Ohhhh I think we can do something with them.
May The Invisible Hand Be With You - (Star Wars CK2-Style Quest)
- Thread starter Dr. Snark
- Start date
- Sci-Fi
-
- Tags
- star wars canon what canon tsundere dice ck2 quest actions have consequences all the credits all work and no play makes ciaran a dull girl best sister capitalism ho! despairing qm teetotaller society member gotta catch 'em all insanity looting off the rails sage dice approaching spicy sheev tsundere asajj
Hooray!
Wait...
Dammit. Back to the drawing board. BRB.
Dr. Snark
Exactly As Planned...Probably
- Location
- Right where I want to be
- Pronouns
- He/His/Him
Dammit. Back to the drawing board. BRB.
Er...I checked on a system I overlooked and made another roll and as it turns out the Garos sector also joined up.
My bad?
Are you trying to give her the equivalent of an "I automatically win everything" button?
If she ever got her hands on that, we might as well have an ∞ for our credits if that ever happened.
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I get the feeling Ciaran may have slipped on her force control a bit there.
"...We had an in at the Treasury."
*Infinite insatiable hunger. The obsidian gleam of an event horizon. The dark well from which nothing escapes. Above it all a mask of white and red.*
"... Give it some time, then ask me about it again. Sound fair?"
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- Location
- america
so that's how she became a sith lord
she got her hand on the treasury
UbeOne
Daydreaming CPU
- Location
- Philippines
- Pronouns
- She/Her
*clicks the link*
Darth Nihilus's mask looks scary when it suddenly appears like that.
You are in fact trying to kill me.
I'd just finished (re)updating the map and was about to post the new version... and then I saw another update!
Just for that, I'm gonna go ahead and redraw the borders in the CNS's favor. Mainly adding a few sectors around Ithor and Garos to smooth them out.
...bwahaha?
- Location
- Latvia, Riga
God forbid NO! That be treasonous. But I had to post that fore 1 simple, unbelievable reason:Kal Skirata, a normal, non-Force sensitive human, managed to do what police, politicians, criminal organisations, strategists supreme, Padme, Force users, Jedi, Palpatine failed to accomplish => make her play by his rules.
If this is not worth any praises, then I don't know what is, if at all.
Panory
The Omake Dragon
- Location
- New York
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Tachi Feely
Ciaran loved being a famous diplomat. There were the obvious reasons of being filthy rich, having some of the galaxy's best at your beck and call, and being loved by all. But there were also the little things that being an esteemed political dancer brought. For example, Ciaran could request protection from the Jedi Order for particularly 'dangerous' meetings.
What made things even more delicious was that the Jedi agreed because they were under the impression they were spying on her. It was adorable watching Jedi Master Kenobi try to play spymaster, like seeing a child dressing up in their parents' clothes. Siri didn't even try to hide that she was watching Ciaran's every move. It might be inconvenient if Ciaran were foolish enough to call in the Jedi on anything even remotely illicit.
As it was, the Jedi's desire to spy on her just meant that they went along with her requests to send Jedi along on these missions. Which was nice, since space travel could get boring rather quickly with no one to tease. Luckily, the two Jedi Masters provided no end of entertainment.
The three sat around a small table in Ciaran's personal quarters, sipping tea and eating pastries. The Jedi were obviously uncomfortable with the extravagance, and their discomfort allowed Ciaran to eat and drink all the more contentedly. Obi-wan in particular had been exposed to her tricks often enough, and had spent half an hour waiting for Ciaran to leave him and Siri alone together so she could claim it as a date later.
Ciaran knew she could never afford to be that blatant with Obi-wan though. Padme and Anakin perhaps, but they were pretty much so in love that they'd welcome Ciaran's interference. Obi-wan was smarter than that, more on guard against the Miralukan's machinations. But nobody was perfect. As time passed, even the great Master Kenobi lowered his guard.
It wouldn't be long before he caught himself though, so Ciaran struck quickly. "Oh dear, we're out of tea. I'll go get some more."
"Actually, I'll do it. I'd hate to inconvenience you." said Obi-wan. He was sharp, trying to get out of the room, but Ciaran had a back-up plan.
"Now now, it's my duty as the host. No inconvenience at all." Said Ciaran, hurrying to the door. "I just ask that the two of you don't do anything risqué on the table, I just had it cleaned."
Ciaran exited to the room to the sound of Obi-wan choking on his biscuit and attempting to hack it up. Observing the room through the Force, Ciaran saw Siri give a shout as she ran behind Obi-wan and wrapped her arms around him. Balling her hands together, Siri pulled hard on Obi-wan's abdomen in an attempt to dislodge the food.
After a few attempts, Obi-wan's hacking became coughing before dying down. Relief sagged Siri's shoulders, and she practically collapsed on Obi-wan, arms still wrapped around him. The other Jedi Master lacked the strength of either body or will to push her off. Ciaran had to contain a giggle as she spied on them with her Forcesight. She never could have imagined things would work out quite this well.
AN: The result of a nat 100 on the hypothetical "Annoy Obi-wan" action. Obi-wan got the bill for the table cleaning several days later. This was better (and longer) in my head, but the title was so damn good it demanded to be made regardless.
Tasoli
Life is for Living
- Location
- Behind the Keyboard.
You know in the last thread we made a point about keeping Padme to ourselves and kept Anakin away from her but in this one everybody is trying to get them together.
I mean WTH is wrong with you people. Anakin and Padme is not a good couple. Padme/Ciaran is way to go.
I mean WTH is wrong with you people. Anakin and Padme is not a good couple. Padme/Ciaran is way to go.
Tasoli
Life is for Living
- Location
- Behind the Keyboard.
Don't like Anakin duh.
(Omake) Operation Rash Cream Pt. 1 (Canon)
Stealthy
Reverently Irreverent
- Location
- Roaming
Totally haven't been writing this at an anemic pace for I don't wanna think how long. Excuse the length. Something kept holding me back from splitting this into even more parts. Though at least I'm putting this out now rather than going back in and adding another thousand words or so and fix where I got lazy. It being 2:30 AM probably helps me from going through another editing pass on what I just added.
Operation Rash Cream
Part One
Onderon's jungles were hot, humid, and easily most dangerous place on the planet. Their moon, Dxun, was filled with monsters, and when they migrated to Onderon they wound up here. Which, to Saw Gerrera's mind, made their ruins the perfect hideout for his rebellion. He had less men and weapons than Sanjay Rash and the Confederacy, but the jungle would compensate against any attack, and it'd be hell for a droid army to make it here. It was harsh living, sure, but it was worth it.
At least, that's what Saw thought.
"We should move to the mountains," his sister Steela argued, "If the droids find us, we won't know until they blast down our doors. We can't see a damned thing. It'll be just as hard to find us in the mountains, and we'll have an actual vantage point." She began outlining a plan on a map almost as tattered as the ruined city they were holed up in. "We'll get there in a week if we leave now."
Saw sighed. He eyed the three other soldiers in the command post and motioned them out. Perimeter could use more eyes on it anyway. "Steela, you're thinking like a sniper. Yeah, we can see them coming, but that doesn't help if we can't run from them. Once we get in those mountains it'll be hard to get out, especially if Rash finds us. Here, we can disappear into the jungle and regroup at some of the other ruins."
"Yeah, and get picked off by Drexls and Bomas on the way," she snidely interjected.
"And it's easier to organize and set up camp in an abandoned city than the mountain side. And it's easier to feed ourselves. And it's easier to get at Rash from here," he glared back at her, "Yeah, the jungles ain't perfect, but it's the best we can do."
"You're wrong. If we're in the mountains, then we can fight Rash when he comes for us. Those droids aren't made for mountain climbing."
"Which is why they'll drop down on us from airships."
"Then we can just fire them down!"
"With what?"
Silence. The answer was "fuck all", and they knew it. It was the end of the argument. It always was. Steela had butted heads with Saw plenty of times, but when it came down to it... they were losing. Worse, they were barely effective. They were a nuisance, not a threat. Ill-equipped; they lacked anything more complex than rifles and detonators. Underfunded; nobody was backing them, and they were living off of scavenges. Inexperienced; Saw wasn't a bad leader, but he was way too young for this. And they were absolutely outmatched. Sucked to think about.
Saw's comm crackled. A break from the tension. "Yeah, this is Saw. Report."
"Saw! They've broken through the west! I'm taking what's left of Gold Team back to the second chokepoint, and need all the backup you can get us!"
Did Steela hear? Of course she did. Her hands were already on her sniper and she was running with him out the door. It finally happened. Rash had found them.
"Copy that Gold Team," Saw swapped to a broad frequency as he chased down the decrepit streets, "Showtime everyone, the Seps have hit the west and they're coming in hard. Let's do this like we planned. Brown, Purple, you're on evac. Silver, get in sniper positions and cover the city. Border Squads keep an eye out, but reserves move to defend the west and center. Everybody remember your rendezvous points. I wanna be gone in thirty minutes."
"Why are they already going to the second chokepoint? Hell, why are they only telling us now?!" Steela called out to him. She had a good point. Saw never expected Rash's attack to go this bad already. Maybe she was right about the jungle... not the time.
"I dunno sis. But it doesn't matter why, it just is. Silver Team's yours. Put two with Gold to hold down the plaza, and spread out the rest. Lemme know everything that happens. ETAs on our people and everything." She nodded, and branched off with a good luck.
Soldiers from Red, Blue and Green teams started merging in with Saw down the main throughway to the chokepoint. "Blue, you're with me to reinforce Gold directly. Red and Green have pincer positions. We're gonna make the plaza a scrap heap." A variety of yessirs voiced as squads peeled off to reach their objectives. Saw knew that they prolly wouldn't win this battle. Not if Rash broke through this easily, but that wasn't the point. All they had to do was hold 'em off. Make every step costly and slow until they could evac.
The chokepoint was a heavily barricaded exit from a plaza on a main throughway. They'd arranged the rubble so that you could only come at them from the entrance opposite their defenses. And they'd wrecked all the side streets too, so you'd have to go real far around in order to get past 'em. Red and Green'd be moving through the two winding and complicated paths that you could still go through. It was all set to be a killing field for the invaders... but it still had its limits.
"Saw! Thank the Force," said the middle aged human in charge of Gold. He was sweaty and ragged, and hunkered as all hell down behind a half-wall of durasteel that served as last line of cover, "How far behind are Red and Green?"
"They're coming in from the sides," Saw called back as he moved in position next to him. "Blue's here to be your reserves. How the hell did Rash hit us so fast? What happened to the first checkpoint?"
"I dunno Saw. Didn't realize they were even here until one of my men commed me saying that the border squads weren't answering. I got everyone formed up best I could, but it was too late to hold the first chokepoint by then. They fucking eviscerated us. Honestly, I'm glad we've held out this long. They're... they're good Saw. It's not just numbers." And they were outnumbered. Saw could hear that from the blasterfire, even if he wasn't seeing how many droids there were lined up out there.
"Shit..." Saw scanned the walls. There were barely enough left in Gold to hold the chokepoint. Blaster fire scorched by his head, barely veering off. He responded with a volley of his own, taking out a few droids. "You got anybody left hiding?"
"Nope, you're lookin' at us. We're all here, pinned down on the front lines."
Saw ducked back down, "Wait, we're pinned? Supposed to be the other way around Grant." Which was not too subtly a scolding for Grant not fucking moving to give Saw or the men closer to the front some damned coverfire.
"Yeah, I know, but I'm serious. They're focused on not letting us get a damned shot off." Saw growled. Well, that's one reason why you're not getting firing.
"Naw... that ain't right..." Grant may be acting kinda cowardly, but something was up. The droids weren't advancing, even though they could. Saw opened his comm, "Steela, droids are acting weird over here. You got any movement outside the front."
"Nothing yet, but Saw, I'm losing Silver," her voice crackled back on the very cheap speakers. Rebels didn't get to use the nice new stuff. "Most of us are still here, but someone's taking us out. Gotta be a small squad though."
"Shit, they're tryin' to fan out into the city," And I let them draw three teams here instead of their posts. "Grant, I'm taking a squad with me, and you got command until either Rim or his second in Blue get here. Don't fire the traps until the droidekas show up, or if you gotta run. If they force you out, start heading southeast toward evac. Let 'em push us out that way, even if you gotta give up the center if you need to. And don't get surrounded."
Grant nodded, but the bit of fear in his eyes didn't go away. Blue Team's Leader needed to get here damn quick. "Blue Gamma," one of the handful of squads who'd made it over so far. They were taking cover in a ruined building behind lines. "We've got some rogues going through the streets. You're coming with me to take 'em down. Beta, start filling in down on the lines. Let's move guys." They grunted some affirmatives, and Gamma followed Saw down a nearby sidestreet.
"Aight, Steela, lemme know where you're losing people."
"Looks like they're working their way around the north, but I dunno if they're gonna turn to the center or not. Start there and I'll let you know what happens next." Saw led his men north and started planning a route. He'd definitely be starting near Steela and going North. He wasn't losing her. Every few minutes he got an update. They were closing in...
"Detonator!" The metal sphere bounced around a corner right at them. Thermal. Definitely powerful enough to kill them, but like most of 'em it blew on a timer, not pressure. Droids didn't cook these things, right? Gamma dove away, but Saw reached out, caught the thing, and hurled it. The detonator blew in midair, thankfully just a bit out of blast range. The heat licked at his armor... wait...
It wasn't thermal. It was a smoker. The droids blinded them.
Out of nowhere came two zaps, and with them two of Gamma went down. Ambush. They set a trap and he ran right fucking into it. Saw spun around and dove for cover, barely getting a glimpse of their attacker. He was cloaked, a new kind of droid? He wasn't letting up. Another three of his men went down. "Steela, we got ambushed, I need backup now!" Saw blindly blasted some red bolts. Aiming wasn't important, just a relief from the barrage of those blue pulses.
Wait. Blasterfire isn't-
---
Saw was... back at the command post? Prisoner? No... no chains. His blaster was... not far. Within reach. There were these red aliens. Looked reptilian... and all wore masks made of bone? Who were they? Weren't any species he recognized. One was bigger. Clear leader. Saw could feel how naturally he commanded the room. There were three others. All taking orders in... well whatever their native language was. Did they know he was awake? Didn't seem like it. He waited. After a few minutes, the three subordinates left. The leader was... looking over notes? Saw's notes on the rebels. The alien was trying to get intel on - did he just scoff?
Still. He was distracted. Saw's arm slowly moved, ready to snap out and grab his gun. This was his chance...
"Don't bother."
Saw bothered.
The blaster was knocked out of Saw's hand before he could even wrap his finger around the trigger by a spear. And when Saw leaped to get the damned gun back, the alien snatched him out of the air, threw him on the ground, and pinned him with a foot on Saw's chest and a blade at his throat.
"Poor planning," the alien remarked in Basic. He had a rather deep voice. "One chance and you attacked the strongest foe. Noble, but only if you win." There was an odd touch of disappointment in the alien's voice. And a reprimand?
Everything was still for a moment. The alien was waiting for something, "Do you not defend your choice?"
Saw would've spit on the alien if he was that dumb. He was not a plaything, "Rash can send all the aliens the Seps have at us. Onderon will beat him."
The alien grunted, "If we were Separatists, you would be dead and this building would be rubble. We are not your enemy. Now answer me."
Saw waited a moment. The thing was serious, wasn't it? "I couldn't take four of you at once" he started slowly, "So I waited. Figured I'd take my odds one on one. Plus, you seemed in charge. Losing you'd be a big deal."
The alien let out another judgemental grunt, and lifted his foot off of Saw, "The odds were not even. I am a better warrior than you. You made a poor choice."
He lifted himself off the ground, "Well how would've I gotten out?"
"You wouldn't," the alien had his back to him. He was looking over Saw's notes again. "If any of my warriors were unable to defeat you in single combat they would not be here."
Saw moved closer, but the alien refused to physically react. "Then what the hell was the point of asking?" Saw demanded. The alien typed into some datapad as he spoke, "To teach you."
"You lead warriors, but you are ignorant the basics of war. You must be bold, yes, but more importantly you must win. If you do not win, then you have wasted the lives of your warriors. Attacking me was a waste. In death, you would have accomplished nothing. That is unacceptable. It is more unacceptable for a guerilla," the alien scolded him.
Saw's mouth twisted in irritation, "So, what, you're here to teach us to fight?"
"No. We are here to teach you to kill and win," he answered plainly, as if killing were the most mundane thing in the world.
Somehow... it kinda made sense. I mean, why else would he leave Saw alive like this, right? Despite himself, he let out a slight sigh of relief. "Huh. 'bout time the Republic sent some help then. Gotta say, I expected, well, Jedi."
The alien spun around and nearly headbutted Saw. He flinched, and Saw found nothing but hate and range in the man's yellow eyes. "The Jedi are worth nothing," he boomed, "They have not fought a war in a thousand years, but you think them experts? The only thing those pathetic worms can teach you is hypocrisy and arrogance."
Saw stepped back. "I'm not complaining about the help, but monks or not the Jedi still kick serious ass," Saw yelled back.
The alien moved on Saw again; outright towering over him. "Is that all you wish? A group of warriors to come solve all your problems? Should we simply kill Sanjay Rash for you? Is that what you are, Saw Gerrera? Are you a weakling who prefers to lie down and let Greater Men fix things for you?"
"No! I mean, yeah, let's go take out Rash, but I'll fight with you and so will the rest of them."
"And then what? When Rash is dead, his droids shall remain, and the Separatists shall still fight to take your planet. Must I fight the all those you fear to face? Will the Kaleesh need to protect you forever?"
Oh hell no. Saw defied the alien. "I'm not scared of anyone. I'll throw Rash, the droids, hell, even Dooku off the planet if I need to."
"Yet you have not."
"...Because we can't. Not on our own." Saw finally admitted.
"That is why I am here. The Jedi are fools with no talent or wisdom; who only know what the Force lets them. They pretend that it makes them almighty and superior to the rest of us. The Jedi do not use blasters because they think themselves above the weapons we rabble use. Do you think they shall teach your army how to kill with them?" the alien was furious, and continued on his tirade.
"The Jedi believe they can lead, but they merely stumble their way through commands and name it the will of the Force. Is that something that we mundane creatures can learn do? The Jedi cannot teach you. They will never teach you. The Jedi would let the galaxy burn before they lose their power over you. The Jedi want you to cry for them when you feel weak. And you have. So, Saw Gerrera, what is it that you wish? Shall I act as the Jedi, or shall I teach you as a Kaleesh warrior?"
A beat passed. Then another. He conceded. "I'll take the Kaleesh."
The Kaleesh gave an approving grunt.
He then explained in excruciating and embarrassing detail how he gave them such a resounding defeat. First, he studied them. Once he found their base, he surveyed it extensively. By the time he attacked, he's mastered their layout, patrols, and capabilities. He also hacked their comms as easily as if they were his own. They sneaked through the jungle, and somehow dodged Saw's sentries until the alien's strike force was in position to take them out in one impossibly coordinated swoop. They ripped a hole through that sector's defenses as if it were paper and split into groups. Counter snipers took vantage points and eventually stunned every single member of Silver Team. One Kaleesh squad and a bunch of re-purposed decoy droids held down Gold Team and the entire western side from strategic points and a fair amount of bluffing. A final squad prowled through the streets down south and quickly scuttled their evac plans. And then the leader on his own skulked about, guided by Saw's own orders and set the trap that took out Saw, and after that a few other leaders as Steela took over. Eventually he ended the exercise by calling in starfighters to force a "surrender" after a protracted conversation with Steela.
"Alright, so," Saw was starting to take everything in, "This was some intense way of telling me how easy it'd be for you to kill us?"
"No. If I wanted to kill you, I would bombard your base from my ship," the Kaleesh responded casually. Because that was a very casual thing to say, "It was to test you."
"We failed pretty bad, didn't we?"
He may have been wearing a mask, but Saw knew there was a frown behind it.
"I could have crippled your army in one strike. That is unacceptable. You shall fix that."
Saw had fallen back into the chair he'd woken up in, and began thinking for a moment while the alien watched. "So, if we move to an underground cave system, or somewhere else protected from fire from aircraft... no. Then you'd just find us and lay siege or something."
The alien nodded, and opted not to mention that his actual method of attack would be caving them in and letting them starve to death.
Another idea came to him. "What if we moved into a city? You can't nuke a city, too many innocents."
The Kaleesh snorted, "In war, there are no innocents," he did not allow time for Saw to give a third answer, "You are fighting an irregular war, and you shall never be able to defeat Sanjay Rash in open battle. You shall never allow it. If I had eliminated your army today, how many left would there be to fight for you?"
"Not a lot, but the people of Onderon-"
"Shall not rise on their own," he interrupted somewhat angrily. He had grown impatient, "Any of your people with the strength to fight already have." The Kaleesh leveled a gaze at him. "Do you understand now, Saw Gerrera?"
Saw slowly nodded, "So... we need to split up."
He got another affirmative grunt. "The headquarters of your army shall be small and you shall move it frequently. When I return, you shall also have sixteen possible locations for your central command to rotate through for the next year. You shall have a plan to divide your warriors. You may use the datapad on the desk to assist you. I shall return within 48 hours." He turned away towards the door.
"Wait, where are you going?" Saw called out as the alien was leaving the makeshift command post.
"Your army is lacking in firepower. I shall correct this."
Well that was dramatic. When Saw checked the datapad, he found a message the alien had accidentally left open. A written report of his assessment directed to... well Saw wasn't even gonna try to pronounce that name.
'The rebel army is incapable of winning. Their continued existence is due only their enemy's incompetence. Should Sanjay Rash deliver command to one of even moderate greatness, the rebels would be destroyed within a month. Less, if the Confederacy locates their base as quickly as we did. My initial objective shall be extending the lifespan of their rebellion.
I have found Saw Gerrera to be inadequate. He shall be the hardest weakness to solve. Gerrera has an insufficient grasp of the principles of irregular war. The plans I have found indicate a distaste for war of attrition, where it should be his preferred strategy. They also lack creativity. I can confirm prior research that the Gerreras are most decisive in a firefight. Steela Gerrera is greater in some ways but not others. I shall allow Saw Gerrera to remain leader for now, and I shall instruct him personally.
As expected, the rebellion is severely underequipped. I am most alarmed by their lack of heavy firepower and explosives. We shall focus on rectifying this problem until the rebellion is acceptably armed. The local fauna is not properly utilized, as was predicted. I am displeased with their organization. It is disordered beyond combat operations. Their logistical division has languished because both Gerreras are unfamiliar with that segment of leadership. I shall ensure that their logistical leaders compensate for the Gerraras' failings.
The greatest strength of this rebellion is their thirst for glory and loyalty to the Gerreras. I cannot replace the two. The Gerreras have what humans call "charisma", which causes their warriors to see them as Greater than they are. This is why they have secured leadership. It shall be my responsibility to make them deserve it.
Well that was a kick in the nads.
---
It had been nearly three days, and no sign of Saw's new "mentor". Steela remembered who he and the Kaleesh were; they were the victims of a brutal occupation themselves. One that made the Seps look Caamasi. And the leader was Grievous, the same guy who led them against the Huk. They were also part of the CNS, not the Republic, which was weird. Steela had the right idea that they should keep their mouths shut about Grievous being here. Guy probably wasn't supposed to be, and Saw sure as hell wasn't gonna ask why.
Saw'd drawn up the plans Grievous asked for with Steela's help, when she could spare a moment away from their painful training routines. The Kaleesh were about as intense as their leader. Regimens weren't drills, no they were far too unconventional for that. An official military would call these "live fire exercises". Civilians would call them "games". Meanwhile, the rebels thought of them as "public humiliation".
"A valiant attempt Gerreras. That was the longest you have survived thus far." Survival referred to one of the common "games" the rebels ran through called "Don't Get Stunned". And yes, this one was a game, because Saw was certain the Kaleesh were gambling on it and that this Kaleesh - Skalael jai Kireen - had just won a load of credits for taking out Saw and Steela on his own.
"Still not a win," Steela griped.
Skalael let out a deep laugh. Skalael was a bit older than most of the Kaleesh, but was still an excellent fighter and a rather able teacher. While just as harsh as the rest of them during the exercises, Skalael was also just about the only Kaleesh who was offering compliments at this point... which is probably why he was Saw's favorite. "Of course not young Gerrera, but you must learn to survive before you learn how to win. When he returns, Lord Grievous will not be unsatisfied with your progress."
"And when'll Grievous get back?" Saw asked, "He oughta be done by now. Should we go look for him?"
Skalael shrugged, "On Kalee, hunts always go long. If a hunt lasts a day, you will be gone for three. It is the way things are. Perhaps Lord Grievous will be back today, perhaps in two."
"Well has anybody heard from him? Do we at least know where he's at?"
"Lord Grievous did not wish to be disturbed on his hunt," Skalael was oddly nonchalant, "We have honored his order. He shall return when he has succeeded, whenever he decides that he has."
"What if he doesn't?," Steela interjected, "What if he fails?"
Skalael leveled a glare at her, "Lord Grievous is the Greatest hunter in the galaxy. There are those who still tremble at the mention of his name. You should never doubt him. He shall return."
Saw nodded, "We haven't heard any chatter from the Seps about catching him. So he's still out there."
Steela huffed, "Unless he got eaten by something. We wouldn't have to deal with this sort of shit from Jedi."
"No, you would not, because the Jedi are not here," the smile vanished from Skalael's eyes, "They have decided you are not worth assisting. The galaxy has spent far too long suckling on their teat, and you are learning what happens when it dries up. The Jedi's whims allowed the Huk to slaughter my family. I watched my brothers be taken for slaves while my children starved, because of their arrogance. The same will be said of you. How many have you lost, Steela Gerrera, since the war began? How many could have been saved if the Jedi cared to fight for you?"
Steela answered only in silence.
"We don't need Jedi," Saw said, agreeing with the Kaleesh. Steela shot him a look of betrayal, "Onderon needs to be able to take care of ourselves even without the Jedi's help. I think the reason the Jedi never showed is because they don't think we can win." That it'd be a waste of their time, he left unsaid, "If we start proving 'em wrong, maybe the Republic'll start caring."
"Fine. Whatever," Steela conceded, "But our jungles are still dangerous. I know Kalee is too, but we have monsters fly over from Dxun, and that's one of the deadliest places in the galaxy. Maybe he's not dead, but he could still need help."
On cue came the greatest of those monsters.
A horrific screech tore through the air. Alarms rang and blasterfire peppered the monster's purple scales as it flew overhead. The monster paid no mind. It was huge. Even for its kind. It was one of the greatest terrors in Onderon's history. A beast so ferocious that it took three men to ride it, let alone tame it. It was a drexl.
And Grievous was riding it. By himself.
"Steela, I think he made it."
---
Feeling a bit eh on the voices this time around, but I think I did okay. Grievous gave me trouble. His manner of speaking is oddly formal and stilted, which made it a bit annoying to write him for fear of overdoing it. I chalk it up to him being super hammy and prone to grandstanding and then the effects of translating from Kaleesh (similar to Yoda's sentence structures). It works well when he's only got a few lines, but in long conversations? Guy can only be so much of a ham sandwich before I can't keep it up. Still not perfectly satisfied with his screed about the Jedi regarding his personal axe to grind but oh well. Skalael was a lot easier though.
Saw and Steela are tricky because they're young and naive and sound like it, but at the same time they're leading a rebel army so you can only lean on that so hard. A few weeks in Grievous' Boot Camp will fix that. Not the easiest balance, but I feel better with that than with Grievous.
Right now probably looking at 3 parts. Though this one took a while to finish writing, so we'll see how long until part 2 gets out. We can't all write at @Panory's pace. Part 2 should be shorter but less dialogue heavy... which may or may not bode well. idk, I feel like I'm better at dialogue than description. I'll try to make it work though.
Operation Rash Cream
Part One
Onderon's jungles were hot, humid, and easily most dangerous place on the planet. Their moon, Dxun, was filled with monsters, and when they migrated to Onderon they wound up here. Which, to Saw Gerrera's mind, made their ruins the perfect hideout for his rebellion. He had less men and weapons than Sanjay Rash and the Confederacy, but the jungle would compensate against any attack, and it'd be hell for a droid army to make it here. It was harsh living, sure, but it was worth it.
At least, that's what Saw thought.
"We should move to the mountains," his sister Steela argued, "If the droids find us, we won't know until they blast down our doors. We can't see a damned thing. It'll be just as hard to find us in the mountains, and we'll have an actual vantage point." She began outlining a plan on a map almost as tattered as the ruined city they were holed up in. "We'll get there in a week if we leave now."
Saw sighed. He eyed the three other soldiers in the command post and motioned them out. Perimeter could use more eyes on it anyway. "Steela, you're thinking like a sniper. Yeah, we can see them coming, but that doesn't help if we can't run from them. Once we get in those mountains it'll be hard to get out, especially if Rash finds us. Here, we can disappear into the jungle and regroup at some of the other ruins."
"Yeah, and get picked off by Drexls and Bomas on the way," she snidely interjected.
"And it's easier to organize and set up camp in an abandoned city than the mountain side. And it's easier to feed ourselves. And it's easier to get at Rash from here," he glared back at her, "Yeah, the jungles ain't perfect, but it's the best we can do."
"You're wrong. If we're in the mountains, then we can fight Rash when he comes for us. Those droids aren't made for mountain climbing."
"Which is why they'll drop down on us from airships."
"Then we can just fire them down!"
"With what?"
Silence. The answer was "fuck all", and they knew it. It was the end of the argument. It always was. Steela had butted heads with Saw plenty of times, but when it came down to it... they were losing. Worse, they were barely effective. They were a nuisance, not a threat. Ill-equipped; they lacked anything more complex than rifles and detonators. Underfunded; nobody was backing them, and they were living off of scavenges. Inexperienced; Saw wasn't a bad leader, but he was way too young for this. And they were absolutely outmatched. Sucked to think about.
Saw's comm crackled. A break from the tension. "Yeah, this is Saw. Report."
"Saw! They've broken through the west! I'm taking what's left of Gold Team back to the second chokepoint, and need all the backup you can get us!"
Did Steela hear? Of course she did. Her hands were already on her sniper and she was running with him out the door. It finally happened. Rash had found them.
"Copy that Gold Team," Saw swapped to a broad frequency as he chased down the decrepit streets, "Showtime everyone, the Seps have hit the west and they're coming in hard. Let's do this like we planned. Brown, Purple, you're on evac. Silver, get in sniper positions and cover the city. Border Squads keep an eye out, but reserves move to defend the west and center. Everybody remember your rendezvous points. I wanna be gone in thirty minutes."
"Why are they already going to the second chokepoint? Hell, why are they only telling us now?!" Steela called out to him. She had a good point. Saw never expected Rash's attack to go this bad already. Maybe she was right about the jungle... not the time.
"I dunno sis. But it doesn't matter why, it just is. Silver Team's yours. Put two with Gold to hold down the plaza, and spread out the rest. Lemme know everything that happens. ETAs on our people and everything." She nodded, and branched off with a good luck.
Soldiers from Red, Blue and Green teams started merging in with Saw down the main throughway to the chokepoint. "Blue, you're with me to reinforce Gold directly. Red and Green have pincer positions. We're gonna make the plaza a scrap heap." A variety of yessirs voiced as squads peeled off to reach their objectives. Saw knew that they prolly wouldn't win this battle. Not if Rash broke through this easily, but that wasn't the point. All they had to do was hold 'em off. Make every step costly and slow until they could evac.
The chokepoint was a heavily barricaded exit from a plaza on a main throughway. They'd arranged the rubble so that you could only come at them from the entrance opposite their defenses. And they'd wrecked all the side streets too, so you'd have to go real far around in order to get past 'em. Red and Green'd be moving through the two winding and complicated paths that you could still go through. It was all set to be a killing field for the invaders... but it still had its limits.
"Saw! Thank the Force," said the middle aged human in charge of Gold. He was sweaty and ragged, and hunkered as all hell down behind a half-wall of durasteel that served as last line of cover, "How far behind are Red and Green?"
"They're coming in from the sides," Saw called back as he moved in position next to him. "Blue's here to be your reserves. How the hell did Rash hit us so fast? What happened to the first checkpoint?"
"I dunno Saw. Didn't realize they were even here until one of my men commed me saying that the border squads weren't answering. I got everyone formed up best I could, but it was too late to hold the first chokepoint by then. They fucking eviscerated us. Honestly, I'm glad we've held out this long. They're... they're good Saw. It's not just numbers." And they were outnumbered. Saw could hear that from the blasterfire, even if he wasn't seeing how many droids there were lined up out there.
"Shit..." Saw scanned the walls. There were barely enough left in Gold to hold the chokepoint. Blaster fire scorched by his head, barely veering off. He responded with a volley of his own, taking out a few droids. "You got anybody left hiding?"
"Nope, you're lookin' at us. We're all here, pinned down on the front lines."
Saw ducked back down, "Wait, we're pinned? Supposed to be the other way around Grant." Which was not too subtly a scolding for Grant not fucking moving to give Saw or the men closer to the front some damned coverfire.
"Yeah, I know, but I'm serious. They're focused on not letting us get a damned shot off." Saw growled. Well, that's one reason why you're not getting firing.
"Naw... that ain't right..." Grant may be acting kinda cowardly, but something was up. The droids weren't advancing, even though they could. Saw opened his comm, "Steela, droids are acting weird over here. You got any movement outside the front."
"Nothing yet, but Saw, I'm losing Silver," her voice crackled back on the very cheap speakers. Rebels didn't get to use the nice new stuff. "Most of us are still here, but someone's taking us out. Gotta be a small squad though."
"Shit, they're tryin' to fan out into the city," And I let them draw three teams here instead of their posts. "Grant, I'm taking a squad with me, and you got command until either Rim or his second in Blue get here. Don't fire the traps until the droidekas show up, or if you gotta run. If they force you out, start heading southeast toward evac. Let 'em push us out that way, even if you gotta give up the center if you need to. And don't get surrounded."
Grant nodded, but the bit of fear in his eyes didn't go away. Blue Team's Leader needed to get here damn quick. "Blue Gamma," one of the handful of squads who'd made it over so far. They were taking cover in a ruined building behind lines. "We've got some rogues going through the streets. You're coming with me to take 'em down. Beta, start filling in down on the lines. Let's move guys." They grunted some affirmatives, and Gamma followed Saw down a nearby sidestreet.
"Aight, Steela, lemme know where you're losing people."
"Looks like they're working their way around the north, but I dunno if they're gonna turn to the center or not. Start there and I'll let you know what happens next." Saw led his men north and started planning a route. He'd definitely be starting near Steela and going North. He wasn't losing her. Every few minutes he got an update. They were closing in...
"Detonator!" The metal sphere bounced around a corner right at them. Thermal. Definitely powerful enough to kill them, but like most of 'em it blew on a timer, not pressure. Droids didn't cook these things, right? Gamma dove away, but Saw reached out, caught the thing, and hurled it. The detonator blew in midair, thankfully just a bit out of blast range. The heat licked at his armor... wait...
It wasn't thermal. It was a smoker. The droids blinded them.
Out of nowhere came two zaps, and with them two of Gamma went down. Ambush. They set a trap and he ran right fucking into it. Saw spun around and dove for cover, barely getting a glimpse of their attacker. He was cloaked, a new kind of droid? He wasn't letting up. Another three of his men went down. "Steela, we got ambushed, I need backup now!" Saw blindly blasted some red bolts. Aiming wasn't important, just a relief from the barrage of those blue pulses.
Wait. Blasterfire isn't-
---
Saw was... back at the command post? Prisoner? No... no chains. His blaster was... not far. Within reach. There were these red aliens. Looked reptilian... and all wore masks made of bone? Who were they? Weren't any species he recognized. One was bigger. Clear leader. Saw could feel how naturally he commanded the room. There were three others. All taking orders in... well whatever their native language was. Did they know he was awake? Didn't seem like it. He waited. After a few minutes, the three subordinates left. The leader was... looking over notes? Saw's notes on the rebels. The alien was trying to get intel on - did he just scoff?
Still. He was distracted. Saw's arm slowly moved, ready to snap out and grab his gun. This was his chance...
"Don't bother."
Saw bothered.
The blaster was knocked out of Saw's hand before he could even wrap his finger around the trigger by a spear. And when Saw leaped to get the damned gun back, the alien snatched him out of the air, threw him on the ground, and pinned him with a foot on Saw's chest and a blade at his throat.
"Poor planning," the alien remarked in Basic. He had a rather deep voice. "One chance and you attacked the strongest foe. Noble, but only if you win." There was an odd touch of disappointment in the alien's voice. And a reprimand?
Everything was still for a moment. The alien was waiting for something, "Do you not defend your choice?"
Saw would've spit on the alien if he was that dumb. He was not a plaything, "Rash can send all the aliens the Seps have at us. Onderon will beat him."
The alien grunted, "If we were Separatists, you would be dead and this building would be rubble. We are not your enemy. Now answer me."
Saw waited a moment. The thing was serious, wasn't it? "I couldn't take four of you at once" he started slowly, "So I waited. Figured I'd take my odds one on one. Plus, you seemed in charge. Losing you'd be a big deal."
The alien let out another judgemental grunt, and lifted his foot off of Saw, "The odds were not even. I am a better warrior than you. You made a poor choice."
He lifted himself off the ground, "Well how would've I gotten out?"
"You wouldn't," the alien had his back to him. He was looking over Saw's notes again. "If any of my warriors were unable to defeat you in single combat they would not be here."
Saw moved closer, but the alien refused to physically react. "Then what the hell was the point of asking?" Saw demanded. The alien typed into some datapad as he spoke, "To teach you."
"You lead warriors, but you are ignorant the basics of war. You must be bold, yes, but more importantly you must win. If you do not win, then you have wasted the lives of your warriors. Attacking me was a waste. In death, you would have accomplished nothing. That is unacceptable. It is more unacceptable for a guerilla," the alien scolded him.
Saw's mouth twisted in irritation, "So, what, you're here to teach us to fight?"
"No. We are here to teach you to kill and win," he answered plainly, as if killing were the most mundane thing in the world.
Somehow... it kinda made sense. I mean, why else would he leave Saw alive like this, right? Despite himself, he let out a slight sigh of relief. "Huh. 'bout time the Republic sent some help then. Gotta say, I expected, well, Jedi."
The alien spun around and nearly headbutted Saw. He flinched, and Saw found nothing but hate and range in the man's yellow eyes. "The Jedi are worth nothing," he boomed, "They have not fought a war in a thousand years, but you think them experts? The only thing those pathetic worms can teach you is hypocrisy and arrogance."
Saw stepped back. "I'm not complaining about the help, but monks or not the Jedi still kick serious ass," Saw yelled back.
The alien moved on Saw again; outright towering over him. "Is that all you wish? A group of warriors to come solve all your problems? Should we simply kill Sanjay Rash for you? Is that what you are, Saw Gerrera? Are you a weakling who prefers to lie down and let Greater Men fix things for you?"
"No! I mean, yeah, let's go take out Rash, but I'll fight with you and so will the rest of them."
"And then what? When Rash is dead, his droids shall remain, and the Separatists shall still fight to take your planet. Must I fight the all those you fear to face? Will the Kaleesh need to protect you forever?"
Oh hell no. Saw defied the alien. "I'm not scared of anyone. I'll throw Rash, the droids, hell, even Dooku off the planet if I need to."
"Yet you have not."
"...Because we can't. Not on our own." Saw finally admitted.
"That is why I am here. The Jedi are fools with no talent or wisdom; who only know what the Force lets them. They pretend that it makes them almighty and superior to the rest of us. The Jedi do not use blasters because they think themselves above the weapons we rabble use. Do you think they shall teach your army how to kill with them?" the alien was furious, and continued on his tirade.
"The Jedi believe they can lead, but they merely stumble their way through commands and name it the will of the Force. Is that something that we mundane creatures can learn do? The Jedi cannot teach you. They will never teach you. The Jedi would let the galaxy burn before they lose their power over you. The Jedi want you to cry for them when you feel weak. And you have. So, Saw Gerrera, what is it that you wish? Shall I act as the Jedi, or shall I teach you as a Kaleesh warrior?"
A beat passed. Then another. He conceded. "I'll take the Kaleesh."
The Kaleesh gave an approving grunt.
He then explained in excruciating and embarrassing detail how he gave them such a resounding defeat. First, he studied them. Once he found their base, he surveyed it extensively. By the time he attacked, he's mastered their layout, patrols, and capabilities. He also hacked their comms as easily as if they were his own. They sneaked through the jungle, and somehow dodged Saw's sentries until the alien's strike force was in position to take them out in one impossibly coordinated swoop. They ripped a hole through that sector's defenses as if it were paper and split into groups. Counter snipers took vantage points and eventually stunned every single member of Silver Team. One Kaleesh squad and a bunch of re-purposed decoy droids held down Gold Team and the entire western side from strategic points and a fair amount of bluffing. A final squad prowled through the streets down south and quickly scuttled their evac plans. And then the leader on his own skulked about, guided by Saw's own orders and set the trap that took out Saw, and after that a few other leaders as Steela took over. Eventually he ended the exercise by calling in starfighters to force a "surrender" after a protracted conversation with Steela.
"Alright, so," Saw was starting to take everything in, "This was some intense way of telling me how easy it'd be for you to kill us?"
"No. If I wanted to kill you, I would bombard your base from my ship," the Kaleesh responded casually. Because that was a very casual thing to say, "It was to test you."
"We failed pretty bad, didn't we?"
He may have been wearing a mask, but Saw knew there was a frown behind it.
"I could have crippled your army in one strike. That is unacceptable. You shall fix that."
Saw had fallen back into the chair he'd woken up in, and began thinking for a moment while the alien watched. "So, if we move to an underground cave system, or somewhere else protected from fire from aircraft... no. Then you'd just find us and lay siege or something."
The alien nodded, and opted not to mention that his actual method of attack would be caving them in and letting them starve to death.
Another idea came to him. "What if we moved into a city? You can't nuke a city, too many innocents."
The Kaleesh snorted, "In war, there are no innocents," he did not allow time for Saw to give a third answer, "You are fighting an irregular war, and you shall never be able to defeat Sanjay Rash in open battle. You shall never allow it. If I had eliminated your army today, how many left would there be to fight for you?"
"Not a lot, but the people of Onderon-"
"Shall not rise on their own," he interrupted somewhat angrily. He had grown impatient, "Any of your people with the strength to fight already have." The Kaleesh leveled a gaze at him. "Do you understand now, Saw Gerrera?"
Saw slowly nodded, "So... we need to split up."
He got another affirmative grunt. "The headquarters of your army shall be small and you shall move it frequently. When I return, you shall also have sixteen possible locations for your central command to rotate through for the next year. You shall have a plan to divide your warriors. You may use the datapad on the desk to assist you. I shall return within 48 hours." He turned away towards the door.
"Wait, where are you going?" Saw called out as the alien was leaving the makeshift command post.
"Your army is lacking in firepower. I shall correct this."
Well that was dramatic. When Saw checked the datapad, he found a message the alien had accidentally left open. A written report of his assessment directed to... well Saw wasn't even gonna try to pronounce that name.
'The rebel army is incapable of winning. Their continued existence is due only their enemy's incompetence. Should Sanjay Rash deliver command to one of even moderate greatness, the rebels would be destroyed within a month. Less, if the Confederacy locates their base as quickly as we did. My initial objective shall be extending the lifespan of their rebellion.
I have found Saw Gerrera to be inadequate. He shall be the hardest weakness to solve. Gerrera has an insufficient grasp of the principles of irregular war. The plans I have found indicate a distaste for war of attrition, where it should be his preferred strategy. They also lack creativity. I can confirm prior research that the Gerreras are most decisive in a firefight. Steela Gerrera is greater in some ways but not others. I shall allow Saw Gerrera to remain leader for now, and I shall instruct him personally.
As expected, the rebellion is severely underequipped. I am most alarmed by their lack of heavy firepower and explosives. We shall focus on rectifying this problem until the rebellion is acceptably armed. The local fauna is not properly utilized, as was predicted. I am displeased with their organization. It is disordered beyond combat operations. Their logistical division has languished because both Gerreras are unfamiliar with that segment of leadership. I shall ensure that their logistical leaders compensate for the Gerraras' failings.
The greatest strength of this rebellion is their thirst for glory and loyalty to the Gerreras. I cannot replace the two. The Gerreras have what humans call "charisma", which causes their warriors to see them as Greater than they are. This is why they have secured leadership. It shall be my responsibility to make them deserve it.
Well that was a kick in the nads.
---
It had been nearly three days, and no sign of Saw's new "mentor". Steela remembered who he and the Kaleesh were; they were the victims of a brutal occupation themselves. One that made the Seps look Caamasi. And the leader was Grievous, the same guy who led them against the Huk. They were also part of the CNS, not the Republic, which was weird. Steela had the right idea that they should keep their mouths shut about Grievous being here. Guy probably wasn't supposed to be, and Saw sure as hell wasn't gonna ask why.
Saw'd drawn up the plans Grievous asked for with Steela's help, when she could spare a moment away from their painful training routines. The Kaleesh were about as intense as their leader. Regimens weren't drills, no they were far too unconventional for that. An official military would call these "live fire exercises". Civilians would call them "games". Meanwhile, the rebels thought of them as "public humiliation".
"A valiant attempt Gerreras. That was the longest you have survived thus far." Survival referred to one of the common "games" the rebels ran through called "Don't Get Stunned". And yes, this one was a game, because Saw was certain the Kaleesh were gambling on it and that this Kaleesh - Skalael jai Kireen - had just won a load of credits for taking out Saw and Steela on his own.
"Still not a win," Steela griped.
Skalael let out a deep laugh. Skalael was a bit older than most of the Kaleesh, but was still an excellent fighter and a rather able teacher. While just as harsh as the rest of them during the exercises, Skalael was also just about the only Kaleesh who was offering compliments at this point... which is probably why he was Saw's favorite. "Of course not young Gerrera, but you must learn to survive before you learn how to win. When he returns, Lord Grievous will not be unsatisfied with your progress."
"And when'll Grievous get back?" Saw asked, "He oughta be done by now. Should we go look for him?"
Skalael shrugged, "On Kalee, hunts always go long. If a hunt lasts a day, you will be gone for three. It is the way things are. Perhaps Lord Grievous will be back today, perhaps in two."
"Well has anybody heard from him? Do we at least know where he's at?"
"Lord Grievous did not wish to be disturbed on his hunt," Skalael was oddly nonchalant, "We have honored his order. He shall return when he has succeeded, whenever he decides that he has."
"What if he doesn't?," Steela interjected, "What if he fails?"
Skalael leveled a glare at her, "Lord Grievous is the Greatest hunter in the galaxy. There are those who still tremble at the mention of his name. You should never doubt him. He shall return."
Saw nodded, "We haven't heard any chatter from the Seps about catching him. So he's still out there."
Steela huffed, "Unless he got eaten by something. We wouldn't have to deal with this sort of shit from Jedi."
"No, you would not, because the Jedi are not here," the smile vanished from Skalael's eyes, "They have decided you are not worth assisting. The galaxy has spent far too long suckling on their teat, and you are learning what happens when it dries up. The Jedi's whims allowed the Huk to slaughter my family. I watched my brothers be taken for slaves while my children starved, because of their arrogance. The same will be said of you. How many have you lost, Steela Gerrera, since the war began? How many could have been saved if the Jedi cared to fight for you?"
Steela answered only in silence.
"We don't need Jedi," Saw said, agreeing with the Kaleesh. Steela shot him a look of betrayal, "Onderon needs to be able to take care of ourselves even without the Jedi's help. I think the reason the Jedi never showed is because they don't think we can win." That it'd be a waste of their time, he left unsaid, "If we start proving 'em wrong, maybe the Republic'll start caring."
"Fine. Whatever," Steela conceded, "But our jungles are still dangerous. I know Kalee is too, but we have monsters fly over from Dxun, and that's one of the deadliest places in the galaxy. Maybe he's not dead, but he could still need help."
On cue came the greatest of those monsters.
A horrific screech tore through the air. Alarms rang and blasterfire peppered the monster's purple scales as it flew overhead. The monster paid no mind. It was huge. Even for its kind. It was one of the greatest terrors in Onderon's history. A beast so ferocious that it took three men to ride it, let alone tame it. It was a drexl.
And Grievous was riding it. By himself.
"Steela, I think he made it."
---
Feeling a bit eh on the voices this time around, but I think I did okay. Grievous gave me trouble. His manner of speaking is oddly formal and stilted, which made it a bit annoying to write him for fear of overdoing it. I chalk it up to him being super hammy and prone to grandstanding and then the effects of translating from Kaleesh (similar to Yoda's sentence structures). It works well when he's only got a few lines, but in long conversations? Guy can only be so much of a ham sandwich before I can't keep it up. Still not perfectly satisfied with his screed about the Jedi regarding his personal axe to grind but oh well. Skalael was a lot easier though.
Saw and Steela are tricky because they're young and naive and sound like it, but at the same time they're leading a rebel army so you can only lean on that so hard. A few weeks in Grievous' Boot Camp will fix that. Not the easiest balance, but I feel better with that than with Grievous.
Right now probably looking at 3 parts. Though this one took a while to finish writing, so we'll see how long until part 2 gets out. We can't all write at @Panory's pace. Part 2 should be shorter but less dialogue heavy... which may or may not bode well. idk, I feel like I'm better at dialogue than description. I'll try to make it work though.
CNS Space/Abyss Watchers Assets (As of Turn 23 Results)
All right, after much ado, here is the updated map.
Deep Core
None
Core Worlds
Torranix sector (under-the-table support)
- Fresia: home of Seti Ashgad, headquarters of Incom Corporation (starfighters, e.g. 'Z-95 Headhunter')
Colonies
None
Inner Rim
Japrael sector (government-in-exile)
- Onderon: childhood home of Saw Gerrera, trade hub on Lesser Lantillian Route, site of 'Ov Taraba' (university) and 'Unifar Temple' (palace)
- Dxun: jungle moon of Onderon, site of 'Mandalorian Outpost' (former HQ of Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders) and 'Tomb of Freedon Nadd' (Sith nexus)
Myrkr sector
- Myrkr: homeworld of ysalamiri species (negate Force), haven for smugglers due to Jedi keeping their distance
Expansion Regions
Sumitra sector
- Alk'Lellish III: homeworld of Lellish race (advertising specialists), 'game planet' known for hunting tourism
- Thustra: homeworld of Sephi race, ruled by King Alaric (friend of Yoda)
Dentari sector
Farstey sector
- Alpheridies: homeworld of Miraluka race, home of Ciaran's parents, center of 'Luka Sene' Force sect, site of Culu Memorial Center (Jedi Academy)
Mid Rim
Vensori sector
- Katarr: former Miraluka colony world, rendered uninhabitable by Darth Nihilus in 3952 BBY
Trans-Gascon sector
Msst sector
- Cadannia: jungle planet, only known source of senflax (neurotoxin that disrupts ability to access/manipulate the Force)
- Garos IV: only known source of hibridium (less effective cloaking), site of University of Garos & major Refugee Relief Movement settlements
Thusa sector
- Dahgee: rich in Dahgee lightsaber crystals (zigzagging blade), center of 'Dahgee Jedi' Force sect [NB: extinct Jedi Lords?]
Venaarian sector
- Venaari: heavily populated industrial planet, headquarters of Venaari Enterprises (produces SV-50 Swift-Strike Speeder)
Transvulta sector
- Nyriaan: rich in madilon (rare metal for hyperdrives), mineral rights contested between Mining Guild, Corporate Sector Authority, and Navigators' Guild
Ottega sector
- Ithor: homeworld of Ithorian race (best agriculturalists in galaxy) and telepathic bafforr trees, headquarters of Ithorian SkyYards ('herdship cities')
Urce Space sector
Alderath sector
Kesh sector
- Ebra: homeworld of Ebranite race, rich in lu-ramin (medicinal oil), trade controlled by Carosi XII
Outer Rim
Halthor sector
Noonian sector
- Odryn: adopted homeworld of Feeorin race, site of Sanctum of the Exalted (former Feeorin shrine and Jedi Covenant storehouse, now in ruins)
- Ord Sigatt: rich in carvanium (alloy used for durasteel), mining facilities run by 'Denon-Ardru Mutual'
- Storinal: resort world known for tourism, site of Scohar Xenohealth Institute (medical research center)
Weneen sector
- Barpine: industrial world, site of Barpine Shipyards (orbital station), ground-side prison facility [NB: later converted for Imperial use]
- G'wenee: major trade hub along Braxant Run, thriving black market
Meerian sector
- Bandomeer: rich in ionite (rare compound, neutralizes energy fields), mineral rights currently owned by Arcona Mineral Harvest (Commerce Guild)
- Marca: homeworld of Sekct race, rich in hyperbaride (for turbolasers), processing plants operated by Dynamic Synergetics/IGBC
Ojoster sector
- Taris: revitalized ecumenopolis on Hydian Way, site of Abyss Watcher base and major refugee settlements, known for legendary kelp farms
- Suurja: breadbasket 'resource world' for Taris, site of major refugee settlements
- Jebble: snowball 'resource world' for Taris, minimal population, site of discovery of Jebble Box [NB: contains Muur Talisman, source of rakghoul plague]
- Denova: rich in baradium (explosive compound used for thermal detonators), mining camps date from the Old Republic
- Wayland: homeworld of Myneyrsh race (hunters), site of Old Republic fort under Mount Tantiss [NB: Palpatine's storehouse of tech & artifacts]
Mandalore sector
- Mandalore: desert world with bio-cube cities, headquarters of MandalMotors (vehicles) and 'Guardian Corps', site of Kyrimorut (Clan Skirata base)
- Concordia: forest moon of Mandalore, rich in beskar (rare metal that is lightsaber-resistant/nigh-indestructible)
- Concord Dawn: childhood home of Jango Fett, headquarters of 'Journeyman Protectors' (Mandalorian cowboys)
- Gargon: rich in phobium (rare hyper-dense metal, used for Death Star power core), thriving black market
- Hrthging: rich in Hrthgingian firegems (rare gemstone, used to sabotage hyperdrive reactors), thriving black market
- Kalevala: childhood home of Satine Kryze, headquarters of 'Kalevala Spaceworks' (luxury starliners, e.g. Coronet)
Demetras sector
- Belthu: mineral-rich industrial world, major durasteel foundry (import metals from nearby Todirium III), controlled by mining corporations
- Fenel: abandoned industrial world (shipyards once produced Mandalorian Empire's fleet of Kandosii-class dreadnoughts)
- Phindar: homeworld of Phindian race, major trade hub on Salin Corridor, site of Phindar Station spaceport and refueling center
Rollion sector
- Atraken: rich in Doonium (rare, used for capital-ship hulls), mining colony & refugee settlement on moon Trilos (controlled by Atrakenite Guild of Miners)
- Maridun: major refugee world settled by Lurmen fleeing the war-ravaged Mygeeto [NB: in canon, targeted by CIS 'Defoliator' superweapon]
Nuiri sector
- Lucasez: center of the 'Fallanassi' Force sect (illusions and Force immersion), mining facilities run by Tagge Mining Company
- Resh 9376: icy comet, site of 'Point Nadir' shadowport owned by Hutt clan, primary base for 'Sable Dawn' Force assassins and 'Epsis' thieves
- Stygeon Prime: ice planet, homeworld of tibidee species, site of Spire (remote prison fortress) [NB: later converted for Imperial use]
- Vjun: dismal acid-rain planet populated by Hssiss (dark side Force lizards), site of Bast Castle (owned by Dooku) and Château Malreaux
Thrasybule sector
-Malrev IV: homeworld of Irrukiine race, site of Sith Temple and dark-side Force nexus
Belsmuth
- Botajef: headquarters of 'Botajef Shipyards' (produces AA-9 Coruscant Freighter widely used by refugee groups), space elevators to orbital shipyards
Thesme sector
- Feriae Junction: major trade hub on Hydian Way, site of Hutt banking/money laundering operation, Grand Terminal spaceport
- Thesme: childhood home of Silya Shessaun (senator & friend of Padme), sector capital and major industrial center
- Ventrux: childhood home of Jenna Zan Arbor (mad scientist), headquarters of Arbor Industries (science/medical research)
D'Astan sub-sector
- Axxila: ecumenopolis [NB: described as 'inside out'], headquarters of Axxila Anti-Piracy Fleet funded by Lady Ciaran
- Celanon: homeworld of Nalroni race, major agri-world & trade hub on Hydian Way, city-sized 'Diplomatic' and 'Trade Consortium' districts
- Isen: isolated gas giant with three asteroid belts, moon Isen IV is headquarters of Void Demons pirate gang
- Nez Peron: sector capital and major agri-world controlled by farming collectives
- Ord Cestus: homeworld of X'Ting race and Dashta eel species, headquarters of Clandes Industrial and Cestus Cybernetics (droids, e.g. JK-13 'Jedi Killers')
- Valahari: headquarters of Valahari Shipworks (starfighters, e.g. 'Tempest Zero'), Harko Station (production facility & starport)
Quelii sector
- Cathar: homeworld of Cathar race (cat people), steppe world with thriving city-trees
- Dathomir: homeworld of Dathomiri race and Rancor species, center of 'Witches' and 'Nightsister' Force sects, site of 'Star Temple' ruins, Aurilia (village)
- Koratas: fourth moon of Dathomir, rich in neutronium, lomnite, and zersium (metals, used for durasteel), major mining facilities
- Halmad: trade hub known for 'Halmad Prime' beer, site of 'Free Axxilan' refugee settlement, Vahaba asteroid belt mined by Tonheld Mining Corp.
- Vinsoth: homeworld of Chevin and Chev races, slave-based & mostly nomadic society, starship production , thriving black market
Cassandran Worlds sector
- Garqi: agriworld, rich in caf beans, site of Agricultural University and Xenobotanical Garden, headquarters of Garqi Agricultural Combine
- New Bakstre: industrial center and trade hub on Braxant Run, Havridam City (capital) mostly destroyed by war & terrorist attacks
Albarrio sector
- Aris: rainforest world, sector capital and trade hub on junction of Braxant Run and Relgim Run hyperlanes
- Anemcoro: low-tech colony world of Ho'Din race (botanists), known for ecological & medical exports
- Bar Neth: originally a desert world, now thoroughly terraformed and known as a tourism & resort destination
- Mygeeto: childhood home of Hego Damask, rich in nova crystals (currency) and relacite (lightsabers), site of Dressian Kiolsh Merchant Bank vaults
- Oasis: mining colony located in Maelstrom Nebula, rich in oxite (ore), site of abandoned Maelstrom Prison space station
Velcar sector
- Entralla: major trade hub on Entralla Route, headquarters of Guild of Interstellar Merchants, site of Overhang industrial district
Clacis sector
Obtrexta sector
- Muunilist: Muun colony world, headquarters of InterGalactic Banking Clans and Damask Holdings, site of Abyss Watcher base and 'Aborah' vault-spire
Carrion sector
- Sojourn: Muun outpost (Hunters' Moon) populated by near-extinct cloned game animals, site of ancient Sith fortress (Damask Holdings)
Wild Space
Kalee sector
- Kalee: childhood home of Grievous, site of 'Shupak Temple' (Kaleesh holy site), CNS Military Academy and Abyss Watcher outpost, thriving black market
Unknown Regions
Abyss sector
- Kiln: private planet operated by Abyss Watchers, farming & industrial center, site of the Kalameet Decimator Factory
Map: Abyss Watcher Assets & CNS Space
This turn, the Abyss Watchers purchased new bases on Kashyyyk and on Taris. Lady Ciaran's cease-fire on Caamas led three systems (Maridun, Mygeeto, and Muunilist) to immediately join the Council of Neutral Systems. Over the next weeks and months, the CNS also received applications from Garqi, Ithor, Garos IV, Lucazec, and their neighbors.
The first challenge was connecting Mygeeto and Muunilist (and then Garqi) to Kalee without also giving the CNS key systems like Scipio or Dantooine. I chose to cut a number of sectors in halves or quarters to tie everything together cleanly. However, given the number of Muun client worlds nearby, and Ciaran's reputation in the Outer Rim, I suspect we'll consolidate the rest of the area over the next turn or two, especially if we spend an action on recruiting the IGBC as a CNS member.
Adding Ithor and Garos IV were more challenging/frustrating, but I eventually decided to add several nearby Mid Rim sectors to make the borders intersect more cleanly. #sorrynotsorry
The first challenge was connecting Mygeeto and Muunilist (and then Garqi) to Kalee without also giving the CNS key systems like Scipio or Dantooine. I chose to cut a number of sectors in halves or quarters to tie everything together cleanly. However, given the number of Muun client worlds nearby, and Ciaran's reputation in the Outer Rim, I suspect we'll consolidate the rest of the area over the next turn or two, especially if we spend an action on recruiting the IGBC as a CNS member.
Adding Ithor and Garos IV were more challenging/frustrating, but I eventually decided to add several nearby Mid Rim sectors to make the borders intersect more cleanly. #sorrynotsorry
Searchable galaxy map, plus Sector Maps (from Star Wars: The Essential Atlas) for the Expansion Regions, Mid Rim, and Outer Rim.
Index: Council of Neutral Systems
Sorted by Region: Sector: System
New sectors will be marked by underlined italics
Sorted by Region: Sector: System
New sectors will be marked by underlined italics
Deep Core
None
Core Worlds
Torranix sector (under-the-table support)
- Fresia: home of Seti Ashgad, headquarters of Incom Corporation (starfighters, e.g. 'Z-95 Headhunter')
Colonies
None
Inner Rim
Japrael sector (government-in-exile)
- Onderon: childhood home of Saw Gerrera, trade hub on Lesser Lantillian Route, site of 'Ov Taraba' (university) and 'Unifar Temple' (palace)
- Dxun: jungle moon of Onderon, site of 'Mandalorian Outpost' (former HQ of Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders) and 'Tomb of Freedon Nadd' (Sith nexus)
Myrkr sector
- Myrkr: homeworld of ysalamiri species (negate Force), haven for smugglers due to Jedi keeping their distance
Expansion Regions
Sumitra sector
- Alk'Lellish III: homeworld of Lellish race (advertising specialists), 'game planet' known for hunting tourism
- Thustra: homeworld of Sephi race, ruled by King Alaric (friend of Yoda)
Dentari sector
Farstey sector
- Alpheridies: homeworld of Miraluka race, home of Ciaran's parents, center of 'Luka Sene' Force sect, site of Culu Memorial Center (Jedi Academy)
Mid Rim
Vensori sector
- Katarr: former Miraluka colony world, rendered uninhabitable by Darth Nihilus in 3952 BBY
Trans-Gascon sector
Msst sector
- Cadannia: jungle planet, only known source of senflax (neurotoxin that disrupts ability to access/manipulate the Force)
- Garos IV: only known source of hibridium (less effective cloaking), site of University of Garos & major Refugee Relief Movement settlements
Thusa sector
- Dahgee: rich in Dahgee lightsaber crystals (zigzagging blade), center of 'Dahgee Jedi' Force sect [NB: extinct Jedi Lords?]
Venaarian sector
- Venaari: heavily populated industrial planet, headquarters of Venaari Enterprises (produces SV-50 Swift-Strike Speeder)
Transvulta sector
- Nyriaan: rich in madilon (rare metal for hyperdrives), mineral rights contested between Mining Guild, Corporate Sector Authority, and Navigators' Guild
Ottega sector
- Ithor: homeworld of Ithorian race (best agriculturalists in galaxy) and telepathic bafforr trees, headquarters of Ithorian SkyYards ('herdship cities')
Urce Space sector
Alderath sector
Kesh sector
- Ebra: homeworld of Ebranite race, rich in lu-ramin (medicinal oil), trade controlled by Carosi XII
Outer Rim
Halthor sector
Noonian sector
- Odryn: adopted homeworld of Feeorin race, site of Sanctum of the Exalted (former Feeorin shrine and Jedi Covenant storehouse, now in ruins)
- Ord Sigatt: rich in carvanium (alloy used for durasteel), mining facilities run by 'Denon-Ardru Mutual'
- Storinal: resort world known for tourism, site of Scohar Xenohealth Institute (medical research center)
Weneen sector
- Barpine: industrial world, site of Barpine Shipyards (orbital station), ground-side prison facility [NB: later converted for Imperial use]
- G'wenee: major trade hub along Braxant Run, thriving black market
Meerian sector
- Bandomeer: rich in ionite (rare compound, neutralizes energy fields), mineral rights currently owned by Arcona Mineral Harvest (Commerce Guild)
- Marca: homeworld of Sekct race, rich in hyperbaride (for turbolasers), processing plants operated by Dynamic Synergetics/IGBC
Ojoster sector
- Taris: revitalized ecumenopolis on Hydian Way, site of Abyss Watcher base and major refugee settlements, known for legendary kelp farms
- Suurja: breadbasket 'resource world' for Taris, site of major refugee settlements
- Jebble: snowball 'resource world' for Taris, minimal population, site of discovery of Jebble Box [NB: contains Muur Talisman, source of rakghoul plague]
- Denova: rich in baradium (explosive compound used for thermal detonators), mining camps date from the Old Republic
- Wayland: homeworld of Myneyrsh race (hunters), site of Old Republic fort under Mount Tantiss [NB: Palpatine's storehouse of tech & artifacts]
Mandalore sector
- Mandalore: desert world with bio-cube cities, headquarters of MandalMotors (vehicles) and 'Guardian Corps', site of Kyrimorut (Clan Skirata base)
- Concordia: forest moon of Mandalore, rich in beskar (rare metal that is lightsaber-resistant/nigh-indestructible)
- Concord Dawn: childhood home of Jango Fett, headquarters of 'Journeyman Protectors' (Mandalorian cowboys)
- Gargon: rich in phobium (rare hyper-dense metal, used for Death Star power core), thriving black market
- Hrthging: rich in Hrthgingian firegems (rare gemstone, used to sabotage hyperdrive reactors), thriving black market
- Kalevala: childhood home of Satine Kryze, headquarters of 'Kalevala Spaceworks' (luxury starliners, e.g. Coronet)
Demetras sector
- Belthu: mineral-rich industrial world, major durasteel foundry (import metals from nearby Todirium III), controlled by mining corporations
- Fenel: abandoned industrial world (shipyards once produced Mandalorian Empire's fleet of Kandosii-class dreadnoughts)
- Phindar: homeworld of Phindian race, major trade hub on Salin Corridor, site of Phindar Station spaceport and refueling center
Rollion sector
- Atraken: rich in Doonium (rare, used for capital-ship hulls), mining colony & refugee settlement on moon Trilos (controlled by Atrakenite Guild of Miners)
- Maridun: major refugee world settled by Lurmen fleeing the war-ravaged Mygeeto [NB: in canon, targeted by CIS 'Defoliator' superweapon]
Nuiri sector
- Lucasez: center of the 'Fallanassi' Force sect (illusions and Force immersion), mining facilities run by Tagge Mining Company
- Resh 9376: icy comet, site of 'Point Nadir' shadowport owned by Hutt clan, primary base for 'Sable Dawn' Force assassins and 'Epsis' thieves
- Stygeon Prime: ice planet, homeworld of tibidee species, site of Spire (remote prison fortress) [NB: later converted for Imperial use]
- Vjun: dismal acid-rain planet populated by Hssiss (dark side Force lizards), site of Bast Castle (owned by Dooku) and Château Malreaux
Thrasybule sector
-Malrev IV: homeworld of Irrukiine race, site of Sith Temple and dark-side Force nexus
Belsmuth
- Botajef: headquarters of 'Botajef Shipyards' (produces AA-9 Coruscant Freighter widely used by refugee groups), space elevators to orbital shipyards
Thesme sector
- Feriae Junction: major trade hub on Hydian Way, site of Hutt banking/money laundering operation, Grand Terminal spaceport
- Thesme: childhood home of Silya Shessaun (senator & friend of Padme), sector capital and major industrial center
- Ventrux: childhood home of Jenna Zan Arbor (mad scientist), headquarters of Arbor Industries (science/medical research)
D'Astan sub-sector
- Axxila: ecumenopolis [NB: described as 'inside out'], headquarters of Axxila Anti-Piracy Fleet funded by Lady Ciaran
- Celanon: homeworld of Nalroni race, major agri-world & trade hub on Hydian Way, city-sized 'Diplomatic' and 'Trade Consortium' districts
- Isen: isolated gas giant with three asteroid belts, moon Isen IV is headquarters of Void Demons pirate gang
- Nez Peron: sector capital and major agri-world controlled by farming collectives
- Ord Cestus: homeworld of X'Ting race and Dashta eel species, headquarters of Clandes Industrial and Cestus Cybernetics (droids, e.g. JK-13 'Jedi Killers')
- Valahari: headquarters of Valahari Shipworks (starfighters, e.g. 'Tempest Zero'), Harko Station (production facility & starport)
Quelii sector
- Cathar: homeworld of Cathar race (cat people), steppe world with thriving city-trees
- Dathomir: homeworld of Dathomiri race and Rancor species, center of 'Witches' and 'Nightsister' Force sects, site of 'Star Temple' ruins, Aurilia (village)
- Koratas: fourth moon of Dathomir, rich in neutronium, lomnite, and zersium (metals, used for durasteel), major mining facilities
- Halmad: trade hub known for 'Halmad Prime' beer, site of 'Free Axxilan' refugee settlement, Vahaba asteroid belt mined by Tonheld Mining Corp.
- Vinsoth: homeworld of Chevin and Chev races, slave-based & mostly nomadic society, starship production , thriving black market
Cassandran Worlds sector
- Garqi: agriworld, rich in caf beans, site of Agricultural University and Xenobotanical Garden, headquarters of Garqi Agricultural Combine
- New Bakstre: industrial center and trade hub on Braxant Run, Havridam City (capital) mostly destroyed by war & terrorist attacks
Albarrio sector
- Aris: rainforest world, sector capital and trade hub on junction of Braxant Run and Relgim Run hyperlanes
- Anemcoro: low-tech colony world of Ho'Din race (botanists), known for ecological & medical exports
- Bar Neth: originally a desert world, now thoroughly terraformed and known as a tourism & resort destination
- Mygeeto: childhood home of Hego Damask, rich in nova crystals (currency) and relacite (lightsabers), site of Dressian Kiolsh Merchant Bank vaults
- Oasis: mining colony located in Maelstrom Nebula, rich in oxite (ore), site of abandoned Maelstrom Prison space station
Velcar sector
- Entralla: major trade hub on Entralla Route, headquarters of Guild of Interstellar Merchants, site of Overhang industrial district
Clacis sector
Obtrexta sector
- Muunilist: Muun colony world, headquarters of InterGalactic Banking Clans and Damask Holdings, site of Abyss Watcher base and 'Aborah' vault-spire
Carrion sector
- Sojourn: Muun outpost (Hunters' Moon) populated by near-extinct cloned game animals, site of ancient Sith fortress (Damask Holdings)
Wild Space
Kalee sector
- Kalee: childhood home of Grievous, site of 'Shupak Temple' (Kaleesh holy site), CNS Military Academy and Abyss Watcher outpost, thriving black market
Unknown Regions
Abyss sector
- Kiln: private planet operated by Abyss Watchers, farming & industrial center, site of the Kalameet Decimator Factory
Last edited:
- Location
- At the Edge of Insanity
Panory
The Omake Dragon
- Location
- New York
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Well that... that could be worse. And hey, if @Dr. Snark decides we can mitigate disaster rolls with omake bonuses, that's only a sixty two. Which is a far cry from the whole "assassination attempt puts you in a coma for the foreseeable future" we've had before.
<exhausted wheeze> ...and that's done.
Now for everything else.
First things first:
Notwithstanding the whole eldritch abomination bit, pretty much every part of this turn was awesome and incredible and totally worth the wait, so thank you @Dr. Snark for making this quest so. much. fun!
Okay. That's out of my system. Now that we've wrapped up the turn and are preparing for the next one, I have about 101 questions & write-in suggestions, so... yeah.
Quick question re: the Ourobouros results
A question from my re-read of Operation Skyfall:
Next, a few points of interest from my Clan Skirata posts, that didn't receive nearly as much attention as they deserve:
PALPATINE CURRENTLY HAS AN OMNICIDAL BIOWEAPON IN HIS POSSESSION.
In canon, Palpatine actually used the weapon in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, to eradicate all life on a particularly rebellious planet. It's basically a 20-years-early Death Star that relies on biology rather than lasers. And he controls it right now.
The fact that Omega Squad seized the lab, and know that the research made its way back to Republic hands, means that at some point they should connect the dots and realize that if the Chancellor is a Sith Lord, then that means a Sith Lord has access to all of the ludicrously dangerous stuff they've captured over the years.
Write In #1: find the FG36 research facility and sabotage it to neutralize the threat. (Bonus points for making it look like an accident or incompetence)
On the more speculative side of things, Ovolot Qail Uthan is one of the few scientists who has studied the clones' genetic template in any detail, and who was working on a way to modify a virus to specifically affect clones. Considering that the inhibitor chip is a bio-chip, I'm wondering if a) we could design/develop a virus that could 'defuse' the chips and disable the mind control elements. If so, Uthan could be the person we need to create the delivery system so the virus actually spreads among the clone troopers. Likewise if we ever develop a cure for the clones' accelerated aging -- develop a retrovirus to fix the clone troopers' genetics so they don't die at age 20 or so, and use Uthan to produce the delivery system.
Write In #2: jailbreak Ovolot Qail Uthan, set her up at a Kyrimorut research lab (under heavy supervision) to help fix the clones' two big issues.
Another point of interest from my Clan Skirata megapost:
Another point about Clan Skirata: anyone notice the two Jedi who are on the verge of resigning from the Jedi Order?
Personally, I'd love to see an omake (cough @Panory cough) where Ciaran meets Etain Tur-Mukan and makes her confront the cognitive dissonance of being a pregnant Jedi. Not to mention persuading/coercing Etain to actually tell Darman that he's a dad....
Finally, lest we forget, I also want to mention the fact that Kal Skirata and Omega Squad have a direct connection with two Gurlanin agents who are crazy good at being spies, and might be our 'in' to recruiting more Gurlanin for our organization.
Now for everything else.
First things first:
Notwithstanding the whole eldritch abomination bit, pretty much every part of this turn was awesome and incredible and totally worth the wait, so thank you @Dr. Snark for making this quest so. much. fun!
Okay. That's out of my system. Now that we've wrapped up the turn and are preparing for the next one, I have about 101 questions & write-in suggestions, so... yeah.
Quick question re: the Ourobouros results
It sounds like we'll be able to recruit ARC clones and clone commandos for the Abyss Watchers, but does this partnership extend to "suggest targets for Omega Squad to infiltrate/sabotage/etc."? If not, will that become an option? Basically, I'm wondering if we could use Kal Skirata's team for extra Martial or Intrigue Actions that we don't have to oversee directly (things like "infiltrate and hack Kamino" or "write a virus for Republic banks that funnels money to our research", stuff that Omega Squad et al. did independently in canon).
A question from my re-read of Operation Skyfall:
I checked, and wasn't able to find a Star Wars droid like this. Was this an original design idea (and/or borrowed from a different fandom)?
Next, a few points of interest from my Clan Skirata posts, that didn't receive nearly as much attention as they deserve:
...for all the fear and trembling over the Lovecraft expy, did people not notice this? Uthan was hired (by Darth Sidious) to design a bioweapon to target (only) clone troopers. When Omega Squad captured her, her lab was seized by the Republic, and brought to maximum-security research facilities with extremely limited need-to-know. AKA: they report directly to Chancellor Palpatine. Now, fortunately, Uthan wasn't able to complete her research. Unfortunately, the unfinished part was mainly the targeting system. The weapon part works just fine -- it just kills indiscriminately. All that to say:
PALPATINE CURRENTLY HAS AN OMNICIDAL BIOWEAPON IN HIS POSSESSION.
In canon, Palpatine actually used the weapon in the aftermath of the Clone Wars, to eradicate all life on a particularly rebellious planet. It's basically a 20-years-early Death Star that relies on biology rather than lasers. And he controls it right now.
The fact that Omega Squad seized the lab, and know that the research made its way back to Republic hands, means that at some point they should connect the dots and realize that if the Chancellor is a Sith Lord, then that means a Sith Lord has access to all of the ludicrously dangerous stuff they've captured over the years.
Write In #1: find the FG36 research facility and sabotage it to neutralize the threat. (Bonus points for making it look like an accident or incompetence)
On the more speculative side of things, Ovolot Qail Uthan is one of the few scientists who has studied the clones' genetic template in any detail, and who was working on a way to modify a virus to specifically affect clones. Considering that the inhibitor chip is a bio-chip, I'm wondering if a) we could design/develop a virus that could 'defuse' the chips and disable the mind control elements. If so, Uthan could be the person we need to create the delivery system so the virus actually spreads among the clone troopers. Likewise if we ever develop a cure for the clones' accelerated aging -- develop a retrovirus to fix the clone troopers' genetics so they don't die at age 20 or so, and use Uthan to produce the delivery system.
Write In #2: jailbreak Ovolot Qail Uthan, set her up at a Kyrimorut research lab (under heavy supervision) to help fix the clones' two big issues.
Another point of interest from my Clan Skirata megapost:
With the (justly deserved) attention on those Treasury access codes, did anyone notice the guy smuggling top-notch medical equipment out of the Republic? One easy way to get on Kal Skirata's good side (and/or gain a bunch of medical equipment for our own research efforts) would be to provide a helping hand with this. I mean, we do have a lot of experience with smuggling....
Another point about Clan Skirata: anyone notice the two Jedi who are on the verge of resigning from the Jedi Order?
Am I the only one wondering if we could recruit them as Tier 3 Force Users for the Abyss Watchers?
Personally, I'd love to see an omake (cough @Panory cough) where Ciaran meets Etain Tur-Mukan and makes her confront the cognitive dissonance of being a pregnant Jedi. Not to mention persuading/coercing Etain to actually tell Darman that he's a dad....
Finally, lest we forget, I also want to mention the fact that Kal Skirata and Omega Squad have a direct connection with two Gurlanin agents who are crazy good at being spies, and might be our 'in' to recruiting more Gurlanin for our organization.
To be honest, I kinda wish @Panory had make Oki (Silas's "Intrigue" granddaughter) a Gurlanin... especially since PR-1 had been describing the Gurlanin homeworld a few minutes before Oki got caught:
Panory
The Omake Dragon
- Location
- New York
- Pronouns
- He/Him
First of all, expect two omakes born of information in this post in the future. Neither are exactly what you requested, but I like these ideas better.
Secondly, Oki needs to not be too OP if we want her to become canon.
Dr. Snark
Exactly As Planned...Probably
- Location
- Right where I want to be
- Pronouns
- He/His/Him
You play a dangerous game getting in on shipping Panory. Non-canon, +10.
...This I like. Grievous is already great, but I love seeing the kind of hellish training he's putting the Onderon resistance through. Canon, +10.
You're good people. Sorry for constantly moving the goalposts.
Interesting...high enough that I can have things happen but low enough that not everything goes wrong...I can work with this.
Hmm...actually that does sound good. Okay so with that the Omegas are still going to do their canon things and succeed at them (they're badass commandos it'll be fine) but you can tag along with actions to boost their successes and potentially get other benefits. There will be more after that, but we'll see after a turn or two.
The HS-1 is entirely homemade, 'designed' on the spur of the moment and after listening to Protomen songs while writing the update in question.
Anyway, based on the disaster roll results, Happy New Year! *Blows party whistle* I'll have the rumor mill out sometime in the near future.
10ebbor10
DON'T PANIC
- Location
- Present
Pretty sure that's a known feature, not a bug. The arcelerated aging allows the clones to be ready for battle faster. And you know, them aging doesn't matter because they're supposed to die in battle before that;
On a side note, our systems are starting to get in the way of the war effort. I wonder how long it'll be until some general thinks he can pull a Schlieffen plan by advancing through neutral territory.
Darrenb209
"Who are you, who do not know your history?"
- Location
- Scotland
A Nat 1 on the disaster roll is going to lead to the Jebble Box being opened and Rakghoul's spreading again on Taris.
Because Taris is cursed. Any success is clearly going to be followed by a massive failure.
Because Taris is cursed. Any success is clearly going to be followed by a massive failure.
- Location
- Ireland
A nat 1 should be an epic fail though, right?