Playing Star Wars: The Old Republic lets the player encounter numerous planets, but a few of them all seem to come with a question the game never asks - and unless I'm missing something, no other media answers - but still feels important.
What happened to the planets by the time of the films?
The Voss prophets seem like they could have a major roll in The Clone Wars and The Rebellion against Palpatine's empire, so why aren't they involved? Did the republic keep using Belsavis as a prison planet, or is it long abandoned by the time the Skywalkers start terrorising the galaxy?
And the same question can be asked about technologies. In a side quest on Dromund Kass, we find a scientist who's life work is creating cybernetic limbs that grow and heal like living fleash and bone. So where is that tech by the time of The Clone Wars?
Or The Infinite Engine. Was a growing machine that could become a weapons factory that can make anything from The Force just... misplaced?
I know that The Old Republic Era and the film era are seperated by roughly 33 centuries, and that's a lot of time for things to be lost and forgotten, but it still feels weird.
Belsavis had been an almost comical parade of horrors. Kira took the lead, while Rusk and Teeseven supported. And Lord Scourge…Lord Scourge fought like nightfall, then criticized her about it.
“Die, jerk!” She took out another misshapen Esh-kha, wondering whether they would have to kill the whole damn army just to stop Executor Krannus from…killing the whole damn army.
Alone, nothing made sense. The Jedi:Sith ratio wasn’t helping. At all.
She stopped at a turn in the squat gray corridor. It opened into a huge room, every vertical gray surface covered in dense writing in a script Kira didn’t recognize. She would put good money on nobody but absolute antiquities freaks would recognize that script. She was surprised Scourge didn’t.
“Is that lava?” Kira said quietly, staring at the far end of the chamber. Past all the Imperials holding the position, Executor Krannus among them. “Seriously? Lava? Is there a plague of locusts in here, too?”
Scourge lurked at her shoulder. “Your master would have jumped in by now. You could kill a great many before your soldier reinforcements arrive. I would suggest it would time your victory before Krannus prevails. But you must act quickly if you wish to kill enough of them.”
Kira snarled up at the huge man by her side. “I am not Sith! And while we’re at it, like you’ve been muttering all month, I am not Larr Gith.”
“And that is why you fail.”
Kira gestured. “You call this failing? As soon as the cavalry gets here, Krannus is toast.”
Teeseven broke the staring contest. Soldiers = arriving // Jedi Kira = not failing // Jedi Kira = ready?
Kira went right back to locking eyes with Scourge. “Born ready,” she growled, and sprinted into action.
*
When Jomar Chul went missing, Kira could only think about the vision he’d had. About Larr, torturing people. Training on Korriban. Killing people, a lot of people. It had all come true. If Satele had believed him, maybe…maybe this past year wouldn’t have gone the way it did.
Kira had lost a year of her life. The whole crew had. The injustice ground at her nerves, pushed her past her physical limits. Jomar had been overruled and Larr Gith had walked them all into a trap and now…now things were the way they were.
Kira was not ready to see Leeha Narezz in goth regalia taunting a miserable-looking Jomar at the remote station.
“Yes, Jomar thought so, too.” He was standing one step behind her, every muscle tense, staring straight ahead. “No Larr Gith? No matter. You know the difference between a daughter and a pet? We don’t put down daughters for being a little rebellious. Larr, on the other hand…oh, Kira, come with me. The Emperor will welcome you back. And we’ll take on Larr Gith together.”
“I’m not signing up to hurt anybody, except maybe the Emperor. Come with me, Master Leeha. Forget what he’s telling you, forget what you feel when he decides to touch you. It’s all a lie. You can get the light back if you come with me.”
But no matter how much Kira tried, Leeha circled around and attacked again, confident, relentless. And then she ordered Jomar into a straight fight.
And followed along, with her Meedees around her.
“Rusk!” Kira barked. Her crew flooded in, Scourge included. With the swarm of droids, there was no question of niceties, of picking out a nice safe victory. There was only killing everything that moved, or going back into prison.
Never again. Never again.
Leeha died. And so did Jomar.
Kira stood still, except for her double-bladed green lightsaber, which quivered like a dying animal’s whiskers. The room fell still.
Lord Scourge would say something if Kira didn’t. She said, “We need to bring them back to Tython.”
*
Kira reported the deaths of the Jedi, and gave over their remains for burning. The victory on Belsavis felt like a million years ago and lame news at that.
But one thing revived the flame of purpose.
Kira hung out outside the Jedi Council chamber until they finished another one of their gabfests. She got to the point when Satele Shan stepped out: “I heard Larr Gith was back.”
“She has opted not to return to the Temple,” Satele said coolly.
“But she’s still on Tython? How does that work?”
“She has been…living…in the mountain cells,” said Master Kaedan. “Speaking with Master Tebbith.”
“What, you didn’t bounce them off planet for having emotions?”
“Master Zauvien thought it best that they regain their balance before we begin the work of disengaging.”
“You can’t believe Larr Gith would disengage from anyone she cares about. With or without balance.”
Satele gave her a calm look that had a little warning in it. “What I believe is that Larr Gith cannot be forced. But she can be outwaited. She’s not twenty yet. She will understand the path, if nobody chases her away from it.”
“Nice hint.”
“No. You should talk to her. Where is Lord Scourge? He should hear this.”
“Whoa. He should? Don’t tell me you want him to talk to her. He makes a lousy soundtrack.”
Scourge was just outside the Temple’s main entrance, watching the training yards. He turned without the slightest hint of surprise when Satele and Kira approached.
“You have so many,” he said. “Are the Jedi growing as an order?”
“I feel like it would be a tactical mistake to answer that,” Kira said. “But yes. We are.”
“Perhaps you may retain some control over the galaxy when my lord Emperor is dead. Best hope your graduates are ready.”
Kira kind of hoped so, too, but she badly wanted to contradict the Sith. “We’re not actually here to rule the galaxy.”
“Why?”
Satele stepped in. “We are tracking a Lord Fulminiss who has traveled to a little-known planet called Voss. We believe he is priming the planet for destruction.”
“Then we will stop him,” Scourge said coolly. “Is the navicomputer ready?”
“I’m still assigning crew,” Satele said levelly. “Kira, Voss is rumored to have a Shrine of Healing that is renowned throughout the system. They say they can cure wounds, mental and physical. I think two of our number would benefit.”
Kira felt like it was some kind of jab. “But Master Jomar and Master Leeha are dead.”
“I mean Master Tebbith and Larr Gith.”
Kira felt her jaw drop. “You want me to take Larr Gith?”
Scourge’s attention had drawn razor-fine.
Satele just nodded. “I think she’ll consent, and Tebbith with her. Your mission on the planet will be getting them safely to the Shrine and then stopping Lord Fulminiss. If we can recover two of our most active members, so much the better.”
“Rusk and Doc could probably benefit, too. Not me. I’m fine, thanks for asking.”
Satele didn’t seem bothered at all. “I don’t have to remind you of the consequences of failure. I’ll hold Tython together, and deal with other threats, while you work.”
Which was how Kira ended up walking the three miles to the meditation cells.
It was a sunny afternoon, heavily perfumed by white flowers in the tall grass. The doorless cells looked like little pockets of coolness in the brown cliff face. Master Tebbith and Larr Gith sat cross-legged next to a little vegetable patch, staring intensely at one another.
Kira walked up. They didn’t react. Scourge hung back.
Kira tried: “I just flew here from Belsavis, and boy, are my arms tired!”
Larr Gith blinked first. She looked up and there was a radiant smile before it was tempered by dread. “Kira. You’re all right.” She jumped to her feet and hesitated. Kira allowed it: she stepped in for a hug.
Larr smiled wider. “So you saved a planet? Great life skill, right?”
“I’m hoping not to have to use it every day.” Tebbith was standing up, looking sober. “Master Tebbith. They told me you were on planet and not teaching, which can’t be right.”
“My credentials aren’t quite as sparkling these days,” he said quietly. “It’s good to see you, Kira.”
“Is everyone okay?” Larr said. “Doc’s still in the Temple, right?”
“Wondering when you’ll come up for air. Teeseven and Rusk and me, we’re fine. Lord Scourge, too, I guess. I just like the idea of stranding him in the Jedi Temple for extended periods.”
Tebbith reached up to touch his horns, two four six eight ten, the way he always did when he was anxious. “But no doubt he is concerned about other planets.”
“Yeah. We have one in mind. It’s called Voss.”
Larr and Tebbith looked at one another. “Does it have a tourist industry?” Larr said doubtfully.
