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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Star Wars Star Wars: Episode IV: Twilight of the Force: A Father’s Legacy - Game is now OVER!

Discussion in 'Role Playing Forum' started by Sinrebirth , Nov 20, 2018.

  1. JediMasterAnne

    JediMasterAnne Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 24, 2004
    OOC: Finale post approved by @Sinrebirth :D[:D]^:)^

    IC: Chancellor Feyna Organa

    Senate chambers

    Nervous as she was, Feyna still managed to return Winter’s smile, though once she ascended the dais and the cameras started recording, she kept her expression more neutral.

    She’d made speeches before; her parents had made her practice plenty, of course, as public speaking was an occupational necessity, but it was not her favorite aspect of diplomacy, and she’d only given real public speeches on a couple of occasions, and nothing nearly on the scale of what she was doing today. She was about to make the most important speech of her life, that would set the tone for the future of the entire galaxy.

    “Citizens of the New Republic, peoples of the civilized galaxy…today we mark the official end of this brief and bloody Galactic Civil War, of the Cold War that preceded it, and the realization of a goal that began nearly nineteen years ago, with the founding of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, the goal of a hundred systems to see the return of democracy to the galaxy. The era of the Empire is over, and the time of the New Republic has come.

    “This past week…these have been dark days. We’ve seen battles at Mandalore and Korriban, invasions at Naboo and Chandrila, the devastation at Kashyyyk, Mimban, and Coruscant, and the complete destruction of my homeworld of Alderaan. We’ve lost families, friends; allies, colleagues, so many of our representatives, and innocent lives beyond count. We’ve lost the Jedi, barely back on their feet after their first catastrophic loss, nineteen years ago this day. The actions of former Emperor Mas Amedda, through his duplicitous manipulations of all sides of this war, have left deep wounds on us all.”

    She did not mention Graul here; he wasn’t innocent by any means, as his lack of control over the Empire had resulted in the attack on Chandrila, and Garm’s death, but he was still a victim of Amedda’s deceit. And perhaps she was naïve to think it, but she did believe that he had genuinely hoped to forge the peace that Amedda had falsely promised them.

    “But if the last week has shown us anything, it is that we are strong. We’ve come back from so much loss and despair, we’ve fought back, and we’ve won. The Death Star and the Ultimate Weapon are destroyed; the Separatists and the Empire are defeated; Amedda is dead.” For sure, this time. Zorn might not be trustworthy, but Feyna did believe him on that.

    “And we’ve seen the birth of a New Republic.

    “I cannot name every single person whose actions have contributed to this victory, but I will name those that I can, because they deserve to be recognized for their part. Some are no longer with us, so it is that much more important to remember them, to not forget their efforts, and their sacrifice.

    “Admiral Gial Ackbar; Commander Wedge Antilles; Senator Garm Bel Iblis, as well as his aide, Irenez, who facilitated my escape from Delaya; Airen Cracken; Saw Gerrera; Galen Erso and Arek Graul, without whom I would not have survived Alderaan; Jyn Erso; Ka’rta of Clan Dar Solus; Mirdala Cabur of Clan Ordo; Mandalore Madelyn Linnett; Han Solo.” His deception with the crystal still irritated her, but he had still gotten the crystal off of Mimban, had fought to protect it from the Separatists and the Empire, and had helped Feyna and Winter get off of Takodona, so she still mentioned him. “Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Argilan Zey, and the rest of the Jedi Order; Winter Retrac; Anakin, Padme, and Leia Skywalker; Chancellor Mon Mothma.” She paused, fingers tightening around the edge of the podium as she blinked away tears. “My parents, the last Queen and Viceroy of Alderaan, Breha and Bail Prestor Organa.”

    ‘…keep a clear head.’ Her father’s last words to her ran through her head, steadying her; a little emotion was fine, but it wouldn’t do to break in front of the entire galaxy. ‘Love you, Feyna. Your mother and I both.’

    “The ninety-eight Republic Senators, as well as several members of the former Imperial Senate, who died at Alderaan for their hopes for peace. The Republic Fleet that was decimated at Alderaan. Fighters at Takodona and Mimban, Mandalore and Korriban. Millions whose names I do not know, but who should be remembered and respected, nonetheless.

    “Special thanks must be given to our military commanders for their services in the recent days as well; Supreme Commander Raddus, General Dodonna, General Syndulla, Admiral Piett, Prince Isolder of Hapes, the Senex Lords, as well as the leaders from the Commonality and Centrality, all of whom are to be recognized for their leadership and cooperative efforts at the Battle of Korriban. It saddens me to announce that General Dodonna will begin his retirement after today, well-deserved though it is, and I wish him the best, and thank him for his years of service.”

    She was sorry to see Dodonna stepping away, with the difficult recovery process ahead, but he had definitely earned his retirement, and Feyna still had Raddus, Syndulla and Winter to help guide her.

    “With the end of this war, we can start to focus on reconstruction. Reparations need to made. Structures, cities, whole worlds, need rebuilding. New homes and assistance for the displaced. Our own government has to relocate, in light of the destruction on Coruscant, and I have nominated Corellia as a temporary capital, until the damage to Coruscant’s Senate sector is repaired.”

    Had Chandrila not been attacked, Feyna probably would have chosen it as the new capital, but Corellia was the only major Republic world that had been spared from a direct assault. They’d lost Garm, but the planet itself was unharmed.

    “We can finally start to heal. It will be a long process, and I won’t pretend that it will be easy, but we can heal. We can mourn, we can rebuild, and we can move forward, and continue to work together toward a peaceful and unified Republic.

    “This peace is not a gift. This chance was not given to us. We fought for it, we earned this victory, and it was bought with the blood of Alderaan, of Mandalore. Mimban. Chandrila. Naboo, Kashyyyk, Coruscant. We’ve paid a heavy, heavy price to stand here today, and the moment we take that for granted, is the moment that we dishonor the sacrifices that have been made. So many have died to bring about this New Republic, and we owe it to them to protect it, to preserve it for future generations.

    “Long live the New Republic!”

    TAG: @Sinrebirth ,Everyone :D
     
  2. AgentViper007

    AgentViper007 Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Mar 9, 2005
    OOC: A combo with @Sinrebirth :D

    IC: Pascale Rouser
    Location: Firenze, Nouane City, Nouane


    It felt good to be back in the civilised galaxy.

    Whilst traveling back he had managed to catch up on what had happened. The Empire, Separatists and Rebels had become the New Republic and with neutral factions even joining in it was one hell of an Alliance. No reports on Black Sun or the fate of other criminal organisations, perhaps they were laying low, and with Black Sun seemingly without an Underlord whilst Pascale was missing they had decided to probably lay low and lick their wounds until they could come back at least with a fighting chance.

    He wondered whether he would ever work for them again.

    Unfortunately he was also catching up on the war that had now come to a close. Coruscant burned, no doubt started by either Ananke or a fellow Sith, Mimban had been devastated after he had left with the Separatists but it seemed also Mandalore and Kashyyk were not spared either. He thought about Ka’tra and Linnett and hoped they both escaped unscathed. The Ultimate Weapon had been blown up too and Pascale was not sorry to see that go.

    The sad thing was that he no longer would have a job at the moment, but new opportunities would arise. New worlds to explore that had never been explored or opened before, and perhaps even in the time of peace the criminal underworld would still thrive. His reputation still preceded him.

    He was beginning to wonder why he had chosen Nouane, if he wanted a libar he should have gone to Obra-skai. And was it not a rival of his that once said if you wanted to be a good archeologist you had to get out of the libary?

    Perhaps he just fancied a bit of peace and quiet whilst researching.

    He brought Firenze in to land after receiving instructions from the ATC. As the ramp dropped he spotted a blonde haired man in a brown cloak with a gold cross on his chest was there to greet him. He had a handsome smile, adly it wasn't a lady that greeted him.

    "Welcome, visitor to Nouane," he called to the ship. "I am here to complete your orientation of our small world. Unlike Obroa-Skai, which pronounces its prominence to the rest of the galaxy, Nouane opts for a much quieter approach to history."

    Pascale’s clothes looked a little worse for wear but at least he had managed to get some sleep, have a good meal and a drink, non alcoholic this time.He smiled back at the man.

    “Thank you, I have heard your libraries are legendary which is why I have come, to research planets and sites I may wish to visit in the future. My name is Doctor Pascale Rouser, I am an archeologist and I am here to not only look at galactic history but to look at yours as well. A quieter approach would be a nice change”

    The man's expression seemed to change slightly, and the blond canted his head slightly. "Doctor Pascale Rouser, you say? That cannot be the case I am sure I saw an arrest warrant for a gentleman under that name, by the New Republic. Are you sure?"

    The man didn't make any move to hurry, and the Force didn't warn Pascale of any danger. There was merely curiosity that echoed out from the blond, and a good-natured humour. "That's quite a reputation behind you, um, Dark Underlord, was it?"

    Well it looked like the wider galaxy had gotten word of his ascension, albeit brief to Dark Prince and Underlord of Black Sun.

    And oh fabulous, I have an arrest warrant on me.

    Even though he had dealt mostly with the underworld, he had never had an arrest warrant against him. Mostly because the Empire and Rebels also warranted his services and they didn't want him on the run or they would lose a good client. It seemed the New Republic had decided to clean house as it were and Pascale was now a target just because he had been a crime boss for a short while.

    So much for his reputation…

    The Force wasn't screaming at him so this man was not about to get on the comm to the authorities. It was more humour and curiosity. Strange.

    He smiled his blue eyes brightening after that speech “I am pretty sure, last time I checked I was still Pascale Rouser” he chuckled “I was Underlord albeit for a brief time, suffice to say I am probably no longer Underlord now since I happened to pop into the outskirts of the galaxy for a bit. However I am more well known as an archeologist and collector of rare antiquities. I have studied and researched many places and treasures but I am looking for a new challenge and it seemed Nouane is a good place to start on my new quest”

    He kept the smile on his face “No doubt if I find something the New Republic wants they may reconsider trying to arrest me.”

    "I appreciate your honesty, and tact, Pascale Rouser."

    There was a moment where the man smiled, quite broadly. It was obviously a politically sensitive matter to accept a war criminal into their midst, though said fact would need to be proven in a court of law. That would take some time, and more than not. "Then it would seem appropriate that we reject your approach, and let the New Republic know where you are."

    That amusement flooded into the Force.

    The blonde quickly added, however. "But Nouane is unlikely to enforce the warrant. We have no military stake in the peace. We were independent for longer than the Old Republic existed... and we shall be independent long after the New Republic falls."

    "So you may stay, if you can answer two questions to my satisfaction." His expression grew carnivorous, but playfully so.

    It seemed this chap was thinking it was all a game, and Pascale was tired of playing games. However he would keep his cool and carry on, it was the gentlemanly thing to do.

    "Well that's a relief" he said good naturedly " I am sire you will not regret forgetting the warrant perhaps you will be visited again by myself. Perhaps I will even tell my esteemed colleagues of your hospitality"

    His face turned slightly serious "However, how do I know you are not some cult member trying to get me to join or perhaps relive me of some credits?" He pointed at the cross at his chest "You.must be part of some religious sect to wear that"

    He folded his arm across his chest, the smile returning although the carnivorous look the man was giving him was unsettling "So fire away or lose an opportunity to have a respected archeologist pay you a visit"

    The man looked down at his robes. The cross was running around his shoulders and waist, a literal X, rather than with a horizontal and vertical. "I confess to being an admirer of the Sages of Dwartii, yes, I do. I have no desire to recruit you though, Pascale Rouser. You are welcome to Nouane."

    "The X is merely that of a heretic; it makes me as a recusant - for it is believed that we are all heretics, because of what happened in the dim and distant past." He shrugged, and began to turn. "You do not need to follow me, I simply wanted to meet you. That is all I ever do."

    A smile out of the side of his mouth; sardonic. "Meeting students and finding them masters."

    "A herald, perhaps."

    This was getting weird. A heretic, here?. It seemed there were a few people who thought the Sages of Dwartii were like Gods. He did wonder a little as to what had happened here, someone must have done something bad enough for some of them to be branded heretics.

    "I wonder what it is you are heralding" Pascale said his arms still crossed and not moving from the ramp "And you would not meet a potential war criminal unless you had a reason to. And who would be this "Master" if I were so inclined to become a student"

    The man turned away, walking slowly forward. "Who knows? Perhaps I was merely curious what a 'war criminal' look like."

    The sun was setting on Nouane. Twilight draped across the City, birthing new shadows as the angle of the dipping light changed the world around it. Dusk was upon them, binding them in its embrace. The Force dimmed, quieting.

    As he was leaving, the blonde looked back and smiled. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself."

    "My name is Ike."

    With that, he traipsed off into the City.

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
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  3. galactic-vagabond422

    galactic-vagabond422 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2009
    (A finale written by myself and @Sinrebirth )
    IC
    Ka'rta
    Mandalore

    Ka'rta watched them leave, slowly, slower than she would have liked...coming to terms with her feelings. It took a lot for her not to feel a bit of anger at their leaving. It was for the best, their lives were going very different directions. Taking another breath she turned to Mirdala still standing some distance away. Was he waiting on an invitation? She shook her head wiping away a tear.

    "You going to stick around?" She asked her eyes locking with his. "Help me clean up this mess?" Letting out a breath she looked away. "Cause if I have deal with this you have to. Don't want to be stuck with the Mayda'lor for the rest of my life."

    Mirdala met her eyes, hardening them to meet her glare, and then she looked away, surprising him. But, she was more vulnerable now than she had ever been, and Mirdala knew that made her dangerous... and probably Ka'rta knew it too... that she had looked away meant...

    He stepped forward, holding her upper arm as he turned her back to look at him so he could meet her stare. "You gonna let me stick around if I want to?" He said, just as sharp, and also just as openly. He was letting her hurt him, and she was, he hoped, letting him hurt her - because that risk was worth it.

    She huffed a little, but didn't remove his arm. Any other time she would have torn it off her and twisted it behind his back. He would of course respond in kind, just like their verbal sparring.

    "We just fight and bleed for the freedom of Mandalore, so you can do whatever you want." He voice held as much bite as his. "It's not like I'm the Shabala manda'lor, I can't banish you far reaches of the galaxy..." She stepped closer to him not breaking his gaze. "I guess the question is do you want to? I'm not the kindest of persons, you might get hurt if you stay."

    "You too, y'know," Mirdala said, conscious that there were centimetres between their faces. "I have my own chequered, tragic past, too. Parents dead in the Clone Wars, fighting for Maul; burned the idea of serving anyone but my kin. Cui ogir'olar," he said, focused on her. "I want to, because of whats in it for me, and that's you."

    He didn't kiss her. They'd kissed before, but it had been all about fear then. They hadn't fought together; bled together; lost comrades together. It didn't make sense to start a relationship on the basis of sex, but stranger things had happened. If anything, the act before had created a pressure upon Mirdala, at very least. "Cin vhetin, and all that."

    "Oh, so we can be broken together." She shoots back not stepping away even though she could feel his breath across her skin. There was a part of her that just wanted to kiss him right there, and find a closet somewhere...like their first encounter. That was a different time, they both thought they were going to die, that they were marching straight to their deaths and that they might as well have one last ride.

    Now they were alive, and she got the sense neither of them expected that. They were still trying to figure out what this was. Was it still a physical attraction, something made in a moment of weakness, or was this a relationship, something forged in the crucible of battle. She guessed there was only really one way to find out. Closing the distance her lips met his and she waiting to see if that spark was still there...

    He met her lips with a ferocity undimmed since their last encounter. In that kiss he wanted to convey that she had made him feel alive, and he had no intention of letting that go. Not now, and not ever. In the wake of death, he had found life, and in the wake of life, he found that he felt a different emptiness when he thought of her fire leaving his life.

    Mirdala wouldn't have it.

    He wouldn't push, he wouldn't beg, and he wouldn't expect her to either.

    But the simple fact was that he was not going to let this go.

    Never.

    She felt it right away, the flame, the spark, it was still there. It touched a part of her that she never acknowledged never allowed herself to feel. So long had she buried it under being a professional, being a mercenary that fought and killed for a living, that would be dead the very next day. She never had something to live for...someone. There was a part of her that was filled, that stopped hurting when he was near. Her life had been pain and misery for far too long, maybe it was time for something different. A different kind of pain. Though she might just leave the misery behind...Her teeth nip at his lip, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to remind him of what she was.

    "You..." she pulled away just a little, not realizing that her hands had moved around his waist. "Sure you want this?...All of this?" The grin on her lips was dangerous and predatory. "Think you can handle this?"

    "If you break me while I am having a good ride, what is there to complain about?" Mirdala returned the grin. "I could be too much for you to handle, yet." He enjoyed the competitive edge to things already.

    Mirdala could tell that this was going to be very, very fun.

    "Come on, before we make a scene in public. I feel as if I haven't showed since the war began." He wrapped his arm around her waist, ignoring that she had pulled back, and dragged her inside.

    "There hasn't been much I can't handle." She shot back. As he tried to drag her she dug in her heel a little not making it easy on him. "You think you can just drag me around?" Her brow arched as she began to walk with him. "I think we could both use a shower...Together." There was no shame in her voice, no shy blush on her face. Some part of her hand always wanted this. Now she had it, and she wanted to make up for lost time.

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
  4. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    Combo with the amazing Sinrebirth ^:)^

    IC: Aryan Graul and an Elusive Stranger

    Orbital Station, Bakura

    Bakura was a world on the fringe of the galaxy, a rich, green jewel nestled between the isolated edge of the Outer Rim and Wild Space. It lauded itself as a thriving center for both commercial and industrial development, so naturally, it became an important stop for tourists, business personnel, cargo pilots and smugglers, and a host of other drifters who found reason to travel through this sector of space. And yet, despite its sprawling spaceport and flourishing economy, it was still far enough out from the galactic core to serve as a sanctuary for those who did not wish to be found.

    More recently, it had turned its efforts toward providing aid for the refugees and other vagrants displaced by what the government had now deemed the Galactic Civil War. That is how Aryan Graul had gained access so easily. After dumping the Imperial shuttle upon arrival, he had simply integrated himself with the constant flow of beings entering the orbital station high above the planet. He realized that he was not completely out of place; like so many others, he was only seeking asylum after so much hardship and tragedy. Perhaps he could also use some guidance to carry on in a changed galaxy.

    With his datapad in one hand and a travel duffel slung over the opposite shoulder, Aryan passed through the final checkpoint and followed the crowd through the access corridors until it deposited them into the station’s central hub. He immediately gasped and stumbled forward, suddenly overcome by a myriad of sensations and perceptions. It was a cataclysmic eruption of emotion – chaotic, disorienting, and loud – that threatened to completely overwhelm him. He knew it was the Force resonating in those around him, acting as a gateway into their hearts and minds. It was his first real experience in a much larger world.

    Was it always like this?

    Aryan found that it was mildly frustrating to find his focus. He was unable to perceive individual thoughts or identify any of the distinct personalities passing him by; it was one indistinguishable blur. And if he was having difficulty filtering through this constant cacophony, how was he projecting himself toward others, particularly when it came to hidden dangers, such as other Force users? He was likely broadcasting his location like a beacon, leaving himself vulnerable in the worst possible way. It was all the more reason for him to learn control and to find a teacher who would help him hone his skills.

    What he didn’t expect was to potentially discover one so quickly.

    As Aryan attempted to diminish his presence by concentrating his attention elsewhere, in this case, it was on his datapad and the recorded HoloNet broadcast of Chancellor Organa’s first address to the galaxy, he felt a very strong impression reverberate through the Force. Or rather, three impressions. They broke through the chaos that had engulfed the space station’s hub to provide a moment of perfect clarity. He could detect their unique personalities with ease, each one so vivid that they most certainly belonged to a trio of powerful Force users:

    One shone with the light, emerging in his senses as a pure, luminous flame of white; another rested in the deepest shadows, emanating with the same kind of impenetrable darkness that had encompassed Darth Ananke; the final one drifted between the two extremes, appearing vague and mysterious, more of a neutral force than a destructive one.

    It was a rather daunting task to decipher and choose – if that is what he was even supposed to do at this point. He did not have a clear direction, but he knew that if he continued to wander, he may not have another opportunity to achieve his goals, much less survive. With his new abilities, it was only a matter of time before he became a target. If Ananke herself did not come to dispose of him, then someone else will. Aryan wanted to be ready; to take the initiative. If not for himself, then for Arek.

    Turning back to the three auras, Aryan realized that only one called out to him in any profound way. It was the one that was most like himself, straddling precariously between the light and the dark, yet still seemingly on a straight path. He did not like to associate with labels such as good or evil; he was only trying to survive...to do his best. It made sense in his mind, and he decided on the spot to seek out this being and start his journey anew.

    Perhaps this is what they meant when the Jedi referred to the will of the Force, he thought with a wry smirk.

    Tucking the datapad back into his jacket pocket, Aryan ran a hand over his stubbled jaw and set out in the direction of this elusive presence.

    It was not long before said presence found him, as if one had locked eyes with Aryan in person. She slid away from his attention the moment that he felt the sensation, becoming all the more, yes, he had the exact word coined; elusive.

    There was a clear sense of a presence niggling at the corner of his mind, tugging at his peripheral vision. It was not a busy area, and there were all manner of cargoes and barrels dotted about, creating their own matrix of shadows and shapes throughout the area.

    In due course, the sensation became prominent upon his left side, almost as if there was someone pressing a hand to his cheek. Of course, when that became so, a voice rippled out to his right, among a draping of shadows in a desultory corner of the hangar. It was arch and female, and it was both jagged and subtle.

    "You sought me out, over those I track. Why, Aryan Graul?"

    Aryan spun on his heel, the sudden intrusion taking him off-guard as her voice projected from the opposite side of the hangar. He could still feel the lingering effects of her caress upon his cheek; it wasn’t a physical manifestation, but one she had impressed upon him through the Force. It was subtle, yet deeply overt in the way it had led him to this specific location, a luminous presence that he found impossible to resist. He hardly noticed when he ended up in a far corner of the station, meandering through a labyrinth of storage containers in some forgotten depository. As he now stared across at the flickering shadows and waited for the woman to materialize, he knew that this was right; he felt certain about being here.

    “Intuition,” Aryan called into the murky darkness, his voice firm and unrelenting. He inclined his chin as he searched the area with his eyes, adopting an air of confidence that did not betray the surprise he felt at her knowing his name, nor that she was willfully hunting the other two beings. “Pure, simple intuition. It has served me well over the years, and I would not have risen through the ranks to achieve all I have without it.”

    He loosened his grip on the duffel strap and took a cautious step forward. “You are also different from the others,” he continued evenly, narrowing his eyes slightly as he tried to assign words to what he was experiencing. “Not as transparent as those who attach themselves to either the dark or the light, filled with...conviction. You have a purpose. Adaptable…resilient.”

    Aryan paused, allowing himself a crooked smile. “You remind me of myself.”

    “The ranks, yes...” Her new voice resonated with a differing timbre, because she was actually there, came from another direction. The tall woman was clothed in a grey robe, her hand resting on an ornate lightsaber hilt. White hair spilled down out of her cowl, which framed doubly a narrow and pale face, intelligent eyes peering out.

    “So your intuition has failed you utterly, no?” Willowy fingers splayed on her free hand, palm up, as if accepting a conclusion upon it as weighted. “You have lost everything, Emperor. A week as ruler of the galaxy; all your dreams fulfilled by an alliance with a Sith, no?”

    Her hands settled on her hips. “If I remind you of yourself, then it must be a historic version of you; from the ancient past.” She raised her chin slightly, hurling out her next words. “When you were not poisoned by ambition.”

    “You say that like it’s inherently bad,” Aryan stated firmly, studying the lithe woman as she emerged from the shadows and approached his position. She felt like a perfect enigma through his new senses, the Force encapsulating her in a shroud of intrigue and mystery. His eyes hardened under the harsh criticism, but despite the tension that hung between them, he took it all in stride. In fact, the smile on his face only continued to grow. It has been a while since he last debated with someone he considered an equal, and he was enjoying the challenge.

    “No one can succeed without a healthy dose of ambition,” he continued in a matter-of-fact way, his complacency shining through in his tone and demeanor. “It is a major force for personal growth and development...for those who wish to be more, know more, do more, give more…have more.” Inclining his chin, he took another step closer. “It’s about taking control of your destiny through willpower and determination. To know what you want and what you have to do to get there, seizing upon every opportunity even when it hurts.”

    His expression sobered at the reminder of Arek and all he had recently lost, his emotions briefly flaring with anger and resentment. “I have...failed, yes,” Aryan admitted with some shame, his jaw clenching bitterly. “But I was foolish and weak, woefully unprepared to deal with the situation. It was something I didn’t understand.” He glanced down at his hand, almost as if he could perceive the power resting there. “The important thing is how you overcome such failure; you have to be able to pass through it and draw strength from it.”

    Aryan exhaled through his nose and canted his head to stare into her cowl. “Meeting you was no mere coincidence...I view it as an opportunity.”

    There was a pause as she absorbed his monologue. Lots of Sith metaphors within that language, but she had never been too convinced that the first politician wasn’t a Sith.

    The woman slowly regarded Aryan Graul, allowing the moment to drag.

    “I’m going to allow you to understand my view of you.” She stepped forward towards the man. As she did, her hand now held her lightsaber; she was wary.

    “You’re too harmless to kill outright, right now, but you’re too dangerous to leave alone,” she said with some finality. “That makes you my responsibility, because you sought me out. I can’t pretend that I didn’t see you while I track the others.”

    It was inconvenient, but it was a good sign; he could have sought out the others, and it proved that he had an adult view of the Force, and his abilities. It was the only reason she was humouring him.

    There was that condescending smile again. “But I can’t do both. The other two will likely sort out their inevitable conflict without my input, but they might not. I might need to step in, but instead, I’m going to deal with you; that may mean making you dangerous enough to kill you, or, I’ll set you on a path that will make you into a force that moves the galaxy forward.”

    The woman shrugged. “Either way, you have to come with me, as an apprentice, or you can prove that you are dangerous enough for me to kill you by your egomaniacal nature - that power has completely corrupted you.”

    “Your choice.”

    A surge of pride clenched at his chest when she announced her decision to take him on as her apprentice, though Aryan did not act upon it. Instead, he offered a small nod of understanding, his expression becoming an emotionless mask. He knew he had to tread carefully in her presence. “I only wish to learn,” he said with conviction, his eyes never leaving her form.

    Once again, he noted her references to the hunt and how it was important to track down the other two beings; no doubt she had the mind of a trained assassin. It was a curious notion, but he could not interfere, especially when she had already warned him about his aggressive tendencies and how that could directly affect his progress. If she had determined that it was prudent for her to intentionally abandon her mission to concentrate on his training, then he couldn’t afford to fall out of her favor or to betray her trust.

    Perhaps it was even a test…

    “They took my son away from me,” Aryan continued in a quiet tone, his voice barely above a whisper. “I owe it to myself to be prepared…it won’t get any easier.”

    He pursed his lips, momentarily losing himself to his grief, but he quickly shook it off and carried on in a more confident tone. Even the wry smirk returned to his features. “So, to who do I extend the honor of calling master?”

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
  5. TheSilentInfluence

    TheSilentInfluence Retired Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 15, 2014
    IC: Madelyn Linnett
    War Room, Mandalore

    Madelyn felt startled at his words. She gave him a strange look and quietly asked, because she had to know and Madelyn was starting to feel uncomfortable. "Fall? To the Darkside Master Yoda?"

    Yoda nodded, slowly. "See it, I did. A red blade, and red book, that you held close in the dark. You were older than you were now." He hmmmed. "Speaking in many voices, you were. Three, if not four, all talking in your head... pain, terrible pain, filling your veins."

    He met her eyes. "This future, happening, it is not; a possible one, it was. Always in motion, the future is." He reached for her, and placed a hand on her knee. "But one such future, it was."

    "That potential, there is within you."

    Madelyn frowned, feeling as if his words were true. "How do I keep myself from going down that path Master Yoda? I have people to take care of now." She shut her eyes, gently brushed the force and opened them again. "I am a Jedi and Mand'alor. It feels right to me Master Yoda. I'm happy."

    "Then care you should, young one," Yoda said. "If you think of others before yourself, you will not fall. Your identity as a Mandalorian - it will require you to put your people first, at the expense of others still; you will have to walk that difficult path as their leader."

    "Once you realise how to do that, a Knight you will be," the Grandmaster said with some satisfaction.

    "A knight?" Madelyn sounded upset. "You would really do that for me?" She asked quietly. Madelyn sighed and nodded, "I'll do what I can for my people Master Yoda. But there is one other thing...I asked General Syndulla to take me to Lothal for a visit. Do you think I should meet my parents?"

    Yoda looked back at her. "Always focused on the future, Padawan."

    He whacked her with his walking stick. "Listen to me, did you not? Always in motion is the future. Focus on the here, and now, you should. The past, it is pain. Your friend, Ka'rta, she knew that. So focused she did on you, and the present."

    "If you try to find your parents, your decision, for you, it will be."

    "Ow!" Madelyn shouted. She rubbed the spot where he hit her and grumbled. "Okay okay. It was just a thought Master Yoda." She smiled slightly at him. "So I focus on the here and now...and whatever happens will happen." She looked amused for a second, and the old Madelyn shone through.

    "Can you ask the force to get me a boyfriend?"

    Yoda rolled his eyes, and stood up. “Ask your friend Ka’rta, you should. Has a way with boys, she does.”

    The wizened troll paused, and grew more serious. “Her - Ka’rta I saw; too. A hardened, broken shell of a mercenary, she was. Feyna; a spy, hollowed out by her empty past. Rouser; more of a bumbling fool than ever.“

    He peered off. “Fourteen years from now, I saw them, in my meditations many years ago; before Anakin killed Darth Sidious... a glimpse of his children, I had, and grandchildren, too.”

    Yoda looked back. “These things I saw, they were possibilities, but ones which have faded now. I could see you and your friends no further than that point. Wonder, you should, because I will be unable to.”

    He began to fade, and become translucent, even moreso than before. “May the Force be with you, Padawan Linnett.”

    "And also with you Master Yoda." Madelyn replied quietly. The future is always in motion. She looked thoughtful for a moment and stood back up, moving towards the centre of the war room to the table constructed in the middle that showed Mandalore and its systems.

    Now I just need to figure out Mandalore's.

    Tag: @Sinrebirth
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2019
  6. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: The Narrator
    The Galaxy

    The Galactic Civil War was over.

    As with all wars, such a state was a temporary affair, and it was inevitable that conflict would break out anew. Whatever loose ends from the actions of the Heroes of Galaxy, reluctant or otherwise, would pool together and birth a new threat, or split into half a dozen issues for the new regime to face. But the status quo of nearly two decades - it was broken.

    The Separatists and Empire were gone, and, in an unlikely event, the Republic had reunified most of the fractured galaxy into the New Republic. With a released exhalation, peace was due to wander the stars, the shadows momentarily forgotten in the joy of what was to come.

    In the Senate, an exchange of thanks for Jan Dodonna and applause from a thousand and more Senators, all resonating through the chamber for Chancellor Feyna Organa, who had her temporary position ratified by a unanimous vote almost immediately, and Corellia confirmed to be the capital. The neutral worlds appealed for membership, and the criminal clans rushed for the relative safety of Hutt Space. Treaties between them and the Republic would inevitably tease away a great deal of the remainder tension, and the Hutts even made reparations to those worlds they had despoiled and abandoned - fearful of the trials against Imperial and Separatist War Criminals that had risen up.

    However, several of the greatest of those war criminals, Pascale Rouser, Qi'ra Ananke, Aryan Graul, and Lyz Graul, evaded notice and indeed when New Republic investigators followed them into the Unknown Regions, on the basis of directions that Grandmaster Ood Bnar had supplied to the also missing Mace Windu, they found an island shattered by some kind of conflict, and the corpses of Lyz, Arek and personal effects of Ahsoka Tano; information which was returned to the offices of the Chancellor in due course.

    Little did they know that Pascale had headed to Nouane on the tip-off from a cloaked-man who claimed to be responsible for changing the reality they lived in, and that Qi'ra Ananke, following the instructions of a mysterious Holocron of Braata, headed to Malachor. Pascale sought a quieter path than that of the Underlord of Black Sun, which had faded into nothing following the in-fighting after Rouser vanished so soon after the last Underlord was killed. For Qi'ra Ananke, she confronted the shade of her late master, Darth Maul, once and for all.

    Mace Windu had followed his intuitions to Mortis, though his path was untraceable by any. The mysterious realm swallowed up his ship, and moved on, as it was want to do. The mysteries of a realm that the Father, Son and Daughter had died in would take time to discover, but without a Jedi Order to govern, Windu, who had discovered that he had not been meant to survive his final confrontation with Darth Sidious, would need that time to find his new place in the world.

    That left Aryan, who met a mysterious woman on Bakura. She eventually revealed herself to be An'ya Kuro, slyly telling him that instead of her other moniker - the Dark Woman. The Force users she had been pursuing, the madman Ku'ar Danar and former Jedi Callista Masana, they continued to wander into the Unknown. For Aryan, he had the opportunity to rebuild himself without his wife and son, for better or for worse.

    On Mandalore, the hard-won peace forged by Mandalore Madelyn Linnett and her friend Ka'rta, enjoined with Mirdala, would need to be secured by the restoration of the planet, paving over the divisions caused by the historic Mandalorian Civil War once and for all. In time, the world would be rebuilt and reinvigorated, strengthening the other systems of the sector and giving rise to a strong, centralized warrior race once more. What little remained of Death Watch in the hearts of men and women died out, and no attempt to resurrect the groups would succeed in the face of the independence that Linnett and Ka'rta defended.

    In the way that endings were, there were epilogues... and they were to come now, in the months after the Battle of Mandalore.

    For of course, I have not made mention of Anakin Skywalker nor his son, Luke.

    TAG: @JediMasterAnne, @galactic-vagabond422, @HanSolo29, @BobaMatt, @TheSilentInfluence, @QueenSabe7, @Jerjerrod-Lennox

    @DarkLordoftheFins, @LordTroepfchen, if you would post as discussed
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2019
  7. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    OOC: This is the end of this chapter of Twilight of the Force.

    I would like thank you all for your contributions to date. The next Episode will be up shortly, and all players will have an automatic place within the next game.

    I would like to make a special mention to Obi-Wan Kenobi, played by @Lawbreaker, and thanks for the time that Leia Skywalker, played by @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, Han Solo, played by @RachelTyrell, Darth Maul, played by @SirakRomar, and the cameos of Wilhuff Tarkin, played by @Darth_wanderguard, Natasi Daala, played by @Lady_Belligerent, and Xoxaan, played by @TheSithGirly. All contributions were appreciated.

    The game has been quite the enjoyable one, with a few twists and turns (from the players and the GM, I hope).

    I would be grateful if any OOC comments are left until Fins and LordT have posted up, but, from the depths of my heart, thank you. This was never intended to be an epic romp, but it became one thanks to the exuberance you all showed as soon as the game was suggested. This has been a pleasure to GM.
     
  8. LordTroepfchen

    LordTroepfchen Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2007
    R2D2 and Darth Zorn
    Near Naboo and all over the galaxy

    The little droid was always resourceful. He had jumped the X-Wing close to Naboo and dialed into the holographic network. He used Padme Skywalker's codes inherited by her son to authorize a galaxy wide transmission. Nobody had cared to revoke them as it had been generally considered they were lost with her death.

    Then he uploaded the holographic file Luke Skywalker ... the droid still referred to him by that name ... had handed him over and faithfully activated it to play.


    A man appeared, hooded and in black robes. He appeared on every holo-projector in the galaxy. Only those familiar with him would recognize him right away. He stood in a large room, with a Throne towering behind him. The record came from the now destroyed Ultimate Weapon. His voice was mocking as he began to speak.

    "My sincere apologies for this interruption. I hope I do not disturb the celebration of all the victories you have achieved. Freedom has been demanding such a high price, did it? Well, not for all of you. What did I hear when they killed all those billions on Alderaan? Nothing but obedient silence. Who hunted down the betrayer of all your dreams? Emperor Amedda? Did you Feyna Organa? Anakin Skywalker? No, he made a pact with him! The Jedi? Dead. No, you all just cowered in the corner afraid of him. I can calm your concerns. The pretender on the throne who has played such wicked games with you, I am sure the revelation I have slain Lord Wyyrlock will add to your delight. He has suffered defeat like so many of your enemies. So who am I? Your savior? No. I am not your savior. I am Darth Zorn, the Dark Lord of the Sith. I am your inevitable downfall."

    He paused and removed slowly his hood, showing the cold features of his face and the glowing yellow eyes. He had physically changed. For weeks only anger had sustained him. His features were haunting, his burning eyes now withdrawn deeply into his sockets. He had aged beyond the days he had spend. When he spoke his voice was a hateful hiss, barely concealing the storm of feelings raging under his surface.

    "I believe it is time you understand your victories will be your defeat. They are meaningless. Your hope will turn to suffering. This galaxy has not given birth to a reign of peace and prosperity. It had given birth to me!" He let the message sink in before continuing.

    "Your leaders will bow before me or die. Your lives will end and when they do your screams will fill the galaxy. No Jedi or fleet, nor any miracle will save you from my wrath. I will come when you least expect me and I shall unleash terrors on you ... you cannot even begin to imagine. Only one path leads to my mercy. The man responsible for all that is wrong with this galaxy must be handed over to me. The man who abandoned you in the moment of your greatest need no longer deserves your loyalty or your protection. Hand me over Anakin Skywalker. Hand him over to me and I shall spare you. Deny me what I demand and you shall suffer consequences beyond your imagination. My eternal peace is inevitable. I am ... inevitable."

    With a smile and a gesture he killed the transmission and left the galaxy in silence.

    It was the silence before the screams began.

    Far away from the little droid Darth Zorn closed his eyes and felt ... everything. In the force trillions of lifeforms echoed and he knew he would erase each and every one of them, until only the Dark Side remained or his father faced him.

    Then he would take his destiny and become the Chosen One. The Sith'ari.

    It was ... inevitable.

    Tag: @Sinrebirth, @all
     
  9. DarkLordoftheFins

    DarkLordoftheFins Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 2, 2007
    Combined with @Lawbreaker



    Anakin Skywalker
    Dagobah

    Yoda had once taught him that some places were so powerful in the force, they actually diffused the presence of any force user nearby. They had searched many for the Sith Lord in the Clone Wars and one of them had been a desolate swamp planet with a cave so bathed in the Dark Side it felt almost physical there.

    Anakin had found the cave easily and had spend his first week building a hut nearby. Food was plenty. Roots and reptiles mostly. The Twin Sun was hidden under dark blankets, all systems deactivated. He was gone. He had vanished from the galaxy and left it to the darkness it had chosen. The Empire had won, also probably at a price. Ultimately it had fallen. Darth Wyyrlock was dead, he felt it. He was never meant to be. No. Anakin knew exactly who had been meant to be the champion of darkness. He knew exactly who had been meant to be the Sith Lord to rule the galaxy with an iron fist. One Master and one Apprentice.

    Luke had killed him. He felt it deep inside. Oh how powerful had his son become. Anakin had feared he would eventually overcome the Sith Lord, but he had not feared in his worst nightmares it would be so easy for him.

    So many decisions he doubted now. He should have given Luke to the Jedi Order. He should have stayed on Alderaan. He should have died with Padme. Or was it another decision he had made that had lead down the dark path?

    He had killed both Sidious and Vader that night on Coruscant and denied the Force it's will to bring balance at the cost of billions. The right decision and the wrong decision at the same time. He had shown mercy. The Force had not shown any. For it's balance it had accepted the darkness and it's deadly dominance. Even now it seemed like some power had shifted the balance and the Sith with their many faces had prevailed. Darkness. Was the force desiring darkness? Had darkness to be absolute to be vanquished?

    Alderaan. Padme. Leia. Yoda. Bail. So many dead, so many taken. Feyna, Dodonna and Bel Iblis had desired to make peace. Only Solo and the Mandalorians had desired to fight and they had been robbed any decision they had left.

    Could Anakin have changed the cause of events? Yes, he knew he could. At the cost of embracing his destiny and become the dark knight of his vision. Something inside of him wanted to challenge the foolish Chagrian, something wanted to show the little Dark Jedi who had kidnapped Graul's son what true power was. But Obi-Wan Kenobi had been right. Who would have saved the galaxy from him? He would have paved the way for a new dynasty.

    Luke.

    And we shall rule the galaxy as father and son! Memories of events that had never come to pass.

    Luke.

    He could not kill his own son. Yet he knew none of the other Sith had the power to do so and no Jedi remained. Nobody would stop him. Not if Luke prevailed. The boy had inherited his fathers power. He was his father's legacy. A dark legacy. A murderous force of evil growing with every breath. Had he escaped his destiny at the cost of his sons? What a terrible sacrifice.

    You have not escaped destiny, you only changed it ...

    The voice of his Master seemed distance and yet so near. Anakin smiled. Kenobi. As clear in his presence as a living creature. How ... ?

    "Early days, Master. I am still running." He would not return to the galaxy. He would give it to Luke as his final gift. Darkness.

    The true darkness that was spreading now was his making, his son.

    He is your responsibility as he was mine, Anakin.

    Anakin sighed. He wondered if Feyna and Solo were even alive. If Winter was. If the Rebellion that had not wanted to rebel was still out there, seeing their mistakes and paying the price for them. He knew he had abandoned them. He had abandoned them all.

    They have won, Anakin. The Empire has fallen as the people rise against it, as you had hoped they would. But they cannot overcome his darkness. You know only you can face him.

    "What do you expect me to do? Kill my only son?" Anakin shook his head. "Let someone else handle him. Let him devour himself. Let someone else fight him. I ... cannot face him. He has ... too much of his father inside of him."

    Yet, he will bring suffering to the galaxy. Darkness will use him.

    "Like it would have used me." Anakin looked at the nightly and gave it a bitter smile.

    Yes, as it would have used you.

    Anakin closed his eyes. "I cannot. The Dark Side has chosen the one champion I will not face." He caught himself hoping Wyyrlock would have killed his son.

    The force itself cries for you to help, Anakin.

    Anakin felt a shiver running through his very soul. "Everybody else has gone silent though. If we have won, then a united galaxy will stand against him. It is no longer my battle. So I answer the Force ... NO."

    He felt how the word itself silenced his old Master as he shut himself off from the force and slowly sank down to sit on the stone.

    Without the Jedi ...

    "There is no more hope in the galaxy, old friend." He whispered unsure of anybody still heard him. "Luke will make sure of that."

    He knew he would pay a terrible price.

    Looking into the night of Dagobah he felt a terrible silence in the force as he cut himself off it. This was not his home now, it was his final resting place.

    Tag: @Sinrebirth
     
  10. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Who Else?
    Later, but also before much of the Finale, during the ill-defined but ever ominous Epilogue

    With the sigh of someone who was older than they cared to admit, an age which was deeper than blood, skin and bones, he rolled his shoulders and peered at the mirror. Well, that had gone about as well as expected. Whether his Master had emerged or not, there was plenty to do. What had been adjusted, that had now been completely changed.

    He had seen that.

    That last skirmish with Ka'rta and Linnett... it had been necessary to conceal his fate, and sever him entirely from the Mandalorians and indeed Qi'ra Ananke and Aryan Graul. His name would not join the list of war criminals of Feyna Organa, and he had not even been noticed by Darth Zorn or Anakin Skywalker, let alone Pascale Rouser or Mace Windu.

    He had put himself slightly into matters just to keep track of events, and completed a deft handover, but thereafter? It was time to fade back into the shadows until the cast was reassembled.

    There was little need to risk discovery in the interim.

    He had, after all, been so very, very good at hiding.

    Looking into the mirror, he regarded his newest face. Or, rather, the latest iteration of this face. The eye-patch was new, as well as the blaster burn scar. Those two had done a real number on him. He'd get them back for that, of course. He liked the scarf though; it was a nice touch - taken from the crimson hem of a Death Watch cape. He had never realised just how pointed those ears were... must be some Sephi in his blood.

    [​IMG]

    He looked down at the lightsaber hilt on the shelf to the mirror, smirking to himself.

    "At least you're back where you belong."

    [​IMG]
    ---
    Fourteen years later

    The Force...

    Awakened.

    It had not been quiet during this time period... it had been a Presence, leaning upon him as it slowly darkened. There was an air of inevitability to it. The galaxy had been holding its breath, preparing for whenever Darth Zorn and his foot would drop, destroying their new and free society. But even then, life went on... babies were born, people died, politicians scrambled for power, armies were raised, Jedi were trained, Sith too, though in varying numbers.

    The Force was life, and a mere Dark Lord of the Sith could not threaten that.

    Not like the others could.

    "Guess it's time for me to get involved again," Arb Skynxnex said, and turning to go back into the world at large.

    TAG: Nobody.

    OOC: The game is at its finale. The next game will go up in a week or two, on the traditional update day. The time-jump is as stated; fourteen years. There will opportunities to cover what has happened in the meantime, and new moments to face, and some things may have happened already...

    Coming soon...

    Star Wars: Episode V: Twilight of the Force: A Father's Fate

    TAG: @galactic-vagabond422, @JediMasterAnne, @DarkLordoftheFins, @LordTroepfchen, @HanSolo29, @QueenSabe7, @Jerjerrod-Lennox, @BobaMatt, @TheSilentInfluence
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2019