Star Forge - Chapter 7

NOTE:
I'll still be posting chapters of this story. I'm enjoying writing it and would like to share.
~

Any possibility of assassinating Palpatine before he got too powerful was foiled by my recovery time. I was still on the fence about killing him, but it was nice to have the option. The perfect time would have been when he arrived on Naboo to celebrate. Send a droid into his ship with an explosive device near the hyperdrive set to explode once it is activated. Boom. No more Emperor. It was probably for the best. I had no idea what would happen next, and my knowledge of the setting would be worthless. It wouldn't even be certain that his death would prevent the Clone Wars.

I woke up four days later. They weren't able to reattach my arm, but they did take the opportunity to fit me with a replacement. My crew, the Queen, and her Handmaidens were waiting for me when I woke up. They were considerate enough to place my armor nearby and wait in another room until it was on. I hadn't realized how accustomed I had become to wearing it. At first, it had been a way to hide my origins. Now, it felt like a part of me. The evidence that it had kept me alive was told in each newly earned mark. A few blaster shots from various droids dotted along my leg armor. The places Maul's lightsaber hit my bracers had left a strip of charred paint. My armor that covered my chest and torso got the worst of it. A couple of lightsaber marks and a smattering of blaster damage mingled with the turret fire from the slavers vault. Oddly enough, my helmet was untouched.

"Please refrain from covering your prosthetic for the next twelve hours," the medical droid said as I reached for my bracer.

Funny thing, the bracer was intact with some discoloring where the blade had gotten too close. The 'skin' over the prosthetic matched the rest of my body making it clear I wasn't human.

"Were there any visitors?" I asked the droid.

My new hand was making it tricky to get my armor in place.

"No," the droid replied. "Your preferences for privacy were honored. A boy claiming to be your mechanic was rather insistent that he see you."

"That's Anakin," I said with a smile. "He is my mechanic. Did he cause any trouble?"

"Noted," the droid said. "No. While he was worried, one of the Queens Handmaidens was able to keep him occupied."

I smirked at that. Good for him. Maybe they'd get together in this timeline too. After fumbling more than I would like I finally finished getting my armor settled.

"You can let them in," I said once my helmet was on and sealed.

I took a deep breath and let it out. My body released some tension that I didn't know I had. I cocked my head to the side.

"The air tastes different," I said.

"It's a common side-effect from prolonged bacta exposure," the droid explained. "It should fade within the next twenty-four hours."

I nodded to show I had heard them. One of the little grabbed that the droid used as hands split into a cluster of a dozen thin strands. They weren't exactly needles, but they still made my skin crawl.

"Please extend your arm," the droid ordered.

I glared at it under my helmet as I did.

"This will measure the sensitivity and attunement of the prosthetic," the droid explained.

The strands were flexible instead of solid as I had thought. A series of random sensations covered the prosthetic.

"Any discomfort?" The droid asked.

"No," I replied.

"Excellent," the droid said. "Are you willing to accept visitors?"

I nodded. The speaker on my helmet muted to prevent my voice from being heard.

"Interface," I said.

[Research Complete – Second Generation Droids Available]

I had forgotten about that. Fighting Darth Maul and getting my arm cut off was a bit distracting. I opened the Droid Manufacturing Control Panel. The UI had the option to order production as well as customization. I'd have to play around with that later. Designing some droids that had a Mandalorian style to them would be fun.

[Research – Third Generation Droids – 10 Days]
[Balance: 1900 Forge Points]
[Roll –Shop – Research]

Roll.

• [COST: 100 CP]

• [ITEM: The Heart of the Guardian]
  [The Heart of the Guardian is an ancient crystal used by the redeemed Jedi Master Revan. When placed inside a lightsaber this crystal provides a powerful enhancement. The blade will become a fast yet devastatingly sharp blade. This can be used to upgrade any lightsaber to a much higher level. Perhaps you could learn how to recreate the crystal by studying it.]

• [Purchase – Bookmark – Dismiss]

Purchase.

I felt a slight shift of weight of one of the pouches on my belt.

• [Balance: 1800 Forge Points]

Roll.

• [Cost: 600 CP]

• -REDACTED-
  [The Bounty Hunter Guild has, for millennia, provided morally ambiguous services to both legal and private entities. There have been organizations that offer more definite solutions to the problems of customers concerns. One such group was [REDACTED], originally a tool for maintaining the political stability of the Republic. Some claim they were destroyed millennia ago, others that they were merely subverted by an ambitious killer. Regardless, you seem to have gained the skills of one of their members. An elite assassin almost without peer in this galaxy, there are very few you couldn’t kill. Whether through the use of obscure Sith born poisons or from hundreds of kilometers away with a scoped rifle, you deliver death with a nigh absolute certainty to your targets. You’d become incredibly infamous on the galactic scene if you ever deigned to leave proof of your actions.]

"Damn," I muttered. "Purchase. Roll."

• [COST: 200 CP]

• [Political Advisor]
  [A junior politician who has attached themselves to you, an arrangement you agreed to for the mutual benefit. While you might be more experienced in the political arena, they are talented at determining what the public desires and what their reactions to various policies would be. It’s up to you whether you regard them with mutual respect or see them only as an asset.]

• [Purchase – Bookmark – Dismiss]

"Dismiss," I sighed.

• [Balance: 1200 Forge Points]

That was a good sign to wait on further rolls. I didn't need to waste my points on useless stuff. Another person to add to the crew would be nice, though I doubted a Political Advisor would have any applicable skills. Two good pulls were plenty. Further exploration with the Interface could wait.

Anakin was the first one through the doors. The Queen, her handmaidens, and Qui-Gon followed shortly after. Padme seemed to be rather fond of Anakin in the short time they had been together.

I noted the stray looks at my exposed arm. It was too late now.

"Thanks for this," I held up the prosthetic.

"The people of Naboo, and I, thank you for your assistance in recent events," the Queen used her 'formal' voice. "We provided the best care available in your recovery."

"I appreciate it," I said with a small bow. "My apologies for not delivering Nute Gunray as requested."

"Extenuating circumstances," the Queen said. "Is there any other reward you wish to request?"

"No," I shook my head. "Thank you, your majesty."

"I will contact you if another situation arises," The Queen said.

"I will do my best to answer," I replied with a small bow.

"Are you ok?" Anakin said as soon as Padme had stopped talking. "Did you really fight a Sith? Did you kill him? How did you get your arm chopped off?"

"Yes, yes, and he was good with a lightsaber," I replied kneeling to get on his level. "It was a rough reminder I need to work on my swordsmanship."

"I tried to get in to visit you," Anakin said earnestly. "That droid wouldn't let me. He didn't believe I was your mechanic."

"I corrected him," I said with a quick look at the droid. "He was following orders, so don't get too mad at him. I asked that they give me privacy while I was…" I searched for the right word. "Exposed."

"Oh!" Anakin said. "Because of the trust thing."

"Exactly," I said with a smile in my voice.

"May I speak with Kiskin in private?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Of course, Master Jedi," the Queen replied giving him a slight side-eye.

The group turned to leave, only Sabe hung behind for a moment. She took a couple of steps toward me.

"I'm glad you're doing better," she smiled shyly at me.

"Thank you," I replied.

She was a bit young for me. I didn't know the laws on Naboo, or the galaxy in general. Regardless, it made me feel icky to think of it further. Sabe hurried to catch up to the Queen.

"I think she likes you," Anakin whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Sabe moved much quicker.

"I'm too old for her," I replied.

"You're not that old," Anakin glared at me. "My mom is older than you."

"I'm not sure about that," I chuckled. "Do you want to stick around for the conversation?"

Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows at that. Anakin looked from me then the Jedi. He scrunched his forehead in thought. After a moment he shook his head.

"The ship needs a few more patches," Anakin sighed, sounding much older than he was. "It was a rough landing."

"You did amazing," I patted him on the shoulder with my normal arm.

He smiled brightly at me before he raced out of the room leaving me alone with Qui-Gon. Aside from the droids that is. I shifted my gaze from Anakin to Qui-Gon, waiting for him to speak.

"Are you certain it was a Sith you fought?" He finally asked.

"Red lightsaber," I counted off the items on my fingers. "He had no problem killing those three without warning. Plus, his eyes were like fire. Orange in the middle with red around the edge. That sounds like a Sith to me." I unhooked Maul's lightsaber from my belt and held it out to him. "Take this to show your council."

Qui-Gon inclined his head as he took the lightsaber. I realized then that my own weapon was missing.

"Your lightsaber was caught in the flames," Qui-Gon explained.

"Fuck," I growled.

Anakin, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan looked at me in confusion. The intent was clear, but they didn't recognize the word.

"If you don't mind me asking," Qui-Gon moved the conversation along, he motioned to my arm.

"I like the color red," I replied flatly.

He flashed an amused grin.

"The Council is very interested in this Sith Lord," Qui-Gon continued. "Are there any details we might have overlooked?"

"The was the Apprentice," I stated. "He would have killed me in a moment if he had been a master. I was able to play his pride against him."

"That is," he paused for a moment. "Concerning."

"I have thoughts," I replied. "Follow me to my ship."

He bowed and motioned toward the door. I followed the path that my helmet had marked on the way in. Thankfully, the ship didn't look bad, aside from some cosmetic damage to the hull. Anakin had done a great job fixing things.

Obi-Wan joined him as we entered the ship. I closed the airlock and made sure it was secure. The two Jedi shared a look. I waved them to follow me further into the ship. Shmi, Mette, Adyan, and Anakin were already inside. They noticed my arrival as well as my guests. Mette and Adyan were rather interested in the color of my new arm. I would need to discuss it with them later.

"I know who the Sith is," I said. "It's best if you figure it out on your own."

"Why is that?" Qui-Gon asked.

"That way you can explain it to your council," I replied. "Who benefited from this? Not the Trade Federation. Neither did Naboo."

"They did," Obi-Wan cut in. "Senator Palpatine was elected the new Chancellor."

The Padawan paused. A myriad of thoughts played across his face.

"Fortunate for him," I said. "A well-connected Senator from a prosperous and harmless world. He warns the Queen that the Senate won't help her. Obviously, it's the Chancellors failing that has caused such discourse. If only there was a charismatic individual that could leverage the current crisis to further their goals. Thanks to some timely intervention, the planet is saved, there is a new Chancelor, and everyone is celebrating a return to peace rather than asking questions."

"He didn't want the Queen to return to Naboo, or for us to accompany her," Obi-Wan countered.

"What did he lose by her coming back?" I asked the young man. "He could have used her to gain more sympathy. If he kept her away long enough she may have given in to the Trade Federation. Either option works out in his favor."

"The Chancelor is a Sith Lord?" Qui-Gon stated more than asked. "The council didn't sense him. A Master of the Dark Side would certainly be too powerful to miss."

"Powerful enough to hide in plain sight as well," I said building on his statement. "The Sith are rather adept at being unnoticed."

Qui-Gon twirled the hair of his beard on his chin as he thought.

"You have given us a lot to consider," the Jedi Master said after a moment. "Thank you, Kiskin Aurelian. I hope it is under better circumstances when we meet again."

"We can hope," I agreed.

The two Jedi excused themselves. My crew gathered once the air lock was sealed once more, and we had our privacy. I motioned for them to sit, then waited.

"You're not a Zeltron," Mette spoke quickly. "I've been around them. You don't feel like one. That helmet doesn't have enough room for horns. Not a Devaronian or Nikto. Obviously, you're not a Twi'lek or a Togruta."

"What are you?" Adyan interrupted.

"I'll tell you one of these days," I replied. "If you stick around."

"He only tells people he trusts," Anakin said puffing up a little.

"You know?" Mette huffed. "Both of you?"

Shmi nodded. Mette grumbled something under her breath. Adyan simply studied me as though she'd somehow see through my armor.

"Fine," Adyan sighed shaking her head. "Until then."

We moved from the lounge area into the cockpit. Adyan and Anakin began the pre-flight check as Shmi and Mette followed a step behind me.

"Zepplin is ready to go," Adyan said as she studied the control panel.

"What do we do now?" Anakin asked as we sat in the cockpit.

Adyan was in the pilot seat with Anakin beside her while I sat in an auxiliary position behind them. Mette and Shmi stood in the doorway.

"We deserve a vacation," I replied.

The two Twi'lek perked up at the word. Shmi gave a small smile, which I counted as a victory considering she was still unsure about me. To be fair to her, we hadn't known each other for very long at all.

"Huh?" Anakin asked scrunching his brow.

"A vacation," I repeated. "Getting my arm cut off has earned for rest and relaxation."

"Oh," Anakin settled back in his chair.

I watched a silent conversation play across his face.

"Have you ever seen snow?" I asked.

His eyes widened at the word. Slowly, almost like I'd change my mind, he shook his head.

"That makes it easier," I activated the galaxy map for everyone to see. "From what I've heard, Alderaan is beautiful."

"You said you had a bad feeling about Alderaan," Shmi said.

The two Twi'lek and Anakin turned to look at me.

"The future is always in motion," I said.

"What does that mean?" Mette asked.

"Things change," I replied with a chuckle. "I'm still not going to retire there and wouldn't recommend you do either."

"Ok," Adyan said with forced brevity. "Are there other options?"

We waited in silence for a beat.

"Alderaan it is," Adyan sighed. "It'll take about a day to get to the Corellian Trade Spine. We'll ride that for a few days before we have to drop back into sub-light. Settle in, people, we've got some time."

~

We had plenty of time in sub-light for me to adjust for me to get bored. My missing lightsaber was starting to get more noticeable as the day went on. I hadn’t used it beyond the fight with Maul, but I still felt its loss.

"Anakin," I called as I made my way to the cargo bay. "Do you want to help me make a lightsaber?"

Anakin squeed and hurried to follow me. He practically vibrated when we arrived at the workbench. It was meant for minor ship maintenance and such, but it had the tools I needed. Making a lightsaber wasn't as hard as I had expected. The hilt wasn't difficult. It was the internal mechanisms that were the tricky bits. As odd as it sounded, the Force guided me through the construction. Anakin somehow stayed quiet through it all. It wasn't until time for the crystal that he made a noise.

"What's that?" He asked barely above a whisper.

"The Heart of the Guardian," I replied. "It's a kyber crystal, you can't make a lightsaber without it." I paused. "Turning it on now would fry the internals. You don't want that."

The parts of the saber floated in the air before me. I closed my eyes and let the Force flow around me and the lightsaber. The parts appeared in my mind as precise currents of air rotated the pieces until they were aligned. Clicks of metal fitting into place echoed through the room. The crystal glowed brightly in the Force as it slipped perfectly into the cradle. I felt the pieces lock into shape and a sense of rightness settled into my very being.

I opened my eyes to see my newly assembled lightsaber. The hilt was utilitarian and fit nicely in my grip. I could hold is easily in one hand and snuggly with two. It had a nice weight to it that made it feel more real than the one I had lost. I could sense the crystal within.

The blade sang as I activated it. A sharp, light-purple blade emerged with the familiar snap-hiss. It sent a shiver down my spine. Revan was a drama queen, who would have guessed?

"Wow," Anakin whispered.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Wow."

• [I See You Have Constructed a New Lightsaber]
  +100 FP

• [Roll – Bank – Shop]

ROLL.

• [COST: 100 FP]

• [ITEM: Rebreather]
  [Those with sufficient training can hold their breath for a surprisingly long time. For the beginners, or those that will need to exert themselves for a longer period of time, this device can easily be held in the user’s mouth in order to supply fresh air for up to an hour before it needs to refill itself. Useful for diving.]

• [Purchase – Bookmark – Dismiss]

My helmet already did that.

DISMISS.

• [Balance: 1300 Forge Points]

• [Roll – Shop – Research]

The 'Roll' option was calling me in a siren song. Thirteen hundred points was just too much to be left there. I could probably find some interesting stuff to purchase.

"Could I make one?" Anakin asked.

His voice snapped me out of the fugue.

"Not until you get a crystal," I replied shaking my head. "It's part of your training."

"What are we waiting for then?" Anakin practically yelled as he skipped over to the open area of the cargo bay. "Let's do some training!"

I smiled under my helmet. There was no way I was going to let this kid get twisted in darkness.

~

I didn't remember falling asleep, but that was the only explanation. Currently, I was standing in the center of a spotlight. The room around me felt expansive, even if I couldn't actually see it. Everything outside of the ring of light were vague shapes and ghosts of sensations.

"Welcome, Kiskin," a voice from the shadows said.

It twisted and shifted with each word, somehow familiar while completely alien with each syllable. I searched for the source only to come up empty. My effort was met with a lilting laugh.

"You don't need to worry," the voice spoke. "We're not here to hurt you."

We. More than one. The hairs on my body were standing on end. My hands instinctively drifted to my holsters. I had grown accustomed to the weight of the blasters, as well as my newly built lightsaber. The fact that they were missing kicked my anxiety up a few notches.

"They wouldn't help you anyway," another voice dismissed.

"That doesn't make me feel better," I replied.

"It would be a waste of effort to harm you," the first voice said. "We've already invested time and effort into your adventures. You have an audience that would be upset too. Small, though it may be."

"You're the audience?" I asked.

"Mmm, no," the second voice chimed in. "We're the producers."

I stayed silent. It's better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're smart rather than open your mouth and prove them wrong.

"You've made some impactful changes already," the first voice said. "Killing Maul, saving Qui-Gon, and taking Anakin as your apprentice. The timeline is hanging by a thread."

"You wouldn't have put me here if you didn't want me to change things," I said.

"True," the first voice had a bit of cheer in their tone.

"This meeting is a status report?" I asked. "Will I remember this at all?"

"Of course," the first voice replied.

"Not a status report," the second voice added quickly. "A proposal."

I narrowed my eyes. This felt like a trap.

"What proposal?" I asked.

"The timeline is ready to collapse even if your plans fail," the first voice said.

"Why not have some fun?" The second voice asked. "What do you say about mixing things up?"

"How so?" I asked. Once again I really missed having my blasters.

"How do you feel about cross-overs?" The first voice sounded excited.

"They have to be done right," I replied after a moment.

"We have a deal for you," the second voice sounded closer now. "We activate cross-overs, which will open the timeline to alteration for the changes, and we'll give you three free rolls."

"What type of cross-overs are we talking about?" I asked. "I'd rather not have the Borg, or the Reapers show up due to a bad roll."

"Too boring," the first voice said.

"Galaxy ending events don't draw in an audience like they used to," the second voice sighed. "These would be subtle changes."

"Mostly," the other added.

I took a deep breath and let it out. If they were to be believed, these voices were the reason I was here. They could make my life hell if I pissed them off. The fact that they were asking felt like a curtesy rather than a requirement.

"Fine," I said.

"Yay! I have plans!" The second voice said clapping.

~

My head snapped up as my helmet clacked against my chest-plate. Mette tried to hide her smile. She sat across from me in the lounge area. There was a partially disassembled part of a droid on the table between us.

"Tired?" She asked with a small tease in her voice.

"Must be," I muttered.

The last whispers of a dream faded. I could swear I heard clapping for some reason.

"Where were we?" I asked.

"Refitting the actuator," Mette prompted.

"Right," I straightened my posture as I spoke. "The B1 droids need frequent repairs. They can be produced in bulk but the quality drops. Their actuators are a common issue."

I continued to teach the young Asari.

Wait.

Asari.

That wasn't right. Mette had been a blue Twi'lek. Asari didn't exist in Star Wars.

"Do I have something on my face?" Mette asked as she squirmed in her seat. "Did I do something wrong? Is the droid going to explode?"

"No," I shook my head. "Lost in thought. Where's Adyan?"

"In the cockpit," there was a question in her voice.

"Wait here," I stood and walked with purpose to the cockpit.

Adyan sat at the controls. She was deeply focused on the various switches and blinking lights. Her lekku subtly twitched every so often. She was still a Twi'lek. The 'dream' I had was clear enough now for me to remember the last bit of the conversation.

"Subtle," I muttered. "Right."

At least no one else seemed to notice. A blinking notification on my HUD grabbed my attention.

• [Complication Added: Retroactive Merge]
  [All changes would be undergone unnoticeable for general population, for them it would look like the world was like this all the time and only you would be aware of the changes. Everyone will think you're crazy if you try to tell them otherwise. All materials and memories of the fictional worlds you chosen would be scrubbed or replaced by something else in this new world.]

I tried to search through the knowledge that I had of any other changes. There was a disconnect between my fan-knowledge and how it applied to the actual world. Retroactive Merge meant I couldn't directly ask someone what had changed without sounding crazy. My knowledge had adapted to include the new information either. I would need to dig through the holo-net for answers or adjust as I encountered something. It looked like I was going to be spending the rest of the trip studying.

"Anakin," I called as I returned to the lounge.

"Yeah?" The boy looked the same, aside from a few more streaks of grease.

"Could you take over teaching Mette how to fix the droids?" I asked. "I need to do some research."

"Sure," Anakin smiled at me.

I activated the Warehouse key on the door to my private quarters. It closed quickly after me. The droid ship still loomed, incredibly large across from me.

"Could we change this?" I asked whoever was listening. "It's an eyesore."

The Warehouse around me shimmered and shifted. I watched as the ship melted away, merging with the space around me. The droid factory emerged from the floor, taking shape as a connected room. My Warehouse, which had been stretched beyond logic moment before, now looked like its namesake. The space was split into three rooms. First, the main space of the original Warehouse. Second, the droid factory. Third, a hangar. The style of the walls, floors, and ceiling had adjusted to a mixture of the space-ship and standard concrete. I tried not to think about it too much.

Truthfully, I didn't need to use the Warehouse for some silent focus, but the disconnect helped. My new life had just grown more complicated. I needed time to adjust, time to get some information, and somewhere I could freak out a bit.

The Warehouse fit all those needs. I removed my helmet and took a couple of deep breaths. When that didn't help I screamed until I ran out of air. The Warehouse was big enough for the sound to echo. For some reason, that helped. I continued to gather air then screamed until my voice was ragged.

Now, with that out of the way, it was time to do some research.