The Foundation of All Desire

[Lunafox]

My answers in pink, and there are some under the spoiler tags too.

 

Milton actually refers to the same area. I was showing my Classics background just a little by calling it Anatolia - but the area in contention is central Turkey, which is a mountainous, plateaued desert and the inspiration for the line in L'Allegro. Interestingly, not unlike your description of Dromund Fels.

 

That's a lucky coincidence then, I didn't know all that. But hey, I'll take it, it works out well for Dromund Fels then. I just wanted a fancy word for dark/gloomy

 

Also, Krayt Dragon represent! I started out there waaaaay back in June 2011, although I'm on Ebon Hawk now.

Yep, that's where my hubby went, he didn't like the pvp server either, but he left before I did. I stuck around longer, because I'm persistent and stubborn. Takes me a little longer to realize I'm miserable and do something about it I guess lol.

 

 

 

Yes, Marr really is dead Satele's also pretty useless in KOTFE, which I was kind of surprised by. Have you finished what we have of KOTFE yet? The end of Chapter VIII... Never have I ever raged harder about an event in a video game before.

 

 

Also, look at this, commentary the next day instead of two months later? Madness!

 

Yeah, that part broke my heart. I pretty much lost the will to play for a while, after the end of chapter five. The end of chapter eight didn't do much to improve my spirits either. Yeah, I was a bit ticked off. Thank goodness for Theron, or I'd probably have stopped. At least for a while, like a week maybe. And more commentary! I'm feeling pretty special to get more so soon. Thank you

 

Quinquaginta et Sextum Caput

 

 

-Oh man, the Blood and Fire fountains are so cool. I spent waaaay too much money earlier in October to pick up some for my Sentinel's Stronghold.

I own one, I love it. I wouldn't mind owning two, but I'd have to figure out how to arrange them so they're flanking a doorway.

 

-Call it paranoia, but I read the exchange between Liatrix and Nox probably fifty times, trying to find some kind of scheme. Did not work.

There wasn't a scheme hidden in that exchange, but I did hide a little easter egg. When Nox says to Liatrix, that she'll tell Scourge she 'ran away with the baker' I was thinking of Troy Baker...voice of Theron...so it was a fun clue, that many probably wouldn't pick up on .

 

-That SIS planning, haha. It boggles the mind how they managed to overcome not one but two Imperial Guard.

Not as tough as you'd think...Balkar lures, and Theron hits them with his toxicity bracer darts to knock them out. Problem solved.

 

-I love the description of Liatricis dress, here.

Thank you, the dress I see in my head is quite awesome, I should try and draw it or something.

-I feel so bad for Theron. He accidentally the whole wedding. I also almost missed the carbonite-thawing reversal from Return of the Jedi. Foreshadowing, perhaps?

Yep, he's the king of bad luck/timing. Yes, it was a bit of foreshadowing, and I just really loved that part in RoTJ, where Princess Leia rescues Han and that line. It's a favorite scene.

 

-Liatrix is right, of course. Theron isn't being exactly fair.

I've found people have a hard time being fair when they're upset, angry and disappointed. I do this myself sometimes.

 

-I'm so very curious to see what you'll do with KOTFE since it plays to such a convenient reset button.

There are ideas percolating

 

-I find it interesting how Scourge knows immediately that it's Theron under there. Did he hear something? Did he use the Force? Is he just... so pro at scheming after serving Vitiate for three hundred years that he just calculates that out from Liatricis mannerisms here? Or is it perhaps because Liatrix offered an excuse for Theron which an Imperial Guard wouldn't actually do in a situation like this?

Kinda all of the above really. Scourge is extremely astute at judging character and situation. Three hundred years with the Emperor would do that...and seeing Liatrix's expression...you can't hide serious emotional upheaval that quickly, easily or effectively...and yes the excuse for the guard was a tip off too.

 

-It's obvious from her actions and words as Liatrix and Scourge part that she doesn't know he knows.

Nope, she didn't realize it. I blame upset, she wasn't feeling great to begin with...that's why her reaction on the roof...she's afraid Theron is toast, but can't really show it...

 

-I love the sarcastic comment Theron drops on the roof. "Yeah... I was hoping."

 

I could totally see him saying that lol.

 

-The recurring theme of this story is that no one learns anything. "Oh hey, remember how all this started because we accidentally didn't actually blow up a Dark Councillor? Let's try again!"

Or as Scourge might tell you, history tends to repeat itself in various ways. People/civilizations are slow to learn about a great many things.

 

-Ironically, this successful airstrike would only exacerbate things. Remember way back when, and Marr's private fleet was slaughtering border worlds? Yea. Enjoy the entire Imperial fleet doing that, Republic.

Yeah, the Republic isn't going to enjoy it. But then neither will the Imperials in many ways.

 

-I can definitely consider scenarios in which - as you said - the Erebus will come into play next week. Malcom is almost certainly in a lighter Thranta-class corvette because they're more manoeuvrable and have a faster hyperdrive than a Valor-class heavy cruiser. As such, he'll be heavily outmatched by the Erebus when he drops out of hyperspace, especially since it's overhead. What I'm curious about is how no one ever seems to have warning about ships travelling in hyperspace. Ever. Not in books, games, the movies. Is there just no way to detect a ship until it drops out on your head?

 

Yeah, you're right, I've noticed that too, in the things I've seen/read. Perhaps it's just too hard to detect/calculate, because of various science crap that is beyond my understanding or ability to explain lol

 

 

 

 

I'm hoping what I have in mind will work out well, it's a bit daunting writing something of the magnitude I have in mind, and my main fear is that it won't go as I hope. I'd like to go out with a bang lol.

 

The feels, right now. I'm actually kind of terrified for next week's installment.

 

Yeah, Jace's line, you know the one, was painful...but it's something he'd do...he's all about the Republic, they believe they have them all dead to rights, one little batch of cells that aren't even here yet, isn't enough to turn him around. Satele was right about him, he's very dark side. And that's ok, you're not alone. I'm terrified of next week's installment myself lol.

Edited November 1, 2015 by Lunafox

[bright_ephemera]

Balkar! Jace! You had such good plans, if only certain individuals would answer to your reasoning. If only, if only.

[Lunafox]

Balkar! Jace! You had such good plans, if only certain individuals would answer to your reasoning. If only, if only.

 

Hell is paved with good intentions...the plans were good. For them, and the Republic

[Magdalane]

Sometimes I just want to shake Liatrix! I would be surprised if Scourge doesn't leave her for consorting with the enemy. And Theron-- really?? you thought this was a good idea?? No wonder you can't keep your position with the SIS!

 

Ok, rant over. It's a compelling story, but at this point I can't see how it might turn out good. I've started to feel sorry for Liatrix, and how her fickle decisions are affecting those she professes to love. I was proud that she stood up to Theron, it was good to see someone call him on his "Ideals". The visual imagery was, as usual, stunning. I confess that I've never played an Imp other than my sniper, so I can only imagine the strongholds and such.

 

Waiting anxiously for the next part!

[Lunafox]

Sometimes I just want to shake Liatrix! I would be surprised if Scourge doesn't leave her for consorting with the enemy. And Theron-- really?? you thought this was a good idea?? No wonder you can't keep your position with the SIS!

 

Ok, rant over. It's a compelling story, but at this point I can't see how it might turn out good. I've started to feel sorry for Liatrix, and how her fickle decisions are affecting those she professes to love. I was proud that she stood up to Theron, it was good to see someone call him on his "Ideals". The visual imagery was, as usual, stunning. I confess that I've never played an Imp other than my sniper, so I can only imagine the strongholds and such.

 

Waiting anxiously for the next part!

 

Well, in her defense, he snuck into their place and she didn't expect it. But she is very vulnerable to him. It seems Theron doesn't always think things through, he acts...kinda like he did on Ziost too. A lot of times it works out for him, and sometimes, not so much.

 

I'm glad you're finding it compelling. She loves both men for different reasons, and this is a hard position to be in. That doesn't mean it's good for her or them. I agree, it was good that she stuck to her guns. He had all this time to change his mind and didn't act until Satele asked...so she was right not to drop everything.

 

I'm also happy you're enjoying the imagery. There really are no strongholds that resemble Marr's mountain stronghold on Dromund Kaas. It's a figment of my imagination. It would be fun to design it, I might do that someday.

 

Anyways I hope you can enjoy what comes, it is what it is.

[DougTbx]

Why would or should Theron drop his ideals and join the Empire just so he can be her little affair on the side when Scourge isn't around? Seriously as well written as the story has been , the morale relativism has gotten to epic proportions by this point. Jedi Killers, no she was trained as every other Jedi to be a defender of other people. She was never trained how to torture prisoners or to murder her fellows when no one else is around to be a witness to it just to get ahead, that is the Sith.

 

At this point Master Din must be shaking his head in the afterlife wondering why he even bothered to speak to her on Rishi? Course if it's not what she wants to hear it's in one ear out the other followed by a rant from her thats all memememememe. Course the only bright spot is that maybe Scourge is starting to realize just how unbalanced she is, he really isn't going to care to learn about her selling their child to a Sith ghost.

 

The Theron part of this story was a let down, but you've been consist ant that he leaves his brains at the door when it comes to her, hopefully he'll get it that he can't save her from herself and just accept she's a Sith now and thus the enemy. Work on getting his son away from her and leave a thermal detonator in a nicely wrapped gift box with a bow on it for her and Scourge, preferably before Scourge gets around to killing the child, not like he's above murdering kids after all.

[Lunafox]

Why would or should Theron drop his ideals and join the Empire just so he can be her little affair on the side when Scourge isn't around? Seriously as well written as the story has been , the morale relativism has gotten to epic proportions by this point. Jedi Killers, no she was trained as every other Jedi to be a defender of other people. She was never trained how to torture prisoners or to murder her fellows when no one else is around to be a witness to it just to get ahead, that is the Sith.

 

At this point Master Din must be shaking his head in the afterlife wondering why he even bothered to speak to her on Rishi? Course if it's not what she wants to hear it's in one ear out the other followed by a rant from her thats all memememememe. Course the only bright spot is that maybe Scourge is starting to realize just how unbalanced she is, he really isn't going to care to learn about her selling their child to a Sith ghost.

 

The Theron part of this story was a let down, but you've been consist ant that he leaves his brains at the door when it comes to her, hopefully he'll get it that he can't save her from herself and just accept she's a Sith now and thus the enemy. Work on getting his son away from her and leave a thermal detonator in a nicely wrapped gift box with a bow on it for her and Scourge, preferably before Scourge gets around to killing the child, not like he's above murdering kids after all.

 

Well, Theron doesn't have to do a thing if he doesn't want to. It was his choice not to go. A painful choice, but it was made, but on the same hand, why does Liatrix need to drop her goals or ideals for him? People often times make sacrifices out of love, and the question is, how far would any of us go, in terms of sacrificing a part of ourselves for a relationship? What price do we pay for making the choices we make? Sometimes you can live with the price...sometimes you can't. It becomes unbearable and you know you have to do something about it.

 

The thing is, she didn't actually sell her daughter to Tulak Hord for a favour. But the result is the same.

 

I'm sorry you feel Theron's part was a disappointment...again, how many rational, clever people 'lose it' when they're involved with someone? It happens. He'll have to deal with things in his own way, but to your disappointment I don't see a gift wrapped thermal detonator in her future. At least not from him. That's not his way. It's not quite done yet, but soon. And I do thank you for letting me know that despite your disagreement on some elements, that you think at very least it's well written, for that I thank you.

 

And given Scourge's familial history and relationship with his dad, I don't foresee him killing or maiming Liatrix's children. It may not always be happy times for the little scamp, but I don't see anything quite so harsh, as how Scourge's father was to him.

 

I don't see all Sith as kitten and puppy kickers, or child murderers. Not all Sith are dark sided, not all Sith would kill a child. Some would, but you can't really paint an entire race of people with the same brush. Just like all Jedi aren't necessarily good upright lovely people either. Look at Master Kaeden for example...he was kind of a jerk.

Edited November 5, 2015 by Lunafox

[DougTbx]

Problem with this is none of the Sith characters in your story are light sided, Marr nor Scourge were ever close to it and your MC was at best grey before she started acting on her every whim or impulse. Yes Kaeden was a jerk but you can be a jerk and still not be a blood thirsty, sociopath, I'm fairly sure he doesn't have a mass grave of executed POWs in his closest like she does.

 

Ideals, does she even have any? No she has whatever emotional whim is in her head at the moment and acts on it. She loves Scourge yet wants Theron too if he'll turn traitor just for her, she used to hate the Sith for what they did to people but as soon as she learns her father is one she's okay becoming one. Her issues with Satele, how many times did Shan try to help her when she and the order would have been far better off kicking her out of it?

 

The Dark Side is evil and that has always been clear from Star Wars's own creator, yet people keep trying to rewrite it to fit their own agenda, either to smear the Jedi or let their good, characters use those cool, dark side powers cause it's you intentions that count so what if I use force lightning or choke to torture someone for info?

 

Immersion in the Dark Side corrupts feeding off of a person's negative emotions, thats why it can't be channeled thru love, yet love can foster all sort of negative emotions it can use, fear, jealousy, hate, especially if that love is a selfish type, like her's or Anakin's

[Lunafox]

Problem with this is none of the Sith characters in your story are light sided, Marr nor Scourge were ever close to it and your MC was at best grey before she started acting on her every whim or impulse. Yes Kaeden was a jerk but you can be a jerk and still not be a blood thirsty, sociopath, I'm fairly sure he doesn't have a mass grave of executed POWs in his closest like she does.

 

Ideals, does she even have any? No she has whatever emotional whim is in her head at the moment and acts on it. She loves Scourge yet wants Theron too if he'll turn traitor just for her, she used to hate the Sith for what they did to people but as soon as she learns her father is one she's okay becoming one. Her issues with Satele, how many times did Shan try to help her when she and the order would have been far better off kicking her out of it?

 

The Dark Side is evil and that has always been clear from Star Wars's own creator, yet people keep trying to rewrite it to fit their own agenda, either to smear the Jedi or let their good, characters use those cool, dark side powers cause it's you intentions that count so what if I use force lightning or choke to torture someone for info?

 

Immersion in the Dark Side corrupts feeding off of a person's negative emotions, thats why it can't be channeled thru love, yet love can foster all sort of negative emotions it can use, fear, jealousy, hate, especially if that love is a selfish type, like her's or Anakin's

 

I don't see anyone as wholly light, or wholly dark...people have elements of both inside them. Marr and Scourge are dark sided, yes, but I see snippets of good in each of them...Marr for example is wise, hears people out, and acts in a manner that is good for his people...he is the defender of his realm. By your seeming standards of 'dark side' if he was completely dark side he wouldn't care what happens to the people/worlds under his protection, he'd just go out blindly executing people, even his own, kind of like Darth Jadus. And yet Marr is considered a master of the dark side. Scourge is also a master of the dark side, but he too has moments where he displays concern beyond himself, he went against everything that means something to him, his people, his world turning 'traitor' because he opted to help the Jedi against an insane all consuming Emperor. If he was all truly dark side, he'd have hung out with the Emperor, and watched him snack on world after world.

 

How many Sith does Kaeden and other jedi kill? Plenty. Evil is a point of view. For the Sith, that would make the Jedi evil, because they're killing their people, and the Jedi are not above using guile to hurt the sith. Look at Master Nomen Karr, he lured SW to a ship to encounter, not one, but two Jedi, who are really gung ho on killing SW. And what of the two in the Tattoine desert...I thought that was rather dirty of them to do away with the player's companion so that they would outnumber the Sith. Hardly fair play...hardly behaviour befitting our virtuous Jedi ideal.

I'm sure that both sides, have wracked up quite a body count, so Liatrix isn't exactly alone. Anyone fighting a war ends up killing someone at some point, whether they want to or not. Liatrix took out her rage on the PoWs because of what Goh did to the children and other Jedi in the temple. Was her behaviour Jedi like? No. That's the whole point, the story explores various facets of her personality. I write for the entertainment value...writing about a saint sounds like dull work to me. Sorry if that offends you.

 

As for Liatrix having ideals, yes, she has them. She loved her family, her parents, her pet...She likes children. She appreciates her friends and helped Master Relnex a good an upstanding Jedi if there ever was one, through a very rough time. She has ideals and good qualities, as well as the bad. She might lean toward the dark more than the light, but that doesn't mean she's completely evil either. That's another point the story is trying to make, there isn't a single character that is entirely good, or entirely evil.

 

I'm well aware of George Lucas's intentions with Star Wars. He has created a very black and white world. And that's fine, he's made a fortune from his vision. I have no agenda, short of entertaining myself and other people with what I write. I look at it this way, if they like it...great, it makes me feel good. If they don't well they're welcome to tell me so and move on. I'm not holding a blaster to anyone's head forcing them to read. They do so if they wish, it's all about free will.

 

Another point with fanfiction, is that it allows people to play in another's universe/sandbox. They can borrow characters, make their own and do their own explorations of the world and what the Force means to them. It's fun.

 

I don't feel that most people here have any agenda, except having fun, working towards a dream of being writers maybe...I've no intention of 'smearing the Jedi'. I feel that I've been more than fair, even with characters I don't admire personally.

 

I'm well aware, that love can create a mass of undesirable emotions, but I still hold to the fact that it's not evil. What I find evil is a society that doesn't see the wisdom of teaching their people how to deal with love and various emotions, instead, choosing to suppress and repress and pretend it doesn't exist. Anakin was essentially a good guy...he was devoted, a great fighter, and kind. Regrettably he is treated with wariness and suspicion by his own people, not trusted enough to be brought into the fold as he should have been, and thus he fell in with someone who had an unscrupulous agenda.

 

Bottom line, for me, people are flawed...but with the flaws are also redeeming qualities. Without some of each, you'd have a boring cardboard character.

 

Anyways, I appreciate your comments, but I think we'll have to agree to disagree for the most part. Quite honestly, I find myself wondering about one thing...if my story bothers you so much, why do you read?

[squirtai]

"moral realistically" is an interesting term to bring up in a fictional work by writers who are deliberately trying to present a story without clear-cut good and evil. They're even trying to present the planet-eating emperor in a sympathetic way...

 

The force in the original star wars movies is actually quite different to what we see in the EU. In the original movies, there was no mention of the 'light side' of the force. There was the force, and there was the corruption of the force (called 'the dark side'). The movies paint dark side force users as cartoonishly evil, and that the path to redemption was selfless love. The force in the movies was also... weaker / less important. If you are familiar with the terms 'low' and 'high' fantasy, in the movies the force was low fantasy.

 

The amazing thing about allowing the star wars EU to be created, was that it allowed other people to take the core concept of 'the force', and interpret it and put their own spin on it. In the post-movie EU, the force went spiraling into 'high' fantasy, alignment was intent and not action (e.g. the EU had some version of force lightning that the Jedi used....), there were creatures from other dimensions and powerful immortal godly force-beings. In the pre-movie EU, bioware has clearly defined the force as having two symmetrical sides - it's no longer "the force & its corruption", but "a light side and a dark side". They've also deliberately decoupled alignment from one's religious affiliation (jedi/sith) and political affiliation (empire/republic), and focused more on actions which are not clearly good or evil rather than pushing for the two extremes.

 

I wouldn't say the empire/sith was ever painted as doing good things, but they've certainly painted the republic/jedi as being people who do bad things. After winning the first war with the sith, the republic and the jedi essentially invaded sith space with the goal to annihilate the sith civilization entirely (This is canon, although no doubt if bioware ever writes a story set during this time, we would see that some Jedi are righteously bent on wiping out all (cultural and racial) sith, where as other Jedi would opposes the movie). Then there's the crap they pulled with Revan in kotor. And lovely places in the republic like Belsavis, the prison planet where children who are born are also prisoners. (A nice parallel here with children born to criminals being treated as criminals vs. children born into slavery).

 

But like the way the EU interprets and expands on Lucas's original vision, us players (and especially fan-content-creators) interpret and expand on bioware's vision. When I play a DS jedi, I imagine myself as a soldier. From the moment I stepped on Tython, I kill my way through my enemies - whether they be local wildlife, the locals, empire soldiers, criminals or sith. I'm a killing machine from apprentice to battlemaster for the righteous cause of the republic. As a LS jedi, I tend to ignore most of the killing (and just write that off as a 'gameplay necessity') that actually happens (I think LS Jedi would have a very buddhist mentality in regards to killing, so you don't just go out and kill the local wildlife that happen to be in your way), and only focus on the events where I had a choice to kill or be merciful (and consider them the only canon).

 

And like the way Lunafox has interpreted the world bioware presented to her, I think we all interpret the world she presents to us through her story differently. When I see Liatrix - I see someone who is far too idealistic. She holds the ideals of family and love above all else. To me, it's no surprise that she and Satele don't get along - they are polar opposites in this regard. Satele gives up love and family to serve her other ideals of duty and service, where as Liatrix gives up those ideals that the Jedi taught her for love and family. Liatrix's love is not selfish - she's clearly willing to sacrifice herself for those she loves. It can be argued that it is destructive, since she's also willing to sacrifice others for those she loves. Here there is another difference to the movies. In the movies, it was selfish possessive love that pushes one to the dark side, and selfless self-sacrificing love that redeems you. In bioware's canon, it seems the Jedi view both as a path to the dark side - because part of the problem with love is the willingness to sacrifice everything else for it. So even in the best light of selfless love for one's child, it is a problem because for a jedi, duty must come before love for any one person.

[Lunafox]

"moral realistically" is an interesting term to bring up in a fictional work by writers who are deliberately trying to present a story without clear-cut good and evil. They're even trying to present the planet-eating emperor in a sympathetic way...

 

The force in the original star wars movies is actually quite different to what we see in the EU. In the original movies, there was no mention of the 'light side' of the force. There was the force, and there was the corruption of the force (called 'the dark side'). The movies paint dark side force users as cartoonishly evil, and that the path to redemption was selfless love. The force in the movies was also... weaker / less important. If you are familiar with the terms 'low' and 'high' fantasy, in the movies the force was low fantasy.

 

The amazing thing about allowing the star wars EU to be created, was that it allowed other people to take the core concept of 'the force', and interpret it and put their own spin on it. In the post-movie EU, the force went spiraling into 'high' fantasy, alignment was intent and not action (e.g. the EU had some version of force lightning that the Jedi used....), there were creatures from other dimensions and powerful immortal godly force-beings. In the pre-movie EU, bioware has clearly defined the force as having two symmetrical sides - it's no longer "the force & its corruption", but "a light side and a dark side". They've also deliberately decoupled alignment from one's religious affiliation (jedi/sith) and political affiliation (empire/republic), and focused more on actions which are not clearly good or evil rather than pushing for the two extremes.

 

I wouldn't say the empire/sith was ever painted as doing good things, but they've certainly painted the republic/jedi as being people who do bad things. After winning the first war with the sith, the republic and the jedi essentially invaded sith space with the goal to annihilate the sith civilization entirely (This is canon, although no doubt if bioware ever writes a story set during this time, we would see that some Jedi are righteously bent on wiping out all (cultural and racial) sith, where as other Jedi would opposes the movie). Then there's the crap they pulled with Revan in kotor. And lovely places in the republic like Belsavis, the prison planet where children who are born are also prisoners. (A nice parallel here with children born to criminals being treated as criminals vs. children born into slavery).

 

But like the way the EU interprets and expands on Lucas's original vision, us players (and especially fan-content-creators) interpret and expand on bioware's vision. When I play a DS jedi, I imagine myself as a soldier. From the moment I stepped on Tython, I kill my way through my enemies - whether they be local wildlife, the locals, empire soldiers, criminals or sith. I'm a killing machine from apprentice to battlemaster for the righteous cause of the republic. As a LS jedi, I tend to ignore most of the killing (and just write that off as a 'gameplay necessity') that actually happens (I think LS Jedi would have a very buddhist mentality in regards to killing, so you don't just go out and kill the local wildlife that happen to be in your way), and only focus on the events where I had a choice to kill or be merciful (and consider them the only canon).

 

And like the way Lunafox has interpreted the world bioware presented to her, I think we all interpret the world she presents to us through her story differently. When I see Liatrix - I see someone who is far too idealistic. She holds the ideals of family and love above all else. To me, it's no surprise that she and Satele don't get along - they are polar opposites in this regard. Satele gives up love and family to serve her other ideals of duty and service, where as Liatrix gives up those ideals that the Jedi taught her for love and family. Liatrix's love is not selfish - she's clearly willing to sacrifice herself for those she loves. It can be argued that it is destructive, since she's also willing to sacrifice others for those she loves. Here there is another difference to the movies. In the movies, it was selfish possessive love that pushes one to the dark side, and selfless self-sacrificing love that redeems you. In bioware's canon, it seems the Jedi view both as a path to the dark side - because part of the problem with love is the willingness to sacrifice everything else for it. So even in the best light of selfless love for one's child, it is a problem because for a jedi, duty must come before love for any one person.

 

It certainly does throw into sharp relief, the changes to the universe that have happened over the years, and across the venues in which it exists. I was rather pleasantly surprised that Bioware chose to show our planet munching Emperor in such a human way...it's good, because he's not such a cardboard villain anymore, when you can actually have an interesting conversation with him.

 

It's also interesting how the Force has evolved too...I hadn't actually noticed, that it was just 'the Force' early on. It'll give me something to look for when I re-watch 4, 5 and six.

 

I actually like the direction where the intent of the characters become grey, rather than black and white. It's more interesting to me, and it makes outcomes less predictable. A black and white world like Lucas created gives kids clear heroes and villains to recognize and root for, but as an adult, I know the world isn't so simple. I like grey. I like uncertainty.

 

And yes, I do find the concept of the children carrying on paying for their parent's sins on Belsavis. That one storyline with the Kaleesh 'terrorist' was fascinating.

 

And like you, when I played my dark side Jedi in game, she was more militaristic and understood the necessity of killing for the greater good. And over time she became desensitized to it, and after being caught up in the war for so long, it was a way of life...kill or be killed...not unlike SW's original take of the Sith Code, discussed in the scene with Baras, where he dresses SW down for being pushed through quickly because of an agenda (Tremel's).

 

I appreciate your take on Liatrix, it does me good to see that she isn't so horrid, that there is only one take on her. She brings out different things from people and I'm rather happy about that, even if the more painful stuff is harder to take. (I don't think I'm the only writer that feels protective of their 'children' I love Liatrix, even though she's done awful things...)

And I do agree with your take on the differences between Satele and Liatrix, that's exactly the issue between them. Both have ideals and politics, but they're so vastly different, there's no way they wouldn't come to a head at some point.

 

And I do see your take on Bioware's Jedi, who put duty above everything else, because all love can lead to darkness.

 

I think that's what makes this universe so interesting and fun...everyone sees something different in it.

Edited November 7, 2015 by Lunafox

[Lunafox]

The Foundation of All Desire (Part 57)

 

One by one, Republic vessels lurched out of hyperspace to a seeming standstill, until a motley assemblage of ships including six hammerheads and eight corvettes occupied air space over the Sith capitol and its outlying mountainous region. From behind the fleet, a swarm of Liberator and Thunderclap fighters zoomed to the forefront, primed for engagement.

 

Jace Malcom stood on the bridge of his flagship, the Aegis, and glared down at the enemy world with its green-grey misty surface. He would see Dromund Kaas burn and bring the Sith to their knees.

 

“Supreme Commander Jace, the SIS target’s in range,” Admiral Merkit announced.

 

“Focus fire and bring that mountain down on their heads. No one’s getting out of there alive.”

 

“Aye, aye Commander. Target locked…and firing. ” Merkit’s gaze panned over the battle read outs. A red rash dotted the display. “Incoming enemy vessels.”

 

“Shields up and prepare for battle,” Jace said.

 

A horde of Imperial Interceptors and Mark VI Starfighters shot up from the other side of the world and dove into the messy fray of ships and laser canon fire. Plumes of flame and smoke flashed throughout the sky, as fighters from both sides met their doom.

 

“Target annihilated, Commander,” Merkit straightened and the gleam in his eyes suggested he was pleased with himself.

 

Jace rounded the com, to take in the victory for himself. “Scan for life signs.”

 

“Aye sir. Scanning…A definitive toll isn’t possible Commander, however what I’m seeing suggests we were successful.”

 

*****

 

Theron’s eyes stung. Smoke billowed through the cockpit and the speeder emitted a plaintive wail. “We’re about to lose thrusters…”

 

The speeder stuttered on cue and dropped.

 

“You think I don’t know that?” Balkar barked. He craned his neck and peered into the darkness for a clearing.

 

“We’re not going to make it.” Theron rammed both hands through his hair.

 

Balkar gritted his teeth, “This probably isn’t the best time…but I told you so? Kark! Hold on! We’re in for a bumpy ride.”

 

Both men braced against the crash. The speeder dredged up debris as it skidded and bounced into the thicket ahead. Tall grass and tree fronds whipped the speeder until it wedged between two clusters of acacia trees. Vines hung around them like curious snakes and Theron gradually straightened. “Jonas? You okay? Jonas?”

 

Balkar cringed and soothed his neck. A purple-blue scuff marred his forehead and a zigzag of blood snaked its way from his lip to his chin. “Lemme get back to you, when I’m on Nar Shadaa sucking shooters from some dancer’s bellybutton.”

 

“Ah…you’ll live.” Theron rolled out the passenger’s side and crouched next to the speeder to rummage through its side compartment. He tugged at the duffle wedged inside, ransacking it until he located a set of night vision goggles. “Here. Catch…”

 

Balkar trapped the goggles in one hand and arranged them over his face, cringing when he brushed the developing lump on his head.

 

Theron tapped his implants and initialized his built in night vision. “This way. Let’s get moving.”

 

A quarter of an hour later, Balkar dropped his hands to his knees and panted. “About two more klicks to go…”

 

“Guess we better double time it then.” Theron called back. He jogged toward the stronghold and then froze at the familiar scream of an incoming air strike. “Aw hell. Get back! Get back now! Take cover!” Theron shouted and bolted, waving his arms.

 

“Kark.” Balkar loped back toward the thick of the jungle and tumbled downhill, finally coming to a stop, sprawled on his stomach. Theron leapt, and fell in next to Balkar. They buried their heads under their leather coats and arms against the inevitable rain of rock and flaming debris.

 

The jungle lit up, a trio of lightning bright strikes shaking the ground and shattering the silence. A mountain of rock crumbled and the roar and screech of twisting metal fractured the air. Flames soared skywards and the avalanche of crumbling boulders continued.

 

When the pelting finally stopped, Theron lifted his head, and gradually climbed the incline on his hands and knees and stared at what was once Marr’s mountain stronghold. He pushed himself up to stand and gawped at the carnage. Firelight flickered across his face and perspiration dotted his forehead. Even where he was standing, the heat pri.ckled his skin, reddening it.

 

Theron tapped at his implants. “Enhance image…magnify.”

 

Bile rose up the back of his throat at what he saw. The formidable stronghold had been reduced to debris, dust and flame. Bodies thrown and ignited in the explosion littered the grounds. He scoured the corpses for a familiar figure, but saw none that resembled her. He shook his head. No one could have survived that. She wouldn’t have made it outside in time. His eyes itched and burned and rubbing at them only inflamed them more. Stricken, Theron ran his hand over his face, mopping away tears and sweat.

 

Balkar drew up beside him, his expression somber. With nothing but silence between them, they watched the flames engulf what remained before spreading to the jungle.

 

It wasn’t supposed to end like this, Balkar thought. Snippets of happier times rolled through his mind, only adding to the heaviness in his chest. She was more than likely dead, because of him. He glanced over at Theron and wondered how long before he figured that out too. He retreated into himself, trying to find the courage to say something…anything.

 

“She must’ve gotten out…” Balkar murmured. His words lacked conviction and Theron stood on the verge of collapse—a man defeated.

 

Theron said nothing. Only the crackle and pop of distant flames filled the chasm between them, and Balkar knew what Theron needed—time alone, and that was something he could give him.

 

Theron couldn’t look away from the devastation. Balkar had said something to him—something that sounded so hollow and false that it didn’t register. He sat down hard on the ground and even though his instincts wailed at him to get as far away as he could, the drive simply wasn’t there. He had mourned her loss three times now, and each time it got that much harder. They could have found a way to make it work…if only he’d gone with her that day on Coruscant…

 

He shook his head. It would’ve made no difference. Disaster would have found them one way or another and he laughed. They were too much alike that way. They were both too idealistic, too stubborn and clung to hope way too much, even though their ideals were galaxies apart. A Sith and the untalented son of a Jedi legend. How could that ever work out?

 

So long as she lived, he had hope. What they’d had was a mad, thrilling dream and even in the face of such insanity, such adversity, it had been the only time he’d truly felt alive.

 

He’d never been much for destiny, but she was as close as he’d ever felt to knowing what that really meant.

 

*****

Darth Marr, Scourge and Liatrix strode down the narrow passages leading to the stronghold’s shuttle bay, ducking under sparking wires and twisted metal. The air was rife with dry dust and ash and through the haze, a set of dented durasteel doors manifested and they could hear the ground crew shouting inside. Chunks of debris tumbled around them and the flames grew taller. If not for the shielding power of the Force they would have been buried under thousands of kilo-tonnes of rock and steel.

 

“Let us hope the hangar endured,” Marr muttered.

 

The trio turned the Force against the doors, urging them apart enough to gain access to the shuttle bay beyond.

 

“Lord Scourge assemble our ground forces and apprise the Citadel and Intelligence. Incarnal—with me.”

 

Scourge tipped his head in deference to Marr and stalked toward the last available speeder to execute the order.

 

Liatrix dashed after him, “Scourge…wait.”

 

He jump started the speeder and sped off into the darkness without as much as a backwards glance.

 

Her insides quaked as she strode alongside her father toward the Fuliginous. The silence between them was heavy and uncomfortable and she sensed his rage simmering, but with no immediate outlet to relieve the pressure. The worst of it was that it seemed to be directed at her.

 

The deck officer fell in step behind Marr, and Liatrix paused to face him. “Corporal…did my HK unit and medical crew manage to get away in time?”

 

“Yes my Lord. They’re aboard the Sirona, en route to Cresh base.”

 

“Thank you Corporal.”

 

Marr’s holocom chimed and Nox’s image sprang up from the device. “Go ahead Nox…”

 

“Marr, our fleet is in position. Vowrawn and the rest of the Dark Council are with me. I thought you’d be relieved to know we managed to evacuate most everyone. Moff Pyron and my fleet are at your disposal.”

 

“That, is good news. Emboldened by this hit and run cowardice, no doubt they will strike the capitol next—destroy them.”

 

“That goes without saying. You should really throw more parties, this one will be talked about for weeks. Nox out.”

 

*****

 

Scourge relished the night air howling past, the cool temperature a balm against the heat trapped under his flesh. His thought back on the final moments on the roof and sneered. Even under the threat of an air strike, she couldn’t resist covertly searching for the agent’s broken body. Did she really think he wouldn’t notice?

 

The stoic sadness he’d recognized in her eyes, told him she was struggling to maintain her composure and stubbornly refusing to reveal her secret anguish that the agent might be dead. So much for trust. Had she really ordered the agent away, or was she rushing to freedom with him? He feared he’d never know for certain.

 

The idea that her precious agent lay gutted and bleeding on the stronghold foundation brought a sadistic gleam to his eye, and heralded the return of the man he was long before his vision of a girl with ocean blue eyes who dared to challenge the most powerful entity in the galaxy. His first love, and he had hoped, his last.

 

Secreted away in his mind for over three centuries, she was both inspiration and weakness and possessing her was like holding onto flame. Watching her suffer another man’s loss on their wedding day only served to temper him. He wouldn’t be burned so easily again.

 

With his destination in sight, he dropped lower, and cruised in to land.

 

*****

 

Aboard the Fuliginous, Liatrix strapped herself in next to her father. The shuttle lifted in a smooth swooping arc and took to the night sky. The pilot’s voice sounded over the cabin, “Shuttle Fuliginous engaging stealth.”

 

Darth Marr turned his visage toward her, “Your distraction is palpable…”

 

“I’m just thinking about the Sirona. I wish I knew for certain they’re safe. I have a bad feeling about this,” she murmured. She watched the crew shuffle about the cabin, and for the first time, she felt a mother’s disquiet—that the best of her was no longer within sight or reach of her defenses.

 

“That…is a dread no one can understand, until they have a child of their own.”

 

“I just want him to be safe.”

 

“As do I. But I sense that is not the crux of it…your marriage is on the verge of ruin. Test the man no further.”

 

“Father…I haven’t broken my vows…yes, I did lie, but that was to protect Theron.”

 

“The agent again? You have a husband. One that is worthy of you.”

 

Liatrix winced at the dangerous growl in his tone. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I told Theron to go. I didn’t want to make a scene so I lied, and now Scourge knows I lied. Just not…why.”

 

“Only you could jeopardize your marriage within its fledgling hours.”

 

“I never meant to. I tried to do the right thing.”

 

“I will not say this again. Test his patience no further. Rectify this. Now clear your mind…this is not the time to lose focus,” Marr pointed at her for emphasis.

 

Liatrix nodded silently and closed her eyes. She could hear the soft swells of her father’s breathing, and she fell in pace with its relaxing tide. She breathed as he breathed—rhythmic, focussed and most of all tempered—just enough to stoke the flames, but not so much as to lose control. She became an extension of his will and with every breath, she became more the lady in the fire.

 

*****

 

Jace’s gaze remained riveted on the battle monitors on the bridge. A bright green blip, surrounded by four fighter sized blips, caught his attention. The fast moving craft at the center of the formation travelled a steady course, but made no move to exit the atmosphere.

 

“Admiral Merkit…scan the Imperial vessel.”

 

The officer tapped the console and scanned the readouts. “It’s a medical ship…only a handful of life signs aboard…but the scan indicates the presence of an assassin droid. I recognize the frequency…it belongs to the HK series.”

 

Jace ran his hand over his jaw. “Interesting, a medical ship with an assassin droid onboard and a four fighter escort…whoever’s on board must be pretty valuable. Come to think of it, someone I know has an HK droid, someone who needs to be brought to justice…Send in Blue squadron, take out the escorts and disable engines. I want to see what’s so important that they’re hightailing it out of there like mynocks outta hell. And I want whoever’s on board taken alive.”

 

“Blue squadron moving in now, Commander.”

 

*****

 

Balkar’s gaze was drawn toward the treeline. “We’d better beat a hasty exit…”

 

Theron glanced up at Balkar’s warning. He sprang to his feet, his hands hovering over his blasters.

 

Two squadrons of Imperial troopers emerged from the jungle cover, blaster rifles poised. “Hands up where we can see ‘em.” One of the troopers called out with a metallic voice.

 

“Kark. This just gets better and better,” Balkar muttered and clasped his hands behind his head.

 

 

*****

Six of the Republic’s Liberator-Class Starfighters fell in behind the Sirona and its escort.

 

Two Imperial fighters remained alongside the medical ship, while the other pair dipped and dove to avoid Blue Squadron’s incoming laser cannon fire. After a dizzying game of cat and mouse the Imperial fighters came up short, but not before eliminating Blue four.

 

“This is Blue leader…Blue five and Blue six, focus fire on the escort—Blue three, take out their thrusters, we’ve got to slow them down. Blue two and I will take care of the rest.”

 

“On it, Blue leader.”

 

The Imperial escorts rolled, taking the brunt of the fire meant for the Sirona. The fighters skittered out of control and collided against a rock face leaving the medical ship vulnerable.

 

The Sirona’s pilot tapped his com, “Imperial base, this is Captain Landus of the Sirona, we’re under attack and our escort has been eliminated. Request assistance…our thrusters are off line…”

 

Blue three let out a triumphant whoop. “Blue leader...I have them in my sights.”

 

“Supreme Commander, this is Blue leader we’ve eliminated the escort. Target’s in our sights.”

 

“Hold your fire. I want them alive Blue Leader.” Jace strode across the command deck. “Lieutenant Jaffey, take us to Blue leader’s co-ords and engage the tractor beam. I want that ship.”

 

*****

 

Aboard the Erebus, Liatrix eyed the battle readouts and held position, despite the imminent attack against Kaas City. Fighters winged by and occasionally the Erebus’s shields brightened under impact.

 

“The Republic fleet is breaking up...they’re heading for the capitol. Notify Darth Nox, she’s about to have company.”

 

“Yes my Lord.”

 

Liatrix’s gaze narrowed as she watched the Republic flag ship’s sudden reversal away from the rest of the fleet. “Where’s he going?” She murmured to herself.

 

A middle aged man in an Admiral’s uniform stood at attention. “My Lord…it would appear the Aegis is on an intercept course…he’s pursuing…he’s pursuing the Sirona.” The surprise in his tone was unmistakeable. “Captain Landus has issued a distress call. It seems they’re attempting to catch them in their tractor beam. Shall I send a response?”

 

Liatrix paled. “Admiral Veers…inform the Sirona, we’re on our way. Lay in an intercept course for the Aegis.”

 

“My Lord, it’s only a medical ship, forgive me, but does such an insignificant craft warrant your personal attention?”

 

“Admiral…if the Supreme Commander deems it worthy of capture, then I’m deeming it worthy of rescue. Do not question me again. It is imperative we ensure the Sirona’s safety. Assemble a boarding party, I’ll see to this myself. Inform me, when we’re within range.”

 

“Yes, Lord Incarnal.”

 

She fixed her gaze on the blurring stars ahead, hoping to distract herself from the worry blooming in her heart. She couldn’t lose him…

 

*****

 

At the makeshift camp Marr’s ground forces had erected, Theron struggled against his wrist restraints. “We’ve gotta get out of here.”

 

Balkar snorted. “You’re not wrong. I have a date with something called ‘The Ravager.’ That…does not sound like a good time.”

 

“I heard rumours about that. You remember Grik Sonosan?”

 

“Yeah…vaguely. Lousy at Sabacc, if I remember correctly.”

 

“Yeah, well get this…rumour has it Sonosan was captured and they used The Ravager on him…it liquefied his brain.”

 

“That’s a relief, I liquefied mine years ago, but I suspect my way was a lot more fun. Hate to say it, but getting outta here looks pretty damn unlikely.”

 

A dark cloaked figure pushed between the tent flaps and threw down a pair of neatly folded Sith robes. “Perhaps, not as unlikely as you might think, but you must hurry. Lord Scourge is assembling the firing squad as we speak.”

 

Theron looked up, “Lana?”

 

“Hello Theron. You…look dreadful.”

 

Balkar flashed a grin, “Hey Frosty.”

 

Lana shot an icy glare in Balkar’s direction, before turning her back to him.

 

“How did you know we’re here?” Theron raised his cuffs for her to unlock them. She eyed Balkar for a moment as if debating whether or not to unlock his before relenting.

 

“I caught a snippet of chatter on my way in…Dromund Kaas is under an evacuation order.”

 

“But why help us?”

 

“Consider it my formal apology for my actions on Rishi.”

 

“Well…consider yourself forgiven. Thanks.” Theron stood and snatched up the robes. He tossed the spare set to Jonas.

 

“Never figured you for the type to commit treason, you must really like me.” Balkar grinned.

 

Lana watched the boys shrug into their disguises. “There are speeders just outside. Head for the spaceport, docking bay D-61. There’s a freighter slated for departure there. I trust you can stow yourselves away on board…I have a strong suspicion we’ll cross paths again in the future.”

 

Balkar snatched Lana into his arms and planted a firm kiss over her lips. She slapped him away and scowled. “It’s not too late for me to change my mind you know.”

 

“Admit it Frosty…you liked it.” Balkar winked and clacked his tongue.

 

“Thanks again Lana,” Theron said.

 

She watched them go and slipped out. “And I was never here…” She drew her cowl higher and vanished in the darkness.

 

*****

“Captain Landus, the Republic vessel has engaged their tractor beam. We’re being pulled inside,” Lieutenant Inas announced.

 

“Observation: The parasitic lifeform must be protected at all costs. Recommendation: Exterminate all Republic meatbags as they board.” HK-51 stood before the maturation chamber his sniper rifle fixed on the ship’s entry hatch.

 

“The droid has a point…Lord Incarnal was quite emphatic. We’ve got to get the little guy back to his mother. Whatever it takes.” The crew nodded in nervous assent and Captain Landus narrowed his gaze as he considered his next move. “Get ready to defend.”

 

The Sirona lurched as it touched down and docking clamps locked into place over the ship's landing gear.

 

The crew crouched in wait, blasters at the ready, and aimed toward the ship’s entry hatch. Landus drew breath and held it. Every creak and crack outside fuelled his heart to race faster.

 

Sparks sizzled around the hatch, as the Aegis’s security team cut into the durasteel. The door fell away with a clang, and a barrage of blaster fire shot back and forth throughout the interior of the Sirona until the crew and the early boarders, lay sprawled on the floor.

 

HK-51 ignored the fallen biologicals and took down three Republic meatbags, littering the boarding ramp with their bodies.

 

A silver sphere, with a flashing blue light landed in front of HK and rolled toward him and the maturation chamber.

 

The droid kicked the blinking sphere toward the open hatch. The EMP nade snagged on a jagged piece of durasteel and opened, flooding the Sirona’s compartment with a wave of blue electrical energy. Jags of lightning shot out from the walls and com panels. HK whirled around, throwing his body over the maturation chamber to take the brunt of the blast.

 

HK shuddered and a riot of sparks cut through him.

 

“Statement: I have a bad…feeling…about…this.” HK’s voice modulator grew slower and deeper before falling silent.

 

His usually bright visual sensors turned dark, and his frame collapsed over the chamber, tendrils of smoke lifting from his fried components. The maturation chamber groaned as it powered down, and the power indicator fluctuated between green and yellow.

 

((to be continued…))

Edited November 7, 2015 by Lunafox

[frauzet]

I can only quote HK “Statement: I have a bad…feeling…about…this.”

 

On the other hand I don't fear you'll run out of material to write about in the near future

 

I have been enjoying the last parts of your story at least as much as the others.

 

Btw. I don't hold it against Liatrix that she fell in love with two men. These things happen, and there is not much you can do about it. The problem in this case is, that neither Scourge nor Theron would have been likely to agree to a triangle relationship. So Lia chose the worst possible option and lied, or at least wasn't honest with Scourge. It was the first thing I realized back in the part in the tomb. Lia never agreed to Scourge's terms, and he was too distracted to notice. Now she has to deal with the fallout. So far I have no problems with the morale of that story. Whatever kind of relationship you and your partner(s) choose, honesty is a key element for a proper foundation.

[squirtai]

It's also interesting how the Force has evolved too...I hadn't actually noticed, that it was just 'the Force' early on. It'll give me something to look for when I re-watch 4, 5 and six.

 

It's not just the force, now that you are exposed to the EU, go back and watch the original movies and you'll notice how so many of the "traditional/central" star wars ideas these days were not present back in the original trilogy. For example, at one point obi wan calls vader "Darth" (i.e. just "Darth"), which suggests that "Darth Vader" was originally just intended to be a name. So "Darth" wasn't a title, and Vader I guess would have been a fittingly-scary-sounding surname.

 

At some point, people probably decided it sounded cool... so other sith lords started getting it as the title. First in the EU books, but it didn't become so high profile until kotor came out and we had Darth Revan and Darth Malek. Of course Revan and Malek were those character's pre-sith names... at some point EU writers starting favoring attaching the "Darth" to suitably-scary titles instead of names, so the Emperor became 'Darth Sidious'. And Darth Vader went from being a name to being the result of a most ancient and sithly tradition.

 

On the topic of sith, there were no siths in the original trilogy. Which I guess supports the interpretation that in the original trilogy, it was just "the force, and a bunch of psychopaths screwing it up" rather than "us Jedi and them Sith". "Sith" didn't get mentioned until Episode 1.... In fact I don't think Vader wasn't even mentioned/referred to as "sith" until shortly before Episode 1 came out. I'm not sure if the concept of 'sith' already exited in the post-movie EU or not, but it really didn't in the original trilogy.

 

tl;dr, star wars 'lore' has changed a lot over the years. Even though before Disney wiped the slate, all star wars EU had 'consistent' factual lore, the actual take/feel of things varied a lot between movies, games and various EU writers.

 

But bioware's old republic setting had always been my favourite star wars take =D

Edited November 7, 2015 by squirtai

[PraetorianGuard_]

Btw. I don't hold it against Liatrix that she fell in love with two men.

 

The irony is that Scourge has no one but himself to blame for that. Pretty much treated her like crap after she gave up everything to be with him before she met Theron (seeing a pattern here). The only triggering event to wanting her back was seeing her with Theron, kinda selfish imo. But i wouldn't put it passed a possessive creeper like Scourge

[Lunafox]

I can only quote HK “Statement: I have a bad…feeling…about…this.”

 

On the other hand I don't fear you'll run out of material to write about in the near future

 

I have been enjoying the last parts of your story at least as much as the others.

 

Btw. I don't hold it against Liatrix that she fell in love with two men. These things happen, and there is not much you can do about it. The problem in this case is, that neither Scourge nor Theron would have been likely to agree to a triangle relationship. So Lia chose the worst possible option and lied, or at least wasn't honest with Scourge. It was the first thing I realized back in the part in the tomb. Lia never agreed to Scourge's terms, and he was too distracted to notice. Now she has to deal with the fallout. So far I have no problems with the morale of that story. Whatever kind of relationship you and your partner(s) choose, honesty is a key element for a proper foundation.

 

I'm happy to hear you're having a good time with it all still. I sure hope you're right, it would be nice to have more material for future stories. I have past and future ones in mind, just have to choose which I'd rather do, cause I like to commit to one thing at a time.

 

Being in love with two equally amazing men, is not an easy predicament to be in. It does happen and it's never easy (like I could never choose between Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston )

 

You're right, she never agreed to his terms outright, but she implied that she did, and now has to deal with her decision. I don't think Scourge is asking for the moon here, he just wants to know that she's being honest with him about everything, but being a secretive lass, she would rather lie than deal with something messy...giving her an avoidant aspect to her nature.

 

 

The irony is that Scourge has no one but himself to blame for that. Pretty much treated her like crap after she gave up everything to be with him before she met Theron (seeing a pattern here). The only triggering event to wanting her back was seeing her with Theron, kinda selfish imo. But i wouldn't put it passed a possessive creeper like Scourge

 

That he did, and I see him doing that as punishment for her cheating on him with Balkar. I don't think he ever truly intended to let her go, he was just going to make her suffer until it suited him to do other wise, and of course when Theron came along, there was a very real threat of losing her to him, so he reels her back in, and jumps on opportunity to take her back again. Definitely a selfish pattern for sure.

Edited November 7, 2015 by Lunafox

[Lunafox]

It's not just the force, now that you are exposed to the EU, go back and watch the original movies and you'll notice how so many of the "traditional/central" star wars ideas these days were not present back in the original trilogy. For example, at one point obi wan calls vader "Darth" (i.e. just "Darth"), which suggests that "Darth Vader" was originally just intended to be a name. So "Darth" wasn't a title, and Vader I guess would have been a fittingly-scary-sounding surname.

 

At some point, people probably decided it sounded cool... so other sith lords started getting it as the title. First in the EU books, but it didn't become so high profile until kotor came out and we had Darth Revan and Darth Malek. Of course Revan and Malek were those character's pre-sith names... at some point EU writers starting favoring attaching the "Darth" to suitably-scary titles instead of names, so the Emperor became 'Darth Sidious'. And Darth Vader went from being a name to being the result of a most ancient and sithly tradition.

 

On the topic of sith, there were no siths in the original trilogy. Which I guess supports the interpretation that in the original trilogy, it was just "the force, and a bunch of psychopaths screwing it up" rather than "us Jedi and them Sith". "Sith" didn't get mentioned until Episode 1.... In fact I don't think Vader wasn't even mentioned/referred to as "sith" until shortly before Episode 1 came out. I'm not sure if the concept of 'sith' already exited in the post-movie EU or not, but it really didn't in the original trilogy.

 

tl;dr, star wars 'lore' has changed a lot over the years. Even though before Disney wiped the slate, all star wars EU had 'consistent' factual lore, the actual take/feel of things varied a lot between movies, games and various EU writers.

 

But bioware's old republic setting had always been my favourite star wars take =D

 

I do remember that part where Ben called him Darth and it sticks out now so...strangely. Proof that things grew and evolved, which is good.

 

I'm going to have to rewatch for sure now, because I thought at some point someone says something about the Sith...maybe Grand Moff Tarkin, where he alludes to Darth Vader being a Lord of the Sith, and referring to it as an nearly extinct religion....I can't recall if it was in the movies, or on some of the trading cards I collected as a kid. I'll have to watch for that and see.

 

I guess like any franchise, you have your core story, and if its successful and grows and expands over time. Details get added, it gets fleshed out more and more, and I think it's been around so long, and it's been added to and fleshed out so many times giving it more dimension, that it doesn't resemble the original trilogy with Luke so much anymore.

Things do change a long the way...one of my favorite examples goes back to the trading cards I mentioned...they had Luke, and his bio on the back, saying he's 23 years old. Then on Princess Leia's it said she was 19 years old. The way the bios were done, they were like character bios, but others have suggested that maybe for the ages, it was the actor's real age put in. I just thought it was funny to have 'twins' with a four year age dif lol. That's why I think the story changed somewhere between star wars and TESB, so that Leia is Luke's sister. Originally maybe it wasn't meant that way.

[Magdalane]

I have come to the conclusion that Liatrix doesn't deem herself worthy of love, and has been taught all her life that she is never to have it, so now-- with her dark side pressing forward-- she feels all the emotions she was taught to ignore, and is overwhelmed by them. I get the impression that she does love both Scourge and Theron, but she has no idea what to do with them now.

 

I can't even think about Jace. Just, no.

 

Liatrix's reaction to Marr's anger shows that she always feels at fault, even before anything is said. Even when she was a child, Liatrix wanted to be the peacemaker between her father and mother, and Ravage and her mother. It's her nature to pacify, try to make everyone have a favorable outcome. It is truly puzzling to her when no one else can see that. I think that's where she is with her two loves.

 

My heart goes to the child, whom HK valiantly tried to protect.

 

Lunafox, I know it's not easy to keep a magnificent story going, but I appreciate that you do. I hope you realize that my interpretation of Liatrix is just my thoughts. I want to hug her, and you too!

[Lunafox]

I have come to the conclusion that Liatrix doesn't deem herself worthy of love, and has been taught all her life that she is never to have it, so now-- with her dark side pressing forward-- she feels all the emotions she was taught to ignore, and is overwhelmed by them. I get the impression that she does love both Scourge and Theron, but she has no idea what to do with them now.

 

I can't even think about Jace. Just, no.

 

Liatrix's reaction to Marr's anger shows that she always feels at fault, even before anything is said. Even when she was a child, Liatrix wanted to be the peacemaker between her father and mother, and Ravage and her mother. It's her nature to pacify, try to make everyone have a favorable outcome. It is truly puzzling to her when no one else can see that. I think that's where she is with her two loves.

 

My heart goes to the child, whom HK valiantly tried to protect.

 

Lunafox, I know it's not easy to keep a magnificent story going, but I appreciate that you do. I hope you realize that my interpretation of Liatrix is just my thoughts. I want to hug her, and you too!

 

Your assessment and interpretation of her is pretty dead on, and I think that she and Theron have quite a bit in common in that regard, both essentially parentless growing up, both being raised by the Jedi. And I think Theron, who basically admitted in canon that he sucks at relationships and is a workaholic because of that, is pretty similar to Liatrix.

 

She does love both men, and its tearing her up inside, because she doesn't really know how to deal with that or what to do. Give her professional activities to do and she performs competently, but her personal life is a mess. And yes, I do agree with you about her being a mediator, trying to find a peaceful middle ground for everyone. For someone who's been so entrenched in conflict, she really would prefer to avoid it.

 

Poor HK, I do enjoy him and it hurt a bit to write that part.

 

Most of all, thank you for the encouragement and the kind words. This was one of those weeks, where I really needed a bit of that, so again, thank you. I appreciate your take on Liatrix, and I think you've got her figured out.

 

I think she needs a hug, and she appreciates getting one. I think she needs to go over to the ranch and hang out with Miriah and Corso for a while, they're such a close knit bunch.

 

And thanks for the hug, it means a lot. *hugs you back* <3

[Lunafox]

The Foundation of All Desire (Part 58)

 

The Imperial drill pod chewed into the Aegis’s durasteel hull, the clanging bite echoing inside the ship’s corridor. The drill head yawned apart. Liatrix and a squadron of Imperial troopers emerged from pod’s drum, weapons poised and ready for engagement.

 

A ruptured supply hose gushed above them and filled the corridor with a milky fog. The boarding party crept down the hall but the Aegis stood silent.

 

Her eyes narrowed. The scenario was all wrong. No warning klaxon blared, and no troops came to repel them as they made for the shuttle bay.

 

Liatrix raised her hand, bringing the party to a halt. She stepped free of the protective cocoon of metal bodies flanking her. The interior of the Republic flagship played on her mind—everything seemed too familiar, and then she realized why: the Aegis was the ship that had brought her to Tython as a young Jedi. Even though most ship interiors were identical, her first time aboard the Aegis had made an indelible impression.

 

The durasteel doors opened onto the shuttle bay. The singed medical ship, Sirona, stood abandoned at the heart of the bay, bodies scattered over the boarding ramp.

 

“They know we’re here…” She drew a deep breath and faced her men. “Get the Sirona’s engines back online…”

The men dispersed and set to work.

 

Liatrix dreaded what she might find inside the Sirona. Her heart raced and her boots felt like they were weighted with stone as she stepped over the bodies and trudged up the ramp.

 

Inside, the crew lay scattered where they’d fallen defending the ship. HK lay in a heap alongside them, pewter fingers still curled around his sniper rifle.

 

“HK…” She knelt beside him and considered his placement. He’d been hunched over something—the maturation chamber. Since his assignment to protect it, he was rarely more than a meter away from it at any given time. Images flashed in her mind—he’d thrown himself over it, his eyes dimmed…and someone had shoved him aside to take the chamber from him.

 

She reached up and into his chest cage and felt around for the concealed reset button she knew was there. “Re-initialize. Authorization Liatrix, mern, aurek, resh, resh.” When the droid didn’t respond, she sat him up against one of the consoles and swore.

 

Unable to get the answers she needed from him, she tore through the ship—first the cabin, then the bridge and cargo compartments. She had hoped they’d hidden the chamber on board, but her search came up empty. She held herself and stood still, waiting for the queasiness she felt in the pit of her stomach to settle. The idea that she might never see her boy again began to germinate.

 

I have to get him back.

 

Her men stooped over the Sirona’s crew, checking for life signs. “My lord…some of them are still alive—but just barely.”

 

“Lieutenant, you have medical training? Revive them if you can. The rest of you, get the engines and shields back online. They’ve taken something of mine, and I’m going to get it back. You have your orders.”

 

“Yes, my lord.”

 

Halfway down the boarding ramp, she sensed one of the men behind her. Newly promoted to the rank of Captain and assigned to the Erebus, he couldn’t have been more than twenty-five, and had already earned a medal of valor during his service on Balmorra.

 

“Captain?”

 

“Forgive me my lord, but protocol states we must accompany you.”

 

“Where I’m going, its better you don’t.

 

“It’s a trap...my lord,” The captain added quickly in his gentle brogue.

 

“I know. Captain Rutau isn’t it? Thank you for your concern. Get the Sirona in order…disengage the docking clamps and the tractor beam.”

 

“Understood my lord, and may the Force serve you well,” Rutau saluted her proudly and set to work. She glanced back at him slyly before continuing onward, his use of Lana’s inspiriting words lingering in her mind.

 

The Aegis buffeted against the incoming attacks. Liatrix prowled the zig-zagging corridor to the heart of the vessel.

Any avenue for deviation had been blocked by force fields, effectively impelling her toward the trap.

 

The final door at the end of the corridor slid open and Liatrix’s breath caught in her throat. The maturation chamber sat atop a long narrow table at the centre of the bay. The indicator light of the emergency power cell fluctuated between orange and red. Seated behind the unit with his hands clasped behind his head, and his boots propped against the desk, Jace Malcom glared at her with steely dark eyes. She sensed his men positioned strategically around the bay.

 

She stalked toward the chamber, her gaze fixed on the fading power cell.

 

“That’s close enough Lord Incarnal,” Jace glowered. “At first, I wondered what could be so important on that ship. I thought perhaps it was you, but I was wrong about that. Still, I had a gut feeling that whatever it was would be enough to bring you here personally. Satele used to say, a gut feeling is how the Force talks to those of us who don’t have it. I think it’s a sign…the Force is finally telling you, the jig’s up Sith.” He gestured to one of his men to disarm her.

 

Liatrix didn’t react as she felt the weight of her weapons lifted away from her hips—she barely even looked at the nervous young trooper that disarmed her.

 

The sensation of being trapped in the darkness with no air flooded her awareness when she reached out with the Force to touch her son. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. “You’re killing him!” She dove at Jace and his pistol fixed on the space between her eyes.

 

“I don’t care.”

 

“It’s your grandson—inside. He’s suffocating!” Her entire body trembled involuntarily and her hands grew cold.

 

“I know. I had it scanned. I don’t even wanna know why he’s in there.”

 

Her eyes grew round and feral. “Please…charge the emergency power. Then we’ll talk the terms of my surrender. He’s dying. I’m begging you.”

 

“There’s nothing to discuss.”

 

“Please. I surrender.”

 

“What you want is irrelevant. Your surrender is irrelevant.” Jace tipped the container to and fro, idly eyeing the contents like a kid gawking at a pet fish.

 

“You’re hurting him. Stop it!” Liatrix snarled.

 

“Why don’t you make me? You killed Satele. She was everything to me and to Theron.”

 

Liatrix’s gaze fixed on the fluctuating light on the chamber’s base. “She came after me.”

 

“You murdered her.”

 

“I defended myself.”

 

“Doesn’t matter. You’re going to learn what that feels like to lose someone you love.”

 

“You’re going to kill your own grandson to avenge Satele? You’re insane…Satele wouldn’t want this...She sent Theron to save him. What would Theron say about this?”

 

“Who’s going to tell him? Not you. So shut your mouth Sith,” Jace jabbed his index finger at her.

 

“It doesn’t matter to you what I say,” Liatrix muttered.

 

“You’re finally catching on.”

 

“Spare him. You have me. Kill me. You’d have your vengeance then. That’s what this is about.”

 

The chamber emitted a soft warning beep and Liatrix’s gaze shot to the chamber. The power indicator was almost entirely red now.

 

He’s going to let him die.

Liatrix fixed her gaze on Jace, searching his eyes for any hint of mercy or compassion or reason she could still reach, and when she found none, she felt the darkness bloom in her chest and whisper in her ears, until salvos of lightning sparked between her hands, and coiled around him and his men in twisted branches that lifted them wriggling off their feet. Shadows darkened the walls and slithered over the thrashing troopers to choke away their breath.

 

“You should have accepted the terms of my surrender,” she hissed, her breath ghosting around her. Her fingers curled into claws and she flung her hands until bands of jagged lightning constricted Jace’s massive frame and hurled him against the durasteel wall, hard enough to dent it and his armour on impact. His head lolled forward and then back again, his gaze fixed on her, still stubbornly aware.

 

Liatrix summoned her lightsabers, and snatched the chamber from Jace’s desk. She stole into the corridor nearly colliding with Captain Rutau. “My lord, we need to leave. Now.”

 

“Is the Sirona operational?” She charged headlong down the corridor toward the shuttle bay, clutching the chamber close.

 

“Most systems are coming online…but we’re going to be limping back to the Erebus I’m afraid.”

 

She took the boarding ramp in a single leap and scrambled to get the chamber reconnected. “C’mon…” She jabbed the power coupling into the chamber’s base. The red lights remained constant. “No…no…no. C’mon. Please work,” she whispered.

 

Rutau watched her as she fumbled with the power supply. Her hands shook and she rubbed at her eyes and tear stained face. He knelt next to her and set his hand over hers, “Here…let me try, my Lord.”

 

She shifted to one side, letting him near. Rutau removed and reinserted the battery pack and tinkered with the connections at the back but the light remained red even after the pack was reconnected.

 

“Don’t lose heart my Lord, sometimes it just takes time. I’m afraid that’s all I know to do. But a little faith, can go a long way.”

 

The Aegis swayed and the loud clatter of tools dropping from shelves thundered against the floor plates. Shuttles skated across the glossy floor to pile up at the far end of the bay. The Sirona teetered.

 

“We’re out of time. Get us out of here Captain,” Liatrix whispered. She hugged the chamber close and pressed her forehead against the cool outer case.

 

“Yes my lord.” Rutau dashed to the bridge and settled into the cockpit. The ship lurched again, barely gaining enough speed to counter the sharp incline the Aegis’ shuttle bay had taken on.

 

The Sirona hobbled forward, and instead of zooming free of the bay, the ship dropped into space. The troopers rushed at their tasks, hoping that the little they managed, would be enough to keep the ship going.

 

“Erebus…this is Captain Rutau aboard the medical frigate Sirona…we need your assistance to break free of the Aegis. Lock tractor beam and guide us in. Lord Incarnal and the package are secure. Have a medical team and a charged standard battery at the ready.”

 

“Understood Sirona…Admiral Veers out.” The admiral turned sharply, “Engage tractor beam…lock on. Let’s bring her home.”

 

Inside the vast belly of the Erebus, Liatrix stalked down the Sirona’s ramp. She held the chamber against her chest and stared into the sea of faces at the base of the ramp with wide red rimmed vacant eyes.

 

“My lord…may I take that for you?” One of the medics dared to step forward.

 

Liatrix stared at him, but said nothing.

 

“My lord? Are you all right? My lord?” The medic’s words fell away when she didn’t blink.

 

Captain Rutau emerged behind her and caught the medic’s eye. He gave his head a warning shake, and the medic nodded and backed away slowly. He bowed his head and kept his gaze on the floor.

 

“My lord…I’ll keep watch over the wee one, if you wish it,” Rutau offered, and gently reached for the chamber. She weakened her grip, allowing him to take it from her. He passed it to the team of medics. “Do whatever you can to reinitialize the chamber and stabilize the child. Failure is not an option. And get maintenance to see to the HK unit. Go.”

 

Liatrix stood frozen, and then as if realizing that many eyes were still locked upon her, dependent on her control, she squared her shoulders and stood straighter. “Back to your stations…Admiral Veers…update me. What is the status of the Aegis?”

 

She stalked toward the bridge, careful to avoid eye contact with those flanking her. She drew on her hatred for Malcom to fuel her. One sentimental thought would be her undoing. Her voice would falter and break. She would break.

 

“The Aegis has lost attitude control and is about to enter the atmosphere. Escape pods are breaking away as we speak...”

 

Liatrix paused before the battle readout. The Aegis plummeted through the atmosphere, nose first. “Extrapolate trajectory…”

 

“It would appear the Aegis is headed for the heart of Kaas City.”

 

“There hasn’t been enough time to evacuate…millions will die. We have to save them.” She paced as she considered her options, hands clasped behind her back.

 

The bridge crew exchanged looks.

 

“Admiral, contact Lord Scourge, he’s leading the ground forces. Have his people search for the Republic escape pods…if the Supreme Commander is found, hold him in maximum security for the Dark Council. I understand Lord Nox wishes to question him. Then hail the Erinyes and the Doombringer so I can update them.”

 

“Yes my lord.”

 

Darth Marr’s holo image manifested first, then Moff Pyron’s and Darth Nox’s.

 

“The Aegis is about to crash into the capitol, they haven’t had enough time to evacuate…would it be feasible for the three of us to lock on with tractor beams to alter its course to an unpopulated area?”

 

Darth Marr’s image tapped at the com before him. “It won’t be easy, but it is possible. Hold position and stand by.”

 

Liatrix leaned over the display, “Admiral, have you located Lord Scourge?”

 

“Yes my lord. He and his teams are sweeping the expansion zone. He didn’t sound pleased.”

 

She studied the battle readout and stared at the tiny zooming blips littering the screen. Five spheres crossed the readout, their spiralling movements similar to comets. “What are those? Lieutenant, can you zoom in on those…they’re not ours.” Her gaze narrowed.

 

“My lord, they’re not the Republic’s either. I can’t account for them. They haven’t any familiar markings.”

 

“Scan them…follow them for as long as you can, try to ascertain what exactly they’re doing.”

 

“As you wish, my lord.”

 

Liatrix watched the comet like spheres zoom over the battle and disappear into the darkness leading toward wild space.

 

“Whatever they are, they’re only probes…they were observing the battle,” the lieutenant said.

 

“Yes, but the question is, whose are they? Who is watching us and why?”

 

 

The Erinyes and the Doombringer moved into position next to the Erebus.

 

Darth Marr appeared on the holocom. “Incarnal, set the tractor beam to this frequency…”

 

“Done.” Liatrix nodded. “Have you found a suitable location for the crash site?”

 

Nox’s image flickered over the holocom next. “Yes…these co-ords. There’s been a slave revolt brewing at this location since before I became an apprentice. Let’s hope this puts it down once and for all, but do try to avoid Vowrawn’s monument. He’s rather partial to it.”

 

“Engage tractor beams now,” Marr commanded.

 

“Tractor beam engaged…” Liatrix tapped the console, sending captures of the spheres to the Erinyes.

 

“What am I looking at?” Marr muttered as he took in the readouts.

 

“Probes…we can’t account for them, but they were headed toward wild space once our scans fixed on them. They were observing us.”

 

“Interesting…” Marr said. “On my mark…now.”

 

The Aegis shuddered under the combined power of the Imperial tractor beams. The three vessels towed the shell of the defunct Republic flag ship and released it over the jungle. The nose wedged into the soil, dredging up kilo-tonnes of rock and soil before the ship settled against a rock face. Plumes of black smoke rose out of the burning Republic vessel, ebonizing the dawn sky.

 

The crew aboard the Erebus gave a jubilant whoop as the Aegis crashed and the Republic fleet broke off its attack to flee.

 

Liatrix watched them savour their victory and drifted almost unnoticed toward the corridor. She lingered in the doorway for a moment, “Admiral Veers, you have the bridge.”

 

“Yes my Lord.”

 

 

Captain Rutau paced, “Surely there must be something more you can do.”

 

The medic shook his head.

 

“I will give Lord Incarnal our regrets. You’re dismissed. And for the love of all that is Imperial, have maintenance look into climate control. It’s as cold as Hoth in here!”

 

“Yes sir,” the medic saluted and scurried out, teeth chattering.

 

Ten minutes later, Liatrix appeared in the med bay’s doorway. She said nothing and went to the chamber.

 

Captain Rutau lowered his gaze and turned away to give her a moment, “My Lord...”

 

Liatrix turned to face him but said nothing.

 

“My lord, I’m very sorry. There was nothing more they could do…I was about to contact you…” His breath clouded around him.

 

Liatrix cocked her head at the manifestation of Rutau’s breath. “It’s cold in here?”

 

“Yes my lord. I’ve requested maintenance look into it. Apologies.”

 

“I can’t feel the cold anymore…” she said vacantly. “You’re dismissed Captain. And thank you.”

 

“My Lord.” Rutau saluted her formally and turned on his heel and left.

 

Liatrix caressed the chamber and bowed her head. Her lips turned down miserably. “I know you’re here. Show yourself.”

 

She waited and frowned, her tears building. “I’m through playing your games! Show yourself.”

 

“I thought you might have returned to me by now, my darkling. I’ve been waiting for you, but you’ve disappointed me.” The voice of Tulak Hord, First Master of the Gathering Darkness spoke with its seductive timbre curling about her, long before his ice coloured shade manifested to stand before her.

 

Liatrix glared at the wraith, “I made no promises. If you’re disappointed, it’s only because of your own expectations. And don’t think, that I don’t know what you did. Release my daughter. I accepted no boon from you.”

 

“Very well…but you misunderstand. It wasn’t my design to take her for myself…she was only a means to observe you. Seeing you, through her perception has been enlightening.”

 

“I saw what she became under your influence in the fire. I don’t want you squatting inside her…leave her alone.”

 

“As I said…as good as done.” The wraith drifted closer to the chamber, his countenance fixed on the viewport.

 

“Have you reconsidered my offer? Your son…for your father?”

 

“No. I don’t want anything from you. I want you to leave me alone so I can grieve.”

 

“It was our combined power that saved you from that despicable grunt aboard the Aegis.”

 

“I drew on my father’s power. Not yours.”

 

“No need to be so hostile darkling…you pleased me in my temple. Please me again, and I’ll show you kindness and generosity that knows no bounds.”

 

“Don’t you understand? My son is dead. His father is dead. The last thing I want to think about is pleasing some smarmy shade. Just go.”

 

The wraith folded his arms and hovered in silence, his countenance fixed on her.

 

“Very well darkling…I see you are your father’s daughter…”

 

The wraith vanished, and with his absence the air warmed, her breath no longer puffing its ghostly steam around her. Liatrix sat at the com and laid her head on her folded arms and sobbed.

 

Hours passed. Liatrix sensed the Erebus drop lower into the atmosphere, mooring to refuel and receive maintenance. The ship had grown quiet around her, most of the crew having shuttled down to the surface for R&R.

 

She closed her eyes and fell into a much needed, but uneasy sleep.

 

The maturation chamber’s lights blinked and the power supply revved green and equalized. The system beeped to life.

 

Liatrix woke with a start and gasped when her gaze fell on the maturation chamber.

 

She caressed the sides of the cylindrical container and reached out with the Force, and the familiar tremulous touch she recognized as her Little Bean, reached back.

 

((to be continued…))

Edited January 26, 2016 by Lunafox

[bright_ephemera]

Chapter 57 was great. Fighter formations and edge-of-the-seat boarding actions are in the finest Star Wars tradition. Bravo!

 

And Rutau! <3

[frauzet]

After reading the latest chapter I realized you proved Satele right about Jace.

 

I am looking forward to the next part, wondering if Lia and the others will get time to sort their private affairs before we learn more about the probes.

[PraetorianGuard_]

Love your story.

 

But a lot the Republic characters turned into cartoony villains a little to quickly for my liking just for the sake of having Trix be on the "good side". Like the whole pendulum shifted as soon as she switched sides, the Empire all of a sudden caring about civilian casualties and being the victims while the Republic is out to murder babies.

 

It's your story though, and you've done a great job with it. It just stood out to me because I always viewed Jace being way more pragmatic then murdering his own grandson over a woman he hasn't been with in over 30 years.

 

Can't wait for the next chapter

[Lunafox]

Chapter 57 was great. Fighter formations and edge-of-the-seat boarding actions are in the finest Star Wars tradition. Bravo!

 

And Rutau! <3

 

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the kind words.

 

After reading the latest chapter I realized you proved Satele right about Jace.

 

I am looking forward to the next part, wondering if Lia and the others will get time to sort their private affairs before we learn more about the probes.

 

Well, I'd been reading and hearing a lot about Jace's dark side, and why Satele couldn't be with him, but in the game, and even in Annihilation I really didn't see that he was so bad...he was a soldier, he had to make hard choices. I didn't feel that this could be the 'darkness' she was referring to...it didn't feel like it was enough. Surely as a Jedi Master and Grandmaster she would understand that hard choices in battle had to be made, and I think she did. There had to be more to it, and I think what I did here, was illustrating the most extreme end he was capable in terms of darkness. It wasn't about saving people any more or bringing them to justice, it became a matter of making people suffer for what they did. I actually like Jace, but felt there had to be more than what was said to turn Satele away. She saw something terrible in him.

 

And yes, private matters will be sorted out soon.

 

Love your story.

 

But a lot the Republic characters turned into cartoony villains a little to quickly for my liking just for the sake of having Trix be on the "good side". Like the whole pendulum shifted as soon as she switched sides, the Empire all of a sudden caring about civilian casualties and being the victims while the Republic is out to murder babies.

 

It's your story though, and you've done a great job with it. It just stood out to me because I always viewed Jace being way more pragmatic then murdering his own grandson over a woman he hasn't been with in over 30 years.

 

Can't wait for the next chapter

 

Thank you for the insight and for sticking with it. I felt that in doing this, it would show the perception change, when one flips sides. You start seeing the good in one side over the other. The Empire still does awful things, but sometimes you see they do something good too like save a city. The Republic still does good things, but sometimes you see them do heinous things, like in game where on Republic side, they were testing on prisoners and torturing them on Belsavis. Don't misunderstand, I like Jace, still do, but I'd always felt there was more to him that we got to see. Satele couldn't be with him, because he was so 'dark'. Nothing he did in anything canon struck me as being that bad, so I thought we'd have a look, mind you an extreme look of how far he could go about something. I thought in showing his personality with his son earlier in the story and even with Lia before she changed sides, would eliminate any cartooniness, because you got to see different aspects of the man. Aw well, it is what it is, hopefully it'll be entertaining and enjoyed at the bitter end.

[DougTbx]

The Empire still does awful things, but sometimes you see they do something good too like save a city. The Republic still does good things, but sometimes you see them do heinous things, like in game where on Republic side, they were testing on prisoners and torturing them on Belsavis.

 

The Empire does evil things as a matter of course, genocide against non humans on Nar Shada, death to all force sensitives who won't or can't be trained as Sith. The experiment on Belsavis was the scheme of one Senator and was shut down by the Senate as soon as word of it was reported. Note also the Empire wants to recreate the experiments for their own use (Belsavis Bonus Quest Line) in fact one of the Imperial's says something to the effect "I can't believe we didn't come up with the idea on our own.

 

In the Agent's first chapter when you confront Jadus your instructed to allow him to fire the weapon satellites and kill thousands or more Imperial Citizens just to convince him your on his side and buy time to capture him. The Empire only saves the one planet from destruction so it can mine Isotope 5 using the population as a smoke screen to keep the Hutts in the dark about their real objective.

 

It's plain that you like the Empire and the Sith, okay, but your trying to morph them into something they are not in the game is starting to get just silly. Your MC has already killed all three of the Republic's head NPCs, what's left for her to do aside lead her suddenly not so Dark Sided Empire to final victory over the Republic and have Theron decide he'd be happier as her piece on the side for when she gets bored or angry at her hubby? The Sith want the Jedi wiped out, what is she going to do when she's told to either watch or slaughter the younglings herself?