STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- Cold War

"Oh, wow, I've never been in danger before..." is the sarcastic reply. "Why would you care about that, Mr. Tried-To-Kill-Me-Twice?"

"I am trying to appeal to your sense of reason, but it is obvious that you lack one. Whatever you choose to do with your time here, you are doomed. Either my mother will slay you or the Republic will."

"The Republic will have no part in Arnian affairs once I have destroyed the Matriarchy. Who knows, they may not even care. As long as they get their water and ore, why worry about the internal business of a quiet planet that offers little aid in running the Republic?

"What you fail to understand is just how much the Galaxy ignores Arnia. And rightly so, for now. It doesn't really participate in the decisions of the Senate. In all my years out there, I never saw another Arnian. We might as well not exist."

Dak stares into space, imagining great things. "By the time the Republic realizes what they should be looking at, they will no longer be able to interfere."

Gremon pauses, closing his eyes.

"You have traveled the Galaxy, you say?" Gremon says. "Have you heard of the Massacre at Malastare?"

...I don't know, have I? 😛

You may have heard something. A little over a year ago, the Malastarian police forces, led by Jedi Knights, became engaged in open conflict in a three-way battle with a Tartaran smuggler's security team and a company of deadly mercenaries from Belseraphon. The security team was annihilated and the police took heavy casualties in the battle, but the Jedi won when the mercenaries and their Dark Jedi leaders chose to retreat.

Galder told you a little about it. He lost his arm there, to a Jedi Master named Marcus that fought at Zeiton against your forces.

"Actually, I knew a human who was involved. Quite the little escapade, or so I was told. The Dark Jedi chose to retreat in the end, though."

"But they left in their wake a trail of dead. The citizens of the Republic feel endangered by such threats. They will not allow a villainous cur of that breed to take control of a Republican world, whether Arnia is important or not in the Galactic picture."

"And how, exactly, will they know a Dark Jedi is in control? You're certainly not going to be telling anyone."

Wraith steps past the bickering Arnians, rubbing her throat and his knife wound irritably. He will go to the cockpit to get it across to Ker'Raos that his voice has been lost.

"It is only a matter of time before the Queen-Mother recognizes her Enemy," Gremon says. "She has been reopening relations with the Republic. Help will come..."

Ker'Raos is occupied with piloting the ship, Wraith. He is not a very notable pilot and the controls of the Black Dawn, with the ship being as persnickety as it is, are tough for him.

"Yes, Master?" he asks, when you walk in.

The Black Dawn and the hijacked troop transport are reaching the mountains. You recognize the range, Dak. Its Arnian name roughly translates to the Mountains of the Black Claw. You are not entirely sure who named it, but the jagged peaks appear as claws tearing out from beneath the ice. The transport is descending toward them.

"We shall see..." Dak will leave him as they approach, making sure to lock Gremon in.

"Hmm... not a bad choice for a hideout," Dak notes in the cockpit, with some amusement. "Black Claw? It's so obvious only an idiot would think to check."

Before Wraith can get it across to Ker'Raos what has happened to him, Dak strides into the cockpit and comments on the location of the hideout. To this he can say nothing either, and just stares glumly out the viewport toward the rising mountains.

The transport descends low enough that it must maneuver between the peaks. Ker'Raos follows, cautiously keeping his distance from the transport to track its movements before doing likewise. He keeps the weapons system powered on.

"Are we sure about this?" Ker'Raos asks you, Dak.

Wraith shakes his head.

Dak eyes Wraith for a moment, noting a distinct lack of verbal pessimism. ...kind of nice.

He then returns to the subject at hand. "Ker, exactly how many other options do we have now? Do you have a contact on Arnia I don't know about? I didn't think so. My vision said I'd lead an army against the Royal Family. Well, here's an army, ready to fight against the Royal Family. I think it's pretty clear."

"Yes, Master," Ker'Raos says, piloting the Black Dawn after the transport.

Finally, the transport barely squeezes through a section of the mountain range and descends towards the base of the mountains. Pade relays a message for you to wait as the automated laser batteries are notified that you are allowed access to the landing site. It doesn't take long, and soon the Black Dawn is settling down onto a sloped but clear patch of ground. You all lurch sideways as Ker'Raos sets the ship down.

Dak steadies himself against a panel. "Okay, first item on the list... establish a new base of operations."

He will lead them out of the ship, Gremon included.

Ker'Raos keeps his lightsaber in hand, prepared to act if Gremon should try something. But the Prince does nothing.

Pade and his forty troopers emerge from the transport, immediately drawing their guns on Gremon as a precaution. Pade waves them down when they see that you have it under control.

"Did you know," Pade begins, "before our people learned to value the ice and water beneath our feet, they tried their hand at mining rocks?"

"Yes," Dak replies, "I understand the planet is rather rich in minerals many planets consider valuable."