[fic] Knights of the Old Republic - War in the Shadows

[Penguin Unit]

Check out the companion roleplay here: KotOR: The Darkest Hour Cometh

 

A little introduction for my multi-part fanfiction. It's mostly unnecessary philosophical garbage. Feel free to skip it; it's just my opinion on the Old Republic and why I decided to try my hand at a fanfic.

 

---

 

Let me first start by saying I am not pleased with the direction Lucas Arts has allowed the Old Republic to go, with the production of TOR. It kills everything KotOR 1 and 2 led up to, really, and it's stomp-over-everything-else factor really put me out. Not to mention it takes some select elements Obsidian put in place, such as the True Sith, and disregards other important ones almost completely, such as Revan and the Exile's departure from known space. Am I really to believe three hundred years passed and nobody heard a thing from them, or saw any evidence to or for their efforts?

 

This is just my own take on the story, the general direction I hoped for the now-derelicted idea of KotOR 3 to go. You may not like it; you may thing Bioware's MMO is the epitome of reality and undeniable canon, and that's fine with me. It really is the call of the higher-ups in Lucas Arts. My story is just a collection of various information, canon and speculative, and with it I drew up a vision of a "what-would've-happened-next" sort of fanfiction. It will probably contradict canon in some ways, mostly canon that will undoubtedly be established by TOR later on.

 

Enough of my ramblings, though. On with the story! The prologue is mostly a filler for the background on this story, and it will serve to gauge interest from other users on the subject. Not much use in continuing if everyone thinks my story idea is garbage, right? [/i]

 

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-Prologue-

-3,960 BBY-

-One Year After the Exile's Departure from Known Space-

 

With the departure of the Jedi Exile from Known Space, the remaining members of the Jedi Order struggled to keep away from the brink of collapse. In a surprising turnaround, Atton Rand, trained personally by the Exile, spearheaded the effort to reclaim the order as he himself grew in the Force. Along with Mical, Mira, Visas, and Bao-Dur, the Exile's former companions traveled to dozens of worlds in an effort to seek out Force Sensitives. Mical personally returned to Coruscant to repopulate the formerly abandoned Jedi Temple with the newest students, while the others continued their search in the galaxy.

 

The Exile's actions were more profound than even Kreia's prophecies implied. Telos' restoration was nearly a quarter restored within the first months after her departure from known space, and the first colonists were settling in within the year. Dantooine became supported by the Republic, finally free of mercenaries, and it's people returned to a peaceful lifestyle. Nar Shaddaa's first glimmers of hope emerged. Korriban remained desolate.

 

As the months dragged on, though, something felt wrong, just as it had during the crisis earlier that year. In fact, it hadn't ceased since the first of the Exile's companions began to feel the Force, and, by extension, feel the disturbance. A threat still loomed, just on the edge of perception.

 

Just on the edge of the known galaxy.

 

Of all people, Revan's former ally, Admiral Carth Onasi, was the first to make the suggestion: the Exile's former party was to return to Malachor, trace both Revan's and the Exile's steps, and assist them in the threat. Onasi had been opposed to the idea, given Revan's original orders, yet some of Kreia's last words convinced him otherwise. Indeed, Revan did need anyone, Jedi or Sith, to assist him, and what better than to send a company of Jedi after him?

 

Preparation took some time. Onasi first pitched the tentative idea a month after the Exile left Known Space, shortly after Mical re-dedicated the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Atton was the first to agree to it, his foolish attraction to the Exile driving him more than dedication, followed by Bao-Dur and then Mira. Visas chose to return to Katarr, seeking to re-found her people's colony. Mical was unable to join the expedition at the time, too busy restoring the order to follow.

 

Despite the danger and risk to the stability of the already-depleted Navy, Admiral Onasi assigned two Foray-Class Blockade Runner Corvettes and a small crew of Republic soldiers to accompany the Ebon Hawk. The Hawk had remained on a Republic drydock in low orbit over Coruscant since the crew had returned, the extensive damage sustained on Malachor repaired. Much to Onasi's dismay, it's exiled owner and navigating astromech droid were nowhere to be found. The two had taken a relatively undamaged ship from Malachor's orbit instead of the Hawk, for an unknown reason.

 

As the last weeks of their stay in Known Space dragged by, the three Jedi helped to rebuild the Republic in what ways they could. Even the Ebon Hawk, as an extra safety measure, was refitted with a warhead launcher and upgraded lasercannons. Goodbyes were said. Weapons, armor, and supplies were stockpiled.

 

Then the day came, and into uncharted space the three ships bolted in an instant, the push of a button hurling them into navigational nowhere. The crew of the Ebon Hawk were not to be seen again for some time...

[machievelli]

Read

[Penguin Unit]

This isn't dead, whoever is reading this. I'm just kind of busy (I'm trying to divide my time between not losing my sanity, a novel project I'm working on, and a little sliver of my time for this). As unwise as it may be, I really want to do this alongside everything else.

 

Does anyone have any story suggestions? Comments on what I already wrote?

[Penguin Unit]

Updated the prologue. Here's the actual first chapter (I couldn't think of a decent way to work in a firefight, explosions, or something else actiony. Bear with me, that will come in Chapter 2.)

 

 

-Chapter 1-

-Somewhere in the Unknown Regions-

 

"This is it. Hold on tight!"

 

A few button presses later and Atton brought the Ebon Hawk out of hyperspace with a sudden, violent jolt, nearly throwing the standing Mira to the floor while Bao-Dur defiantly clinged to his co-pilot's seat. RealSpace tugged the whole of the ship to a near-halt as the gravity well of a nearby planetoid tugged at them. Warning lights, as usual, repeatedly flashed on and off in paranoia over the proximity of the unidentified body.

 

"Atton, whatever that planet is, it isn't an abandoned rock." Bao-Dur looked especially intrigued as they steadily approached the sphere. "Our sensors are picking up the emissions of ion engines and energy cores everywhere. This place is teeming with ships and life forms...I can sense it."

 

"Well, what do you think that means?"

 

"I don't know. It's not in any of the official Republic astrogation charts, strange for it's profile. It reminds me of-"

 

"Nar Shaddaa." Mira cut in from behind them. Neither questioned her opinion. "Looks like it to me, except more...dirty or grimey. More of a sickly green like Nal Hutta." The observation was true enough.

 

"I've got a bad feeling about this..."

 

"You've been saying that at least once a day since we left her behind."

 

Atton bolted to a standing position from his seat, shaking. He turned slowly to face his fire-headed companion with a cold glare. "You know, if it weren't for my survival instinct-"

 

Bao-Dur abruptly interrupted the developing altercation before it could come to anything. "We have more important things to worry about, you two. The Republic captain is hailing us." A quick communication patch-through and the cockpit's comm array came to life around them.

 

"This is Captain Tanilo of the

Swift

. We are picking up on several thousand unrecognized starship signatures and a massive gravity well without a visible-spectrum source...possible black hole. Suggested course of action, Master Jedi?"

 

Forcing himself to remain calm and keep his feelings in check as he had been taught, Atton returned to his chair, trembling as powerful emotions wracked his body and threatened to overtake him. "Don't engage them unless they shoot first. This might be some kind of hidden smuggling planet-wait, did you say the gravity well has no

source

? I see a huge green ball out the window."

 

"We're positive, Master Rand. We don't see a thing out there. Our scanners just show mostly empty interstellar space and enough starships to carry a whole planet's worth of sentients. Our technicians believe it may be a massive ship graveyard."

 

Atton was puzzled as well, and he let the captain know as much. Neither he nor Mira knew of a viable explanation. A thoughtful look crossed Bao-Dur's face as he dug his way through mounds of system files on his way to the records of the Ebon Hawk. Something felt especially wrong about the entire thing.

 

"Wait a moment." The Iridonian hit a few more buttons. He began to grin slightly. "I've got it, hold on."

 

"Now what?" Mira leaned over the back of the chair, eyeing the long strings of Aurebesh text scrolling rapidly across the glowing blue computer screen. Repeated attempts to access the finely detailed records of the ship were, as usual, resulting in an impassable, unsliceable security response. "If only we had that T3 unit..."

 

"We may not need him for this." Bao-Dur slapped a few more random commands on the console's worn-looking input keys. "I think I know why we can see this planet and the other ships can't."

 

The other two glanced at each other before looking back to Bao-Dur. "Why?" they both said in unison.

 

"This planet is being hidden from unknown parties, in this case the Republic cruisers, by a planet-wide Stygium cloaking field of some sort. A simple long-range orbital scanner will foil any unidentified inbound ship's detection systems, giving the impression of a large and dangerous gravity well on par with a black hole, rather than a terrestrial planet like the one we see out the window. How it can hide itself from one person's ship and appear visible to another is beyond me, but this is...amazing. The implication is amazing."

 

"Hmph." Atton leaned back in the chair after setting the Hawk to autopilot. "I've seen better tricks than this."

 

"I wasn't referring to the planetary cloaking field." Silence filled the cabin. "The implication is that

at least one previous owner was on this planet in recent times

."

 

"You mean

she

might have...?" It sucked the wind out of Atton.

 

"Yes. The redeemed Revan may very well have come here on his way out of known space...and perhaps she came here as well."

 

"That's...I'm...it hasn't even been a week into this trip, and we already have our first major lead in finding her again. We have to go down there."

 

Months earlier, not long after Admiral Onasi had requested a journey into the Unknown Regions, a strange set of coordinates was beamed to the trio from an untraceable source in deep space. It had brought them to this hidden world, and whoever sent it knew of the location of the planet. Revan or otherwise, their sender had been there before.

 

"I wouldn't get too excited. There's no telling if she ever came here. It could have been Revan himself, for all I know. That message

did

come from deep in the Unknown Regions."

 

"I think Atton's right, though. We need to get moving," Mira said, twirling her lightsaber hilt in the near-darkness of the cockpit. "They both need our help

now

, not after we find their skeletons. If that planet is anything like Nar Shaddaa, though, it won't be a very safe place."

 

Bao-Dur managed to fish out the fragments of data pertaining to the hidden planet's data. He beamed a code to both of their accompanying corvettes, hopefully rendering the planet visible to them. "I agree, Mira, but we can't barge in there and expect not to be gunned down by mobs of smugglers. Even though the planet is well-hidden enough as is, I wouldn't think they'd leave it undefended and simply rely on it's concealment for protection. If the Republic at large knew of this place, there would be difficulties, to say the least."

 

It was settled, then. They were on course for the smuggling haven, albeit without extra support if something went horribly wrong. Atton re-opened the comm line to the

Swift

. "Captain, keep a safe distance and don't send us any troops on the ground. This moon probably isn't friendly to a Republic presence."

 

"Affirmative, Master Rand. We will remain in standby." With a crackle, the comm channel closed and left the cockpit nearly silent. Quiet beeps and the odd creak from a dilapidated floor panel filled the sound void.

[Rtas Vadum]

You've made me interested. Defiantly want to see how this plays out.

[Penguin Unit]

You've made me interested. Defiantly want to see how this plays out.

 

Thanks!

 

It might be a bit tricky trying to get through a whole story arc without directly giving the Exile a name, though...

[Rtas Vadum]

Thanks!

 

It might be a bit tricky trying to get through a whole story arc without directly giving the Exile a name, though...

 

True, though its just what Obsidian had to do, and what BioWare was able to do for half the game. Both Revan and the Exile are refereed to as various things, all of them ambiguous as to name, even if a line specifically had to telling them your name. While it might be fine for the Dialogue lines in the game, it is likely going to get hectic, unless you don't always refer to the Exile by only that. I simply gave the Exile(Female-Darkside in this case) a name straight away, as it made it easier. Trouble is, she isn't exactly an integral character in the story I wrote, so she wasn't in most of the chapters, though she was part of the main group once she was introduced(though this wasn't a TSL story, it took place sometime after). You might consider a nickname, something that isn't a name, just something some call her, rather than "Exile" every single time. Maybe you do make a name, but only a part of that name is what most called/call her(i.e you never explicitly state what her name is).

 

Hopefully I'm not derailing your thread here...

[Penguin Unit]

True, though its just what Obsidian had to do, and what BioWare was able to do for half the game. Both Revan and the Exile are refereed to as various things, all of them ambiguous as to name, even if a line specifically had to telling them your name. While it might be fine for the Dialogue lines in the game, it is likely going to get hectic, unless you don't always refer to the Exile by only that. I simply gave the Exile(Female-Darkside in this case) a name straight away, as it made it easier. Trouble is, she isn't exactly an integral character in the story I wrote, so she wasn't in most of the chapters, though she was part of the main group once she was introduced(though this wasn't a TSL story, it took place sometime after). You might consider a nickname, something that isn't a name, just something some call her, rather than "Exile" every single time. Maybe you do make a name, but only a part of that name is what most called/call her(i.e you never explicitly state what her name is).

 

That could work. I've also considered at the very least leaving some initials written down somewhere as a starter.

 

Hopefully I'm not derailing your thread here...

 

No problem. The more posts the better...

[The_Catto]

Man, I'm loving it! Liking this story to the max.

 

I've always used a name for the Exile, and I've kept it the same name to avoid confusion, but that's just the way I did it. It seemed to fit all right, albeit not perfectly, but it didn't wreck the story overall. Or so I thought

 

 

But I digress...

 

Again, I'm liking it and looking forward to the second chapter!

[Penguin Unit]

Thanks.

 

I'm going to get moving on Chapter 2. Hopefully, if all goes well, it should be up by no later than Monday, and it could even be posted tonight if I go into overdrive. When it's finished, it should be longer than either of the previous chapters.

 

Am I allowed to double post if I finish the next chapter of my story before anyone replies to this? Editing doesn't really show any activity and I'm worried that people won't know I even updated the thread...

[Penguin Unit]

Chapter 2, now sporting an actual name!

 

-Chapter 2-

-The Revelation-

 

The Hidden Planet drew nearer and nearer during the Ebon Hawk's rapid approach.

 

As the Hawk descended and began to make it's way into the upper reaches of the thick atmosphere, hazy green clouds of acidic vapor engulfed the craft, facilitating a need to activate the shift shields. Onboard scanners revealed the planet below to be densely populated, with all manner of buildings, jutting out of the terrain, nearly choking off any view of the crust itself. Readings came back in, confirming the atmosphere as acceptably breathable at ground level.

 

"Do you feel that?" Bao-Dur said, leaning forward in his chair and looking around at nothing in particular. "She was here. Her presence has already left a mark on this planet."

 

Atton stared wide-eyed out the window at the green clouds hiding the city, nearly forgetting to pilot the craft. He took a deep breath as he struggled to steady his nerves again, his calm and laid-back façade dropping like a durasteel block. There was no denying that the Exile had left a permanent mark on the lives of everyone she had traveled with. Atton was clearly the hardest hit of them all, though. "She was here...there's another footprint here, too."

 

"Revan may have been here before the General. I never knew what his Force presence was like, but no ordinary Jedi or Sith could have left a signature that massive. Someone truly powerful has been here. We must be on the right path."

 

Mira stared blankly out the window, squatting by the console in between the two of them. "Could've been a Sith, though, right?"

 

"Perhaps. Revan was a Sith Lord once...but neither footprint is an evil one. I do not feel the Dark Side in either of them."

 

Ahead, the clouds parted as the ship went lower and lower towards the bottomless city. Atton's hands flew over the controls and input keys. "If I were her...where would I go? We can't search this whole planet for her."

 

"Assuming she decided to stay here and wait, which isn't very likely," Bao-Dur said with a tone of resigned disappointment. "It's been a whole year, Atton. She could've been to another galaxy and back in that time."

 

"You could be right. It's still worth a shot, though." Atton brought the Hawk in for landing at one of the more promising upper-level star pads, beaming data to a control tower. "Whoever gave us those coordinates obviously did it to bring us here for a reason. We would've started at Malachor otherwise, and that's a whole lot closer to the ancient Sith Empire than this heap."

 

Touchdown. The Ebon Hawk bounced slightly on landing.

 

"I agree, Atton, but we still don't know where to look, and if we get into a fight using a lightsaber, everyone will know who we are. This planet won't be safe for very long, so we won't even have much time to look."

 

"Then let's check into the cantina first and get some information. There's bound to be one here somewhere, and smugglers just love to tell tales and gossip while getting drunk on juma juice."

 

"As good a place to start as any." Bao-Dur checked his belt for his own lightsaber. "Mira, do you have any objections?"'

 

"Nope, as long as we don't act like tourists. It draws predators. While we're at it, though, we should look into some local astrogation charts. The last thing we need is to hyperspace right into a huge asteroid."

 

Atton retrieved credits from a side panel near the pilot chair. "Let's also hope they take coreward money out here."

 

Ten minutes later, the trio disembarked. Filth lined the streets, walls, and just about everything in between. Polluted air gagged most typical oxygen-breathers, bringing the term "acceptably breathable" into question. Rough-looking thugs and other shady-looking people were eaqsily more prevalent than those with legitimate work. Nobody even asked the three of them any questions as soon as the left the docking bay, and by looks of things, there wasn't even a port authority to speak of on the planet. It was apparently even more of a Smuggler's Moon than Nar Shaddaa itself, ironically less well-known.

 

Blindingly bright and gaudy Huttese signs were everywhere, almost more numerous than the buildings they advertized. Small, crowded corridors made up this level of the city, and the duracrete underside of the ground floors of huge overhead buildings overhead made up the "roof." It resembled a cross between the underworlds of Nar Shaddaa and Coruscant, only many more times filthier. Atton headed for the first cantina he spotted.

 

"There," he whispered. "We'll go in there." Both of his companions followed close, keeping their hands near their lightsabers amidst the crowd of dangerous-looking commoners.

 

Once inside the bar, the sights became more recognizable. The typical mottled varieties of the decades-old worn plasteel chairs, the much-abused human waitresses, and even the holograms of Twi'lek dancers brought a cascade of familiarity crashing down on the trio. Mostly alien clientele filled the cramped bar, further contributing to any number of horrendous, unspeakable odors filtering through the air vents. Also typical of the Outer Rim, nobody came to the front to seat the new arrivals. One was almost expected to muscle into their seats through the packed room like some kind of Gamorrean.

 

"Ugh, what is that smell?" Mira managed between gasps. A thick, putrid smoke hung in the air and mixed with the various other thick odors.

 

"Balmorran Gutweed, used in cigarras and banned in the Core and Mid Rim," Bao-Dur observed. "It's rare even in the Outer Rim, and most natural sources were purged by the Republic. It has strange narcotic effects that vary by-"

 

A hooded person passing by the group shoved their way through, forcing something into Atton's hand before being engulfed by the crowds of commoners outside. A medium-sized piece of paper.

 

"What is it?" The other two said in tandem. Atton studied it closely, looking over either side of it but finding text on only one. It was a note. He turned away, reading it slowly to himself under his breath. His hands trembled.

 

"It's...I don't know who that was. But they know us." He turned back and read it aloud, his eyes still wide as they washed over it a second time.

 

To the Crew of the Ebon Hawk

 

If you're reading this, the threat has been uncovered, and my apprentice has sought you out. We will need anyone that can help; gather whoever is left of the Order by the time of this writing and bring them to a conclave on Ziost. Bring few Republic troops. Inform Admiral Onasi and tell him to arrive in person and leave Ms. Dodonna in charge of the Navy, as this will concern him. The others are eagerly awaiting us. Meet me at the Viaan Promenade at once.

 

B. H.

 

Bao-Dur examined the paper closely. "Ziost is deep in Sith Space...since the Great Hyperspace War, no official Republic astrogation chart has listed a way into that zone out of fear of any surviving Sith inhabitants. There's no telling what will be waiting for us...and who are these 'others'?"

 

"No clue. There's a list of coordinates on the bottom." Atton pointed to the numbers. "This will have to do for navigation."

 

"We were brought here for a reason." Dur retrieved a datapad from his belt and checked the coordinates, piecing together their meaning. "According to my own unofficial charts, those will most likely get us directly to Ziost if we follow them in exact order from here."

 

Mira glanced at the long list of seemingly random coordinates. "Why here, though?"

 

"Anyone looking to get lost goes where the crowds are," Atton said. "You could learn that much on Nar Shaddaa. She could've been hiding from something. Or someone."

 

Bao-Dur glanced back out towards the crowd, somehow hoping to get a get a glimpse of their contact. The cloaked figure was definitely long gone by then. "We have to get moving and find some info on this Viaan Promenade."

 

===

 

Ice crystals drifted by the transparisteel bridge windows of the Republic Hammerhead Inquisitor.

 

The man standing at the helm gazed out the window, mesmerized by the lush forest world just three hundred miles below them as well as the ice crystals spawned by it's frigid upper atmosphere. Memory of the place flooded his mind, momentarily distracting him from the cold, lifeless machines surrounding him and instead occupying his conscience with peaceful images. In harsh contrast, inorganic metal computers around him let off harsh, staccato beeps as the warship's systems ran a flurry of analyses. The quickly-approaching planet was, according to them, safe and livable. Perfect for the conclave.

 

"Master, some of the others are already here." One of the man's own acolytes was overseeing the communications array. "They are confirming your suspicions."

 

"Pre-Exar Kun Sith ruins?"

 

"Indeed, Master. There is also evidence of recent habitation, in some areas no more than a year past."

 

"Then the time is come. A dark war is already upon us." He turned back to face the apprentice. "What of my old friend? She has agreed to be here as well."

 

"Some delays. Her own companions are lagging behind her by more than a year's time, and the last transmission confirmed her allies as being on the same trail."

 

"That was to be expected...when I asked my own companions to stay behind, it was more a test of their loyalty than anything else. I never expected them to heed my word so closely, and it's only logical that my associate would do the same. This threat is by no means weak, and only an army of Force-sensitives will succeed against another similar army. In the end, both of us will need all of our Jedi companions and whoever we've trained along the way, like yourself, to triumph."

 

The comm officer nodded. "We will be ready to land within the hour."

 

To the rear, the port side blast door slid open. A young man came running, sliding on the smooth floor as he came to a stop behind the Captain.

 

"Master Revan," he whispered, bowing his head slightly. "I have just had a terrible vision. We are in great danger here."

 

"The others, as well as myself, have been having similar experiences...do you know anything else, Padawan?"

 

"We have not seen the last of the false Sith."