Post by Kiva on Apr 19, 2006 21:12:39 GMT -5
(OOC: I'm wondering whether or not to make the NPC in this post into a real character, since it was an original character idea of mine from several years ago. More subplots. Gotta love 'em! Chris! You better post something soon! I think Yllona's getting all wrinkly-skinned from being in that bacta tank for so long! )
As the group continued their journey, Luke Skywalker had undertaken a mission as well. Taking a small ship, he set a course for the Unknown Region. His destination: the glacial planet, Csilla. Settling himself into the pilot's seat, he meditated as the hours went by.
He was jolted “awake” when the hyperspace alarm went off, indicating an approach to the Csilla sector. As the starlines slowed down to spots again, he got a glimpse of the planet he'd seen only once before. Surprisingly, he felt his heart beat a little faster as he remembered the individual with whom he'd been in surreptitious contact with only a scant few times in the past. And with good reason. This person was Force sensitive, yet held no allegiance to either the Jedi or Sith. A venerable Force Neutral.
His commlink crackled to life. “Unknown vessel, state your name and business here or we will be forced to defend ourselves.”
Luke leaned over and pressed a button on his console. “Jedi Master Luke Skywalker requesting permission to land and confer with Kintth'raw'nuruodo.”
He waited several tense moments as he sensed the speaker conferring with a superior. Finally, his subdued voice spoke again over the cockpit. “Permission granted, Jedi Master. I'll transmit landing coordinates to your ship. Kintth'raw'nuruodo will be waiting for you in the docking bay.”
---,--'--(@
Minutes later, Luke found himself nervously striding down the landing ramp of his ship and looking around at his sterile surroundings. Sure enough, he saw an imposing figure standing somewhat off to the side, waiting for him. A tall, blue-skinned female Chiss watched the Jedi Master approach through blazing, ruby colored eyes. Her midnight black hair was cut so that it just touched the nape of her neck, layered for a sleek look, and slicked back flawlessly. Her black ceremonial uniform fit well over a shapely, muscular form, and an excess of red piping over it indicated a high rank from the House Nuruodo. With her hands clasped behind her in a military way, she stood at ease, although not entirely relaxed. Assassination attempts were commonplace among the Chiss' ruling classes, and this female knew she could be a prime target.
Luke stood before the lone female and bowed deeply. “Kintthra, how are you?”
The female Chiss permitted a small smile to grace her otherwise stern and observant countenance. “Well enough, Master Jedi,” she replied, returning the bow with a mere inclination of her head. She turned and gestured for him to follow. “Come, I sense you have something important you wish to speak to me about.”
Luke followed her to her residence and into a small anteroom. It was like a small conference room, with a table enough to seat eight, and sparsely decorated with an abstract array of paintings and statues depicting the art of several different races and species. Luke permitted himself a few moments of examination, and Kintthra waited patiently.
“You take after your father, you know,” he said at last, staring at a painting of mishmashed colors. “Are these all part of his collection?”
Kintthra shook her head. “They are my own. Much of Thrawn's collection was returned to their rightful owners upon his death. I had to build this up myself.”
“Do you also posses your father's affinity for studying a species by studying its art?”
“It was one of the few things he ever taught me personally. As a Shadow Child, I rarely saw Thrawn, save a few times every few cycles.” Luke noted her voice sounded almost regretfully wistful. He realized that such a lack of affection from her only relative had made her so calloused as to refer to him by name rather than a term of endearment. His heart went out to her, but decided against saying anything about her late father. Kintthra, too, seemed ready to move on.
“I'm assuming, Master Jedi, that you've not come merely to discuss art with me or marvel at my meager collection.” She sat down at the head of the table and motioned for him to take the seat to her right. “I'm curious to know why the New Republic sends one of it operatives to an Imperial Remnant affiliated world with no prior warning and under mysterious circumstances.”
Luke actually looked a little sheepish as he replied. “I came here on my own, Kintthra. My sister has no knowledge that I'm here.”
Kintthra nodded, sagely. “Should knowledge of such a meeting be brought to light might be seen as conspiratorial. Why take the risk?”
Luke leaned forward in his chair. “There is a disturbance in the Force.”
Kintthra gave a velveteen laugh. “Forgive me,” she said after a few moments, “But with you Jedi, there is always a disturbance. I'm not a Jedi, so such matters are of no concern to me...”
“But surely you've sensed it!” Luke persisted. “Jedi or not, you're a Force sensitive. It's been those instincts that have kept you safe from an assassins blade all these years...” He stopped when he realized what he'd said. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Kintthra waved it away with her hand.
“You speak the truth. That, and also the fact that no Noghri will stand by my side has also played a factor in my survival. But enough of this. My patience is worn thin already. What do you truly wish to speak about?”
Luke sighed and pulled a small holoprojector from within his robe. Placing it on the table, he activated it, and the confrontation between the Jedi and the strange creature played itself out in a miniature version. A copy from the surveillance equipment installed in the Temple. Kintthra's blood-red eyes stared intently at the scene, chin in hand, analyzing the creatures before her.
“Beautifully lithe creatures these are. Every motion as fluid as water. Fascinating...”
“But what can you tell me about them?” Luke asked.
“They, too, are Force sensitives. They have too little musculature to sustain what we call strength. Their muscles are like elastic bands that stretch and contract for movement of joints and limbs alone. If this be the case, they'd need to rely on an “outside” source for their strength. Hence the Force.” She paused thoughtfully, tapping her chin with one finger.
“They are also Shadow. Not dark, not light. They hide in cloaks to conceal themselves, yet the noticeable colors indicate that they do not wish to hide.”
Luke shook his head. “You speak cryptically, like an oracle.”
Kintthra gave a short bark of laughter. “It gets worse, Master Jedi. Far worse.” She leaned forward and laced her fingers together just under her nose. Luke was startled as an image of Thrawn flashed before his eyes. How much Kintthra resembled him...
“I know these creatures,” she said at last. “They hail from the planet Kagera. Two branches of the same species reside on Kagera. The Overworlders, or Monarchs: The ruling classes; and the Underworlders, the workers and slaves.”
“Are they all Force sensitive?”
“They are the Force, Master Jedi. With creatures such as these, it is the Force that gives them life. For one of these creatures to be born without the Force, would be like you or I to be born without a heart. We would not live. These creatures are the Force personified.”
“Are they... immortal?”
Kintthra shook her head. “Far from it. Although there has been no previous contact with these people, it is a safe bet that they die just like the rest of us. Otherwise, they'd need to spread out due to increased population. Since they rely heavily on the Force to sustain life, I can assume that they do live a long time, however.”
“What about battle? Can they fall in battle?”
At this, Kintthra seemed hesitant to answer. “It is possible. However, it is extremely difficult.” She looked at him pointedly, and Luke found it hard to maintain eye contact with her scarlet gaze. “You would have to firmly embrace that which is forbidden for you to touch.” Luke hung his head slightly, realizing what she meant.
“What do we do then?” he asked her.
Kintthra shrugged. “They cannot be destroyed by Light, for they are Light. Neither can they be destroyed by Darkness, for they are also Darkness. You will need a melange of both, for only Shadow may conquer Shadow. At least in this case.” She finished speaking and looked at him, expectantly.
“Is there nothing more you can tell me?”
Kintthra chuckled again. “Well, unless you're interested in hearing of their courtship and mating rituals, there is little else of value to say.”
Luke blushed at the remark and stood. “I think I'll pass on that information.” He gave another deep bow, which Kintthra only half-heartedly acknowledged. “I thank you for your time, and am hoping you will show discretion about my presence here.”
She absently waved a hand at him. “Blackmail is beneath me, Master Jedi. Have no fear of that.”
Luke bowed again and left. He was only too glad to be making his way back to Coruscant, and safety. He'd been at Kintthra's mercy there, and although she'd been gracious, something still nagged at the back of his mind.
As his eyes closed in meditation once again, he finally realized what bothered him. Kintthra had mentioned that no contact had been made with these Kagerians. If this was true, however, then how did this covert Imperial Warlord have such knowledge about the species? Thrawn had been a shrewd tactician, and played the political games to perfection. Had Kintthra studied more than just Tactical Art from her father? If such were the case, then perhaps he truly would have to bring her existence to the New Republic's attention. He would be betraying a former student's trust, and this did not sit well with him.
Finally taking a deep breath, he eased these troublesome thoughts from his mind and focused on something else. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, that sense of foreboding still festered within him. Something would happen, and it would happen soon...
As the group continued their journey, Luke Skywalker had undertaken a mission as well. Taking a small ship, he set a course for the Unknown Region. His destination: the glacial planet, Csilla. Settling himself into the pilot's seat, he meditated as the hours went by.
He was jolted “awake” when the hyperspace alarm went off, indicating an approach to the Csilla sector. As the starlines slowed down to spots again, he got a glimpse of the planet he'd seen only once before. Surprisingly, he felt his heart beat a little faster as he remembered the individual with whom he'd been in surreptitious contact with only a scant few times in the past. And with good reason. This person was Force sensitive, yet held no allegiance to either the Jedi or Sith. A venerable Force Neutral.
His commlink crackled to life. “Unknown vessel, state your name and business here or we will be forced to defend ourselves.”
Luke leaned over and pressed a button on his console. “Jedi Master Luke Skywalker requesting permission to land and confer with Kintth'raw'nuruodo.”
He waited several tense moments as he sensed the speaker conferring with a superior. Finally, his subdued voice spoke again over the cockpit. “Permission granted, Jedi Master. I'll transmit landing coordinates to your ship. Kintth'raw'nuruodo will be waiting for you in the docking bay.”
---,--'--(@
Minutes later, Luke found himself nervously striding down the landing ramp of his ship and looking around at his sterile surroundings. Sure enough, he saw an imposing figure standing somewhat off to the side, waiting for him. A tall, blue-skinned female Chiss watched the Jedi Master approach through blazing, ruby colored eyes. Her midnight black hair was cut so that it just touched the nape of her neck, layered for a sleek look, and slicked back flawlessly. Her black ceremonial uniform fit well over a shapely, muscular form, and an excess of red piping over it indicated a high rank from the House Nuruodo. With her hands clasped behind her in a military way, she stood at ease, although not entirely relaxed. Assassination attempts were commonplace among the Chiss' ruling classes, and this female knew she could be a prime target.
Luke stood before the lone female and bowed deeply. “Kintthra, how are you?”
The female Chiss permitted a small smile to grace her otherwise stern and observant countenance. “Well enough, Master Jedi,” she replied, returning the bow with a mere inclination of her head. She turned and gestured for him to follow. “Come, I sense you have something important you wish to speak to me about.”
Luke followed her to her residence and into a small anteroom. It was like a small conference room, with a table enough to seat eight, and sparsely decorated with an abstract array of paintings and statues depicting the art of several different races and species. Luke permitted himself a few moments of examination, and Kintthra waited patiently.
“You take after your father, you know,” he said at last, staring at a painting of mishmashed colors. “Are these all part of his collection?”
Kintthra shook her head. “They are my own. Much of Thrawn's collection was returned to their rightful owners upon his death. I had to build this up myself.”
“Do you also posses your father's affinity for studying a species by studying its art?”
“It was one of the few things he ever taught me personally. As a Shadow Child, I rarely saw Thrawn, save a few times every few cycles.” Luke noted her voice sounded almost regretfully wistful. He realized that such a lack of affection from her only relative had made her so calloused as to refer to him by name rather than a term of endearment. His heart went out to her, but decided against saying anything about her late father. Kintthra, too, seemed ready to move on.
“I'm assuming, Master Jedi, that you've not come merely to discuss art with me or marvel at my meager collection.” She sat down at the head of the table and motioned for him to take the seat to her right. “I'm curious to know why the New Republic sends one of it operatives to an Imperial Remnant affiliated world with no prior warning and under mysterious circumstances.”
Luke actually looked a little sheepish as he replied. “I came here on my own, Kintthra. My sister has no knowledge that I'm here.”
Kintthra nodded, sagely. “Should knowledge of such a meeting be brought to light might be seen as conspiratorial. Why take the risk?”
Luke leaned forward in his chair. “There is a disturbance in the Force.”
Kintthra gave a velveteen laugh. “Forgive me,” she said after a few moments, “But with you Jedi, there is always a disturbance. I'm not a Jedi, so such matters are of no concern to me...”
“But surely you've sensed it!” Luke persisted. “Jedi or not, you're a Force sensitive. It's been those instincts that have kept you safe from an assassins blade all these years...” He stopped when he realized what he'd said. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Kintthra waved it away with her hand.
“You speak the truth. That, and also the fact that no Noghri will stand by my side has also played a factor in my survival. But enough of this. My patience is worn thin already. What do you truly wish to speak about?”
Luke sighed and pulled a small holoprojector from within his robe. Placing it on the table, he activated it, and the confrontation between the Jedi and the strange creature played itself out in a miniature version. A copy from the surveillance equipment installed in the Temple. Kintthra's blood-red eyes stared intently at the scene, chin in hand, analyzing the creatures before her.
“Beautifully lithe creatures these are. Every motion as fluid as water. Fascinating...”
“But what can you tell me about them?” Luke asked.
“They, too, are Force sensitives. They have too little musculature to sustain what we call strength. Their muscles are like elastic bands that stretch and contract for movement of joints and limbs alone. If this be the case, they'd need to rely on an “outside” source for their strength. Hence the Force.” She paused thoughtfully, tapping her chin with one finger.
“They are also Shadow. Not dark, not light. They hide in cloaks to conceal themselves, yet the noticeable colors indicate that they do not wish to hide.”
Luke shook his head. “You speak cryptically, like an oracle.”
Kintthra gave a short bark of laughter. “It gets worse, Master Jedi. Far worse.” She leaned forward and laced her fingers together just under her nose. Luke was startled as an image of Thrawn flashed before his eyes. How much Kintthra resembled him...
“I know these creatures,” she said at last. “They hail from the planet Kagera. Two branches of the same species reside on Kagera. The Overworlders, or Monarchs: The ruling classes; and the Underworlders, the workers and slaves.”
“Are they all Force sensitive?”
“They are the Force, Master Jedi. With creatures such as these, it is the Force that gives them life. For one of these creatures to be born without the Force, would be like you or I to be born without a heart. We would not live. These creatures are the Force personified.”
“Are they... immortal?”
Kintthra shook her head. “Far from it. Although there has been no previous contact with these people, it is a safe bet that they die just like the rest of us. Otherwise, they'd need to spread out due to increased population. Since they rely heavily on the Force to sustain life, I can assume that they do live a long time, however.”
“What about battle? Can they fall in battle?”
At this, Kintthra seemed hesitant to answer. “It is possible. However, it is extremely difficult.” She looked at him pointedly, and Luke found it hard to maintain eye contact with her scarlet gaze. “You would have to firmly embrace that which is forbidden for you to touch.” Luke hung his head slightly, realizing what she meant.
“What do we do then?” he asked her.
Kintthra shrugged. “They cannot be destroyed by Light, for they are Light. Neither can they be destroyed by Darkness, for they are also Darkness. You will need a melange of both, for only Shadow may conquer Shadow. At least in this case.” She finished speaking and looked at him, expectantly.
“Is there nothing more you can tell me?”
Kintthra chuckled again. “Well, unless you're interested in hearing of their courtship and mating rituals, there is little else of value to say.”
Luke blushed at the remark and stood. “I think I'll pass on that information.” He gave another deep bow, which Kintthra only half-heartedly acknowledged. “I thank you for your time, and am hoping you will show discretion about my presence here.”
She absently waved a hand at him. “Blackmail is beneath me, Master Jedi. Have no fear of that.”
Luke bowed again and left. He was only too glad to be making his way back to Coruscant, and safety. He'd been at Kintthra's mercy there, and although she'd been gracious, something still nagged at the back of his mind.
As his eyes closed in meditation once again, he finally realized what bothered him. Kintthra had mentioned that no contact had been made with these Kagerians. If this was true, however, then how did this covert Imperial Warlord have such knowledge about the species? Thrawn had been a shrewd tactician, and played the political games to perfection. Had Kintthra studied more than just Tactical Art from her father? If such were the case, then perhaps he truly would have to bring her existence to the New Republic's attention. He would be betraying a former student's trust, and this did not sit well with him.
Finally taking a deep breath, he eased these troublesome thoughts from his mind and focused on something else. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, that sense of foreboding still festered within him. Something would happen, and it would happen soon...