Before - Legends The Sith Hunters - 7/22/16 - September 15, 2016....

INTRODUCTION

Nothing is more horrifying than life itself.
As we often bask in the beauty and the tragedy of fiction from here to the book store, we do so in a reality ripe with things we want to embrace and rotten with things we want to escape. Sometimes what we even like we want to escape from, for we grow tired of it, and perhaps even fear it. It can consume us, our very desires; what we appreciate, what we take for granted, what we know. It can blind us to the very reality we must exist in, and before we know it, we're entangled in a razor wire bundle of trouble, inflicting damage upon ourselves trying to escape.
Nothing can be more horrifying than life itself.



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Hello and Welcome to the Fourth Volume of the Gessa Saga, The Sith Hunters.

The Gessa Saga began officially with The Dark Hope back in October 2000 with the first prologue, set across time Before the Saga, followed by the main story in what would become the annual release date for all Gessa Saga stories: December 15, 2000. Along the way TDH -- as it's known to the fans -- had sidestories written along with it to compliment it and tell all the backstories that were not covered in the main story; they're like after thought prologues that answered questions that readers may have had about something, and thus it aided me in writings in the long run.

Volume Two, The Fading Light, continued the horrible trials and very turbulent tribulations of Juna Rapier, now ten years older with ten times the problems and the lure of the dark side of the Force a hundred times worse. It is also revealed that all that was certain is in fact not. Where TDH was nothing was what it seemed to be, TFL turned the philosophy right back on itself.

Volume Three, The Sith Maiden, shows that some of the well hidden secrets of the previous two stories in the Gessa Saga are revealed in past prologues and various flashbacks later in the story. It's shown that everyone's plans, from fan favorites Naressa Rapier, Palpatine/Darth Sidious, and the Gessa Saga major villain Magus Prophet, were just helpful schemes for a never ending Sithian spirit that seeks revenge against her very own daughter, and uses the entire galaxy to do it. The story itself was difficult to write for yours truly, especially with the passing of my Father during the key ending of the story, leaving me in a state of finality with the ending of Volume Three instead of attempting to go the entire six proposed volumes. But the fans had the information I felt they needed to complete the Gessa Saga on their own through their imagination.

After two years worth of attempts, I have come back.

And now, Volume Four enters very familiar territory in more ways than one.

The bulk of The Sith Hunters takes place during The Saga Era, and from here on end of the Gessa Saga. The Prologues, you will discover, start in the Before the Saga era, but for the convenience of the story the 'Past is Prologue' will stay with the main story here in The Saga forum. The past in all the stories is an important teacher and guide to the elements of the present.

I did my damnedest best to keep up with the ever changing continunity of Star Wars universe, but gave up during the writing of The Fading Light when it was revealed, to all our horror of horrors, Jedi were forbidden to marry; after years of years of Jedi marriages and Jedi children that were so heralded, the Flannel One throws a fast ball at our head. I tweaked and tweaked and created plot devices that worked around these ever changing problems, so yes consider this fiction Non-Canon.

But for the most part, given SW's vast storytelling galaxy even on Coruscant itself, I was able to build and create the pomp and circumstances that eventually lead to the key (NOTE: BORING!) circumstances that occur in the Prequel Trilogy. With the creation of my own characters I was able to tell very unique stories and keep it all going in the same general direction.

The Sith Hunters Main

 

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away....

THE SITH HUNTERS: PROLOGUE ONE: THE RECALL

Note: Takes place approximately one thousand years before The Sith Hunters

The skies of the Republic?s capital, Coruscant, were nearly clear of smog and debris three hours since the cause of it, the previous day, had ended. Things happened on Coruscant, people had to move and walking was not an option: those who walked never made it on the planet that was one large city built on so many before it. Always hustling was Coruscant, always bustling was the aristocratic society that grew used to the overpopulation just has it had gotten used to the bureaucracy, and just had it gotten use to the Sith War, the war that had long ago stopped crashing their shores but still was fought by the brave that were far wiser if credit foolish.

Such a thing, the early morning, to those who lived in such trivial times that had a chance to bare witness to such a late hour appreciated the irony of clearing skies in the middle of the night. Such a thing to see the real stars in the skies beyond the starships that had traded and defended the center of all that was known, for in this era the lights of the city did not blind the heavens nor anyone?s dreams. One still had to be quick to achieve something on this world, and that meant they had to be awake. This was the metaphor of the time, such a early hour of dark, clean skies and bright white stars, for this was when hope could be seen but only if the people were awake and out of bed to see it. Asleep: this was the people of Coruscant, this was the Republic, that never faced the continuing terror of the Dark Lords of the Sith. Until the ramparts were breeched once again the citizens just accepted the war that had been going on for over five thousand years.

The Sith War was an unprecedented event of evil that would never be equaled, for nowhere in history did such a war last so long, took so many lives, have so many ebbs and flows. A war that just seemed like many skirmishes and misunderstandings and isolated incidents to those Asleep to its reality; those who were involved, from the warriors that wrote the history and the historians that lived to tell about it, always took exception to the snoring. The Jedi and the Sith and the war they fought against one another was very real to those unfortunate enough to had awaken to the sounds of their own murder. The Jedi, fighting for every free person in the Republic, lost too many to the Sith through death and desertion over the many and many years. The only comfort was the Sith found ways, always, to destroy themselves and each other. Still it was no comfort to the Awakened; even those Awakened that had survived the reality of the ongoing war. It made it all a terrible shame that the Asleep only dreamed the horrors of the past. Time and history made the atrocities fade away from the collective majority of the Asleep; there was no difference between the one person that had died yesterday on the streets of the city during a mugging and the one billion people that had died all at once when the Sith destroyed the world Ambexius, only twenty light years away from Coruscant, just last year.

Until the ramparts were breeched, the Asleep laid in their beds, unaware of the clearing skies and bright stars that shone. Little did most know there was a five thousand year old war still raging throughout the galaxy. There were some that preferred it that way. That was the hustle of Coruscant, the center of all politics in the known galaxy. Everything was debatable and nothing was sacred: people were elected and appointed and given power nonetheless if they would have thought nobly and wisely and honorably otherwise. War was no exception to this rule; only the serious fought it, and only the weak benefited from it: those who could not fight for themselves were not blameless for they chose those who deceived them on a regular basis. Some of these chosen were Senators; some did these deeds for their own benefit; some

 

And so let the politics begin!

... and Gessa's return is cheered as that of an old friend's.

Rune!

 

Thank you so very much, Delight.

Call upon the universe: Big Daddy Evil returns and he brings the krayt dragons with him!

The Gessa Saga is really looking forward to ruining your home towns!

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The new booths of the Senate Debating Chamber were as comfortable as ever and some of the Senators wondered if this was the night they were going to use the newest repulsorlift technology to move them. The antigravity modules had been an exclusive propriety to the largest of starships, but for years such an energy consumer it was not economically feasible to convert the generators into smaller modules. So, the Senate funded the new building to have the smallest available repulsor generators available on the market to move their booths around the chamber, particular towards the Supreme Chancellor?s chair in the middle, replacing the track rail system of the past. Of course the small repulsor was as large as one member the Hutt species; those booths were too spacious and allowed more than the elected representatives in them. Everyone then took full advantage of them with their entourages, as well as they took their time.

The time was given to them because Supreme Chancellor Boud had not arrived. This frustrated the biggest power players of the Senate; Vesgevi could be heard by everyone as he shouted for over a minute at anyone in his booth. Senator Murat chuckled and turned in his chair towards his neighbor, Senator Bobo.

?Hey Bobo,? began Murat jovially, ?do you need a universal translator for Vesgevi?s racket??

The Rathian Bobo only clicked his pointed snout and teeth. ?Are you too full of humor? He is a child of words; anyone can understand a child!?

Murat whistled and said, ?Careful, Bobo, we might spike your worms with antacid tabs.? Before the two could continue their joking Murat?s men let him known of the arrival of Renvarient. ?Yeah let the little squib in.? He remained seated while the mousy man entered. ?Well, what is it??

?Senator Vesgevi has sent me to find out if you know what this meeting is all about?? questioned the nervous Renvarient.

?Son, I?m like my seventh mistress: I don?t have a clue.? Murat looked around the chamber once and said, ?We?ll know once the others show up. I guess that?s why we haven?t seen Boud yet. Why don?t you go find Realla Cavalo? She must meet with the Supreme Chancellor before the session starts, and as you can see she?s not in the center queue.?

Renvarient took a look around the chamber, which was many sizes too big for the current membership; the expectation had always been that once the Sith War was over for good more independent systems would join the Republic and begin the official rebuilding. With all two thousand members in chamber it would still appear very empty, but the small numbers inside now made the place pathetic in purpose. Renvarient looked below at the center queue, which was just below the Chancellor?s podium that raised from the bottom of the chamber, which was linked to the Chancellor?s office. Cavalo was not there.

As Renvarient left Murat Senator Quazo Qwe squeezed by and gave no indication that the Human was there even though he had praised him only minutes ago. Qwe was not stopped like Renvarient was. Murat sighed a bit, expecting the Sullustan on this, such a nervous night filled with the unknown.

?A word in private, since you gave one to Vesgevi?s pet,? mused Qwe, but it wasn?t in jest, and it begged differ his actions just one second prior to speaking.

?Everyone take a long step away,? he muttered to his entourage. Once it was done, Murat said quietly to Qwe, ?Feeling a bit trapped all the sudden??

?And you?re not?? Qwe shot a look over his shoulder. ?This sudden meeting cannot be a coincidence. We will be hearing about Pennece, I?m sure of it.?

?Only you and I know about that,? stressed Murat, gritting his teeth. ?The Dark Lord only gave us Pennece, and we did the responsible thing here. Whatever happens, happens. Get some sleep why don?t you

 

If you get the gist so far, rival politicians here in the story have the same information, going through the same Sithian source, but they think they have the edge over their rival because they are the 'only one's' with the information. Classic!

Anyways, more old and familiar names emerge: one of them.........will surprise you.

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Renvarient?s next stop was Senator Uto, who was a good friend -- if there was any in the Senate -- of Vesgevi. He was not amused by anything at the moment. ?I do not know any more than Bartello. There is Cavalo.? He pointed his three eyes towards the center queue. ?Ask her. It appears we have time before the session starts.?

?Asking? for anything while Cavalo was in the center queue was not easy; for one thing Renvarient couldn?t reach the center queue unless he walked on air. He left Uto?s booth to find an empty booth to use the communications system there to talk to Cavalo. He signaled for her with the equipment, causing her to unusually jump in surprise. The woman, to Renvarient, looked unusually pale and took the time not answering Renvarient to look around the chamber. After a few long second she answered.

?Senator Cavalo, this is Maroki Renvarient, assistant to Senator Bartello Vesgevi,? began a concerned Renvarient. ?Are you all right? I?m over here.? He got her frantic attention with a wave of both his hands. When she finally saw him, he did his best to give her a big smile and asked, ?Are you all right??

?F-Fine,? she sputtered. Cavalo opened her mouth and nearly vomited. She then sucked everything back in and said, ?I?m fine. Just?.it?s just the hour. Just the hour.?

?Well, then, Senator Vesgevi would like to know why this meeting was called. What is the Chancellor Boud?s reasons??

She only repeated, ?Just the hour, that?s all.? She looked at him and sighed, ?I?.really can?t say.? She looked around dutifully and expressed, ?I just can?t say.?

The Senators at that moment all got a collected shock when their booths secured themselves from the hall and floated away the doors. Every booth that had life on it, including poor Renvarient?s booth, floated away from the security of the walls and towards the central platform area, where the doors to the Chancellor?s podium below parted and his speaking podium began to rise.

The anticipation levels were based on who knew, even with the new shock of the booths moving away from the safety of the walls on their very own. Senator Brickenbridge kept a straight face at the beginning; Senator Bedia was sweating unnaturally for someone her age. Senators Murat, Qwe, Talvackia, and so many others were in a state of constant uncertainty, forcing them to be eager and forgetting they had no control over their now moving booths towards the rising center podium. Senator Vesgevi was beside himself and really to attack with vocal venom until he noticed the contents of the Chancellor?s Position; he was the first to do so since he was incensed by the late night call to order.

Behind the Senators as the booths moved towards the middle the guards of the chamber took up positions at the open doors that once connected the booths to the outer hall. Some began to shed their ceremonial garments -- better known as Alphadrobe -- so they could openly reveal who they were. To add to their identities they quietly removed lightsabers from their respected hiding places.

The Chancellor?s Podium was too large for the three main chairs it housed; the Chancellor, the Speaker, and the seat Senator Realla Cavalo was nervously in. The two seats below the Chancellor were not hard docked to the podium so it joined it on its way upward. Senator Cavalo joined the party that filled up the available space of the podium. Amongst the seven worn looking Jedi Knights was a man of high Republic Navy uniform; gleaming white and bright amongst the followers and purveyors of the Light Arts of the Force. It was not hard for the many Senators in the chamber to concentrate on the military officer

 

Everything is starting to piece itself. Great, great begining, Casper.

I apologize for my late reply but unfortunately I've been busy this week.

I look forward to more.

 

Thanks, Sara, no worries, no harm! Canada is a busy place...

BTW - Not only does the Boston Red Sox's new pitching coach give the team 'hope', the new coach brought along her left handed prodigy with his 'wickedhad' fastball.

[image=http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff134/Neiliomedeilio/Leia_chewbacca_baseball.jpg]

Note to Batters from Manager C-3PO: let the Wookiee win.

More soon.

 

great story so far, keep me updated please.

 

Good stuff.

Lots and lots of familiar names, Casper!

Hetfield Ulrich, huh?? Nothing Else Matters!

Can't however, recall to great detail where Maroki Renvarient first appeared, only faint memories of decoys of sorts. Vesgevi, well... Hmm. (I must be getting old. Three volumes of minor characters -> quite a lot of names to remember!)

Biographies!

 

sdhfs: Hey, thank you! I always appreciate new readers. Welcome and enjoy!

Delight: In The Sith Maiden (beginning with Chapter 2), after Darth Rune conquered Korriban and the Sith Order, she accessed the Naressa slicer program and with the Sith Order-provided identification of Maroki Renvarient she would create the mutual fund-stock funneling account that implicates Naressa and involved the Vesgevi family on Dantooine. Because of the name Maroki Renvarient, Surmon Vesgevi knowns that the Sith Order is contacting his family, who were conspirators with the Sith (as you will soon see here). Darth Sidious also used the identity in order to access the funds. Ultimately the Maroki Renvarient ploy launched by Rune was designed to not only implicate Naressa in the murder of Pirus Krendel and Edwaru Kurr on Hapes, but draw both Naressa and Sidious to Dantooine to fight one another; to which Rune tricked Surmon Vesgevi to use the Son of Xulm to try and destroy them both............. WHEW! Can you tell I wrote this in one breath?

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There's a reason why this prologue is called 'The Recall'.

It's ambiguous title has several meanings and they're all in here. As Delight pointed out Hetfield Ulrich made his first and last appearance in 'Nothing Else Matters', the leader of the Sith Hunters Dor-Li Nimh sends out to finish the Sith. What no one knew was the events that lead to the beginning of 'NEM'. For instance, as the next part here shows, Admiral Ulrich was old before he had begun his Jedi training: the first inkling that the Jedi Order was doing everything it could to finally win the 5,000 year old war.

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?Preposterous,? Senator Talvackia carried the chorus of his peers. There were many denials from all parts of the chamber. ?There are no Sith here!?

?Given how quickly the Sith trap unfolded on Pennece, I beg the differ!? The retort came from a middle-aged Human Jedi. ?The mission there was only known by few! Most of those few are now dead! The rest of them are in this very chamber, to which one of you has killed Boud!?

?You can?t be serious!? Senator Murat just shook his head vehemently. ?This is just the excuse for your coup!?

?It?s a valid excuse,? said Admiral Ulrich forcibly, but he kept his eyes locked solely on Senator Vesgevi. ?The evidence bares it all out when it is considered. For years and years, long before any of us lived there had been chances to end the Sith War, end the Sith for good! Something always came up, something always got in the way! Too many times, it began in this very chamber and others like it!?

Vesgevi did not like Ulrich?s stare for a lot of reasons, and he was suddenly afraid those reasons would be revealed. ?We call that rotating, Admiral. It?s as old as politics itself!?

?It isn?t rotating when the facts are true and they correspond with what is happening now, and what should have happened! Cavalo, the Chancellor?s mandate!? The Fleet Admiral looked towards the woman, who immediately followed his instruction with shaky, white fingers. Everyone?s monitors were filled with a Letter of Mandate, baring the official and encoded signature of the late Chancellor Boud. Some of the Senators read it, but not surprising to the Jedi in the middle of the chamber others did not.

Ulrich said to Vesgevi alone, but loud enough for all to hear, ?Because of Pennece, Chancellor Boud was going to declare Marital Law. He realized, finally, the Sith threat was still alive and very real. I was advised by him to draw up the quarters, even the protection measures that would decertify the Senate.?

There should have been outrage, but there was none. The news was chilling, but the participants receiving it did not know how to react. To fake emotion to those who could sense such lies or care less about them seemed imprudent.

?He had told others senior in status in this very Senate off the record,? said Ulrich, ?but he confided in me who they were. That was the Sith?s first mistake, the assumption that Bou

 

Thanks for the bios, Casper. Much appreciated.

I have a bad feeling about Maroki Renvarient... Will he live?

Good post!

 

No Problemo, Delight: Sometimes I wonder if I need to start a Wiki page because even I at this point have to go through a lot of chapters because I don't quite remember stuff.

Then again, Wikipedia.....it causes cancer.

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?Stay where you are, Darth Kravous,? said Master De?leu to Renvarient, slowly dropping his Jedi robe in the process of facing the unassuming man in combat. The other Jedi Knights either dropped their robes or just took out their weapons. The tension in the chamber escalated; Senators were wondering if their Jedi bailiffs at the exits were going to let them out before chaos made its inevitable appearance. It was very apparent to them as well that Kravous was not going to save them either.

?Stay? Stay? Oh Master Jedi.? Lord Kravous pulled from his Renvarient clothing a scripture capsule used by the assistants of the Senators to transport private papers. He thumbed the diode on it, and a very real red light grew long from its minor form. ?You offer me no incentive to stay!?

The Jedi Council began to move in different directions almost as one. Darth Kravous made a sweeping motion with his weapon from left to right; the booths, with Senators in them and their assistants, flew towards the central pillar. The Jedi had to take different approaches, and to the Dark Lord?s unhappiness none of his foes stopped to save the people falling to their doom. The Jedi covering the exits did not even make a move. There was going to be no escape for the Sith this time!

Darth Kravous leapt immediately towards the podium as the Jedi were just a second away from getting him; Yassa missed killing him on the pass. Bravous landed and cut Senator Cavalo?s screaming head off of her body, and then tried to lower the podium to escape through the Chancellor?s office. The terminal was locked.

The Jedi Master Velduth cut his descent angle to engage Kravous quickly. Kravous snapped his hand towards him, hitting Velduth with Force Lightening and used the act to toss him at the approaching Dor-Li Nimh. Nimh moved his weapon quickly to avoid slicing Velduth in half.

Kravous leapt towards Senator Talvackia?s booth and reached the desperate Senator after slashing through his support group. With careful swipes he had disrobed the Moorduian. Talvackia tried to attack Kravous, but the Dark Lord was too fast, and his festering young under his skin slowed him.

Yassa was leaping quickly with two other Jedi Council members right behind him. Just before the trio landed Kravous violently lanced Talvackia?s right arm with one slash, sending gestating Moorduian at the approaching Jedi, covering their chosen landing site with greenish goop and unborn life. Lord Kravous cut into a bellowing Talvackia repeatedly, and then used the dark side to throw the young at the approaching Jedi like throwing knives. The display of horrific violence caught the Jedi unaware and drew sinister laughter from Kravous? throat.

Master De?leu ran the foul gauntlet and managed to reach the booth. Kravous engaged De?leu immediately, trading short swings. It was apparent they were equal in skill, both relying on a half guard style that banked on one?s failure to over-extend themselves. Talvackia was cast aside by Kravous to limit his errors; Talvackia was dying, and in his shock attempting to put his children back in him.

Locking blades and stares momentarily, De?leu cursed at Kravous, ?The dark side is lost! The terrorism of the Sith dies here, my Lord!? De?leu moved Kravous easily with his lightsaber pushing against his foe?s weapon. He would not admit it, but Kravous could feel his strength in the Force waning too quickly. ?You can feel it in the Force! It?s over!?

?I only feel your stinking breath upon my NOSTRILS!? Kravous backed De?leu quickly and jabbed. To De?leu?s surprise the Dark Lord?s blade found his chest. ?Now SPIT YOUR LAST BREATHE AT THEE!?

?NO!? Dor-Li Nimh bounded across two booths instead of the four that would have been necessary to

 

There are two kinds of light--the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.
-- John Thurber

An apt quote, I think, for our minor sith lord facing the end of his days, or rather, seconds.

Good stuff. Will we see more of Dor-Li?

And Wikipedia and ... cancer? It can't be!

 

I couldn't say it better, Delight. Thanks for the quote!

It was another illustration of the weakness of the Dark Side as the galaxy entered the Age of Light that would last for a thousand years, Gessa Saga time.


GESSAHOLIC'S NOTE
The 'death of Korriban and Sith' event was mentioned very little first in 'Nothing Else Matters', but given a bit more clarity in The Fading Light, Chapter 2.0. Prior to the chapter's introduction of Nebula Nimh Ryder (Mother of Fawni and Faradi Nimh(Darth Rune), Grandmother of Naressa Rapier, and Great Grandmother of Juna Rapier), the chapter describes Korriban and how it became the dead world it was at the time. Here is the crucial passage:

During a time after the Sith rose to prominence and formed the Sith Order religion and proceeded to seek out revenge against those who had chased them away eons ago, the many Sith warriors, wizards, witches and the like began to let the very power they wanted to use to dictate their actions and fulfill their need to be greatest of all the Sith get to them. In a horrific clan war, magician Amu Caru was destroyed by his own magic when he was unable to complete a spell incantation fast enough as required to vaporize his greatest enemy Lord Darth Tudan. The energies erupted, taking Caru, Tudan, and thousands upon thousands of others in a death sweep. Ever since that day of death many a final outcome came from it, one of which was for many years Korriban being an almost dead, unable to grow anything world

.

Just as the Republic and the Jedi had trouble ending the war on many occasions, so did the Sith. Finally, with so many Sith dead, the balance of Light and Dark in the Force tilted violently to the Light, weakening the strongest of Sith and making the weakest Sith powerless; the purer blood of Darth Bane and Luna Mystery kept them both strong during such a 'terrible' time for the Sith. But as Dor-Li Nimh (Darth Nefarious, the Great Father) would point out to Darth Sidious at the end of 'The Sith Maiden' such a imbalance in the Force is destined to be horribly, but necessary, corrected.

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MORE STORY SOON!

FORWARD!

 

There was some movement but barely from the lungs of those not Jedi, those who were allies of the Sith. A pause after the death of Darth Kravous was followed by Admiral Ulrich leaping back to the center podium. The leap was very Jedi like, beyond the normal capabilities of his old legs. No one was impressed; not the Jedi who were used to such things; not the Senator Traitors that were deeply terrified.

?The War of the Sith is over,? declared Admiral Ulrich, making it so whether it was official or not. He was correct: it was over. ?The Enemy runs from the ever growing light of justice that shines upon it, and the traitors of the galaxy are all right here. Not all of them, but the most important of them all, for you all know so much.?

Becoming more straight backed, Admiral Ulrich said, ?This will be said only once, and for your sakes you will agree to it. Though the Jedi don?t believe in capital punishment I, Admiral Hetfield Ulrich, a man of high military standing have no qualms dragging all of your heads across this galaxy! Treason is an unforgivable offense; treason for political gain is far worse.

?Therefore, I am assuming the role of leader of the Republic at this moment, and I order you all here to confess all of your crimes against the people! These will be public confessions! You will not hide behind your spin doctors! You will give us all that you know about the Sith you obeyed and those you know of that are still out there! You will resign in disgrace, ladies and gentlemen!?

Admiral Ulrich looked amongst around at the stunned Senators and added, ?If you fail to comply, you will die. There will be no judge, no jury to decide guilt. Only executioners.? He then added, ?Oh, and there is no negotiations here. I will be coming to you, one at a time, and the answer better be ?yes, I will comply?.?

Looking towards Dor-Li Nimh, Ulrich said, ?This will be my last act as Admiral of the Fleet, Master Nimh. Forgive me, I must do my duty.?

Dor-Li only shrugged his shoulders and said, ?Do what you must if you believe it serves the Republic best. I may not approve, but then again it isn?t in my authority to disapprove it either. The Jedi Order must regroup and notify the rest of the Senate of these turn of events.?

From across the way, Senator Bartello Vesgevi discovered he had a voice. He barked in defiance, ?Treason! I?m treasonous! The other Senators will not accept our coerced confessions! They will not accept the military?s command of the situation! You will hang, Ulrich, I will see to it.?

Easily Ulrich hopped from one booth to the next until he was in the Dantooine booth. Vesgevi shied back as Ulrich removed his service blaster and pointed it at him. The Admiral asked him, ?So?your answer is no, you won?t comply.? He began to squeeze the trigger with no doubt in his eyes at all?.

?NO! I MEAN, YES I WILL COMPLY! DON?T SHOOT!? Vesgevi realized he was not immortal; he no longer had the favor of the Sith, and soon he no longer had the favor of the Senate. He and the others like him in the chamber were through. The lives they had known were over, but unlike Darth Kravous they ironically lacked the coward?s courage to die.

Again Vesgevi measured Ulrich?s serious eyes and very tense right trigger finger. The Admiral of the Fleet could not be more serious unless he went through with the very real threat. Vesgevi said, ?I?.I?ll tell you everything. But?what do I get in return??

?You live,? said Ulrich loud enough. He looked over his shoulder at the podium, and there Yassa keyed a button and left. In all the booths the audio/video systems came online. The new Senate House was state of the art, including the feature of using a holographic system to transmit debate here and abroad; it also recorded, which made it less easier for others to conveniently confuse the voice as someone other than the original person speaking. The new system for recording and documentation was Vesgevi?s idea. How he scolded his own ideas now.
___________________________________________________

TBC

 

The process drew out for considerable amount of time, lasting well into the next morning; the remaining, innocent Senators had to begin their closed door session in the old Parliament Rotunda. The Jedi Order had long since organized itself, and it?s appointed Senior Jedi Master of the Council Dor-Li Nimh spoke to the Senate, detailing what had occurred. Dor-Li assured them that they and the military had no desire to run the Republic as he gave them the names of all involved with the Sith. The list was updated in real time the longer Ulrich pressed the issue in the Senate House. To no surprise to Dor-Li, but to the shock of the other Senators, forty more Senators were added to the conspiracy list. The Jedi had long figured there were more players than just the Senators they did know about.

Admiral Ulrich?s presence was more than enough to illicit so much more. Hours would pass and he was tireless as the arrested waiver with the lack of rest. Through their confessions so much was revealed. Along with the forty other Senators involved four of the six Supreme Justices of the High Court were identified, leaders of seventy-nine worlds, hundreds of smaller government representatives and judges, numerous public and private individuals, and incalculable numbers of methods and means for the Sith to operate within the Republic. If information was a traded mineral Ulrich struck the mother lode.

Still, some of these revelations were shocking. Senator Cecl Bedia, of all people and from Alderaan of all places, stored currencies for the Sith to access, right from the royal bank. Given what the Sith had done to the Sullustans, Senator Quazo Qwe?s alliance with them would give his people and the rest in the Senate a cold shudder. Senator Bobo had lost his mother and brother and many friends in an assassin?s attack that had been Sith coordinated; he confessed to giving the Sith Lords the security route, hence he was a significant part of that conspiracy.

It was a good day for the good guys. Not once did Admiral Ulrich have to threaten anyone again, and not once did he have to kill those that were his prisoners. The Senate did not have a debate on what to do: they kicked their fellow peers out of the Senate; each measure individually crafted and baring the name of each one involved with the Sith. To the chagrin to many, there were too many involved with the Sith that lost only their power; they were free, and to many that was a fine gift. It was old favors to old friends, but even they knew their old friends were finished at their respected homes.

Late in the time of confessions, no closer to the end, Admiral Ulrich gave the remaining Senators a little respite to conference with his Jedi Master. Dor-Li Nimh awaited him in the Supreme Chancellor?s office; the newly appointed leader of the Republic, Conrado Pongwel, was not to occupy his new space until Ulrich was finished.

?All goes well on my part,? said Ulrich to Dor-Li. ?You?re the head of the Order now, Master??

?I am, and recognized as such by the Senate,? assured Dor-Li with a small smile. ?I did not seek this Hetfield.?

?But it is a burden you will accept,? said the Admiral. ?I speak from experience, Master. I was given command long before I thought I was ready. It isn?t easy, but I have confidence in you.?

Dor-Li nodded in appreciation, but the sigh left his mouth nonetheless. ?What we did was very aggressive.?

?Necessary,? said Hetfield. ?Master De'leu would not have done it without evidence. We had it, Dor-Li, and we had to act. The democratic process had long ago been circumvented. If we had used it as it stood now, Darth Kravous would still be consulting Supreme Chancellor Bartello Vesgevi.?

Hetfield Ulrich put an elder hand on his younger Master?s shoulder. ?You defeat your enemies absolutely, Master. When they are weak, you finish what they had started. Just as there is a light side and a dark side to the Force, there must be winners and losers in life. I for one prefer to be a winner.?

?You will always continue to think like a military man, He

 

It looks to be a very interesting road ahead of them yet too. Great updates.

 

Thanks, Sara.

Essentially what I wanted to do, in the context of The Saga and how it relates in to the past and to elements of reality is that history had a tendency to repeat itself. The Trojan Horse alone was unique, but the tactic of the Trojan Horse has been used over and again in various ways. Most often its the scheme that wins, not works the best, that has people use it over and over again to achieve.

And again it kind of shows how the Sith back then -- as they will in The Saga and the Gessa Saga -- worked the Senate and maintained a veil of secrecy. As Bendian Rapier would say, they are playing 'The Game', which will be shown in closer detail in 'Prologue Three: The Pulpit Bullies'.

But that's leap frogging 'The Phantom Menace', where one question will be answered, and many more raised.

FORWARD! And remember, join The Thorn Party!

 

Nice one, Casper!

 

Thanks, Delight-ful!

More eventually very soon.


PROGRESS REPORT: I am working on Chapter 35 in the main body of the story, which is in Act Two. Story currently weighs in at nearly 4 MB. Average chapter is about fourteen pages in length.

"Diplomacy is for prey."
- Rose Faith, Chapter 5

"....You seem to forget the Idea of the Mutinous Nature of Assembled Moving Parts.?
- Juna Rapier, Chapter 5

As before, more very soon.

FOREWARNED!

 

"I will make it legal!"

- Darth Sidious

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With the way 'The Sith Maiden' had ended, pretty much I had left it up to the reader's imagination to figure out what had happened between the end of that story and Episode One. And I could have left it as that.

But there laid a problem of clarity. Which choices were made and why? Was the Invasion of Naboo really just to get Palpatine the High Chair of the Republic, or was it just more than that and the Sith's 'official' return? When I began to write again, this was originally going to be an epic battle-like prologue, a piece of the Battle for Naboo. But as I wrote that and a long Prologue about Angelleia growing up, both lost purpose. It also lost to my disinterest in continue the Gessa Saga. I deleted those prologues before I gave up; when I came back, they were still gone.

In its place is story elements never really explained since 'The Dark Hope' that continued on through 'The Fading Light' and 'The Sith Maiden', and will continue into 'The Sith Hunters' (What is Project Wettlespear?). Of course 'TDH' was a mere child of thought compared to the next two stories that revealed some of the older details of the Rapier Clan Dynasty.

And there was more to Galactic Republic Senate 45293482039202 than what was revealed...........

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THE SITH HUNTERS: PROLOGUE TWO: THE PHANTOM MENACE

Tidal Shift

If there was ever an overstatement of the truth it was this one: the planets that had respectfully made up the Trade Federation and the Royal Nubian States and its citizens rarely ever got along. They were societies that were off on their own tangents from philosophy to commerce to the different races that comprised the populace, and it was debatable to say which society was better. Those of the Trade Federation were often quick to act without thinking, a flaw that was born from their greed yet it had served them and the Republic they were apart of very well against common threats. Nubians, for most on the other worlds had their roots born from Naboo the central world of the realm, were overly conscious of themselves and held a passive vanity that made them weak, but there were few that had great valor and answered the call when many did not, and those Nubians were far better remembered by their enemies than by their friends.

For many years the squabbles between the two powers, represented by the Neimoidians of Cato Neimoidia and the Nubians of Theed, were nonviolent and often petty; cruel words and the expected political maneuvering so close to their ports and far away in the Republic Senate. There were exceptions to these expectations; not to say it was perfect, that the posturing still did not occur, but it was still very mutual and civilized. In the modern times, before the vanquishing of Evramora, there were alliances in the form of common purpose, between the Barrows of Dus?keel and the Royal Family Clans of Krendel and Rapier. In respect of the times: Trade Minister Hidu Bog of Neimoidia, Pirus Krendel of Krendel Fisheries, and Senator Bendian Rapier, also Chief Executive Officer of Rapier Technologies.

All three parties involved were at best just associates, but they did not try to fool each other. They were honest liars, or the true definition of honorable thieves. They played ?the Game? as they called it: the game those of power and privilege enjoyed playing; that which gave them some intangible pleasure they could measure. They understood each other as players of the Game; masters with plus factors in every political stat.

Hidu Bog had inherited the position of third in line of leadership as Trade Minister of the Trade Federation; an honor before Arbiter of Inventories and Viceroy. Bendian Rapier and Pirus Krendel were unfriendly political rivals to begin with; the Rapier Clan Dynasty having held the Seat of Nubian Senator for

 

And make it legal, you will!

Good to see the story moving into the TPM era. Looking forward to more.

 

I loved how it flowed into TPM time. Great updates!

 

The previous 3 volumes of the Gessa Saga needed to bridge themselves to TPM, so everything here would make sense. If there was a blessing to some of the prequels, it was that they kept rather key points vague and the lead up to it very vague. That allowed me to say 'okay, in 'The Fading Light' the Trade Federation gets caught trying to kill the Heroes and the Nubians at Sanctuary so....Valorum and the Senate penalizes them with taxation on their trade routes'. So as a reflection that happens all the time in the real world, a good intention or a penalty suddenly becomes something that is exploited at the expense of the punished, and more often than not the punished use that to take it out on their selected foe. Darth Sidious, in the case, just urges the Trade Federation to act on this very point after the Senate as a whole -- through Sidious' influence -- ups the ante and increases the punishment until it reaches a breaking point.

There's actually a more detail explanation to this, a history lesson of sorts, from Neimoidian Branch Lur (first appeareance, The Sith Maiden (High Inquisitor made to leave the Trade Federation because he believed in Naressa's innocence)) in Chapter 7.

For now.....the continuation....

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Blockade Minus Three Days

It had only been two months since Queen Amidala had won the Throne of Naboo and one month since her Royal Coronation. Always the capital of Theed moved with the pace of the Queen, easy and slow and only beginning to gain a feel for the new surroundings. She was fourteen after all, and in spite of her training Queen Amidala was relatively new to the deeper power structures of her own home world, of how the Royal Court of Naboo truly worked. This also went for those new to the processes.

Such as it was for Terra Mirdaduine, a young woman who had befriended Padmé Naberrie before she became Queen Amidala. Terra was later in her teens and had a few more years experience in Theed politics; her special interests was in communications and summons, having spent some time interning in her great uncle?s office -- he was Gambrie Tandern, Governor of Palesdia. Queen Amidala put Terra in charge of high inquiries, taking communications from unannounced transmissions from very important people. She would listen to the people in question, determine the importance of the message -- often asking advisors if it is something she cannot handle -- and then either pass the message along, schedule a transmission or even a meeting for another time, or connect the messenger with the Queen right away. Often Terra would get the first contact of many meeting seekers.

Terra occupied an office with as many as ten operators with the duty of sorting and answering both written and holographic communications. It was often one would alert Terra if the transmission was important. This day was as unique as they came. One of the operators, old in her years, said to her much younger leader, ?Miss Mirdaduine, I have a transmission from the providence of Iossessa. It?s from Rapier Manor.?

The other operators stopped what they were doing. Terra was slow to her feet but beyond that she took this news seriously. ?Does it say from who exactly??

?The transmission signal bares the Royal Encrypts,? said the operator. ?It is the Lady Angelleia. Should I patch the transmission to Queen Amidala??

?No, we follow the Queen?s new protocols,? instructed Terra. Indeed the system in place was brand new. Queen Amidala was being ransacked by so many she devised filters -- like Terra?s group -- to sort through it. As it stood, all messages -- All Transmission unless ordered otherwise -- went through Terra. ?Send the transmission feed to the private office.?

Terra entered her private office and took into consideration what the transmission may be about. Queen Amidala, who with no backing of any kind, won by a considerable landslide; so much so the Governors of Naboo did not see the need to recognize a Royal Second Elect, in this case a Princess Elec

 

Great start.

So Juna is going off planet?

Or maybe not...