T w e n t y S i d e d

Watcher Two indicated the statue of Darth Vowrawn “towered over the landscape, facing Kaas City threateningly.” Despite this, Kaliyo and I had to ask directions. We end up backtracking all the way through the jungle to the ((current) plebeian) entrance to the Kaas City spaceport looking for the right FOOTPATH THROUGH THE JUNGLE that leads to the GIANT STATUE YOU CAN’T MISS, that is incidentally in the MIDDLE OF A SLAVE REBELLION. It shouldn’t be this hard. However, I’ve always been told if you need to hide something, put it in the middle of the desert or the jungle. I guess that’s true.

Back at the spaceport, we’re called over by a Lieutenant Mallohe. She wants to know if we can provide any information on the recent activities of a ship called “The Black Talon.” I’m backing her into a dark corner while Kaliyo slips around her when she explains she was sent by a Sith, Lord Kras, to prepare a report on the most recent fighting between the Republic and the Empire. Mallohe heard about a recent raid involving an Imperial transport and the subsequent arrival of a Chiss Intelligence Agent at the Dromund Kaas spaceport. “Secrecy” is clearly an unfamiliar concept to the Imperials. Mallohe asks me to meet with Lord Kras at the Citadel as soon as possible, and I tell her I’ll get right on that. Then Kaliyo and I resume asking for directions to the nearest slave rebellion or unfinished statue.

We are finally directed to a wall located up a small rise not far outside Kaas City. The wall forms the forth side of a clearing that contains what I’m told are ancient Sith ruins. The ruins were still being dug up and documented until Vowrawn’s apprentice Qet appropriated the land for a slave camp. There is a pass from the back corner of the camp cut through to a canyon; Qet’s statue of Vowrawn is apparently situated in the canyon. Or at least the base is…the top of the statue is now just visible. The statue is clearly not meant to impress visitors to Kaas City; it is only visible from higher elevations. Those who live and work in the Citadel or the many towers of Kaas City have to stare at it watching them all day.

Another Sith Lord (my gods this planet is crawling with them, which I guess makes sense) named Drowl asks me to poison the slave camp’s water supply with a toxin that will cause unimaginable, long-lasting pain leading to death. He claims this is the best way to end the slave rebellion. Drowl’s military attache’ furiously waves me off behind the man’s back. I have no intention of spending any more time in this hell-hole than necessary, but I do question the wisdom of poisoning the slave camp when the the most active part of the slave rebellion is taking place at the worksite around the base the statue. I’ve made it clear I have no qualms about murder even when it’s not strictly necessary, but not only does Drowl’s answer indicate he doesn’t have a good strategic plan in place, but the location of the water tanks and reservoirs would have me running all over the archaeological dig. I tell Drowl to find someone else to waste their time. Kaliyo seems a bit disappointed; probably hoping to score some ancient Sith heirloom she can sell; but for now we sneak through the camp and on to the construction site.

The Imperial military has deployed at the other end of the pass from the slave camp, blocking the rebellion from even returning to the camp. I thought Drowl was full of it; this only validates my suspicions. There are clearly two groups of rebellious slaves. The group wanting things like food, medicine, beds and other necessities of life are back in the slave camp; nobody actually cares about them. THIS group, on the other hand; this is different and has some people worried. Intelligence believes it’s all just based on Sith power struggles, but the presence of military indicates someone in the chain of command doesn’t agree…at least not completely. This *IS* the Empire; it’s ALL Sith Games ultimately. Now that I’m “on scene,” I contact Watcher Two.

The only loose thread we have available to tug on regarding the anti-government terrorist cell is likely located in this part of the rebellion. A slave who once belonged to an anti-government agitator was given to Apprentice Qet for his statue project. This was a consequence of over-enthusiastic questioning of the slave’s owner by an Intelligence operative leading to the cessation of circulatory functionality. This agitator was known to use slaves as messengers, including the one in question; Jurithus. Intelligence now believes Jurithus may still have some communications or other insights that could provide clues about the terror network. My instructions are to find one of the leaders of the slave rebellion and use a government-developed chemical agent to make them suggestible enough to tell me where Jurithus is…I guess assuming I don’t just walk straight into Jurithus at some point. I point out that beating the information out of people has worked quite well for me, but you know how bureaucracies are: very smart people working on committees came up with this idea (and I have no doubt the chemical agent cost a lot of money to develop and was probably championed by someone on said committee, and they need to prove they weren’t just stealing money for some sponsors.)

I check in with the current Duty Officer controlling access to the worksite. The military is doing little at this point other than preventing slaves from leaving the area, but Ensign Corian Shye is bucking for promotion, and wants to know why the slaves have started fighting each other. Normally slave rebellions are about escaping enslavement, and it seemed that was the original intent, but increasingly the conflict appears to have turned inward. I mention Intelligence has observed the same, and if I come across the answer I’ll let him know.

The former operations center for the construction project is being used by those who consider themselves the leaders of the rebellion. I clear the room with a few grenades and find a slave hiding in the closet. An application of the truth serum wipes his will so completely I’m worried he’ll forget to breathe. I find out many relevant facts: A Dark Council member named Baras has been providing weapons and supplies to the rebelling slaves. Jurithus was killed only a day or two ago; his body is still lying at the base of the statue. Anything he thought was important he kept with him. He was killed by a group of slaves that claim to have “reached enlightenment” by following what they believe is the “Sith Code.” They murder fellow slaves seeking to flee their enslavement in order to “prove themselves”. Some say these teachings were disclosed by Darth Baras as part of his uprising-ing, but the group is largely unorganized and have made no overt movements to advance the rebellion. Following his interview, the self-proclaimed “slave leader” is still in a highly suggestible state, so I give him some water and tell him to go to the military blockade and turn himself in.

At the very foundations of the unfinished statue, I see a pile of bodies guarded by some truly nasty-looking slaves wielding stun batons confiscated from the guards. According to the information I gained, they claim to be Sith, so I follow a hunch. I identify myself as an Agent of the Empire. I tell them we have noticed their actions and wish to know their desires. The largest of the group tells me they have learned the Sith Code. They understand the only way to “break their chains” of subservience is by giving themselves over to their passions. This certainly rings a bell, but I would be willing to bet that any Sith that only fights halfway out of the bag meant to kill him is destroyed as a failure. Still, not really my concern, and anything that wastes a Sith Lord’s time is fine by me. I trade access to Jurithus’ body for letting the people in charge know the slaves-who-would-be-Sith wish an audience. As promised, Jurithus’ pockets contain encrypted datapads. I transmit them back to HQ, then I’m patched in to Keeper. Darth Jadus wishes to see me immediately.

Back at the Citadel, Jadus proceeds, unprompted mind you, to tell me WHY he involved himself in Intelligence, and why he chose ME to do his bidding. His goal is to spread Sith teachings throughout the empire instead of leaving Sith stuff to just the Sith. He wants everything to work fully according to Sith teachings. Fear, terror, violence, etc. He chose us because we’re new to intelligence and are therefore uncorrupted by Imperial politics and the usual Sith power games. He tells me not to trust any of my superiors.

I, of course, don’t buy ANY of it. This is a setup. I just don’t know what for.

Back on target. From Jurithus’ records, Intelligence has discovered the noted weapons designer Theovor Mindak supports the movement suspected to be behind the recent terror threats. Mindak is currently being protected by Darth Grathan, a lunatic Sith Lord who lives just outside Kaas City and has recently proclaimed himself “The 13th Member of the Dark Council,” and is threatening the Council and Kaas City with a massive supply of custom war droids and cyborgs. The nominative Twelve members of the Dark Council, A FULL QUARTER OF WHICH I have now interacted with or near in some way, don’t seem too concerned about this. The matter has been left to Intelligence and the military. Grathan’s estate is protected by a prototype energy shield that hasn’t been defeated yet, and limits access to a narrow, well-protected corridor through the jungle. The military has been losing every soldier sent to assault Grathan’s holdings. Grathan is shielding Mindak on his estate in exchange for new and improved weapons. However, Mindak’s daughter is on the outs with her father and is currently partying in Kaas City. Intelligence believes she can provide access to Theovor, and Theovor can then provide access to the terror network. Seems like a long way around the barn, to me.

But it is, in fact, a short walk to The Nexus Room cantina, where Samara Mindak is currently socializing with the other adult children of various Imperial luminaries. Much to Kaliyo’s disappointment, the fiery bimbo breaks down almost immediately. She provides access codes to most of Grathan’s internal doors, but can’t get us through the force field. She apparently “convinces” whatever guard is on duty at the entrance to card her through. Seems a bit shortsighted to leave keycards laying around outside in murder-able containers. You would think a Sith Lord would consider that a weak point.

Armed with access, Watcher Two deploys Kaliyo and me to “The Wall.” Not the previous wall, that was apparently just “a wall.” This is “THE WALL,” the current outer boundary of what is considered Kaas City territory. It also conveniently marks the boundary between Kaas City and Lord Grathan’s estate. I’m told we will find military and Sith allies there with additional information about Grathan’s compound, and some minor tidbits about the anti-government radicals. This is based on information that Intelligence had consistently dismissed as irrelevant: a cult dedicated to a long-dead Jedi who led the Sith Empire before the ascendancy of the Emperor. This cult has been considered at best a social club of minor Sith acolytes and mid-level government functionaries; at worst a gathering of feckless paranoiacs. But recent rumors claim they seek access to Grathan’s archives, which may be too much of a coincidence to ignore in the current situation.

Paige Francis He/him