Chapter 7 - Kessel

Kessel is located in the Akkadese Maelstrom. The Akkadese Maelstrom is a dangerous place. It is essentially a cluster of matter that contains gases, carbonbergs, ice chunks, and various other types of large debris. It surrounds Kessel and is nearly impenetrable aside from the standard route to get in. It is nearly impossible for typical pilots at least…

Kessel sits in the Outer Rim Territories. It is currently under the control of the Yaruba Family of Kessel. They are a royal family that has ruled the planet for many years. During the Clone Wars, the Pyke syndicate struck gold as they made a deal with the Yaruba family to export spice.

On the surface, the planet is split into two distinct areas. The southern hemisphere is home to lush sanctuaries. This is where the Royal Family lives. The northern hemisphere is a barren wasteland where the various mines would be constructed.

There are three main exports from the planet. The first is spice. Spice is officially used for medicine production. The unofficial use of it is to produce a powerful drug. The second is coaxium. Coaxium is a rare form of hypermatter that can be refined into fuel for starships. It is extremely potent. The two main purposes are that it allows for hyperspace travel and that just a small amount of it was enough to power an entire fleet. The third is Kesselstone. Kesselstone is a byproduct of mining spice. It can be ground into powder to create a powerful narcotic.

Essentially, there would be two options for gaining control of the mines. The first being capturing the mines through a raid. This is the quickest and probably the easiest way to do it. However, the prior owner of the mine would not be happy and therefore attempt to retake it. At this point in time, that owner would be the Yagura Family.

The other option, would be to stage a coup and take over the planet. This method would be much more complicated for most. However, this could prove the best method for force sėnsɨtɨvė individuals. Another benefit to this is that if an officially recognized guild were to do this, they have the option of joining a galactic governing body. One other benefit is that you would essentially seize all of the resources that the previous governing body was in possession of.

It would just so happen that the two individuals that are heading to the planet were both Jedi and members of an officially recognized guild.

Two starfighters dropped out of hyperspace just outside of the maelstrom. "Xander, you wanna take the easy way in? Or do you wanna have some fun?"

Xander laughed over the comms. "If you're talking about THE Kessel Run, I'm not even crazy enough to attempt it with our level of flying. I say we take the safe route for now. We also don't have anywhere near enough credits to repair or replace our fighters. We have bȧrėly enough for fuel as it is."

Tyler sighed. "That is a fair point. Boring route it is then."

To reach Kessel, there are two main routes one can take. The first is the Traditional Kessel Run route. There is a winding path that is carved out of the maelstrom. It is the safest area and even has markers to help a pilot keep on course. In addition, it is large enough for even a star destroyer to fit in.

The other route is the Risky record-breaking run. This is the one that Han Solo always brags about. Essentially, you take a route that goes straight through the maelstrom either to or from Kessel. The most dangerous part about this route isn't even the maelstrom itself. Instead, it is a region within the maelstrom called The Maw. It is home to a planet sized gravity well and various extremely dangerous creatures.

Of course, there are other courses that can be taken to reduce the travel time but they are unmarked.

Tyler led the charge into the Kessel Run. It was a pretty quiet trip until they were about three quarters of the way there.

"This is the Royal Security Force of the Yagura Family. Identify yourselves immediately."

Sweat started to drip down Xander's face. "Uhhhhh, Tyler? What do we do?"

Tyler sighed. "We have two options. First, we talk to them and request to land. The other option is we shoot them down and hope we don't encounter any issues. I have a decent idea if you wanna try the first option."

Xander coughed. "First option then. Fuck it."

Tyler then opened up the comm channel to reply. "This is Jedi Knight Draco. The other fighter is piloted by Jedi Knight Xander. We have come to negotiate a trade deal for coaxium."

"Hold your course. We will let you know how to proceed."

A few minutes later, the voice responded again. "We will escort you to a landing pad so you can seek an audience with the Royal Family."

Tyler cheered internally. "Alright. We'll follow you down." This was the exact reason that he put a bunch of points into charisma. It is extremely useful when dealing with NPCs.

The squad of starfighters escorted the two players to a landing pad that was nearby the Royal Palace. Tyler and Xander landed as their escort flew back into high orbit to resume their patrol.

*New Location Discovered: Kessel +100 EXP*

*Optional Quest Triggered: Liberation*

*Rank: Epic*

*Reward: Sovereignty over Kessel, Unknown*

'Well this is convenient. Now we can get some additional rewards for doing what we were planning to do anyways. This is useful information nonetheless.'

Tyler was not expecting that neutral planets could trigger a quest to take over the planet. Even if the first reward was the only thing he got, it would still be more than worth it.

A squad of guards marched over to the two Jedi. "On behalf of the Royal Family, we welcome you to Kessel. Please follow us. We will show you to your chambers."

Tyler and Xander nodded and followed the squad.

The city was quite grand. Tall buildings made from stone and metal towered over the streets. It was very similar to Theed, Naboo in that there was plenty of greenery all over the place. The conditions really lived up to being lush sanctuaries.

The Royal Palace was huge. Just how one would expect, it was beautifully constructed. Various statues of former monarchs lined the path that led to the entrance.

In order to keep up the facade, they followed the guards all the way to their chambers. Once they arrived, the guard caption turned to them. "The Royal Family will meet with you tomorrow for lunch. For now, you may get some rest."

Tyler and Xander bowed. "Thank you. We are going to get some sleep then."

Once they entered their rooms and the doors closed, they started scheming over comms. "Xander, I think I wanna go stretch my legs. How about you?"

Xander sighed. "I would go but I'm beat. This new thing where we have to sleep is brutal. Especially after flying for so long. Let me know if anything interesting happens."

Conveniently, there was a window in his room so Tyler opened it up. After looking around to make sure no one was watching, he jumped using the force and landed on a nearby building.

On most planets where there is a monarchy, there is usually a resistance movement. Tyler's goal of "stretching his legs" was to see if he could locate such a group.

From the top of the building, he had a great view of the city. As he scanned the surroundings, he noticed that the outer areas of the city had shorter and more plain looking buildings. This is where he would start his search.

Tyler quickly hopped across buildings and arrived in the area in question after a few minutes. It was just as he suspected. This area appeared to be the slums of this city. He dropped off of the building and landed in the street. A few people gave him weird looks but went back to their business.

Unlike in the central portion of the city, this area was devoid of the presence of guards. As a result, beggars lined the sides of the streets and struggling businesses had almost no stock.

It was a truly painful sight. Tyler grew up in a nice area. Although his mom and him struggled for money, they were still able to remain in a home and get by. Here, there were children and old people dotting the streets. They were all homeless.

After walking for a few minutes, Tyler noticed a few suspicious looking individuals. He used his force enhanced senses to listen in on their conversation.

It turned out to be his first lead. They were discussing a shipment of contraband and relief supplies for the homeless. If this wasn't a tell tale sign of a resistance movement, what is?

This proved to be a pretty effective deterrent as both of them widened their eyes before moving their hands away from their blasters.

Tyler stopped right in front of them. "It was much easier to find you guys than I thought it would be."

The two men looked at each other. Then one of them said, "Have we met before?"

Tyler chuckled. "Nope. Not once. I actually just arrived on Kessel a couple hours ago. I'll be straightforward with you guys. I am here to help."

The man looked confused. "Even if we are who you're looking for, how can you expect us to trust you? And what could you even do anyways?"

Tyler smiled. His charisma was really doing work. "I don't expect you guys to trust me. All that matters is that we can enter into a prosperous business arrangement. I won't say anything more until I speak to whoever is in charge."

The man sighed. He pressed a buŧŧon on his wrist comm. A few seconds later, the door behind them slid open. It revealed a dimly lit hallway with a mess of crates on either side. There was another man behind the door. "Come in. I'll take you to meet the boss."

Tyler entered the building and followed the man. He led Tyler down a staircase and through a system of tunnels. After a few minutes, they arrived at a large, well lit room.

Standing in the middle of the room was a large man that seemed to command the respect of everyone else in the room.

The man looked up. "And who might you be?"

Tyler smiled. "I am Jedi Knight Draco. I am here on behalf of the guild Limitless. I am sure that you have heard of it."

The man scoffed. "Yeah, I've heard of you guys. You're just a startup group that was recognized by the Galactic Senate. You guys are way in over your heads here so I recommend you leave before any unfortunate accidents occur."

Tyler sighed. "You know, it is usually common courtesy to provide your name when someone gives their's."

The man shook his head. "Why should I have to give you my name?"

This was getting difficult. This guy was going to take a bit more convincing before he cooperated. Tyler made the same move as before as he made his lightsaber visible. "Well, for starters, your rag tag group of rebels don't stand a chance against the Yagura Family. In addition, I came here with another Jedi Knight. Currently, we are staying in the palace and are also set to meet with the Royal Family tomorrow for lunch. Do those reasons suffice?"

The man laughed. "Well well. My friend, it is good to have you. I am Khan Ardel. I lead the resistance on Kessel. I do have a question. How did you get a meeting with the Royal Family?"

Tyler smirked. "The name of the Jedi Temple carries quite a bit of weight throughout the galaxy. It was easy. Now, let's get down to business."

Khan smiled with joy. "Someone get this man a drink! Please Draco, take a seat." The two of them sat down at the table. "So, my friend. What are your plans?"

Tyler nodded. "Essentially, I want to stage a coup. Limitless is interested in taking control of the resources on this planet but we do not have the manpower to do such a thing. It would also put frowns on the faces of the Jedi Council. That is the more prevalent reason we aren't just taking over."

Khan shook his head. "Where do me and my men fit into this? It sounds like you want us to work for you and then you get all of the rewards."

Draco laughed. "You misunderstand! The governance of this planet will be left to you once we are done. You see, we are only interested in the resources and a few other benefits. My idea is to have you, or whoever you choose, act as governor of Kessel. Limitless will take over the mining operations and take whatever is in the treasury. The first thing that the funds gained will go towards is improving the conditions on Kessel. The remaining will belong to me. In addition, I want to affiliate this world with the Galactic Republic. Limitless will represent Kessel in the Senate."

Khan looked intrigued. "Aside from some funds to improve conditions, how will we gain anything if you take over the mining operations?"

Draco shook his head. "First, the gains from joining the Republic will be huge. Once word gets out that Kessel exports spice and coaxium, planets from all over the Republic will send relief supplies to curry favor in hopes of striking a trade deal. In addition, I plan on sharing 20% of the profits on these exports with you. The 80% that Limitless receives will be completely reinvested in either Kessel itself, or in expanding our military capabilities to help defend this world and any others we cooperate with."

Khan smiled. He knew that they stood no chance against the Royal Family. All that they have been able to do is provide some basic necessities to those that are suffering. However, this changed when two Jedi Knights were added to the equation. What is even better is that they have already infiltrated the palace. "I can agree to these terms. What is the plan?"

Tyler fleshed out a plan of action with Khan and then left a few hours later. He returned to his chambers just in time for a guard to knock on the door. "It is time for dinner. We will escort you to the dining room."

Tyler and Xander exited their rooms and followed the guards to dinner. As they walked, Tyler called Xander to prevent the guards from listening in. He filled Xander in on what happened and what their role would be.

The next day, the two of them woke up early and skipped breakfast to iron out their plan of action.

Finally, the time for lunch arrived. Everything was set and the show was on. A guard knocked on the door. "The Royal Family awaits you in the dining room. We will take you to meet them now."

Tyler and Xander followed them down the hall. Part of the plan was to be decided on the fly. If the Royal Family was a bunch of pricks, they would just kill them and seize the palace. On the other hand, if they were genuine rulers, they would just get imprisoned and be dealt with by the resistance.

They then arrived at the dining hall. There were two guards stationed at the door. They opened the door to reveal the room. There were 10 guards around the perimeter of the room. All of the guards were level 15.

The table was mostly full on the opposite end of the room. There were several officials. Each one was level 20. In addition, the king sat at the head of the table and was also level 20.

For them, the level difference would not matter too much since they were using lightsabers. It would only take a few well placed slashes to kill them. In addition, the level 20 NPCs were noncombatants.

As the door opened, Tyler opened his mind to the force and felt an aura of disdain and impatience from several of the officials present in the room. It would seem that they were indeed a bunch of pricks. That made this easy.

Tyler turned to Xander and nodded. This was the signal. Before the guards could close the doors, the two players ignited their lightsabers and executed the two guards with a swift slash to behead them. The King screamed in horror as he watched the guards fall lifelessly to the ground.

Xander quickly used the force to close the doors. Meanwhile, Tyler made good use of his speed to quickly dispatch the guards around the room. As he ran, he deflected a few blaster shots. A couple of them even returned to the shooter and killed them.

After closing the doors, Xander made his way around the opposite side of the room. He dispatched the remaining 3 guards that Tyler hadn't reached.

Once the guards were gone, there was nothing protecting the officials. Tyler walked over to the king and pointed his lightsaber at his neck. "Order all of the guards to stand down or all of you die."

The king nearly soiled his royal undėrwėȧr when he heard this. In a frightened voice, he shouted, "Do it!"

One of the officials sighed and activated his comm. "This is Prince Yagura. By order of the King, all guards are to stand down. Drop your weapons and do not resist."

Tyler nodded. He then activated his wrist comm. "Khan, the operation is a go. You may proceed."

Upon hearing the name of the resistance leader, all of the officials and the King had looks of dread on their faces. It would seem that they understood the circumstances.

"Now, who can show me to the treasury?"

One of the officials quickly got up. "That would be me. I am the Finance Minister."

Xander remained in the room to make sure that the others would behave. Meanwhile, Tyler was led to the treasury. The finance minister opened the vault.

The interior was HUGE. It was more of a warehouse than a vault. There was tons of shelving that was filled with crates. Tyler turned to the minister. "Do you have an inventory list?"

To avoid provoking the Jedi, the minister quickly took out a datapad and handed it over. After looking over the list, there were endless profits. First, there were over 70 million credits. This might sound like a lot but most of it would be invested in improving Kessel. Next, there were about 10 million credits in spice. Lastly, there was a small amount of refined coaxium. This last thing was too valuable to trade.

Tyler thought that this whole operation was too easy. They merely were lucky that the guards were quite weak. Something like this would not go the same way on a more developed planet or one that is affiliated with a galactic governing body.

*Optional Quest Completed: Liberation*

*Rank: Epic*

*Reward: Sovereignty over Kessel, Contents of the treasury, Assets of the Royal Family, 50k EXP, +1000 Jedi Order Reputation*

*Level up! You are now Level 11. You have been awarded 5 free attribute points.*

*Level up! You are now Level 12. You have been awarded 5 free attribute points.*

*Level up! You are now Level 13. You have been awarded 5 free attribute points.*

*Level up! You are now Level 14. You have been awarded 5 free attribute points.*

*Optional Quest Triggered: Intro to Politics*

*Rank: Epic*

*Description: Convince the Galactic Senate to recognize Kessel as a member.*

*Reward: Seat in the Galactic Senate, +6000 Galactic Senate Reputation, Unlocks a Politician profession trainer for your guild*