NecronLord wrote:*Reaches out through the screen, grabs Fanboy's collar, and jerks him down to smack his head on his monitor."
For using the 'Wankatine Life Transfer' process, that is.
*Does it again*
This for using the 'Ancient Sith Technique of Much Uberness' cliche is.
Right. Carry on.
He will not be using it on clones, nor does he have a large facility on Byss chock full of vessels, even those who hate DE as much as myself should find the use of this technique acceptable. Sifo Dyas' misfortunate should prove that it is almost too risky to use this technique.
And also, there is nothing Uber about what Palps is doing. What he did to Sifo Dyas is nothing that can be accomplished on an unrestrained and unconfined opponent who is badly beaten. Its not something he can do automatically. As far as the knowledge of Plagueis, well there will be drawbacks as well.
Almost finished with Ch. 3
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
Obi-Wan regained consciousness about 8 hours after the surgey, at Yoda's request the doctors, medical technicians, and other staff were to wait outside and let the two speak in private. For hours Yoda sat in quiet before finally seeing his former padawan begin to stir towards being awake.
Yoda was the first thing Obi-Wan noticed, followed shortly by an odd sensation across his body. He felt no pain where pain should exist, and he found that he could not control his clockwork breathing. Upon instinct he shot up in bed, expecting to find the fires of Mustafar surrounding him. Upon recognizing Yoda, meditating peacefully in the corner of the room, he settled down. Only then did he begin to sense what he had become.
The first thing that he immediately noticed was his breathing, simply controlling the pace of ones breath as a method of caqlming ones mind was a method so basic it didn't require use of the Force. Worse still, he felt a certain numb feeling in his extremities, they appeared to be there but Obi-Wan did not get the same feeling from his limbs he was accustomed to, as if they were no longer an extension of himself. When he finally spoke, he nearly went mute when he discovered that his voice was no longer his own.
"Master Yoda I..."
The once gentle tone of his voice had been replaced with the expressionless monotone sound more befitting a droid, accompanied by the sound of mechanical breathing, the realization slowly began to dawn on Obi-Wan. And in silent shock he noticed that his vision was different, as if he were looking through the lens of a holorecorder. He tore the gown from his body. There were no words he could come up with to describe his thoughts, the expressionless mask could not convey his reaction.
"The only way this was to save you." came Yoda's voice as he hobbled over, wincing in pain from his own injuries sustained during the battle with Palpatine. "Reluctant I was to allow it."
Obi-Wan looked up at Yoda, and the two remaining Jedi each began to sense what they had feared most. A Jedi allowed himself to be a conduit of the Force, through him the Force flowed and allowed the Jedi to serve the greater good of the universe. But the mighty river that once permeated Obi Wan had been reduced to a trickle. Obi-Wan could feel and control his limbs with the use of advanced bioneuro technology, but the Force was empty within them. within his chest his heart still beat, although several major arteries had been replaced with plastic tubulues, the synthflesh which covered most of it even had artifical capillaries to give it a realistic feel and to help cover the mechanics within.
"How is it I survived?" Kenobi asked.
"For dead you were left, when contact you we couldn't, came looking for you we did. Followed your beacon. So close to death you were that the Sith abandoned you."
Obi-Wan's head lowered, a gesture of exhaustion combined with exasperation.
"Failed to defeat Palpatine I did, but saved you Senator Organa did."
Bail Organa once again proved why he was the only politician other than Amidala that he had ever fully trusted. Obi Wan closed his eyes beneath his helmet, and slowly began recalling the details of the battle to Yoda. How he had snuck aboard Amidala's transport, how he had learned of Anakin's child within her. Then how he and Anakin had crossed blades, fighting amongst the corpses of the Separatist leaders. The high pitched battle pushed both men to their limits, and when it was clear that Anakins limits were much further than his own Obi-Wan had decided to try and end the engagement as quickly as possible. Taking high ground on a slope looking down into a stream of lava Obi-Wan had appealed to Anakin's brashness, the same brashness he had tried to counsel out of the boy for years. The bait didn't take, and Anakin used the Force to end the fight decisively. Yoda could feel his composure waining, hand't he warned against the boy being trained all of those years ago? The resounding defeat of the two remaining Jedi by the Sith, now made worse by the inevitable result of PAdme' pregnancy, had affected Yoda's once unbreakable resolve. Perhaps if Obi-Wan had managed to defeat Anakin, or if they had managed to save Padme themselves and spare her children from the Sith, things would be different. There could have been a light in the darkness that would have allowed Yoda to keep from giving up hope.
"Master Yoda, what troubles you?"
Even in his reduced state Obi-Wan was apparently still adept at determining feelings in those who hid them. Yoda fought to lie, he wanted to lie, Obi Wan had been through enough already without needing to hear that his former mentor had given into despair. "Troubled I am not, so much as undecided I am, on what to do next. But into exile, I must go soon. For the good of the Jedi, to prepare, and to allow the Force to guide me."
"Will I be going with you?" Obi-Wan asked, and even if he were capable, Yoda already knew what his answer must be.
"Remain on Alderaan until complete your recovery is. Decide your own path from there, guided by the Force. LEave now, I must."
Yoda turned around, the sound of his walking stick the only sound left in the room, as he paued in the doorway for a second Yoda stopped, and said "May the Force be with you Obi Wan."
"May the Force be with you master" came the weak reply, Obi Wan raised a mechanical hand and clenched it into a fist, squeezing it tightly and wondering if Anakin had felt the same way upon recieving his. It was a maddening thing, to have a hand that could touch but could not feel. A sentiment that echoed Obi-Wans feel of the Force as well.
"Master Skywalker.....please! There is nothing.... we can do at this point! If we keep her in stasis.....then the children will die!"
Anakin's outstretched hand rose in the air and his fist slowly clenched, if things did not start to go his way soon then the doctor currently grasping at his throat and hovering a meter off of the ground would pay for his failure. Then Anakin would find someone that could save Padme. Anakin was bent on squeezing the life out of his target, when the deep shadowy presence oh his master drew closer, normallyAnakin would have sensed him sooner, but the power of his emotions had blinded him.
"You can put the good doctor down Anakin, I have the knowledge you require to save your beloved wife."
In the time since the end of the clone wars had passed, the public had become gradually aware of the connection between Anakin and Amidala, and reports had begun circulating that it was Padme herself that convinced Skywalker to abandon the Jedi Order and remain loyal to the government. Other reports suggested that they were introduced by Palpatine himself. Several widely discredited fringe reporters had written of their secret wedding on Naboo shortly after the battle of Geonosis, but this went ignored largely because most believed that such a thing could be kept secret.
Anakin released his grip, letting the doctor drop to the floor in a heap. Two others pulled him away as both the Emperor and his servant gave them a knowing glance which clearly indicated this incident was not to be spoken of.
"Lord Vader," The Emperor was confident they were in private, and he could address his apprentice using his true title. "The time has come it would seem."
Anakin lowered his head, gritting his teeth. "All signs indicate that the children are due, but there is still no change in her condition. I will not let her die, not even for the unborn children."
Palpatine's gaze narrowed, Anger was not the only thing that gave power to a Sith, there was also passion, and if anyone tried to do anything that would injure Padme, Anakin would kill them. Even Palpatine himself couldn't do anything about it. Although Sidious was still confident he could best his apprentice in an even match there was no way he could overcome the rage and the passion of an enraged Anakin Skywalker. Even then if he could manage to win the fight his long term plans would be ruined, he needed Anakin, he needed Anakin's children.
"It would please you to know then, that I have the knowledge of Plagueis. We can save her."
Anakin's eyes widened, and for but a split second the stone cold composure he had maintained since Mustafar wavered. "But how? You said that the power was lost!"
"What once was lost can be found my apprentice."
Palpatine turned towards the medical capsule and moved his hands toward the control for the stasis, Anakin immediately reached for his lightsaber.
"I assure you, she will be fine. You will have to trust me, I have forseen that your children will play a great role in the Empire Lord Vader, but they will need their mother and their father equally, in order to realize their full potentials."Vader removed his hand from the lightsaber, watching intently as his master deactivated the medical capsule, and as Sidious placed his hands on her, one over her heart and one onto her forehead.
"The greatest secret to obtain power is through strength. What is the importance of strength to the Sith?" Plagueis had asked many years ago, in the champer deep within Coruscant.
"Through strength I gain victory." The young man had said.
"Recited like a true student, but to find the secrets of power itself you must look beyond our Code, and into the act of power itself. Tell me Lord Sidious, when using the Force in battle, what is your goal?"
"To defeat my opponent." The young man had said. That had been an incorrect answer, and he had been punished appropriately with a burst of Force lightning.
"There are times when I begin to wonder why I took you on as my apprentice. Think for a moment before bothering me with your nonsense! You answer as a Jedi would. You see, when a Sith uses the force, for whatever purpose, he uses it to dominate and control his surroundings. Likewise, when using the force in conflict, you do not use the force to simply obtain victory. True victory lies within crushing your opponent, making him unable to fight back, or fight again for that mater. You have broken your opponent. Finish reciting the code from where you left off."
As the young Darth Sidious rose to his feet he stood as proudly as he good, unwilling to show weakness.
"Through victory my chains are broken, the Force shall set me free."
That had been many years ago, and it was the day when the man who would one day be Emperor learned what it meant to have Power. Power was not simply strength, it was control. Through the Force, a Sith Lord dominated those lesser than him. This applied as much to the internal functions of the body as well as anywhere else. Plagueis had demonstrated Sidious how one could manipulate the life energies of a person, how one could impose the will to live on someone where none existed. Plagueis had pursued that knowledge his entire life as a Sith master thinking that it would be the key to immortality that had eluded the Sith since the rule of two had been invented.
Where Plagueis had failed though, Sidious had vowed to succeed. Plagueis had made one key mistake, while his ability could be used to manipulate life and increase the life expectancy of a Sith beyond his normal years, it did nothing to protect himself. One night, as Plagueis slept, his apprentice had decided that the time had come to ascend to his true place in the galaxy, Plagueis required an extensively meditative state for his power to work. So deep into a trance was he, that he didn't even react when Sidious' lightsaber carved neatly trhough his skull and into his chest.
It wouldn't be long after that the new Dark Lord of the Sith travelled to Naboo, murdering a minor nobleman with no family ties and taking his position and social status to become a member of the Republican senate. When he was not occupied with Senatorial functions he began putting his grand plans into motion, carefully constructed based off of his lessons, the most ambitious undertaking of the Sith in over a thosuand years. Carefully, he spirited away a Zabrak child from the Jedi Nursery, one of two Zabrak Children with the surname Koth, though they came from different worlds. But there would be enough time to reflect later.
Channeling the Force into Amidala's body, Palpatine could sense the internal decay. There was nothing physically wrong with her, but her will to live had been broken. It was rather disappointing actually, for all the strength she had held as Queen of Naboo she let her will be broken over something such as this? It was rather disappointing, and if it wasn't for his apprentice, and the twins inside of her, he would have let her die. As the Force saturated her Sidious began to impose his will onto her, the will of a Sith to live was strong, that will could be imposed on lesser beings.
Within a few minutes PAdme's life signs began to strengthen, and Sidious released his hold over her. There was no telling what sort of side effects would occur as a result, but she would live. Anakin would have his family, and Palpatine's Empire would be all the stronger for it one day.
"Absolutely not." Bel Iblis yelled as he slammed his fist onto the table. "Furthermore, what you propose is sedition and if it wasn't for the fact that I have the greatest respect for Senator Organa I would inform the Imperial Guards about you at once!"
"Are you aware of what is taking place here Garm? The freedoms we have enjoyed for thosuands of years have been wiped out on a whim by that tyrant! Before long he will have absolute power and not even the senate will be able to intervene!"
"What I am aware of Mon Mothma, is that you have asked me to join this ridiculous Alliance of yours. An Alliance that you personally could contribute nothing to, you would have me bring a large number of Corellian troops, Corellian ships, and Corellian industry over to your cause, which you would of course, direct in security while people such as myself fought the battles for you. But what does Chandrila do in all of this, the last I heard your world was loyal."
"We're too close to the core to be anything else! The Imperial reprisal would be..."
"Quiet you haughty comntemptious bitch. Whatever reservations Corellia might have about the Empire, they are outweighed by our respect for it. General Skywalker is quite beloved in our system, no rebellion would get off the ground. Plus, he's the last of the loyal Jedi, and his wife is one of the most peace-loving members of the Senate. So you see, your goal failed the moment you walked into my office."
Mon Mothma was about to raise her voice in protest, but she was stopped by Bail Organa.
"I think it's best that we leave, good day Senator Bel Iblis, please let me know if there is anything I can do to make up for your lost time."
Senators Organa and Mothma exited, escorted by the Alderaanian Guards that now accompanied him since the declaration of the Empire. Mon Mothma was irritated to the point that she had a constant scowl on her face.
"That rotten sand panther is a fool if he thinks things are going to get any better. Does he really believe that even General Skywalker and Amidala by themselves can keep Palpatine in check?"
Bail placed a firm hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "You need to relax, and get a grip on yourself. General Bel Iblis would have brought a lot of military might to our cause but insulting him and aggrivating him will bring him down on our heads as well. We will just have to remain patient and hope that our talks with the Bothans continue to go well."
Mon Mothma's scowl mellowed out and she regained a plain face but picked up a hint of malice in her voice. "There is another alternative to the Corellians."
Bail stopped and made a hand signal to his guards, signalling to them that they needed a moment of privacy. After a couple of moments a safe spot nearby was found. The guards escorted the two senators into a side conference room of the Senate building known to the staunch Republicans as a sort of haven from the the prying ears of their supposed colleagues.
"Just what exactly are you talking about?" Bail asked.
"Prior to the surrender of the Confederacy Nute Gunray was forced by General Skywalker to deactivate all of the battle droids before the ambush attempt on Skywalker's life by the Separatists leaders and the supposed Jedi Rebellion. I have a source on a senatorial committee that is keeping a track of all the battle droids being picked up and collected, and locations of military equipment that haven't been taken care of yet."
Bail bit his tongue, careful not to lash out inappropriately. Mon Mothma continued to speak.
"WIth the Bothans on board we can invent new control programs, recalibrate every one of those droids, we might even be able to get a few ships and tuck them away."
"You make it sound as if we were going to war."
"Don't you see? We've been at war ever since Geonosis, and this is only a temporary stop. Eventually Palpatine will make his final grab for power and we must all be united. Isn't that why you wanted to help found an Alliance?"
"I want to oppose the Emperor that much is true, but what you are talking about is resurrecting the droid army, the same droid army that butchered billions."
"If you haven't got the stomahc for sedition Bail then I suggest you follow Senator Bel Iblis' lead and play the role of lapdog. I for one am not about to let the Republic die so easily and I will do what it takes. There are a host of former Separatists out there, some of them good people caught on the wrong side because of what planet they were from and nothing else. An army already exists out there and I plan to point it right back at the Empire. I twould be a fitting twist of Irony if the military the Empire defeated rose up to restore the Republic wouldn't you say?"
"It would be a stronger taste of irony Senator, if one were to become the same dictator they were trying to oppose."
The two friends, on the verge of ending their relationship, stared at each other in silence. No more than a couple of minutes later they left, taking their separate ways.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
I think Padme, one of the major doves of the Senate, surviving also has something to do with it.
And I too want more.
"I want to mow down a bunch of motherfuckers with absurdly large weapons and relative impunity - preferably in and around a skyscraper. Then I want to fight a grim battle against the unlikely duo of the Terminator and Robocop. The last level should involve (but not be limited to) multiple robo-Hitlers and a gorillasaurus rex."--Uraniun235 on his ideal FPS game
"The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant compared to the power of the Force."--Darth Vader
But Bel Iblis staying a loyalist just because Anakin didn't go cyborg? I'm not so sure about that.....
Still, I eagerly await more.
Think about who Darth Vader is in the Original Trilogy, and how many people can connect him to Anakin Skywalker. Only the Emperor, Prince Xizor, Obi Wan, Yoda, and a very very scant few others are able to equate the Hero of the Clone Wars with the Empire's most prolific killer. Now instead of the inhuman killer Lord Vader, Anakin Skywalker is still around, and he is a symbol of the Republic's triumph. Rather than be turned away from the Empire by Vader, people embrace it because of Anakin.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
Fanboy's described him a little. From the sounds of it, Obi Wan does look like Vader, except he's not going for the dark and evil look, i.e. he's not wearing black, he's got gloves that resemble human hands, etc.
"I want to mow down a bunch of motherfuckers with absurdly large weapons and relative impunity - preferably in and around a skyscraper. Then I want to fight a grim battle against the unlikely duo of the Terminator and Robocop. The last level should involve (but not be limited to) multiple robo-Hitlers and a gorillasaurus rex."--Uraniun235 on his ideal FPS game
"The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant compared to the power of the Force."--Darth Vader
CaptainChewbacca wrote:But, is it white armor like the end of that crappy elseworlds?
Vaugely resembling Darth Vader's armor, in that the armor must incorporate the life support equipment, and there cannot be too much variance on that. The color of the armor and leather in the original draft was grey. But unlike Vader, there will not be as much of an 'armor component' to it, and Obi-Wan will probably wear some variation of Jedi robes over it all.
As for the Death Star, theres another more important construction project to deal with first, and we are years before the DS I will even come into play.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
"Leia is an excellent name, but what makes you so sure our child is a girl?"
Padme rolled onto her side and looked over at her husband, pulling the comforter over her chest and smiling. "Call it woman's intuition."
"Is that anything like the Force?" Anakin had said, grinning back and running his hand through her hair.
"Mmm hmmm, and you don't need to have Jedi powers either, you just have to be a female."
"I can't say I qualify there, maybe If I used the Force I could..."
"No, don't, I don't want to know until the day arrives."
Anakin nodded, he shared her sentiments. "If it's a boy, I think we should call him Luke."
Padme's face contoted slightly in a puzzled expression. "Luke? It sounds nice but where does it come from?"
"In ancient Jedi history, there are tales of a powerful Knight called Lucas. It was said that Lucas was so powerful with the Force he could create great beauty with the Force. The legend has it that late in his life his creations began to lose their luster, and people had begun wondering if wether or not his powers were beginning to fail him. But before he passed on he managed one final act, something that reshaped the galaxy into something better and brighter. If I have a son, I would hope that naming him after the legend would help guide him down an honorable path."
Padme had just smiled, kissed him tenderly and whispered into his ear. "I think it's a wonderful name."
The memory was clear, one of few happy moments he allowed himself to cling to. Gone were the days of his boyhood in Mos Espa and the Jedi Temple, gone were the days of learning and training in the Jedi Temple, gone even were the times he and Obi-Wan spent together on those long hyperspace journeys between assignments. Sure he recalled names, information, and outcomes of events but the feelings attached to those were gone forever. The boy had become a man, and the man had become a Sith.
Padme was resting again, she had finally fallen asleep on her own after seventeen hours of painful excruciating childbirth, not a galactic record by any means but considering the ordeal of the past couple of days it was simply one final strech of torment. Anakin had been there, staying by her side with his hand clasped over hers. He could feel her pain through the force, and he wanted to do anything he could. But his master had ordered him to do nothing, for it may endanger the lives of his children. Palpatine had always been a close mentor, but whatever interest he had in the Skywalker bloodline Anakin vowed to himself he would dsicern it.
Luke and Leia were resting comfortably as well. Luke named after a probably fictional character Anakin had first heard of when he was a youngling, and Leia from the Great-Grandmother of Padme Amidala who had been one of Naboo's most cherished ambassadors of years past and the inspiration for Padme to enter politics. The two children were taken to the newly christened Amidala Maternity Center, under red robed Imperial Guard. Padme would soon follow when the doctors certified her clear to be admitted as a new mother under reduced care at the Maternity Center.
Anakin would not get to stay however, his master already had a task for him to accomplish that would require his natural leadership and knowledge of war. The Separatist forces, reeling from utter defeat with no place to go and minimal droids still functioning began massing at Kessel, a key world under control of the Hoersch-Kessel Drive Corporation that had supplied the Trade Federation, and later the entire Confederacy of Independent Systems, with many of its power battleships, including the massive Droid Control Ships. The Corporate leadership of former Trade Federation pawns such as Baktoid Armor Workshops had fled immediately to the only remaining CIS stronghold. Hoersch-Kessel had achieved its namesake from its strong presence in the Kessel System. Including several key shipyards currently producing some of the most devastating ships the Confederates could field. Those assests, combined with hundreds of thousands of combat and pilot droids owned by Baktoid itself that were untouched by Nute Gunray's master control program had allowed the holdouts to create the most powerfully fortified system in known space.
Creating their sanctuary had sealed the fate of those in charge, but neither company had much to lose considering the EMpire would just have well siezed everything and executed the leadership anyway. There was no attempt to mediate, Palpatine would not offer support to any attempts to negotiateand his powerful following on Coruscant backed him. Publicly he called on General Skywalker, hero the Republic, to eradicate these last holdouts and in doing so granted him the position of Supreme Military Commander of all Imperial forces. Thus making him only answerable to the Emperor. In secret, Darth Sidious had called upon Anakin to show no mercy, and to crush the resistance utterly so that the CIS would not rise again.
Unlike many of his battles fighting for the Republic, he would not go into battle with comparable or undermanned forces. In the age of the Empire, Palpatine had thought it best to respond to any situation with overwhelming and brute force. Anakin's new flagship would be the ISS Imperator. Which was the first of two hundred new starships built, with hundreds more in production. The Imperator-Class Star Destroyer was one of many new weapons currently in development. The other one that had Anakin intrugied was one that his master had guaranteed would be of "world-shattering porportions."
Anakin allowed himself one quick visit to the twins, and as he looked upon them he realized he now had two more lives to protect as well as Padme's, and as well as his legacy. Until he could get Palpatine to reveal more of his secrets, then the only thing he could do was obey his master, and destroy all of his enemies.
Yoda's arrival on Tatooine had gone unheralded, swathed in robes to disguise himself he had spent only a short time in Anchorhead before happening upon a pair of Jawas, who immediately were quite friend to the stranger as he was of their size. With a little careful wording and a slight bit of motivation from the Force, the two Jawas decided they would allow Yoda to stay with them for a while, until it was appropriate enough for Yoda to leave of course. Tatooine was outside of the Imperial sphere of influence for the moment, ,and in retorspect far safer than Dagobah which was in an area of space currently within the boundaries of the former Republic. Never did Yoda ever think in his life he would be forced to use the realm of a crimelord such as Jabba the Hutt as a cover. He had imagined life in solitude before, and he admitted to himself that the life did sound like an appealing change of pace.
Yoda had been born before the time the Jedi and the Republic instituted the mandatory and controversial Infant Force Sensitivity Test, Midichlorian counts were the most efficient way to do so, as the small organisms' presence was an indication of Force potency. Many Jedi scientists believed that Midichlorians were a side effect of a being's force sensitivity, the organsims fed on the natural Force produced by the being and colonized the bloodstream, further developing the connection. In Yoda's time the Jedi simply wandered the galaxy at the whim of the Force seeking potential Jedi Knights. Yoda had been such a child, raised in the crowded warrens of his planet, rising from the obscurity of his family's den to become one of the greatest Jedi the galaxy had ever known.
In Yoda's time at the temple he had been surrounded by people close to him as well, his fellow Jedi were his new family and he had a bond with all of them that he could always rely on. Now they were all gone, and Yoda felt that in his heart he could bear loss no longer. Of course he could never be alone, not if the voice of Qui Gon kept ringing in his ears.
"Tatooine Master Yoda, the answers are on Tatooine."
The planet where it had all begun, where many years ago a slave boy with a knack for racing started down a new path.
Yoda boarded the Sandcrawler, using the Force to translate the Jawas intricate language for him. The two Jawas had introduced their new friend, who was wecomed by the tribe with open arms. For a day Yoda began learning about the JAwas operation of scavenging material and reselling it to local merchants and directly to the moisture farmers, who were less picky when it came to obtaining parts. The ride had lasted barely a day when The crawler came upon a ruined settlement.
Yoda inquired what this place was. One of the Jawas he had befriended expalined that it was an abandoned Tusken Raider settlement, its inhabitants were all slaughtered about '3 Anchorhead Annuals ago' which was how the Jawas referred to the galactic standard years adopted by the various offworlders that had gradually settled the planet. The Jawas occaisionally stopped here because the Tuskens' well still functioned and they could gather a bit of water for their long stretch across the dunes towards Mos Espa. When he asked how the Tuskens' were murdered, the Jawa had explained that a great shadow had formed over the village, a punishment for the Sand People who murdered dozens of offworlders and JAwas alike. Another Jawa overhearing the conversation recalls how a human with oddly braided hair had been asking for the location of this particular settlement, and that if anyone had witnessed the encounter surely he was the one.
A sprak went off in Yoda's brain, 3 standard years ago they had fought in the Battle of Geonosis, prior to that he had felt a great pain from Anakin Skywalker. He never fully understood what had happened, but he was sure that if he investigated the site, he would be able to glean some insight as to what may have sent The Chosen One down the path of darkness. As Yoda hobbled down the ramp leading back out of the sandcrawler and past the carcass of a long dead Bantha, one thing was for certain.
Qui Gon was such a blasted know it all.
Obi Wan, now an unofficial resident in the Royal Palace of Alderaan, stood outside and extended his presence into the Force as far as he could. HE was beginning to relearn a few things about himself, and how that with enough calm and serenity he could overcome his condition, and regain a lot of his function. No longer would be fight Anakin to a stand still, but there was still plenty of work he was more than capable of, with or without a lightsaber.
"Master Kenobi, it is good to see you alive."
The voice had been Bail Organa's, and he was obviously frustrated and weary. Obi Wan turned and gave a knowing nod. "It's good to be alive Senator, is there something that troubles you? I'd to to at least feel useful at some point during my stay here."
"It is nothing, I assure you."
"You know I'm still a Jedi. I can read minds you know."
"I thought that was just a bad rumor spread by cowards who wanted to sully the Order's reputation."
"MAybe it is, maybe it isn't" Obi Wan said jokingly. Bail looked on him and smiled, but through his mind was a great awe and respect. Obi Wan after all this was cracking jokes? This could be the most resilient man Bail had ever met. Which meant that he was perhaps the most qualified person to help him out.
"What i'm about to say, well I must admit it would be asking a lot of you old friend, and if you don't even want to hear of it I can assure you I will never mention it in front of..."
"Bail, just say it." Obi-Wan had interrupted, hoping the Senator would speak his mind and get to the point, which would make both men more comfortable.
Bail smiled and scratched the back of his neck, almost laughing. "Maybe you do read minds. The situation however calls for someone with your expertise."
Bail explained how he and Mon Mothma had each been quietly gathering up factions, drawing support from the fringe groups and worlds most likely to suffer under Imperial rule and those who already had nothing to lose by defying the Empire. The chance to recruit Garm Bel Iblis had failed utterly and miserably, setting back the formation of a planned Rebel Alliance back by possibly years due to a lack of capital ships. Bail furhter noted his concerns that Mon Mothma would turn to former Sepratists as a way of acquiring weapons for her war if people like Bel Iblis wouldn't help. Bail, knew that if she acted too quickly the hammer would be brought down ona ll systems, and if that time came he needed to be prepared to fight as well.
"We were planning on disarming entirely, hoping to stash our weapons away where they might be used in the future by the REbel Alliance, but Alderaan is now an inevitable target. We cannot oppose Palpatine outright without being crushed but we cannot cooperate without betraying ourselves."
"Where exactly do I fit in in all of this."
"It's simple for now really. I can give you a temporary comission as a General in the Alderaanian Defense Force, under an assumed name of course. Eventually you'll be a senior ranking member of the REvolutionary military when the time finally does come."
Obi Wan turned to look back out at the sky. The Jedi had been destroyed by fighting in the clone wars, paying for the participation with their lives. But Obi Wan could think of no better way to join them, than by fighting one last great struggle to free the galaxy he had sworn to protect.
The decision would not come lightly.
Last edited by Darth Fanboy on 2005-06-30 02:58am, edited 2 times in total.
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say that the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little." -George Carlin (1937-2008)
"Have some of you Americans actually seen Football? Of course there are 0-0 draws but that doesn't make them any less exciting." -Dr Roberts, with quite possibly the dumbest thing ever said in 10 years of SDNet.
*begins tightening grip on Fanboy's throat via the Force*
WRITE MORE.
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
I was just wondering something. You have written a great story, but I wanted to know did you plan on killing Palpatine. I actually like him and think that he should rule the Empire. But, If you plan on killing him then I need to prepare myself ( ).
"As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. It is in such twilight that we all must be aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we becomes victims of the darkness."
Heck with Palpatine... Since this is an Alt-Ending, when is Jar-Jar going to get Ax'ed?
Praying is another way of doing nothing helpful
"Congratulations, you get a cookie. You almost got a fundamental English word correct." Pick
"Outlaw star has spaceships that punch eachother" Joviwan Read "Tales From The Crossroads"! Read "One Wrong Turn"!
As desirable as that would be...why the hell would Palpy axe Jar Jar? He's no threat, and Binks was the one who proposed that Palpatine get emergency powers in the first place.
"I want to mow down a bunch of motherfuckers with absurdly large weapons and relative impunity - preferably in and around a skyscraper. Then I want to fight a grim battle against the unlikely duo of the Terminator and Robocop. The last level should involve (but not be limited to) multiple robo-Hitlers and a gorillasaurus rex."--Uraniun235 on his ideal FPS game
"The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant compared to the power of the Force."--Darth Vader