- "'In the right place, a single candle can hold back the night. I'm just trying to make the galaxy a little brighter before I die."
- ―Tarvitz
Ka Tarvitz, - later known as the Last Knight of Alderaan - was a Human male and the final incarnation of the unnamed Sith Sorcerer known as the Excoriator. Born as a final effort to defeat the Sorcerer's rival, a monsterous Sith known as Lord Perdurabo, Tarvitz was sired by Alderaanian survivors and raised as a member of the Jensaarai. Haunted by visions of his death fighting insurmountable odds, Tarvitz would struggle to match his peers in their skills. Eventually breaking away from the orthodox order as a result of a their insular role in the universe, Tarvitz would stumble upon the Dark Jedi Brotherhood and pledge his service to Clan Odan-Urr. Initially serving as an apprentice to Edgar Drachen he would be embroiled in the ongoing wars, and serve a role in the foundation of both the Free Droid Enclave and the Templar Jensaarai alongside Nikora Rhan.
Fighting the forces of the Iron Throne, Collective, and the Children of Mortis across a range of battles, Tarvitz was unknowingly manipulated by Perdurabo's spirit from where he was imprisoned on the edge of reality; using him to first help unlock his physical form from his prison in The Fang, and the waging a false war to draw Tarvitz to Gree. Perdurabo attempted to unlock a hidden way into the World Between Worlds, using it and his fragmented spirit to conquer all of time in a simultaneous invasion, alongside monstrous entities he sworn to serve in exchange for power. Rather than claiming the power that would have helped Perdurabo to unlock it and repeating the mistake of his last incarnations, Tarvitz destroyed the relic which contained it. In the ensuing fight, Perdurabo attempted to tear what he needed from Tarvitz's spirit, an act which Tarvitz used to force his way into Perdurabo's mind and bind their fate's together using a shred of his predecessor's power.
Unable to defeat Perdurabo and dying from his wounds, Tarvitz was able to briefly unlock the World Between Worlds, using it to catapult them both to the fringes of reality, where one of the beings that Perdurabo served awaited. Forsaking his new power and embracing death, Tarvitz used the last of his strength to insult and summon the being to where he and his old enemy waited. With Perdurabo's physical body being destroyed by Rhan and Sirra Werd'la, and his fragmented spirit being driven back to his primary essence, Tarvitz's act saw the Sith obliterated at the hands of the entity but at the cost of his own life.
Character History
Lost Heritage (0 ABY - 8 ABY)
- "I can't say I had much of a childhood, but quite frankly I was fortunate to have one at all."
- ―Tarvitz
Like many of his comrades, Tarvitz was taken in by the Jensaarai at an early age. Unlike them, he was brought to their world in an act of desperation. Both of his parents had been freighter pilots operating a small scale shipping corporation centered upon Alderaan. Focusing primarily upon sprint-trades between a number of worlds across the Core, their activities had been all but crippled by the planet's destruction. Quickly robbed of their fortunes and driven away from more prosperous opportunities by old rivals, in a matter of mere months they had been left with little more than an aging bulk freighter to their name.
The ruins of Alderaan As they became increasingly desperate for credits, the two arrived on Susevfi and sought out the infant Tarvitz's grandparents. Seeking to leave him in their care for a time, they outlined the vaguest hints of a risky but highly profitable plan capable of restoring their fortunes. Whilst unwilling or unable to divulge anything beyond the most basic facts, they nevertheless managed to secure their support, promising that they would return within a few days.
Several messages were received in the week that followed, suggesting that their mysterious task was going according to plan, before all contact was lost entirely. As weeks turned into months and still no word came, several fruitless attempts were made to track down their vessel. Each amounted to nothing, only learning that they had last been seen making for the very fringes of the Outer Rim before seemingly disappearing entirely. With no other choice, his grandparents took full custody of Tarvitz, raising him as best they could.
Tarvitz's upbringing proved to be turbulent, thanks in no small part to his adventurous nature. Often told of Alderaan's lost beauty and the bright center of the galaxy, he forever imagined that there was a better world far above him, that some verdant paradise lurked beyond the harsh wilderness of his home. While several dangerous encounters with the local wildlife gradually curbed his innate curiosity, Tarvitz was nevertheless left with a highly idealized view of the Core, and the constant sense of something better always lurking just beyond his reach. It was, perhaps, for this reason that any questions of his past always focused upon the home he had never seen rather than the parents he had never known.
However, Tarvitz's life proved to be neither quiet nor simple. Before even reaching his eighth year, it became clear that he retained a strong connection with the Force, often manifesting uncontrolled shades of his true potential. Though his grandparents were at first capable of keeping him in line, it became increasingly obvious that he was in desperate need of guidance to control his developing powers. Knowing there was no alternative, Tarvitz was given to the Jensaarai so he might be trained in their ways.
Apprentice (9 ABY - 18 ABY)
A Difficult Path
Tarvitz's formative years among the Jensaarai were far from easy. Old by the standards of their recruits, he lacked the innate focus and basic lessons that had been drilled into them from the day they could walk. Barely keeping up with those who should have been his equal, Tarvitz often found himself falling short of objectives time and time again during training seasons. Matters were made worse thanks to a growing distrust for his new tutors, and an almost outright refusal to follow certain aspects of their creed. Although initially welcoming of their guidance, their seemingly constant scrutiny of his abilities, and attempts to heighten his aggression, made him reluctant to put his faith in their lessons. This problem was made substantially worse thanks to the one area in which he displayed any true talent - Farsight. His natural skill meant he was capable of casting his mind seemingly years into the future, to witness distant events. Unfortunately, Tarvitz's every effort to look into the future was always fixated on one moment in time - His death. The nebulous details were lost on him, disappearing from his thoughts saved for the words "You will die in the doorway of ten lights" echoing in his mind.
The only consolation that Tarvitz was offered was that he had been given a forewarning and a chance to make use of the years he had ahead. He could spend his life fleeing from the prophesized moment, or accept it and live a life that he could be proud of. Tarvitz chose the latter, fuelling his determination to succeed, but refused all further attempts to train him in the fart of Farseeing. The more he knew of his fate, the more closely bound to it he might be, and he desired to take advantage of whatever freedom he still had left in order to shape his future.
Holocrons were a rarity among the Defenders, with trainees learning more from written records. Tarvitz was only saved from total failure after he was encouraged to embrace a more unorthodox approach to their lifestyle. Following an especially humiliating loss to another trainee during a training duel, the observing Defender offered him a few choice words of advice: "If you find yourself in a fair fight, it's because you played to your enemy's strengths." While largely made in jest, it was nevertheless enough to force Tarvitz to reevaluate his abilities.
Unable to match the innate skill in lightsaber combat or ballistakinesis displayed by other Apprentices, he began almost ignoring them entirely. Instead, he began pestering, begging or in one particular case even bribing older Defenders to help focus his efforts upon mastering the subjects ahead of them. While others of his age learned how to wield the weapons of their organisation, Tarvitz pushed to understand how they were forged and maintained. While other Apprentices were taught the finer points of hand to hand combat, Tarvitz studied the details of piloting a gunship into battle. He was by no means a star prodigy in any role but, in taking to these subjects far earlier than others of his age, Tarvitz found he had enough of an edge to stand as an equal to other Apprentices.
With this personal success, Tarvitz began to more openly ignore areas he was failing in, seeking to instead bolster skills he had a natural affinity for or could begin on an even footing with others. Learning that he could overcome his failings with ingenuity, he focused upon developing fighting techniques capable of nullifying the natural advantages of others rather than simply contesting them, and leveling the playing field as best he could.
This was most evident during training duels, where he began using slight bursts of telekinesis to keep his opponents off-balance or reversing their strikes, often timing pushes to work against key moves of the styles they practiced in. Even going so far as to frequently abandon his training lightsaber in place of more commonplace weapons, Tarvitz came to favour physical blades over the more typical energy swords. By the time he was set to craft his personal armour, Tarvitz was more often seen wielding a metal blade than the weapon of a Jensaarai. Word of his obvious shortcomings were a point of concern for the Saarai-kaar and older Defenders, but his peers nevertheless opted not to hold him back. Instead, they chose to focus his talents, placing him where he could further enhance his skills. Seconding him to the Ring Defenders, Tarvitz served among them as a ship mechanic and occasional pilot, assisting their starfighter corps with day to day duties.
Making very few friends among his fellow Apprentices, perhaps the only true comrade that he found was ironically someone who initially felt nothing but enmity for him. Nikora Rhan had been another late arrival into the Jensaarai Order, and the Defenders had sought to learn from their mistakes with Tarvitz. Trained away from the others, she had been put through a series of trials in order to help her catch up with other students of her age. Unfortunately, the isolation and seemingly unwinnable objectives had only fostered discontent within her heart, and she blamed Tarvitz for needing to go through these trials. Unwilling to fight someone half his age, Tarvitz was able to talk her down and even offer pointers on how to overcome what had been set against her, quickly ending any sense of enmity. The two never became true friends, but their shared difficulties created an understanding between the two.
Growing Questions
Tarvitz proved to be a capable asset to Defenders, and was noted for his talent in keeping their older fightercraft in operation while enhancing their overall combat performance. His attention to detail and a surprising skill behind the controls of light freighters meant he was often found in a supporting role, often piloting or repairing their heavier ships. More often than not he was seen preferring to fly the Fire Hawk, an abandoned YT-2000 which had been left in desperate need of an overhaul by its previous owner, and using it as a test-bed to assist in enhancing his knowledge.
Tarvitz's armour.While initially happy to have found a niche within their organization that benefited his skills, those serving alongside him noted occasional bouts of discontent. Conversations with his superiors often turned to why the Jensaarai limited their influence to a single world rather than looking to expand to other worlds. The scattered records of their archives, lacking as they were, spoke of the great conflicts between the Jedi and Sith, and how empires had risen and fallen before them. Each had been a mighty force to be reckoned with, standing for thousands of years at a time and being reborn time and time again, while they hid on a barren rock, hoping to go unnoticed by the rest of the galaxy. Few answers if any would satisfy him, and he would often cite how the Empire was crumbling away, how their famed leaders had met their end at Endor, and how the Jedi were at best a rumoured shadow of their former selves. What little news passed through Susevfi by traders or visiting travelers rarely mentioned any widespread organisation of experienced Force users and, in its fragile state, the galaxy seemed ripe for their ascendance.
He had not been the first to ask this, of course, as Apprentices and Defenders alike had argued this many times over, but Tarvitz proved to be especially persistent. Still maintaining the same rose-tinted view of the Core Worlds, leaving Susevfi's atmosphere only to still find himself bound to the world only frustrated him further. He hungered to see them for himself, and longed to learn more of the wider galaxy, but so long as the Jensaarai remained determined to keep themselves secluded to a single world this remained impossible. Matters were only made worse as the spacers he often spoke with mentioned widespread slave trading in Hutt Space, the injustices which took place on the criminal backwater worlds of the Outer Rim, and how the New Republic had done little to truly rid the galaxy of the last vestiges of the tyrannical Empire.
Much as he tried to suppress these frustrations, as duty-bound and devoted as he was to those who had shaped his very life, Tarvitz's dissatisfaction became increasingly evident throughout his final few years as an Apprentice. By the time he was deemed ready to face the trials of becoming a Defender, he had developed something of an ill reputation for trying the patience of his superiors. Nevertheless, Tarvitz's skills proved to be adequate enough to overcome the obstacles put before him, and quickly justified his place among their number. Shortly before his sixteenth birthday, he began the painstaking task of constructing his armour, building it plate by plate over the basic framework provided to him.
Tradition required that Tarvitz construct its design with a basis upon another creature, reflecting its aesthetic and core traits. Although there were exceptions to this, many chose to forge their designs based upon creatures they respected, emulating their skills, appearance and even certain abilities if given the opportunity. Unable to select a true choice at first, Tarvitz eventually settled upon the quite unusual choice of a Vorn tiger; an extinct beast which had once been native to Alderaan's open plains. Renowned for its territorial nature, he appreciated its ability to avoid unnecessary conflict but its sheer ferocity when combating those who crossed them, though the influence of his lost homeworld over this choice not be denied.
Darkening Skies
In 17 ABY, elements of the Jensaarai became embroiled in a far larger conflict. While preferring isolation and secrecy above all else, a few events had erupted on such a vast scale that the Order could not wholly ignore them. Chief among these were the New Republic's wars, as many among the older generation had feared both the return of the Jedi and the Sith. Yet when it became clear that other powers might work against them, a few Defenders opted to act in the Republic's defense, secretly tipping the scales in its favour. The conflict in question had seen the Republic losing ground at every turn, and the Saarai-kaar granted a few Defenders permission to work alongside their forces in what many hoped would be a decisive battle. Tarvitz was among these members, largely thanks to a combination of his flying skills and managing to call in a few favours to have elder members speak on his behalf. Disguised as mercenaries, they fought to minimize casualties and disrupt the enemy through Battle Meditation.
It was during this battle that Tarvitz came into contact with Rear Admiral Essik Lyccane, and was driven to reveal his capacity to channel the Force just prior to their victory. Having briefly served with the Jedi during the Clone Wars, Lyccane was swayed into omitting any details of Tarvitz's presence from his final reports, and even proved to be willing to pass on details of the Order when pressed. The conflict would have a lasting impact on Tarvitz for this reason and many others. It proved to Tarvitz that just a few Force users could dramatically turn the tide of any battle, and that the galaxy desperately needed a strong standing Order to maintain peace. Furthermore, Tarvitz would remain in contact with Lyccane in the years that followed, and became one of the few people in the galaxy Tarvitz trusted with his true identity.
Defender (19 ABY - 24 ABY)
Dissent Among the Ranks
- "How many of us patrol these streets now? How many of us are needed to keep watch here, rather than dealing with threats out there?"
- ―Tarvitz
Tarvitz found little reason to celebrate his ascension to Defender. For years it had been his sole focus above all else. With that once seemingly distant objective now accomplished, and his arguments with the other Defenders getting him nowhere, he felt as if his life had lost direction. In response to this, he began burying himself in his work, actively requesting further duties and more arduous tasks. Hoping to find both a satisfying substitute for the relentless training which had dominated his life as an Apprentice, and a distraction from his frustration at what he saw as the Jensaarai limiting themselves, he began almost ceaselessly patrolling the system, rarely stopping save to refuel their vessels or continue his duties as a mechanic. This was ignored by the others at first, but it wasn't long before the elder members of their Order became concerned at his actions, coming to view it as some odd obsession or even a determined hunt for a fight. Tarvitz countered that it was no different than their efforts to maintain peace on Yumfla's streets. He was merely taking a proactive role in an area he was best suited for, albeit with some sense of the freedom to explore he had craved.
The Saarai-kaar Nevertheless, their criticisms did slowly wear away at Tarvitz's resolve. For all the times he had argued that the Jensaarai were failing to achieve their full potential, he could hardly overlook the same argument when it was brought before him. He was, they had claimed, focusing upon serving them in only one way when he retained the skills necessary to carry out a dozen other duties with the same effectiveness. Shifting his focus towards more terrestrial issues, Tarvitz first took to repairing and reworking the equipment of his allies, then joining other Defenders as they enforced the law throughout Yumfla.
Ironically, while his superiors had insisted he partake in these activities to offset his growing doubts, this only permitted them to flourish and then spread to others. He soon came to learn that he was far from the only one of their kind who felt that what was effectively self-imposed exile from the rest of the galaxy was a mistake. Others agreed that it was an outdated decree, when they required near-total silence in order to survive, and that all vestiges of it should have been abandoned by the Saarai-kaar long ago.
Most of those who sided with him were younger Defenders, but a number of veterans did not counter his arguments, with several even coming to agree with him. For all they had done to ensure justice was upheld on Susevfi, their limited resources meant any determined pirate with a capital ship at their command could easily hold the world hostage, and a number of prior attacks could have easily been prevented by spreading their forces across a number of nearby systems. A few even cited past incidents where other forces had freely attacked the world, with the Jensaarai offering only a limited counter-assault in response.
The more Tarvitz spoke, the more he and several like-minded individuals came to question the semi-isolationist policy supported by the Saarai-kaar. Though they had no wish to directly overthrow their leader, nor risk splitting their number in a civil war, they began more openly voicing these issues. Too many of their number had been raised only on a single world, knowing little beyond the few surrounding systems, and far too few older converts were aware of the wider galaxy, or maintained contacts with nearby planets. They argued for changes to the Defender trials, for further off-world excursions, and at one point even went so far as to push for a new role akin to the Jedi Sentinels, to keep watch on the galaxy and bring back word of possible threats.
Little headway was made in these arguments and, while the Saarai-kaar was far from unreceptive to their reasoning, she made it clear that the kind of change they requested could hardly be accomplished in a mere day. Even if she wholeheartedly agreed with their assessment, overturning such an entrenched tradition would take time, and the consequences of their actions carefully considered. The Jensaarai had, after all, only hidden themselves in part to ensure their survival, and their self-imposed isolation was intended to avoid needless conflict across other worlds. She did not need to add that the Galactic Empire itself had risen thanks to a perceived need to enforce order and security.
Outside Influences
While frustrated at their leader's inability to offer a decisive answer, Tarvitz gave his word that he would stand by her eventual judgment, but that did not stop him pressing home his points several more times over the years. Matters came to a head when the very thing he had long argued they should have stood ready against came to pass. Viewing Susevfi as easy pickings, a vessel belonging to a self-styled alliance of pirates known as the Confederated Suns entered the system, disguised as a mercantile freighter. Seeking slaves to trade on Nal Hutta's markets, they landed some way outside the capital before rushing its streets en mass, seeking to use surprise to their advantage. Caught off-guard, the Jensaarai were slow to respond, often engaging the pirates in small running engagements rather than as a massed force.
While they had sensed the impending attack, any premonitions led the Defenders to believe that it would originate from within Yumfla itself, and had dispersed their numbers to prevent possible riots, not to engage enemy raiders. The attack itself was quickly repelled with few casualties, and their ship seized as it attempted to flee the world, but this was the final straw for the dissenting voices who had joined Tarvitz. After interrogations with the surviving pirates revealed that the Confederated Suns prowled nearby systems for months without the Jensaarai ever knowing of their threat, he stormed into the Saarai-kaar's chambers. He argued vehemently that this was a failing on their part, and it could have easily been a disaster if the pirates had arrived in greater numbers or acted with orbital support. This time the Saarai-kaar gave him a definite answer.
While unwilling to wholly back their suggestions, she agreed they required a greater level of awareness when it came to galactic events. Permitting Tarvitz and those who had sided with him to depart from Susevfi, she tasked them with carrying out the missions they argued were so desperately needed. From tracking potentially hostile organisations such as the Confederated Suns to investigating the ascendance of a supposed pro-Imperial splinter group opposing the New Republic, they were to report on anything which might threaten their way of life. Whether or not such a role would be implemented on a wider scale would be judged upon their findings. It is unknown if, as some suggested, this was simply to placate the more radical elements among their number or rid herself of a potentially dangerous element without bloodshed. Whatever the case, the Defenders quickly accepted the Saarai-kaar's terms.
Reclaimer (25 ABY - 33 ABY)
New Horizons, New Problems
Mere days after the Suns' assault, Tarvitz and sixteen other Defenders mustered in the main hangar, ready to depart from Susevfi for what could be months of reconnaissance efforts. Personally greeting them before each took to their ships though, the Saarai-kaar laid down several decrees that each and every one of them would be required to obey before she would permit them to carry out their missions. Foremost among these was that they would be required to maintain secrecy. At no point were they to speak of the Jensaarai, their ways, or their homeworld's location, and that their armour was to never be worn save for the most dangerous of conflicts. In addition to this, they were to focus their efforts on the Mid and Outer Rims, whilst avoiding the Core entirely. This was merely to gather initial information, and she did not wish to risk their discovery by flying into the very heartland of the New Republic. Tarvitz balked at that last decree, but he nevertheless saw the wisdom in her words. No matter how much he yearned for it, he was not about to put the rest of his kind in danger purely to satisfy his personal curiosities. Selecting the Fire Hawk as his ship for this task, he joined the others soon afterward.
With this done, they left, splitting up as they reached the system's edge and heading for separate destinations. Fully half their number set out to investigate the nearest worlds, gauging the strength of any further threats from pirate groups, while the rest set a course for distant stars. Initially focusing their efforts on the more developed worlds along the major hyperspace lanes, they focused upon gathering anything from vague rumours bandied about by passing spacers to recent news from that region. Many word-of-mouth statements were proved to be either inaccurate or offered no more insight than a cursory HoloNet search, but a few others proved to be surprisingly insightful. Supplied with enough drink or credits, certain smugglers proved to be quite capable of passing on valuable information, from First Order sightings to the power plays of the Hutts.
In other cases, deep space freighter captains could be provoked into giving information on the prominent New Republic worlds they had recently visited, giving a better impression of their status and capabilities from firsthand experiences. Each claim naturally required extensive investigation, but more often than not it was enough to at least point them in the right direction. However, as the first year of these expeditions drew to a close, Tarvitz's group began to creatively interpenetrate their orders to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity.
A Forgotten War
The flights to and from Susevfi made by the Defenders were far from direct. Making erratic jumps from system to system, each vessel was required to leave a scattered mess of a trail to shake off any unwanted attention they might have gained during their travels. Picked at random via a list of pre-recorded destinations in the ship's astrogation computer, these journeys could take days at a time to complete, and no one could fully predict just where they would end up. In Tarvitz's case, the group found themselves jumping right into the very heart of the Elrood sector. Emerging in the very fringes of the Kuras Asteroid Belt, the Defenders were greeted by a startling array of warships, from capital vessels to smaller frigates seemingly waiting for them.
Initially reacting to the sight with a display of evasive maneuvers and half expecting the fleet to fire upon them at any moment, it took the Defenders several moments to realise that not a single ship was moving under its own power. In fact, few could have even been considered flight-worthy. Each one was a crater strewn shadow of their former selves, and many were only identifiable by the markings of the Republic Navy or Confederate Fleet displayed upon their ruined hulls. Some had been completely torn asunder by the asteroids, while others still bore the telltale blast marks of turbolaser-fire and torpedo strikes which had brought them to ruin. This was no hidden armada, but a forgotten graveyard of the Clone Wars.
Braving the Kuras Belt Curious to know how two such warring fleets had ended up in this forgotten corner of the galaxy, Tarvitz convinced the others to dock the Fire Hawk with the relatively intact Republic flagship. Quickly making his way towards the bridge, he began restoring power to the main data banks, repairing them as best he could given the limited resources on hand. It was almost unintelligible thanks to its state of disrepair, but what little he could make out suggested that the Republic ships had been attempting to avoid combat. Making its way from some unlisted location back to Coruscant, they had been carefully navigating their way about the various Outer Rim Sieges back towards the core. Unfortunately, the fleet had been ambushed by CIS forces as it emerged from hyperspace, with the droid fleet seemingly lying in wait during the final leg of their journey. Unable to escape, each side had fought the other to the point of mutual annihilation.
Hungering to know just what kind of cargo could have been worth such a pitched battle, the Jensaarai chose to make a cursory investigation of the Acclamator's main cargo hold before departing. Each of them knew that this would be a rare treasure for sure, but none there could have predicted what awaited them. Rather than engines of war or battalions of soldiers, the hold instead held a small number of cargo containers, each filled with historical texts belonging to the now extinct Jedi Order. It was a far cry to the great archive they had once maintained and lacked even a single holocron amid the crates, yet such a find was near priceless following the Empire's purges. The teachings, ideas, even the original records of Jedi and been burned away and their ashes scattered to the wind and, save for the odd surviving datapad, few heard of such a cache of information.
Each of them knew that they could not simply leave such valuable relics to be forgotten. Even if they did not desire to follow it themselves, few wished for such teachings to be lost to the galaxy; yet none there could say for sure how the rest of their ilk would react if they returned with a hold filled with Jedi lore. For many years the Republic's servants had been viewed as enemies of the Jensaarai, and even after a fortunate series of events had corrected this mistake, the oldest among their kind still regarded any memory of the Order with hostility. Combined with the Saarai-kaar's staunch traditionalism, each of them knew they would hardly be met with a hero's welcome. Unwilling to risk handing such information over to the New Republic, and finding no signs that the Jedi had survived into this new age, they instead chose to protect it themselves. Deciding to hide it among the outlying settlements who could be trusted with such a find, they would guard it there until enough time had passed for their eldest Defenders to become more accepting of Jedi knowledge and add this lore to their own library of texts.
Treasures of the Dead
Still seeking to turn their find to their advantage and better solidify their role among the Defenders, they instead sought to make use of the wrecked fleet. Logging its location and downloading the fragmented remains of its data-banks, they returned to Susevfi with several items in tow. From null quantum field generators to B7Y plasma phase coils, each was an essential ship component, and costly to replace.
Bringing them before the Saarai-kaar, Tarvitz cited how their limited resources and interaction with the rest of the galaxy had repeatedly hurt them, before emphasising how this discovery and others like it could benefit them. By salvaging forgotten derelicts, the Jensaarai would be able to keep their ships flying, provide the metalwork for weapons and even entirely new ships without drawing undue attention. Although dubious of this suggestion at first, this treasure trove of parts combined with their relative success in gathering information eventually swayed the Saarai-kaar into voicing her approval. Ordering that they concentrate their efforts upon raiding older, forgotten vessels and sites of battles long past to help avoid conflict with the New Republic or other powers, she sanctioned further flights into the wider galaxy.
A fortunate haulOver the next several years, the number of Jensaarai were tasked with performing the dual role of gathering information and recovering technology from lost vessels gradually swelled. Often departing in small groups, or even on lone missions, they would disappear for months at a time, eventually emerging with anything from detailed news of distant conflicts to enough parts to construct a new ship from scratch. While he was officially remaining a part of the Ring Defenders, this role earned them the unofficial monikers of "Reclaimers", especially those who focused their efforts upon finding derelict warships.
While still ultimately serving in this role, Tarvitz's small group continued to carry out their own private agenda, often using their hunt as an opportunity to track down further Jedi relics. Successful finds were few and far between, yet the occasional victory was enough to reaffirm their personal mission was still a necessary one, and just as vital as their official role. However, while secrecy was paramount, their relentless hunt inevitably brought them into conflict with other groups. From scavengers seeking to defend their finds, to privateers hunting illegal salvage operations for Outer Rim warlords, and even more militant elements of the Church of the Force, it seemed that there was no end of factions ready to take their prize by force.
Such disagreements were rarely bloodless, and several bitter skirmishes forced the Jensaarai to completely annihilate the opposing force to ensure they went undiscovered. Although he had been pressing for more ambitious expeditions, Tarvitz vocally opposed such measures and regarded them with distaste, often arguing that there was no need to completely eradicate a foe. For all the times he would argue this however, few alternatives proved capable of completely ensuring their silence, and the few times they permitted their foes to leave unharmed often resulted in vengeful attacks later on.
While initially attempting to accept them as a necessary evil, Tarvitz became increasingly jaded at such measures, and the constant violence which seemed to accompany their every mission. Seeking to avoid the needless bloodshed, he began opting to fly alone on such missions; hunting down the far more remote, far more dangerous rumours of lost vessels overlooked by other Jensaarai, hoping to find prizes which would not be earned by the murder of all others who laid claim to them.
The Wandering Swordsman
While he sought a more peaceful path, Tarvitz was forced to draw his blade time and time again in his missions. Unable to wholly ignore the injustices of the Outer Rim worlds, the Defender repeatedly stepped in to protect others under threat from pirates or the criminal scum of the universe, often with lethal results. Such instances became so frequent that he was required to procure a suit of armour as a substitute for his more traditional warplate, allowing him to more freely intervene in dangerous matters without outing himself as a Jensaarai.
Attempting to single-handedly rid a world of crime was an impossibility, but that did not stop him from trying to make the lives of others easier once in a while. More than once such intervention cost him the most valuable components of a wreck, or left him staggering away from the fight with several new scars to add to his collection, but the call to assist others was difficult to wholly ignore. Privately, he even came to enjoy the freedom his position offered, following only the Jensaarai creed bereft of oversight or the limitations of remaining on a single world. Away from the more ordered streets of his home, and amid the galaxy's criminal underbelly, there were more opportunities to do more than merely maintain the status quo. The act of killing itself rarely brought him joy but the knowledge that he had an opportunity to make the galaxy a brighter place, if only for a few people at a time, gave Tarvitz strength.
This time was not without its hardships. It was during these years that Tarvitz lost his eye to a fragmentation grenade, arrogantly overestimating his abilities while fighting a group of criminals who had supposedly claimed Jedi relics for themselves. Refusing Bacta treatment, Tarvitz instead opted to have a bionic substitute put in its place, to serve as a constant reminder of his own mortality. It was a lesson that would stay with him until his dying days, but it would not be the last such wound he was to suffer.
During this era, Tarvitz attempted to avoid being drawn into the greater conflicts of the galaxy. Favouring threats he could directly end, his days were spent on the Outer Rim, battling pirates, raiders, and petty lords as required. Often claiming their equipment or supplies to sustain himself, he was careful to leave suggestions of other combatants or threats, in the hopes of at least delaying another group taking their place. For all his efforts, however, Tarvitz found himself fighting alongside the armies of the New Republic on more than one occasion in what he dubbed the Unsung Wars of the galaxy. Chief among these were the years in which the galaxy was dragged into one of its single most bloody wars in recorded history, against a force of aggressive outsiders who sought to subjugate and destroy all who opposed them. Tarvitz continually found himself on the front lines, attempting to cover refugee efforts and a number of independent operations. His exact actions have gone unrecorded, but it is known that he operated alongside Essik for several months during this war.
Knight (34-35 ABY)
Discovering Older Powers
As the lists of old battlefields yet to be completely stripped of all worth lessened with every passing year, the Reclaimers were driven to widen their searches. Many chose to instead focus more upon the gathering of information over this mission, and the few who continued to track down shipwrecks found themselves relying upon less than accurate information or traveling into the more obscure sectors of the galaxy. Given this situation, it was only a matter of time before a Defender dared encroach on the Esstran sector. The region was understandably held in ill regard among the Jensaarai, and while the Reclaimers had not been ordered to avoid the sector outright, few wished to visit a place which had served as the cradle of the Sith. However, following a string of dead ends and poor luck, word of a promising find was enough to push Tarvitz into venturing into the territory.
The ancient domain of the SithAn old contact had mentioned disturbances in the sector, with skirmishes and even outright battles between major powers in the area, and leaving a multitude of wrecks in their wake. He ignored the mention of it at first, but Tarvitz eventually conceded that any such battle was well worth further investigation. Even if he found nothing worth salvaging, a war raging among the old Sith Worlds was not something to be taken lightly.
Opting to avoid the major hyperspace lanes into the sector, Tarvitz was able to barter a lesser-known route from his contact. Using it to arrive relatively unnoticed, Tarvitz began to quickly search the area indicated to him, hoping to find the information he needed and then leave soon afterward. He might have even done so, were it not for the sight which greeted him. As mentioned, the location was filled with the blackened ruins of ships destroyed in some great conflict. Dwarfed only by the great graveyard they had first encountered in the Kuras Asteroid Belt, Tarvitz made out a vast multitude of floating dead in space, from snubfighters to vast capital ships. It would have taken a sheer, pitched battle to slay so many in this one conflict, but that was a mere afterthought compared with the true carnage before him.
Still burning from the fires of massed orbital bombardment, the planet this fleet of the dead orbited had been scoured clean of life. Whatever civilization had once called it home, whatever population dwelt on that world, all had been reduced to molten glass under the guns of a single concentrated assault. Looking on in mute horror at the sight before him, Tarvitz knew that this was not the result of a mere war, with one petty warlord looking to claim the territories of another. This was genocide, a twisted act wrought by a monster to annihilate all sentient life upon a planet. He could barely think of anything more pointless nor spiteful than what he was witnessing before him.
While every fiber of Tarvitz's being screamed at him to fly away, to bring the news of this destruction before the Saarai-kaar, he knew that word of this event alone would not be enough. The Jensaarai would want further information, from the identity of the figure who had ordered this attack to what had been lost. He was risking enough coming here alone to find this, and he was not about to put others in harm's way by allowing his fear to get the better of him. Avoiding any armed vessels prowling nearby, he piloted the Fire Hawk out of the system and towards one of the outermost inhabited worlds, seeking to uncover the truth behind this incident for himself.
A Change of Banners
- "I lost everything because a madman reduced my home to rubble. I will not walk away from those who have suffered the same fate. Not while the monster who burned your world to ash still sits upon his throne."
- ―Tarvitz, promising to serve Clan Odan-Urr during the ongoing war against Pravus.
For the next three standard days, Tarvitz moved from one world to the next, gradually picking up what information he could about the current conflict, or the fate of the world he had found. While careful never to probe too deeply, and often going to great lengths to rarely stay on a single world long, his efforts eventually drew the attention of those far more skilled at brokering information. Whilst attempting to investigate details surrounding the planet which had been bombarded and the population which had dwelt there, Tarvitz found himself gradually being shadowed by other figures.
At first, he caught only occasional glances of the same face appearing time and time again in crowds, but as he continued his search, more started to join them. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Tarvitz made several attempts to lose them before returning to the Fire Hawk, seeking to depart with the few details he had been able to gather from his brief searches. Unfortunately, his efforts to lose them were for naught, and as he made for the ship's hangar Tarvitz found himself being closely pursued by several figures.
Tarvitz's personal war banner after joining Clan Odan-UrrInitially attempting to confront them in the hopes of quickly driving them off, Tarvitz was shocked as his assailants drew lightsabers as they closed in. Briefly stunned at the sight of another warrior carrying such weapons, and unwilling to risk killing them without further information, Tarvitz fell back. Attempting to hold them off through a mixture of mechanical skills, knowledge of the Force and ingenuity, he succeeded in disabling two of his opponents amid a series of running battles before finally being cornered brought low following a brief lightsaber duel.
Much to his surprise, however, Tarvitz did not meet his end. Clubbed unconscious by the victorious warrior, he awoke some hours later chained to the floor of an unfamiliar room and surrounded by armed guards. Tarvitz initially expected he was being readied for little more than a swift execution, yet his assailants proved to be far more interested in gaining answers than claiming his head. They began rattling off names and questions, demanding answers of things he had never even heard of before that day; questioning which Clan he belonged to, of fleet and ship movements among Darth Pravus' forces, and how many other infiltrators had joined him. To each he could only react with growing confusion, demanding to know just who they were and what they referred to in turn, which only earned him a number of threats from his captors. It took them quite some time to recognise that his questions were not mocking responses born of defiance, but genuine confusion.
Cautiously agreeing to exchange knowledge, especially after coming to understand that Tarvitz held no association with any powers within the Brotherhood, the groups began to enlighten one another. Careful to avoid any direct mention of the Jensaarai, he explained had come to be there and why he had been investigating the final assault upon the world - New Typhon - and the events surrounding it; then listened as his captors identified themselves as Jedi of Clan Odan-Urr. Tarvitz was understandably surprised to learn that a group of Jedi had survived the multiple purges of their order, but even more shocked to realise that the Sith had endured with them.
They spoke of betrayal, briefly outlining the events which had led to their ruin, and of how they were being hunted to extinction by the rulers of the Brotherhood they had once aligned themselves with. Tarvitz was extremely dubious of such claims, and yet he could not deny that much of what they had said corroborated with his own findings. It was far from impossible that the other Reclaimers might have overlooked such a power given their limited numbers. As Pravus's ambitions were as much a threat to his own kind as the Jedi, but unwilling to risk drawing them into the conflict by his sole choice alone, Tarvitz pledged his services to the Jedi.
The Jedi accepted his help, yet they did so with some understandable caution. For, while they were relatively certain that this newcomer had nothing to do with the Sith Clans, he was nevertheless an outsider. What's more, the many teachings Tarvitz had all but skipped in his training were still definite shortcomings, and his lackluster skills with a lightsaber could not be overlooked. As such, he was seconded to Savant Edgar Drachen, to be trained and observed until deemed a worthy asset to the Clan in their war, and capable of at least holding a rank akin to a Knight.
The Lotus Blooms
- "Do I need to go up there and fly this thing?"
- ―Tarvitz whilst their escape shuttle is being chased by TIE Fighters
Battle ready. Violent introduction aside, Tarvitz quickly proved himself to be a skilled warrior and an asset to their clan. Often finding the basic lessons in controlling one's powers to be remarkably similar to those of the Jensaarai, he was able to rapidly overcome the vast majority of the challenges put before him. Quickly rising first to the rank of Acolyte and then Padawan, Drachen began pushing him harder, testing to see where his new student's strengths lay like the Defenders from so long ago. Unlike then, however, Tarvitz was hardly insulted by the act, finding it nostalgically amusing more than anything else.
Quickly passing through many of their sessions, he instead began to more readily examine and record the teachings of the Jedi, often using it as an opportunity to compare Odan-Urr's own ideologies with the fragments they had recovered. Surprising many, given his scarred and warlike appearance, the Jedi often found him pouring over the remnants of their archives and fascinated by their long history. Given any opportunity, the questions he asked of his Master related to ancient battles or odd discrepancies with the Jensaarai's own record of events.
As the Jedi examined him, repeatedly testing both his loyalties and skills, one failing above all did rapidly become clear: In his years of traversing the galaxy, Tarvitz had rarely faced another Force user. While a confrontation by Lithar Andaris proved he was far from reliant upon his connection to the Force, and quite capable of winning battles without calling upon its strength, he was often found unable to counter the abilities of the Sith. This quickly became a key focus of his sessions with Drachen, who pushed him to more frequently resort to a lightsaber in their sessions and tested him against the more advanced powers of a Jedi. It was perhaps because of this that he found himself limited to a supporting role during a joint strike against a major Brotherhood shipyard. Shortly after this victory, Tarvitz was deemed worthy of Knighthood and elevated to the position of a true member within their Clan.
Shortly after gaining the Clan's trust, Tarvitz would find himself frequently adapting himself to any needed tasks, from working as muscle during certain operations to a getaway driver. Without a single set duty or even a series of defined roles, he was frequently approached for any task that would be required of him. One surprise proved to be a start of his association with the Suoh family. Yuki Suoh, one of the Clan's more morally ambiguous allies, found herself being drawn away on various matters for months at a time, and requested that Tarvitz guard her twin daughters, Adenn and Xin. Both were powerful in the Force, and Yuki indicated more than once that their lives might be threatened by groups unknown to him. Although reluctant due to his belief he would be a poor influence, he accepted due to both the grave nature of the threat she implied, and due to clear ground rules she had laid out for the twins. Exactly why he would be asked to look after them became clear within mere days, as both were powerful in the Force and had only recently begun to focus their energies with training. After two abduction attempts and one outright assassination effort by a fully equipped assault unit, Tarvitz began laying down various means for the two to survive and protect themselves. His tenures would come and go for months at a time, departing to deal with other duties before returning to take over from Yuki when needed.
Tarvitz's newfound freedom within the Clan permitted him to take far more of a front-line role in events, and he found himself recruited first into the Knights of Allusis where he served them to the best of his abilities. Tarvitz certainly lacked the subtlety or focus required for either role, but his broader range of skills as a craftsman, pilot, and mechanic were often put to good use on a number of occasions, such as replacing Blade Ta'var's lost sword. It was perhaps because of this that he found himself paired up with Tisto Kingang during the ill-fated raid on the Edrien shipyards, where the two boarded a stricken Interdictor cruiser. During several fierce firefights, the two managed to battle their way to the engine room and send the ship into hyperspace, to an awaiting jump point where the Void Snakes would be ready to strip the vessel. A close engagement against a powerful Inquisitor saw the two thrown into space and almost killed Tisto before they were rescued, but surviving it was the start of a friendship between the two.
Unfortunately, Tarvitz himself was stuck with ill news when the Fire Hawk was deemed to have been damaged well past the point of repair. Following numerous efforts to fix the ship's superstructure, and months spent in one of the Clan's hangars, Tarvitz was eventually forced to accept defeat and allowed the ship to be stripped down for spare parts. Searching through the malfunctioning vessels the clan had set aside, he eventually selected an N1-Starfighter as his replacement ship, managing to bring it back to operational status with some assistance from Jasper Arlow. Dubbing it the Spitfire, Tarvitz found the smaller vessel difficult to maneuver, and his performance notably suffered for quite some time before he adjusted to its quirks.
Flying a number of missions and recon flights under Odan-Urr's banner, Tarvitz found himself primarily serving roles in missions where commando raids required a dedicated pilot to cover their escape or serve as air support. His status as an outsider eventually led to his transfer to the The Wildcards and their mobile base of operations, the Idiot's Array, after stealing the ship from its previous owners, the Black Sun. It was a role he was well suited to, and yet he found himself surprised at some of the people the Jedi were willing to align themselves with, many of who were little better than the smugglers he had previously worked with. It was certainly a far cry from stories of the old Order which had defended the Republic, but he nevertheless kept such thoughts to himself. The only true interruption during this conflict came when Tarvitz requested to briefly return home to deal with a personal matter.
Speaking with the deadTravelling to his family's shrine on Susevfi, he performed a variation of The Return, offering gifts to his departed parents and voicing his thoughts on the ongoing war to their memory. It was as much to offer him a moment of peace and clarity before the next chapter of the ongoing conflict as to respect their memories. However, as Tarvitz felt the war was moving towards an endgame, and wished to be able to focus upon it without distractions or past duties drawing him away from it. During his time there he considered recruiting other Defenders into the Lotus Resistance, he ultimately decided against such an action. It would have led to too many questions and, even if they did agree to support the Jedi in this conflict, it would put them at risk of reprisal by the Iron Throne.
Unfortunately, Tarvitz was soon proven wrong. In a mission to seek out allies and further strengthen their alliance, he was seconded to Celevon Edraven Erinos while they met with The Collective. This mysterious group had only become known to them in full recently, and yet they had succeeded in annihilating the Iron Fleet's flagship in a single strike. However, rather than simply purging the Sith from the galaxy, their self-styled Lord Superior Rath Oligard, announced his intentions to commit genocide against any group associated with the Force. Blaming Odan-Urr for New Tython's fate simply for existing, the Lotus members barely escaped a suicide bomber attack intended to claim their lives. Soon after this, the Collective began pressing its attacks upon the Iron Fleet, driving Pravus' forces into a full retreat, and leaving the Clans to fend for themselves. One war had been seemingly postponed but only so that another could take its place.
Twelfth Great Jedi War
With the Collective's offensive, the Clans were driven into the conflict against an even more powerful foe than before. Despite the lack of even an inkling that it had ever existed, the Collective proved to be infinitely more powerful than anyone realised. Capable of rivaling even the major galactic powers with an armada which had seemingly emerged from nowhere, the war rapidly turned into a guerrilla conflict. Matters were only made worse both by the presence of massed combat cyborgs among the Collective's poorly armed fanatics, and their seemingly preternatural ability to counter any advantage brought against them. Managing to somehow destabilise every intelligence network among every Clan and initiate a successful propaganda campaign against their kind, Jedi, Krath, Obelisk and Sith alike were soon driven onto the backfoot. Before the Clans could even fully organise a united front against the Collective, word reached them that they had attained ancient Sith scrolls belonging to Darth Plagueis. Coming to understand the true gravity of the threat before them, Odan-Urr readied itself to launch a strike against Nancora, the factory world which served as the Collective's base of power. This was considered to be the outbreak of the Twelfth Great Jedi War.
While the Lotus Resistance planned its attack, the other Clans of the Brotherhood decided to take matters into their own hands, launching an assault against the world's orbital defenses as Odan-Urr and Arcona initiated their assault. Of the Iron Navy itself and the Grand Master there was no sign, with Darth Pravus having opted to leave the Clans to fend for themselves. Many saw this as a tactical decision to allow two enemies to weaken one another at once, but Tarvitz viewed it only as a mark of cowardice. Pravus had been happy to hurl his full military might against an enemy a fraction of his strength, yet the moment a true threat emerged he had made every effort not to directly engage them. Whatever strategic benefits were spawned from this act, given the opportunistic behaviour of the Sith and their near-fetishistic obsession with strength, he wondered how many might start to doubt his ability to lead them.
Initially engaging in the orbital battle, Tarvitz piloted the Spitfire against smaller enemy craft, directing his effort to intercept the kamikaze pilots sent against the larger capital ships. Utilising ion torpedoes and forcing them into close flight patterns, he repeatedly attempted to disable and force as many from the Odanite fleet as possible, hoping to immobilise and capture the more fanatical elements of the Collective. This often proved to be for naught, as most pilots opted to manually detonate their ships or were fired upon by their allies in an effort to make use of their explosives. Eventually, following Raava Squadron against the enemy fighter formations, Tarvitz downed several ships thanks to his enhanced Precognition giving him an innate edge against their bionic implants. Actively countering and even avoiding strategies as they were formulated, Tarvitz disrupted and opened up individual ships to attacks by the rest of the squadron, driving them back again and again as Brotherhood transports began to punch through the orbital blockade.
Supporting the attack ships, Tarvitz defended the ground forces until they had been fully established before damage to his fighter's engines drove him to temporarily land. Conscripted into Aurek Team - a group of Odanite and Arconan troops and more militant Force sensitives - Tarvitz fought alongside them to clear several buildings and secure the flank of the Lotus Resistance's spearhead. Forced to hold their ground against poorly armed cannon fodder and heavily upgraded cybernetic troops alike, Tarvitz was eventually confronted by one of the Collective's so-called Jedi Hunters. Recognising that the cyborg had been tailored to counter Jedi lightsaber forms and openly offensive Force abilities, Tarvitz fell back on his secondary weapons and affinity for Telekinesis. Through this he was able to quite literally dismantle his opponent one limb at a time, eventually claiming its cloak and equipment as spoils of war. His attempts to take the Hunter captive were unfortunately thwarted by a zealot of the Liberation Front, whose dying act was to behead the crippled enemy cyborg, killing him and destroying any data his cranial cybernetics held.
Thankfully, others had managed to capture an infinitely more valuable prisoner. Darro Zhen had managed to take a Technocratic Guild scientist prisoner, and worked to gain information from him. Along with Tarvitz and Droveth Kathera Vectivi, they were able to find and breach a secret experimental facility. Within it they were greeted by the gruesome sight of where Brotherhood prisoners had been mutilated and experimented on, both for their connection to the Force and as raw material for new cybernetic creations. After executing the scientist and turning the facility into a makeshift funeral pyre, the group fell back while supported from the air by Alifal Bav.
Though the Brotherhood's initial strike was a success, a Technocrat taken captive by Turel Sorenn and Satsi Tameike revealed that the Collective was withdrawing and that their actions had been predicted. In mustering their forces to devastate Nancora, several Brotherhood homeworlds had been left open to attacks by other fleets. Refusing to sacrifice their homes in the name of retribution, the Brotherhood withdrew from the ruined world with all speed. Tarvitz himself would only learn of this in the hours following the battle.
Ranger (36-37 ABY)
The War at Home
During the Collective backed uprising against the Kiast System's ruling government, Tarvitz was part of a counter-offensive launched against the enemy base of operations. The exact nature of his actions and the events which followed have unfortunately gone unrecorded, but it is known that Odan-Urr's efforts to safeguard its holdings was successful, in part by turning major enemy artillery emplacements against them.
Down Into a Sunless City
In the months following the conflict over Nancora, Tarvitz used his contacts to recruit Essik into the Clan. The former Admiral had been commanding one of the few counter assaults against the First Order, using an ad-hoc fleet of mothballed New Class Modernization Program ships and the few newer classes which were actually combat effective. Despite winning a string of victories, and striking a decisive blow against a much larger opposing force in orbit over Onderon, Essik had been forcibly removed from his position so that Corellia's former senator could claim the fleet for himself. While jaded and distrustful, he was eventually convinced to side with the Jedi against their enemies.
Using Nar Shaddaa as a rendezvous point, Tarvitz used the opportunity also to investigate leaked information relating to the planet's undercity. The recently rebuilt and recolonized moon had swiftly begun to resemble its older self. This was thanks to terraforming efforts by the galaxy's invaders, but it had left the moon open to new organisations taking hold. One of these appeared to be the Collective. Believing that they had been recruiting undercity dwellers into their armies, Tarvitz's task was to confirm its presence and deny the Collective any further recruits if possible. It proved to be a trap.
The Collective had leaked the information, hoping that the sight of a bloodied and beaten Jedi would rekindle the zeal they had used to draw others to their ranks. Rather than a small group of guards, Tarvitz and Essik found themselves facing down a full platoon of combat cyborgs and Liberation Front cannon fodder. Worse still, they were actively hunting something besides him. Managing to fight their way free of the initial ambush, they quickly turned the tables on their foes. Through the inventive use of a telekinetic attack, Tarvitz was able to swiftly annihilate the squad waiting for them, along with several of the cyborgs. As Essik drew the remainder of their enemies to the spaceport and dispatched them, Tarvitz descended deeper into the undercity.
Fighting his way through several more ambushes and engagements, he gradually managed to thin their numbers until only a small handful were left to confront him. The grueling battle which followed left Tarvitz grievously wounded. With the unit's leader alive and strong, he attempted to defeat them by empowering his body with sheer Rage, but failed to deliver the finishing blow. Moments before Tarvitz could be killed in return, another figure took up his fallen lightsaber, and swiftly ended the cyborg's life. Tarvitz half expected to see a Sith, but instead, a young child confronted him. As his mind was suddenly assailed by images and attempts to prize free information, Tarvitz realised that the child was the one the Collective had been hunting. As a naturally powerful telepath, they had likely sought to abduct her for their own means; either for experiments similar to those found on Nancora, or as a leashed soldier to interfere with Force users on the battlefield.
Having been raised in a den of murderers, and seemingly with no means of communication beyond telepathy, the two struggled to communicate. Tarvitz was only able to avoid his death by allowing the child into his mind. Showing her images of his own training, his own fear of his powers, and efforts to control them, Tarvitz managed to convince her that there were others who could train her in how to fully utilise and control her abilities. Staying long enough to warn the growing audience of undercity dwellers of how the Collective would treat them as mere fodder, Tarvitz left for the surface with the child in tow before departing the moon for good.
Hidden Empire
As the initial rebellion on Kiast had been quickly quelled in a series of offensives, Tarvitz decided to at long last take his leave. While he had not been justly beheaded for his crimes, Pravus had fled his throne in the wake of Nancora. From what little he was able to uncover about his replacement, Telaris "Mav" Cantor was a devoted Sith Lord but at least lacked the egotism and elitism which had dominated Pravus' every move. With a new enemy on their doorstep, it seemed that he would be pragmatic enough to make peace with the Lotus Resistance. As Tarvitz's oath had technically been fulfilled, he saw it as an opportunity to return home and question the elders among his Order. There had been far too many contradictions among the databases of every faction he had met, and even odd gaps within their assembled knowledge. At first, he had believed that this was the result of a lack of resources, but with each passing day, it far more closely resembled censorship. Even without that, the Collective was as much a threat to the Jensaarai as the Jedi, and they at least deserved to be warned of their genocidal crusade.
Explaining his reasons for departing to the clan's leader, Alethia Archenksova, Tarvitz joined Paladin Squadron for one final flight through the Palioxis Cloud. For the most part, the journey was without incident, leaving Tarvitz time to come to terms with the weight of this decision. However, as he moved to leave the Cloud and make the hyperspace jump out of the system, hostile ships emerged and opened fire. In a vicious skirmish against the unknown assailants, the Odanites were almost overwhelmed by a mixture of Clone Wars and Imperial era fighters. These were soon supported by their capital ship, a Nebulon-B Escort Frigate which had been refitted into a carrier. The Odanites were only able to break free from the trap when Tarvitz made a near-suicidal attack run on the carrier, succeeding in destroying both its main flight decks and a gravity well generator.
Returning to Kiast with the remains of Paladin Squadron, they were met with chaos. The Empress had been poisoned during a meeting with Odan-Urr's leadership, and her final proclamation named Archenksova regent of the Empire. This had been accompanied by a slew of random skirmishes and raids across the Empire, as soldiers suddenly arrested nobles sympathetic to the Odanites in the street, incited riots, and even raided targets while dressed in O.E.F. uniforms. It was clear that they were being set up, but just who was pulling the strings remained in question. Tarvitz was paired with Ethan Martes and tasked with investigating any leads which might help them prove their innocence. Between Martes' contacts and Tarvitz's none too subtle methods, they uncovered the workshop that had constructed the tea set used to deliver the poison. It was in the midst of being torched by an assassin, who took his own life rather than be taken captive. Even with this setback, the two were able to retrieve a number of files - and even a prototype set of similar teacups - as evidence that another group with ties to Kiast had sought the Empress' death.
With the clan still under threat, Tarvitz decided that his return to the Jensaarai could wait a little longer.
The Meridian Conflict
Following efforts to contain and limit further damage in the Kiast System, Odan-Urr's leaders made a surprising move. Rather than focusing on the pressing threat of an insurrection by the Vauzem Dominion they instead opted to participate with an assault on a key Collective outpost. Forming an alliance with forces loyal to the Iron Throne, the Jedi sought to locate a captured agent of the Inquisition, and then to utilise his information to attack Meridian Prime space station - A major port, supply base and prison facility for the Collective as a whole. The decision did not sit well with Tarvitz, who viewed the matter as being simply none of their business. At best, he would have voiced that they target Brotherhood facilities while the bulk of their fleet was engaged against a foreign target. However, knowing that he would soon be free of his oath and no longer a part of the Clan, Tarvitz decided to follow the decision without comment.
Joining a small strike team of Len Iode, Creon Saldean, Dral Falgorth and supporting elements of the O.T.F. they first boarded the Akan - an enemy Dreadnought class cruiser - in search of its data. Upon boarding the vessel, they quickly discovered that the ship's self-destruct sequence had already been activated and was rapidly counting down. Tarvitz led a small group in search of the ship's rear data core while the others stormed the bridge, engaging not only Collective troops but an Inquisitorial agent along the way. Tarvitz's unit was briefly waylaid by a squad of combat cyborgs, and then a pair of Managuard before they finally achieved their objective. Withdrawing moments before the ship exploded, they soon regrouped with the fleet and joined with the assault of Meridian itself a few hours later.
The group assaulted the station via boarding torpedo, punching into its lower levels and moving up to the command centre. With the troops guarding the facility having been drawn away by more pressing boarding actions in the main hangars, they were able to quickly engage and neutralise most patrols they encountered before locating the main control centre for the prisons. Slicing into the computer network, the group disrupted the release cycle for a multitude of cells, opening the way for the prisoners to riot and overwhelm their jailers. This quickly drew the attention of the governing AI of the station but, before they were forced from the network, the group was still able to pinpoint the location of its core. Following a brief battle with a rearguard assembling about the system, the unit was able to set charges and destroy the system housing the AI.
While the battle had been one-sided from the first shot, the loss of the station's AI quickly turned it into a rout. Few prisoners could be taken from the Collective personnel, and even those that succeeded in taking died soon after their capture. Most had been rigged with implants to execute them upon being lost to the Brotherhood, while others willingly overloaded their circuits. It was a pointless waste of life and only further cemented Tarvitz's view that Rath Oligard's crusade would only succeed in massacring countless lives, no matter its outcome.
As Meridian was overwhelmed and captured, the forces of Odan-Urr quickly withdrew from the battle to avoid being caught in a possible ambush. The ceasefire between themselves and the Brotherhood had been fleeting, and the habit of the Sith to betray their allies had hardly been forgotten by any of them. However, to the surprise of many, they soon found themselves contacted by representatives of the Brotherhood hours after the conflict's end. The communications requested that they meet in a neutral location, specifically a long-abandoned mining outpost in the Kessel Sector to discuss further matters relating to the future conflict with the Brotherhood. These specifically mentioned an important item which had come into their possession, and it was an offer that Odan-Urr could ill afford to overlook. Despite his lack of official standing, Tarvitz was selected to meet with them along Ta'var and Archenksova. They were soon greeted by Deputy Grand Master Morgan B. Sorenn and a small contingent of bodyguards, along with an item which resembled a gigantic kyber crystal.
The crystal itself had been claimed from the Collective's Technocrat operatives and retained some strong but as of yet unidentified connection to the Force. Sorenn offered to leave it in Clan Odan-Urr's custody, and even permitted the Jedi to set terms in exchange for this deal given the possible danger it posed.
The Choices of One
- "Should you continue to walk upon this path, you will only tread ever deeper into darkness."
"Of course I will! Where better for the light to go than where it is needed most?"
- ―The last exchange between the Saarai-kaar and Tarvitz
Following the Brotherhood's victory at Meridian, Tarvitz became increasingly reclusive. While still maintaining the same boisterous friendliness that he had expressed since his arrival, he spent more time alone with his thoughts than before. Most attributed this to exhaustion from the constant fighting, but instead, Tarvitz had found himself conflicted in his duties. His oath had ended and with it, his time in Clan Odan-Urr should have come to an end. Yet, wherever he looked, he found strife, trouble, and enemies to combat. While loyal to the Jensaarai, returning to their ranks would have brought an end to this, and likely a return to the solitude within their stronghold. His time as a Reclaimer had granted some freedom, but after taking a years-long unannounced leave of absence he would almost certainly be stripped of that position.
For days Tarvitz wrestled with his thoughts before finally coming to a decision. He would return to Susevfi and accept whatever judgment was made of him. Even if it saw an end to his role as a wandering swordsman, the Jensaarai deserved to be warned of all that he had uncovered there; and equally, he deserved answers to the bizarre contradictions in their history. Whatever followed after that, Tarvitz would at least find some peace in not fleeing from his duties any longer. Leaving a note addressed to Drachen, Iode and the clan leadership explaining his actions, he departed from House Hoth's base of operations in the dead of night.
Tarvitz's return was far from auspicious. Soon after arrival, he was taken under guard and reprimanded for his absence. Stripped of his equipment, he was taken into a cell and held there as an elder Defender interrogated him, demanding answers for what had happened over the past two years. Tarvitz held his nerve, answering each point with simple and direct responses, and detailing much of what had transpired since his last visit. Understanding that, while he was not being openly treated as an enemy, his old comrades were suspicious of his silence, he instead offered knowledge whenever possible. He detailed the existence of the Brotherhood, of the Sith, Krath, Obelisks and Jedi which now fought among the ancient Sith worlds. He explained how forces like the Collective had run rampant across the stars, waging their crusade against all they saw as undeserving of living now that no larger government stood to hold them in check, and even went so far as to mention names of former members who seemingly did not exist according to their records.
After the interrogator had finished hearing of his stories, Tarvitz was left alone in his cell for some time. Then, without ceremony or warning, he was brought before the Saarai-kaar herself.
Their meeting proved to be fleeting, with neither willing to give ground on their points. The Saarai-kaar asked that Tarvitz silence himself, and to cease repeating all that he had seen. She admitted that, to protect the Jensaarai, the Order's records were being altered. All contact with Luke Skywalker's Jedi Order or the New Republic was being slowly erased, using elements taken from the New Republic's propagandists to create a more cohesive and simplified history, bereft of anything which could bring them to danger. With it, she intended that their kind could be protected and discouraged from leaving the planet thus drawing others to their home. She had hoped that Tarvitz's time among the galaxy might have shown him the dangers which lurked out there, and how they could destroy their lives.
Tarvitz, for his part, argued that this only meant that the Jensaarai were needed more than ever. With nothing to replace the Jedi Order, there was nothing to serve in the same role that they had once provided, and no one to counter the likes of the Sith. Odan-Urr's Jedi were few in number, and with the First Order, the Collective and others hunting down any Force-sensitive factions who might oppose them, the Jensaarai could not simply hide on one world. Even as the Saarai-kaar objected, he asked that she at least consider lending some of their Defenders to assist with the Clan's operations, or open up negotiations with the Brotherhood's more trustworthy elements.
Ultimately each refused to cede any point and, by the end, each walked away having lost respect for one another. While the Saarai-kaar threatened Tarvitz with imprisonment to hide them from the Brotherhood, Tarvitz revealed that they were already aware of them and that her former Apprentice was among their number. Voicing his disgust that she would not uphold the justice that they supposedly valued above all else, Tarvitz chose his duties to Clan Odan-Urr over any obligation to the Jensaarai. Without a further word he formally resigned from the Order.
A Not So Simple Path
Whatever doubts that Tarvitz might have had about his self-imposed exile soon faded upon his return to Solyiat. The bitterness of the Jensaarai's choices to abandon their history and very name plagued him, but he knew at least that he could accomplish some good among the Jedi while staying true to his code. This soon proved truer than he would have imagined, as one of the Jedi came to Tarvitz with a request that he speak with the child he had brought to them. Along with learning that he had mistaken the child's gender, she had attempted to flee from the Temple several times. The few efforts by telepaths to convince her to speak with them had proven unsuccessful, and she was refusing to lower her guard. This swayed Tarvitz into meeting with her once more, but he cited any concerns of what she might learn from him. As someone who spoke through telepathy and read the minds of others, his life of bloodshed, violence, and warfare seemed as if it would, at best, tempt her toward the Dark Side.
Having escaped once again, Tarvitz was able to track the child down and find her in the wilderness surrounding the Temple ruins. Through a number of stumbling attempts, he managed to convey his thoughts with his limited skill, and convinced her to speak with him. Eventually piecing together the basics of what she saw, Tarvitz came to understand that she was extremely distrustful of others. His act of killing her assailant had been the closest thing to kindness that she had been granted, while his limited skills aligned more with her crude language of memories and internal images than the more complex abilities of others. To make matters worse, the Jedi Code itself ran counter to her life lessons, as she understood life in the manner of hunting, fleeing prey and preying upon others. Even when she understood what was being conveyed to her, she was unable to accept its words. As this was the case, Tarvitz opted to instead use the teachings of the Jensaarai in their place, conveying the basic tenets of his order through life examples and thoughts. He used it as a starting point to show the difference between aggression and outright hatred, and prompted those most compatible with the Jedi's beliefs. Through this and several hours of efforts, he was slowly able to convince her to return to the Jedi and learn to better control her powers.
Tarvitz would repeatedly return to speak with the child during her training, either to assist with her lessons or just to offer a heavily scarred face that she could trust. Eventually prompting her to even choose a name - Sirra - he trained her as a "sometimes apprentice", he used his knowledge to focus her powers in more productive outlets. Although still reclusive, this helped her substantially in more readily accepting the lessons that the Jedi offered, even if she struggled to accept their ways entirely. Unable to find another to teach her or break the language barrier between them, he ended up often bringing Sirra with him during his periods of keeping an eye on, and training, Adenn and Xin. Despite a very rocky start, the trio were able to strike up an odd friendship even with constant communication struggles.
Unfortunately, in the time that he devoted to this, Kiast was undergoing a period of increasing turmoil. The Dominion had been countered and defeated in multiple engagements, but the threat it posed was still all too real. Furthermore, there was dissent among the nobility. Archenksov had been deposed as Regent following the mention by the now awakened Empress Anasaye that it had never been her will to allow an outsider to take her place, and had even departed Odan-Urr with Ta'var taking her place. With the Odanites continuing to perform police actions, the Vatali Empire unexpectedly declared open war on both the Collective and the Dominion. Combined with the unrest among the Quorahi pushing for a more democratic system, the conflict that Odan-Urr had involved itself with was far from over.
A New Dawn
While Tarvitz continued to play a role in the wars raging across the Kiast system, they did not compare with the conflicts that he was used to fighting. More often than not the major battles were limited to brief skirmishes or infiltration efforts rather than pitched engagements. As both the Collective and Dominion had failed to gain the upper hand in their initial strikes, they had instead resorted to more clandestine means to win their battles. As the skills of others lay in such warfare, Tarvitz found himself more often than not serving in the role of peacekeeper and law enforcer over that of a soldier. Yet it was in this time that Tarvitz came to fully understand how much his time in Clan Odan-Urr had changed him. The battles that he had fought had given him a constant yearning for challenges and competition to test his mettle, and there was an air of aggression to his behaviour that he had once lacked. In the ultimate irony, the very events which had led him to be effectively exiled from his Order had awakened a subconscious appreciation for the very tenants that he had once opposed.
Knowing all too well just how easily such a drive could lead toward the Dark Side, Tarvitz took the time to retrain himself in the basic teachings of the Jensaarai. As he imparted lessons upon Sirra on a weekly basis, he was spending as much time enforcing those same concepts within his own mind. After weeks of lessons, he began testing Sirra in mock-combat exercises. This was as much to test how well his lessons had been imparted onto her as they were teaching her how to best employ her skills in a direct fight; emphasizing a need for hit-and-fade attacks against larger opponents, and targeting weak points with her strikes. This proved to be a success as, even with Sirra's willingness to treat training bouts as duels to first blood, Tarvitz was able to encourage her to make use of her abilities in battles she might once have simply fled from. Yet it was in these sparring matches that the limitations of Tarvitz's own abilities were becoming clear. His efforts to encourage Sirra to better utilise her Telepathy had pushed his Apprentice to expand her understanding of this power, but he could not keep up with her. His efforts to communicate and even convey basic information were slow and labored compared to her natural affinity with transmitting thoughts, which typically left Sirra attempting to carry out all the work in any conversation. It was clear that she required someone more talented in this same area.
Because of his shortcomings, Tarvitz sought out someone within their clan with a skillset that was better suited to Telepathy and shared a similarly bleak upbringing. In time, he was able to contact Celevon Edraven Erinos, and convince the Mandalorian to meet with Sirra. Traveling to his home on Kona’li Isle, Tarvitz was able to bring her before Celevon following a momentary encounter with hostile local fauna. Convincing Celevon to at least listen to the girl and see what he would be dealing with, their meeting proved to be a success, and Celevon was able to achieve far more progress in minutes than Tarvitz had achieved in months of work. In any other circumstance, this would have been a reason for celebration, but a more alarming threat soon became evident. The wildlife that Tarvitz had accidentally disturbed - a gigantic breed of python - had been formed from Sith Alchemy, and its poisons were slowly spreading through his system. Gradually overriding even Tarvitz's inhuman resistance to toxins, he was taken back to Celevon's home, and collapsed soon after entering the building.
Along with his sister, Rowena Magnuri, Celevon was able to use Alchemy to single out and eventually remove the poisons. The process left Tarvitz in a healing coma for well over a day while his body recovered, leaving time for Sirra to be further trained and tested by Celevon. During that period, Rowena continued to monitor and fix him, gradually healing his body. A side effect of her alterations was the removal of underlying scar tissue that had previously hindered his movement and the repairs to long-standing musculature damage, which subtly enhanced his coordination and reactions as a result. The two would stay there for several days while he recovered, eventually departing with newfound strength thanks to their experiences on the Isle.
Thirteenth Great Jedi War
The training of Sirra gradually took priority in Tarvitz's life, as he realised just how easily she might still fall to the Dark Side. Having spent almost a decade absorbing the thoughts of Nar Shaddaa's murderers and thieves, the fact that she retained any degree of stability was a miracle unto itself. However, without the rigid mental discipline and training other Force users benefitted from, it was clear that those experiences could overwhelm her entirely. Because of this, Tarvitz used the relative peace to better guide her abilities and give her greater grounding in controlling any feelings of hatred and emphasizing restraint in her combat style. It was perhaps because of this that, when the Thirteenth Great Jedi War broke out, Tarvitz elected to remain in a supporting role rather than that of frontline combat. A meeting between The Collective, the Severian Principate, and the Brotherhood had broken out into violence, with a faction claiming to be a Brotherhood strike group raiding the Lyra-3K-a system. The Brotherhood's clans had mobilized to take action, with some seeking to take advantage of the fighting while others moved in direct support of the Brotherhood's leadership. Odan-Urr, upon seeing that the Brotherhood had all the support it required, moved to support humanitarian efforts.
Deployed onto the Moon of Thillon via a covert drop, the Odanites took advantage of the fighting to rescue and limit casualties among the fallen. Focusing their efforts on the mines and the Workers Housing Quarter owned by Temnos Excavations, they worked to limit casualties and nullify threats however possible. Tarvitz worked with Sirra, utilising her familiarity with subterranean environments and telepathy to pick out buried groups of prisoners. Giving her the freedom to select and pinpoint those they had been sent to recover, he judged her actions and tested her abilities. While much of her training had emphasized direct threats, this was an opportunity to utilise her skills in preserving lives over ending them. To this end, Tarvitz dealt with the few threats that arose personally, from using his telekinesis to halt cave-ins to killing the small handful of Collective saboteurs they encountered. While Tarvitz himself found the preservation of lives far more rewarding than simple violence, this was something that she needed to be shown and to experience.
Over the course of several hours, the Odanites withdrew to the surface and were forced to take a holding position. Their transport had been lost under enemy fire and, with more hostiles closing in with every passing minute, they were slowly being pinned down and surrounded. Rescue only came in the closing minutes of the battle, when a transport from Clan Arcona was diverted to the Odanites' position and offered them safe passage out of the system. Clan Odan-Urr was able to escape with relatively few casualties, having saved the lives of several hundred miners and their families.
After the Odanite Expeditionary Force was able to regroup and withdraw back to their home system, Tarvitz was left waiting on Pharos station as small musters of troops were permitted into the Kiast system at a time. Prioritizing the most heavily wounded and maintaining heavy security checks in order to avoid infiltration, many were left waiting on the station. Tarvitz bided his time, using his powers to heal those who could be saved. Both this work and a conversation with Ethan Martes over the battle's outcome gave him time to think on their actions and reflect on Odan-Urr's successes. By the time that he was given permission to return to his home, Tarvitz was already considering grander events. In his mind, the battle had only served to further cement his beliefs that Force users were needed as peacekeepers more than ever, and that nothing would change that. To hide away, and hope to be overlooked as the galaxy burned was not only an act of cowardice but a moral failing. One Force user could turn the tide of a battle, while a hundred could save thousands of lives in the middle of a war zone. He could not allow the knowledge of the Jensaarai or their disciplines to go to waste.
An Exile's Duty
Finding an excuse to depart from Brotherhood space for several days, and using the opportunity to leave Sirra in the care of the Praxeum for a time in order to better encourage her integration into the Clan, Tarvitz once more flew back to Susevfi. In the days following their efforts, a plan had been formulating in his mind, one far grander than anything he had previously conceived. From all that he had seen, the galaxy did need a guardian force, but not akin to what he had once imagined. A single standing army of Force users simply wouldn't work due to the very nature of vast conflicts. When faced against a true military with all its troops and backings, they would still be left fighting as individuals. As such, a better opportunity would be to create an Order of watchmen, capable of decapitating certain threats as they emerged and undermining larger powers when needed. While the likes of the First Order could not be destroyed through open battle, talented individuals in the right place at the right time could kill their strength through decisive strikes, drawing them away from worlds or denying them the ability to attack them before any invasion force could be mustered.
Many of these ideas had been built upon how both the original and revitalized Jedi Orders had operated, albeit with a far greater emphasis on military might. Tarvitz personally respected the Jedi for their versatility, serving in a greater capacity than simply warriors, and extending their Order into the fields of diplomacy. However, it was not an area that he personally had any skill in, nor did he believe that those he intended to recruit would share his beliefs. The Jensaarai Order, insular and isolated more than ever, had far more members to its name than many realized. Most that he knew of valued their history and enforcing justice was a singular focus within their ideology. As such, Tarvitz hoped that some could be swayed through the revelation of the Saarai-kaar's into seceding from the primary Order and joining him to establish an offshoot faction within Brotherhood space; one devoted to opposing the current leaders of the Jensaarai by acting openly and reversing their more recent changes. While certainly difficult, he felt that there were enough members to accomplish his intended goal. His yearly ritual of returning to his family's tomb and honouring his parents was enough of a justification to excuse his presence on the planet. However, upon landing Tarvitz was soon greeted by a grim sight.
Within his family's shrine, Tarvitz found two more sarcophagi flanking the empty tombs of his parents. They bore the name of his grandparents, with a date of death from mere weeks prior to his arrival. Shocked at this revelation, Taritz stayed for almost a full day at the shrine, honouring them as he did all those who had passed into the next world. As he did, another figure arrived and kept watch over him. Clad in Jensaarai armour, Tarvitz ignored the newcomer's presence until she identified herself as Nikora Rhan. In Tarvitz's absence, she had constructed new sarcophagi in accordance with their will and performed Alderaanian funeral rites to the best of her ability. No others had come despite her constant efforts to contact their relatives, and she was surprised to see Tarvitz here now.
Respecting what Rhan had done for them, Tarvitz spoke with her for a time and the two exchanged thoughts. Tarvitz outlined all that had happened since his initial disappearance to Rhan, why he had entered a state of self-exile and what had driven him to vocally oppose the Saarai-kaar. He also outlined his plans - making it clear to her that he sought opposition and a means to have the Jensaarai carry out their intended duties over triggering a civil war - with a few indications of how they might be accomplished. Rhan, in turn, spoke of how Tarvitz's self-exile had been upgraded into total exile in his absence, and that she had been tasked with arresting him. She then spoke in detail about how his plan would not work and would likely only succeed in his own imprisonment. With an increased crackdown on unapproved information and dissent, most of those that Tarvitz had hoped to turn had been either brow-beaten into following without question or ignoring their previous complaints. Rhan had been one of the few still trying to oppose the new order and preserve their history. Upon learning that Tarvitz still intended to go through with his plan via another means, Rhan announced that she would join him. Even if it was an uphill struggle, she felt that it would be a far more worthwhile challenge than remaining with the Order.
Tarvitz remained on the planet for a day, setting his grandparents' affairs in order and finishing his few remaining loose ends. His final act before leaving Susevfi behind for good was reclaiming the Jedi relics that he had hidden years before, largely as a basis for what he hoped would follow.
The Quorahi Uprising
Whatever plans that Tarvitz might have been formulating were quickly put on hold once he returned to Solyiat. The system was in a state of upheaval and there had been reported mass activities among the Quorahi tribes, indicating massed planning and widespread communications. He, Essik, Sirra, and Rhan were tasked with pinpointing and investigating a possible meeting among their leaders. Eventually locating the meeting in a largely disused warehouse on Foothold, they were able to use Sirra and Rhan's telepathy to record the conversations within the meeting and return to the Clan with word of the unification efforts being made between the various city-states. They uncovered that the Quorahi were stepping up their efforts to begin a new revolution and push for greater independence from the Vatali. Some were reluctantly following it in order to benefit their people, others were eagerly seizing the opportunity to settle old scores. In either case, it was a disturbing prospect given the conflicts that the Vatali Empire had only just survived.
Sirra seemingly struggled to fully comprehend the reasoning behind their efforts and, even after Rhan opted to more bluntly explain it to her, she seemed sympathetic to their cause. Politics and manipulation were areas that Tarvitz retained few skills in, and he had never tried to enhance her understanding of them. Tarvitz made an effort to better explain the situation, but he was soon called away along with Sirra. Odan-Urr's leaders had devised several strikes which might delay the threat of the Quorahi if not remove it entirely. Decisive strikes against individual targets, people, and resources would limit their ability to fund a full-fledged revolution. Sirra was key to one such target. Thanks to her small size, natural ability to navigate underground labyrinths, and capacity for stealth, she was required to plant a seismic charge in Cainstead's mines. This would bury them and cripple their economy for a time. Tarvitz vehemently argued against her lone deployment for hours, but Sirra's own desire to prove herself swayed him into falling silent.
After piloting the Spitfire into a position hidden in the clouds, Tarvitz watched and waited Sirra departed. She climbed up several sheer kilometers of rock toward the mine's lower entrance, eventually entering it without being detected. Unfortunately, as Tarvitz would later learn, not everything went to plan. Miners were operating far outside of their planned shift and, in an effort to avoid casualties, Sirra activated an alarm prior to triggering the mine's timer. She escaped while under fire, leaping off of the mountain in an effort to evade her pursuers, and almost dying as a high yield shot punched clean through her torso. Tarvitz was able to intercept Sirra and began continuously healing her body with the few skills he possessed. The effort of keeping her alive almost burned him out entirely, and he nearly crashed the ship in his effort to reach the nearest Vatali hospital. Even after she was transferred to a bacta tank, Sirra remained trapped in a healing coma, unable to wake.
A dark mood fell over Tarvitz in the wake of this tragedy. He blamed himself for not arguing against her deployment harder, for failing to better train her, and ultimately passing on the desire to save all lives even when it ran contrary to his own ideology. This resulted in his recon of Volstrad devolving into a brawl against pro-revolutionary elements, and even serious consideration of retiring from duty. This only changed thanks to Rhan's intervention, who encouraged him to let her take over training for the following year, with an emphasis on covering for any areas he had failed to account for. Even more than this, in an effort to further remove himself from Sirra's life, he asked that Celevon adopt Sirra into his family when she awoke, giving her a much more stable environment to mature in.
Seer (38 ABY-40 ABY)
The Serpent's Maw
In the wake of the disaster surrounding the Quorahi conflicts, Tarvitz began refocusing his efforts toward furthering his own goals and correcting his mistakes. He waited with Sirra until she eventually awoke from her wound, easing her into the idea of Rhan teaching her in place of his previous role. This was not welcomed, as the two had argued vehemently with one another in the short time since they had met, but Tarvitz was able to sway her into accepting Rhan as a tutor. His efforts to encourage her to join Celevon's group proved to be far more successful, as the former assassin eased her into the idea and then posed the question after several visits. This resulted in Sirra quickly accepting, albeit only if Tarvitz would occasionally visit. This left Tarvitz free to pursue his own goals, and largely removed his own disrupting influence from her life.
Leaving any conflict with the Quorahi to diplomats, he began investigating potential bases of operations for the new Jensaarai Order. Solyiat was the most obvious choice, thanks to the natural defences provided by the Kiast system's surrounding belt and the nearby Jedi factions. Strokera was initially considered due to its limited contact with the outside world, but it was soon discarded thanks to its tourism industry and the hostile wildlife. Instead, Nikora quickly pushed to establish a stronghold on Trepus, thanks to its settlements being almost entirely established along the coastline. Each of them hoped that this would leave them largely undisturbed by the local populace, along with utilising the local geothermal energies as a natural power source. More importantly, much of it was unclaimed by what passed for the local government. Unfortunately, their initial optimism soon dulled as the majority of their potential sites were soon proven to be non-viable. While Trepus Mine Base had benefited from decades of artificial tunneling, few natural caverns were large enough to suit their needs. More importantly, they were home to the winged apex predators which dominated the continent's innermost territories: The Varritul. Those in the lowlands soon proved to be equally unsuitable, either risking being overrun by wildlife, buried in the infrequent avalanches or too far from heat sources to be of any use.
The duo's fortune soon changed when they stopped at the town of Steepmouth to learn more of the Varritul. Hoping to uncover some inherent weakness or means to drive them away from claiming a potential spot, they were largely met with local legends and personal histories. The creatures were hardy, difficult to kill, and extremely tenacious. More importantly, they would stalk the few victims who escaped them for years if not decades after their first meeting. One of the few survivors was the town's Mayor who, after learning of their objectives, offered a deal to the Jensaarai. The Varritul had attacked him mere nights before their arrival, and had constantly returned at dusk to make another attempt on his life. If they could both guard him from harm and slay the creature before dawn, he would grant them the rights to a ruined fortification that had come into his ownership. Nikora agreed due to their lack of alternative choices, while Tarvitz readily accepted the offer due to the challenge it provided. Even if the town's stories were exaggerations, the beast was large enough to dwarf most one-man vehicles let alone individuals. With the few hours that remained to them, each of them planned and prepared for the evening's battle.
Repurposing the Spitfire's scanners to track for large organic masses and tasking his astromech droid - Ratchet - to keep watch, the two set up a number of dug-outs surrounding the Mayor's home. As the sun sank below the horizon, the two were alerted to the Varritul's approach in a high altitude dive. In a two-pronged attack, Ratchet was able to interrupt its initial strike on the building, while a missile from Nikora damaged one of its wings. Forcing it toward a number of pit-falls to keep it grounded, the two initiated a series of hit-and-run attacks. Repeatedly striking and then retreating to keep it off balance, the two were able to gradually sap the creature's strength through sheer attrition. By dawn, the Varritul lay dead, and its gargantuan head was presented to the mayor. Thankful for being freed from what he saw as its curse, the Mayor willingly granted them the rights to the castle that he had spoken of: The Fang.
Laying the Foundations
Even after being granted a map and exact location, finding the Fang proved to be a difficult task. Even with electronic assistance and airborne travel, those traveling to the location repeatedly found their minds drifting away from the castle or subconsciously pushed away toward other destinations. Nevertheless, after calling upon the Force, the effect seemed to recede. They were soon met by a bastion, damaged but nevertheless still standing. Segments had fallen away or collapsed entirely, but others stood strong against the ages without signs of decay.
After performing sweeps of the area to drive out the local wildlife which had overrun the place, Tarvitz and Rhan began repurposing a number of rooms to help serve as a base of operations. After setting up a geothermal generator, establishing an archive, and clearing out a number of basic rooms, they began the effort of rebuilding the castle. This was assisted by a number of pit droids bought for this purpose, and a number of rediscovered tools further assisted in this effort. Nevertheless, it was far from an easy task. Oddities continually arose while attempting to map the castle, ranging from bizarre energy spikes to the architecture itself seemingly changing every time they retraced their steps throughout the place. More concerning still was how wildlife seemed to be drawn to its walls, even appearing far within the keep without any sign of a violent entry. This left the two dividing the duties of rebuilding and patrolling the castle between them, with each constantly working to secure their new stronghold against the local fauna.
Due to his existing duties, Tarvitz found himself frequently traveling between the Fang and Odan-Urr's existing outposts. Even with the freedom granted to their members, he was still beholden to their orders and the tasks the Clan required him to carry out. This left Rhan largely taking charge of the construction efforts, a duty she was decidedly more skilled at than he. It was only thanks to her abilities that their work did not slow despite his sporadic visits, but Tarvitz nevertheless did all he could to assist her efforts by finding new sources of material and replacement parts for their machinery. The most notable among these was an engagement on Felucia, where House Sunrider had been tasked with resolving a hostage situation. A small and relatively pacifistic group of Quorahi had somehow been abducted from Kiast, removing them by bypassing every security measure. Even the discovery of this fact had only been made thanks to a garbled message from one of the enslaved Quorahi. Seeing this as an opportunity to prove their worth, House Sunrider initiated a rescue operation and stormed the compound. Along with Celevon, Artemis, and Sirra, they were able to infiltrate and overwhelm the guards during an internal disturbance. With few casualties on either side and the captives freed with limited harm, Tarvitz saw this as an unmitigated success, and further proof that a handful of Force users could make a greater difference than a full army.
These missions continued for some time, often in similar peacekeeping efforts. More often than not, Tarvitz found himself also returning with more relics for their archives, retrieved or liberated from sources beyond Brotherhood space. This led to a communication with Gui Sol, the Jedi Knight and Rollmaster of Clan Odan-Urr. Sol had uncovered records suggesting that the Church of the Force had a presence on Naboo's second moon. Ohma D'un was largely dominated by water and its most notable area was a failed Gungan colony. Nevertheless, a faction of the wider organisation had established itself in a temple of the Elders. Between Tarvitz's experience in recovering Jedi relics and combatting militant elements of the Church, Sol requested that he assist the clan in recovering any artifacts.
The mission proved to be surprisingly uneventful at first. The Church was far from violent, and had been guarding the site until a Jedi could come to recover the items within. They group had been led to believe that no Jedi were left within the galaxy, and had not contacted any outside elements for the risk of being discovered. Leading the two to a hidden chamber within the temple, they revealed a woman frozen in carbonite along with a variety of items. Releasing her from stasis, the woman revealed that she was Elyon de Neverse, a healer and Padawan of the original Order. Elyon had frozen herself to escape the Jedi purge, and to preserve the few relics that she owned. With several decades having passed, and the galaxy having changed considerably since that time, the two stayed on the planet to help her adjust. Elyon attempted to acclimatize to her home, but soon opted to follow the two back to Odan-Urr seeing that she could be of far more help among the remaining Jedi.
Matters were soon further complicated when Tarvitz was tasked with training Elyon as his new student. His acceptance of Sirra as an Apprentice had been mistaken as a more open willingness to take on Jedi as his students. As such, when Jensaarai traditions decreed that Sirra would move onto being trained by Rhan for a year, he had been listed as a Master awaiting a student. This was an unexpected challenge as Tarvitz had hoped to train those with a more militant disposition, and typical Jensaarai lessons clashed with Jedi philosophies. Nevertheless, not wishing to disappoint his new student and seeing the obvious potential in her talents, Tarvitz soon took to training her in the basics of the Force.
The First Ember
Tarvitz took to training Elyon as best he could through his knowledge of the Jedi arts. It was evident that the two had little in common, as she had been trained as a healer and mechanic above all else. However, Tarvitz was able to use their mutual love of starships and technology to find some common ground. Furthermore, after gradually learning that she had been apprenticed to a previous Master, he began emulating the original Order's traditions. Using the knowledge he had gathered of their history, Tarvitz did his best to emulate the trials that a Padawan would face before rising to the rank of Knight. It was by no means a perfect transition, as Tarvitz was working with knowledge that he had recovered from fragments of old texts. However, his lessons did offer some benefit to Elyon, teaching her both of greater restraint and of how the galaxy had evolved since her stasis.
When another major operation arose for House Sunrider - this time on the water moon of Dorumaa - Tarvitz opted to bring Elyon with her in order to better show his apprentice the peacekeeping methods of this era's Jedi. After some hesitance, he opted to bring Sirra as well, both to avoid making her feel as if she had been abandoned and to better utilise her abilities in beating the odds. With the Perlemian Cartel having established a deep-sea drug production facility on the moon, and with threats to release the toxic chemicals into the environment if their activities were interfered with, the Odanites were forced to make quick and decisive strikes to bring down the facility. Through a combination of misdirection, infiltration, and modifications to the Spitfire allowing it to operate underwater, Sunrider's task force was able to quickly overwhelm the defenses surrounding the facility while the Jedi captured the base itself. Elyon's displays of skill and insight proved to Tarvitz that she could readily adapt to this new era, while Sirra's own actions showed how quickly she was growing under Rhan's guidance, despite her misgivings.
It was also during this time that Tarvitz moved his home to the residence of Yuki Suoh. Suoh had offered him a place in her household to rest between conflicts and escape the world for a time, helped by the fact he had protected Adenn and Xin many times over during his years in the Brotherhood. The experience was odd to Tarvitz, the least of which was the chance to spend days without being clad in armour plating or resting with a weapon at his side. His visits were frequently fleeting, and served as a mere break from his duties, but Tarvitz came to welcome them. As he continued to divide his time between assisting with the restoration of the Fang, his training of Elyon, and his missions under Odan-Urr's banner, such rare moments of silence were welcome indeed. It became a point of connection between he and Sirra due to her friendship with the twins, and helped make it clear that he was not entirely isolating her from his life. Yet as more tasks were delegated to his role, such visits became increasingly rare.
During this time, word of the Jensaarai had been growing among Trepus' population. Their act of slaying the Varritul hunting Steepmouth's leader had spread about the land, growing with an increasing number of embellishments. Equally, other acts had been exaggerated, taking the Jensaarai depiction as questing knights and turning them into heroes of legend operating from a lost fortress. It was for this reason that, much to their surprise, the pair were met by a small crowd of figures awaiting at the castle's gates. A number of students had been able to find the castle despite its natural defences, seeking to be trained in their ways. Due to the great distances between Trepus and the Jedi Praxeum on Kiast, some viewed the Jensaarai hold as their only viable means for training. Others had seen their views of the Jedi warped by propaganda, regarding them only as child-stealing elitists who desired all Force users to become emotionally stunted unquestioning drones, and that the Jensaarai were a better alternative.
Recovering from their surprise - and quickly realizing that rejection was no viable option - the two worked to pacify the mob. Having hoped to train the first group of Apprentices from near birth in emulation of Jedi and Jensaarai traditions, Rhan was hesitant to accept their presence. Arriving with too much emotional baggage, or even motivated by the wrong emotions, was a risk that could lead to students easily falling to the Dark Side. However, Tarvitz was able to broker an agreement to at least hear them out, and to deal with the remaining members. Arranging for a transport to more frequently travel between the Fang and the Praxeum, the castle could serve as a stopping point for new recruits while also serving as a testing ground to judge their connection to the Force. Convincing them that the Jedi were hardly the monsters that more recent records depicted them as being, they began testing each of them and examining their temperament. Most were given over to the Jedi, to be trained and tested as was required. The relative few who displayed the right balance of aggression and self-control, who showed some understanding of the basic Jensaarai ideology, were retained for training.
With the influx of students, Tarvitz was surprised as Yuki offered her services as a medic. Having apparently learned of the challenge before them, and growing frustrated at his limited time in her household, she saw this as a chance to put her skills to good use. Tarvitz welcomed her abilities and, after Rhan learned of her presence, she was offered a small medical wing within the Fang's upper tiers.
Fourteenth Great Jedi War
- "They barely slowed him down. I just remember him laughing, standing there among the bodies, and fighting all of them. We'd see him disappear under a tide of zealots, only for him to rise again, hacking apart entire boarding waves. For every one of them that actually came within shooting range of our lines, twenty would die at his hands. That thing wasn't a Jedi, it was a storm with a lightsaber."
- ―Anonymous Iron Legionary
Some way into 38 ABY, word reached Kiast that the Collective had renewed its assault against the Brotherhood. Against all logic and probability, the power had once again shrugged off defeats that would have crippled any other power and bounced back stronger. More incredulously, it had somehow bypassed every defense in Brotherhood space and was overwhelming the defenses of Arx itself. Although Tarvitz's immediate instinct was to leave the Brotherhood to its fate and let them suffer the same fate as New Tython's population, his conscience soon won out. Even with his low opinion of the Sith, Tarvitz couldn't simply let innocents be caught in the crossfire.
Leaving the Fang under the care of Sirra and Orion - a KX-series security droid that Rhan had rebuilt to serve as the Fang's librarian - the two Jensaarai joined the task force attempting to break the siege. With the Brotherhood already losing ground by the time they arrived, the Odanites focused their efforts upon evacuating as many non-combatants as possible, both throughout Arx's orbital facilities and planetary warzones.
Landing on the Nesolat platform, Tarvitz held a rearguard action in one of the major hangars. With their forces already spread thin and the Collective having gained a head-start over the reinforcements, Tarvitz held the area largely alone with only a few Iron Legion soldiers holding a defence line far behind him. Having been struck in the initial barrage, he was able to use the burning wreckage of various freighters, cargo containers and the hangar itself to his advantage. Stealthily moving among them, he was able to continually ambush whole detachments with surprising ease. Few were able to effectively respond until Tarvitz was within striking range, by which point their numbers worked against them. Even as the Collective's fanaticism drove them into battle, their poor training, discipline, and equipment made them no match for him. Yet even when given a chance to flee, they would refuse and attempt to drag him down through their sheer weight of numbers. The cyborgs were no different. The ability to flee or surrender had been stripped from them along with their individuality. Tarvitz valued the challenge their threat posed, but viewed each death as a mercy killing at his hands.
Amid this carnage, Tarvitz found a measure of peace he had lacked in years. Without civilians to concern himself with and removed from the burden of limiting casualties, he found joy in the fighting and challenge it posed. More than that, it offered him a focus that he considered to be the core of being a Jensaarai; a serenity born of certainty of purpose. Behind him were those that needed to be defended, ahead of him were those who would not stop until they had slaughtered every living thing on Arx. The strength this offered him allowed Tarvitz to stand against far greater numbers of foes than in any past battle. Even after encountering a kill-squad of the Collective's new Hive Troopers, Tarvitz was able to defeat them in a grueling battle and hold the hangar until Odan-Urr evacuated the area.
Soon after the platform was held, the Odanites were once more deployed to Eos City on Arx. Targeted by the Collective' crusade, their troops were in the process of slaughtering everything in their path. Herding civilians into larger housing blocks and setting them alight, they sought to burn them alive for living under Sith rule. Under suggestions of Essik, the clan launched an airborne assault, using gunships to establish a perimeter about the housing area and evacuate as many civilians as possible. The fight itself lasted mere minutes, but in that time they were able to move thousands of would-be victims to safety.
Tarvitz was in orbit as the Grand Master initiated his ritual, missing the fighting as the Collective broke and their Hive Marines were overwhelmed by psychic attacks. Helping to police those they had rescued and set-up in the Sunrider's hangar, the first he knew of the battle's end was when scrambled warnings echoed through the clan's communications. Leaving the task of driving them from the system to those tied up in other duties, he concentrated upon limiting the risk of infiltration by the Brotherhood's spies or misinformed Arx citizens attempting to murder their rescuers. This would continue for several hours, and even once the rest of the clan returned, the ship would host the group until the Brotherhood could establish housing for those they had rescued.
It was during this time that Tarvitz finished judging Elyon. It had been clear that his current Padawan had been close to Knighthood in the closing days of Order 66, and the challenges of the past months had seen her overcome many trials. Judging her as close to the old Order would have examined its fledgling knights, most of her Trials had been passed. Deeming her actions both during and following the Siege of Arx to be a Trial of Skill, he considered her to be worthy of Knighthood. Speaking with the Clan's leaders, he initiated a ceremony within the Venator's main briefing room, mimicking that of the original Jedi Council.
A Bloody Visitation
After the end of their role on Arx, Tarvitz and Rhan made their way back to the Fang. While the battle had been a success in halting the Collective and had badly hurt the Brotherhood, both powers were likely to remain a threat for years to come. The outcome did little to put Tarvitz's mind at ease and, in the wake of the conflict, he felt that it would simply inspire both sides to take ever greater extremes. He hoped to begin more active and militant training among the Fang's students, at least those willing to dedicate themselves to such a lifestyle, but they were greeted by a sight of butchery. Bodies had been piled high about the snow, left to freeze among the sea of blades. They had been clearly dragged there with some difficulty, and the stains of blood only partially cleaned from the stonework. While alarmed at this sight, it did not take them long to learn of the full story.
Shortly after their departure, the Fang had faced an incursion by twenty armed figures. They had easily breached its walls, and had hunted about the interior with the intention of killing all those who resided within. The students had only survived thanks to Sirra's presence. Tracking them through the darkness, she had readily tracked down each of the intruders in turn as they had become lost within the castle, readily slaying each of them in abrupt ambushes. Utilising her telepathy to further inspire fear, she had ensured all of them had died without taking a single life in return. Some had gone so far as to claim their own lives before she could reach them. The only survivor of the was a Nexu that Sirra had taken pity upon.
Impressed by these acts, Tarvitz was ready to laud Sirra for her efforts, but Rhan was far more concerned at her use of terror as a weapon. Believing that it was a sign of her sliding toward the Dark Side, she argued in favour of reprimanding Sirra despite her victory. The two quarreled for some time over the matter, with Tarvitz citing her successes and the extreme nature of the situation even as she cited the risks of lauding such methods. However, as Sirra was Rhan's apprentice, the treatment and response ultimately fell to her. Hoping that his words had swayed Rhan's opinion, Tarvitz turned his attention to other matters. Parts of what Sirra had outlined concerned him, particularly the suggestion of an influence urging her violence on and seemingly assisting her efforts. While no one had been so ignorant to assume that the Fang was entirely natural, they had hoped that its influences were largely benign. This was a step too far. Approaching a number of Sephi scholars among the Vatali cities, he commissioned each of them to find any information on the castle's history, no matter how limited or remote.
Once the matter was concluded, he joined Rhan once more and joined them in speaking to the various students. They made it clear that the bloodshed here was not an exception, and that their lives were far from safe. While it was a life dedicated to the protection of others, it was far from safe. They once again made the offer to send anyone willing to the Jedi Praxeum or allow others to return to their homes. A number of them accepted this, mostly those who had sought to control their abilities rather than truly following the life of hardships it required. Those that remained were granted the first stages of true combat training, with Tarvitz and Rhan teaching them the basics of their craft in turn. He would teach them to break rules, overcome impossible odds, and beat superior opponents, without crossing the line that would lead truly to the Dark Side. She in turn would train them in her own skills, particularly the art of crafting armour. Due to both the limited numbers of veterans and advice offered by Essik Lyccane once he started to support the program, they did not follow the usual master and apprentice structure. Instead, those there were gathered into teams for their lessons and told that they would succeed and fail as one, emulating SpecForce and GAR doctrines. Whatever their group of Jensaarai was to become, it would not be a place for individual glories or self-destructive rivalries. They would either learn to fight as a team or not fight at all.
The Shadow of the Empire
Even with Essik assisting as a teacher, the Fang was still hard-pressed to maintain an effective regimen for its students. With Rhan and Sirra both investigating a possible resource that could benefit the Jensaarai, Tarvitz stepped back from his duties in Odan-Urr for a time in order to take her place. Having already acknowledged that she was far better suited to teaching and leading than he ever would be, Tarvitz largely kept to her previously established guidelines and made few alterations. As he had promised, however, his efforts to teach them how to fight emphasized less on form, style, and conventional means, than it did how to overwhelm and undermine an enemy. This sometimes clashed with Rhan's existing ideals, but he was able to encourage them to consider his words by framing Rhan's lessons as a starting point, and using a number of Essik's documents to support his efforts. Those that were not swayed by this were soon turned by a number of stories, and a few practice sessions.
It was during this time that an unexpected source returned to Tarvitz with further information. An old smuggler, Padrac, one of the few that Tarvitz had kept in contact, came to him with word on a shipment. He had successfully raided the private vault of a long-dead Moff, hoping to find treasure and even a few priceless national treasures to sell-off. Instead, he had found items of a concerning nature: Books on the Force, some seemingly penned by Palaptine's own hand. While reluctant to leave the Fang undefended once again, the presence of Essik, the droids, and the castle's other occupants soon swayed him into taking a chance. Agreeing to a meeting point several systems away, Tarvitz left to meet with the smuggler and view the items for himself. If they proved to be truly dangerous, he was more than ready to purchase the items for himself.
The meeting proved to be a trap. Padrac had made an agreement with First Order remnants, offering both the books and Tarvitz himself in exchange for several hundred thousand credits. Tarvitz only survived the encounter thanks to the presence of Ratchet, who dealt with several attacking troopers via the Spitfire's guns, and intercepted their reinforcements. With their trap broken, Padrac attempted to flee with his goods with the First Order and Tarvitz in pursuit. Chasing them first onto a major highway and then onto a cargo transportation train, the battle ended in one of its freight carriages. Padrac was killed by the officer leading the First Order unit as he tried to claim the crate with the relics for himself, only to quickly be killed in turn by Tarvitz. The train stalled and crashed shortly after, nearly taking Tarvitz with it as he attempted to free the documents.
Although treacherous, the smuggler's find had been genuine and, after retreating to a safer location, Tarvitz quickly confirmed that the tomes within were genuine relics of the old regime. The written works of Sith Lords, a number of Jedi Masters, and Palpatine's personal Compendium made up its contents; each covering details that had been otherwise erased from history. The Moff, while low ranking, had likely been one of the fanatics that believed in Palpatine's twisted ideology and perhaps even an acolyte of his teachings. Although tempted to destroy the works, Tarvitz elected to preserve and hide them should their knowledge be needed to combat threats from within the Brotherhood or the ancient Sith at a later date. Returning a short time before Rhan and Sirra, he locked the items away within the Fang's hidden vault and swiftly resumed teaching the students.
The Right Droids for the Job
Shortly after Rhan's return, Essik called a meeting among the trio to discuss their future. Already sure on the subject, Tarvitz readied a number of counter-arguments to help justify his actions, but was caught off-guard by Essik's approach. Polite and direct as ever, the former Admiral made it clear that the move had been both risky and disruptive given their current position. While fully capable of training others in his own brand of knowledge, he had no skill when it came to points on the Force, and lacked the connection they needed in a tutor. If both of them were killed during such operations, he would not be able to finish what they had begun. Even so, he understood that both of them likely had good reasons for leaving so abruptly as they did, but asked that they both enhance security and the local facilities to avoid further disruptions.
Swiftly realising the truth in Essik's words, Tarvitz remained silent throughout the arguments and accepted Essik's analysis of their failings. Agreeing that a new rota would need to be established to keep more of them present at any one time, he instead focused upon their need for immediate enhancements. Rhan's return had seen a number of improvements in her relationship with Sirra, and had been successful in gaining a wealth of material to help further refurbish its crumbling structures. However, the discussion soon turned into a debate and then argument when the other two proposed sinking the credit funds set aside for new ships into bolstering and improving their assets. The practice halls were one major highlight, and even with all that had been salvaged they still required a number of expensive components to bring certain vital systems back online. Tarvitz expected Essik to support his viewpoint given his experience in retreats and attacks on strongholds, but he instead argued against it. Clan Odan-Urr already served as a more substantial defence and naval support than anything they could muster, and in buying the ship would be forsaking revitalizing a much-needed resource while ignoring an already present ally.
Realising that he was outvoted and the truth in their words, Tarvitz eventually sided with both of them in this endeavour. To prove that he was more than willing to support this effort, he donated much of his personal armoury to the training halls, giving new students the opportunity to test and experience the use of various weapons before crafting such items for themselves. Going so far as to buy a pair of training remotes as a means to support lessons, he even practiced sparring with the salvaged MagnaGuard, Vega, to test the latter's capabilities when confronting Jensaarai. After hours of practice, and uploading a variety of new combat methods from the Iron Legions, Collective, and smaller groups with effective anti-Jedi methods, he accepted Vega's role as a combat tutor.
As the halls were expanded upon and gradually brought back to their former glory, Tarvitz took to directing and helping students during faux engagements. This was typically intended to help expose weaknesses in group structures and methodology, but also offering them a degree of guidance in overcoming them. A further goal was to keep them used to operating alongside strangers or more experienced individuals, rather than becoming too reliant upon a few familiar combatants. When not operating in this role, Tarvitz took to examining the documents that he had helped to recover, noting a handful of potential assets from each, but limiting his exposure to only surface-level knowledge rather than risking corruption.
When later attempting to discuss such subjects with Rhan and to gain her judgment in their possible use, he was met by a surprise. Ratchet had been suffering from a series of malfunctions, born of long-term damage to his upgrades and improper installation. The Nautolan had attempted to transfer the droid to the recovered shell of a custom-modified R2 unit, but had somehow duplicated his mind in the process. After being forced to strip Ratchet of several upgrades to ensure his survival, much to the droid's chagrin, this had left them with a clone and the original. To avoid fighting between the two, a deal was eventually settled: Ratchet would remain the primary support pilot on the Spitfire while the clone, now calling itself R3-M2 or "Clanker", would serve as an asset within the Fang.
The Demon of Silver
Remaining on site to help make up for some past disappearances, Tarvitz continued his role as combat master. While training the various students, he was approached by Rhan with a message from Essik, informing them of a monster that had appeared in the Quorahi settlement of Shindlegeist. Bemused at first of this news, mention of the Jedi medallion snatched from the killer soon made him take a far more serious response. Not only did it show that there was far more to the story than mere myth, but it was something he had only recently seen.
Introducing Rhan to the texts he had recovered, he selected one volume that outlined the history of the Silver Jedi. Any fury that Rhan might have held at this secret archive was soon quelled when they both realised the nature of the monster, and concluded it was Tel Angor; the Order's champion turned into its destroyer.
Taking Sirra with them for her skills, the trio raced to regroup in Shindlegeist with Essik and met him at the docks. Using the medallion to track its past movements, they located the escape pod that the vampire was using as its home. Destroying it but taking a fragment of the wrecked pod, they withdraw to gain further information. After outlining the threat posed to the local leaders, most of the group used a combination of Psychometry and Telepathy to delve deep into the creature's history. During this time, Tarvitz stood guard over them, and was able to intercept the vampire when it made an effort to massacre the group.
Relishing the challenge, Tarvitz fought Angor in a running battle. With each estimating their opponent's strengths and weaknesses as the fight dragged on, Tarvitz was able to seemingly emerge the victor, decapitating the creature and setting its remains alight. Although seemingly victorious, it rose once more and their battle continued. Although fuelled by the joy of battle, Tarvitz was hopelessly outmatched, and the vampire continued to come back from one mortal blow after the next.
It was only when the telepathic trance ended that the vampire was driven away. Although he had been successful in leaving more permanent wounds through sheer attrition, Tarvitz was so badly mauled that he entered a healing coma. He awoke days later in a bacta tank to learn that Essik and Rhan had slain the creature, while Sirra had guarded him against efforts to end his life.
Making preparations to return to the Fang, they were contacted by Clan Odan-Urr. A crisis arising on Myrkr, requiring the clan to contact all current and former members. Opting to rejoin them due to this event, they raced to regroup with their fleet at the distant planet.
The Myrkr Crusade
Joining with Odan-Urr's fleet, they learned of the crisis' nature. The archaeological studies that the clan and been supporting had found a potentially ancient relic left on the planet Myrkr, potentially dating back to the Je'daii Order. Racing to retrieve it before anyone else could examine the item, she Jedi were moving in force to claim the object. Each of the small group knew that they needed to watch over this battle, but also that the Fang could not be left unguarded. Although picked at random, Rhan was unhappy that both Essik and Tarvitz were picked to join the mission given their wounded states; it took a number of assurances to eventually allow her to accept the result, chief among them that Ratchet would take over any starfighter engagements over Tarvitz.
Rhan and Sirra departed back to the Fang on one of the clan's shuttles, and not long after Essik soon left for his own mission. Mentioning only that he had received a coded word that he could not ignore, he did his best to outline that this was neither a minor matter nor one that he could speak openly about. Taking the Bug - the group's personal shuttle - Essik swiftly departed for the Core Worlds. Tarvitz was given time to prepare and recover, and used the opportunity to learn more of the clan's activities during their departure. Remarkably little had changed, and he was glad to hear that Kiast was still relatively stable despite the civil war and investigations. While there were various loose ends to deal with, their efforts were nevertheless successful in bringing about an end to open bloodshed.
As the fleet exited hyperspace, their concern was proven to be entirely warranted. Clan Plagueis had somehow learned of the Desired One and was searching the planet's forests for any sign of it. The two groups immediately engaged one another, but Tarvitz opted to avoid the fighting. Still weakened, he opted instead to avoid the worst of the battle and instead race directly for the planet. Utilising a series of sensor sweeps and communications with the other Odanites, he was able to pinpoint the ruins in which the item was held. Landing and traversing down toward the subterranean area in which the Desired One was held, he joined up with Archenksova, Ira Ojiman, and Jafits Skrumm as they breached the levels. Knowing that Plagueis' own forces would not be far behind, the group split up, with Tarvitz finding the item's resting place. The matter was made more complicated by the fact it was littered among a variety of similar artefacts, and that it was attempting to influence his personal thoughts.
Even with its disruption, Tarvitz was able to identify the Desired One among them but, with the area being bombarded from above, soon opted to take the other artefacts as well. Re-joining the others - and unknowingly escaping an ambush set by the Plagueian Khryso Mallus - they were able to retreat and escape before enemy forces arrived in strength. This proved to be part of a massed withdrawal as, although Archenksova initially wished to press the advantage in fighting their enemy, the local Neti populace was reacting with growing hostility to the battles. Realising that they were heavily outnumbered by a powerful foe, both sides opted to flee rather than risk open battle.
Tarvitz was able to hand over the item to the Odanites and, much to his surprise, learned that a number of Neti had agreed to join them in an effort to better guard the relic. Along with a multitude of Ysalamir, they were present to ensure it was not abused and its potential damage limited. This seemed like a questionable decision, until it was revealed that it was to be held on the Solari, a place that granted significant firepower as protection now that secrecy was no longer an option. Tarvitz opted to hand over the other relics as well to be on the safe side, reasoning that it was best to leave it with those most familiar with them, and he was already facing an argument at home over his recent relics. All save one. A holocron that had been disguised within a box, bearing strange conflicting senses of Sith emotions with traces of the light side.
Escalation and Aftermath
Tarvitz was given little to no time to recover before another crisis was announced. The Severian Principate and Tenixir Revenants were entering open battle on the planet of Dandoran following rising tensions between them. With both sides having splintered into ideologically opposed factions and calling for their help, the new Grand Master had given permission for any member to join any faction they wished. Many members would join the conflict for their own ends, and Tarvitz was no different. With Essik displaying little desire to become directly involved and Rhan concerned with her own matters, Tarvitz was left to visit the battlefield with two objectives: Recover any relics and items that might further their current goals, and to support the more reasonable Revenant faction that wished to establish a domain in the Outer Rim; something that would likely benefit the Jensaarai in the long run.
Taking the group's newly acquired YC-123B Transport Hauler - the Stargazer - and a multitude of the Fang's Pit Droids, Tarvitz kept to the edges of the battle. Working largely to limit local casualties and searching for equipment to liberate, he was on the outskirts when the mastermind behind the conflict made herself known: The Seer of The Children of Mortis. Displaying powers linked to the Force and sorcery that most had forgotten, she was able to turn the Principate's Restoration Troops to her side and slaughtered most of those in her path. Tarvitz utilised the Stargazer to save as many as he could from the rampage before briefly withdrawing, returning only once the Seer had departed along with her prize. After offering a number of those seeking escape off-world, Tarvitz utilised the droid to pillage one of the now-abandoned hotels of various furniture; justifying that the planet's Hutt ruler could afford it and the Fang was short of such vital necessities.
Tarvitz's return was not one of celebration, but only greater concern. While she was being trained, Sirra's performance had been badly stagnating, and the cause behind it was becoming alarmingly clear. A childhood of malnutrition and starvation had taken its toll, and was undermining her performance, to the point where it was unlikely she would be able to carry out field roles. Tarvitz immediately offered to find the Kaminoan that had modified his physiology to oppose toxins, but the matter was not so simple as that. Even if he could be found and if they somehow were able to fund the Fang via other means, the costs would far exceed what the group could afford. Celevon, however, came forward with his own offer, suggesting a ritual that might fix Sirra's failing biology. The group opposed this at first, most of them vehemently, but Celevon was able to gradually assuage their concerns. Although Tarvitz saw the logic behind it, he was nevertheless worried about the effects both to their group and Sirra herself, as biological manipulation was a line that they had vowed never to cross. It was only his trust in Celevon that allowed him to finally relent, despite Rhan standing adamant against it. Yet she was outvoted, all the more so when Sirra also cited her willingness to go through with the procedure.
Taking Sirra to an area of the Fang that was suitable to their needs, Celevon conducted the ritual by summoning upon powerful forces in order to control and rework Sirra's form. As Sirra lost consciousness in the final moments of the ritual, she broadcast single image with a feeling of immense danger. A towering figure in rachidian armour plating inlaid with machinery of no known design. The image was unknown to all of them, and what little they saw of its background meant it clearly had not taken place in Sirra's past. Tarvitz, not for the first time, began wandering about the Fang's origins and its nature after witnessing the image.
Meanwhiles and Neverweres
- "It fast approaches, but know that your journey will end in fire but not in darkness."
- ―The Entity
With Sirra unconscious in the following days, Tarvitz divided his time between teaching, monitoring her condition, and returning to further sources of lore. Although her state was stable and the changes she was undergoing were confirmed to be a regenerative coma not unlike those he had used to previously recover from death, Tarvitz was nevertheless concerned. Still uncertain if the ritual had been the right choice despite his willingness to press ahead with the means to restore her health, he continued to comb through books for further signs of things that might go wrong. When he was not doing that, he found himself searching for any indication of the figure glimpsed within her telepathic image. Nothing in the books of the Sith or Jedi matched what he had witnessed, and even utilising local archives of the Vatali had offered no further answers of the Fang's history. It took Rhan's words for him to halt his continued research, and return his focus to those that needed his teachings more than ever.
With further droids added to their growing compliment, Tarvitz worked to encourage students on how to judge their nature. How to avoid them, disable them without harming their internal circuits, and tell apart those with true sentience and those that were mindless. Although this typically was framed about the ways of combat, both it and Orion served to better prepare and alter the mindset of students in regards to treating droids. Tarvitz's teachings continued for some weeks until word came of Sirra awakening from her slumber. Although she remembered nothing of her final message, or significant portions of the ritual, medical scans had indicated a steady reversal of the long-term damage to her form. Both Rhan and Essik made several attempts to recover any memories that might hint to the skull-faced figure from her thoughts, but neither were successful. However, when word came of a return to Myrkr in search of further relics, Tarvitz opted to bring Sirra with him. Whatever doubts he might have had before, the relics previously found had pre-dated the Jedi and Sith Orders, and there was the chance she could subconsciously recognise something from their findings. While a long-shot, it was the best out of many possibilities, and Tarvitz chose to bring a detachment of their students in an effort to justify it as a field trip.
Backed by Clan Odan-Urr, the archaeological dig was slow going at first before finding a lost temple linked to their previous investigations. Ancient and retaining aesthetics that were alien to any known species, they were met with some initial success before a strange mural drew the archaeologists' full attention. This was the central focus of the temple and, following some experimentation, the Force users among their group found a means to unlock it and open a portal of some form. However, no sooner had this been accomplished than a large mercenary force that had been shadowing the expedition launched an attack. Outnumbering the group and supported by attack gunships, the mercenaries drove the expedition back, until they were forced to try and hide within the portal itself. Once inside however, the portal closed and the members of the expedition were soon seperated, rendering each of them unconscious.
Tarvitz awakened to find himself floating in a void, before a network of doors formed about him along with a stable platform. Greeted by the place's ancient guardian - an entity whose image changed with every passing second - Tarvitz realised that the place had been actively hidden with good reason. The multitude of doors and entrances led to various points in time, but were anchored to their user's personal timeline. Through it, events could be changed and alternate possibilities could be seen. Tarvitz witnessed his fall to the Dark Side and the rise of an anti-Sith coalition that broke the Brotherhood in some, while in others saw his death in a multitude of past battles. The entity made it clear that his ultimate fate could not be changed, but the path leading to that point could be shifted. The temptation to fix so many past mistakes was considerable, and Tarvitz watched several possibilities play out. He soon found that he could not save Alderaan as it had been destroyed shortly prior to his birth, and in no possible event could he change New Tython's ultimate annihilation. Equally, he found that any alternation would come with far-reaching consequences, altering the lives of those they had saved or protected many times over. In all of them, the droid enclave, Sirra, Essik, and those of their students, were markedly worse.
Realising that he lacked the skill or wisdom to fully alter the past for a better future, Tarvitz chose to make no alterations to history. The entity was pleased by this, especially when Tarvitz's decision remained the same after it tempted him to still use it, and it revealed that others in the group had given the same answer. As its duty was to bar others from abusing the location's powers, it granted the expedition safe passage while trapping the mercenaries within its own defensive means. Warning that the portal would be sealed off once they left to prevent it being found again, Tarvitz remained only long enough to ask two questions of the entity. The first was if it knew anything of Sirra's memories, but it admitted that it lacked access to its creators' full archives, and Sirra's hostility had made answering that question all but impossible. The second was how soon the prophecy of Tarvitz's fate would come to pass, and his violent death in battle. Although the entity could offer no exact answer, it indicated that he had no more than a handful of years left to live.
Messages From The Deep
- "Olaror bat meh gar mirdir gar're urakto luubid!"
- ―Tarvitz announcing his presence to his old enemy
The following months proved to be mercifully uneventful, allowing those commanding the Fang to focus upon training and furthering their goals. Tarvitz learned that, during his own expedition, Rhan had been forced to take the remaining half of the students in another operation assisting their smuggler allies. This further proved their skill under fire and the group escaped without casualties. This proved to both Defenders that the students were more than ready to face field training, and began taking them to off-world sites. Utilising the Bug and the Stargazer to pursue missions outside Brotherhood space - typically disguising their missions as freighter runs or by hiding in the sensor shadow of larger vessels - in an effort to test their skills, support their allies, or recover equipment. This was done with the oversight of one Defender of the other, and Tarvitz grew to quickly enjoy the experience, seeing it as an easy excuse to return to his life prior to the Brotherhood. Several missions were picked as a means to revisit worlds he had helped defend in his wandering swordsman days, and as part of a private agreement with Essik to investigate potential sites for hidden safehouses. This continued for some time until Tarvitz received a single message from an anonymous Holonet source:
"Shattered blade"
The message was both a warning and a distress call, referring back to an apocalyptic battle on the planet Harlon's Run, where Tarvitz had effectively destroyed a Mandalorian raiding cult. It had become a nickname after he had fought his way through their warship with a broken vibroblade lodged in his chest, only falling after the last of the raiders were dead. The tale of it had even offered some limited protection to the planet's sole settlement, as exaggerated stories spoke of the horned butcher that defended the world. Realising it meant that the planet was once more under threat, Tarvitz petitioned to take a sizable number of the students in its defence. This was accepted, but only following a private discussion between Essik and Rhan, something that Tarvitz noted with some irritation had become increasingly common. After arriving, Tarvitz found that the original cult had not been destroyed as he had hoped. Emulating the worse excesses of the Mandalorian Crusaders, the group pillaged children for its recruits, kidnapped others for slaves, and left only enough to be rebuilt so they might harvest it once every several years. Wearing armour adorned with the bones of fallen sentients, they relied upon fear to drive away their opponents, and a number of Tarvitz's older associates had already been slain in their first new raid. While Rhan moved to pinpoint the cult's hidden base and Orion planned the defenses, Tarvitz was given the duty of headhunting the cult's leaders.
Opting to hide their numbers until the Mandalorians were committed to their next raid, Tarvitz struck the first blow by intercepting the raid's main speartip. With a cry in Mando'a that Celevon had suggested, Tarvitz killed their champion without drawing his blade, using a Force enhanced punch to shatter his neck. From there he began to carve his way through their first rank, utilising melee and the close press of their initial charge to deny them their advantages. As the other Jensaarai began to reveal themselves, the initial focus was still upon Tarvitz as he hacked a bloody tally through the cultists, constantly bellowing insults to keep their attention. Actively drawing out their best in open duels, Tarvitz killed several in dishonourable and humiliating ways, actively working to deny them any glory in death. Within five minutes of the fight's beginning, their attack had faltered. Within twenty, they were fleeing in a route. The Jensaarai pursued them to their ships, dragging back their members and killing many as they were pinned down by telekinetic forces. Upon seeing their troops fleeing, the cultist transports retreated into orbit and then hyperspace; an act that allowed Rhan to follow them to their base of operations. Within four hours word came that their remaining members had been subdued and their victims freed.
With Orion and the bulk of the students remaining to hold the town against possible further incursions, Tarvitz flew out to join Rhan. When he arrived at the hidden fortress that the cult had called their home, he was shocked to meet with a number of Defenders from the original Jensaarai Order. While uncertain of what this meant at first, Rhan admitted that she had been in contact with them for some time, with each having broken off from the original group following their increasing concerns over how the Jensaarai were governed. Although suspicious of this, Tarvitz opted to accept it based both upon Rhan's word, and the desire of their leader, Kylun, to deprogram and return the cult's captives to their homes. Realising that they needed allies rather than enemies, Tarvitz accepted this and openly offered them any help they desired, along with complete ownership of the cult's fortress. This served both the means of granting the new splinter-faction a much-needed base of their own, and a group of wardens to defend the surrounding space against other hostile groups while they dealt with matters in Brotherhood space.
Ghosts of a Ruined Keep
Returning to the Fang following the successful operation, Tarvitz once more turned his attention back to concerns close to home. With Rhan acting as a diplomat to the new group and recognising the possible advantages of joint operations, he and Essik worked to initiate a number of improvements that the students had suggested. Most of these were concerned with preparing them for tactics or methods that the Mandalorians had displayed, or group operations that could streamline and enhance what had already been taught. These were easily implemented with few structural changes, typically only with a short trial period to confirm their possible benefits. It was also during this time that Sirra kept disappearing, sometimes for days without re-emerging again. When confronted about the matter, she was unable to fully outline her reasons, but cited hunting something half-felt somewhere within the fortress. With past experiences having made Tarvitz slowly reconsider the risks and unknown threats of the Fang, Tarvitz quietly opted to increase the local guards, and have them patrol on a raised alert level. Although more accepting of the Fang's quirks than most, both Sirra's enhancements and a number of small instances involving the local wildlife had made him increasingly concerned about their lack of knowledge. Although Tarvitz spoke with Essik before implementing the effort, it was clear to them all that they could not initiate a full lockdown with no obvious threat to their safety.
After days of constant observation without incident, Essik was forced to depart the Fang to deal with his own matters. Tarvitz opted not to oppose this as Rhan was soon returning, and the Gand had hinted at something that might benefit them if his actions were successful. Yet Rhan's return was far from uneventful, and she spoke of disturbing findings while examining the mysterious sword that Sirra had recovered. Wishing to clarify a theory before pressing ahead with anything further, the two held off speaking for some time, until new developments forced their hands. Late into one evening, the very fortress itself came to life, turning against its occupants. Creatures emerged by the dozens from the castle's dungeons, while the random geometric nature of its halls turned against the Jensaarai, and rooms abruptly dropped to below zero in many places. Awakened by the screams of others as they were attacked, Tarvitz fought the arriving creatures and maintained a rearguard action as they attempted to regroup. Trying to stonewall the attacks, he was repeatedly caught off guard as they would emerge from seemingly impossible angles, as the fortress' corridors reoriented their positions against him. Although bleeding from a mix of bites and claw marks, his efforts to buy the others time proved to be successful, helping many of their number to retreat and regroup in the main foyer. It was there that Rhan outlined her suspicions - Working from what she had understood, Rhan believed that the Fortress had been founded in the Hundred-Year Darkness, likely by exiles opposing the traditional Jedi Order.
With Sirra missing and the Fang turning telepathic attacks against them, Tarvitz was able to use the Force to track several Jensaarai that had been captured and dragged into the dungeons below. As Rhan fought the castle and attempted to shield them from visions of fire, blood, and sheer hate, Tarvitz led an assault back into the Fang's depths. Using the captives' presence as a means to guide their path through the Fang, they were able to breach the lower levels, leaving a mountain of carcasses in their wake. It was there that they found Sirra, having followed them with her own efforts. As Rhan and Sirra realised a plan to shut down the castle, Tarvitz organized the others to distract against their efforts and free the others, until the two utilised the sword to somehow shut down the castle. It was in the wake of this effort that Rhan's suspicions were confirmed, that the Fang itself was semi-sentient and had been forged through alchemical means. Bound to rules it could not break, the Jensaarai presence had empowered and awoken it. Uncertain of their nature due to their mix of Jedi and Sith teachings, it had captured others to learn more of them. Realising that the castle would be a threat to them so long as they remained, and that the Sith would seek to use it, Tarvitz reluctantly ordered for the castle to be evacuated. Stripping each room of anything of value, the entrances were barred and they withdrew to Steepmouth to plan their future actions. Using the Stargazer as a means of transportation, they fled the castle for one final time. Yet in their efforts to swiftly withdraw, none saw a final figure disappearing from the gates after they departed and disappearing into the growing blizzards of the surrounding lands.
Augur (40 ABY - 42 ABY)
Regeneration Game
The Jensaarai arrived at Steepmouth, with most taking a little over a day to recover from the ordeal. The sudden evacuation combined with the losses meant that most students needed time to reorientate themselves, along with time for its leaders to plan. Although most there had always suspected that they would need to flee, the sudden loss had nevertheless gutted the group. No ship they retained was large enough to replace the Fang, or even supply so many people in any ongoing activity. Tarvitz remained initially optimistic, considering a potential plan to establish them in small groups across Trepus, but their supply shortages and the unwillingness of the droids to be broken up into small factions soon ended this concept. Rhan suggested an alternative in folding the group into Clan Odan-Urr and cited the fact the Jedi had previously welcomed Jensaarai into their ranks in the past. Doing so, it was soon realised, risked creating conflict as the Jensaarai wished to remain a part of their own individual organisation, and the few students spoken to were hesitant to accept being made members of a Sith dominated society, even a faction that was ruled by the Jedi.
Other considerations were made to help bolster one side or another and, following Essik's return, even to move out of Brotherhood space entirely to claim their own planet. However, even with the contingencies made, only one option was clear to them: Dissolving the group as it was established, and joining Kylun's group in earnest. Although any transition would be difficult, both their hidden location and isolation granted the Jensaarai the environment they needed in order to best adapt and further their overall plan to expand their numbers. Tarvitz was quick to agree to this, albeit only after considering the long-term ramifications. However, he saw little downside to this. In the worst situation where they were retrained, the group was raised to their full potential and it gave Tarvitz the ability to rebuild their powerbase within the Brotherhood and start again. They would still be able to push for the ideas that Essik had voiced, and it would remove a number of limitations that would hinder their operations in the coming years by simply having a smaller number of people. Still, Tarvitz offered one counterpoint to this: The students would need to be eased into the new environment and those who opted to refuse would still need guidance and accommodations. The decision was ultimately made for Rhan to take the students to Kylun using their ships, while Tarvitz remained on Trepus to help those who stayed near to their homes.
Ultimately three quarters opted to follow Rhan when offered, with only two groups choosing to stay behind. Several options were considered and then quickly discarded, such as a brief consideration to try and move them into the Suoh residence. However, even ignoring that Yuki had distanced herself from the Jensaarai, the residence itself had been lost in a volcanic uprising and Tarvitz knew he would struggle to sway the droids into helping with such a monumental reconstruction task. In an effort to resolve the situation, Tarvitz approached the Mayor of Steepmouth once more and explained the situation. Although the Mayor was sympathetic to their plight, his horror at what had happened made him reluctant to hear out Tarvitz even with their past history. It would take many hours to sway him into even listening, and many more to accept the Jensaarai into their community. However, Tarvitz's efforts proved to be successful after long hours of arguing. The Jensaarai students would be given homes in Steepmouth and would be allowed to continue to practice their ways. In return, they would remain largely hidden from sight, help the community in more mundane matters, and defend it should they face a threat severe enough to require their powers. Further offers were required on Tarvitz's part to force an eventual agreement, but by dawn the next day they nevertheless had an accord.
For the next several months, Tarvitz remained in the town to help the group acclimatize to life there along with establishing a homestead and history to hide from potentially prying Inquisitors. Secretly, however, Tarvitz was bitter over the entire encounter, not only for the needless oversight that had cost them so dearly, but the fact that their greatest strength had been lost. Rather than losing himself to despair, he threw himself into this work in an effort to ensure that some part of their efforts on Trepus would endure, and that the students were truly ready for whatever the future held.
To Sail the Black Coast
The revelation by Essik that he had access to a transport ship both surprised and frustrated Tarvitz, after the Yastobaal was fully revealed to them. Although thankful for its existence and accepting it was an idea they had long discussed, he wished that they had known of the resource before pressing ahead with the Jensaarai faction's dissolution. Even after examining the ship, and accepting that it could not be used as some new training centre even with its expansive passenger and cargo capacity, it became a source of his frustrations. It was ultimately left to Rhan and Essik to dictate their flight, to help fund the group's future efforts in rebuilding and travel away from Kiast for a time. The reasons for this seemed to vary between each person, from simply building a support base, to finding new allies, to actively looking for new recruits as they hid under the guise of traders. Tarvitz largely nodded and accepted this, distracted by his own thoughts on how to recover and potentially rebuild all that hd been lost. The group left behind on Trepus could make a start, and Kylun's faction held their own strengths, but it still felt to him as if they had been set back to where they started.
The dark thoughts did not last. Efforts to help prevent Sirra from becoming stir-crazy during their extended voyages and his own growing sense of enjoyment in being on a frontier once more. Although largely left to serve as muscle during their trips, Tarvitz was relied upon multiple times for his knowledge of various Outer Rim worlds and potential trade partners. A remarkable number of settlements he had visited had survived, and even remembered his efforts to help them in the past. This opened up a number of doors, quickly giving the group several early supply runs that would have otherwise been difficult to attain.
However, it was on the Outer Rim colony of Merrivale that the group ran into a surprising problem. Between the number of armed individuals on the Yastobaal and the Spitfire acting as an armed support ship, confrontations with pirates had been short at best. Essik had selected the colony for reasons of possible trade links, or so he claimed, and had even used elements of the newly formed Free Droid Enclave as scouts to check on things. When the Jensaarai arrived, it appeared for a short time as if everything was in a relatively functional state with no more crime than would be expected of an Outer Rim world beyond Hutt influences. However, this was not to last. Tarvitz was drawn away from the ship answering a call for help and ambushed by assailants who, while falling quickly, left the Yastobaal open to be boarded. Although those on the vessel were able to drive them back, Tarvitz was hounded by a growing number of opponents who seemed to leap out from the crowds, acting as normal individuals in one moment, and then charging screaming at him with weapons in the other. Holding back under the belief that they were hindered by some outside influence, Tarvitz was left to render each of them unconscious or incapable of fighting, slowing his progress on returning back to the others.
Tarvitz returned in time to help Essik and the other members of the crew repel another assault, and then follow Essik as he pinpointed the source of the attacks as coming from the local Harbourmaster. The group was able to take the Harbourmaster captive along with one of the initial boarders, but both died under interrogation, suffering from a violent fit as they were on the verge of issuing answers. Tarvitz was shocked to feel a momentary spike of something through the Force as each fell, more than the typical loss of a being's life. Through Sirra and a number of documents they would learn that the colony had been trafficking in slaves but, having disrupted such efforts in the past, Tarvitz noted a number of extreme oddities in the records, with a lack of variety among the buyers and very low numbers of individuals being exchanged for an extremely high price.
The ship would depart soon after, with Essik promising to make sure the right person was put in power there. Even so, Tarvitz was visibly unnerved by the implications of what they had found.
Things Lost
The shipping efforts continued as the group attempted to set aside more credits for their future plans, a matter somewhat undermined by the growing costs of maintaining two ships now constantly on the move. Even with a full refitting and brought back into operational standard, Tarvitz could recognise where corners had been cut on putting together the Yastobaal, noting several tricks that were common among starship resellers and salvage operators. While he shared the details with Rhan, Tarvitz avoided mentioning it directly to Essik, so not to hurt the old man's reenergized behaviour since the GR-75 had taken flight once more. This left Tarvitz spending more time on the ship and working alongside the droids of the Enclave. Tarvitz noted that their behaviour was changing, as many were embracing individual quirks and attitudes, leading to a multitude of miscommunications and more chaotic moments where they attempted to show initiative with mixed results. Even unreliable as they were, this mindset proved essential to fixing a number of significant failings within the vessel, and also reworking its power systems to suit the habitation pods. It was also during one of these that the group uncovered an oddity hidden within its outer shell. A large additional energy cell had been fixed to the ship's clamshell hull, mounted in an area inaccessible from the interior. Giving off a distinct energy pulse and trail on a wavelength that was beyond the ship's sensors or those of most civilian vessels.
Tarvitz recognised, going through tonnage logs and prior landings, that there were only two potential sites in which it could have been fixed, and it would have been within the last few days. Equally, he realised that it was almost certainly intended to trace their movements, creating a crude if relatively undetectable tracking beacon fixed to the ship. Rhan confirmed that the energy trace could only be followed through realspace though, meaning that anyone following them would need to remain extremely close and predict their hyperspace jumps. Believing that this could well be the source of their mysterious attackers and the group they had found, Tarvitz worked with the others to establish a trap. With Essik having gone to finish some personal business, Tarvitx eschewed more complex plans in favour of extremely direct ones. Landing one of Florrum's settlements for several days, Tarvitz and the others remained for longer than planned, working with an older friend of Rhan's to fake engine troubles. Orion was able to then track and pick out efforts by an unknown group to slice into the hyperspace tracking sensors of the settlement, while Sirra scouted out suspicious individuals, eventually tracing it to a cloaked ship hidden several kilometres outside of the settlement.
In a series of misdirections to draw attention away from their efforts via the ship's droids, both Sirra and Tarvitz were able to board the vessel and eventually took its primary commander hostage. Demanding answers and forcing them to stand down, they soon learned that the group was not openly hostile to them. An investigation and hunting group, their task had been to track and shadow the Yastobaal's movements, and report it back to their anonymous employer. Now that their presence had been uncovered, the group's contract was null and void, and they would be leaving with limited pay. Although they could not fully break their agreement and could not reveal their source beyond a few contacts, they did reveal all that they had been asked to monitor, the targets of interest, and the details to analyse. Most indicated a potential assault effort, along with a vested interest and recovering all information associated with the Jensaarai and their teachings. Deciding that there was no need to take matters further, Tarvitz opted to let them go, but indicated that he would be open to hiring them in a possible future endeavour.
Fifteenth Great Jedi War
Returning to Daleem to pass on information to Clan Odan-Urr, under the suspicion that his group was not the only potential victim, Tarvitz handed all knowledge to the Sentinel Network. While Rhan mentioned a need to confirm several of her own details in tracking down someone who might be able to help the droids, Tarvitz was asked by Essik to visit one of the Clan's outlying orbital installations. Suspecting that the system was in the warpath of a potential threat, they needed to rapidly secure and prepare their existing facilities.
Taking the Spitfire and Clanker to the installation, Tarvitz was given mere minutes to prepare before ships tore through the surrounding nebula. Damaging the station to the point of almost disabling it in their opening volley, Tarvitz was rendered unconscious while helping to evacuate the command deck. He was awakened sometime later by Clanker, learning that the fleet had overlooked them thanks to the severe damage, and a huge number of ships were now besieging Kiast. Realising that they were now likely behind enemy lines, Tarvitz opted to take advantage of their situation and raid anymore incoming forces. Quickly killing the troops sent to massacre the station's survivors, Tarvitz piloted the Spitfire into the cloud and launched a series of strikes against incoming transports and their ships. These new enemies - The Children of Mortis - were regarded as a dark parody of the Jensaarai by him, as if they had embraced the sheer zeal and alchemical experiments without restraint or the joy of battle.
Force to repeatedly adapt his tactics as both their armour plating and ships proved to be immune to blasters, Tarvitz was eventually able to turn several advantages against them, downing several ships by blindsiding them through the crowd and disabling the transports through the use of Buzz droids. After the escorting fighters fled the battle, Tarvitz left the transports there to block the narrow passage that had been formed in the cloud and disrupt further efforts to pass into the system. After striking several more reinforcement and supply groups, Tarvitz was able to meet up with the main Odanite fleet and joined them in defending the Kiast Praxeum.
Using the Spitfire to initially strafe and bring down larger alchemical war beasts as he supported the ground battle from the air, Tarvitz was able to help down several fighters, and then recognised a key flaw in the Children's crystalline plating. Leaving Clanker to return the Spitfire to one of the surrounding allied ships, Tarvitz descended to the ground and summoned the Force in a blinding flash of energy, before channeling it into the large crystalline fin of a downed mutated rancor. This massively amplified the effect of the flash, channeling it into the charging assault line of enemy troops, blinding several hundred of the Children's warriors. Repeating the action several times, Tarvitz charged headlong into the fray. For a few brief minutes Tarvitz was able to hold an entire flank of the battle, felling scores of warriors trying to recover from the disorientating assault. By the time he retreated, nearly a quarter of that flank's number were dead.
Tarvitz finally rejoined the main ground force within the Praxeum itself, and held the main walls along with several others until sheer attrition and air support broke the Children's assault, driving them into full retreat. Sometime later support from the Dark Council arrived, utilising new weapon to counter the alchemical formulas that empowered so much of the Children's forces. The enemy was able to nevertheless escape through an unknown means, seemingly slipping through a gap in reality, but left behind countless corpses.
Old Foundations
Even with their victory, Odan-Urr would need to spend some time rebuilding and recovering from the conflict. Tarvitz set about this work, maintaining contact with Rhan for a time as they rebuilt the damaged portions of the Praxium and removed the dead from both sides. Although Odan-Urr had emerged victorious with few casualties, for some of its more recently recruited troops it had been a rude awakening, and many were shocked by the conflict. It was a reminder to Tarvitz of how, even with as many soldiers as the group could field, some of their number would never be at ease in war.
Essik made matters clear afterward that he would need to remain to deal with the scale of the threat they faced, while Rhan also urged that she had research to pursue that could help the damaged droids she was attempting to rehouse in new bodies. Unwilling to leave them without a ship, Tarvitz opted to remain within the system during this time, and soon found himself busy with new work. Having fought alongside Adenn Suoh during the battle, the two spoke of how the area of their former home had stabilised, and she believed that the building was largely unscathed. Knowing of how important the place was to the twins, Tarvitz agreed to help them salvage the area and see if anything could be rebuilt. Bringing Sirra with them further than bothering the Free Droid contingent, they set to work and were soon able to find at least minor goods that could be repurposed for a new house along with a surprising amount of intact furniture.
On the second day of their efforts, they were surprised by the return of Yuki Suoh to the ruins of her home. Tarvitz noted a change to the woman, a darkness that had been present before but had grown in strength. Although the greetings were cordial, he was disturbed by what he sensed about her, and even more alarmed when she revealed a contingent of slaves bound to her will to help with the reconstruction process. With Rhan having taken the Yastobaal on a trade operation to potentially bolster their finances for the coming months, Tarvitz remained with them for several days, renewing ties and working to cement their place on the planet after long absences. This expanded out into the wider clan as well, as Tarvitz made sure that his presence as known and seen, to avoid any misconceptions that he had severed ties with Odan-Urr. Part of this was due to knowledge of the Jensaarai on Trepus becoming more widely known, and hoped to head off any rumours of insurrection or even a break-way effort within the clan.
Spectre of the Future
Participating briefly in a gathering of the Clans on a resort world, Tarvitz locked blades with the Children of Mortis again after they ambushed the meeting site. Although limited due to the lack of weaponry the group carried, Tarvitz was able to subdue and kill several enemy assailants through a combination of exploting obvious weaknesses in their equipment and distractions thanks to the local security force. Staying largely to the sidelines both before and after the violence, he was far more interested in opportunities to examine and study their new enemy. Even after the bodies were largely taken by the Brotherhood for examination, Tarvitz questioned several matters surrounding their involvement. The most obvious was how the Children were able to keep themselves hidden in the Force, as both their creations and basic equipment should have echoed like a beacon throughout the ether. Even with a talent for hiding their presence, the sheer volume of creatures, armour, and everything they channeled the powers into should have overwhelmed all efforts to keep themselves hidden. Another surrounded their possible involvement in the threats they had faced, and the mixture of agents they had repeatedly encountered.
With Nikora departing and returning frequently in an effort to pursue a means to repair and rebuild the droids trapped in the Yastobaal's internal computer core, Tarvitz considered that they needed to widen their search. Staying on Kiast, he was able to sway Essik into giving him access to one of Odan-Urr's relics: The S.E.E.R.. A recently inherited device, the machinery had been created in ages past, and could massively amplify a being's senses, along with their attunement to the Force. Utilising the device, Tarvitz hoped to pinpoint the unseen threat and either confirm the involvement of the Children or uncover the identity of whatever hunted them.
The moment that the device locked over Tarvitz's head, he was able to detect a vast presence watching them. Rather than a sustained being or even a power fuelled by darkness, the thing was an abyss. A shadow thing that clung to the edges of the Force, it lurked on the very edges of the light and observed their actions. Almost immediately recognising that it had been detected, it let loose an ethereal howl and assaulted Tarvitz's mind with a shockwave of energy. Far more talented in physical engagements than any battle across the Force, Tarvitz was very quickly pushed onto the backfoot and almost entirely overwhelmed. A bloody-minded counter-attack was all that prevented the thing from overwhelming him, even as it hissed threats and promises alike into his psyche. Barely registering the taunting words, Tarvitz endured blow after blow as it tried to shred his mind and wrench his soul free from his body. Using all of his strength, Tarvitz was able to only bring up the flame projector mounted to his gauntlet, and threatened to immolate his own head unless the being withdrew. Amused more than truly intimidated, the being only continued to taunt him as it tried to keep hold of his mind. Tarvitz almost carried through on his threat before Essik, having followed Tarvitz to enquire about another matter, found him on the verge of suicide and wrenched the S.E.E.R. from his head.
Exhausted and able to only answer some of Essik's questions, Tarvitz took some minutes to recover from the battle against their unknown enemy. The last action had hurt he and the being, and had perhaps provided some time in which it needed to withdraw and recover. Having clung onto some raw information and with its half-heard words registering in his mind, Tarvitz knew he would need to wait for Rhan's return to gain more knowledge on their new enemy.
In The Blood
Tarvitz remained distant from events for some time, working to hide and isolate his presence in the Force to infuriate the being he had encountered. Knowing full well that any engagement would be horrifically one-sided and he would fail to match it, he hoped to keep it focused upon him should it regain stretch, and exhaust any efforts to find him until Rhan could arrive to both help recover the information he had ripped from the creature and fight it. Yet upon Rhan's return, she was clearly distressed by what had taken place in her search for restoring the Enclave's members, and almost outright refused to listen to Tarvitz at first. Believing that the threat she was determined to pursue was of a far more pressing matter, it was only when Tarvitz gave full details of his near-death encounter that she finally paused. Although Rhan was far better versed in creatures of the Dark Side and how Sith could warp themselves through Alchemy, nothing aligned with what he claimed to have seen and her knowledge. Even the oldest Sith spirits and their means of binding themselves onto reality failed to fully match up with what he described, but this made her only more worried as to what it meant.
After promising to Rhan that he would remain silent and avoid any further encounters until she could research deep into their archives, or use her contacts to identify the threat or find a means to fight it. Unfortunately, this response was flawed, as the entity had already found a new target - Sirra. The entity had been stalking her for some time, but Tarvitz would only learn of this following an open attack after Sirra forced a confrontation. Being far more telepathically powerful and with the entity in a weakened state, Sirra was able to avoid the attack and then tear details from its mind as she forced it into retreat. This was almost missed entirely until she heard of Tarvitz's encounter. The Jensaarai was forced to admit that his efforts to keep her uninvolved were a mistake, and he'd fallen into the same error as before in spite of his promise. After this admission, placating Sirra's irritation at his behaviour and repeatedly admitting it had been a mistake, the two formed a telepathic link.
The information each of them had gained was hazy at best, but the merging and comparing of the information worked to solidify certain details. The images were spaced across centuries if not longer, of blood and fire, and some moments of a great betrayal. Some were blurred by emotions or moments of loss, while a few were crystal clear, granting some insights and information that meant nothing to either of them, but might help Rhan in her work. Yet perhaps the most alarming detail was one that Tarvitz quickly understood, and briefly attempted to hide from Sirra, before she recognised his actions before and reminded him of his past errors. All he would admit as the telepathic session ended was that he knew the identities of those who had sent assassins into the Fang those years ago. It had been her parents.
The Blood of the Covenant
Tarvitz attempted to keep Sirra at arm's length due to the nature of the information he had gained, but quietly knew she had a right to see what they had become. He could see the resentment evident in her, and knew it could all too easily blossom into anger, and was worried that any meeting might undo the work that her teachers had done to steer her away from the Dark Side. Yet, Tarvitz knew she would not drop this subject and she would find a way to follow him one way or the other. After managing to get Sirra to agree to remain and observe and nothing else, Tarvitz was able to contact the members of Clan Vel. Posing as a survivor of the raid on the Fang, Tarvitz arranged a meeting place on Trepus and met with the two in one of the outlying taverns in a township.
The meeting was of limited benefit to them, with both of Sirra's parents showing open hostility and rage. Although Tarvitz was able to glean some basic information from them, especially in that they were offered outside help from another source who somehow gave them the Fang's location, they were being manipulated rather than in full control. The meeting only ended when Sirra's father attempted to pull a gun on Tarvitz, and Sirra revealed herself rather than risk either side harming one another. She said little, only giving a terse word of forgiveness for their abandonment of her and that she understood it was a difficult choice, but revealing that Clan Werd'la was her family now. When her father tried to force her into staying and talking, demanding she at least look at them, Tarvitz just as bluntly forced them back. Sirra headed from the building, disappearing into a side alley. Tarvitz would catch up after several minutes, refusing to press her on what she had learned, only telling her to take all the time she needed, and that tomorrow could wait after what she had seen tonight.
Tarvitz left Sirra to vent, knowing she would want to be alone with her thoughts but keeping Sirra aware that she could talk to any of them as needed. However, he pieced together the few hints that the discussion had offered; how they had been contacted, the unusual knowledge the speaker had possessed of the fortress' layout and those present, and also the exact timing in which to strike. Yet for all of this, every hint there was enough to just make sure that the hunters arrived and could find their prey, but nothing to make certain they could succeed in their mission. The more Tarvitz thought about it, the more he saw them as a sacrificial lamb rather than a hunter.
Tarvitz ran the details past Essik, and the Gand added them to a growing web of information he had been piecing together surrounding past encounters with unusual hostilities and other hints that they had found. It was clear there was a guiding force behind the efforts, and a powerful one, but while there was a guided plan at work, it seemed disjointed and at least partially uncoordinated. It was agreed that they needed further information, but their enemy would need to reveal themselves first.
A Spectre of the Force
The group would keep travelling, trying to rebuild their strength. Though they would see success in expanding upon the Free Droid Enclave's numbers, and the even seeing the Templar Jensaarai formally recognised as a power on Trepus, the group was still hindered due to their lack of infrastructure and a base of operations. This lack of a base was all the more harmful as it seemed as if they were being actively targeted. On several visits to Outer Rim worlds on gather supplies and investigate leads, they were ambushed by unknown forces and seemingly unrelated groups in a manner to those at the spaceport. When docking with an orbiting facility, the Yastobaal was sabotaged and rigged with an explosive warhead by droids, and the device only disarmed by the narrowest of margins. Then, when attempting to rendezvous with a group of smugglers in deep space, a patrol flight of gunships attempted to intercept an destroy the Yastobaal, seemingly knowing their location and moving far beyond their jurisdiction. During the last of these encounters, Tarvitz was able to disable and bring down one gunship, taking those within prisoner. Although some of the crew had been similarly enhanced by Sith sorcery as others before, many other pirates among the crew seemed unaware of these enhancements but knew of the mysterious backer supporting them.
Although the group was able to adapt to such surprise ambushes and even employ various countermeasures against any effective subterfuge, their unseen enemy would just as quickly alter and adapt their own plans. Suicide bombings, working through higher governments followed by direct assaults, multiple sniper teams in spaceports; each attack was seemingly unconnected and yet highly coordinated. Worse still, it was increasingly clear that many from these groups had undergone rapid mutations to make them more combat effective, and fewer were hiding these now. This led Rhan to believe that Hogriz Arani, a scientist who had inflicted horrific biological experiments on multiple people, was the one behind this. Even so, this was largely a theory as they had little in the way of direct proof and, in their last confrontation, Arani had been pragmatic enough to forge a temporary alliance with Rhan.
However, the group would achieve a break after raiding an abandoned scientific outpost. Believing it had some link to the experiments found and paid for by an anonymous doner group, Rhan, Tarvitz, Sirra, and elements of the Free Droid Enclave's security detachment visited the facility. After it refused to respond to hails the group initiated a ground incursion, only to find all within dead. Yet while searching the place, they would soon find both the cause of the massacre and meet their enemy face to face. A humanoid void in time and space hovered off of the ground, seemingly attempting to drain the local computer banks of all information. Surprised at the arrival of several Force users, the being attacked them, telepathically and telekinetically trying to tear them apart. Tarvitz was certain after only brief moments that it was the same Shadow in the Force they had battled before, but when he spoke of past battles the entity seemed only confused. Although they are able to drive it to a stalemate even with its apparent immunity to conventional weapons, the Shadow is able to escape with the data it sought. In the aftermath and piecing together what took place, the group is able to largely confirm what data it had stolen despite its attempts to cover its tracks - Hereditary biological data and enzyme recordings of an unclear nature.
The Beast Arises
Even with the limited information they had been granted, it was enough for the group to begin making plans. For the first time they had a clear objective on how to fight and oppose the Spectre in the Force, and perhaps learn more of what its goals and powers were. Knowing that they would need to trap and destroy the Shadow, and forsaking any thoughts of trying to capture it for study or to learn more, Essik put forward a plan that none of them liked but seemed their only true chance of success. Rhan would travel to the original Jensaarai Order and broker a deal with the Saarai-kaar for their few remaining records of the time their order was founded, specifically relating to those on Sith alchemy and its properties. At the same time, Essik and Tarvitz would both visit the Shadow Academy to use its map and the Brotherhoods wealth of accumulated knowledge. This galled each of them as it felt as if they were making an alliance with lesser evils, but none could deny that they were out of their depth.
While travelling to the Shadow Academy, Tarvitz asked Essik if he even wished to be involved with this. Such an eldritch conflict was far beyond his favoured type of warfare, and not the enemy he had joined them to fight. Essik, however, quickly brushed this off. So far as he was concerned, an enemy was still an enemy, and one of such great power would need to be annihilated no matter what form it came in. To him, this was no different from fighting Palpatine's resurgent Empire in the days following Thrawn's defeat.
In spite of some pushback, Tarvitz and Essik were both able to gain access to the data they needed; citing a pattern of events and movements dating back centuries. Odd reports and sightings of strange entities which matched the description of the being they had identified. Further secondary events seemed to suggest additional actions, dating all the way back to the time of the Hundred Years Darkness. Rhan's own efforts in identifying the sorcery and means behind it were limited, but also suggested that the being had attempted some form of projecting its essence into the Force somehow. It was a line of experimentation that the Jensaarai held little information on, but offered no means to track or even destroy the entity. Even with this issue they made several attempts to pinpoint likely areas it would have recruited groups to operate with it, but found nothing in the way of definitive evidence of their actions. Seemingly aware of when it was hunting their agents, the Shadow had gone to ground and withdrawn its forces for the moment.
It was then that Sirra spoke up, reminding them of how it had attempted to target her. Knowing it is their only option, and accepting that she is old enough to make such a choice, both Tarvitz and Rhan fully agree upon this choice of action. Seemingly giving Sirra over to a Cadre of the Templar Jensaarai for her own safety, they were able to draw out a large number of individuals allied with the Shadow as it assaulted Sirra directly. However, the Shadow underestimated Sirra, not gaining the upper hand and soon proved to have a desperate fight being pushed against it. This allowed the trap to be sprung, with large numbers of droids allied with the group to capture the individuals trying to support the Shadow. Although seemingly successful, this was met with a failsafe of sorts, as the individuals began convulsing and killing themselves in a frenzy; something Rhan would later identify as a kind of psychic backlash or withdrawal. However, word came from Tarvitz that his own efforts had been more successful. Remaining behind on their ship in case of a potential attack, he had countered a smaller group of assailants and had been able to carbon freeze them by leading them into a storage bay. This had seemingly anchored the entity within their bodies, and was now unable to free itself.
Rhan and Sirra both immediately began working to run an analysis the nature of the enemy as best they could, probing the psychic nature of the figures and their mysterious link to the Force. However, this required bringing them back to their base. Most were against it, but Essik pointed out that the only alternative was to bring it back into Brotherhood space. Even if they did not wish to put their allies at risk, there was every chance that the Sith or the Brotherhood's enemies might learn of the Shadow in the Force. The last thing they needed was the Brotherhood trying to weaponise it, or one group or another attempting to even ally themselves with the nightmarish entity.
With Essik having provided an increasingly large number of assets to assist with their efforts, among them a reprogrammed Super Tactical Droid to help enhance the Free Droid Enclave's combat prowess and more contacts among groups attempting to restore the New Republic, they were able to make use of a research base that had been abandoned. After Rhan brought it back into a working state and upgraded its systems, they began to study and try to analyise their captives even while still frozen in carbon.
A Rendezvous with Death
Between working through the powers of the Force users present and the analytics droids of the Enclave, the group was able to see several breakthroughs in understanding the nature of their enemy. It was clear that the Shadow was partially present in each of them, working through some strange symbiotic relationship which became parasitic over time, merging with living beings in various aspects. Although this would gradually destroy those it was linked to, it nevertheless boosted their strength and skills, and even offered a stronger connection with the Force. At Essik's prompting they remain cautious, especially after it appears that the Shadow is adapting to their presence somehow. After several weeks Rhan believed she had found a breakthrough, only to realise that the Shadow had been biding its time. All of them agreed to evacuate the facility immediately before any trap could be sprung, signaling an immediate evacuation order. However, this proved to be too late, as hundreds of Shadow entities began manifesting within the base.
Seeking to deny the Shadow any advantage, Essik destroyed all copies of any records held within the base, leaving only the few kept on the Yastobaal. Further damaging several Shadows through means Rhan had devised as potential weaknesses, Essik worked to help a fighting withdrawal. However, upon realising that the Shadows had triggered the base's self-destruct mechanism, a device Essik had insisted be installed to deal with worst case scenarios, Essik and several others fought to hold it back. Although successful, Essik was badly wounded by one Shadow, and left impaled against the deck plating by a length of metal. Although Tarvitz was able to jury-rig a stalling mechanism to halt the self-destruct countdown, Essik could not be moved without further harming him. Already knowing that his wound was mortal, Essik quietly reflected on how badly it had all gone and asked for a blaster. As Tarvitz and the others retreated, Essik held the room against the Shadows, giving them the time they needed to successfully withdraw from the base.
Essik was the last living being on the base as the Shadows surrounded him, including a figure he believed was the dominant of their kind. Attempting to make use of his information, Essik kept his comlink open, trying to goad information from the Shadow and broadcast it to the others. When it was unwilling to offer more than a few token words, Essik attempted to kill the entity by triggering the self-destruct mechanism, but was executed before he could activate the device.
Adept (42 ABY - 43 ABY)
Unwanted Allies
Having lost not only their main base of operations but also an old ally, the survivors aboard the GR-75 were morose. The scale of what they fought had been astounding, and their only apparent gain upon their enemy had proven to be yet one more trap. This had been enough to give Tarvitz pause, and even he was forced to admit that going on the offensive would likely end poorly for them. As they returned to Brotherhood space, however, they would be greeted by a transport ship which sought to parlay with them. Rhan was the one to recognise the voice, Hogriz Arani, and demanded they ready for battle. However, Arani continued to speak, not only clarifying that he was approaching them under the flag of truce, but they had a common enemy - The Shadow in the Force.
Against Rhan's wishes, Arani was permitted to dock with the Yastobaal and join them under heavy guard. Arani was unapologetic for his experiments and tried to brush aside any accusations, citing again how they shared a common foe. The Shadow has been hunting him as well, and he had barely survived its last encounter. Yet it was not this news that proved to be most interesting, but the fact that Arani spoke of a physical battle against a being of flesh and blood, he had been able to take some information from scraps of its skin in their encounter. Although reluctant, it was agreed that they would pool their resources and examine both why it had begun to hunt Arani as well, and gain some knowledge of its nature. What was quickly confirmed was that the begin Arani had fought was both tens of thousands of years old, but its tactics failed to match up with the Shadows they had battled; behaving in a blind rage of a berserker over the ambush tactics seen by past encounters. Further investigation quickly highlighted other interesting details that Arani said were familiar, particularly in certain genetic markets. Yet before he could fully elaborate upon this, a new ship appeared out of Hyperspace almost atop of them.
Bearing pirate markings, an up-gunned Gozanti moved in and engaged at blinding speed; it was only thanks to Tarvitz remaining close to where the Spitfire had been docked that he was able to intercept the craft and damage it, taking the ship quickly out of the fight. Yet what proved to be all the more curious was the fact the pirates were not under the Shadow's control. When confronted directly, Sirra cited that there was none of the telltale telepathic indicators she had seen before on the others, and the pirates themselves claimed to have been moving between Outer Rim worlds while hunting for freighters. Confused at why the Shadow might have initiated a clearly a far more powerful and time consuming effort over just mentally hijacking a crewman, Tarvitz openly wondered if the Shadow's powers were limited in some way. However, even if it had been quickly dispatched, this engagement had been enough to change Arani's mind. Already having moved back to his ship during the battle, Arani refused to join in further operations unless essential and was too concerned with his own survival to be drawn into a more open conflict. Yet as he deaprted, Arani would offer a single warning that that they should not expect the Shadow to be taken unawares given how it seems to constantly track their actions.
Storm Herald
Between the loss of Essik and their new knowledge, the group realised that they were likely far out of their depth. Even being in Brotherhood space would likely not protect them for long, and soon opted to contact their allies. Most had thankfully escaped the Shadow, but several had faced multiple incursions. The hidden group of Jensaarai had suffered multiple attacks, primarily focusing on either their archives or forges. Those on Trepus had been ignored, suggesting that this was an attack to claim resources rather than revenge. Although potential help was welcome, they decided to distance themselves from the other groups. The Shadow was growing in power and they did not wish to put their lives even more at risk, or at least to have other groups who might succeed should they fail. However, most still opted to support them, at least serving to gather more information and supply resources.
Instead it was decided that only family and friends would be removed, and each of them was allowed a short time to say their goodbyes should the worst come to pass. Tarvitz and Sirra visited the Suoh household followed by the Werd'la clan, while Rhan visited her parents, smugglers, and the Trepus Jensaarai. Each admitted then their doubts and concerns as to what the future would bring, along with the question of what might follow should they meet their end in the battles to come. Tarvitz even admitted that he had been suffering more dreams in recent months, of his long prophesied death, but also other flickers of events he had never seen before; something which had never taken place before then.
The Death of All
Unending Sacrifice
The Last Knight of Alderaan
Although he did not waste his final moments with words, Tarvitz understood exactly why following the life of the Jensaarai had been essential in his final victory. To walk a dark and shadowed path, to claim that power and all it meant, but without gaining the hunger that would prevent him releasing. In his final moments before both he and the screaming Perdurabo were atomized, Tarvitz forsook the joy he felt in the unending battles he had faced and the final duel he had expected to fight, and embraced total serenity. Channeling the last of his power into that spark of Ashla amid the abyss, utterly enraging the monstrosity before them, Tarvitz closed his eyes and allowed the light to consume him.
Legacy
In the little would be found of Tarvitz by the time the sight of his battle with Perdurabo was stumbled upon. The chamber had been wrecked, leaving behind fragments of armour plating, discarded weapons, and what remained of other relics. The most notable parts of Tarvitz left were what remained of his cybernetic eye and the cloven halves of his lightsaber. Sirra was able to piece together much of what taken place by reading the room, and understood that Tarvitz was dead.
Unable to make a burial site on Susevfi and lacking any remnant of worth to add to the Graveyard of Alderaan, those who had known him buried an empty casket on the shores of the island home where he had guarded the Suoh twins for so long. Blank of all markings save for the family heraldry which had been on his banner, the simple headstone was placed on the very fringes of the jungle and beaches. Of the Templar Jensaarai there was no grand ceremony or ending, merely a momentary period of honouring the dead before moving on, as was their custom.
Tarvitz's cybernetics would be added to the group's vault alongside Essik's remaining items. The remains of his armour, lightsaber, and its crystal were put to more practical means; with Rhan forging it into a weapon for Sirra aptly named the Sword of Ka Tarvitz. This was seen as the only genuine means of carrying out his desire to have his wargear melted down and fully reforged for the next generation, a desire which had been the closet thing to a genuine will beyond granting the ownership of the Spitfire to Ratchet and Clanker.
It would be some months before the impact of Tarvitz's final act would be realised, and the one change he had made came to fruition. On the surface of Susevfi, returning to the world that to them they had only left days before, Raymus and Kallista Tarvitz set down on the homestead which had now been overrun by wildlife. Pulled out of time and cast across the eras to escape the fate that Perdurabo had sought for them, the two searched the surrounding grounds only to find a single holocron within the now ruined house; one which sprung to life upon their approach. The flickering remnant of Ka Tarvitz greeted them, apologising for not greeting them in person, and offering to explain the second chance they had been offered.
Physical Description
Tall, heavily built and with his fair share of old wounds, Tarvitz is an imposing figure at the best of times. Sporting a determined if world-weary stare, his weather-beaten skin reflects a hard life of having traveled under countless alien suns, and is matched by his fading shoulder-length hair. Adorning the upper left of his brow and encompassing his eye socket, the pale green glow of a dark metal cybernetic sensor clashes against his dark blue organic left eye. Around its edges, the old scars of shrapnel wounds and burned tissue can still be seen, clashing against his proud features.
The rest of Tarvitz's body is a massive calloused network of dueling scars, claw markings and burns from blaster impacts. Many of these were earned during his time traveling the Outer Rim in search of new derelict vessels to salvage, and remarkably few were taken in lightsaber duels. Two of the distinctive ones are visible on his forearms, one from the near-miss of a turbolaser bolt he took during a boarding action and the other which was incurred during a desperate action to slay a tenacious alien beast. Tarvitz prefers to keep these hidden whenever possible and attempts to avoid detailing the exact stories behind them. The most he will typically admit to others is that they have painful memories associated with them when pressed on the matter.
It is rare to see Tarvitz out of his armour, even during passive moments such as personal meditation or social meetings. Preferring its bulk and weight over standard clothing, he only discards it during ceremonial duties or formal gatherings, and even then favours a practical attire over more stylised robes. This has the unfortunate - if an understandable - side effect of making him stand out from crowds or drawing undue attention in otherwise peaceful environments.
One genetic modification made to his body was to enhance its capacity to combat foreign poisons. A few signs of this dot his chest and back where injection ports once remained, yet these are all but imperceptible after all these years. They are one of the few markings Tarvitz is both willing to discuss and even joke about, as the procedure was a success, but it also rendered him immune to the effects of alcohol of all forms.
Personality
Tarvitz is relatively straightforward and aims to maintain a direct and down-to-earth approach to life. While by no means dull-witted, he is merely far happier dealing with tangible subjects such as patching up the hulls of ships or repairing equipment than debating the finer points of the Force with others. This allowed him the freedom to focus on getting a job over and done with and lacks the grey areas which prove to be so frustrating in life. This same mentality extends to his relationships with others, as he is rarely one to hold grudges or bring up ill-treatment in past eras unless a foe insists upon doing so. Once a matter is concluded he will rarely go back to it. Perhaps because of this, he often tends to think outside of the box despite his apparent simplicity, and often tries to bring any matter to a complete close before pressing forward with his life. If brought to failure he will rarely shirk responsibility, and will quite often obsessively review his performance trying to judge how and why he failed so he might overcome it next time.
Tarvitz prizes honesty about all else and, while he avoids being rudely blunt about matters, it is rare for him to sugar-coat facts. He has also proven to be stubbornly loyal to a fault, and will often be the first to answer a call for help from those he considers a friend, without questions or hesitation. Yet his view tends to exist only on a person by person level. Just because he will follow Drachen into hell itself does not mean this will extend to the rest of Odan-Urr, and the idea of "Respect the rank, if not the man" is entirely lost on him. In fact, despite often respecting those above him for their capabilities, ranks themselves mean little to him and the idea of leading from the front (with leaders performing actions just as dangerous or arduous as grunts) is something he has long stood by.
The fact he judges individuals on a person by person basis means that Tarvitz rarely takes note of gender, species or even faith unless they continually prove to be a threat. In his position, he cares less about whether it is culturally proper for someone to pick up a blaster than the fact they know how to use it and are carrying one for the right reasons. Not everyone is cut out to be a fighter, and there is no shame in that, but Tarvitz isn't about to allow anything beyond a person's skills or individual choices influence that. While part of this might be down to his noted asexuality, much of this stems from living in environments where practicality overruled all other matters. The few times Tarvitz has shown an appreciation for any culture it has typically related in some way to Alderaan or the Jedi Order, and his ongoing attempts to preserve what little remains of both.
Quick to laugh and welcoming to others, Tarvitz makes an effort to be as open and friendly as he can within the Clan even with his personal secrets, but he has also proven to be quick to resort to his blade when needed. Rarely standing for acts of apparent sadism or needless violence, he finds it difficult to ignore others in need of help no matter the situation. In his eyes, it's better to do something and be proven wrong than do nothing at all. Given his constant drive to visit new locations and see the rest of the galaxy, this has drawn him into more melees than he can count, but Tarvitz has not regretted fighting a single one of them.
Equipment
Much of Tarvitz’s current gear has been salvaged from past wrecks or bartered from traders on the Outer Rim. Each has obviously well-used, but has proven to be extremely reliable, and served him well during a multitude of boarding actions against derelict vessels. Many retain basic improvements from reworked casings to reworking the grips of his blasters, Tarvitz has often taken great care to ensure that no Jensaarai iconography or identifiable brands remain visible on his equipment.
Weapons
The rapier Tarvitz usually keeps at his side was one retrieved during a particularly notable salvage run, and taken from an ancient vessel bereft of any name. Tarvitz found that its length and pointed head was perfect for combating a foe in the tight confines of a warship. The blade has been reforged several times thanks to battle damage, and Tarvitz has always taken great care to replicate its ability to be easily slid between the armoured plates of a foe or the reinforced shell of a battle droid. Paired with the sheer stopping power of his S-5 pistol, Tarvitz has found the combination to be simple but quite effective. For some time he also carried a WESTAR-M5 for additional firepower, but necessity saw him cannibalizing this in favour of supporting more vital items.
The lightsaber Tarvitz carries is a recent replacement, with his original blade having been destroyed during the brief skirmish against Odan-Urr's agents. He recovered the crystal but opted to carry an armory weapon for a time afterward, befitting his current training under Master Drachen. It was only upon being deemed worthy as a Knight in their eyes, that he fashioned a new blade from the remnants of his old weapon, feeling that he had earned the right to carry it once more after his failure.
Armour
While often opting to travel light, and retaining few personal possessions, Tarvitz nevertheless owns three sets of warplate.
The first of these was a recent acquisition - A heavily modified and stylised set of Phase II clone paratrooper armour taken from a Rebublic warship. Reserved for situations where the Jensaarai were required to disguise their true allegiance, it is a stark contrast with his more regal uniform. Stripped of its more heavily damaged or high maintenance systems - notably its jetpack - it has nevertheless been upgraded several times, both to reinforce the plasteel chestplate and for space combat. The distinctive build of the helmet and several key features means it can be easily identified, but the dark purple colours and ivory trim disguise its practical build, and many mistake it as ceremonial armour at first glance. Several pouches at its belt store a datapad, com-link, and a small medpac among other items.
The second, his personal Jensaarai armour, is rarely seen nor worn even among Clan Odan-Urr's strongholds. Patterned after the Vorn tiger, it consists of several cobalt blue interlocking plates across vulnerable points of his body, bridged by a mesh of hardened white metal scales. The horned helm vaguely resembles that of the feline beast, with intricate patterns of its plating giving the impression of an exaggerated non-human musculature structure. Though it ranks among Tarvitz's most valuable possessions, he has taken great lengths to keep it hidden from sight, and few even know of its existence. He might be pledged to serve Odan-Urr in their war against the Sith, but Tarvitz is hardly willing to let his sole choice drag the rest of his kindred into the war as well.
The final is a recent addition, purchased out of necessity following the Battle over Nancora. Seeking a less distinctive attire for more covert missions, Tarvitz requisitioned a set of SpecForce Armor from Odan-Urr's stores. Often painting and reworking it to suit its environment, while much of its build shares the same strengths as his other choices of attire, the lighter weight structure has been constructed for easy travel. More often than not, Tarvitz makes a point of attaching faux trophies and easily discarded iconography to pass himself off as a bounty hunter.
Droids & Ships
Ratchet
Purchased from a junk dealer following the loss of the Fire Hawk, R3-M1 has become the secondary pilot to the Spitfire. Once part of the New Republic Navy, the droid had been lost in a battle only to be recovered in the outbreak of war with the First Order. While advanced, the astromech droid was sold at a steep discount thanks to heavy modifications, which made him an excellent pilot but had come at the cost of its additional functions. A lack of memory wipes over the preceding thirty years had also left the droid with a sarcastic temperament, and even a few battle-hungry quirks. Responding more often to the nickname of Ratchet than its alpha-numerical code, the droid has become Tarvitz's partner in all but name.
Ratchet's modifications proved him to be more than worth his weight in credits. Even with his limited use outside of fighters, his alterations made him a far more effective combatant. Along with expanded tactical and strategic computing, additional electronics links and connections allows the droid extended control over any machine that he is linked to. Along with flight and hyperspace control, this permits Ratchet to take total control of the fighter and access its weaponry. These were likely intended as an upgrade allowing Ratchet to carry out an R7 unit's task of linking to a more advanced E-Wing fighter, but the droid has refused any questions surrounding the subject.
Spitfire
- Main article: Spitfire
The Spitfire is an aging Royal N-1 Starfighter, dating back to the days before the Clone Wars. The fighter's exact history is unknown, as it was found junked and partially disassembled on the Solari's flight deck, among older ships being disassembled for spare parts. As the best among their options and knowing of the N-1's reputation as a battleship killer, Tarvitz quickly rescued it as a replacement to his previous vessel. Devoting a small fortune of credits to bring it back to flightworthy status and then to further improve its design, it has become a favoured ship by Tarvitz even when given the choice of more modern vessels.
Powers and Abilities
Combat
Tarvitz is far from the Brotherhood's best combatant, and he would be the first to admit it. Many others are better shots, better swordsmen or more adept with the Force, and such matters are hardly helped by his own limited talent with lightsabers. As such, he has striven to overcome this through sheer strength, tenacity and a range of skills from pilot to engineer.
His key focus in battle has always been to limit an opponent's greatest advantage first, often relying upon his wider assortment of skills to try and win the day. In the case of an acrobatic foe, he would draw the fight into a confined area where they could not maneuver quite so easily. In the case of a veteran gunman, he would use the Force to provide more cover or drag them into close quarters. In the case of an expert swordsman, he would seek to keep them off-balance thanks to minor telekinetic shoves or remove them from their weapon.
Regarding the Force as an asset to other skills rather than something to be wholly relied upon, Tarvitz is often seen using his powers in coordination with other abilities, focusing upon frequent but brief pulses of power rather than utilising a raging torrent of energy. He is not above using Telekinesis to drag a foe out of cover, or using its Healing talents to quickly close a wound, but he does not desire his connection to become a crutch used wholly to support himself.
Mechanic
Capable of basic repairs, upgrades and even the odd full overhaul, Tarvitz knows at least enough to get by. Partially self-taught and partially trained, he has become talented at keeping certain ships flying and combat-capable even once they are well past their prime. Often working with limited resources and tools, many of Tarvitz's field repairs are less complete fixes than brief solutions. Rather than totally restoring a ship to its prime, he will focus upon ensuring that it remains as fully flight capable as possible for a few weeks, reworking certain systems or re-routing power to maintain engine, shield and weapons efficiency until it can be returned to a better-equipped repair bay.
Beyond starships, however, Tarvitz is adept at maintaining House Hoth's armory. From patching up armour to re-forging blades, he serves as something of a smith to any forces he is associated with. More often than not he frequently tinkers with standard shelf builds, seeking to make minor improvements or upgrades to equipment even as he repairs them, and it's rare for him to stick with a single planned design for long.
Pilot
Above all else, Tarvitz's greatest talent lies behind the controls of an attack craft. With decades of flying gunships against countless targets, Tarvitz has tested his skills against a multitude of foes across the Outer and Mid Rims. From atmospheric skirmishes to running blockades against capital ships, there are few scenarios he has not overcome thanks to a combination of fast reflexes and a few creative tactics. This is especially true of the treacherous debris fields of derelict warships, and Tarvitz himself has lost count of the times he has been forced to pit himself against violent scavengers amid clouds of metallic fragments and undetonated munitions.
In most situations, Tarvitz will often favour disabling enemy fightercraft over outright destroying them, especially when defending or fighting his way clear from a position. While this is as much an act of pragmatism as a hesitance to kill - forcing other fighters to pull back and defend disabled ships rather than pursue him - it is by no means any sign of weakness. When pushed, he will quite readily annihilate enemy squadrons one ship at a time, using the Force to actively inhibit the abilities of their pilots or his engineering knowledge to exploit the core weaknesses in their designs. Tarvitz himself tends to favour lesser-known vessels in order to prevent these same tactics from being used against him, and to hinder the benefit of experience by more combat-hardened foes. Under the right circumstances, oddities such as the Preybird's aft firing missile launchers or the Chir'daki's rotational wing design can be enough to put an enemy pilot off-balance and quickly end a fight before it truly begins.