#duke horis thul

[swtorpadawan]

Welp, not exactly one NPC, but I will still ask. What do you think happened with House Thul and their leader on Alderaan

Thank you for asking me this! Sorry it took me awhile to get to it!

I have several head-canons already. But here's the quick breakdown:

Lord Jorad Sindarus Thul (the rather inept, passive leader of House Thul during the Empire-side world missions) and a significant chunk of House Thul's leadership are killed during the Zakuulan invasion. Although Thul is cut off from the Empire's support, the same can be said for Organa and the Republic. As we see in the Star Fortress mission to Alderaan, the situation there is bad and stagnant, with a lack of organization.

Once the Star Fortress - and the threat of Zakuul - are removed, things start to change.

The Alliance negotiates a deal with Acina that the Empire will suspend support to Thul. (The condition being that they'll also keep Organa from rearming through the Republic.)

The Alliance then begins a number of relief missions to Alderaan, helping to stabilize the political situation.

Eventually, and it takes a few years, the Alliance essentially plays "kingmaker" - first for House Thul, then later for the actual throne of Alderaan itself.

Enter Duke Horis Thul.

Horis Thul remembers Corellan well; after all, Corellan saved the Duke from Aleyna Hark years before during the Desolator crisis. He was already agreeable to peace negotiations; only the Zakuulan subjugation held up the process.

It takes a LOT of work, with Ulannium Kaarz and Vector Hyllus doing much of the negotiations. But eventually, Horis is one of the signatories of a new Treaty of Alderaan, bringing decades of civil war to a close. (Naturally, House Thul's exile is officially ended by this treaty.)

Thank you for the ask!

[anchanted-one]

Legend of Lightning Chapter 49. The Wolf

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43208574/chapters/112494664

@swtorhub

The Next Day, Organa Castle

The Jedi were both led into the duke’s dining room for breakfast. If Vajra’s chambers were rich, the duke’s were opulent.

He tried not to stare around at all the decorations, and instead focused his attention on the others who had been called to attend the meeting. He was greeted by Duke Charle and General Gesselle Organa. Also invited was a young man of around twenty, and an older Iridonian Zabrak.

“Greetings, Master Jedi,” the young man said. “I hear I have you to thank for saving my family. I am Wynne Organa, and I was in charge of peace talks to end this conflict.”

“‘Was’?”

“I’m afraid peace negotiations fell through after Duke Horis Thul was murdered by his son, Septimius. He houses a bitter hatred for the world which exiled his whole House, and saw his little influence fading when… well, I’ll get to that. I really should allow the good doctor to speak first.”

“Forgive me,” Vajra bowed to the Zabrak.

“Think nothing of it, Son. My name is Parvux, and I was one of the lead scientists in charge of the Death Mark project. I worked closely with Master Orgus as he shut the project down.” He snorted. “I hated him at first. We all did. We were building a weapon which could kill Imperial collaborators like Kendoh and Septimius Thul, so that we wouldn’t need to sacrifice whole armies for their ambitions. But then he saved my life. You see, the dismantling was going smoothly at first, but one day, one of our most trusted security officers revealed herself as a spy. Alayna Hark timed it perfectly; everything had been placed into a speeder for transport when three minor Killik hives burst in. She used the chaos to her advantage, making off with not only the Death Mark controls, but also the targeting device. By the time Master Orgus finished off the last of the Killiks, she was long gone.”

“And she got to work almost at once,” Wynne picked up the thread. “She came to Count Alde—who was the project’s cofounder and most important patron—and gave him a sob story about a Sith Lord who slaughtered everyone. And, sad to say, the Count believed her. He gave her the full run of the Castle. She got close enough to mark nearly fifty people with the targeting device. Count Alde was the first to die, and dozens of high-ranking officers followed him to the grave.”

“Was that what happened?” Duke Charle looked appalled. “We thought… we thought… holy lord almighty…”

General Gesselle slammed her hand down on the table. “And when were you planning to tell us this? Charle and I met her too, you know! We literally have a 'hit me here!' sign painted on our bodies!”

“Their deaths crippled our war effort,” the duke stammered. “It was for that reason Bathor’s legions managed to walk all the way to our doors!”

“Don’t you get it, Charle?” Gesselle looked furious. “We were in danger too! This is the weapon that killed Blenks!”

“And I’m sorry about that,” the duke apologized, but his face turned red with anger for some reason. “I’m sorry you lost your closest friend, Gesselle. But it is my duty to think of my people’s safety before my own. Before your own. We can mourn Blenks later. And we can discuss this later,” he added. General Gesselle fumed, but went silent. “What I want to know, is why the killings stopped.”

It was Parvux who answered. “It was because Master Orgus destroyed the transmitters which allowed the device to relay targets to the laser. No one here knows what the frequency of that satellite is, and we can’t find the laser and change its antenna, since it’s cloaked. That is why her killings stopped.”

“But she didn’t get away with her deeds,” Wynne went on. “My spies saw her enter Duke Thul’s bunker. Master Orgus was close enough to intercept her. He snuck in through a ventilation shaft, and the duke was ready to believe him over her. He gave up Lord Nefarid’s location, and your Master decided to go there alone. We don’t know how he was defeated, but Nefarid captured him and sent Angral his prize. You know the rest.”

“What happened to Alayna Hark?”

“Duke Thul captured her, but Lord Nefarid freed her once he instigated Septimius to stage his coup. I do not know where she is now.”

“Do we have any leads at all?”

“None, I’m afraid. We briefly secured the facility where Master Orgus confronted Nefarid, but he had already moved. A gloating card was all we found.”

“We need to stop Nefarid before he figures out how to reconnect with his satellite,” Vajra looked around the table. “Var Suthra said it could take months, but they have a huge lead on us. I could use your help. Any at all.”

“We will offer any assistance we can, of course. We do have a stake in this after all.”

General Gesselle did not say anything, but Vajra noticed her eyes had gone red, and her lower lip trembled.

“Unfortunately, we’re backed into a corner here. If you can push back the Wolf’s Jaws—the forces led by the Wolf Baron—perhaps we can regain our footing enough to begin searching.”

“I’ll be glad to assist, of course.”

“Good. Now, let us set this grim talk aside for now. I’m sure you are all hungry. Barnobis? Please bring the food.”

“Very good, sir.”

*

Seven hours later

Vajra landed in the midst of the trio of war droids. He cut them down with a single sweep of his Lightsaber.

“How is it going T7?”

<Status report: Progress = 97%. Estimated time remaining = 12 minutes.>

Vajra tried not to display his impatience. “Keep it up.”

The Wolf Baron lived up to his name. He only had a fraction of the forces which Lord Bathor had, but he was using it to great effect. He had launched rapid raids at multiple objectives in a short time. Not pitched battles and sieges, nor any major offensives, just fighting back Organa garrisons long enough to accomplish objectives before retreating again.

One of their many missions had been sneaking up to ancient surface-to-air defences which Duke Charle had called ‘The Spears of Organa’ and reprogramming them. They now fired on all targets indiscriminately, requiring an urgent response. Vajra had been in favor of destroying the cannons, or at least their computers, but the duke had insisted on taking them back.

Which was why he now had the task of protecting T7 as the little droid reprogrammed the turrets. Which was a time-consuming mission because of their unfamiliar, millennia-old coding process. It had taken hours just to reprogram one!

He keyed his comm. “Kira?”

“I’m here, Boss. We’re about thirty minutes from completing our task.”

“We’re almost done here,” Vajra said. “Have you had any problems?”

“Just a couple of war droids every fifteen minutes or so.”

“Nothing too dangerous, yet forcing us to stay in one place? Just as I thought.”

“We’re being delayed. It’s just as we all thought.”

It wasn’t just Vajra who had smelled a rat, but also General Kashim. Only General Gesselle had supported the plan to liberate the Spears. Unlike the Jedi’s teams, most of the committed forces were platoons. A good thirty platoons—over 1000 soldiers—were sent out to just retake the defenses. And each recapture had taken hours. More troops had been sent out to liberate other positions, from villages and homesteads, to outposts and crossings.

The Organas had only about a third of their forces to respond to any new threats.

“Well, it’s too late now,” Vajra sighed. “Score one for the Wolf Barron. Three hours is long enough to raze half the coast. Not that he’ll do such a thing.”

<Reprogramming = complete!> T7 trilled. <Status = ready to depart!>

“Good. We’ll meet up with Kira then. Let’s get moving—”

They were interrupted by a frantic call. “Master Jedi!”

“Hello, General Gesselle. I imagine the wolf struck while your forces were occupied?”

The middle-aged woman averted her gaze. “He did. You were all right. He wanted our forces to be diverted. While they were, he took hundreds of our people hostage. He has offered us a civil meeting to discuss his terms.”

“So what’s our next step?”

“Charle is insistent on meeting him. With minimal guards, as demanded. It’s a trap, and he’s walking right into it.”

“In the worst-case scenario, who succeeds him as Duke?”

She flinched. “I do. Do you—does that make you suspicious of me? I overruled yours and Kashim’s advice, after all.”

He scanned her image through the Force, kicking himself for not doing so earlier. What he saw surprised him.

“You’re preg—?” he cut off his sentence, but her eyes snapped in his direction. A hunted expression came over her eyes. “No. I do not think you plotted against Duke Charle, or House Organa.”

The look on her face—he knew that expression. It was guilt. But his instincts told him that whatever her transgression, she had not aided the enemy.

“I made a mistake,” she said bitterly. “A few weeks ago, I would not have fallen for such an obvious trap, even without you and Kashim to clue me in. But that damned woman… Lady Rooks… meeting her unnerved me. Worse was when I lost Blenks. He was my closest friend for over a decade.”

“That doesn’t matter right now. We need to defeat the Wolf Baron.” Vajra sighed. “Does he have an actual name?”

“Baron Jharkus Thul. He may not be a Duke, but his has been the strongest claim to the Throne from the Thul’s side. Not because of blood, you understand. He is that good. A good commander, an honorable gentleman, a polite noble, and a skilled duelist.”

“I really should have asked before now,” Vajra lowered his head. “If I’d known… I guess we’re both of us not at our best right now.”

“Perhaps,” Lady Gesselle said reluctantly. “I admit, I do not feel impartial enough to make a decision here. And Kashim is out of reach at the moment.”

“Please don’t do this to me,” Vajra begged. “Var Suthra did it on Coruscant. I barely scraped through.”

“But you did. And now, your prowess is needed again. Paladin of House Organa, I humbly beseech you. Save my husband. And my House.”

“Send me Baron Jharkus’ history and profile,” he growled. “I need to know what kind of person I’m dealing with.”

“Stand by. I’m sending you the coordinates so you can start going.”

“Did you hear that, Kira?”

“I caught the gist. I’ll leave right now. I can set this turret to blow, and rendezvous close to the meeting place within forty minutes.”

“Good. I’ll be counting on you.”

*

Baron Jharkus Thul both loved and hated his moniker. ‘The Wolf Baron,’ a title capable of striking fear into the hearts of his enemies, and instilling fervor in allies. It spoke of his power.

But he hated it. Wolves were ferocious, rabid creatures. While they did understand the strength in unity, they did not comprehend nobility and courtesy. He was much more than just a warrior. He was someone truly worthy of being a king, more so than Bouris Ulgo.

A king could not be a king, if all he knew was war. Jharkus was adept in other areas too. Etiquette, diplomacy, economics, law, and even agriculture. Not enough to handle it all, all by himself, of course. But enough that no advisor could pull the wool over his eyes.

His bid for the throne was not purely out of personal ambition; he simply knew he could do a better job than any other monarch in the galaxy.

“Your Highness,” Captain Turcois bowed before him. “A speeder is approaching. It’s flying House Organa’s colors.”

“House Organa’s? Not the Duke’s?” he had expected as much. The Duke was fully expecting to lose his life here today. The man had courage, if nothing else. “Show him in when he gets here.”

Jharkus sat in his tent. His niece Elana sat close by. She looked at him expectantly. “What is to happen to our poor Duke?”

Jharkus sighed. Elana was a good girl, but she had grown too used to the others of their House. Lustful Kendoh and cowardly Horis. Most of their family thought more like a crime family than a Noble House. This was one reason why he had requested that she join him, once her mansion had been raided in retaliation for her actions.

He wanted her to treasure their House, as he did. To fight for it.

“Nothing too grisly, my dear Niece. We trade his freedom for that of the civilians.”

“But what will that accomplish?” she asked. “He will no doubt have assigned his successor just in case something happened to him.”

“True. But, to whom?”

“His wife. Gesselle Organa.”

“And therein lies the downfall I have envisaged for his House. You see, he seems to be the only Organa who doesn’t know a rather open secret.”

“Huh?”

“Gesselle Organa is pregnant… with her lover Blent’s child. With Charle out of the picture, his cousins and siblings will not want a woman like Gesselle on the throne. Bad enough she’s a commoner. But she’s an adulteress too, one who showed rank ingratitude by disrespecting the man who elevated her to nobility. Without Charle Organa to keep them in line, the House will fall apart.”

“A wise plot, dear Uncle. But what of the Jedi? The one who wiped out two legions by himself?”

“He will be drawn further from the politics as time goes on,” Jharkus assured her. “Remember; he’s not here for the Organas. He’s here for Darth Angral’s pet project. All we have to do, is survive the next few days. Long enough to return to friendly lines.”

The tent flaps were parted to allow his guests inside. Duke Charle followed his bodyguard, Heronus. He was dressed in robes that did the bare minimum of meeting the criterion ‘befitting his station’. He had nothing on him that might count as something to surrender, except for an old sword.

“Baron Jharkus.”

“Duke Charle,” Baron Thul smiled and bowed. “Thank you for calling me by my name, and not my epithet.”

“Of course. Today, I meet the man, not the wolf.”

“I am only ever the man, my good Duke. You do your ancestors proud, by adhering so admirably to their espoused virtues as well as you do.”

“As do you. House Thul lost their way for a while, but the old ways are strong in you. If only you served the Republic, instead of the Empire, I would have offered to back your claim to the throne.”

Jharkus beamed at that.

“And you are… Lady Elana Thul, am I correct?”

“That’s right, Duke Organa,” Elana curtseyed. “I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Word of your integrity had reached me when I was a babe in my crib.”

“At the end of the day, what people say of us can outlast our flesh by centuries. I do hope the things said about you are things you can be proud of. I predict you have a long career ahead of you.”

“What a nice thing to say,” Elana smiled. “Truly, I am glad to hear your encouragement.”

The duke bowed again. Jharkus knew the man’s reputation. He was as honest as he was cultured. There was no way he’d have spoken untrue words, even as idle pleasantry. Just what did he know about Elana? What did he know about his Family?

“Shall we begin our discussion?”

“Of course. I’m sure, that you want me in exchange for my people.”

“That is one of my demands. The other, is that you order your people to let us depart for House Thul’s lands. A ceasefire would be nice too, though perhaps that’s a bit much to ask for.”

“You hope that my absence would be enough for House Organa to fall apart.”

“General Gesselle is a worthy commander, but not a woman your House would rally behind.”

“For all your cunning, you do not understand House Organa. My family will do what is right, even if it’s hard.”

“Perhaps my move is earmarked for failure then,” Jharkus sighed. “I suppose it happens to those who gamble. Unfortunately, this is all I can manage right now. Your new Paladin destroyed most of the army allocated to defeating your Family.”

“How do you know that I made him a Paladin?”

“Oh, come now, Duke! You have eighteen thousand people in your city. Surely you can’t believe they’re all loyal to you?”

“What do you know that I don’t?”

“Why, that’s a topic for several books! And I’m sure there’s much you know, that I don’t! Something we can both discuss, later. Once your escort is safely returned to your gates. You may keep your servants, if they choose to stay. They will look after you in your captivity.”

“There is no need. They have been ordered to return to Castle Organa. They will continue to serve my House, and the war effort. I trust your reputation, Jharkus. You will not mistreat your prisoners. Even if you don’t… I deserve this. To have allowed you to take so many of my people hostage… what a blunder that was.”

“Yes. To be honest, I didn’t expect that to go as well as it did. Didn’t Gesselle oppose you… oh, of course. She is grieving for her closest friend. Anyone can make a mistake in that state.” He tsked. “Let’s set that aside for now. Let’s prepare our message to your Family.”

The tent flaps parted, and Lord Gustab entered. Not only was the Sith young, he was one of the lowest ranking Sith in the Alderaan system, so he didn’t have that air of arrogance yet. “Pardon the intrusion, My Lords. There’s an urgent call coming in from Darth Angral.”

“Angral? What does he want—”

“That’s Lord Angral to you, Baron,” a voice barked over his holo. The frightening visage of the Butcher of Coruscant appeared in the air above it. “And I have a very simple directive for you. Someone of your reputation should be able to understand this. I want that Jedi, the one who broke the final siege of the Organas.”

“I’m afraid I can’t comply with that request, my Lord. He is beyond us. Only a fellow Sith should be able to capture him for you—”

“Gustab told me you have hostages. Use them. Demand the boy’s surrender, and he will fall over himself to save those pitiful lives.”

“But my Lord, I have already concluded negotiations to release them—”

“Baron Thul. You seem to be under the impression that I was giving you a choice. Capture the four-armed freak, and put him on the shuttle that will arrive at Thul Palace tomorrow. If you comply, I will send you some reinforcements for your war. Fail me, and you will die a painful death.” His eyes travelled to Elana, whom Duke Charle reflexively tried to shield from view. “Gustab. Take the girl.” All eyes jumped to Elana, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “If the Baron does not succeed, he will live knowing that his kinswoman will be my plaything.”

Gustab drew his Lightsaber and advanced on Elana, who started screaming. “Please! Don’t do this! I—I’m an ally of the Empire! Call Akahte, or Darth Zash! They can vouch for me—”

“Zash may be a Darth… but she isn’t even in the middle of the food chain. I, on the other hand, rank near the very top. I am a mere step beneath the Dark Council.”

“Darth Malgus,” Duke Charle spoke up in a strong, voice, but pleading. “I am Duke Charle. I was just taken prisoner by Baron Thul. The Baron is an honorable man, who does not like seeing his prisoners treated badly. Take me, instead. It will be just as painful for him, and a blow on his prestige.”

Jharkis wanted to kiss the man. He knew he might be consigned to a painful death, but he hadn’t hesitated. He had stepped up, to save Elana. By all rights, his enemy.

Gustab looked at Angral, clearly favouring this idea as well. But Angral scoffed after a long moment. “Gustab… kill the duke for speaking out of turn. Then take the girl hostage. Bring me his head, too. A neat little trophy it will make.”

Gustab hesitated no further. He moved to stab the duke. Jharkis drew his blaster and fired on Gustab—thanking his stars that he had a habit of leaving it on stun. But Gustab’s lover entered the fray. Eklarie was a low-level Sith, just like Gustab, but much less friendly. She cut the blaster out of the Baron’s hand, but Jharkus was already moving. He drew his rapier and dashed in front of Organa, ready to protect his prisoner to the death— “HRRK!”

Only to find himself lifted several feet into the air by the invisible hand on his throat. Angral smiled at him mockingly as Gustab slew Organa and took his head, after which both he and Eklarie took a screaming Elana out of the tent. Gustab looked at the baron apologetically, but there was no coming back from this. I will kill you, if I can. Slowly!

Angral dropped the baron to the ground, laughing. “What an amusing little show you put on for me! I have a reward for you.”

A reward?

“Two further terms for the girl’s safe release. Put the good Duke’s body on a spike and display it for all the Organa to see. In addition, once the Jedi is safely in your grasp, you will slaughter your hostages in front of him. Record his screams for me. I want to hear him tearfully shout ‘But you promised!’” The cruel Sith slapped his belly, nearly falling over himself laughing as his holo vanished.

Jharkus dropped to his knees and sobbed like a child. He wept for Elana, that sweet but pragmatic girl. He wept for gallant Duke Charle Organa, whose spirit of self-sacrifice had moved him to protect an enemy without second thought. Why, why had it come to this?

*

The young Knight was ushered into Jharkus’ tent not long after. He had come alone.

He uttered a foul oath when he saw Duke Charle’s headless body, but stopped short of attacking Jharkus when he saw his enemy’s tear-stained face. “What happened here?”

“Angral happened,” Jharkus croaked. “I was just about to conclude a peaceful solution, when Angral interrupted.” He swallowed. What was his pride, when compared to Elana’s life? A life that the noblest Duke had given his own life to protect? He would play the part the butcher had demanded. “I am to take you prisoner, in exchange for all the hostages. Surrender, or they will all be executed.”

The Jedi’s face darkened for a moment, then he tilted his head and snorted. “Very nice threat. ‘A’ for effort. But your heart’s not quite into it. I’m glad acting isn’t one of your many talents. Now, stop wasting our time, and tell me what really happened here.”

He helped Jharkus into a chair, listening carefully to all he had to tell him.

“So what you’re saying is, that you want to get me to Darth Angral, to save Lady Thul’s life? Not such a bad trade, is it? After all, I’m trying to meet the good Darth myself.”

Jharkus took a moment to register the words. “What are you plotting?”

“Take me to Thul Palace, as Angral demanded. Once there, I will help you free Elana. From there, I can take his own shuttle back to Angral’s ship. I really need to show that coward how to kiss the floor.”

“I would give both my arms to see you do that,” Baron Jharkus said in the most severe tones he had ever used. “That man… the word ‘butcher’ does not come close to encapsulating his cruelty!”

“Glad you’re onboard.” He knelt down to the body beside Baron Jharkus and pressed his forehead to the chest. “I’m sorry, Duke Charle. I promise, your death won’t be in vain.”

“I also swear,” Baron Jharkus mirrored the boy’s gesture, though it wasn’t an Alderaanian one. It felt appropriate. “I will save the life you sacrificed your own for. I will honor your nobility.”

*

[dirthara-dalen]

“Interesting, he's not here yet.”

Cain was not surprised by Orgus' reaction to him. He stared at the lightsaber blade pointed in his direction for a few moments.

“Before you say anything or accuse me of anything, you need to know that I am here to deliver information to my brother. I may know how to locate Nefarid.”

Orgus clearly had questions but said nothing as Ligastar entered the small building. He was clearly surprised to find his brother had taken the risk to get through the republic defense just to speak to him. 

“Cain? What are you doing here?”

“Listen, I don't have a lot of time as I had a little run in with Nefarid’s spy and as a result of said run in I've been marked.”

Cain explained what he had learnt about Duke Horis. He suggested to his brother that he should go and have a little chat with the duke. Ligastar of course questioned how he would get in and out quickly to which he had an answer, a disguise. Cain produced a holo disguise to Ligastar that would allow him to take on his appearance thus fooling the Thul soldiers. When he asked why he would not be joining him, Cain explained given the fact he had been marked he would be hanging back a bit but would help his brother deal with Nefarid.

[swtor-letters]

Class: Jedi Knight

Alignment: Dark Side

Planet: Alderaan

From: Duke Horis Thul

Subject: Lord Nefarid

Congratulations on stopping Lord Nefarid, for both our sakes. Alderaan is in your debt, and I owe you my life. Hous Thul does not forget it’s friends.

I never thought I would have more in common with a Jedi than a Sith, but when you urged me to end the life of that traitorous spy Aleyna Hark as she lay unconscious at our feet, I realized we were cut from the same cloth.

Stand. Endure. Prevail.

Duke Horis Thul

Attachment(s): Green Resistance Crystal

[erichan-legacy]

[dirthara-dalen]

(Finally got my new pc up and running so I can finally continue posting.)

Cain had been tasked with locating or at least attempting to locate Lord Nefarid before he could use the death mark again. Achieving this was far harder than he had expected. As he was snooping around the Thul estate he learnt that Duke Horis may know where Nefarid is. He had to get this information to his brother. As he was leaving the Thul estate, he literally ran into a mirialran woman named Aleyna. Apparently she had escaped republic custody after they learnt she was a Thul spy. With every word she spoke Cain could sense she was lying. He didn't have time to press her for the truth given the urgency of his task. As he walked away he could hear her almost snickering. 

“Farewell, my lord…just remember to watch your back.”

By the time he had turned back around to address her, she was gone. It didn't take long for him to realize what she meant by her words. He had been marked and was now running out of time.

[swtorpadawan]

An Intriguing Assessment

Author’s Notes: The following comes a few weeks after the conclusion of the class stories.

To:          Jedi Master Corellan Halcyon

From:    Jedi Grandmaster Satele Shan, Jedi Council

CC:         Barsen’thor Ulannium Kaarz, Jedi Council

Re:         Jedi Policies Regarding the planet of Voss

Master Corellan,

The Council has reviewed your report regarding your second mission to Voss.

To begin with, your encounter with the Children of the Emperor is naturally of great concern to us. We are thus far unaware of any other sign to suggest that some part of the Emperor survived your confrontation with him on Dromund Kaas. We are hopeful that Master Ulannium’s pursuit of the remaining Children may bring clarity to this matter. In the meantime, please keep us appraised of any further observations you or your crew may have regarding the Emperor. As always, the Council appreciates your unique insights into this situation. I am convinced that you remain the galaxy’s best defense against his plans.

Second, I have read your detailed reports on both of your trips to Voss, as well as the report submitted to me by Master Ulannium.

Upon reflection and consultation with the Council, I must agree with your position – echoed by Ambassador Janik’s reports to the Republic – that the Order’s policies and attitudes regarding the Voss and their Mystics require reassessment.

To that end, I will address a number of specific issues you have raised in your report:

1)      The Council accepts the preliminary findings that a previously unrecorded conflict between the Jedi and the Sith took place on Voss millennia ago, and that the result of this conflict led, in part, to the current divide between the Voss and Gormak. This is an important lesson for the Order that although we may have a duty to oppose the actions of the Sith, we must never forget that we have a greater responsibility to protect the innocent.

2)      Jedi archeological teams will, with the consent of the Voss, explore and document the ancient ruins of the ancient Jedi, to learn what led to their mistakes so that we might learn from them. We will also attempt to learn more about the rise of this Sel-Makor entity you encountered. You have my assurance that these teams will have sufficient escort to defend themselves from the Gormak, as well as provocations from the Empire. Any future expeditions will be particularly wary of the so-called Nightmare Lands and will carefully observe the ritual you describe to ward against the effects of such a corrupted place.

3)      The Council acknowledges that further study of the Gormak is critical to the long-term goal of allowing peace to come to Voss. Determining if the Gormak’s aggressive nature is the result of exposure to the Dark Side or of their social situation with the Voss people will be made a priority. In the meantime, we will attempt to avoid direct conflict with the Gormak if possible. Further, if the Voss allow, Jedi healers will examine this Gormak King known Jokull. Given his reputation, and his association with this Sel-Makor entity you opposed, the Council must commend you for defeating him without ending his life. It is possible he may help heal the wounds of that world.

4)      In light of your concerns and our own observations, the ‘failed Mystics’ who came to the Jedi Order for training as Padawans have been reassigned from Master Delsa to Master Halykus, who we feel will provide a better environment for their education. Master Delsa is a highly dedicated Jedi who has provided many years of invaluable service to the Order and to the Republic, but it is clear to us that his talents are best used elsewhere.

5)      The Council accepts your explanation that returning the Mirr artifact to the Voss Mystics was the appropriate choice. Jedi Knight Sallus Wen’s position that the artifact should have been destroyed is understandable considering its dark-side nature, but deliberately deceiving an ally acting in good faith was not the appropriate response. Knight Wen has been reassigned from his position on Voss.

6)      In light of your report regarding Padawan Kosh, he has been commended for his actions and will soon begin the trials for Knighthood here on Tython once we are satisfied that he has recovered from his ordeal on Voss. We thank both of you and your team for the recovery of these ancient Jedi artifacts which are even now being studied by our scholars in the Archives here on Tython. The death of Master Bacara is, of course, a great loss to the Order. We accept your recommendation that Kosh not be deployed on missions back to Voss again until he has fully processed the loss of his master.

On a personal note, I was touched by your accounting of Tala-Reh’s sacrifice to destroy Sel-Makor and to protect her people. The dedication of the Voss is impressive, indeed.

I commend you for your deft handling of matters on Voss, and for your report. Your commitment to the truth and for upholding the principles of the Jedi Order are commendable. I promise you that going forward, the Council will proceed with knowledge, not ignorance, with respect to that world. The Jedi code requires no less of us.  

Finally, the Council grants your request for you and your crew to travel to Alderaan to observe diplomatic matters developing on Alderaan, given your amicable interactions with Duke Horis Thul during your previous stay there. But on that note, I would be remiss not to acknowledge that your recent operations these last several months – including your brief stay with us on Tython – have proceeded at a pace that would tax any Jedi far beyond what we would normally allow.

Please take some time to rest and recover, Corellan. You’ve more than earned it.

May the Force be with you.

-          Master Satele    

Author’s Notes: When Satele told Corellan to relax on Alderaan, she probably didn’t mean that he and Kira should go learn to ski. Or that they should – you know – get engaged or something. *shrugs*

For that story, check this out.

I like the character of Satele Shan. I like to think that when people actually tell her “Hey – half the Jedi on this planet are acting like idiots” that she would actually get on that. I accept the fact that when you’re the leader of a massive organization of individuals, sometimes the proper information doesn’t trickle up to you. That’s life. The question is, do you correct the problem when it is shown to you? I like to think she would.

Poor Satele asked Corellan for a detailed report of his time on Voss. Corellan is dedicated and has an eidetic memory, so I think she had some late-night reading ahead of her.

You encounter most of the characters I mentioned as NPCs on Voss, albeit several only appear in the Bonus Missions. Delsa, in particular, is an ass-hat who bitches about having to teach Voss to be Jedi. Fuck him. (Tagging @swtor-writers-guild​ )