it was the people Axel were working with that were never found. Aida asks about Keth, and Creighton reveals that he let him go back to his home at the Temple of the Kyber because he seemed genuine, but it is suspicious that his droid had gone missing at the same time as the attack. Creighton decides he would try to get a message to the Council, the heirs, and Chancellor Mollo, but doubts he can due to the communication situation. He also wants to speak with Silandra, devising an idea that involves her. He realizes that she would likely be helping the wounded and went to find her, as Aida warns him to be careful because it was possible the Jedi were the intended targets of the bomb.

In the Mother's chambers in the Path's almshouse, the Herald enters and reveals that he has yet to find the Rod of Daybreak and that it would take time to locate. He suggests they focus on petitioning the Convocation and their other work instead, but the Mother says he failed her eliciting his anger. The Mother decides they will continue with the search, discarding the Herald's opinion, and reiterating the importance of keeping Force-related objects out of the wrong hands, especially the Jedi's. He agrees, and she dismisses him.

In the makeshift medical station in the Second Spire, Silandra cares for a wounded duros as Creighton approaches her. After he confirms that he and the ambassadors are alright, he brings her for a walk outside and explains his belief that the attack was a deliberate attempt to keep the war going, not anything else. Since he and Aida are too involved in the peace process and need to protect the ambassadors, he asks Silandra to investigate the bombing, suggesting that she start by talking to Keth Cerapath. She agrees to start immediately and Creighton says he plans to get the ambassadors to finish their work. After telling her not to rely on comms to reach him, he thanks her for her help.

Marda speaks with the Mother in her chambers, coming to an agreement that the bombing was caused by the Force leveling itself due to the Jedi's manipulation. Marda remains convinced that they would get a seat on the Convocation and help steer the future of the Force, but suggests that they volunteer a member of the Path for the now open position of mediator of the summit. The two decide that Elder Delwin is the best pick, and the Mother claims that the Path will do all it can to assure peace.

In the Enlightenment tapbar, a traumatized Keth drinks heavily and recounts what had happened and what it was like seeing Morton's body to Kradon, Moona, and Piralli. Moona sympathizes with him, but Piralli points out he'd only just met Morton. Keth reveals that he lost P3-7A in the attack too, and Moona begins to suspect due to the story he told that P3 might have had something to do with the attack. However, P3-7A then arrives at the bar and reunites with Keth, but Moona isn't so sure it clears him. Keth and P3 leave to return home as Moona and Piralli continue drinking.

Twenty-nine hours until the battle begins, Aida helps Ambassador Tintak move into new chambers in the lower floor of the Second Spire, assuring him that the building was safe and structurally sound and that he was well guided by her and his guards. Tintak then reveals that one of his people claimed to have seen a woman dressed in Eiram military colors speaking with a ceremonial droid before the signing ceremony, but Aida points out that it was convenient that the bomber would blatantly wear an Eirami uniform and also would have killed their own people in the blast. Aida pleads with Tintak to allow the rescheduled signing to go forward and not unravel their hard work until the investigation is complete. Tintak agrees, but tells Aida to make sure they don't don't die, especially before he signs the treaty. Aida assures him that the Jedi and the Guardians would protect him and reiterates that the peace process must continue.

Elsewhere in the Second Spire, Ambassador Cerox, who is walking to her new quarters, is informed by a nervous aide that she has a visitor in her quarters. She discovers that it is Tilson Graf and make the aide leave them, before warning Graf that he shouldn't be anywhere near her. He tells her that the bomb and the dead mediator have changed everything. He claims that he's just a concerned citizen interested in the peace process, but Cerox just asks what he wants.

Inside the Church of the Force's sector of the Temple of the Kyber, Silandra meets with a church prefect named Resamond Saous. He agreed to fetch Keth Cerepath for her and assured her the Church would do everything in their power to assist with her investigation. She speaks with Keth, who explains that he hardly saw anything and wasn't there when the explosion happened, and also revealed that his droid that had suspiciously gone missing had returned to him. He says that he wishes he could do more to help that that he felt like he let Morton down, but Silandra suggests that he be her guide to the peoples and orders of Jedha while she investigated the local sects that had escorted people away for treatment, especially since the Jedi were not always welcomed. She also says that she wants to meet his droid. Prefect Saous insists that Keth do it, and Silandra says they will start with the Path of the Open Hand, the two leaving immediately.

Silandra and Keth walk through the Jedha markets, commenting on how busy it is due to thee coming Festival of Balance. Silandra shares her belief that expanding the Season of Light into the Festival of Balance allows people to recognize others' place in the Force. She speaks with P3-7A as well, and Keth explains to her that he can only speak in religious scripture which she finds hilarious. A huge bang then echoes from elsewhere in the market. Silandra assumes its another bomb and activates her shield, the existence of which shocks Keth.

After pushing through a crowd to get to a smoke cloud where the sound originated, Silandra and Keth discover that the noise had just come from a backfiring speeder. Silandra asks Keth if he recognizes the people with the speeder, and Keth explains that they are part of sect called the Brotherhood of the Ninth Door, recognizable from the bone masks they wear. Keth adds that they have a small following on Jedha but largely keep to themselves, mainly because people stay away from them to their their reputation for having a tendency toward the dark side of the Force. After Keth confirms they weren't at the conference, Silandra goes to speak with them asking if they need help since their engine misfire scared many people. They decline, which she says is a shame since she's handy when it comes to misaligned intake regulators. They hadn't realized that is the problem and quicky fix it, calling the Jedi smug and saying it didn't mean anything before taking off on it. Tilson Graf then appears and asks if everything is okay. Once she confirms it is, Tilson reveals he was at the ceremony the day earlier when the bomb detonated and is still terrified. He points out that her visit to Jedha must've been more eventful than she hoped and tells her that his offer for dinner still stands. She tells him to stay out of trouble as they part ways, but Tilson says that trouble 'seems to be his middle name.'

Silandra and Keth arrive at the Path's almshouse, Keth explaining that they purchased it recently and opened to doors to anyone in need of food and shelter. After being ignored by Pela for being a Jedi, the Herald welcomes them in and shows them to the three people injured in the attack that they have there. Keth and Silandra meet them, a Twi'lek woman, a , and an Eiram councilor, both assuring them that they will be reunited with their people soon and explaining that a droid packed with explosives was sent to deliberately sabotage the signing of the peace treaty. The Twi'lek woman remembers seeing a ceremonial droid hovering just below Morton's pedestal, but claims she had also seen the same droid speak with a Jedi earlier in the lobby. But the human man claims that it wasn't a Jedi but a Lew'elan. After thanking them, Silandra and Keth leave, the Herald showing them out.

Meanwhile, in the of the Second Spire, Chairperson Meldan, the head of the Republic committee on Jedha, recognize the Mother and Marda Ro to speak as representatives of the Path of the Open Hand to a panel of republic representatives. The Mother tells Meldan that they are running a house of healing, they were the first to administer aid in the aftermath of the bombing, and conduct peaceful processions. She explains that she wishes to nominate a member of the Path named Elder Delwin to be the mediator for the peace process between Eiram and E'ronoh since the Republic and Jedi must remain impartial, offering him as a truly impartial mediator who will help as a gift freely given. Meldan refuses their offer. Marda tries to protest, but the Mother says she understands and thanks them for their time.

Later in the lower audience chamber, while the Path conducts a procession outside, Tilson Graf appears before Meldan and nominates himself to be mediator of the peace process between Eiram and E'ronoh. He suggests that his family has the same respectability as the San Tekkas and that it would be difficult to send for or find anyone else. He then presents a holorecording of a testimony from Ambassador Cerox in which she recommends Tilson for the position and claims that Ambassador Tintak of E'ronoh supports the decision and that Chancellor Mollo would too. Meldan and the panel accepts his offer, and presents him with the role as mediator.

In her chambers in the Path's almshouse, the Mother comforts and speaks to the Leveler in front of a fire. She tells it the time approaches and speaks of the Herald's discontent and ambition, believing he thinks only of himself and wants to usurp her. She says that the Herald still has a part to play as the Leveler leaves her alone.

In a close to the Second Spire, Ambassador Cerox and Creighton walk as they talk. They speak of the beauty of the garden, Creighton referring to it as the pinnacle of solitude and peace in the Holy City. After making sure she's doing alright, he encourages her to make sure the treaty moves forward. She agrees, but informs him that most of the Eirami believe E'ronoh is behind the attack, adding that two even claimed to see a woman in E'ronoh military attire speaking with a droid before the explosion. She figures that the best counter even if E'ronoh was behind the attack is to sign the treaty, which Creighton agrees with. He expresses his hunch that something deeper is afoot, and confirms with Cerox that no one has been able to reach the heirs due to the communications issues. Cerox says that they need to get things done as soon as possible, because not everyone agreed with them and if someone were to give someone else a reason, the conflict could break out again.

Creighton and Cerox walk down the passage to Cerox's private chamber in the Second Spire. She thanks him for his company and is glad to relax without any parties. After he denies her offer to come in for a drink, Cerox puts in a code to her door's lock. Suddenly Creighton is startled and tells her not to open it, but it is too late. The door slides open and there's a tremendous explosion.

Ambassador Cerox is thrown back along the passageway by Creighton with the Force and collides with the wall, breaking her arm. Creighton runs up to her and apologizes, but she understands it was the only way she could've survived the blast. He told her that they needed to get her to the medical station and made sure she stayed with him. Selik then runs up, Creighton informing him that there's been another attack and that he's taking the Ambassador to the medical station. Selik sends two more Guardians, Barruk and Jance, with him, and Creighton tells him to inform her people to not let her go anywhere without a full escort, even with him.

Eighteen hours until the battle begins, the markets are filled with people and festival preparations. Marda walks through the market with two of the Path's littles, Mylas and Naddie, and the three of them come across a wargaran keeper with crates of wargarans. Marda allows them to get closer but tells them to be careful. The keeper explains that they are predators that hunt by feeling their prey in the Force, and that he brought them there for the festival. Marda clarifies that they are part of and attuned with the Force but don't manipulate it like the Jedi. Naddie is bothered by them being locked in a dark warehouse, but the keeper insists they'll be alright and Marda decides to bring them back to the others.

After they're on their way, Naddie claims to have left behind her flowers and runs back alone, but really runs back to the wargarans. Believing that they should be free like the Force, Naddie uses a rock to break their cages and set them free, but they immediately become hostile and chase after her, leaving her running back to Marda. Marda sends Mylas ahead to the almshouse and saves Naddie when a wargaran pounces on her by stabbing it with an electroprod that she takes from a nut seller. Marda brings the nut seller's stall down onto the wargaran and runs with a heavily bleeding Naddie in her arms back to the almshouse. The wargarans wreak havoc upon the Jedha markets, including cornering one theelin pilgrim in an alley and mauling them.

When Marda arrives back at the almshouse, its late and many of the Path disciples have retired. She thrusts Naddie into the care of Pela. Marda explains that Naddie had been attacked by wargarans that she set free because she thought they should be free like the Force. Pela is shocked and blames them, and Marda goes to speak to the Mother about it while Pela treats Naddie.

Marda speaks to the Mother and explains that Naddie let the beasts run amok on purpose. Marda explains that they are now hunting people and will kill many if they're not contained. Seeing an opportunity for the Path to prove to the people of Jedha they're trying to help, the Mother tells Marda to round up as many Path disciples as she can including the Mother's guards Jukkyuk and Qwerb. Marda asks about bringing her cousin Yana Ro who is the Path's best fighter, but the Mother says that Yana is busy and that she trusts Marda to get it done.

In the darkness of night, Jukkyuk and Qwerb lasso and contain one of the wargarans, Qwerb having to stop Jukkyuk from killing it. But there are still many kore running amok. Elsewhere, Marda uses herself as bait to get six wargarans away from crowds and to a spot where Path disciples can throw nets on them from above, containing them. After they do, crowds notice them and cheer for them. Marda is happy that they've saved people's lives because she hopes they'll remember it and cheer for their parades. Even then, as they leave with the wargarans, the crowd joins in their chant of 'The Force will be free.'

Meanwhile, Aida arrives at the anteroom of the Second Spire where Creighton is, who reveals to her that there's been another attack. She says she already knows because she was there with Ambassador Tintak when his shuttle was bombed. Creighton is shocked that Tintak was targeted too and reveals that Cerox was also targeted. They decide to move the ambassadors off-world again, both frustrated that they hadn't sensed anything coming until the last moment. Creighton decides to reach out to Silandra and tells her what's happened as well as have B-9H0 connect with the Council and Gella, hoping the latter would help shed some light on the situation.

Meanwhile, in Enlightenment, Keth tells Kradon, Piralli, and Moona about Silandra, them especially interested that she's a Jedi with a shield. Piralli is glad P3 isn't there and Keth explains that he's with Silandra and has taken a liking to her. Piralli suggests that Keth might have romantic feelings for Silandra, but Keth insists that he doesn't and just wants her respect. They then ask him to bring her there to meet them, but he isn't sure and says he should focus on the investigation. They are proud of Keth for getting the excitement he wanted and an important job, but Moona warns him to look after himself because hanging with Jedi could get him killed, and they care about him and want him to stay around. They then have another round of drinks.

Creighton and Aida manage to connect with Gella and speak with her via hologram, but the connections even worse than before. They explain to her everything that's happened there and that its making everything tense, and ask her if she has heard anything more from Axel or Chancellor Greylark. She says she hasn't, but Creighton asks her if she had any suspicions about who Axel was working with. Gella says that she doesn't have any evidence but thinks Axel was working with the Path of the Open Hand, because they had a heavy presence on Eiram and E'ronoh and because Axel had said the people he was working with were 'free from the Jedi.' She says it could be nothing, and maybe Axel just connected with their teachings, but she suggests they look into it which they agree to.

The next day, five hours until the battle begins, Creighton meets with Silandra in the Jedha markets. After Creighton expresses his exhaustion, Silandra explains that she and Keth Cerepath are making slow progress with the investigation. Silandra confirms that Keth is innocent. She explains the phenomenon of many people seeing different people with a droid before the bombing, and Creighton suggests that she look into the Path of the Open Hand due to Gella's instincts. Silandra explains the incident with the wargarans to Creighton and that the Path are being hailed as heroes, but Creighton insists. Silandra agrees to try and get a meeting with the Mother, and the two go their separate ways.

Meanwhile, the Herald speaks with the Mother and says that he thinks the Convocation will doubt their nearing petition and that they are a Force for ill. The Mother agrees, and says it will not be enough and they needed to show the people of Jedha the strength of their faith some other way. She then reveals that Naddie provided the spark of an idea with her actions, and declares that the moment of the Leveler has arrived as the creature walks into the room.

Silandra, Keth, and P3-7A arrive outside the Path's almshouse. Silandra tells Pela, who is outside with the littles, that she is grateful for what they did for the people of Jedha the night before and that she wishes to speak with the Mother. The Herald approaches and agrees with Pela, telling Silandra that she's seen everything about them and they don't want her interference. Keth says their faith is fragile if they're scared of a few questions and that it won't cause any harm, which the Mother agrees with as she arrives. She invites them inside but tells them to leave P3-7A outside. The Herald tries to protest, but she says she'll have her guards and directs him to continue her preparations for the festival and for Pela to take the littles and meet Marda in the markets. After they go inside, the Herald mutters to himself that the Mother always does what's best for herself and that she's nothing without the Leveler, but is glad that he can now put the creature to good use.

The Mother leads Keth and Silandra into her chambers and Silandra is immediately uneasy. The Mother notices she looks ill and offers her some water, but Silandra remains shaky. Silandra asks if the Path anything to do with the bombings. The Mother insists that the Path had no reason to commit them, and points to the rehabilitation and opening of the almshouse, treating the injured after the bombing, offering a mediator for the conference, and dealing with the wargarans as examples of the Path's good nature. The Mother even suggests that the Jedi were responsible because they were present at all of the attacks, claiming it was just as believable as implicating the Path if not more because they could protect themselves from the explosions with the Force. The Mother once again insists that they have nothing to gain from the bombings or the war and asks her to leave them alone. Silandra says she will as long as they hold true to their claims but that things would be different if they found anything. The Mother says she's tired of the threats and that she's only diminishing them because she fears what they are and represent, ordering Silandra to leave, which she and Keth comply with.

After they leave, Silandra is still unwell and needs to sit down. She explains that something in there with the Mother felt wrong. Keth says that the Mother seemed reasonable but Silandra insists something isn't right and that she's never felt anything like it before. Keth suggests that they go to Enlightenment so she could rest for a while, which Silandra agrees to.

Inside Enlightenment, Keth sits Silandra down in a booth and then goes to speak to Kradon and Moona at the bar, who are shocked he actually brought her. Keth orders stew for her, and Kradon goes to greet her. He tells Silandra that any friend of Keth is a friend of the house, explaining that Keth was like family and Enlightenment is nourishment for the soul. Her soup arrives, and then Keth sits with her, explaining that Enlightenment is one of the few places on Jedha where everyone is welcome and that many different types of people came through there. She wishes that the rest of the galaxy got along that way, and thinks about Creighton and Aida, hoping things go smoothly with the signing ceremony.

Meanwhile, in the Second Spire, Creighton is shocked that a Graf has been chosen to be mediator due to their unsavory reputation. But Aida assures him that it makes sense and reminds him the role is mostly ceremonial and that Meldan's decision is final. After checking with Aida on security, he says to make sure they're ready to welcome the ambassadors back from their transports. Aida insists that it's going to be fine.

After Silandra and Keth leave Enlightenment, Silandra says the soup was great and she feels much better. A loud speeder then comes straight toward them. Silandra throws Keth to safety and activates her shield, deflecting back blaster shots from the speeder's rider. Silandra leads the speeder away from people, before jumping on to roof and then jumping back down onto the speeder. Silandra cuts the speeder with her lightsaber and the attacker is thrown from it. He gets up and starts shooting at the innocent crowd so that Silandra is forced to protect them, using the Force to move her shield around and block the blaster bolts, but losing the attacker in the crowd. The crowd cheers for her and she and P3 decide to go find Keth.

One hour until the battle begins, the central square is full of people, largely due to the coming festival. Silandra and P3 are searching for Keth, but come across the Herald, who is speaking to the crowd in front of the chambers of the Convocation of the Force. He claims that he has been thrown from the chambers for questioning the Convocation's authority and holding different beliefs, adding that he is just demanding the truth from liars. This unsettles Silandra and P3. The Herald continues to rile up the crowd, claiming that the Convocation only promotes their own agenda that puts the galaxy in danger, and claims he overheard a plot to deceive the people of Jedha in the chamber. As the crowd becomes more angry the more he says, the Herald reveals that there was another bombing at the Temple of the Kyber, which shocks Silandra, who hasn't heard of it yet. He tells them that they were told it was an accident, but that really it was a deliberate attack cause by an explosive device. As the crowd goes ballistic, Tarna Miak, a the representative for the Sorcerers of Tund in the Convocation, tries to stop the Herald, but he only claims he is being silenced, which riles up the crowd more. Miak calls over guardians to stop the Herald, them tackling him as fighting breaks out in the crowd and the Herald suggests that the Convocation is lying and covering up terrorism because one of their own, maybe even a Jedi, is behind the attack.

Silandra starts to leave to find Keth and warn Creighton and Aida about what's going on, but she's stopped by a shrill scream piercing the air. She runs toward the sound of the scream as people start fleeing all around her while shouting angrily. People start to fight amongst themselves, blasters begin to get shot, more screams fill the air, and a full riot starts to break out. Silandra yells at them to stop and asks what they are running from, until she finds the man that had been screaming. He is a Brother of the Ninth Door who is now dead, and turned into a husk. Silandra touches the husk and it turns into dust. She asks a nearby man what happened, and he tells her that something monstrous came out of nowhere and drained the life out of the man before their very eyes. She runs in the direction he tells her it went as the riot unfolds around her, causing her to activate her shield. Silandra discovers a crying woman whose wife has been killed by the creature, and tells her she'll find out what happened. After another scream, a shriek rings in the distance from the Leveler, which is the creature that is attacking the crowd. It is a member of the Nameless species brought there by the Mother that has now been set loose by the Herald. As Silandra gets close to the creature, she gets the same woozy feeling she got in the almshouse earlier and the world starts to appear like its warping around her. The Leveler, much closer now, shrieks, and Silandra screams.

Zero hours until the battle begins, in the meeting chamber of the Second Spire, the new attempt at signing the treaty begins. A direct reprisal of the events of the Prologue now occurs, where a nervous and unsteady mediator Tilson Graf is interrupted by the sounds of a riot, the riot reaches the building and the Guardians warn the Jedi, and a speederbike crashes through the window, causing Creighton to tell everyone to get down. This time, however, before the speeder crashes through the window, Tintak has had enough of what was supposed to be a peaceful place and calls the whole thing a big mistake. He decides to leave and orders his guards to take him to his shuttle. Cerox tries to stop and asks about the treaty, but he is more concerned with his and her life. The speederbike now crashes through the window now that Tintak is up and going with his guards. The person riding it shoots Tintak with a blaster three times, killing him. It is the same person Silandra faced earlier, and everyone there tries to shoot at the speeder to stop it but it escapes as the riot spills into the spire. An E'ronoh guard claims that the assassin was from Eiram and wearing an Eirami uniform, though Cerox screams that it's not true. But it is too late, and the E'ronoh Guard start to fire on the Eirami guards, declaring the cease-fire broken, and the Eiram guard returns fire to protect Ambassador Cerox. Aida tries to get them to stop, but Creighton tells her there are too many of them and the rioters are quickly approaching, so they need to get Cerox to safety. As Aida and Creighton lead her through a small passage, a broken-spirited Cerox insists that it couldn't have been one of Eiram's and asks about the treaty and the war, which Creighton says it's too late for now. When they get outside, Aida sees forces from E'ronoh deploying from their orbital transports, dropping war machines, troops, and ships, onto the Holy City. Cerox declares that they have failed and that war is coming to Jedha.

The battle rages in the second spire between the Eirami and E'roni present, as the rioters contribute to the battle by tearing apart the building on a rampage. Creighton and Aida attempt to get Cerox to the safety of her shuttle. They are spotted by rioters who subscribe to the Herald's message and declare that its the Jedi's fault as they start to throw items. The Jedi and Cerox flee, Creighton explaining to the Ambassador that they were clearly spurred on by the Path of the Open Hand because they mentioned the Herald, and told her that he could not use the Force to manipulate them to stop because of his morals. Cerox warns that the city will soon be swarming with E'roni soldiers and they run until they reach the dock where the shuttle is. An Eiram guard receives Cerox, who tells the guard to get them up to orbit and give the order to deploy their forces so they can be ready for the E'roni. Creighton begs her not to deploy Eiram's forces and tells her that there will be no going back and the people of Jedha will be caught in the crossfire. He suggests contacting the heirs, but Cerox says that the heirs aren't there and haven't seen what she's seen, before telling Creighton that it was too late because the E'roni would not stop and they needed to defend themselves. Cerox leaves in her shuttle as the mob reaches the Jedi, Aida realized they can't stop the rioters and the soldiers alone and needed to enlist the help of the Guardians. Creighton decides they need to get back inside the spire, both of them crashing through a window to do so.

When the two Jedi arrive in the meeting chamber, they find that the fight in there is over all all of Eiram and E'ronoh's guards are dead. They both resolve to end the violence and protect the civilians, Aida assuring Creighton that the Jedi and the Republic will one day assure peace so that nothing like this ever happens again. Aida notices that Tilson Graf is missing. Creighton suggests that he might of had something to do with it because of how nervous he had been, but becomes frustrated with the lack of answers. They then decide that Aida will find Mesook and Selik and round up as many Guardians as they can while Creighton goes to find B-9H0 and try to get a message through to Coruscant so they can send support.

The riots are still in full swing, now even more heightened, and the Leveler stalks in the crowd. Silandra falls to her knees and drops her lightsaber because of the effects of the the creature. It gets closer to her but first turns a Force-user into a husk which then collapses into dust. P3-7A then flies in with his thrusters, grabs Silandra's lightsaber, and drags Silandra herself away from the scene until the Leveler's effects have faded. She explains to the droid that it fell like she had been cut off from the Force, that the world was closing in on her, and that she felt overwhelmed with pain and fear. She wants to go back and stop it, but P3 cryptically tells her that it is too late for her to make a difference. He returns her lightsaber to her, and then both begin to travel to Enlightenment to find Keth and warn others.

Silandra arrives in Enlightenment with P3 and finds Keth, Kradon telling her she'll be safe there. She explains all that's happened, that the crowd was worked into a frenzy by the Herald of the Open Hand and that a creature was released into the crowds. She says the creature was much worse than a wargaran, that it had turned people into husks, and gave her the same feeling she felt in the Path's almshouse. Silandra and Keth try to understand everything that's happened, Silandra especially wanting to understand what happened at the spire the day of the bombing. Keth then comes forward and explains that he let P3 inside through a window and blames himself for allowing the droid that bombed the spire in through the window he left open. Silandra assures him that it was not his fault, but points out that because P3 was there he might have seen something and they could access his databank.

Keth eventually manages to access P3's databank and finds his recordings from the day of the bombing. They spot a Brother of the Ninth Door, like the ones in the market, speaking to the ceremonial droid that bombed the spire. Kradon, who is incredibly knowledgeable about goings-on on Jedha, agrees to tell Silandra more about the Brothers if she swears to do all in her power to protect Keth from danger. After she agrees, Kradon explains that the Brothers of the Ninth Door have the ability to disguise themselves by clouding one's mind with the Force, causing people to see them as what they want to see and not what they are. Silandra realizes that they must be behind the bombings and that their powers, which she also realizes must be the dark side of the Force, explains why all of the eyewitnesses reported different things. Silandra decides that she needs to go find Creighton and Aida so that they can prove to the ambassadors that neither Eiram nor E'ronoh were responsible for the bombings, and thus restore the peace process, going in person and braving the riots because comms are down. Silandra tells Keth to stay there but he begs to go with her, explaining that all he's wanted his entire life is to do something important and make a difference so he could be someone who mattered, and that helping a Jedi stop a war was his chance to do the right thing and help no matter how dangerous it is. Silandra tells him that he sounds like a Padawan, which excites him, and agrees to take him with her, ordering him to do what she says and stay close before explaining they will head straight for the Second Spire.

In the markets of Jedha, in the midst of the riot, Pela calls for the Herald and the Mother in the crowd as E'roni military shuttles land and soldiers spill out from them, immediately firing on the rioters. Pela finds the Mother in the crowd, who blames the riot and the resulting battle on the Jedi for making the Force unbalanced. She tells Pela to get the littles to safety, but tells her not to return to the almshouse as it had been attacked in the riot and damaged beyond repair. An E'roni sergeant barks commands to prepare for incoming Eirami soldiers and the Mother tells Pela to run and not worry about her, Marda, or the others. She tells her the Path will help anyone in need and show them all that the Jedi have failed them.

As military ships deploy, Tilson Graf knocks on a door in a Jedha side street and announces himself, and is let inside by Baarla, a Brother of the Ninth Door. He asks where Mytion is, who is the Brother that Silandra encountered with the backfiring speeder, and Baarla tells him that he is downstairs in their temple. Tilson is shocked that they have a temple there but descends down stone steps nonetheless, before vines slither up his legs and pin him in place. Tilson screams for Mytion to get them off of him, which Mytion does, explaining that they are just to keep unwanted visitors out. Mytion explains that the reason he wants Tilson's money is so that he can build a much better and legitimate lodge for the Brothers on Jedha amongst the other sects. Tilson suggests that none of Jedha will be left after the battle, but Mytion insists that they will help with the rebuilding and gain the respect of the people, thus allowing them to be accepted by the Convocation. Tilson asks if the Jedi, referring to Silandra Sho, is dead, and when Mytion reveals she isn't Tilson tells him to kill Creighton Sun and Aida Forte as well using the riots as cover and perhaps even make it look like they were killed by Eiram and E'ronoh using their illusions. Mytion tries to say that the Brothers do not answer to him, but Tilson insists they do if they ever want to get their new temple, before adding that when Mytion dealt with the Jedi, all of their problems, including Tilson's, would disappear.

In the of the Second Spire, Creighton tries to use droids B-9H0 and GT-68 to contact Jedi Master Xinith Tarl. The reception is extremely choppy, but eventually Creighton manages to ask for support from the Jedi or Republic immediately. He explains all that has happened and how dire things have become, asking her to come quick as possible before ending the transmission. Creighton then has GT-68 reach out to Ambassador Cerox on her transport ship. She picks up, and Creighton begs her to have her forces stand down, insisting that it is never too late. She says that it has been too late for peace for years already because so many had fought and died for the war and it could not be forgotten nor could they befriend the E'roni just because the royals want it. She declares that she wants the E'roni to pay and that so many more like her want justice. Creighton insists that it is not justice and that innocent people are dying, but she says that innocent people have been dying for years but that maybe now she can win the war for Eiram. She ends the transmission, and Creighton is left filled with sorrow for everyone.

Creighton finds Aida in the midst of the carnage of the battle, now fighting alongside the Guardians. Aida reveals that Eiram has deployed enforcer droids and that the Guardians she, Mesook, and Selik managed to round up are spread thin. Creighton says that he's had B-9 put out a signal for anyone else on the moon to help. Mesook reveals that E'ronoh has set weaponized mining loaders upon the city and Aida says she couldn't reach the E'roni commander. Creighton reveals that he couldn't get through to Cerox, but did get through to Coruscant. Creighton suggests that Aida and Selik go with some guardians to take on E'ronoh's war machines and he, Mesook, and the rest of the Guardians will take on the enforcer droids until help can arrive. Mesook agrees to the plan and to follow the Jedi and Aida holds desperately onto her faith for herself and Creighton.

Silandra and Keth head out into the streets of the city and discover the full extent of the battle unfolding. Silandra decides to change the plan from going to the spire to instead focusing on protecting the people of Jedha as she saves a woman with her shield and takes down an E'roni mining loader with her lightsaber. Realizing that they need to find a way to get the citizens out of the crossfire, Keth suggests that they bring the people to the Dome of Deliverance. Silandra agrees, remembering that it can hold half of the city's population in it and provide cover from stray fire, telling Keth to lead the people there himself and assuring him he can do it when he expresses doubt in himself. Keth shouts for people to follow him to the Dome and a crowd surges in its direction as Silandra faces the incoming mining loaders.

As the E'roni loaders crumble buildings and send civilians running, Silandra uses the force to jump onto one and cuts her way inside with her lightsaber. She orders the pilot to stand down, and he eventually agrees to jump out of the loader, Silandra cushioning his fall with the Force. She stabs the loader's controls with her lightsaber and exits it, and the other loader pilot surrenders immediately and runs. She tells the civilians to head for the Dome of Deliverance as more loaders arrive.

In the central square, the civilians who haven't gone to the Dome are congregating, but the battle rages around them. Marda and Phinea tend to the injured but are overwhelmed as Elder Delwin preaches to the crowd and blames the Jedi for what's happening, trying to get people to accept the Force and the Path. Marda goes to help a child as Phinea's patient dies, the two hoping to show the people in need the light of the Path.

Inside the Dome of Deliverance, Silandra arrives as Keth wrangles the crowd. She explains that she's taken down several mining loaders and that more civilians are coming. He tries to get her to rest because she is injured, but she refuses. Then suddenly three Brothers of the Ninth Door appear and ignite their electrostaffs, one of them striking Keth with theirs and knocking him out. Mytion, their leader, greets Silandra. Recognizing them as the ones who started everything, Silandra ignites her lightsaber and begins to fight them.

In the midst of the furious fighting of the battle in the street, Eirami soldiers attempt to bring down a mining loader with grenades. Aida Forte then leaps onto the remaining loaders, cuts into them with her lightsabers and orders the pilots to jump out. They comply, and she destroys the controls. Once she jumps down, Selik confirms they've taken down nine loaders but that more are still coming. They decide to try and use Jedha's terrain by herding the loaders down narrow streets that they can't maneuver, Forte asking Selik to split the Guardians into small groups and direct them to the central square.

Meanwhile, on the rooftops of Jedha, Creighton and Mesook stand back to back fighting enforcer droids as ships explode in orbit. Creighton stops some droids by throwing them into Mesook's fire, the buildings, or low-flying shuttles. They are then surrounded by the droids who threaten to destroy them, Creighton bothered by them not treating them like living beings. Creighton sends back their blasterfire with the Force and destroys them. Mesook worries that while they fight the loaders and the droids, the soldiers are closing in on the central square, meaning there may be a massacre. Creighton insists that they'll get there and stop it but first need to by time for the civilians to get clear by taking out the droids. They are then spurred on by the sight of a civilian ship successfully leaving.

In the in the atmosphere of Jedha, Ambassador Cerox speaks with the Eirami commander, asking about the events of the battle. The commander confirms to her that the enforcer droids are everything that Tilson Graf, who had given the droids to them, had promised they would be, but that the Jedi, especially Master Sun, were on a crusade to take down all of the droids as well as the E'roni mining loaders and did so with the Guardians of the Whills under their command. Angry about the Jedi's interference, Cerox gave the order for the droids to execute the Jedi on sight, despite the commander's warnings about bringing the Republic down on their heads.

In the Dome of Deliverance, the crowd has gone silent as Silandra fights the three Brothers of the Ninth Door, Mytion and his subservients Baarla and Inoke, with her lightsaber and shield. Mytion is impressed with her, having thought she'd be easier to kill. Silandra goes on the offensive with her lightsaber and then bashes Baarla back with her shield before spinning and killing Inoke with a slash of her lightsaber across their chest. She then flips sideways and cuts off both of Baarla's forearms. While he staggers back, she uses the moment to run away into the lower level beneath the Dome. Baarla cries out for Mytion, but Mytion only tells him that he has failed and there is no redemption before killing Baarla with his electrostaff. Annoyed he has to do it himself, Mytion runs after Silandra.

Now in the Hall of Reflection, amongst the Kyber Mirrors, Mytion stalks Silandra. He suggests that hiding in a hall of mirrors wasn't the best idea, but then realizes that she is just trying to avoid the deaths of civilians and collateral damage. The two then exchange blows between her lightsaber and his electrostaff while Mytion insists that the Brothers were peaceful and would not take innocent life, even currently providing safe harbor for people in the city. As Silandra batters away blows with her shield, she asks about all the people they killed with their bombs, and Mytion says that all of the politicians and soldiers as well as her were not innocent and were deemed worthy of death by the Force, believing he and the Brothers are guided by it. Silandra tells him he doesn't speak for the Force and flips over him by pushing off a mirror and whipping her lightsaber around furiously, but he counters. Mytion reveals that he has been working for someone, and uses his powers to emulate who it is: Tilson Graf. He repeats Tilson's exact words as him, revealing that Tilson directed them to detonate the bomb at a specific time and to make sure Morton San Tekka caught the brunt of it because he was a thorn in the Graf's side. Mytion also reveals that Tilson asked him to take out Silandra and that Tilson claimed he was looking out for his family's interests and was trying to win back their affections at the direction of a 'friend.' Mytion explains that some people believe that conflict is more sustainable than peace, but that he does not care. Shocked that Tilson is the one who hired them to carry out the bombings, Silandra staggers back and is disoriented, spurring Mytion to strike her viciously with his electrostaff, one of which hits her and pushes her back. But she kicks him back into a mirror, before the two engage in intense dueling, Mytion crying out for her to die and saying she's testing his patience. Mytion manages to knock her back into one of the mirrors with his electrostaff. She tries to bring her lightsaber down on him, but he hits her with his staff on her wrist and she drops her lightsaber. He chokes her up against the mirror, and figures that she might actually be easy to kill. Emulating Tilson's words, he tells her that he is just looking out for his family interests, his family being his brothers.

Meanwhile, the Path is still tending to the wounded who are gathering in the central square as the fighting surrounds it. A dad arrives carrying his child Stennie who has been hit with a piece of shrapnel. Phinea tends to them by having the dad bind his shirt around his leg, Phinea telling Stennie that its the best they can do for now. All the while, Elder Delwin speaks to the people in the square, blaming the Jedi for everyone's pain and suffering due to their use of the Force. He tells them that they cannot trust the Jedi, as all they do is lie. Phinea finds Marda and asks her what they are going to do because there are so many in need and so few healers and supplies. Marda tells her to trust in the Force and that it will guide them no matter what, telling her to continue her work and thus show people the Path is strong and the Jedi are weak. As he continues to preach to the crowd, Delwin is shot in the head with a blaster. Marda runs to him, but soldiers arrive in the square and Marda screams for everyone to run as the dad begs for help for his child.

In the streets of Jedha, the Mother searches for the Leveler, which has been gone with the Herald for a while, while guarded by her guards Qwerb and Jukkyuk and walking past desperate, injured, and helpless people. Qwerb suggests they help, but the Mother refuses insisting that finding the Leveler is more important in order to protect themselves. She assures them that Marda will lead the people she is tending to to the Gaze Electric while they go to the Mother's shuttle. However, an Eirami enforcer droid arrives and begins to attack them, Qwerb protecting the Mother from its blasterfire and left dying. Jukkyuk then fights the droids as even more arrive, the Mother using them being occupied with Jukkyuk to flee, abandoning him.

In the Dome of Deliverance, Keth Cerepath wakes up with P3-7A over him, having suffered a severe head wound. A concerned Togruta attends to him and calls for a medic, telling him to relax. However, after P3 spouts a scripture about mirrors to Keth, he realizes that Silandra is in the Hall of Reflections and races to help her with P3 at his side despite the Togruta's protests.

Keth arrives out of sight in the Hall of Reflection just as Silandra is getting choked by Mytion, ordering P3-7A to fetch him her lightsaber. He does, and as Mytion insults Silandra, she sees Keth and tries to say his name. Keth stabs Mytion in the back with the lightsaber. Mytion asks him who he is, and he tells him that he is Keth Cerepath. But before he dies, Mytion stabs Keth in the stomach with his electrostaff, saying goodbye and laughing as he takes his last breath. Silandra falls to her knees beside Keth and assures him that he took down Mytion and saved her life, telling him he is just like a Padawan. Keth tries to speak and Silandra says that she understands and that he wants people to know the truth for the peace treaty, and assures him that she'll make sure they hear it. But Keth clarifies that what he really was saying was that he couldn't let Mytion hurt his friend. Silandra sobs as Keth coughs up blood, him comforting her despite his state. She tells him that he can rest now and doesn't need to say any more, but he says that he is glad he at least got to live his story in the end, before adding that Piralli won't believe it as he dies. P3-7A comforts Silandra, and she tells Keth that she let him down and that this shouldn't have happened, but that she will make sure his story is heard, he won't be forgotten, and what he's done on Jedha will count. Silandra asks P3 to stay with him until his body can be brought back to the temple, and dons her lightsaber and shield as she leaves, declaring that no one else will die today as long as she can be their shield.

In the streets of Jedha, Aida Forte and Selik take down two E'roni mining loaders by tricking them into crashing into each other. Their pilots survive, which Aida is glad for. She apologizes for the losses he and the Guardians have suffered, and for bringing the war to their doorstep. He assures her that it isn't their fault, and that only Eiram, E'ronoh, and the people behind the bombings are to blame. The two then decide to go stop the Eirami troops converging on the central square, hoping Creighton and Mesook had slowed the droids.

Elsewhere, Creighton and Mesook take down the many droids as a ship crashes into a building. They decide that they need to get to the central square and stop the troops marching there so that they don't massacre each other. However, before they can, an awful sound fills the air, and the two see the massive statue of a Jedi called the Protector come crashing down just outside the city, an eerie silence following it. Mesook is emotionally crushed, and believes that the statue was Jedha and the Holy City and the very core of who they all were, and without it they were nothing. Creighton believed it represented the peace and protection that Jedha and its community offered, now overtaken by destruction and death. Creighton says that he doesn't think Jedha will recover, and Mesook starts to comfort him just as Mesook is ambushed by droids and shot and killed, Crieghton immediately destroying the droids with his lightsaber after. Creighton tells Mesook that he wished he could have known him better, and resolves to end the conflict.

Creighton meets with Aida and Selik in the central square as well as the only four other Guardians still with them. Creighton reveals to Selik that Mesook is dead, and Aida says they downed most of the loaders. They reflect on the heavy death toll and Creighton apologizes, but Selik tells him not to and that the Guardians will always fight with the Jedi in the name of peace. Soldiers from both planets arrive on either side of them and both groups tell the Jedi and Guardians to move or die. Creighton tells them that the war needs to end there, and Aida calls his name as the troops ready arms.

Near the shuttle docks, Tilson Graf runs after the Mother, who he calls Elecia. He asks for her help getting off Jedha because they were partners. The Mother tells him that she and him were never partners and that even being seen with him was a risk. But he insists that he held up his end of the deal, including giving the Path a shipment of enforcer droids and working with the Brothers of the Ninth Door, and tells her to make good, reminding her that they started all of the chaos now surrounding them. She says that she stacked the deck in his favor with the Republic and offered up an useless Elder of the Path to be mediator so that even he would look good, which she says was enough repayment. He then asks her to to smuggle him in a compartment in the Gaze Electric or he will expose her connections. She pretends to agree to his terms, then shoots him with a blaster and tells him that she always sees sense in the end.

Later, in the same location, Silandra sees a ship fire at and destroy civilian ships in the shuttle docks. Silandra runs into the wreckage and finds an injured human woman and offers to help and treat her, but she refuses because Silandra's a Jedi, blaming them for bringing the battle down on their heads because of what was said in the central square. A Mirialan takes the woman off of Silandra's hands and tells her to leave because she is scaring her. The ship then makes another explosive pass at the shuttle docks. Silandra now discovers Tilson Graf's body, and is furious that he died before he could be brought to justice. She asks him if what he wanted was chaos and death that lead to his anonymous death in a side street. She asks him where the justice in that is, and where the where the justice for Keth is.

In the central square, Creighton stands between the two converging armies and screams for them not to fire. A transport ship lands in the square and the Jedi reinforcements—Master Tarl, Master Vohlan, Master Har'kin and many Republic peacekeeping troops— emerge from it. Creighton thanks them and Tarl is just glad the battle was on a Republic world like Jedha where they could interfere. However, the two armies don't put down their arms, and instead ready them again. Both armies then launch a massive cascade of blaster fire, but the Jedi, working together, use the Force to hold back the shots, which hover in the hair and don't move. The Eirami side fires again and the Jedi stop them again, but Vohlan warns Creighton they cannot hold it for long.

The E'roni sergeant eventually orders his soldiers to fire again despite their protests, and they do it, but halfheartedly. Creighton then steps forward and begins his last great final appeal for the armies to stop. He tells them that when he first arrived there he was worried by the military transports but that Aida was happy because the fact that they were both there to end the conflict. He tells them that by laying down their arms and moving on they are not forgetting the people that have died or abandoning justice, but following what they would want. He explains that the only people who want the war to continue are bitter people who are filled with vengeance and people who stand to gain from the war, and that the only people who would win from the battle were them. He insists that the people who placed the bombs wanted them to be more divided so they could be weaker. He warns them that any carnage they cause will not wash away, and that the Jedi will not buckle, and begs them to lay their arms down. The soldiers lay down their weapons down despite their sergeants' orders otherwise, and the Jedi send the hanging blaster bolts into the sky. Creighton exclaims that Aida was right, and she says she usually is.

Above the shuttle docks, the ships continue dogfighting. Silandra, on the ground, hails Creighton via comlink, communications helped by the presence of a Republic ship. Creighton says the Republic negotiators are attempting to convince Eiram and E'ronoh to withdraw from Jedha. Silandra then reveals to him that Tilson Graf and the Brothers of the Ninth Door were behind the bombings and that Graf was now dead. He tells her to come to the central square and she cuts the link as a ship overhead shoots at one on the ground, causing it to explode. Silandra uses her shield and the Force to protect a woman in the blast radius, who turns out to be the Mother. She explains that she was attempting to reach her ship to evacuate the Path, and Silandra reveals Keth's death when she asks. The Mother says that she needs to find Marda Ro, and thirnks she is in the middle of things protecting the Littles. Silandra decides to help her find Marda and protect her on the way.

Silandra walks with the Mother as the battle lessens. She asks why the Path hate the Jedi so much, but the Mother explains that they don't hate the Jedi, only that they use the Force. She claims that the Force always tries to balance itself and that by saving a life with it—even her just saving the Mother— causes someone elsewhere to die. She even suggests that this was the cause of the battle. Silandra wholeheartedly rejects this idea and asks if they think the Jedi should be wiped out by any means necessary, citing the words of the Herald when he stirred the riot. The Mother claims that the Herald has taken over things and become more extreme. Silandra also tells her that the Jedi uncovered evidence that the Path was involved in the bombings and assassination attempts, suggesting that they were attempting to frame the Jedi and overturn the peace process. the Mother claims she knowns nothing about it and will stop the Herald if he is involved, insisting they are peaceful. Silandra knows the truth, but can't prove it, simply saying 'I see.' They then hear a fight up ahead and Silandra activates her shield and runs toward it, telling the Mother to wait there.

Rioters are attacking Marda Ro and another Path disciple in the street. A dead body lies nearby. Silandra throws her shield with the Force and takes one down, and the others run away at the sight of her. Marda joyfully reunites with the Mother, who assures Marda she is safe thanks to Silandra. Marda explains that they found the dead person on the ground and tried to revive him, but couldn't, Silandra recognizing his wound as a lightsaber through the chest. The disciple says that the rioters jumped them and blamed them for what happened, then starts to wobble from his injuries, but insists he'll recover. Silandra offers to continue escorting them to their ship, but Marda refuses, saying that because she is the Path's Guide it is her responsibility. Creighton then contacts Silandra via comm and asks her where he is and why she isn't back at the square yet. She explains that she has been escorting the Mother, who says that since she is back with the Path Silandra should return to her duties. Silandra is suspicious, but the Mother gives her her blessing and tells her her work is important. Silandra tells Creighton she's on her way, and tells the Mother "May the Force be with you and your people." As Silandra hurries away, the Mother says that it always is.

In an abandoned cellar, Naddie tells Pela that she thinks the fighting has stopped and goes outside to check despite Pela's concerns. Pela comforts Little Tromak while Naddie's gone, but she eventually returns and confirms the battle is over. She says she sees dead people and destroyed buildings. Pela tells her not to look and comes up to her, before assuring her that they will get out of there on the Gaze Electric soon and go somewhere safe. The two decide to find Marda and the Mother and fetch the others from the cellar.

The last of Eiram and E'ronoh's forces are now withdrawing from the central square. Master Har'kin speaks to a commander of one of the armies via comm who confirms that the two forces are in full retreat, monitored by the Republic and the Jedi. Har'kin tells this to Creighton and insists he rests and meditate instead of helping. Vohlan says he'll make a full report to he Jedi Council. Aida says they'll try to do everything they can to uncover the truth of what happened there and get the peace process going again, but Vohlan believes it is too late for that and that the war may reignite on an unprecedented scale especially because the heirs have lost control and because of how much conspiracy there's been. Har'kin assures Creighton that none of this is his fault and that he saved lives and gave an inspired speech. After he's once more told to rest, Creighton says he will, but first needs to see someone.

In the Eiram military command ship in the Jedha atmosphere, Cerox oversees that evacuation of their troops. When asked by her commander, she insists that it is not over and declares that she does not care about the heirs and their union and wishes to continue fighting until E'ronoh as paid for their crimes and all the people that have died. Cerox threatens to make the commander a traitor if she's questioned again, and says she wants to be away from Jedha within an hour, which the commander agrees to.

Soon after, in the central square, Republic peacekeeping troops deploy in shuttles. Silandra looks for Creighton and Aida and finds them, the surroundings and Creighton confirming to her that backup arrived just in time. The two tell her how good it is to see her and Aida apologizes for her trip not gong as planned, but Silandra says the Force needed her to be there. When she asks about Mesook, Creighton confirms that he died while fighting for peace, which Silandra says is how he would have wanted to go. Creighton then asks her to tell them what she knows about Tilson Graf, hoping that if the warring planets knew the truth there might still be a chance for peace. She tells them she'll tell them everything she knows but then reveals that Keth died saving her life and Creighton and Aida give their condolences. Criehgotn then asks about the Path of the Open Hand and if anything came from Gella's suspicions. She explains that the Herald was instrumental in starting the riots in the square, but also shared her suspicion that something else was going on with the Mother and Marda Ro despite having no evidence. She nevertheless suggests they keep an close eye on them. Silandra also tells them that there was a creature that was let lose in the crowd and turned people into husks as well as making her feel like her connection to the Force was disturbed. This greatly concerns Creighton and Aida and they asks how it relates to the Path. Silandra explains that she felt the same incredibly awful feeling when she visited the Mother in the Path's almshouse. Creighton suggests that she go with the two of them back to Coruscant to speak with the Jedi council so that they can figure out what is going on. She agrees, but says she needs to do one last thing first.

In the Temple of the Kyber, Silandra returns Keth's body to the Church of the Force. Prefect Saous assures her that he will be honored for what he did to save the people of Jedha. She says that all of the civilians that hid in the Dome of Deliverance owe their lives to him and that she wishes things turned out different. Saous tells her to focus on what actually was not what could've been. He also says that Keth wanted to make a difference his whole life but didn't realize he had already made a huge difference to the people in the church by supporting them through small acts and caring about people. He suggests that we all make more of an impression on the galaxy than we think. He also says that Keth was incredibly excited to be part of her story, but that his ending only meant that his is complete and he has chosen how he wants to be remembered. She thanks him for his words, and he thanks him for honoring the Force and protecting Jedha. She starts to say for him to tell Keth's friends something, but then says that she'll tell them herself.

Days later, in the private chambers of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Aida and Creighton say they both already feel like the events on Jedha were ages ago. An interaction of hers with B-9H0 once again proves her never-ending optimism to Creighton. When asked, Creighton says that his meeting with the Jedi council went alright, but his demeanor prompts Aida to ask if he's brooding. He admits that he is a little because they stand on the precipice of disaster, revealing that after being fixed, the communications around Eiram and E'ronoh were destroyed again. He fears that Chancellor Mollo and the heirs will not be able to contain the crisis, and reveals that pirates are not using the situation to attack parts of both worlds. However, he says that their testimony to Jedi Master Yoda and Chancellor Greylark spurred Master Char-Ryl-Roy and Padawan Enya Keen to be sent to figure out what can be done for the warring planets, and that Chancellor Greylark was considering closing hyperspace lanes to contain the danger. He says they're back where they started, but Aida optimistically says that they are not because they tried, and reminds him that all of those soldiers laying down arms because of his speech was no small triumph. He says he wishes the Ambassadors could've heard the speech, angry with himself for not seeing that Cerox was someone who wanted revenge until she deployed the enforcer droids, which Creighton also reveals she likely got from Tilson Graf because they were Graf manufacture and was probably persuaded by him to sabotage the peace process. Creighton's final hope is that the heirs will rally their people back to peace. Creighton asks Aida if she is ready for their mission to Dalna in the morning. She is happy that the council is allowing them to investigate the Path of the Open Hand, but doesn't know what they'll find. Creighton says that he knows they have to be involved somehow because of Silandra's findings and because they were working with Axel Greylark, but that they couldn't find any evidence in the ruins of the almshouse or any trace of the creature Silandra connected back to them. However, he believes that answers await on Dalna. After telling Aida when asked that he thinks Silandra has gone back to Batuu to collect her Padawan, he asks B-9H0 to fetch a drink for him.

Sometime later, Piralli enters the Enlightenment tapbar on Jedha with P3-7A at his side, and is greeted by Kradon, Moona, and the Twinkle Sisters. Piralli gets a drink and tells Moona he is glad for her company. Moona spots Silandra entering the bar and despite her former dislike of Jedi asks Kradon to pour a strong drink for her, believing any friend of Keth's is a friend of hers. Piralli invites her to pull up a stool, and says he knows she's there to pay respects to Keth. She says she is in a manner of speaking but really wants to tell them a story full of adventure and friendship about a young man trying to do the right thing. Moona is skeptical, but Kradon tells her to listen to the story, saying that he's already heard it and would like to hear it again. Silandra tells the story, which starts with a young adjunct of the Church of the Force who had never done much with his life besides tending to the Temple of Kyber, but was well loved and had a good heart, spending his time while doing chores always dreaming of adventure.

According to Del Rey senior editor Tom Hoeler, the hardcover edition of Star Wars: The Battle of Jedha will be the first hardcover title to display the "Random House Worlds" imprint on its spine and copyright page.

• ISBN 9780593633601; January 3, 2023; Random House Audio; Audiobook download