Combat log. Battlegroup Commander for Battlegroup III, Vice Admiral Locke Setzer reporting. Day #11 of the Battle of Tkon Rift.

There are times, in my position, where the work to do is overflowing. Orders to be given. Reports to be reviewed. Strategies to be devised. My responsibilities to House Palpatine and the Secret Order only add to this, with their own whispers to spread, secret messages to pass, and counsel to give.

At first blush, that may sound difficult. And perhaps to some, it is. But to me, that is when times are easy. When there is work to be done, there is nothing to concern yourself with but the work. Perform the task, evaluate the next important task, then do that. Rinse, repeat, until all that can be done has been accomplished.

It is when there is nothing to do but wait that I struggle. In these moments, I open myself up to second-guessing. Reviewing commands already given. Overthinking my strategies. Questioning decisions already made.

There are many within the Secret Order that chant that peace is a lie. For me, at least, peace has certainly never been a comfort.

During these moments, I have turned to my saber construction. I have the pieces… just not the time. Nor the concentration. Nor, probably, the talent. It goes slowly. I connect some of the pieces, test my work, then, dissatisfied, take it apart again. In the last two days, I’ve failed to get as far as I did during the first three days of this battle. Perhaps I am being too cautious. Perhaps the waiting is getting to me.

Or perhaps my failures to construct this saber represents my own inner turmoil during these moments when there is nothing to do but reflect, reconsider, and doubt.

As I enter this log, there are a pair of corvettes from Battlegroup II fighting a desperate battle, outgunned nearly 9 to 1. We have been unable to send word that aid is on its way. They do not know that the bulk of our forces, including the Challenge itself, will soon be there to support them, if any of them remain at all. They have been given no reassurance, and yet for our plan to work, we are reliant on their complete dedication and devotion to finishing the fight, no matter what the odds are.

Perhaps we were wrong to do so. Perhaps we’re wrong to send so many forces to help them now. It’s easy to question these decisions at this moment, when there is nothing to do but wait to see what they become.

I attempted to position the power field conductor around my diatium power cell. The most basic of steps in the process of lightsaber construction. But tonight, it won't align right. Won't pull energy at the rate it's supposed to.

By this time tomorrow, we will be in a firefight with whatever remains of the Kilji corvette fleet. In a few days time, we’ll know if the choices made were the right ones. Maybe then things will align for me. Until then, it appears I shall know no comfort.

End log.