Whill Shaman Dažbog
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Water is the most important element of life. For without Water, you cannot make Coffee.
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Post by Whill Shaman Dažbog on May 16, 2013 8:06:34 GMT -8
The Theed Royal Palace of the Royal House of Naboo was a magnificent edifice located on the edge of a cliff in the planet's capital city, Theed. Serving as the residence of the planetary monarch and the nerve center of the government, the ancient palace stood through the Galactic Republic's collapse and the birth of the New Republic several decades later.
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Adrianna
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Post by Adrianna on Jun 13, 2013 22:01:45 GMT -8
Adrianna smiled as her dear friend and confidant, Senator Alyse Naberrie, was ushered into the reception room by two silent security volunteers in brown leather vests. Motioning to the young woman to approach her, Adrianna shook her head as Alyse started to bow, and instead extended her right hand for a handshake, clasping the Senator on the shoulder with her left hand as she did so. "Welcome home, Aly. How was the flight from Coruscant? I'm so glad you were able to get away from the politics for a few days. The holonet is practically in flames with war news these days, and I can't imagine having to live in the middle of that every day." She paused a moment, her eyes dancing. "Thank you so much for all you do."
She led the way over to a small table, where two plush chairs, a pot of tea, and two teacups were waiting. "You must be thirsty. Tea?" Ordinarily she would not have been this jovial or informal, but it was a private setting, among the closest of friends, and this nobility stuff was getting tiresome. In addition, Adrianna knew what Alyse had been dealing with in recent weeks, with the growing war, and she wanted to help her friend unwind, even if it was only for a few hours. Tomorrow there would undoubtedly be a military council meeting, and they would all put their serious faces on once more.
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Kel'Al Raganella
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
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Post by Kel'Al Raganella on Sept 30, 2013 20:53:59 GMT -8
=Alyse Naberrie=
Half-hugging her childhood friend, the young Senator beamed. "The flight couldn't have been smoother, your Highness."
She followed the young Queen to the small table, and remained standing until her friend had taken a seat. "Yes, please." She answered, taking the teapot and pouring the Queen a cup, then her own cup. She knew Adrianna didn't like all these formalities and ceremonial courtesies when they were alone in the Palace, but she also knew that these customs existed for a reason, and made every effort not to break them, even in private. Otherwise, one started down a slippery slope, and next thing you knew, well, you ended up with the kind of chaos and discord that had paralyzed the Republic Senate. It was better to make courtesy and respect a habit, even here at home.
"I appreciate your kind words, your Highness, but I really cannot complain, so long as I have your support, and the support of the Naboo." She ignored the face that her Adrianna made as she used YH for a second time. "But in your private ear, I fear for the future of the Republic. Some among the Outer Rim delegations, unhappy with the defense debate, have raised the specter of Imperialist ideas about the superiority of the human race, and implied ulterior motives on behalf of some of the Core Worlds." She took a sip of the tea, and sighed. "You know, and I know, the absurdity of those claims, but they are dangerous accusations to make when the Republic's unity and resolve hang by a thread."
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Kel'Al Raganella
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
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Post by Kel'Al Raganella on Sept 1, 2014 12:45:40 GMT -8
It had been months and months since Senator Naberrie had last been able to visit her homeworld, so completely had her service in the Senate drawn her away from Naboo. But the guest chamber in a lower level of the Royal Palace was always kept cleaned and swept, ready in case she should find the time to return, or in case political matters forced her home on a mission of importance. Alyse had her own home, miles away across the city, but Queen Adrianna nonetheless ordered the palace serving droids to expect a visitor at any time. One never knew when a political matter might arise which was so delicate that it demanded face-to-face consultation.
And so, twice a week, as they made their rounds of the palace, the droids unlocked the suite of rooms, swept and sanitized the furniture and the floors, watered the hanging plants in front of the bedroom window, and shined the bedposts and doorknobs. On warm, dry days, they opened the windows and ventilated the room, and when the weather turned cool and damp for more than a few days at once, they pumped in fresh air through the ventilation system, just as they did in the Queen's chambers, and the quarters of her staff, and in the common and meeting areas.
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Kel'Al Raganella
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
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Post by Kel'Al Raganella on Nov 18, 2014 21:43:04 GMT -8
Attached to the Queen's private quarters, and also accessible to her top aides through a secured doorway from the council chamber, was a communications center with links to important military and political centers of the Naboo and Gungan people throughout the sector, as well as direct hypercom links to Coruscant, Corellia, and other key allies at the Core of the Republic. All of the internal sector communications covered the east wall of the room, while the galactic channels were routed through equipment on the west wall. At any given time, between two and ten techs were seated in the room, observing the channels, or forwarding them to secured private meeting rooms within the palace. For official business on important matters, there was also a holotable in the middle of the room where Queen Adrianna could accept three-dimensional calls alone or in the company of her advisors.
=Alyse Naberrie=
Mere minutes after the news of the new agreement between the Jedi and the Republic had reached Naboo via the Holonet News, a call rang home on a secured channel of the link from Coruscant, marked as eyes-only for the Queen herself, from Senator Alyse Naberrie.
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Adrianna
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Post by Adrianna on Jan 17, 2015 21:11:59 GMT -8
Arriving in the communications center mere moments after being informed of her old friend's call, Queen Adrianna motioned to the techs to leave her in privacy, and closed the doors, then accepted Alyse's call. Even in the quarter-sized holo that the projector presented to her, Adrianna could see the stress lines in the normally youthful face of her representative to the Republic. But Senator Naberrie's actual words were happy, almost jovial, as she reported on the outcome of the Senate conference on Jedi relations. Yes, there had been bad mistakes on Ryloth and Kuat, and yes, much damage had been done, but the good news was that there was a plan for the future, to prevent future problems.
The young Queen of Naboo smiled and thanked her friend for the updates, then added her own input. "Two other things before you go, Senator. First, please don't hesitate to offer Naboo naval forces to defend Ryloth temporarily if they are needed. Just make sure that Senator Crom'nen cannot take any credit for our offer, if you make it." She smiled sweetly, her opinion unstated but obvious. "And second, go get some rest, ok? You look like a drowned grank."
The blue-tinged holo of Alyse Naberrie smirked, nodded acknowledgement, and disappeared in a poof of static.
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Adrianna
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Post by Adrianna on Nov 30, 2015 22:04:43 GMT -8
Even the Queen of Naboo needs a vacation sometimes, no matter how beautiful and luxurious life in the ancient city of Theed could be, during these times of peace on Naboo. Adrianna's reign had lasted so long because of her successful policy of inclusion and acceptance of all visitors to the planet. All were welcomed, so long as they obeyed the laws and customs of the Naboo and the Gungans, and so very rarely did anyone perceive the Queen as a threat. She was not naive enough to believe that her domain was free from crime or other covert evils, but the Force had blessed her with relatively few conflicts that the local security forces could not handle on their own.
She smiled to herself as she watched her courtiers carry her baggage down the elegant staircase to the waiting carriages. She was not foolish enough to take peace for granted, or to credit herself with some goddess-like powers, or to let the success feed her ego, but at the same time, she was proud of what she had accomplished, because her people were happy, and that was all she wanted.
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Adrianna
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Post by Adrianna on Jan 6, 2016 20:31:20 GMT -8
Despite her hopes and dreams, and her belief that anyone, even a queen, can step away for a few days, this particular vacation was not to be. Just as Adrianna was about the exit the palace for her waiting carriage, a Captain in the Palace Guard came hurried forward, and stopped her. The word about Darma's fate was spreading.=Captain Simmons="Please wait a moment, Your Majesty." He said urgently, motioning her back inside the safety of the Palace, and away from the lingering courtiers. "The security forces in the Lake Country have just reported a disturbing situation. Vice Chancellor Darma ( Vice-Chancellor Darma) and his bodyguard have been found dead in an apparent assassination." It was a lot to digest all at once, but Simmons didn't hesitate. "I must insist that you remain here in Theed until we can determine the extent of the threat, and whether you yourself might also be a target for this unknown assassin." Adrianna gasped, and turned away from Simmons, her face going white. She was aware of the troubles on Coruscant, and the stagnation of the Senate, but the Republic's problems had all seemed very far away and unlikely to disturb the peace of Naboo. Now, she realized with a sick feeling, the Republic's troubles had struck right here, at home. It was what she and Senator Naberrie, Naboo's representative in the Senate, had feared most. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together, and looked Simmons in the eye."Keep me informed. I will remain here at the Palace until we know more. Keep this quiet as long as you can, in case there is any chance to track the killer." She waved her hand, politely dismissing him. "I must speak with Senator Naberrie at once." Then, turning, she almost hurried to the secure communications center. The Senate was not in session today (although, lets be fair, when WAS it in session these days? How about never...), but Adrianna knew Alyse would take her call. She was reliable, unlike most of her colleagues.=Captain Simmons="I fear it is too late for that, the HoloNet News has already spoken to the police, and they will be breaking --" He gave up as the door slammed shut behind the queen.
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Sara Ruluwoor
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Post by Sara Ruluwoor on Mar 29, 2016 20:56:14 GMT -8
=Ex-Senator Naberrie=Upon her arrival at the Royal Palace, the former Republic Senator was whisked away by Queen Adrianna's staff for a debriefing on the fall of the Republic, and then her own staff congregated around her to fill her in on the events on Coruscant during her travels. Alyse was shocked and dismayed at how suddenly things had unraveled after her departure. She knew she could not have stopped the gathering storm - one more tiny voice would not have mattered - but at the same time, she felt some shame in having abandoned her friends and colleagues, as it were. Most distressing of all was the way in which the shadows among the Senate had used Representative Nert as a pawn in their game. With all these developments in mind, Alyse knew that no clue, no matter how irrelevant, could be ignored. And that included her sighting of two prominent Jedi in the Theed Spaceport during her arrival several hours earlier. Excusing herself at last from the briefings and the politicians, she made her way alone to the Palace's communications center, and opened a private channel to Jedi Master Kel'Al Raganella. She did not know if he would answer, but it was precisely his recent absences from the public scene that made him trustworthy. She knew he was not involved in the shadowy operations on Coruscant.Kel'Al Raganella : Master Raganella, this is Alyse Naberrie, the now-former Senator of Naboo. I desire urgently to speak with you.
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Kel'Al Raganella
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Post by Kel'Al Raganella on Apr 5, 2016 21:47:15 GMT -8
After a few moments, during which the former Senator probably wondered if there was any point in remaining in the communications center, for surely it would take hours or days for Master Raganella to answer her call, the link was quite suddenly made and answered. A tiny holo of the Jedi appeared before Alyse: Kel'Al seated in a starfightered, with exhaustion lines crossing his face and dark circles under his eyes, and the passing blue wisps of empty space barely visible beyond.
Miss Naberrie, I am very glad to hear your voice, and see your face. I have just finished reviewing the reports from Coruscant, and as none of them mentioned you, I feared for your safety. Why the urgency, and how were you able to reach home so quickly?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2016 23:47:07 GMT -8
He walked along the edge of the Royal palace perimeter maybe four times now, and he had a far better idea of what he was dealing with. The Royal Palace was composed of Classic Naboo architecture, with high arches and plenty of domes. A central drum like building composed majority of the palace, with multiple turrets and towers added on over the years. Several of these towers were standalone, consisting of watch towers to keep watch for attacks from the rear; for, the rear of the palace was situated on a grand cliff, and an air attack would most certainly be an option to any invader. On the ground, routine guard shifts and patrols roamed the gardens and small forest on either side of the palace, while the large entrance was stationed with permanent sentries. This, however, was not a military world - only one hundred and fifty Palace Guards, well trained and armed with blaster rifles, roamed the Palace. While a volunteer force of about a thousand Volunteer Security forces patrolled the city. As it was, these volunteer forces were ill trained and unused to actual combat - and these forces patrolled the perimeter of the palace. The Palace proper...well that was a different story.
Slowly, inch by inch, Jashin belly crawled across the ground, making his way through the perimeter forest and gardens. The volunteer officers chattered among themselves, Occasionally chasing away the off child or adolescents, but otherwise were not too intent on their duties. Jashin used this to his advantage. Surreptitiously crawling under the low branches of a bush, then running forward - a leap and a heave sending him scrambling up into the limbs of a tree, he leapt from one branch to the next, only to fall to the ground into a roll, darting forward, and then taking cover yet again. This was familiar. Far too familiar. When he was trained as a Carta, they used to have mock exercises - they'd dress the students in a one piece bodysuit that was immune to sensors, then play games of capture the flag. Of course, as they got older, the flag was replaced with mission objectives, and the guards became armed, but the principle was the same.
It took maybe an hour before Jashin finally reached the wall of the Royal Palace - the trees thinning out to proper gardens, making Jashin feel horribly exposed. Currently, he hung at the edge of the trees, still under cover. But, once he ran forward, he'd likely be visible to anyone looking. His suit, while stopping passive and active sensor scans, did nothing to disguise him visually. He'd have to move quickly and efficiently. He took a deep breath...then another...calming himself. Eyeing the wall, and the row of ornate windows high above - estimating it to be about eighty meters - he knew that it would take roughly eight seconds to reach the top, plus another second to evaluate the situation through the window visually, and then another to actually breach the window. Hitting a button on his right gauntlet, the hook readied itself, and Jashin dropped into a crouch, counting down.
And then he moved. Forward across the garden he ran, then, as he came flush with the wall, used his momentum to run a few steps up - even as he fired his grappling hook, the hook soaring upward in an arc as repulsorjets sent it careening into the sky, to impact the ledge just below the window with a dull *clank*. And then he was moving - the winch pulling him upward, ten meters a second. Two seconds went by, four, six, eight; he reached the ledge, and grasping the edge of the ledge with his left hand - his frictiongrip gloves finding a superior purchase on the smooth stone, his climbing clawed feet digging in to find purchase - the hook meanwhile detached and began to recharge.
Quickly, Jashin pulled himself up slightly to peer over the ledge - it was an empty hallway, and as far as he could see, there were no guards. Pulling himself up onto the ledge, he pulled out the disruptor stylus from his left gauntlet, activating it, before running it across the outer edge of the transparisteel pane, deactivating any basic field emitters. Next the fine point fusioncutter - igniting the tool, he set to work making a hole, the plasma tip cutting through the material like butter. Three seconds passed, and the hole was made: cutting a handhold in the pane before cutting it entirely free, maneuvering the pane out of the way so he could slide in, he rested the pane to the side as he came into the halls of the Royal Palace proper. It was now that he truly moved, the tools hastily put back into their gauntlet pocket - his right arm swinging upward, the hook firing, the winch softly whirring. As he neared the ceiling, he shifted his weight, flipping upside down. His feet coming to rest on the ceiling, his left arm swung downward, the dart launcher ready to fire. And, for several tense seconds, he waited. He had no way to know if the disruptor had actually shorted out the security measures in the window or not.
Several moments passed...a full five seconds by Jashin's estimation. No alarms triggered. No call for guards. And Jashin breathed a small sigh of relief. Naboo loved its tall walls, high ceilings, arches, and domes - and for a thief like himself, he could use that against the. He could hide in the rafters, as the guards looked about should he be spotted. After all, guards were trained to spot and check doorways, not think three dimensionally - to look UP for a threat. No, they were trained to aim down the sites of their weapon, and clear an area, room by room. But, let's hope it didn't come to that. Still on the ceiling, Jashin scanned the hallway. Two doors on either end, one was locked, with an electronic lock, the other looked to be a public access portal. No holocams that Jashin could see, but there were bound to be more than a few, likely at key intersections and areas of importance. Physical guards would roam the areas the cameras didn't.
Shifting his weight, righting himself, he let the winch lower him to the ground, releasing the cable with a *SNAP* and a *Bzzzzt!* of cable reeling in. Landing on the ground in a crouch, he quickly ran, hugging the wall, to the locked access door. The laser lockpick was in his hands before he knew it, and he had to steady himself with a calming breath - his hands shaking so bad that the tool was useless. Why was this so nerve wracking? He preferred a damn fire fight to this. His hand steadying, he activated the tool - the device emitting a modulated laser with a rotating EM pattern. Pressing it to the lock, he began pressing it to different access point on the reader's key card mechanism, the pick beeping at him when it couldn't find a match so that he could try a different point. And then, the doors opened with a whoosh. For a full second, Jashin thought that he had opened the door himself - but for the three guards that stood on the other side, all looking rather surprised that an armored figured currently sat crouched on the other side of the door.
"Hey yo - URG!" Was all the first volunteer officer got out, before Jashin's fist punched the man's throat, sending him reeling backward, unable to speak, and struggling to breath. The other security officer scrabbled to unholster his weapon, and the third, a genuine Palace Guard replete with armor and rifle, raised his weapon to fire. But Jashin was already moving. A leg snapped out in an arc, colliding with the Palace Guard's rifle, tearing it out of his hands. Following through with the kick, Jashin spun to the floor, continuing the spin and shifting to his other leg, his free leg lashing out with his combined momentum to slam into the back of the Volunteer officer's knee. Jashin, on his back, watched as the Volunteer officer fell to the ground, the Royal Guard stumbling forward to try and pick up his rifle. A kick upward into the Guard's face had him stumbling backward from that weapon, blood pouring from his nose - while a series of three strikes from Jashin's left leg and left arm to the Volunteer Officer's groin, carotid, and solar plexus had the man slipping into unconsciousness. The Royal Guard regained his footing - but Jashin was already throwing his weight backward, rolling backward, his knees coming up to his chest - only to strike out with both feet as he completed the roll, both of his heels colliding with the Guard's chin with a decisive *SNAP* that sent the Guard up into the air, before falling to the ground heavily. Jashin didn't pause, didn't give them time to recover. Continuing the backward roll, rolling to his feet, he shifted his momentum into a spin kick, sending his armored boot into the last remaining volunteer officer - the one with the punched throat - sending him careening to the side.
For several tense moments, Jashin waited to see if they would move, and, with all three lying still after several moments, he was satisfied that they were unconscious. Quickly, he gathered their comlinks, smashing them underfoot, looting the three of their code cylinders.
The entire thing seemed mechanical, almost choreographed. Had he always been able to do that? It had been so very long ago that his father had trained him art of movement techniques and Maladian martial arts. The fact that it all came rushing back to him, so quick, so fast...it had him looking at his gloved hands, a little dumbfounded. This was nothing like how he fought on the pirate ship. This was...this was how a Carta fought. Precise. Efficient. He shook his head. This wasn't the time for introspection. He had a job to do. Quickly he ran forward - behind the locked access door was yet another locked access door - this one opened by one of his three looted code cylinders, which admitted him to a circular rotunda, filled with windows. This was some kind of meeting chamber or council room, thankfully and luckily devoid of holocams due to the sensitive material discussed within no doubt. The room was empty, save for a single startled looking Naboo politician, who was idly sitting in his seat, looking over a datapad.
"By Shiraya!" The man exclaimed, his hand reaching for his comlink. But Jashin was already dashing forward, sliding across the table, a hand knocking the comlink away, the other hand gripping the man by the throat, raising him into the air with superior strength. Where are the jewels kept? Jashin asked slowly, through his helmet's speaker. The man, gurgling in response, kicked feebly in response. Slowly, Jashin brought the man eye level with his helmet's visor. You will answer me. Or you will die. I have no wish to harm you. Or anyone else here. I am... Jashin paused at that, before, smiling, he proclaimed to the man in a booming voice - I am Jashin Rau! Dread Pirate and Master Thief! I have come for your valuables...not your lives. Tell me where main vault is. And you will live. Don't, and you will become my slave aboard my mighty pirate ship! Muahahah! Jashin laughed, maniacally, somewhat proud of coming up with the name "Rau", a Firrerrese word for a legendary pirate on his homeworld. "I...you...c-can't be serious! Are you for real? Heh...heheh...you're going to get caught you pig!" The politician spluttered, laughing in Jashin's face. This, though, only made Jashin...well...cranky. Slamming the man's head into the desk before him, his blaster drawn in one smooth movement, Jashin dug the barrel of the weapon into the man's right eyeball. While he had no intention to kill anyone, he''d threaten as much as he'd like, and hurt anyone he had to as well. And, if he was forced to, he'd kill - in self defense anyway. But the politician didn't know that. His eye literally seeing up the barrel of Jashin's blaster, his eyes wide in terror, he began to gibber, almost incoherently. "Please-don't-turn-me-into-a-slave! I-I-I-don't know where the jewels are kept! The-the queens vault is below the central rotunda. Sublevel one. But you'll never make it! It's heavily guarded!"
Jashin hated it. Every bit of it. How the hell was he going to break into the karking vault? Hell, they probably had the royal jewels - even the Jewel Of Zenda - in there. Flicking the power setting on his blaster to stun, the weapon powering up eerily, making the man go white as a sheet, Jashin slowly leaned in closer. A Sein Jewel. What does it look like, and are there any outside the main vault. The man, in confusion, looked up at him. "Wh-what? What kind of pirate are you? How can you not - AGH!" The man cried out, clutching his face, as Jashin brought the butt of his blaster down on the man's face. The human, trying to cower, was just wrenched back in front of Jashin - the weapon leveled once more. "Ok! Ok! Have mercy, deities above! It's a red jewel, about the size of an egg, self illuminating with an orange glow...th-there's one on level four, in the hall of antiquities. The "Shard of Shiraya". Take the hall out of this room and a left. A turbolift will take you down three levels to the hall. That's I know! I swear!" Jashin, without ceremony, bashed the man over the head again - if for no better reason than the fact he had laughed at him. A stun bolt from his blaster had the man slumping over - relatively quiet compared to a blaster bolt, and Jashin turned to the hallway that the politician had indicated.
Through the hallway he ran - up ahead an archway opened up into a small rotunda, a cluster of turbolifts gathered there. Along with them were two Palace Guards, and what looked to be a holocamera above the lifts. Kark! There was no way around it - his hand swinging up, he took aim, and a duo of darts buzzed out, striking the pair of guards in the neck, their bodies unconscious before they had even hit the floor. His other arm reaching out, his grappling hook launched, spooling out twenty meters before clunking into the holocam, making it spark and hiss before it fizzled out. He was officially out of luck. He had until some guards came to check the camera for a malfunction before alamrs went off.
BRRRRRRRN! BRRRRRRRRN!
Or no time at all. Alarm klaxons began to blair, and the sound of booted feet stomping on the ground echoed through the marble halls of the Palace. The time for subtlety over, Jashin drew his blaster - still keeping it on stun - and plugging a pilfered code cylinder into the turbolift terminal, hit the call button. He had to wait only a few seconds - the lift doors whooshing open to reveal a trio of very surprised looking Palace Guards. Two fell flat on their backs, though, as Jashin's death hammer pulsed - a stun pulse enveloping the two. The third was greeted with a fist to the face, shattering his helmet - alien strength sending him slamming into the turbolift's side panel, before he crumpled to the ground, bloodied and unconscious (albeit probably with some broken bones).
Hitting the door close button with a kick, and hitting the button for the fourth level, Jashin bent down and ripped the comlink out of the Palace Guard's helmet, holding it up to his own to listen. Various reports flooded in - three guards at an public entrance point found unconscious, one had recovered to tell tale of a black fast moving blur knocking them out with fists. Another squad had happened across a beaten and bloodied local magistrate, unconscious in his chambers. A riot team reported that at a intersection on level seven, two guards tranquilized with darts, and a holocamera destroyed. Kark. Kark...Kark, kark. Karking kark. Muttered Jashin to himself. By the sound of it, teams were working their way up from level one, going upward, while teams stationed at the top worked their way down. A standard crosshatch search pattern, adapted for a room by room search. Over the comlink, though, it sounded like they were more concerned about the Queen and a potential assassin than anything else. Reports of the Queen being moved to an emergency tunnel filtered through, with numerous guard patrols and squads rerouted to provide safe passage. In retrospect, he supposed he DID look a little menacing - the armor had been designed by assassins and killers after all, and seeing it speeding at you combined with lethal melee combat probably didn't help the image of assassin either. Belatedly, Jashin realized if he got caught, he'd probably be tried as an assassin rather than a thief, based on his weaponry alone.
The turbolift dinged, And Jashin flung himself down onto the ground - flat on his back - right arm raised straight out towards the door. The door dinged, the doors began to part, and out of the thin slit of the parting doors his hook shot out, colliding into a marble pillar, pulling Jashin on his back across the floor to the pillar. Blaster fire rang out, The squad of Guards expecting someone standing. Passing between them, Jashin's left gauntlet popped twice - a pair of darts finding their way to two Guards necks. His pistol, meanwhile, pulsed once - the pulse enveloping the other two Guards standing. Coming to a stop with a *thunk*. His helmet colliding against the marble pillar, Jashin disengaged his hook, allowing the device to recharge. He imagined there would be guards stationed at each floor at each turbolift station, plus roving patrols on each floor.
Standing, Jashin frantically took in the intersection he was at. Three hallways, which one was the right one? He didn't have time for this! If he picked the wrong one, he'd be caught, or worse, killed. And, even if he survived, Poppi wouldn't teach him. And, in that moment, he remembered Sinina. Her glances. Her lips. Her soothing voice. And, in that moment - he picked the middle hallway. Because, in remembering to simply calm himself and to THINK instead of act - he realized that he could probably just read the super helpful sign that pointed the way to the Hall of Antiquities. Running forward, he passed through a long corridor, pausing intermittently to blast several more holocameras. Before, finally and mercifully, he came to a stop in what he assumed was the Hall of Antiquities. A large room full of books, large towering windows that let golden rays of sun in, and multiple glass cases framed various antiques and items of planetary significance, the hall was the prize of the Palace. Jashin would have taken the time to admire the sight, if he had not, you know, been there to steal something. Frantically, running from case to case, Jashin peered into first one exhibit and then another. One contained a sword, the other some musty looking book. Another an amulet with a gorgeous and expensive looking pearl. Nowhere, nowhere was the Shard to be seen. And then, a cloud passed over the sky, dimming the light in the room considerably - and, from a far off case, he saw it: an orange glow.
A orange gem that glows. That's what the human had said, right? Running to the case, Jashin took in the antiquity, the famed "Shard of Shiraya". It was an deep blood orange gem roughly the size of an egg, glowing with a strange inner light - striations, like veins, ran throughout the gem, incandescent, the apparent source of the glow. It was really and truly beautiful. And it was his. ALL his. His blaster coming up, a lethal bolt of plasma shattered the case into a thousand pieces, and Jashin snatched the Shard away from its stand. Immediately, a brand new set of alarms began screeching, and shields began activating - across the windows, across the archways, shields everywhere sparked into being. The renewed cries of Guards rang through the air, and around the corner a good dozen cards came to a stop as their commanding officer spoke rapidly into a comlink, no doubt order the shield blocking their way to be turned off. Jashin had to act fast. Turning towards one of the shielded windows, the egg held in his left hand, Jashin ran at a full sprint towards it. His blaster swinging up, it pulsed, once, twice, three times, at a single point at the edge of the frame. Chunks of stone blasted outward, the design of the room being more aesthetic than functional - the shields flickered as the blaster hit a power relay, then sparked dangerously and failed altogether. Jumping, Jashin curled into a ball as he soared through the window, the relay in the window completely overloading - an incandescent fireball igniting and filling the sky.
And then he was falling...falling. Slowly, as if time had stopped just for him, he fell...twisting....turning in the air. He opened his eyes, and saw the glass fill the sky, a thousand glittering gems, the promise of fortune future come to haunt him. Before him, the egg, floating, shining, his reward. Slowly, backward he fell. An forty meter drop made infinite by his cybernetic reflex implant. His left hand reached out, almost lazily, grasping the egg. His right hand flung itself upward, the hook firing, arching upward, latching onto stone. The winch whirred, his descent slowed, and his feet touched the grass, and the dream finally ended as time snapped back normal pacing. The hook disengaged, reeling back into its spool. And Jashin was running - running across the gardens, through the trees. Above, from the fourth floor, Guards shouted orders into comlinks and blasters fired, pockets of perfectly manicured grass exploding underfoot. One shot pegged him in the shoulder, another in the back - he stumbled, falling to the ground, then rolled back up to his feet. Thank Shiraya for armor. He kept running, into the cover of the trees, the Guards shouting, asking why their sensors couldn't see or find him. Faster he ran. faster. Under bushes, jumping up to grasp and swing from a tree branch: he ran right to the edge of the cliff that the Palace sat on...
And then he jumped.
Downward he tumbled again, but this time, a very different fall. Twenty meters, forty meters, sixty, eighty, a hundred. He fired his hook, and it embedded itself in the rock face - the winch whirring as it attempted to halt his fall. But this time there was trouble. The winch hitched, and it jerked Jashin to a stop - his right arm dislocating in the process - then a pop and a *snap!* as something in the winch assembly broke, and, suddenly, the line was unspooling, he was in freefall. Below, the rocks rushed toward him with frightening speed. Frantically, Jashin tried to hit the manual break on the winch, and, feebly, it responded, slowing him, slowing him...slowing him too little. He hit the end of the line, the line snapped - he felt tendons in his arm separate, fibers in his shoulder tear - and he was falling, no longer attached by a tether. Ten meter, twenty meters - the rocks rushed towards him, the roar of the falls drowned out all thought. And then he landed...and he knew no more.
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Sara Ruluwoor
Member
Posts: 359
Affiliation: Chanzari Den
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Sara Ruluwoor on Jul 26, 2017 20:32:13 GMT -8
Balcony
=Ex-Senator Naberrie=
Alyse had had much to think about in the months since the fall of the Republic. As she stood on the third-floor balcony of the palace, overlooking the cobblestone courtyard, she fretted to herself about the planet's future. Naboo was located in a peaceful quadrant of the galaxy, and so far, they had been safe, but she knew that would only last for so long. Naboo needed allies who could be called upon quickly for aid, and as much as she appreciated the Corellians, alliances with any Core Worlds planet had their limits. Unfortunately, thus far, her old friendships and political alliances from her time in the Republic Senate had not turned up many useful partners.
Her face crinkled into a frown. It was time that she made some new friends on other nearby planets. Her queen and her people deserved better foreign relations.
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Commander Oryon Melan
Member
Posts: 72 
Affiliation: The Grand Confederacy of the Outer Rim
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Post by Commander Oryon Melan on Nov 22, 2017 14:49:48 GMT -8
A barrage of turbo laser fire smashed into the Royal Palace. While the intention of the First Order was not total destruction, but a warning, the damage was intense. Whole sections of the room and upper floors collapsed, and there was high casualties among security forces and staff alike.
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Kel'Al Raganella
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 529
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Academy
Traffic Light: Orange
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Post by Kel'Al Raganella on Nov 26, 2017 14:51:51 GMT -8
A barrage of turbo laser fire smashed into the Royal Palace. While the intention of the First Order was not total destruction, but a warning, the damage was intense. Whole sections of the room and upper floors collapsed, and there was high casualties among security forces and staff alike. |
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Kel'Al Raganella
The Jedi Order - Corellian Jedi Academy
Posts: 529
Affiliation: Corellian Jedi Academy
Traffic Light: Orange
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Post by Kel'Al Raganella on Dec 1, 2017 20:25:06 GMT -8
Royal Palace, Incident Command Center
Located over one hundred meters below the surface of the city of Theed, the Incident Command Center was where the Queen, Royal advisors, and top military brass gathered during a planetary emergency such as this one. Given the devastation above ground, it had taken a while to re-establish communications with the surface, and it was a tense thirty minutes before the all-clear found it's way down to the bunker. While the dioxis gas was a concern (and led the Royal Guards to double-check the ventilation system), it was a relief to know that the Imperials had departed the system.
And so it was that the first official outbound communications from the government would end up being an all-clear signal. How ironic.
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Jacques Hu
Member
Posts: 52
Affiliation: Galactic Alliance
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Jacques Hu on Apr 1, 2019 9:15:58 GMT -8
It had been nothing but a short trip to get from Corellia to Naboo but long enough for Jacques to read up on the Royal Family on Naboo. Unlike most places their Queens are elected, which in his eyes made Queen Adrianna no more royal than he was. Still it wouldn't hurt him to treat them as the royalty they think they are. Waiting outside the great hall to seek his private audience he was surrounded by the local Naboo and even a few Gungans waiting for their personal term. The silence was neither disquieting or welcoming but it was comforting as each person waited their turn to speak. After a few more minutes of waiting the herald walked out and beckoned for Jacques to follow him.
Standing he straightened out his drab gray shirt and entered the chamber waiting. Disappointed that it was not the Queen herself, but rather her brother he assumed that she was otherwise indisposed. He understood that all too well. Still hopefully this person would listen to him none the less. Bowing his head in honur of the man he smiled.
Hello your royal highness, it is a pleasure to meet you I am Jacques Hu, come all the way from Corellia to plead my case before you today. As you know the Galactic Alliance fell some months ago and thankfully the Imperials have not pressed the attack. I represent a group of planets that have decided that banding together would be safer and smarter than standing against this threat alone. They have been here bef-
Raising his hand the Queens brother stopped Jacques from proceeding further. Please we know the horrors that they committed here, they are no friends of us. Too many died and although they were driven off the Alliance was too weak to stop them from coming here in the first place. My first and only commitment is to the people of this planet. I know where you are heading with this and I ask you this, why. Why should we put our necks on the line for other planets who do not wield a power that could help us when a more powerful alliance could not stop it.
Frowning Jacques nodded You are right, maybe we couldn't stop the Imperial war machine right now, but neither could you alone. No one planet can stand against them. Put thoughts of war aside though, I did not come here to ask you to help fight a war. A war that just cant be won right now. I ask you to join because it would give legitimacy to your planets sovereignty, it would give you allies in times of despair, trade partners. It would give you friends at a time when that is at a premium. You are right to worry about the people of Naboo, just as I worry about the people of Corellia, Fondor, and every other planet that has agreed to join this coalition.
Reaching into his shirt he noticed the guard tensing and relax once he produced a document. All I ask is that you look at this and decide what is best for your people. It covers everything that would encompass joining us. Give it some thought, pass it to your... sister and anyone else you feel would benefit from reading it. If you agree it details how to contact the right people to iron out the details of joining and if you decide against it then no hard feelings.
Passing the device holding the document off to an aide Jacques bowed once again before being escorted out.
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Jacques Hu
Member
Posts: 52
Affiliation: Galactic Alliance
Traffic Light: Blue
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Post by Jacques Hu on Apr 14, 2019 7:08:38 GMT -8
It had been a local week spent in system without having heard back from anyone. A week wasted in Jacques mind. Every day that they spent wasting time not working towards creating a safe functioning system of government to oppose the Empire thousands were brutalized, murdered, and enslaved. He had been about to return to the Corellian sector and call the venture a defeat when he had received the summons to return to the palace. Sitting in the same place as before he waited. And he waited, and waited some more. As more and more people filed in he was finally sitting alone, at the end of the day his back hurt, and he was ready to get this over with.
They really need to put a time on these summons he thought to himself.
Finally though he entered the room, again it wasn't the Queen but a person to represent her. Bowing in reverence to them he waited for them to speak.
Thank you for waiting all day, but the needs of our people come first. I am sure you understand being an elected senator much like my sister. as he spoke another person standing beside him walked forward and presented Jacques with the same datapad that had been given a week prior. We have looked over your offer to join your growing coalition. We took the liberty of changing a few things so as to better allow us to represent ourselves and how to best help Naboo. Please take this back and look at it amoung yourselves and if the changes are agreeable then Naboo will join.
Only casually looking down at the datapad Jacques could see that the proposed changes had been bolded and changed in colour so as to not have anything hidden. Even still their own professionals can look at it later. Thank you, our royal majesty I am sure you will be hearing from us shortly.
Walking out rather stiffly Jacques tried to hide his displeasure but was unsure if he was able to. He waited around all day for something that could have simply been sent to him over his datapad. What a waste of a day. Why did he ever elect to follow this path?
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Graemon Gorgano
New Rebel Alliance
Posts: 341
Affiliation: Free Worlds Navy
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Post by Graemon Gorgano on Nov 4, 2019 22:23:55 GMT -8
A shuttle, escorted by two fighters, descended upon Theed within short time. As the shuttle drew closer to the palace, the fighters tore off, flew across the city before ascending to return to the warship situated in orbit. The shuttle made its landing preparations, touching down in the hangar bay, designed by RNSF, within the palace's interior. A squad of Coalition troops exited out first, followed by Graemon and Jacques Hu, leading a delegation of diplomats from the planet of Corellia and the Coalition government. The Baron Gorgano notices the arriving welcoming party, halting just beyond the soldiers who came with them. He bows his head.
Representative of Her Majesty, we thank you and your government for welcoming our party to the planet of Naboo. The Coalition thanks Her Majesty in advance and hopes that we can broker a proper treaty that will see Naboo and the Coalition joined together, not only in mutual benefit, but defense, considering the dark times our galaxy is enduring with a resurgent Empire in our midst.
While speaking, Graemon took in the feeling of the atmosphere. There was still a stain left by the Imperials. He had heard that the fleet commander of the brazen attack even ordered a bombardment directly against the palace itself before unleashing a chemical agent on the planet. A horrible thing to do against Naboo.
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Garrek Kanos
Member
Conquering Corona as we speak. Cheers *raises small solo cup of Listerine*
Posts: 16
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Post by Garrek Kanos on Apr 30, 2022 16:16:07 GMT -8
Location: En route to Theed Royal Palace NPCs Involved: Handmaiden Faye
Listening to the Jedi share the history of his craft was fascinating, the emotion in his voice when he spoke of his first time flying the ‘Palisade’ was, she thought admiringly, touching. For the Naboo, it was considered a great honor and the purest beauty to witness a passionate individual speak of their work and their convictions with such emotion, and though she hadn’t been born on this planet, it was something she came to respect about its people. Treasuring the individual, celebrating love of work and honoring history.Faye once again giggled at the display of familiar humor between master and droid. “Well, if you ever grow weary of being a Jedi, you two would make a profitable comedy routine,” she said lightly, flashing a smile.Even the pilot chuckled a little.Below, an endless blur of sandstone, cobblestone streets, aqua tiled domes and lush vegetation rushed by as they continued onto Theed Royal Palace.
And there her laugh was again, and she bore her teeth, perfectly pure as a winter snow. Thankfully, the Jedi were no longer forbade emotional connection, and to say it wasn't gonna mess with him would be a flatout fabrication, but being how early it was in his assignment, he shelved his concerns for now and just enjoyed the fresh air. And that VIEW...by the Force...As they neared the palace's landing area on the east side of the massive complex, Garrek asked her, "You said 'rooms' before. I should only need one, m'lady. However, if you're gonna go all out, I'm sure Seven would be thrilled to have his own suite all to himself."Garrek knew how dependent on his master's presence his little companion was, so the quizzical whizzing matched with the one-sided inquisitive perk came to no shock. |
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Vyra Silara
Member
A bird without its wings is a low and tragic thing.
Posts: 30 
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Post by Vyra Silara on May 2, 2022 13:17:54 GMT -8
Location: Theed Royal Palace, East Wing, heading to Guest Suites NPCs Involved: Handmaiden Faye
As her feet touched ground back at the palace, Faye’s enigmatic handmaiden mask fell back into place, though her voice remained just as friendly and musical. “We’ve placed you in one of our extended stay suites for now,” she explained as she nodded a thank you to their pilot and led Knight Kanos and his companion into the building. “They consist of a small parlor, half kitchenette and office, with a spacious bedroom, balcony and adjacent refresher. I’m sure Seven will appreciate the droid cleaning and charging station off the closets. There’s a port there for quick access to the holonet and any approved information Seven desires. I think you two will have plenty of space for yourselves.”
As the doors to the vast hallway closed behind them, the full majesty of Naboo’s Royal Palace spread out before them in every direction. The flooring was a mosaic of cream colored marble shot with golds and dusty pinks, each slab a work of art. Towering arched windows, bright with sunlight, reached for the painted ceilings above, supported by polished sandstone pillars and sweeping, intricately designed archways. The warm glow from the chandeliers caught every gold seam and tiny gemstone, bathing the canopy in starlight. Between each pillar stood solid copper busts of important figureheads and queens, and a few religious carvings of goddesses to cater to every need.
Cleaning droids whirred busily along the edges of the flooring, diligently removing any dust or trace of where the thick red hallway runner had lain for years. After too many complaints of people’s droids getting their wheels caught in the threads, Vyra had decided to remove it.
The East Wing Suites weren’t crowded. State officials, pages, guards and guests moved by with purpose, nodding respectfully at Knight Kanos but otherwise going about their business without fuss. Each guest room was adequately spaced for privacy and angled to allow for the best views of the gardens, courtyards and fountains outside. A handful of them were a bit larger and overlooked the cliffs and cascading waterfalls, but these were usually reserved for visiting high-profile guests and planetary leaders.
It was, admittedly, a longer walk from the public shuttle platforms to his rooms, but Vyra had insisted Knight Kanos be given a suite with a meditation chamber. There were only four, and they were in the quietest part of the East Wing with easy access to the gardens.
“Here we are.” Faye nodded at the guard stationed outside the door, and he moved away to patrol the hallways as he usually did. “The lock will be keyed to your biometrics,” she explained, gesturing to the handpad next to the entrance. With care for her tone, she managed to avoid sounding like a tour guide. “Guards patrol the hallways day and night, you are free to move about the castle as you see fit, a map of Theed and a list of helpful staff commlink frequencies are on the datapad provided on your desk.” She stepped aside so he might set his lock and enter his rooms, though she would not follow him inside. “Meals are made to your liking and delivered to your rooms at your convenience, though there are many noteworthy restaurants in Theed should you grow tired of your quarters.”
Faye hesitated just a little. “I’ve added my personal commlink frequency to the datapad, should you require anything else.” She offered a small smile under the shadow of her hood. “I’ll be sure to check in on you from time to time. Is everything satisfactory?” she asked, holding near the door to make sure nothing was amiss inside before she departed. “I realize your meeting with the Queen isn’t for a few hours, I shall return to collect you then, if it pleases you.”
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