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spectraspecs-writes · 2 months

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Manaan - Chapter 123

Link to the masterpost. Chapter 122. Chapter 124.

@averruncusho @ceruleanrainblues @chubbsmomma thank you for reading, you get a tag. @skelelexiunderlord thank you for support, you get a tag. (god are any of you even still active)

A/N - I have a new job! I work IT! Which is only one part of the reason that I haven't updated or really written a lot.

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The Republic enclave is in the other direction from the mercenary enclave. I try to keep an eye on the sea, try to keep calm and focused, I just want to get this done. One step at a time. Some Sith try to sling insults and taunts at us, but I don’t pay attention to it. I’m not in any mood to fight or play. I just need to focus.

At the enclave. A dude at a desk - he looks important. “Welcome to Manaan,” he says, “I am Roland Wann. As the official representative of the Republic Embassy on this planet, I am here to help all citizens of the Republic should they require aid.”

Okay, well, aid I certainly require. “I’m on a mission from the Jedi Council,” I say, “Maybe you can help me with it.”

He looks a little shocked. Awestruck, maybe. “Uh… of course, of course. I will do whatever I can,” he says. But then a hint of confusion. “But I am only a simple diplomatic representative of the Republic. I doubt I can be of any use to the Jedi Council.”

“You know more about the planet than I do,” I say, “just by merit of living here. I’m looking for a Star Map, a remnant of an ancient and forgotten race. I had a vision that told me it was on the ocean floor.” A vision. No, a memory. But what does it really matter? I know it’s down there, I just need to know where and how to get there.

A look of understanding passes Roland Wann’s face. “An ancient and forgotten race…” he repeats contemplatively,”… and you think it may be here on Manaan? Hm…”

“I don’t think it’s here, I know it is,” I reiterate, “Does it sound familiar?”

“Well… ” he says slowly, “…perhaps. But if you want to get information about that, you'll have to do something for me first.”

Everyone wants something from me. Everyone wants me to do something for them. Like people take one look at the lightsaber and think “how can I exploit this person for my own benefit?” But here… I don’t have much choice here, do I? I have to get that Star Map. To find Bastila, to stop Malak, to save the galaxy, to end the war. And maybe, if I’m lucky, to make some peace with myself. I sigh. “What do you want me to do?”

“We were using a submersible reconnaissance droid in the ocean surrounding Ahto City and it was... damaged,” he says. Damaged how? “It took a data recording of the outside of the city before being driven off by the firaxan sharks.” Those are pretty ballsy sharks, recon droids are massive. “But while it was returning to the surface it encountered difficulties and was disabled. Its automatic systems floated it to the surface, but we could not retrieve it in time. The Sith were applying subtle pressure to the Selkath authorities for some reason we have not determined, and were able to delay us long enough that they could retrieve the droid before we did. The droid's data centers are heavily encrypted, so it will take the Sith several days, we believe, to get to its data. It was captured 12 hours ago. It is imperative that we get it back.”

“What’s the recording of, out of curiosity?” I ask.

“It's intelligence information about Sith activities on Manaan,” he says, “as well as some oceanographic reports on the local marine life.”

Intelligence on the Sith? Couldn’t that be a violation of Manaan’s neutrality? If the Republic is trying to undermine the Sith, that could lead to kolto sanctions or, worse, being banned from Manaan altogether. He seriously wants to risk that? Am I the only one who cares?

Carth touches my shoulder. “Rena?” he asks gently, “Something on your mind?”

Yeah, something’s on my mind! Does the Selkath’s neutrality, and the very real consequences for violating it, matter to nobody? The Sith are out here probably kidnapping Selkath youth, the Republic is spying on the Sith from underwater, they could both have their rights to the kolto revoked, functionally losing the war, and that doesn’t matter to them? I could turn this over to the Selkath, maybe they’d appreciate my commitment to their neutrality if I give them the data recording. Maybe they’d even tell me about the Star Map, because how could they not be aware of it, even a little? But then again, maybe they wouldn’t for the sake of their neutrality. Then I would have just betrayed the Republic and screwed myself over, twice. I don’t know. My head is too full. I can’t think. “Nothing,” I lie, “It’s nothing.” He doesn’t believe me, but he doesn’t push it.

“You need our information,” Wann says, “and I guarantee you that you will never be able to get it unless we have our secrecy guaranteed against the Sith.”

“Where is the droid?” Carth asks.

“It is heavily guarded, we are sure, in the Sith Embassy here on Manaan.” Oh, you mean the palace that, if I break into it, I’ll be arrested? That place? A place that, if I enter, as a Republic citizen, working for the Republic, could get the Republic trade sanctions on Manaan? Cut them off from life-saving kolto? That place? That Sith Embassy? For God’s sake. “Since we have no remaining soldiers to spare, and certainly not our elite ones, we have no one capable of entering the Sith base and retrieving it. That is what we would ask you to do.”

I… I don’t know. I don't feel very good. “Let me…” I start to say, “... can I get back to you?” I don’t even give him time to answer, I need to go. I step out and go to the window. Look out at the ocean.

Nope, that’s not helping. That’s not helping at all. That’s making me feel worse. I sit down on a bench and face away from the window.

I see Carth sort of half-jog over to me from the enclave. “I had a feeling you weren’t all right,” he says, sitting next to me.

“No, I feel like shit, actually,” I say. I smirk a bit. “But then you’ve seen me like this before,” I say, “On Taris.”

He remembers. “No,” he says, shaking his head, “Taris was different.” Different? Different how? “On Taris you were angry. This isn’t angry, this is… scared.”

“I’m not scared,” I say.

“And you’re still a lousy liar.”

“I’m not lying, I swear!”

“Rena,” he says, looking at me gently with those big, deep eyes of his, “maybe you can fool yourself, but I’ve known you for three months, we’ve spent three months in close quarters. Maybe you can fool yourself, but you can’t fool me. You’re scared of something.”

I don’t know what he’s talking about, seriously. “So what, exactly, am I afraid of, Detective Onasi?”

“You’re doubting your own abilities,” he says without missing a beat, “You’re afraid that, even with everything you’ve already done, you can’t do it anymore.”

Wait, what? That’s… that’s ridiculous, that’s not true! That’s- that’s not true at all. “I don’t know why you’re afraid of that,” he says, “I mean, I know why in your head. I’m saying it’s not rational.” So you’re saying this fear, that I don’t even have, that you’re saying I do have, isn’t rational? You’re calling me irrational now? “You’re still the same person you were last week.”

“But I’m not, am I?” I say quickly, “I’m not and I never will be again. I’m completely different now, and nothing you can say will change that.”

“But you’re not completely different,” he says. Yeah, dude, yeah I am. “Forget about Revan for a second.”

“Forget about Revan?” I repeat, “How can I ‘forget’ about it? How can I just ‘forget’ being lied to by the Jedi Council about my identity, having memories implanted in my head, being used, being surveilled - how can I just ‘forget’ that?!”

“Rena, I’m not going to fight with you,” he says calmly, “If the past week taught me anything, it’s that shouting at you is the wrong way to go about this.” Then how can you just tell me to “forget” about Revan? “And since I disagree with Master Zhar that quoting the Jedi Code will mean anything to you, I’m just going to wait.”

Wait, you…? “You talked with Master Zhar?” I ask, in a softer voice.

“He made a point of finding me on Alderaan,” he says, “I was mad about it for a while, but apparently Bastila was reporting back to the Council about you, and my name came up more than once. They put two and two together.”

“And he told you to quote the Jedi Code at me.” Why am I not surprised?

“‘There is no emotion, there is peace,’” he recites, “He insisted I should say that to you if you got upset, but I thought that was the wrong way to go. And from your change in tone, it looks like I was right.” I can’t help but smile at him. He’s just… so adorable. “As I was about to say,” he continues, “maybe in your head you’ve changed, and maybe just the idea of Revan is having an effect mentally, but physically? You have the exact same skill set, the same physical capabilities you had last week.” Well… “I watched you jump across a room on Dantooine. And you disabled those ancient, massive droids on Korriban. You became the Taris duel champion, stole the Ebon Hawk from Davik, broke into a Sand People settlement and made peace, helped kill a krayt dragon, took on the most dangerous bounty hunter in the galaxy, killed a grand total of four ancient Sith creatures, two of them on your own, and you’re worried you won’t be able to break into a Sith base?”

Well… when you put it that way… “I guess,” I say in a small voice, “Mostly, though, I’m worried what this could do to Republic kolto exports. We’re obviously Republic-allied, it would be hard for anyone to believe the Republic wasn’t involved.”

He gives me a sort of glance at first, like I’m just coming up with more excuses. But he acknowledges that it’s a valid concern. “You and I both know the Sith aren’t innocent in this,” he says, “They’re trying to get their hands into the Selkath government to get more kolto for themselves.”

“So because they’re doing it, so should we.” Really, dude?

“You don’t believe that and you know it,” he says, “I know it because I know you. You’ve said it yourself, the Sith actively want to hurt people, you don’t support that. You don’t believe laws are absolute, and if doing the right thing means breaking a law, then you will watch the law shatter. Don’t even try to tell me you wouldn’t.”

He’s right. Again. I just feel so nervous. So not myself. Whatever that means anymore. I think it would be nice sometimes if I didn’t have to be myself.

Wait. That’s an idea. That’s a good idea. “What if we weren’t ourselves?”

Carth straightens, confused. “What do you mean?”

“As ourselves, we’d never get into the Sith base without risking the Republic kolto exports,” I say, “But the Republic is hiring mercenaries at a prodigious rate, and if I was a Sith diplomat seeing that, I’d want to hire some, too, just to stop the Republic from hiring them. Canderous is still down in the cantina looking into it - if he gets a job offer from the Sith, then we could get into their base, no questions asked. Plus we end up taking Sith money, so everyone wins. Except the Sith, of course.”

Carth smiles at me. “That’s the Rena I know,” he says. He stands and extends a hand to help me up. I don’t need the help but I take it anyway, just because it feels nice.

As we walk back to the Republic base, I buzz Canderous on my comlink. “Next Sith job you get, take it, and say you’re bringing along two other mercs.”

“Sounds like you’ve got a fun little scheme in the works,” he says, “I like it. I’ll let you know when I’ve got the job.”

While Carth was talking to me, Juhani was talking to Roland Wann. “Ah,” he says when he sees us come back, “you’re back. I was just telling your companion here about our possible leads into the Sith base. I assume you will be assisting us, as your friend said.”

“I will, but I’ve got my own lead,” I say, “We know the Republic has been hiring a lot of mercenaries - is it safe to assume the Sith have been doing the same?”

“Well… yes, that’s true, but --”

“The Sith are going to hire us,” I say quickly.

Wann is stunned into silence. It is Juhani who speaks first. “Rena,” she says slowly, “Are you sure that is wise? What if Canderous is unable to get recruited?”

My comlink buzzes. “This is Canderous. I just got recruited by the Sith. The recruiter gave me three base passes - we can go whenever you’re ready.”

I can’t help but give Juhani a smug little grin. “Thanks, Canderous,” I say, “We’ll meet back up with you soon.”

Now Juhani is stunned into silence. “As effective a method as that is,” Roland Wann says, finally able to speak, “it also sounds incredibly risky. I would advise you at least hear the leads we already have.”

“But that’s all you have - leads,” I say, “May way, I already have a guaranteed way in, and an excuse if the Selkath accuse me of breaking in on behalf of the Republic.” He tries to object a little. “I don’t know why you’re complaining - we get in, get your droid information, you tell us about the Star Map, we all go home happy.”

”The Sith base itself is very heavily guarded,” he says, “If they became aware of your presence, I fear you would be quickly outnumbered and killed.”

”I’ve been outnumbered and killed before, I can do it again.”

”You’ve been killed before?” he asks skeptically.

”I know what I said,” I say. I was a Sith Lord, apparently, and I’ve come to discover I still have the muscle necessary. I was able to do a pretty good job against Malak, after all.

He gives a bit of a shrug. “If you’re sure, then,” he says, scribbling a number on a piece of paper, “If you change your mind, here is a passcard to get you inside our facility, as well as the access code to the reconnaissance droid. If you decide to try one of our leads, you should find all the information you need to get started inside. As long as you get the data recording back, use whichever method you like.” He hands me the Republic passcard and the slip of paper with the access code. “I wish you luck in your task,” he says, “Should you retrieve the data recording from the droid, return it here to me and we can see about getting you that information.”

“I admit,” Juhani says as we leave the Republic base, “I am nervous about this plan.”

“I don’t see what there is to worry about,” I say, “We have legitimate passes into the Sith base and a cover. Sure, It’ll probably involve a fight, but I don’t think there was ever a scenario where there wouldn’t be a fight.” I shrug, “If you’re so nervous, you don’t have to go. Carth, Canderous, and I can Do it.” She doesn’t respond. ‘We should head back to the shit anyway to put on more inconspicuous clothes. Me and Canderous are definitely going, but he’s only got three passes, so you two can either fight it out or just surrender to the other. Your call.”

She looks at Carth, and the two of them seem to have a completely nonverbal conversation in the space of four seconds. Until finally, “Perhaps you are right,” she says, “I do not think I could pass as a mercenary. I shall stay behind.”

Okay, glad that’s settled. Now all we need to do is look the part.

#kotor fic #star wars #knights of the old republic #autistic artist #specs writes stuff #kotor #fiction #rena visz #fem!revan #ls!revan #manaan #selkath #carth onasi #juhani #roland wann #canderous ordo #chapter 123 #oc

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sullustangin · 2 years

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SWTOR 7.1

Non-spoilery/technical stuff first, then spoilery stuff under the cut.

Overall, the dialogue choices feel good -- there’s a spectrum of how you want to play the char and whether you yourself remember previous lore.

There’s definitely an increasingly noticeable gap in quality for new NPCs vs. the player and earlier NPCs (Kira, for example). They really need to give the base textures an upgrade, both for the chars and for their clothes.

I would say there’s about another 2 hours or so of non-repeatable content, with more to unlock with rep gains.

The main story is not a lot but it is significant --it’s very densely packed. It is disappointing that this was not in 7.0 as intended; I still think this was inadequate as an expac for endgame, however. (I’ve already expressed my appreciation the for the leveling revamp).

Manaan has more content than I thought it would. To get to Manaan -- don’t go to regular Manaan. It’s like Corellia and its special daily area. So get on your ship, travel to the planet, and then you have the option to go visit Ahto City (where you met Theron or Lana for the first time in the SoR lead-up) or you go to the daily area.

Do the purple missions first -- Captain Kasto gives you toys to wreck shop faster. Then do the dailies/yellow ones. Don’t pick everything up when you land. And yes, you drown if you touch the water XD

You can still fall through the earth on Elom, but only halfway -- ./stuck fixes it.

Minor camera transition issues - things get snagged if you skip through dialogue.

The Manaan rep items are going to make people with the Manaan stronghold happy asf. With the Baby Progenitor tank on cartel market, you could make an entire shrine to the KOTOR Manaan plotline.

DISLIKE: There are no LS/DS points for your decisions here. Grrr.

Spoilers for 7.1 below

TALOS!!! Talk nerdy to me!

The two Twi’lek siblings remind me of the sibs from the Mandalorian jail episode -- not in terms of demeanor for the padawan, but in the general premise of sister breaks brother out of jail....and then immediately run into the arms of Heta Col and the rogue Mandalorians.

Keeping Malgus on fleet is so kriffin’ dumb. I will sing this song til I die.

Protective Theron <3

....but boy, is the commander an idiot facing Malgus alone - and you can’t opt out of being an idiot.

I do like that the player can be self-aware enough to know that Malgus is changing tactics and that has to be explained, somehow.

Arcann, hey guy.

...dude, the last time I cleared my head, I ended up camping with Satele and Marr. Oh, I’m going to my ship --

wait, where’s my ship. Fuck. I think that’s a graphics error.

AHA the convergence point of the plotlines. How exactly this knits together, unsure, but at least something is tying back onto itself.

I like what they are doing with Kira and her past as a Child of the Emperor. I wonder what the romanced letter looks like in comparison (if there is one).

Most of us know the IRL reasons Scourge is not there (actor was sex chatting with minors). We’re either going to get Scourge “cardinally changed” by whatever he finds out there (new voice actor and model?), or they’re going to snuff him.

Manaan area feels good -- lots of content.

#swtor #swtor 7.1 #7.1 spoilers #theron shan #malgus #manaan #selkath #kira carsen #scourge #talos drellik #arcann

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