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May The Invisible Hand Be With You - (Star Wars CK2-Style Quest)

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(Omake) Shadow of the Abyss (Canon)
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    • Shadow of the Abyss​


    With HK-47's… issue addressed, Ciaran leaned back to go over the report of the Foundry raid in more detail. She was interested to see exactly how things had progressed. While Ciaran had hoped to secure the Foundry this time, she had been fully prepared to devote the resources for another raid with how resistance had been increasing the deeper the Abysswatchers delved.

    Several pages in, Ciaran flinched at the loud banging sound, preparing for some kind of attack. It wasn't until the sound repeated itself that she realized it was someone knocking on her door, likely due to PR-1's absence. Her bodyguard/secretary was getting the finishing touches on his body down in Cheriss' lab, leaving him unavailable to tell her she had visitors.

    "Come in." said Ciaran, opening the door. Kygeetu stood on the other side, her fist swinging through empty space as she tried to knock again. Quickly realizing her mistake, Kygeetu awkwardly shuffled into Ciaran's office. "Ah, Kygeetu. What can I do for you?"

    "Well, Lady Ciaran, you see, I was thinking back to the Foundry, and, you know, I was, um…" Kygeetu trailed off, trying to organize her thoughts.

    Ciaran decided to throw her a bone and carry on the conversation. Hopefully it would also help Kygeetu get to her point more quickly. "Yes, I was just looking over the reports of the Foundry raid. You do excellent work."

    Kygeetu's face brightened at the compliment. "You mean it?" Before Ciaran could answer, Kygeetu scrunched up her face and shook her head to regain her focus. "I mean, I've been thinking about the Foundry raid, and I'm not satisfied with how I did."

    "You did fine." assured Ciaran. "You could have been Riphath. If I'm reading these reports right, he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn during the raid."

    "He was busy healing smaller injuries and stuff. Besides, he did actually hit that giant HK thing on Deck 12. It was pretty cool too." mumbled Kygeetu, embarrassed to be praising someone else.

    "Really? I haven't gotten quite that far in the reports yet." confessed Ciaran. "Good for him."

    "But anyways, my performance was nothing special at all. I'm an Abysswalker. The first Abysswalker! And I got outperformed by Jymeen." It was an odd mix of disgust and horror that Ciaran wasn't sure she had heard before. "He barely knows which end of his blaster fires and I'm not sure he even knows how that speeder thing works."

    "It's a speeder with guns, how difficult can it be?" asked Ciaran, trying to recall the designs she had been shown an age ago.

    "It's not! Riphath has shown me before, and a child could operate it! But Jymeen still managed to get the self-destruct protocols activated and primed no fewer than six times!" Kygeetu's outrage fell off, replaced by a sense of self-loathing. "I want to be better. I wasn't as useful as my fellow Abysswalkers, I wasn't as useful as some of the droids, I wasn't as useful as Jymeen and I hate it."

    "Good. I'd fire you otherwise." The prospect of being fired filled Kygeetu with terror, and Ciaran smiled when she saw that she had her subordinate's undivided attention. "I don't particularly care how good you are, as long as it's 'better than last time.' That constant striving to improve is part of why I made you an Abysswalker in the first place."

    "T-thank you, Lady Ciaran!" Ciaran hadn't meant it as anything more than a simple reassurance, but it sounded like Kygeetu was holding back tears. "Anyways, I was thinking I should find someone to train under."

    "If you feel you need to take a sabbatical to train, I'm sure PR-1 has some paperwork… somewhere to fill out for that." said Ciaran. "I'm certainly not opposed to the idea."

    "See, I was hoping I could learn from… you." said Kygeetu, nervously managing to get out the last word.

    "I'm a very busy person. There's simply not enough hours in the day to take on an apprentice." explained Ciaran.

    "Oh, of course not! I wasn't asking you to actually teach me!" exclaimed Kygeetu. "I know I'm not worth your time. I was thinking more along the lines of me just sort of following you around, learning how to do stuff by watching you do it. And I'd be able to act sort of like a bodyguard if something bad happens!"

    Ciaran sighed. "PR-1 ought to be down in the R&D Lab finishing up some new subroutine tests. He'll have the proper forms to fill out to temporarily relieve you of your normal duties. As for how you'd spend that break… I suppose it isn't really my concern where you spend your little vacation."

    "Thank you so much Lady Ciaran!" Kygeetu bowed her head slightly, then stood still, waiting for Ciaran to continue the conversation. When it became apparent that neither she not Ciaran were going to actually say anything, her face became flushed. "Oh, right. I'll just… be going then…"

    Ciaran watched in silence as the Kaleesh warrior slinked out of her office like she was trying to be stealthy. Once she was gone, Ciaran went back to the report of the Foundry raid, admittedly skimming a bit to see the details of Deck 12. "Huh, that was pretty cool."



    AN: Because who else would Kygeetu go to in order to better herself? And thus Darth Phanatic is born.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Some how, I don't think getting fired from being a super assassin space wizard is as mundane or safe as being fired from anything else. Abyss Watcher's HR must be terrifying.
     
    NexysDhyArchen said:
    Some how, I don't think getting fired from being a super assassin space wizard is as mundane or safe as being fired from anything else. Abyss Watcher's HR must be terrifying.
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    THIS is what happens when a spy gets fired:

    This Is What Happens When A Spy Gets Fired said:
    My name is Kygeetu san Torgh. I used to be an Abyss Walker until.....
    "We've got a Burn Notice on you, you're blacklisted." <Dammit.>
    When you're burned you've got nothing. No cash, no credit, no job history. You're stuck on whatever planet they decide to dump you in.
    <Where am I?>..."Kalee."
    You do whatever work comes your way. You rely on anyone who's still talking to you.
    A trigger happy ex-boyfriend.
    "Should we shoot them?"
    An old friend who used to inform on you to the Republic Judiciary.
    "You know spies: bunch of bitchy little girls."
    Family too, "Hey is that your mom again?"... if you're desperate. "Someone needs your help Kygeetu."
    Bottom line as long as you're burned you're not going anywhere.
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    Or they bodily heave you into some furnace to never be seen or heard from again. I'm not sure which "Burned" they'd go for here.
     
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    Barondoctor said:
    Or they bodily heave you into some furnace to never be seen or heard from again. I'm not sure which "Burned" they'd go for here.
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    It's bad policy (aka stupid) to simply kill employees wanting to become ex-employees. That just encourages them to become awol. And if they are going that far, why not take some insurance, too?
     
    Dr. Snark said:
    Oh man. Oh man. I don't think Kygeetu really understands what being her de facto bodyguard for the next couple of months will actually entail. It's gonna be fuuuun. Canon, +10.
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    A lot more nothing and coffee fetching than anyone wants to endure and enough somethings to make you wish you were still doing nothing?
    NexysDhyArchen said:
    Some how, I don't think getting fired from being a super assassin space wizard is as mundane or safe as being fired from anything else. Abyss Watcher's HR must be terrifying.
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    They keep Grevious more or less in line.
     
    So, I thought of something a day or two ago and never got around to bringing it up with the thread before now. Is there a species that we can genemod someone with to give them (improved?) telepathy?

    The reason I ask is because it was argued that Force Visions wouldn't be useful to Thrawn because he's already pretty much psychic when it comes to figuring out what his enemies will do, so why not give him something that will improve his ability to direct his troops in carrying out his plans?
     
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    JAGwin said:
    So, I thought of something a day or two ago and never got around to bringing it up with the thread before now. Is there a species that we can genemod someone with to give them (improved?) telepathy?

    The reason I ask is because it was argued that Force Visions wouldn't be useful to Thrawn because he's already pretty much psychic when it comes to figuring out what his enemies will do, so why not give him something that will improve his ability to direct his troops in carrying out his plans?
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    There are several. Getting the ability to use the Force improves it, but even without the Force there's still the Iktotchi, Anzat, Umbaran and Draethos. Interestingly, of those four, only the Draethos are not Near-Human.
    EDIT: There are some others listed as having some form of telepathy, like the Zeltron, but they don't have the ability to direct others.
     
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    Riphath's Guide to Telepathic Species (Canon Info)
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    • JAGwin said:
    So, I thought of something a day or two ago and never got around to bringing it up with the thread before now. Is there a species that we can genemod someone with to give them (improved?) telepathy?

    The reason I ask is because it was argued that Force Visions wouldn't be useful to Thrawn because he's already pretty much psychic when it comes to figuring out what his enemies will do, so why not give him something that will improve his ability to direct his troops in carrying out his plans?
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    Riphath's Guide to Telepathic Species​

    I was approached by some of Cheriss' workforce about possible telepathic species for genemodding. I told them I'd get back to them and after scrounging through my textbooks (you wouldn't believe the trickiness of Quermian psych meds) as requested, here is a copy of the message I sent:

    Quermians (example: Yarael Poof)--limited to others of same species. Two brains. Twice the possibility of psych stuff going weird. Better to try counseling, I'd think, instead of some form of psych meds.
    Umbarans (example: Sly Moore)--reputation for being manipulative. May not be true telepathy. Listed on the index of telepathic species, telepathy neither reported nor detailed.
    Zeltrons (example: many)--project, read, and feel others' emotions. Also comes with pheromones to influence said emotions. Also lots of fun at parties and possessed of two livers, so good luck drinking one under the table.
    Iktotchi (example: Saesee Tinn)--precognition (weakens with distance from home planet Iktotch; barred from gambling in any casino); cranial horns which may regrow; tougher skin. Telepathy reported but not detailed. A lot of neat biology here. The skin toughness is likely due to frequent violent sand-and-gravel windstorms on Iktotch. The precognition may or may not be true precognition but a sort of subconscious ability to observe and analyze, an evolutionary-biology leftover from the aforementioned windstorms.
    Draethos (example: Odan-Urr)--long natural lifespans (~800 years without benefit of the Force); telepathy (communication only) to 500 meters; enthralled with learning; low light vision. Warrior culture on-planet; non-warriors left their planet and traveled the galaxy. I've never seen a Draethos orthodontist, presumably because they're so ludicrously rich they only ever go to paradise planets. Alternatively, because a species-wide overbite that big gives an orthodontist nightmares.
    Hortek (example: no noted examples)--reptilian, predatory species covered in bony plates. Telepathy likely developed for pursuit of prey. Said to have unblinking eyes. Excellent interrogators.
    Anzat (example: Volfe Karkko)--retractable cheek-tentacles which go through a victim's nose and eat their brains. Strong regenerative capability. Telepathy (includes domination). Long-lived (950+ years). Add Force Sensitivity of their victims to their own. Left to their own devices, will feed on approximately a dozen sentients per day. NO. Do not. They will kill your genemodding team. There are stories that they even prey upon Jedi. Sadly, no chance we can turn them on politicians who neither need nor use their brains. Possible interesting hunt for HK-47, whose willingness for overkill and making utterly sure his targets are dead should be sufficient. Additionally, as a droid he cannot be preyed upon by them. They pretend at civilization, but this is merely a hobby. They only care about stealth and the kill. Eliminating every last one from the galaxy would be a boon to sentients everywhere.
    Starweird (example: none)--incorporeal space-dwellers adapted to hard vacuum. Said to be able to enter ships in hyperspace. Capable of a telepathic scream causing fear in the affected. Look, this is a nonsense spacer's tale from some events thousands of years old, but if you really want to pursue every option...
    Shi'ido (example: Mammon Hoole)--strong shapeshifting capability which improves with age, superior to Clawdites (may shapeshift and impersonate Rodians, Humans, and even Hutts or Whaladons--size changes may lead to being stuck in a form for weeks or months). Long natural lifespan (500+ years). Telepathy said to be limited to helping round out their shapeshifting to cover inconsistencies. Strange beings. Like something I'd have come up with when I was 8 or 12.

    Iktotchi recommended. Saesee Tinn might even be reachable to get a Force-Sensitive sample.
    Draethos recommended. Communication and long life and a warrior culture all compatible with Thrawn.

    Again: DO NOT attempt to collect an Anzat sample. If you already possess an Anzat sample, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES use it or I will kill each and every last one of you. I am normally willing to listen to reason, but Anzat are truly evil beings that should all be destroyed, regardless of what they might say, as literally every history involving Anzat ends in many murders and tragedies    . Including yours at my hands if you use an Anzat sample.

    --Riphath Althean, M.D.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • Barondoctor said:
    Riphath's Guide to Telepathic Species​

    I was approached by some of Cheriss' workforce about possible telepathic species for genemodding. I told them I'd get back to them and after scrounging through my textbooks (you wouldn't believe the trickiness of Quermian psych meds) as requested, here is a copy of the message I sent:

    Quermians (example: Yarael Poof)--limited to others of same species. Two brains. Twice the possibility of psych stuff going weird. Better to try counseling, I'd think, instead of some form of psych meds.
    Umbarans (example: Sly Moore)--reputation for being manipulative. May not be true telepathy. Listed on the index of telepathic species, telepathy neither reported nor detailed.
    Zeltrons (example: many)--project, read, and feel others' emotions. Also comes with pheromones to influence said emotions. Also lots of fun at parties and possessed of two livers, so good luck drinking one under the table.
    Iktotchi (example: Saesee Tinn)--precognition (weakens with distance from home planet Iktotch; barred from gambling in any casino); cranial horns which may regrow; tougher skin. Telepathy reported but not detailed. A lot of neat biology here. The skin toughness is likely due to frequent violent sand-and-gravel windstorms on Iktotch. The precognition may or may not be true precognition but a sort of subconscious ability to observe and analyze, an evolutionary-biology leftover from the aforementioned windstorms.
    Draethos (example: Odan-Urr)--long natural lifespans (~800 years without benefit of the Force); telepathy (communication only) to 500 meters; enthralled with learning; low light vision. Warrior culture on-planet; non-warriors left their planet and traveled the galaxy. I've never seen a Draethos orthodontist, presumably because they're so ludicrously rich they only ever go to paradise planets. Alternatively, because a species-wide overbite that big gives an orthodontist nightmares.
    Hortek (example: no noted examples)--reptilian, predatory species covered in bony plates. Telepathy likely developed for pursuit of prey. Said to have unblinking eyes. Excellent interrogators.
    Anzat (example: Volfe Karkko)--retractable cheek-tentacles which go through a victim's nose and eat their brains. Strong regenerative capability. Telepathy (includes domination). Long-lived (950+ years). Add Force Sensitivity of their victims to their own. Left to their own devices, will feed on approximately a dozen sentients per day. NO. Do not. They will kill your genemodding team. There are stories that they even prey upon Jedi. Sadly, no chance we can turn them on politicians who neither need nor use their brains. Possible interesting hunt for HK-47, whose willingness for overkill and making utterly sure his targets are dead should be sufficient. Additionally, as a droid he cannot be preyed upon by them. They pretend at civilization, but this is merely a hobby. They only care about stealth and the kill. Eliminating every last one from the galaxy would be a boon to sentients everywhere.
    Starweird (example: none)--incorporeal space-dwellers adapted to hard vacuum. Said to be able to enter ships in hyperspace. Capable of a telepathic scream causing fear in the affected. Look, this is a nonsense spacer's tale from some events thousands of years old, but if you really want to pursue every option...
    Shi'ido (example: Mammon Hoole)--strong shapeshifting capability which improves with age, superior to Clawdites (may shapeshift and impersonate Rodians, Humans, and even Hutts or Whaladons--size changes may lead to being stuck in a form for weeks or months). Long natural lifespan (500+ years). Telepathy said to be limited to helping round out their shapeshifting to cover inconsistencies. Strange beings. Like something I'd have come up with when I was 8 or 12.

    Iktotchi recommended. Saesee Tinn might even be reachable to get a Force-Sensitive sample.
    Draethos recommended. Communication and long life and a warrior culture all compatible with Thrawn.

    Again: DO NOT attempt to collect an Anzat sample. If you already possess an Anzat sample, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES use it or I will kill each and every last one of you. I am normally willing to listen to reason, but Anzat are truly evil beings that should all be destroyed, regardless of what they might say, as literally every history involving Anzat ends in many murders and tragedies    . Including yours at my hands if you use an Anzat sample.

    --Riphath Althean, M.D.
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    Fun fact, Nikkos Tyris was an Anzati Jedi and was to all accounts a decent bloke before being corrupted by Sith artifacts. Also his wife and kid are explicitly lightsiders. Yay consistency! :p
     
    MonkeyTypewriter said:
    Fun fact, Nikkos Tyris was an Anzati Jedi and was to all accounts a decent bloke before being corrupted by Sith artifacts. Also his wife and kid are explicitly lightsiders. Yay consistency! :p
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    Before being corrupted by Sith artifacts and falling to the Dark Side. Given to him by Dooku, including the holocron of an Anzati ex-Jedi who died around 30 BBY shortly after trying to eat/seduce to the dark side Aayla Secura and Quinlan Vos.

    Yeah, also, his wife is explicitly noted to be human.

    ...additionally, as an in-character work literally signed by the character...if I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: things characters say may or may not be completely truthful or objective. Just because Riphath would literally genocide the Snot Vampires out of existence if he had the chance doesn't make it the right thing to do.
     
    Huh. The Anzati page lead to an article about Jedi Master Zao, who seems to be an...interesting person. I wonder what his cooking would taste like to Ciaran.
     
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    adaer said:
    Huh. The Anzati page lead to an article about Jedi Master Zao, who seems to be an...interesting person. I wonder what his cooking would taste like to Ciaran.
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    "Umm...this is good? I think? It's definitely an acquired taste, whatever it is. What did you put in this again?"

    In other words: "Reply hazy, ask again later."
     
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    While we're waiting (with bated breath) for Dr. Snark to post the next update... does anyone want to help get those 'Omake Index' posts updated?

    I set them up last February (of 2017), with links to every Canon Non-Story, Currently Non-Canon, or Non-Canon omake posted in the story. Unfortunately, last July I started my own quest, which has occupied most of my attention. @Jakobstj made sure the three Indexes got updated back in November, covering everything through pg. 545 of this quest, but they haven't been updated since then.

    Division of labor would make this task a lot more manageable -- one person might scan a few dozen pages for omakes, write them up, then leave the rest for others.


    Both 'Canon Non-Story' and 'Currently Non-Canon' omakes are threadmarked and 'nested' under the Index, which makes it pretty easy to track them down.

    'Non-Canon' omakes aren't so simple, since they don't get threadmarks. However, every time I post a 'omake count', I always include a) a link to the previous 'omake count' post I wrote up, and b) a link to every omake since the last one, added under a {spoiler} tag. Clicking through those omake count posts should be a handy way to hunt down any omakes that didn't get a threadmark.

    Since my 'omake count' posts cover all omakes written, you can also use them to track the 'Canon Non-Story' and 'Currently Non-Canon' omakes as well.

    #1) This is the latest 'omake count' post, covering pgs. 673-721 and including 9 omakes
    #2) Here's the one that preceded it, covering pgs. 634-673 and including 20 omakes
    #3) Here's the next one, covering pgs. 606-634 and including 40 omakes (!)
    #4) Here's the one before it, covering pgs. 578-606 and including 9 omakes
    #5) Here's the next one, covering pgs. 570-578 and including 8 omakes
    #6) Here's the second-to-last one, covering pgs. 553-570 and including 9 omakes
    #7) Here's the earliest 'omake count' post you'll need, covering pgs. 543-553 and including 4 omakes


    For formatting, each write-up should look like:

    Title [underlined, with a link], by <Author>
    <Category>: short description of omake

    Example:
    Publicola said:
    The Chosen One Dances by Barondoctor
    Recent Past (Turn 25): on Mortis, Ciaran tells The Ones to "Go to your room!"
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    For Category:
    • 'Currently Non-Canon' omakes are always classified as 'Near Future'
    • 'Canon Non-Story' omakes may be 'Distant Past' (before the quest), 'Recent Past' (during the quest -- identify by Turn # if possible), and 'Info Post'
    • 'Non-Canon' omakes may be 'Distant Past', 'Recent Past', 'Near Future', 'Far Future', 'Alternate Universe' (includes crossovers), and 'Unknown'
    That just about covers it.
     
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    Barondoctor said:
    He's from some nowhere agriworld (which I named in one of my omakes but I now can't find it), though, so farming is about the last thing he'd actually want to do.
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    This mystery had been chewing at me. I realized I named it in an omake I'd actually only partially written and never released. Expect that to finish sometime today or tomorrow.
    I have one other partially-written omake going back to Tython, but it's still in need of some work (and ideally someone to bounce a few ideas or concepts off of).
     
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    Ciaran's Moonlight Blade (by Skywalker_T-65)
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    • Sooooo.

    Since I had some free time on hand and dug through old files from my 3D modeling...




    I decided, hey, why not make another lightsaber. Been awhile since I've done that. As such:


    Getting the color of the blade is...fun. I'm not much of a Dark Souls kind of guy, so I can't promise I got the right shade. Thankfully I have a template for these things, so it shouldn't be hard to adjust if needed.

    ...a template for the light effect, rather, not the lightsaber itself. In that regard I took what was described here, namely the gold bits and based the general hilt off of Assaj and Dooku's 'sabers.


    I leave it up to our illustrious GM on what he wants to do with this. Or if this even remotely fits what the 'saber in question looks like :V
     
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  • Media
    • @Publicola , here is everything that's not Canon Story from Pages 545-606. Will do more in the afternoon, don't have time now.
    NON-CANON
    Harsh Command,     by Panory
    Recent Past ( Turn 27) : Thrawn and Ciaran plan for attacking the Foundry

    Mitth'raw'nuruodo: Chiss Attorney, by Panory
    Recent Past ( Turn 27) : Thrawn becomes a lawyer and defends Ahsoka.

    Someone's Gotta Do It, by Panory
    Recent Past ( Turn 27) : Ciaran's people take her orders seriously

    Someone's Gotta Do It Redux, by Panory
    Recent Past ( Turn 27) : Ciaran's people don't take all her orders seriously


    CURRENTLY NON-CANON
    Birth of Something New    , by TheLurker
    Recent Past ( Turn 27) : The spider droids form a collective
    Note: This should Canon now, right @Dr. Snark ?

    CANON NON-STORY
    --RESPONSE POSTS TO The First Quasi-Annual Invisible Hand Q&A Session!--    , by barenhart
    Info Post: Exactly what it says in the title

    --Whatever Happened to the Parsas?--, by barenhart
    Recent Past : Jasper and Eevy Parsa eat dinner

    Wesker vs. the Firekeeper, by Killerflood
    Fanart : Wesker and Ciaran

    Overachiever, by Noitaerc
    Recent Past ( Turn 27) : Notes from Cheriss on the Droideka Mk-II

    Surveillance Reports, by Teron
    Recent Past ( Turn 27) : Gulans' notes on various people of interest

    Abyss Watchers Organisation Composition, by Teron
    Info Post : Information on the various branches of the Abyss Watchers

    I'm Still Relevant, by Teron
    Recent Past ( Turn 27) : Xruk is looting the Tusken to become relevant again

    Fate Comparision: Quest - OTL (Now and Near Future), by Teron
    Info Post : Comparison of several peoples current state in Canon and in the Quest

    Tales of Naboo, by Teron
    Recent Past : Short stories about OOM-9, Borvo, and Sabé

    Hutt Space Politics, by Teron
    Info Post : Information about recent changes among the Hutts since the destruction of the Black Sun
     
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