Cover Artist: Dave Stevenson

After the Sith society devolves into chaos, Varner Hilts and his Keshiri assistant Jaye make their way to the tomb of the Omen to see what Yaru Korsin was talking about when he said that "The true power is behind the throne." As they make their way up the mountain, a lone Sith on uvak flies by overhead. Reaching the temple, they find the uvak dead in the courtyard and Iliana Merko cradling the remains of Seelah Devore. With the assistance of Iliana, they begin searching for Korsin's throne as more Sith arrive and vow that they must destroy the Omen because of what it represents as Naga Sadow's property. Hilts and Iliana finally find Korsin's Chair and Hilts digs inside it, finding a message to Korsin from his mother. The message explains a vision that Korsin's father had of a future where the pure blood Sith didn't rule anymore. Hilts understands the value of this message, but knows that by itself this won't save the Tribe and there must be something else. Deducing that Korsin would have had another room where he did all his planning, they find a chamber underneath the Omen with a number of smooth surfaces, one of which shows a map of Kesh as it is known. As they search for Korsin's "true power" they are found by the Sith who are determined to destroy the Omen, and Jaye is killed. As the confrontation escalates, Hilts suddenly realizes what Korsin's true power is and releases hidden pins using the Force to release the smooth slabs, revealing maps of Kesh that show no known landmasses. Inscribed on one of the maps is a message from Yaru Korsin to his daughter Nida, telling her that at least one of the other landmasses is populated and that this would be a great tool to unite the Sith if it ever came to that. Understanding what this means to them, and knowing that only Hilts has the knowledge of their history and language to lead them, the other Sith proclaim him Grand Lord. He then takes Iliana as his wife to protect himself from her and the other Sith, knowing that if he dies, she will be killed with him. The tribe then throws itself headlong into preparations for conquest.