STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- Rivalry (Relle)

Tutalone

A squat man with full Franz Josef and slicked hair, wearing the finest suit Republic credits can afford, is walking up and down a line of men, women, and aliens. He examines each in turn and grumbles to himself. By the time he reaches the end of the line, he has lost his temper. Throwing his hands in the air, he shouts.

"TORMAN!" he snaps. "Are THESE the best you could do?"

A lanky man with spectacles and a not-as-nice suit sits up.

"Gallifer..."

"SENATOR Gallifer," the short man corrects.

"Senator, you asked for hired guns!"

"Hired guns, not street thugs!" The line of gathered beings bristle at this.

"Sir, these are some of the best bodyguards your planet can offer," Torman says.

"Couldn't we get like, a Jedi, or something?" the Senator asks.

"Do you REALLY want a JEDI in your presence?" Torman asks. "What with all of the..."

"Ah shut it, shut it!" the Senator hushes. "Well what about one of those... not really Jedi but kind of. That."

Torman palms his face. "I'll see what I can do, Senator..."

"Great!" Senator Gallifer shouts. "Hop to it! And get all these goofs on payroll, we'll need all of them."

"In addition to the Senatorial guards that Coruscant is sending?" Torman asks.

"Yup! I've made some very big enemies in my time..." Gallifer gazes into the near distance. "Some very lethal enemies..."

-

Welcome to "Rivalry," an episode of the Retrospection games. As an episode of this series, “Rivalry” will be a very personal plotline, exploring events involving the players’ characters. Going off of Ushgarak’s ever-popular Star Wars role-playing game, these mini-episodes occur in game-play’s past. In this case, it will explore Relle Novalinde's work for the Fellowship, a shadowy group of vampire-esque assassins that forged her as a lethal weapon.

Relle has performed very well as an agent of the Fellowship. She has destroyed many of the organization's opponents and remained an elusive target for vengeful hitmen. She has proved untouchable. Now, however, the Fellowship has a different kind of problem they need sorted.

The year is 30 BBY- two years after the Battle of Naboo, and shortly after the election of Kass Gallifer to the status of Senator of Tutalone, a Republic world with a dark underbelly. The new Senator poses a problem for Fellowship interests, and they want him to step down involuntarily...

Wa

Relle- you are in your room at the Fellowship's headquarters, doing whatever you wish to be doing at the moment. It has been a very quiet day for you... but now your comlink starts to beep.

Relle will have been meditating and cleaning her guns and saber. She straps all three to her belt when she gets her summons and goes to see what is needed from her.

Your comlink blurbs a message from the Elder calling you to his audience chamber.

The headquarters of the Fellowship are a very shadowy place, all dimly lit corridors with thin vertical lighting strips every few feet in the halls and arching over your head. It is very difficult to navigate, unless you grew up within its walls. It is even easier for Relle as she has the Force on her side, the only assassin of the Fellowship to possess such talents.

The Elder's chamber is deep within the Fortress of the Fellowship. You come to it and stand before the heavy metal door that seals him away.

Relle stands before it as she has many times before, then raps on the door to let the Elder know she is here.

There is a moment of silence... and then the door metal block slides inwards slowly. It does not drag, floating upon an invisible cushion of air. Then it stops.

"Come in, my child," comes the strong voice of the Elder.

Relle will step into the chamber past the metal block. She remains quiet and respectful, as she feels she must around the Elder unless he asks for her words.

How does Relle feel about the Elder?

The chamber inside is cold, very cold. It is a tall cylindrical room, made of black stone, the walls stretching up into darkness. Aside from the metal slab that covers the entrance, there is nothing in here. Very austere.

The Elder himself is a powerful being, though not in the way that you are. Being an Anzati, like you, he has all the qualities of your race- a naturally impressive physique, stunning good looks, and low level 'supernatural' abilities. However, the Elder has spent his entire life perfecting his body and his mind.

The only true indication of his age is his snow-white hair, pulled back into a loose ponytail, and his eyes have gone blind with age. His body might be in better shape than your own, Relle. You fear and respect him.

He is in a meditative stance, seated in the center of the chamber.

"Welcome," he says, simply.

Relle bows respectfully, wondering if the Elder can sense her action since he cannot see it. She figures that he can sense that she is trying to be respectful.

"Elder," she says. "You have summoned me?"

"I have," he says. "The Fellowship is in need of your talents."

"What is thy bidding, Elder?" Relle asks.

"As you know, the Fellowship is not simply a league of assassins," the Elder says. "We have our... business interests. And one sector of business is being closed off to us. We need you to reopen it."

"I know very little about business, Elder," Relle says. I assume she does not know much about the other activities of the Fellowship.

"Your business is death, and you know it very well," says the Elder.

Relle is kept out of the political power plays of the Fellowship. You are simply their means of defending themselves and destroying enemies, as are others like you (well, not totally like you; the whole Dark Jedi thing is rather exclusive). You do know that the Fellowship dabbles in slavery, getting a steady flow of people to feed on.

"Then I am to kill to fix this problem," Relle says.

"Precisely. A new Senator has been elected to represent the planet Tutalone. He presents a problem for the Fellowship. Eliminate him and our power in that sector returns. Fail and he will shut us out."

"You want me to assassinate a Senator?" Relle asks. "That is a high profile target, Elder. It will be dangerous."

"Do you doubt yourself?" the Elder asks sternly.

"Of course not," Relle says. "It will be done. I just worry about the attention it may bring to the Fellowship."

"It should not bring any," the Elder says, "if you execute him without revealing yourself."