                                Star Wars 

                           Wizard's RPG Stories

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          upload : 10.IV.2006


     Jurisdiction

     Scenario Supplement for Night's Promise

     By Morrie Mullins

     Former Living Force Plot Director and Campaign Designer

     For years, Cularin has been a protectorate of neighboring Thaere. But  is
their dubious presence still needed, or even welcome? To  tackle  this  issue,
host Yara Grugara moderates a lively panel discussion  that  degenerates  into
insults and violence. This latest supplement to the Living Force campaign ties
into the September scenario, Night's Promise, the first  part  of  the  "Night
Eyes" trilogy.

     For years, Cularin has been  a  protectorate  of  Thaere,  a  neighboring
system. The absence of any standing military in Cularin made it necessary that
someone be appointed to defend its borders, and Thaere (with its sizable Navy)
was chosen by the Galactic Senate to fill this role. Over the past two  years,
Cularin's militia has been growing, and  with  it  has  grown  a  disdain  for
"protection" from outside the system. Individuals who call Cularin  home  have
begun to wonder what, precisely, Thaere has to  gain  from  this  arrangement.
Recent increases in patrols, coupled with many (unconfirmed) reports of secret
Thaereian bases throughout  the  system,  have  led  to  no  small  amount  of
discontent.

     Based on the popular outcry, a panel of experts was assembled to  discuss
issues relating to Thaere, the role its Navy plays  in  Cularin,  and  whether
Cularin's status as a protectorate should be re-evaluated. The  panel  invited
to the discussion and their affiliations are  listed  below.  Note  that  each
individual will only be identified by name (not affiliation) in the  reporting
of the dialogue.

     Colonel Hyx Modant: Bothan Envoy from the Thaereian Navy

     Osten Dal'Nay: Human Commander, Cularin Naval Militia

     Sa'arli: Tarasin Aide to Senator Lavina Wren

     Minos: Human Jedi Knight, Almas Academy

     Sgt. Yadfre: Trandoshan Personnel Liaison, Office of Peace and  Security,
Gadrin

     Yara Grugara: Moderator of the discussion, Cularin Central Broadcasting

     The panelists are arrayed around a circular  table.  Yara  sits  directly
opposite the holorecorder. She looks determined.  Directly  to  her  right  is
Sa'arli, a female Tarasin with a tattoo of a snakelike lizard whose tail  runs
from her jawline to up around her ear-slit.  To  Sa'arli's  right  is  Colonel
Modant, in full Thaereian military regalia. Directly on Yara's left is a Human
male of middle years wearing Jedi robes.  Beside  the  Jedi  is  a  Trandoshan
wearing an OPS uniform, and at the far end of  the  table  is  Osten  Dal'Nay,
Commander of the Cularin Militia naval forces. He is notably not  wearing  his
uniform today.

     Yara (smiling somewhat nervously at the holorecorder): Welcome,  Cularin,
to a discussion I'm  sure  you're  all  very  interested  in.  That  being,  a
discussion of the role of the Thaereian Navy inside  of  Cularin.  We  have  a
number of - -

     Colonel Modant: We can end the discussion before it  even  starts,  young
woman. Thaere has a mandate from the Galactic Senate to protect  Cularin,  and
we will continue to do so.

     Yara: Of course. Cularin, let me introduce  Colonel  Hyx  Modant  of  the
Thaereian Navy. We asked Admiral Tramsig to be here to talk to us  today,  but
he was too busy, so he sent - - what do you prefer,  Colonel?  Lackey,  toady,
errand-boy - - any preference?

     Modant: Call me "Sir."

     Yara: Uh-huh. Seated next to Sir, we have - -

     Modant: Colonel Modant.

     Yara: No, you're Colonel Modant. Next to  you  is  Sa'arli,  an  aide  of
Senator Wren's.

     Modant: No, call me Colonel Modant.

     Yara: Sir, you're not the only  person  on  this  panel,  and  you  can't
monopolize the discussion by constantly changing your mind about what you want
to be called. We'll never get to the issue at hand. Now, to my  left  we  have
Minos, a Knight at the academy here  in  Cularin,  to  his  left  is  Sergeant
Yadfre, of the Office of Peace and Security, and  at  the  far  end  is  Osten
Dal'Nay. Now, Osten - - can I call you Osten?

     Modant: You could call him "traitor".

     Osten doesn't so much as look at Modant.

     Osten: Osten is fine, thanks.

     Yara: Osten, you're the commander of the naval  portion  of  the  Cularin
Militia. Shouldn't you be in uniform?

     Osten: Yara, if I were here as a representative of the militia,  I  would
be. But I'm here as a representative of all  the  people  of  Cularin.  So  no
uniform.

     Yara: Fascinating. And you know, the shirt you've chosen... Sorry. I used
to do fashion pieces.  Force  of  habit.  We're  here  today  to  discuss  the
continued  presence  of  the  Thaereian  Navy  in  Cularin.  Good,   bad,   or
indifferent?

     Osten: Thaere's presence is no longer needed. We have our own militia. We
can take care of ourselves. The fact that they're here is just a holdover from
a time when we didn't have a militia. The people of Cularin do not need "help"
from places like Thaere, especially not when that "help" comes in secret bases
and ships hidden in Genarius!

     Modant applauds slowly.

     Modant: Bravo. Is that all? Because if that's the extent of the  argument
against Thaere, then I fear there's really no argument to be had. You  have  a
fledgling militia with a handful of ships  that's  run  by  a  traitor  and  a
Gungan. A Gungan. You couldn't protect yourselves from a mynock with digestive
problems.

     Osten: Not quite the way I would have characterized you, but not that far
off.

     Yara: Sir makes an interesting point.  Is  the  militia  able  to  defend
Cularin? And does it have to be the only defense  available  to  us?  Sergeant
Yadfre?

     Yadfre: What? Oh, um... well, the thing is, the militia, it seems like  a
good idea. And there are lots of other things, Cularin has defenses that  have
been here. Not military as such. OPS is one. I mean, not military. We  can  do
things.

     There is a short silence as Yadfre stops, and the others wait to  see  if
he has anything else to say. He doesn't.

     Yara: Right. Interesting point. Master Minos?

     Minos: I'm not a Master, just a Knight.

     Yara: Of course. Should I call you "Sir," too?

     Minos: Just Minos, thank you. One "Sir" at the table is enough.

     Yara laughs, perhaps a bit too loudly, and smiles broadly at  Minos.  She
looks as though she's flirting with the Jedi Knight.

     Minos: The point has been made a number of times of late, throughout  the
galaxy. The Jedi do not exist to fight wars. We can help to  keep  the  peace,
but ultimately, we are a small part of the system.

     Modant: And rather impotent to protect even your  own,  yes?  Isn't  that
something I heard you say, young woman, at a recent funeral?

     Minos looks ready to reply, but Yara cuts him off.

     Yara: I have apologized for that before. My director asked  for  a  crowd
shot, something with people fired up to defend their homes.  I  suggested,  as
part of a much longer speech that never aired, that  the  Jedi  might  not  be
capable of protecting the system -  -  which  by  themselves,  they  certainly
aren't, as Knight Minos just pointed out. But the portion of  my  speech  that
was made public, where I was seen saying  that  they  are  unable  to  protect
anyone, was taken out of context, and I very nearly quit my  job  over  it.  I
have apologized to the Jedi, and now I make a formal apology to the people  of
Cularin. I firmly believe that we are lucky to  have  so  many  Jedi  here  in
Cularin. And you, Sir...

     Minos: May I? Sir, we all become one with the Force, eventually. There is
no "protection" from that. What protection the Jedi provide is the  protection
of freedom, and the protection from tyranny. In many forms, and to the best of
our ability.

     Modant: I'm not sure what you're doing here, since there is no tyranny or
loss of freedom. Even Cularin's own Senator supports Thaere's presence.  Isn't
that correct?

     Sa'arli: It is.

     Her face colors, taking on shades of pink and orange, as she  speaks.  It
quickly returns to a neutral green.

     Modant: If the Senator supports Thaere, should  the  people  not  support
Thaere as well?

     Osten: Only if the people agree with the Senator. She could be wrong, you
know. Summary of the "Night Eyes" Trilogy  The  "protection"  offered  by  the
Thaereians often includes harsh justice - - harsh enough that many citizens of
Cularin have become increasingly resentful of the Thaereian presence.  Senator
Wren, however, maintains that Thaere has her support. Could she possibly  know
their cruelty?

     Modant: Ah, but she isn't, and if she were, would it matter? We're  here.
Only the direct intervention of the Senate can revoke our protective charter.

     Sa'arli: Technically, that's not true.

     Modant turns and glares at her. She ignores him.

     Yara: Oh? Do tell.

     Sa'arli: A Senatorial protectorate only retains that status  so  long  as
certain conditions are met. For instance, the protecting agency must be  loyal
to the Senate and the Supreme Chancellor.

     Modant: We are! Unequivocally.

     Sa'arli: Of course. In addition, the process of  life  in  the  protected
system cannot be disrupted by the protecting agency.

     Osten: You mean by doing things  like  kidnapping  Cularin  citizens  and
selling them into slavery?

     Modant: I have no idea what you're talking about.

     Osten: How about killing Cularin citizens?

     Modant: Cularin  citizens  kill  one  another  every  day.  Seems  to  be
something of a sport for  you.  If  Cularin  citizens  were  to  attack  duly-
appointed protectors, we would defend ourselves. We wouldn't be doing anything
you don't do to your own.

     Sa'arli: Would you two please take your egos and go outside, if you can't
be quiet?

     Minos chuckles. Yara smiles. Yadfre looks like he's  going  to  vomit  or
pass out, or both.

     Yara: Is that all?

     Sa'arli: No. The system can petition the Senate to revoke  its  protected
status. However, this will  be  successful  only  with  the  support  of  that
system's Senator - -

     Modant: Which you don't have, because Senator Wren supports  Thaere.  She
knows it's what's best for the system. Isn't that true?

     Sa'arli takes several long breaths before responding, and hints of  color
dart along the edges of her tattoo. When she speaks, the words are precise.

     Sa'arli: Senator Wren supports  the  continued  status  of  Thaere  as  a
protector of Cularin.

     Yara: That does make things difficult, doesn't it? Osten, thoughts?

     Osten: If all we have to do is show that Thaere  is  disrupting  life  in
Cularin to get these sadists out of our homes, then it's as good as done.

     Modant: You have no proof of anything.

     Osten: That you know of...

     Modant shakes his head and looks at Yara.

     Modant: This is the best you can do? I thought this was  going  to  be  a
reasonable, rational dialogue, and I get name-calling?

     Yara: That's not name-calling, Sir. Name calling would be... well...

     Osten: Evil monkey-lizards whose parents bred with banthas?

     Yara: That would be name-calling, yes.

     Modant: Young woman, are you trying to create a diplomatic incident?

     Sa'arli: I'm sure she isn't, since any diplomatic incident that  involved
someone like yourself might well bring the attention of the Senate on Thaere's
activities and the ongoing situation in Cularin,  distracting  them  from  the
Clone Wars. Is that accurate, Yara?

     Yara: Um... Minos?

     Minos: Stranger things have happened. Look - -  Colonel,  would  you  sit
down? - things are as they  are.  If  some  among  us  feel  that  Thaere  has
overstepped its bounds, our Tarasin friend has provided us  with  a  means  of
beginning the process of removing your  navy.  Barring  that,  the  people  of
Cularin can petition their Senator to change  her  stance  and  have  Thaere's
protective charter revoked.

     Modant: She won't do it.

     He almost sneers as he says the words, then rises.

     Modant: I've had enough of this nerf-herding. It's clear that you're  all
a bunch of malcontents with no shred of respect for the individuals  who  have
protected your borders.

     Osten: By blocking trade, seizing cargo, and conducting illegal searches?

     Modant: More name-calling and unsupportable accusations.

     Osten: Oh?

     The viewscreen on the wall behind  Yara  springs  to  life.  A  Thaereian
boarding party has just made its way aboard a cruiser of  some  kind,  led  by
none other than Colonel Modant himself. Modant gestures to his  soldiers,  who
begin to confiscate cargo as the owners of the ship, a pair of  young  Humans,
protest.

     Modant: A preposterous forgery.

     He raises his blaster pistol and fires,  and  the  screen  explodes.  The
lights flicker, and when they come back on, Modant is gone and  everyone  else
is still seated at the table - - slightly singed, in some cases, but otherwise
fine.

     Yara: Well, that was enlightening. Does that  qualify  as  a  "diplomatic
incident"? I can't tell. Any final comments? Osten?

     Osten: "Thaere: If we don't like what we see, we shoot it."

     Yara: Interesting. Sa'arli?

     Sa'arli: I'm certain Senator Wren  will  hear  of  this,  if  she  hasn't
already. It doesn't change her  position,  though.  Until  such  time  as  the
militia is more firmly established, Cularin continues to need protection.

     Yara: Courtesy of Thaere, or from Thaere?  No,  sorry.  Forget  I  asked.
Sergeant Yadfre?

     Yadfre: Um... er...

     He leans over, out of view of the holorecorder, and heaves up his lunch.

     Yara: You said a mouthful. And then some. Minos?

     Minos: I'm certain the entire system, and much of the galaxy,  will  have
found this dialogue to be of interest. It seems  that  Admiral  Tramsig  might
have sent a better representative to speak on behalf of Thaere.

     Yara: Of course. Well, thank you all for being here, and  special  thanks
to Sir, of the Thaereian Navy. We'll be sending him a bill. Now, if any of you
would like to write to Senator Wren, the staff of the Almas  Academy,  or  the
Cularin Militia, or if you would like to make  a  donation  to  any  of  their
coffers, here is their contact information.

     A series of numbers flashes across the screen.

     Yara: And if you'd like to let Colonel Modant know what  you  thought  of
him, his private comlink number is - -