USH'S STAR WARS GAME- Epilogue to the Campaign
The Jedi Temple, Coruscant
“Was returning a difficulty?” asked Ki-Adi Mundi.
“No,” said Gundark. “Everything was so confused in escaping the Mausoleum before the mountain blew up, everyone lost track of everyone else. I met the rest of my team back in the city. Once order had been restored in the capital the Zeitonians in control were only too happy to provide us with fuel and supplies. In fact, they were a little too keen to help us leave, I think.”
“It won’t take them long to return to their old ways,” said Mundi. “To reject knowledge of the Force has become a matter of survival instinct for them. Of course, it will be less than a century before the undercurrent of curiosity you found there will return. Sannan’s astrolabe must be recovered and disabled; this time there must be no possibility of this ever happening again.”
“Was there no indication of where Kuylen was keeping either the Astrolabe or his recovery of the Archive?” asked Mace Windu.
“None at all,” said Gundark, “neither on his base at Dordellus nor on Zeiton. Kuylen must have made his own arrangements.”
“Not a surprise, of course,” said Mundi. “I am sorry all this had to happen, Master Gundark. As I am sure you can appreciate, knowledge of Zeiton is highly restricted and can only be disseminated by an order in Council. As soon as we heard news that Zeiton was Kuylen’s target we intended to inform you- though even then only with reluctance. Sadly it seems that events worked against us; a communications breakdown with the Chancellor’s office meant that our warning to you came too late.”
“I was warned,” said Gundark. “Several times. I should have listened.”
“Hmm…” came a voice from between the two speaking Council members. An apparently slumbering Yoda roused himself. “Yet noble was your intent, Master Gundark. Hmmm… powerful Jedi was Komal. And also wise. Enough like him today, there are not. By his graces were Kuylen’s plans laid waste. And he warned us like we warned you. A failure for us all was this, Master Gundark. Failed, we did, to foresee this and warn you… always hard to see, the Dark Side is… the legacy of Zeiton still hangs heavily over us all.”
“But I was still warned of the danger of pursuing Kuylen… I could have chosen not to go,” said Gundark. “Did you always know that there was nothing for Kuylen to find?” The Council members exchanged glances.
“The Force is never so precise, Master Gundark, as you know,” said Windu. “But what we knew for certain is that any attempt to forcibly track down Kuylen would widen and worsen the problem he presented. Given time, Kuylen could never have achieved anything and he would have eventually become vulnerable.”
“But I was so sure he was dangerous!” said Gundark.
“As was he,” said Windu. “But he had not the capacity to do any of what he foresaw. Master Gundark… Kuylen is not a Sith, and Avalar should be a lesson to all that you cannot simply steal the Sith’s Mantle. And only the Dark Lord of the Sith can threaten the Galaxy in the way Kuylen wanted to- and not have us foresee it.”
“It is clear to us now,” said Mundi, “that Kuylen is most certainly not the one we are looking for, either Master or Apprentice of Qui-Gon’s assassin.”
“Then all I achieved was so much needless suffering,” said Gundark.
“You are not the first Jedi to feel guilt over good intentions to the Zeitonians,” said Windu. “But on the other hand, you have done much good. Kuylen has not only failed, his power is broken, by your efforts. And with Saar as a prisoner, we are confident we shall receive detailed information on all of Kuylen’s activities since his disappearance in Hutt space. We’ll hand these details over to the relevant authorities and soon all his works will be undone. And whilst the tragedy on Zeiton cannot be discounted… we also feared that none of your team would make it back alive, Master Gundark. We consider ourselves fortunate for our fears there to have been shown to be groundless, and for what you have achieved, you have our thanks.”
“Mind what you have learned,” said Yoda. “Always more there is to learn, Master Gundark. For all of us… even for me. Much there is for you to consider about that which you may have done. And much to wonder about why the Force led you there, hmm! Tragic this was. But more tragic if learn, we do not.”
“And now?” asked Gundark. The Council members exchanged glances again.
“Resolved, the will of the Council is,” said Yoda. “This mission is over.”
“We have stated to the Chancellor that now Kuylen has received this setback it is time for you and your team to return to normal duties, Master Gundark,” said Mundi.
“Should Kuylen or any of his followers pose a direct threat to Republican security again, we shall examine the situation,” said Windu, “but talks with the Chancellor have also provided for greater action to be taken by the Republic itself against future threats, so in future operations will be better co-ordinated.”
Gundark nodded and bowed.
“One last thing, Master Gundark,” said Mundi. “During that conversation, the Chancellor asked to see you one more time…”
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Zeiton
Jeren’Toc made some notes on his desk whilst listening to the report.
“A considerable amount of debris was scattered a long way by the explosion,” said the other Zeitonian.
“Hmm. The planet is used to explosions that large,” Jeren’Toc said. “I am sure there will be no repercussions worse than already exist.”
“Quite a lot of the interior of the structure was scattered around also.”
“Ah yes. Very well, an operation must be mounted. Every single piece of that structure that can be found must be gathered and loaded onto a cargo ship. And send that ship into the sun. I want NO trace of any of that place left at all.”
“It seems a shame… so much history and all…”
“Dark and evil history. It brings nothing but further destruction to this world. Make it happen.”
“Of course. The fighting appears to have stopped.”
“Are we in control?”
“Yes, all cities have deferred to the Ruling Council’s authority again. But…”
“Yes?”
“I have reports that several starships were stolen during the fighting and left the planet.”
“And?”
“Some witnesses say… the attackers were not Zeitonian.”
“Ah…”
“It means Kuylen or some of his followers may have escaped!”
“Strikes me that they are no longer our problem then.”
“But… should the Jedi not be informed?”
“Oh REALLY!” said Jeren’Toc. “You are an idiot!”
“Sorry?”
“My friend… everyone knows… that there is no such thing as a Jedi!”
There was a long pause.
“Of course, Elder. My apologies.”
---
Palpatine’s Office, Coruscant
“… and whilst the Council have already shown their gratitude, I know, I wish to extend my personal thanks to you and your team for the efforts you have in pursuing a mission that occurred under my graces. I can only apologise for the extreme difficulties you found yourself in; I am afraid I am not an expert in such matters but I agree with the recommendations of the Council. In light of events it does indeed seem counter-productive to keep pursuing Kuylen and I have faith in the Council’s assurances that he presents no threat. With luck, he and his followers will never return to the Republic again.” Chancellor Palpatine smiled as cars flitted past the window behind.
“Of course, Chancellor. And I was grateful for the opportunity you gave me to disrupt Kuylen’s operations,” said Gundark. “The Council said something about better co-ordination with these things in future?”
“Ah yes!” said the Chancellor. “I have some proposals to make to the Senate. Not just in regard to this matter, but this certainly forms an important part of it. Republican security has proven itself lax and people like Kuylen took advantage of that. Just look how easily he was able to enter and leave Malastare! Were it not for a luck break from my contacts, you would never have gotten on his trail at all. I intend to try and remove the ‘luck’ part from that situation in future; criminals like Kuylen should not have free movement inside the Republic. Then we can prevent tragedies like this from occurring again.”
“That sounds promising, Chancellor,” said Gundark, “but you will forgive me if…”
“… if you have heard broken promises from politicians before? I agree, Master Gundark, and a noble organisation like the Jedi has suffered long from the efforts of selfish politics before. But please believe me,” said the Chancellor, with a pleasant smile, “I was elected to this position on a promise of political reform, and this WILL go ahead, I can assure you of that. The injustices of the past will be remedied. It is not only problems like this that I intend to sort out; I have plans for the reform of the Senatorial guard, which has become a self-interested product of advancing individual Senatorial interest only. And following the events on Naboo, a very close look will be taken at the activities of the major corporate interests of the Republic. There is much to do, Master Gundark! And there are many pressing calls upon your time, of course… again, my thanks.”