KMC Forums - USH'S GAME- Episode V Preview

Coruscant, Jedi Temple

“I didn’t know!” said Trorn, panting slightly as he struggled to keep up with the other man.

“So it seems,” said Mace Windu, with just a touch of irritation. He called out excuses as he raced through the corridors to the Council Chamber- vacant- and the communications suite there. “More’s the pity, though we cannot hold you accountable for that.” He started to programme the equipment in the centre of the room.

“I reported every update I received into the update log!” said Trorn, feeling pressured.

“Yes, but that log was being kept in the Supreme Chancellor’s office as well,” said Windu.

“Well… yes, I suppose it did…” says Trorn. “I am sorry, Master Windu. If I had known that these random atmospherics were going to cut off communications between yourself and the Chancellor’s Offices I would have reported to you personally!”

“I know,” says Mace, “but as it is we have not received a single message the Chancellor sent over the last three days. We were waiting for the Jedi to report to US but they all reported to his office instead and we never knew. We can only be thankful that Scovione told us; we may just be in time. Didn’t you sense anything wrong at all?” Trorn shrugged.

“I knew it was bad news that Kuylen was going for more Sith sites… but it is nothing we did not already know he was doing.”

“We didn’t know there was an Astrolabe involved!”

“I… I reported it all, that is…” Mace waved Trorn into silence.

“I know, it is not your fault. You could not have appreciated what it meant.”

“It means Kuylen is going to learn more of the Sith, surely.” Mace Windu closed his eyes and shook his head.

“The Order spent centuries ensuring that no-one would ever find that place,” says Windu.

“Why so much effort? Barely anyone ever found an Astrolabe with which to do it, and even the ones the Order found were broken.”

“Trorn,” said Mace, softly. He sighed. “Those Astrolabes were in perfect working order when the Jedi found them.” Trorn turned pale. “They were disabled on the orders of the Council. For there to be no doubt. Even for the Jedi. Now it may be too late.” Trorn could only stand and watch as Mace began sending his message.

“Master Kellan Gundark? I am speaking to you to give you a direct order from the Jedi Council. Abandon your mission immediately and return to Coruscant with ALL the Jedi under your command! We have been made aware that you believe that Kuylen has found the Mausoleum of Demnos and that you intend to pursue him to stop him. Master Gundark, I must make this very clear. Do not go to whatever co-ordinates you have received! Do you understand me? Do not go to that world! There must be no Jedi allowed to set foot on that planet under any circumstances! Abandon your pursuit of Kuylen immediately and return home to be briefed! The Council will decide what moves to take about the Kuylen situation. May the Force be with you, Master Gundark- and with us too, for this message to reach you in time.”

Trorn swallowed nervously.

“I thought it was Kuylen you were worried about?”

“I AM worried about Kuylen!” said Windu. “But if any Jedi reaches that world the situation can only become worse. I’ve routed that message through all Republican arrays… we can only hope that she is not already outside the Republican signal range… she has been heading a long way out.”

Shortly afterwards, Mace Windu visited Master Yoda in their sanctum, where Yoda meditated on one of the short flat chairs provided. Windu waited a few minutes before speaking.

“Well?” he asked. Yoda shook his head.

“Too late we are.”

“She is out of range?” Yoda changed to a small nod.

“Warned her we did. Listen, she did NOT. Now, much suffering I see. MUCH suffering…” Mace sat by Yoda.

“Can ANY good come of this now?” Yoda looked thoughtful.

“Hard to tell. Maybe. Little, we can do. In others now must we place our trust, and our hope.”

“Then we can only hope the Force is with Master Gundark,” said Windu. “Maybe we will see her again after all.”

-

Episode V is the conclusion of my first Star Wars story ‘arc’, or campaign, as role-players call them. One way or another this will finish the story of this attempt by Kuylen and his followers to harness the power of the supposedly extinct Sith, and the Jedi attempt to stop them. This will tie up every loose thread in the main plot from the first Episode onwards, for those of you who remember it- the first story began over two years ago now. This story will also involve your first direct contact with the legacy of the Sith since those of you lucky enough to experience the ‘wonders’ of Avalar, again in the first episode.

As I had warned in advance, this is a ‘closed’ story. The starting line-up is as many of you as there is ever going to be- no-one can join this story halfway through. You are all far from anyone else who may join you; the stakes are set in advance. Partly as a result of this, I will try and make this story as short as possible- hopefully finishing it by the end of the year, though I cannot guarantee it. The story is heavy on central plot but also simple and building up for the inevitable big finish.

This story is intended to be dramatic- and as such, there will be little margin for error and forgiveness. I warn all players that this is most definitely the most dangerous episode of them all; players can die with relative ease and I will do little to save them. This is especially true of duels- this is the final reckoning for some of you and the fights will be to the death, even if a competent duellist takes on a weaker one- I can only urge the weaker duellists to try and not be alone too often, if they fear defeat.

There is, however, some good news. For those of you frustrated by having to work quietly to hide from civilisation (for the Dark Siders) or by the rules and regulations of the Galaxy (for the Jedi) then neither problem applies in this story. Whilst you may be alone and isolated, you are also free and unbound, each of you in equally hostile unknown territory. That being the case, however, it is vital that you work as a team (or, in the Dark Siders case, at least in coherent factions!)

This game is not necessarily the last one that will be played in this whole setting; if the demand is there, then there is a second campaign that can be played afterwards which is less focussed but more expansive, filling the gap between TPM and AOTC (a third campaign set during the Clone Wars may be written in the future). Therefore you can, of course, be assured that nothing silly is gong to happen like the Galaxy blowing up or something. That said, there are two main ways in which this game can end. The first is total devastation. The second is considerable irritation! That is the choice destiny sets you, how it happens is up to you guys.

Tonight and during tomorrow I shall create the post-script threads for the just finished episode. Tomorrow night, Episode V- ‘Mausoleum’- will begin.

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