So NV RPG Epilogue: Vanguard of a New Era (conclusion)

Axia makes her sexy twilek way to the medbay.

 

As you make your way to the medbay, the aroma of hot, delicious food wafts to your nostrils. You are joined as you walk through the hallway by Dyson, Kleff, and Castor.

You all get there, and there is a table set up. On the table are various types of breakfast foods, including some Twilek specific ones. Seated at the table is Kal, who begins to rise. Monitoring equipment still drapes from him, but except for the paleness, he look 100% better.

"Please, Cal, stay seated," says Tira. She rises, smiles and motions for you all to sit down. "I took the liberty of preparing food to welcome Kal back from his bacta sleep."

 

Axia smiles, "Hey Cal. How are you feeling and what happened to you?" She asks, sitting down near the twilek food.

 

Cal looks at you and flashes a weak smile. "It turns out that someone on Ilum doesn't like me... when is the last time you, or anyone else saw me? How long have I been missing? Once I know that, I will know where to begin."

 

"It was awhile, I was so busy on Ilum...probably a couple weeks." Axia eats some of the food.

 

"Well after we landed," Kal begins, "and we initially met the Jedi, I came back to the ship to run some diagnostics, make sure that our last jump to get here, and the attacks from the Mandalorians didn't do any serious, long-term damage. Don't get me wrong, I really wanted to explore this place, and learn more, but I also felt responsible to make sure our ship was ok. I knew at some point we were going to leave. I got back to the ship, and found a guy poking around. He had a lightsaber on him, so I figured he was a jedi. He introduced himself to me as a Jedi Master Technician, the guy who was incharge of all things technical at the temple, from ships to sabers, and everything inbetweem. He had a staff that worked for him, but being that our arrival and our ship was so unprecedented, he wanted to come himself to check it all out. I invited him onboard, and began to show him the various systems."

Cal pauses to take a bite of food.

 

Axia continues to eat her breakfast, listening intently.

 

"He and I really hit it off. He then took me and showed me some of the tech of the jedi. Incredible stuff! We spent the next couple of days talking about various systems, and functions, and then I got to learn a great deal about new technology and things I didn't know about. It was a great time. I've got to apologize, I never even thought to check with any of you, but I figured you were all off doing your thing, and if you needed me, you would find me.

So then this old Jedi Master Tech tells me he has something for me. He says it is very special, and is the culmination of his life's work, but he wants me to have it, since he is very old himself. He hands me this magseal container, and tells me to open it when I am alone. He said something about how times were changing, and how he didn't have much time left. He then told me that he had been waiting for me for a long time. Gotta tell ya, that spooked me a little. But I figured if you are a jedi, you are going to be a little spooky is some ways.... um, present company excluded, of course."

He looks at the jedi at the table and gives a slightly embarrassed smile.

 

Axia smiles back at him. "I take it you opened this magseal container."

 

"Yeah, that's where it get's interesting... The Jedi Master Tech says that he has to go get ready for some big event he knows is coming at some point in the future. He says he has to fine tune sabers, and work on some device that will help the jedi find long lost students, or something like that. He tells me it will be the last time he and I talk. I thank him, and head back to the ship. I am really, really curious about this container, you know? It's all very mysterious. So I head back to the ship, and I think I see someone poking around near the landing gear. They're wearing these dark, hooded cloak- but that don't mean anything, that 80% of the people in this temple. So I shout out, "Hello? You looking for me?" They kinda act startled, and they slip away. I get to the ship, and I don't see them, so I lower the ramp, go inside, lock up the box, and grab a blaster and head back out to investigate. Before I can get down the ramp, the hooded cloaked guy rushes up at me, and the next thing I know, I don't know where my gun is, and I am snared up in some kind of net. I hear the ramp close, and I look up to see a guy wearing armor under his cloak pointing a blaster at me. I could feel the net stunning me, then the guys blaster went off... and that's the last thing I remember coherently. After that, I remember coming to for a short bit, being in incredible pain and feeling like the ship as moving."

He looks at all of you, chewing thoughtfully. "that guy's armor, it kinda looked like yours, Mr. Black."

He is looking at Castor.

 

Axia sits her eating utinsil down and looks over at Castor. "Do you know anything about this?" Axia asks. Its not a threatening question, not does it imply anything. It has that annoying-to-some Jedi dead-pan to it.

 

Castor clears his throat. "No, but after hearing this story, I believe I can offer a likely explanation. In the Mandalorian camp, while they seemed united in their goals of obtaining a ship and escaping this planet, there were actually two factions. These factions became distinct upon my arrival. There was one secret faction which supported the old rule, and their descendants. Then there was the other faction in power which threw their lot in with the current leader. You remember Draaco? He was sent as a infiltration agent to learn what he could of the Temple's occupants and defenses, as well as to look for the first opportunity to steal the Crucible Thorn. When he met me, that was an unexpected development. So took me back to the Mandalorians to verify my lineage- the last living member of the old, ruling family. A ruling family that had been betrayed and killed off by the current leader and his faction. Their current leader who wasn't with the Mandalorians when they crashed on Ilum, and is still in the Galaxy somewhere.

Upon my arrival, and verification of my identity, the factions polarized. Those that I could trust kept my identity a secret, which is easy to do in a community where we all wear helmets, and we established covert communications. We had determined that in the coming battle, once the other factions numbers had been whittled down, we would strike against them and take over. That is why my battle group held back in the trees for so long."

Dyson has a pained look on his face. "Please get to the point."

Castor looks at him, eyebrows knit together. "I know I have said this before, Dyson, but I am truly sorry about your mother..."

Castor looks at you and conntinues. "In any case, it makes sense to me that if Draaco had been loyal to one faction, the other faction would have known and sent their own man, covertly, to steal the ship for themselves, and thus get the upper hand. Based on your story, Kal, it would seem that the man who assaulted you was in fact trying to steal the ship and or hyperdrive, but was unsuccessful. He may have thought you to be dead, and just stowed the body. When he could not take the ship or drive, he left.

Axia, did you do something to incapacitate the hyperdrive or ship?"

Kal helps himself to some Twilek food, and looks at it on his fork, as if to debate whether or not to try it. He looks at you and says, "And was the ship moved, or did I imagine that?"

 

"I didnt do anything to the hyperdrive. Im sure Kleff would have told us if anything was wrong with it at this point, being so far from Ilum. And yes the ship was moved. It became clear to me that my ship was the most valuable item on the planet and very few people on Ilum were trustworthy in the face of that prize. So I had it moved. Perhaps the people who moved it were untrustworthy as well. It shortened the list of people that knew where it was and took all of my shipmates off the list becuase I told none of them about the move."

 

Kal replies, "Well, I guess I must have been stowed in that compartment right before you moved it. That must have been what I felt."

"Axia, you did incapacitate the ship, however. You keyed in high security code that only you knew. In fact, you only told me what it was later, so I could fly the ship. That would explain why Kal's assailant couldn't start it up and shoot his way out of the temple. Good idea, that security code."

 

OOG: I totally forgot about that.

Axia nods her head. "Right. right"

 

OOG: I know, it's hard to remember details from that long ago! No prob

 

Kal pushes his plate away. "Wow, I feel like I haven't eaten in weeks... actually, that's probably accurate. Well, that was the first thing I wanted to take care of, as I was starving. Now if you'll pardon me, I would like to take care of the second thing."

He gets up and leaves the room.

Kleff looks at you, Axia, and says, "Axia, you sure seem different. A month ago, you would have been ready to kill Kal for just being in the same docking bay when someone tried to steal your ship. Now, you seem so calm."

 

"Thank you Kleff. Although I would not wish my experiences on Ilum on anyone they did bring everything into focus for me. The Force is my guide in all things. I listen to it and it speaks to me. The force gives me strength...and peace." Axia looks at Kleff for a mooment. "Perhaps if your new found connection to the Force is permanent you too will find your way."

 

Kleff looks hopeful. "I don't know if I am strong enough to be a jedi, but any training-" He looks at Tira. "Any training at all that could help me understand or use the force... that would be great. I know that I wasn't exactly 'born' with it, and I don't know if that sort of against the rules or if it disqualifies me..." Kleff looks a bit sad. Duros tend to look sad anyway, but this expression on Kleff makes him look doubly so.


Tira says to him with an unreadable look on her face, "I'll think about it."


Kleff perks up immediately. He knows a 'maybe' when he hears it. For the first time in a long time, there is a light at the end of the tunnel of his existence. "To be a Jedi..." he thinks."... to serve the Force! What a noble existence that would be... I bet I would be an even better pilot!"

It would seem, that Kleff has checked out into daydream land, with a small little content smile on his face.

Dyson says to you and your mom, "Thank you again for taking me aboard your ship. And thank you, Axia, for befriending my mother. Whether you knew it or not, even though you were her padawan, she considered you as a friend."

 

Axia looks over to Dyson. "I believe I came to realize that. I will miss her profoundly, she enriched my life so much. Of course you were welcome on my ship." Axia falls silent for a moment, taking a drink. "Tell me Dyson. What do you plan to do once we reach 'civilized' space again? Kleff what about you?"

 

Tira looks very interested in their answers.

"I still consider myself at your disposal as a pilot, Axia," Kleff says all in a rush. "And the possibility of learning more about the force from your mother seems like it would work well with that. I mean, not that you're going to teach me, Master Doneeta. Not that I don't want you to teach me, I want you to teach me, but I'm just saying that if you do want to teach me, and I happen to be piloting for your daughter, that would be convenient. That is, if Axia, you would want me to continue to do so... umm... did any of that make sense?" Kleff looks a bit flustered and embarrased.

"I think I understand you, Kleff." Tira says, her eyes concealing a faint smile.

 

"Kleff, I know you feel some obligation to me...or worse you fear me but I assure you, you have no obligation to me and have nothing to fear. If you have something else you'd rather do then be my pilot, by all means do so with my blessing. That said, if you truly wish to stay, then you can continue to pilot this remarkable shipand I will appreciate it. Perhaps Kal could be your co-pilot, if he is interested."

 

Kleff turns a slightly darker shade of blue for a second. "Well, thank you, that is, that is really great, and I would love to stay and pilot this remarkable ship for you. Depending on how things go when we get back, I don't think you'll have to pay me or anything, I am sure of it. Wow, thanks!"

Kal, who has returned, stands there holding a box and looks at you and says, "Weellll, that is quite the offer," he grows serious and somber. "But before this trip, my father told me that if I ever made it back to the known Galaxy in one piece, he wanted me to take over his business, and so I intend to do that."

Kal looks overcome with emotion.

 

"Thats fine Kal. Continuing the family business is a noble pursuit. I hope you prosper despite the Empire." Axia says with a smile. "Dyson?"

 

Kal gets an odd look on his face, with a curious smile. "Oh, I plan on it," he says softly.

Dyson looks at you and says, "I have spent my whole life on Ilum. It was where I was born. I grew up among it's natives. I played in its jungles. The vibrancy which it had resonated in the Force- until the last few days. I felt it's pain these last few days with the dark events that unfolded there, and I felt the end as well. Not a sad end, not the end of a planet. But the beginning of something new. The explosion of Ilum was a harbinger of a new era in the Galaxy. Ilum is not simply gone, Ilum has given herself to the Galaxy. Something is different in the force. Something has changed. If we never know what it is, if no one ever feels it, I will know, for I am the Last Son of Ilum."

He looks like he is going to continue, but he notices Kal has sat back down, has placed a glossy red box on the table. The box is about 1 foot wide, by 1 foot long, and about 8 inches high. There is a small blue key pad recessed in on the top.

"Is that the magsealed box that the Jedi Master Tech gave you?" Dyson asks.

"Yes," Kal replies. "But please, don't let me interrupt you. Continue."

Dyson smiles. "It's okay, I am sure I am not the only curious one to see what is in it. By all means, open your gift."

"Weeeeelll if you say so!" Kal has a huge grin, and he codes in a key sequence into the keypad on the box.

There is a slight hissing sound, and what seems to be vapor escapes from the broken seal as the top lid slowly lifts open on its own accord. There is a gold glow that is bathing Kal's face, and his eyes have grown wide. He seems frozen in place, with a slight smile on his face as he looks down into the container.