#collated monologue

[arlenahawke]

Kreia - Collated Monologue

Revan was power. It was like staring into the heart of the Force. Even then, you could see the Jedi he would slay etched on his soul. At one time, Revan was my Padawan. In times past, long ago. He had a mother and father, parents, ancestors, like all Jedi do. And when he awakened to his potential, I was there to see it. He came to me, both before and after, before Revan knew himself. And after, in the times when Revan was coming into his own and learning he was more than he had been told. But Revan, when he had learned all he could, had other masters… that fool Zhar, and other Jedi on other planets. He learned from each. But in the end, he turned back to me. When he realized there was nothing more to be learned from the Jedi - except how one could leave them forever.

Revan's choices were always his own. It was not teaching, or circumstance, or example. It was him. And there is something that the Council may never understand. That perhaps Revan never fell. The difference between a fall and a sacrifice is sometimes difficult, but I feel that Revan understood that difference, more than anyone knew.

It is sometimes… difficult to find truth in the Jedi Civil War. Have you never asked yourself how Revan took the Republic and Jedi beneath him, how he made them his? To make officers turn on their own people, to bomb innocent worlds to make pacts… strong influence, indeed. There is a place in the galaxy where the dark side of the Force runs strong. It is something of the Sith, but it was fuelled by war. It corrupts all that walks on its surface, drowns them in the power of the dark side - it corrupts all life. And it feeds on death. Revan knew the power of such places… and the power in making them. They can be used to break the will of others… of Jedi, promising them power, and turning them to the dark side.

As Revan and Malak fought the Mandalorians in battle after battle, they grew to despise weakness, just as the Mandalorians did. In the end, the Mandalorians had taught them through conflict. Shaped the Jedi. And turned them into a weapon - against the Republic. You see, the war, the true war, has never been one waged by droids, or warships, or soldiers. They are but crude matter, obstacles against which we test ourselves. The true war is waged in the hearts of all living things, against our own natures, light or dark. That is what shapes and binds this galaxy, not these creations of man. The Mandalorian Wars were a series of massacres that masked another war, a war of conversion. Culminating a final atrocity that no Jedi could walk away from…

Many have mistaken the soldiers beneath Revan, the machines that were constructed, to be the "Sith." No, Revan met no Sith empire, yet he learned their teachings. The Sith is a belief. And what Revan formed was not an empire, but something else. Revan and Malak and all the Jedi that served them turned against the Republic and the Jedi Order. Jedi fought Jedi. Revan was ambushed by the Jedi and captured. Malak continued to wage war in his Master's place, inflicting terrible wounds on the Republic… wounds that bleed still. The Jedi Civil War cost the Republic much - the resources of the Sith seemed limitless. The Republic's was not. Fleets of warships, soldiers and people were lost. Entire planets were decimated - their inhabitants dead… or refugees. It is a great burden for any civilization to bear. And this new threat… it is a quiet thing, unlike the Jedi Civil War. It drives at something deeper than the strength of the Republic.

Perhaps the galaxy would have fallen if Revan had not gone to war. Perhaps he became the dark lord out of necessity, to prevent a greater evil. I do not believe the Jedi Council changed Revan, as they claimed. They merely stripped away the surface, and allowed the true self to emerge again - someone who was willing to wage war to save others. But that is my belief. A culture's teachings, and most importantly, the nature of its people, achieve definition in conflict. They find themselves… or find themselves lacking. Too long did the Republic remain unchallenged. It is a stagnant beast that labours for breath… and has for centuries. The Jedi Order was the heart that sustained its sickness. The Jedi Civil War left wounds that have yet to heal… we shall see if the Republic has the strength to survive.

[arlenahawke]

HK-47 - Collated Monologue

I was not at Malachor V during the near-genocidal reaction to the Mandalorian threat, but I feel that I may have been constructed as a result of the need for a selective killing machine rather than a crude mass-slaughter war droid. I am an illegally constructed assassination droid designed to masquerade as a protocol droid until I reach my target, constructed shortly after the beginning of the Jedi Civil War. Concerning the somewhat dubious morality of the Republic Senate, that would leave some doubt as to my allegiance, but I served on Revan's side during the Jedi Civil War.

During the Jedi Civil War, I was responsible for certain strategic targets. For some reason, Revan did not feel that the Republic presented much of a military threat. Revan felt the true war was against the Jedi. It was not something discussed with much of the others, but I think Revan recognized that a single Jedi, both in the past and in the present, could turn the tide of a conflict. So my targets were frequently Jedi, or someone close to a Jedi that could result in their corruption or collapse. Revan often assigned me to kill leaders or supporters of certain Jedi so as to erode their will. Revan saw the pressures of war on Dxun, and knew that even in the heat of conflict, Jedi could be broken, not physically, but psychologically.

Revan claimed that psychological warfare against Jedi was important because much of their power comes from their state of mind, their connection to this religion called the "Force." Revan said that many Jedi have the capability to form connections to life around them, although few of them realized the extent to which this is possible. I believe my Master speculated that many Jedi did not fully form such connections because of their discipline, because they never opened their lives to the passions around them. I believe Revan termed it that "one would need to be a human being to develop such connections." It is something that the Jedi code could not teach. One simply knew it instinctively, or not.

That was the lesson of Malachor. Any Jedi involved in the systematic slaughter on such a scale cannot help but doubt and question themselves. When a Jedi, or any soldier, suffers doubt, it weakens them. With the Jedi, however, it is more pronounced, since they are extreme examples. That is why Revan felt that Malachor V was so important. It was intended to be a conversion tool. When faced with a continuous series of hard-fought battles, I detected a significant statistical increase in Jedi following Revan over the Jedi Code - a compromise in principles brought about by battlefield conditions. The emotional weight of war changed Jedi morale, power, and eventually, their allegiance.

I do not believe that the Mandalorians were the true target at Malachor - I believe that the intention was to destroy the Jedi, break their will, and make them loyal to Revan. I do not know if you examined the records of the deaths on Malachor, but you cannot escape that many of the Jedi and Republic soldiers who died were not Revan's strongest supporters. Revan was a human capable of subtle, intelligent cruelties. He had a strategic mind, and he accepted losses and sacrifices. I believe that Revan was "cleaning house" at Malachor V. What ones did not die became Revan's allies against the Republic.

[arlenahawke]

Collated Video Game Monologues

Master Masterlist

A collection of collated canon dialogue from various games discussing multi-faceted and nuanced topics.

Fallout New Vegas: NPCs discussing the NCR's political, logistical, economic and tactical situation in the Mojave:

Robert House

Chief Hanlon

Cassandra Moore

Caesar

Craig Boone

James Hsu

Rose of Sharon Cassidy

Knights of the Old Republic: NPCs discussing the Revan, the Republic, and the Jedi Order:

Kreia

HK-47

G0-T0

Mical

Mandalore the Preserver

Brianna

Elder Scrolls Morrowind: NPCs discussing the succession of Emperor Uriel Septim VII

[arlenahawke]

Handmaiden Brianna - Collated Monologue

To the Echani, battle is a means of communication - it is an art, in the truest sense of the word. Stance, form, discipline are a means of expression and communication. They speak one's heart and one's devotion to their cause. The methods you use to meet your opponents speak truer than any words can express. When you risk pain or death, there is no truer sacrifice or strength.

When Taris was destroyed, it showed Malak's heart through its execution and intent. It was brutal, without finesse… but showed his commitment to defeat the Jedi. Yet with Revan, there was the same commitment, but it was a subtle thing, like weaving threads in a tapestry, or strokes upon a canvas. He spoke through battle and tactics, in a way one could never do in words. He showed his heart at Malachor V… and finally, at the end of the Jedi Civil War. I believe he was speaking to Malak in that final battle, though few knew it. Through battle, Revan was meeting betrayal with betrayal - and showing Malak the pain he had inflicted on his master. What stronger display than death for conveying one's sense of being betrayed by one's own student? Revan's anger must have been great indeed.

My father was Yusanis, an Echani general. He left our family to serve in the Mandalorian Wars. But his choice was not because of battle. He went to join my mother, one whose movements and spirit matched his. His only desire was that they fight together, side by side, for as long as there were enemies amassed against them. She died in the battle that shattered Malachor V, and her body was never recovered. My father returned from the Mandalorian Wars and did not enter battle again. He entered politics, a caste where one's battles are fought through words rather than action. He was slain by Revan in the Jedi Civil War when Revan sought to destabilize the Echani worlds. Revan succeeded.

It is the way of the Echani to be able to read their opponents - to know where an opponent is going to strike before it connects, anticipate it, and then strike against them. Echani battles are fought several minutes in advance - in many ways, it is much like the game of dejarik played in the core systems. The most advanced among the Echani are able to predict the course of battles by months, and the most revered are said to be able to predict the path of wars. Only Revan ever demonstrated such skill in war. And even as he slaughtered us, the Echani still respected him.

[arlenahawke]

Mandalore the Preserver - Collated Monologue

The Republic is a stagnant beast, that had been killing its people for years before the wars began. The ease of our attack was as much a testament to the strength of the Mandalorian clans as it was to the weakness of the Republic. We started by conquering worlds just outside the Republic. We did it quietly so the Republic wouldn't really know what was going on until too late. When we finally did hit the Republic worlds, they had no idea we were coming. We came in through three invasion corridors in adjacent sectors. Anyone who put up a fight – or wouldn't fight – was crushed. We razed whole worlds trying to provoke the Republic into fighting us. I don't particularly enjoy wiping out worlds for its own sake, but the cowardly tactics the Republic defenders used left us little choice. Hiding in the homes of civilians. Using families as shields. Thinking we would not use appropriate force on their bases inside major cities. They underestimated our resolve and what measures are acceptable in war. Those who cannot defend themselves should not be around those who can in battle. If annihilating a city is the kind of power it takes to overwhelm a Republic shield device, then that's what we did. Necessary force to destroy all opposition.

At the start, they were not much of a threat to speak of. We swept through the Outer Rim without any opposition - until Revan assumed command of the Republic forces. Only then did the battle turn. The Republic fleets began to use more than just basic tactics. Feints, counterattacks, mass deceptions. Revan was a genius on the field. Revan abandoned worlds of their defenders so that others would be too fortified to strike, and was willing to make sacrifices in order to advance goals. It was not your ships or your men or your vaunted ‘fight for freedom' that won this, the final battle of the war. It was by the actions of one person, the Jedi Revan, that you prevailed. Revan's strategies and tactics defeated the best of us. Even Mandalore himself was taken aback by the ferocity, the tenacity and the subtlety of Revan's plans. Revan fought us to a standstill and then began pushing back. We didn't really have a chance.

We'd never faced Jedi before - and didn't know the threat they represented. We only knew what we had seen in holovids and from our experience with Exar Kun, and by that time he was completely a Sith. We thought we would triumph easily over such 'noble' and 'compassionate' leaders. Those are weaknesses we easily exploited in the past. But as you know, only a handful of Jedi fought, while the others cowered in their halls, afraid to meet us head on. For my people it's the honour and glory of battle that rules us. It's through combat that we prove our worth, gain renown and make our fortunes. War breeds butchers on both sides of the battle lines. It's just that we were better at it than anyone the Jedi ever faced. Only Revan was worthy of our respect. Were it not for Revan's strength, the Republic would already be dead.

Revan was one of the greatest military leaders in the galaxy, in history. Do you know what he told me, in those last days on the Outer Rim? That the Mandalorian Wars were our doom, and that we had been deceived. That it had never been out decision to wage war on the Republic. Revan said the Mandalorians didn't invade the Republic space because it was our choice. We were tricked… our entire people sacrificed as pawns… and never knew it. He said there was a war coming. Against an evil we couldn't begin to comprehend… a war of belief, that had been fought for thousands of years. That it was waiting out in the Unknown Regions, in the dark, waiting for us to destroy each other.

Ever consider what would have happened if we'd won? The Sith would have been nothing more than a border skirmish against the might of my clans. We would have brought a new age of strength and expansion to the Republic, with the wealth of the Core worlds providing arms and warships to fuel our growth. Instead, the Republic 'won.' Look around you. Look at what your precious victory has brought you. I ask you this - is the galaxy better off for the Republic's victory?

[arlenahawke]

Disciple Mical - Collated Monologue

I am an historian and scientist working for the Republic, although I am certain my contemporaries would judge me more a historian than scientist. I have been trained by some of the best researchers in the Republic - which is a humbling experience, let me tell you.

I do not know if you are aware of how fragile the Republic is at the moment. Its influence is stretched thin, and it grows weaker with time. The Jedi Civil War brought much suffering to the galaxy, and the forces that Malak and Revan amassed against us seemed limitless. Many worlds were destroyed, trade routes disrupted, and the Republic fleet was almost decimated. While it is said that Revan and several Republic heroes and Jedi defeated Malak, in many ways Malak had already won. The war was costly, and it shattered the Republic. In time, the Republic might recover. But if a threat strikes now, if certain key worlds are not held, then the Republic will collapse.

It is unlike the Jedi to vanish when the Republic is in need of them - and the Republic is more in need of them now than ever. I fear that there is something else at work, something that we cannot see. Perhaps the Sith have learned from Malak's defeat and have chosen a different tactic. It is like them to strike from the shadows. Though gone from the galaxy, perhaps something of Revan's teachings remain. Much of Revan's legacy was not undone in the Jedi Civil War. I suspect these assassins are one of them. Master Vandar spoke of these assassins in the council chambers. They were used before large assaults on planets and Jedi, to weaken them.

Then again, perhaps the Jedi are hiding simply because so many people hate them these days. Their hesitation almost destroyed the Republic - and there is some evidence to suggest that it gave birth to the Jedi Civil War. It is difficult sometimes for the Jedi to see such things, since much of it is rooted in human nature, and the Jedi are often removed from events of daily life, insulated. But the reason the Jedi Civil War was named such was because few in the galaxy can recognize the difference between the Sith and the Jedi. To them, they are both Jedi - with different philosophies.

Jedi are not supposed to be like the rest of us. They are supposed to see a higher purpose in all things. And they are supposed to train students responsibly and well, so mistakes of the past are not repeated. Yet all I saw was ignorance and arrogance, and what those seeds created in the Republic. Jedi often fall. Many Jedi defied the Order during the Mandalorian Wars - and it paved the way for the Jedi Civil War. It is perhaps more amazing that some still trust Jedi after many have fallen and endangered the galaxy. Despite the betrayal of many of the Jedi against the Republic, I must concede that as figureheads, they do serve a vital role.

There is no blame - all must accept. But at its core, one must wonder if it was the failure of the Jedi teachings… or the teachers themselves. Many of the Jedi Council trained Exar Kun, Ulic… Revan and Malak. How could they not see the danger they posed? And if they could not… perhaps there was some essential part of their teachings that was flawed. Something beyond the Jedi Code that they were missing.

Revan had many Masters. Zhar, Dorak, Master Kae before Kae left for the Wars. Towards the end of his training, he sought out many to learn techniques. It is said that he returned to his first master at the end of his training, in order to learn how he might best leave the order. Revan was captured in the middle of the Jedi Civil War, due in no small part to his apprentice, Malak, who turned on him. Revan was brought before the Jedi Council and put on trial. You must understand that the situation was desperate… and the Jedi needed to know how Revan had amassed the forces arrayed against them. As I understand it, they were able to convince Revan to have a change of heart. Revan helped the Republic defeat Malak. Perhaps in his conversation with the Jedi Masters, they were able to convince him of the rightfulness of their actions.

Still, there is hope - and I must remind myself of it, even when times grow dark. The Republic is not without its flaws, but it is preferable to anarchy. Without supply lines and a standing military, the chaos that would result would be greater than the Mandalorian Wars. The Republic is in need of change, I do not deny it. But I do not believe it deserves death… or worse.

[arlenahawke]

G0-T0 - Collated Monologue

In one standard month, the Republic will collapse. Not due to war, or secession, but because it lacks the infrastructure to support itself. It is… broken. Some of it may be blamed on the Jedi Civil War, the Mandalorian Wars, but not all. There are so many bad decisions that build upon each other that it is a wonder the Republic is intact at all. Do not mistake me - I believe it is possible to stabilize the Republic, but there must be action taken without constraints, immediately. I am a businessman. The Republic needs stability to survive, prosper - and grow. Sometimes people must die. Illegal shipments must be used to bolster planetary economies. And the Hutts must be occupied so that the Republic has room to recover.

It is unknown to all but a few, but the Republic lost the Jedi Civil War. At the time of their defeat, the Republic was on the brink of collapse. Rather than remain and continue his campaign against the Republic, however, Revan chose to leave known space. A frustrating turn of events, as Revan did not intend to destroy the Republic. He deliberately left the infrastructure of many planets intact - and many military production facilities. I believe that Revan saw a war on another front that we did not, or saw the value in keeping a strong military force. I believe that by whatever means he used to build his armada, he recognized that it was somehow a limited source - or that he was only willing to use it to a point. My prediction is that whatever production facility was being employed, it carried a price that Revan perceived as detrimental to the goals of the Sith. And that is why Revan left many military production facilities in the Republic intact.

You could say I am something of a… patriot. Although I was unable to serve during the troubles with the Mandalorians or against the aggressors Malak and Revan, I am able… and willing to serve now. But, I do not wish to stop the Sith anymore than I wish to stop the Jedi. It is simply important to me that the in-fighting amongst these Jedi religious branches be resolved so the galaxy may be put back together. If the Sith are the more capable of both parties, then it is only logical that they fill the vacuum the Jedi and the senate cannot. I do not care which one triumphs, I only want the universe to settle down for a while, catch its breath. All these constant crises are getting somewhat repetitive.

[arlenahawke]

Rose of Sharon Cassidy - Collated Monologue

NCR's my country, and I support it. Anyone who says otherwise, I'll feed them my knee, but I'm not some blind, flag-saluting do-as-they-will NCR lover. They're family, but let me tell you what family means. You ever had a brother? Some dumbass younger brother, say, who knocked up the pastor's daughter, can't hold a job, and his home-away is a jail cell? That's NCR. Their compass is spinning, all the time. They try to put their stake in everything they see. Nobody's dick's that long, not even Long Dick Johnson, and he had a fucking long dick. Thus, the name.

So NCR, tries to hold on to everything. They can't, because it's too big for them to get their arms around. They can't guard the roads, they can't put a line of troops around the Mojave… it's just greed that makes the heads back West even try. Aside from the people in the towns, it's the soldiers that suffer for it most. Ever seen NCR troops asked to go after gangs at three-to-one odds? That bear flag doesn't make them bulletproof. And when those gangs were caused by NCR in the first place, like the Powder Gangers? Caesar on a crutch, don't get me started there.

The Caravan fighting here in the Mojave… it's been downright brutal. The amount of caravan space you reserve for ammo alone… And if it's not raiders, Powder Gangers, it's NCR tolls. They need to get the money from somewhere, even if it's Vegas-bound. NCR tries. It's just that trying doesn't mean a whole lot when you're paying your respects to the dead. And Legion, from what I've heard, they don't do the "stop tolls" on the roads or in the outposts like some NCR quartermasters do. You're lucky if you turn a profit sometimes if some new officer gets assigned a route, the fees just get worse.

Much as I hate the Legion, caravan life would be a hell of a lot easier if they ran the roads. Any caravan marked by the Legion is safe as houses. They guard their roads, their supply lines - even Fiends would hesitate before going after any trader dealing with Legion. A bunch of caravans would be willing to side with the Legion to not have to worry about Fiends and Boomers and Powder Ganger attacks. If towns could get the same protection? A lot more tempting than you'd think. If NCR took the same stand and committed patrols to the roads, then I think that'd solve a lot of their problems right there. But they don't. Caravans get butchered in the Mojave all the time.

Look, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't want the Brotherhood or the Followers or the Vegas families running the Mojave either, all of them are a different kind of fuck-up. NCR just has some shaping up to do. Maybe Caesar kicking them in the nuts is a nice wake-up call, is all I'm saying. I just wish Caesar would kick the heads of NCR, not the feet. I've fucked a soldier in my time - they don't need to get fucked by their orders.