Before - Legends Revan [KotOR char., OC's]: Update: A question for the readers...

Sometime soon. I'm not making any promises. I do have the basic outline for it done and the plotting of the sequence worked out in my head. It's just a lot of work to get the chapter actually written.

- Keralys

 

Well thats definitely a cliff hanger. I especially liked how Admiral Karath is flustered by Revan's moves, shows his place in comparison to the Jedi. I can't wait for you to post more!

 

Master_Keralys,
This is my first time reading a KOTOR fic, and this is great!
Of course, I'm way back on Chapter 3, but hopefully I'll be able to catch up soon!
Talk about creative...keep up the great work!

*~Telanna~*

PS: Can I be on the update PM list? Thanks!

 

Isn't it, though? I rather like it. Actually, in some ways, I don't, but I simply want to do the rest of this part of the story from at least on other angle. Maybe two, now that I'm thinking it through. Karath and Revan... yeah. It's not so much a Jedi/non-Jedi thing as it is simply a matter of how good Revan is at strategy and tactics in general.

Really? Then, welcome to KOTOR's end of the universe! And I'm honored you picked my story to jump in at.

Sounds good. Enjoy the journey. I hope you like it as you keep going. I think it gets better as it keeps going from Chapter 3 on upto now, at Chapter 10.

And of course, I'll be glad to add you to my PM list. *bows deeply*

- Keralys

 

Great post! I enjoyed how you showed Revans mind trying to analyze Dodona's brain. I am looking forward to the next post.

By the way, may i have a PM when the next post is up?

 

I'm glad you liked it! I think you'll enjoy reading Revan in general.

As for the PM - I suggest active topic notification. If that doesn't work, I'll have QM PM you, for whatever reason I can't. And, as a side note, if you get a chance to glance at this again, I did update Blue and Silver with some author's notes.

- Keralys

 

Teaser for the next chapter. Should be up in a few days... and I'll bet this isn't what you were expecting.

---

Chapter 11: Whatever I'm Going to Call This Chapter

Noise. A tumult of information being transmitted in a hundred, perhaps a thousand different ways across the spectrum of communication, from the grunts of the Grans to the howls of the Karamians.

The nexus of decisions, the source of all the orders that shaped the face of the galaxy, of a million billion lives, with power unquestioned and authority unequalled in the known universe.

At least, in the minds of its denizens.

The Senate of the Galactic Republic.

A place of contention, of anger and fury, of calm - and, more frequently, not calm - discussion, of hammered compromises that benefited every constituency - and none - in moves more calculated to ensure

A squabbling lot of petty bureaucrats so concerned with getting reelected that they can't see past their own noses to one of the greatest threats the Republic has ever faced. And this is the height of twenty thousand years of sentient political evolution and thought? This is the greatest form of government the galaxy has ever known? Ellan Socrocci repressed an urge to spit, a holdout from his days in humbler company and less dramatic setting.

If history had anything to say about the matter - and Socrocci believed it did, especially in the case of this august colloquium of which he was such an honored part - then today's discussion would be the typical heated argument by persons with no knowledge of argumentation. It would be a moot discussion of strategy by beings who had never known war, who had known only the vague shadow of fear, always trusting in their faraway fleets and the self-sacrificing Jedi to save them. And why not? They always had.

But this debate today was crucial. And the cold hard fact of its pointlessness made Ellan want to scream, to pull from his hip that blaster that rode there and gun down every last being who put their own petty interests before the good of the rest of the galaxy, before even the constituents who had elected them. Except that the weapon wasn't here, of course; such things were not allowed in the hallowed halls of civilization.

Rules which were going to very quickly become meaningless if this organization did not vote in a way that would empower the Republic military. Odds were, they wouldn't. A pity. It meant things were going to get ugly, and quickly, and that kind of ugly was the sort of thing Ellan had long since learned to avoid - except, avoiding a galaxy's worth of ugly tended to be difficult.

A chime sounded. Slowly, the crowd quieted, and the Chancellor of the Republic stood to speak. "Honored Senators: I come before you today to ask for your wisdom on a decision that will affect us all..."

---



- Keralys

 

Agh, I want to know what's going to happen!

 

I'll be posting the full thing soon enough. Just have homework to do tonight, y'know? Thanks for stopping in, friend!

- Keralys

 

good job protraying the senate!

 

I'm kind of a freak and really thought the best part of the PT was the entire political direction it took. I LOOOOOVED seeing the Senate. I love your description of them here. I would expect it to be the same description 100 years in the future, 200 years in the future, 300 years in the future. So many things change, but the senate awards us by being consistently filled with squabbling idiots. I look forward to more politics....and look forward to seeing what types of foolish decisions they make.

A general Question - The KoTOR games didn't really expound on the Senate that much and I don't know THAT much about other EU sources. Did they use the same Senate chamber and do things the same way that far in the past, or is there nothing that tells us either way? Do you think the Senate was much smaller during this era than in the PT era?

Carnage

 

Please add me to your PM list.

 

Thanks! I hope to be able to update this the whole way tomorrow.

You're no freak... or, well, possibly, we're just freaks the same way. I loved that part of it, too, which is part of why I'm doing this the way I am. I think the political dimensions of any conflict can be as interesting as any other part of it, if done right. Here's hoping I do it right.

The Senate has a lot of similarities back then to what it is in the PT, though obviously it's a little smaller since there are less systems in the Republic. But in a lot of ways it's very much the same; it is not, however, the same building, as that one was built after or around the time of the Ruusan Reformations (2950 years after this).

Of course, oh princess!

- Keralys

 

I looove your writing style. While I know absolutely nothing about before the saga (don't hate me... I promise I will read the various books when I have time!) I really enjoyed this. I could imagine Padme or Bail or Mon Mothma thinking much the same thing. You have an uncanny ability to say what you want to say in a very short time span, and do it intelligently without overworking it. A very intelligent air, with artistic touches to it. I very much like. You make me want to know more about areas outside the saga... but alas, as I have only recently come around to this Star Wars love of mine, I am pathetically behind in the times.

Anyway. Your writing--t'was grand. Good job, my friend. I shall make a much better point of finding your things from now on.

EDIT: Because apparently I can't say all I plan to the first time around.... *sigh*. Was a long day today. A really, really long day.

 

Luna! It's good to see you again! Welcome to my humble 'fic!

Thanks! I'm really glad you like it so much. As for not knowing much, well, don't worry about it. A lot of people don't, and I'm doing my best (hopefully I'm succeeding) in writing this in a way that even knowing nothing about the setting, you can still read it and have it work. Though that reminds me - I need to go back and edit in a date at the beginning of the story, so that people like you know just how far back it is. As for the comparisons to Bail and Mon Mothma - excellent. I think this character will be something of the same sort; he's very sympathetic, and very idealistic - but not in the sense of being blind. He, along with Markas Ennely, is one of my favorite characters... but then, that's probably because he's mine.

Thanks. That's basically what I aim for - concise writing that carries every bit of information it needs to. And I guess I have to admit that I like sounding intelligent and stylish. Again, I'm glad you like it.

That is, I think, perhaps the greatest compliment you can pay me in this case. As for catching up - well, you've a lot to do, but lucky for you, most of the backstory of this timeframe consists of comics, which however meritorious, definitely take less time to read than books covering the same subject matter would. Unlucky for you, some of them are nigh on impossible to find. The other stories are all games - and your best bet there is either (a) to become a compulsive computer RPG player or (b) find a good summary.

Again, thanks. I really can't find words to say what I mean with that, but perhaps vor ent'ye, ner burcya will come a might closer. (Thank you, my friend, in classical Mandalorian. ) I look forward to seeing how well you like my other works, and trust me when I say I'll be following yours as well.



- Keralys

 

Guys and gals, I am so sorry this is taking me so long to update. Life has been very busy. It's a little less busy now, and I'm going to make a conscientious effort to update this again just as soon as I possibly can. My humblest apologies for making you wait so long.

- Keralys

 

---
Chapter 11: Stranger Battles

Noise. A tumult of information being transmitted in a hundred, perhaps a thousand different ways across the spectrum of communication, from the grunts of the Grans to the howls of the Karamians.

The nexus of decisions, the source of all the orders that shaped the face of the galaxy, of a million billion lives, with power unquestioned and authority unequalled in the known universe.

At least, in the minds of its denizens.

The Senate of the Galactic Republic.

A place of contention, of anger and fury, of calm - and, more frequently, not calm - discussion, of hammered compromises that benefited every constituency - and none - in moves more calculated to ensure that the status quo stayed completely and exactly as it was.

A squabbling lot of petty bureaucrats so concerned with getting reelected that they can't see past their own noses to one of the greatest threats the Republic has ever faced. And this is the height of twenty thousand years of sentient political evolution and thought? This is the greatest form of government the galaxy has ever known? Ellan Socrocci repressed an urge to spit, a holdout from his days in humbler company and less dramatic setting.

If history had anything to say about the matter - and Socrocci believed it did, especially in the case of this august colloquium of which he was such an honored part - then today's discussion would be the typical heated argument by persons with no knowledge of argumentation. It would be a moot discussion of strategy by beings who had never known war, who had known only the vague shadow of fear, always trusting in their faraway fleets and the self-sacrificing Jedi to save them. And why not? They always had.

But this debate today was crucial. And the cold hard fact of its pointlessness made Ellan want to scream, to pull from his hip that blaster that rode there and gun down every last being who put their own petty interests before the good of the rest of the galaxy, before even the constituents who had elected them. Except that the weapon wasn't here, of course; such things were not allowed in the hallowed halls of civilization.

Rules which were going to very quickly become meaningless if this organization did not vote in a way that would empower the Republic military. Odds were, they wouldn't. A pity. It meant things were going to get ugly, and quickly, and that kind of ugly was the sort of thing Ellan had long since learned to avoid - except, avoiding a galaxy's worth of ugly tended to be difficult.

A chime sounded. Slowly, the crowd quieted, and the Chancellor of the Republic stood to speak. "Honored Senators: I come before you today to ask for your wisdom on a decision that will affect us all. We have learned that once again, an enemy fleet has encroached upon our the sovereignty of the Republic."

A chorus of cries and moans in various tongues and pitches rolled across the chamber, a mix of shock and outrage and frustration - but as Ellan glanced across the chamber, he noted another emotion painting far more faces.

Apathy.

"What a surprise," he muttered.

A chime issued from the central podium. "Order, please," came the voice of one of the Chancellor's aides. The crowd quickly quieted. A little too quickly for my tastes, Ellan thought. This kind of news would have had these same Senators screaming about the defense of their constituency two years past, and screaming so loud that the chime wouldn't have been heard. And they'd have ignored it if they had heard it. The Republic was sick of war - a dangerous state to be in when an enemy was pounding at the figurative gates of the civilized galaxy.

"There is more that you, the representatives of the worlds of the Republic need to hear," the Chancellor said. "Though it grieves me immensely to bring you this news, I find that in the interest of complete transparency in this administration, I must. We will not lie to you, or keep secret from you those things which ar

 

First response!

[More here when possible]

 

Excellent work Keralys.

I'm so very gald to see that politicians never change.

Excellent characterization of Ellan there. It's encouraging to think that some beings within the governing body of the Republic understand the depth of the new threat.

Hope to see more soon.

 

You know, the more frequently you and I do that for each other, and end up being like the last people to actually post reviews, the more amusing it gets to me that we keep doing it. Though I certainly shan't complain, ner vod.

*bows* Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.

You and me both. Unfortunately, I think it really says more about the nature of humanity than it does about the nature of the politicians that over the long run, those things never change - because when it comes right down to it, those politicians really aren't terribly different from you or I.

Again, thank you! I'm glad to know there are people who really have a good feel for reality as well. The only question, of course, is what they're going to do based on that knowledge, what actions they'll be taking.

More really should be coming, and relatively soon.

- Keralys

 

Thansk for the PM and congratulations on the interesting story update. You kind of surprised me by setting the chapter in the Senate. Funny how politicans never change, even if they're in a different universe at a different time.

Mmmm, I wonders if Ellen are going to tell the Senate about his observation of the Mandolarian leader with Revan's lighstaber? And I'm curious about what kind of proposal he have and how the Senate "changed" the galaxy. Can't wait to see more.

 

You're welcome, and thank you. If I surprised you, then good! 'Twas a part of the plan. You're quite right to note that politicians never change - yet, as I noted to someone else in another story of mine recently, that's more indicative of human nature than it is of the particular group we call "politicians."

As for what Ellan is going to tell the Senate, and what his proposal is, you'll have to wait and see. But I think you may be as surprised by it as the Senate was.

Thanks for sticking with it despite the long wait. I guarantee it won't be this long again.

- Keralys

 

*runs breathlessly in* I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. You can blame DRL. We don't get along very well, and I wouldn't be opposed to sending a few curses its way.

Anyway. Fantastic job, as always, my friend.

The Republic was sick of war - a dangerous state to be in when an enemy was pounding at the figurative gates of the civilized galaxy.
I love how uncannily similar that sounds to another time in the same place. It is strange, how history can repeat itself.

I don't know what Ellan proposed, as I know nothing of the back story, so I can only take a wild guess. Somehow, I think it is something Padme might have said.

However, I love the description of this story. It is so... careful and calculated, yet terse. It is hard to describe, I suppose, in any other way but eloquent. I enjoyed this very much. Good job!

 

Loved the senate bit. I wonder if the proposal is to join Revan...

 

Don't curse it. We couldn't be here without it, and our appreciation of here would be far lower indeed without it in any case.

Thank you, my friend! I'm glad you liked it.

Isn't it, though? I think sometimes that the political and cultural cycles of any society - how they always seem to come back to the same, flawed points - are very indicative of how little man changes. To be sure, he might get smarter. But really, that doesn't make him any better, it just means he's more talented at waging war and doing the other kinds of nasty things he's all too prone to do.

Well, on the first count, you're right in the same boat as the rest of my readers - some of whom have a very solid idea of the backstory. You'll find, I thik, that the backstory will become increasingly less important as we go along, because it's going to continue developing in its own direction as a story. As for the latter part, your guess as to what he said, well, we'll have to wait and see.

Hmm. That's an interesting set of descriptors. Thank you! I'm glad you like the style; it's very difficult for me to characterize my own writing, so I welcome this kind of input.

Thanks for stopping in again, my friend.

Oh - and I love the new avatar.

Did you? Excellent! Then I am succeeding in my task!

That's a very interesting proposal as to what the suggestion might have been. Very interesting indeed. I wonder what might have sparked that thought in you.

Unfortunately, I can't comment, as that would take all the fun out of finding out what he did say, wouldn't it?

- Keralys