Star Wars: Alternate Episode I: Converging Fates COMPLETE

[Dartha Athanth]

Don't worry, I think you're one of the post regular updaters. *looks guilty*

 

And I'm sure Kit finds Aayla attractive.. if only I could find that picture of the two of them snogging...

 

Anyway, I like your observations about politics, and theinsight into Kit's mind - reminds me of Cestus Deception, I really liked him there. Good that you brought in more Jedi into Ep 1, felt really overwhelmed in Ep 2 since we've been accustomed to only a few jedi since 4,5,6 and even 1.

[Amidala Skywalker]

Very nicely done. Nothing really happened, but you captured the foreboding spirit of the Force-vision very well. Nice work, and have a great vacation!

[ForceFusion]

I'm back!

 

***

 

Tatooine. Obi-Wan had to squint if he looked out Elegance's viewport too long at the planet for fear the light of two suns reflecting of kilometers of desert might blind him. The ship was in orbit around the sparsely populated planet which Obi-Wan and everyone on board had just learned about. The ship's computer had designated the dual-sunned system as their destination because it was the first populated system on their vector. From what he was learning, Obi-Wan thought it might have been a good idea to risk a bit of a longer jump.

 

Tatooine was supposedly a completely ungoverned planet, with no representation in the Republic or any other interstellar organization. The closest thing to a governing body was the Hutt crime lords, who cared little for the rule of law or general sentient ethics. According to the computer's datafiles and the information on Qui-Gon's datapad, Jabba the Hutt currently controlled Tatooine, though beyond taking his enemies as slaves or feeding them to one of his many pet beasts he essentially neglected the population of the desert planet. The planet now functioned on the basic theory of survival of the fittest. If a being ”“ and the cross-section of species on Tatooine was quite impressive as they'd surely migrated from across the galaxy to flee from the law ”“ could survive the harshness of the twin sun's heat and the short but frigid nights, it must also be intelligent and lucky enough not to offend another being with more power ”“ be that power physical or otherwise ”“ in order to survive. For entertainment, the people of Tatooine observed dangerous sports such as pod and swoop racing among others. All in all, Tatooine was not fit for a Queen.

 

”œI've run a diagnostic of the ship,”

[Anakin T Skywalker]

Is Queen Amidala's middle name "Spitfire"? That was awesome!

 

Except for one little thing:

I have never once been recognized on my home planet when dressed as normal people do.

 

 

It should be: "I have never once been recognized on my home planet when dressed as a normal person."

[Dartha Athanth]

Yay obi instead of Jar jar! And they know the queen this time! They aren't as dumb as the original.

 

Whee I can't wait for more!

[Amidala Skywalker]

Nice update! I agree that I like that's she's more straightforward in this version.

 

This is a small note, but I really like how you referred to the "Queen voice" and the "normal girl of sixteen voice". It's really evident in the movie to one who's watched and examined her character as much as I have, and I like how you picked up on and incorporated that in this fic.

 

Excellent work, as always, and I eagerly await another post!

[ForceFusion]

Thanks again for the comments, guys. Padme became probably my favorite character to write during this whole process, so I'm glad you're appreciating her so much! Another update! After this update, btw, you will have read about a quarter of the book.

 

***Chapter Eight

 

Standing outside the blast doors of the bridge on the Trade Federation's flag ship orbiting Naboo, Dooku smiled as he felt the pure intimidation of his presence to the Neimoidians in that room. They were complete and utter cowards. The only thing that outweighed their cowardice was their greed. Sidious must have been a master of manipulation to pull their strings so artfully as to get them to be galactic aggressors. Here they were, the most fearful species Dooku could think of with the most intimidating fleet in the galaxy. The Neimoidians didn't realize how much power they held. Dooku was here to show them.

 

When the blast doors finally opened, revealing a trio of finely dressed Neimoidians standing safely across the bridge behind a mass of computer banks and guard droids, Dooku walked directly toward them, not missing a beat even for their polite greeting. ”œIt is wonderful to have you,”

[Anakin T Skywalker]

I like Dooku, he seems more evil and, well, Sithly.

[Amidala Skywalker]

Nice chapter. Only one little mistake/typo---it should be Jedi Council, not Counel.

 

Your Dooku is certainly interesting. I think he lacks a bit of the gentlemanly polish that he has in other books (namely, the Ep. III novelisation) but, as Ani said, he's more Sith-ly.

 

Great work, and looking forward to more!

[Dartha Athanth]

MUAHAHAHHAHAH! MUSTAFAR MAKES ITS APPEARANCE! PEOPLE GET TO BE BURNT EARLIER! MUAHAHAHHAHAH!

 

*ahem*

 

 

I think there's an explanation in one of the books why the Nemies are so good even though they are cowards - since they are cowards - they want the best protection available.

[ForceFusion]

Here's a long one for you.

 

***

 

Watto had left Anakin to tend the shop alone, and it'd been a slow morning. He'd worked on the droid for a few hours and now entertained himself by juggling hydrospanners. He'd gotten himself up to five at a time and was trying to think of a way to somehow incorporate this act with his swoop parade. After all, if his mother wasn't going to let him race the swoop, he might as well use it for something before Watto forced him to sell it at a bargain price.

 

He'd nailed the rhythm for the five hydrospanners and was now doing it with his eyes closed. He took the time to let his mind wander. Aurra Sing's offer hadn't been far from his thoughts since she'd made it five days ago, but he didn't dare suggest it to his mother. They still weren't on particularly good terms, as Anakin didn't really want to let the swoop argument go until after the big race tomorrow. They would go and sit in the crowds and he would cheer and purposefully look unfulfilled, hoping he might pluck a string in her heart that would lead to him being able to participate in one of the exhilarating races. Even if he couldn't bring himself to follow Aurra Sing off planet to become a famous bounty hunter, maybe he could win the freedom of his mother and himself with his skills on a swoop and they could travel the galaxy that way.

 

”œHello,”

[Anakin T Skywalker]

Good one! You really had me worried that Anakin was gonna take off with Aurra Sing.

[Amidala Skywalker]

Nice update! I like the mental picture of Anakin juggling hydrospanners...

 

Obi-Wan is a much better addition to the group. Jar-Jar isn't there to get them in trouble this time.

 

Great work, and I'm looking forward to more!

[Dartha Athanth]

his voice sounded patient and intelligent

And ani is not. Heehee!

 

A family is a much more plausible explanation than "Tatooine is full of aliens, we won't attract much attention with Jar Jar around." Ha!.

 

Like the part about anakin's feelings at being a slave. And the romance is more plausible too... nine year old boys generally don't have that much hormones.

 

More!

[Anakin T Skywalker]

his voice sounded patient and intelligent

And ani is not. Heehee!

 

 

Heeeyyyyy!!!!! Watch your... um, keyboard... Dartha!

 

 

Actually, I wanted to notify Force Fusion of something I foudn on a re-read:

 

 

 

 

Both Obi-Wand and Padmé reacted with horror and surprise

 

 

Obi-Wand.

[Dartha Athanth]

I meant the ani in the story! 'snot my fault you have the same name as somebody else. Just found it weird to have some character described like that from another character's point of view.

 

something I foudn

 

Obi-Wand sounds more convincing a word/name than that. Hmm good idea for a HP crossover haha.

[Anakin T Skywalker]

I meant the ani in the story! 'snot my fault you have the same name as somebody else. Just found it weird to have some character described like that from another character's point of view.

 

something I foudn

 

Obi-Wand sounds more convincing a word/name than that. Hmm good idea for a HP crossover haha.

 

Ooops. Yeah, I'm typing in a hurry in the dark here, beause I'm not actually supposed to be on my computer right now... should be sleeping... but no.

[Dartha Athanth]

*falsely wide-eyed*

 

But it's the afternoon!

[Anakin T Skywalker]

Not from my point of view!

 

Anyway, we should probably stop dragging this thread off-topic. My Master will be mad if I keep it up!

 

Anyway, it's nice to see you updating more often again, ForceFusion.

[ForceFusion]

Wohoo, page 2! Thanks for all the comments and corrections, and of course, sorry for the lack of updates. Life has been crazy for the past....long time, and probably will continue to be so for another month or so. I'll likely be moving and likely be switching computers, but I'll still try to be consistent in updating. Without further ado... (oi, this one's really long: usually i split my chapters up into 2 or 3 sections, this one...just one big sections. sorry)

 

***Chapter Nine

 

Captain Panaka was not convinced of Anakin's plan. After leaving Anakin to finish his day's work, Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, and Padmé had nothing to do but return to the Elegance. Obi-Wan had been looking forward to interacting with some of the locals and possibly finding out something about these swoop races. Padmé had expressed similar interests, but without any viable currency they were not likely to do anything but draw unnecessary attention to themselves. With money, they could have attended various cantinas where information ”“ accurate or not ”“ always flowed, bought themselves and others drinks, and looked simply like interested travelers or new residents to the area. But without money, they would seem severely out of place, and the questions they would be asking could raise the suspicion of some of the more opportunistic inhabitants of Mos Eisley. Places like these were wretched hives of scum and villainy, and there were surely plenty of bounty hunters around that were up-to-date on galactic events, and might just recognize a pair of Jedi robes, or worse, the Queen of Naboo. After all, one never knew what sort of seedy contacts the Trade Federation might have, and the Neimoidians were surely well enough equipped to guess that Tatooine was a possible destination for the Elegance and her crew. So, with much disappointment, Qui-Gon had decided the best course of action was to wait a few hours on the ship away from unwanted eyes and ears until they could rendezvous with Anakin once again and push their plans along.

 

Obi-Wan himself was not too sure of the plan and did not fault Captain Panaka for expressing his doubts. In fact, Qui-Gon seemed to be the only person in the bunch who felt fully confident of it. Qui-Gon had obviously been impressed with the thirteen year-old slave boy with a good heart, but for reasons Obi-Wan wasn't sure of. He intended to talk to his Master about it later, but decided that presenting a unified and confident front to Captain Panaka was more important at the time being. Eventually, that tactic had paid off, as the hardened Naboo man had had to admit that there were, quite simply, no other alternatives.

 

Now, with the frustrated Captain left once again on the ship, the trio ventured back into the city of Mos Eisley. Again, Panaka had suggested that the Queen stay aboard the Elegance for safety, but again she had not heard a word of it. She claimed that her presence could only help convince those that needed convincing to play their various roles in their plot and that surely under the protection of the Jedi no harm could come to her.

 

Despite not being outside in the Tatooine day for more than a couple hours walking, Obi-Wan discovered that the sand had already found its way inside his robe, tunic, and trousers, and even a bit under his undergarments. His skin was itching from the course kernels that infested even his short hair. He hated to think how Padmé and Qui-Gon were dealing with it. As usual, the serene Jedi Master showed absolutely no sign of discontent and Obi-Wan was thoroughly impressed by the Queen's ability to adapt to a situation which was surely more unpleasant than any she had ever dreamed she might be exposed to. The Padawan found the sand to be an interesting metaphor for their unfortunate situation. They could not escape it as it was everywhere, there did not seem to be any sure solution to it, and it was becoming so aggravating that Obi-Wan felt himself wanting to take irrational action against it. Of course, no irrational action could solve the problem of the sand, and they were already working on a fairly absurd plan to get them off this desert planet. Obi-Wan considered questioning his Master about his seemingly unwavering confidence in this Anakin Skywalker at present, but then again decided it would be best to do so in private. Instead, he simply walked along in silence, desperately clinging to the Force to keep him from stripping out of his robes and dashing around the streets of Mos Eisley completely naked. He chuckled softly to himself about the prospect of streaking here. The locals were so colorful that they might not even take much exception to it and there was certainly no law enforcement that would haul him off to court.

 

Besides the irritation of the sand, there was the oppression of the heat. Obi-Wan had never imagined that a planet could be this hot and dry without simply lighting itself aflame. He'd been in engine compartments that were cooler than this place. When first reading about Tatooine, he thought the prospect of twin suns orbiting each other peacefully was quite an amazing thing. He hadn't thought of the consequences of living under the searing eyes of those suns.

 

While Obi-Wan's thoughts raced around the different aspects of his discomfort, he did not realize that they'd nearly reached Watto's shop. He came to that realization when a blond ball of energy came bursting out of the door, skipping and dancing in delight. Anakin did not notice the trio at first, but when he did he was even more ecstatic. ”œQui-Gon! Padmé! Obi-Wan! Perfect timing!”

[Dartha Athanth]

Long post!

 

I love Obi Wan's ruminations about sand- *snicker*

 

Can't tell you how much I love this fic, but you're sort of the best updaters her. Love the emotion with shmi too.

[Amidala Skywalker]

Wow...what a GREAT chapter!

 

OK, crit:

 

but for reasons Obi-Wan wasn't sure of.

 

Techically, you're not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition.

 

I really enjoyed the part about streaking and Obi-Wan's discomfort with the sand and heat. You never get to feel what it was really like for them on Tatooine.

 

I loved this analogy:

When he spoke, his eyes flashed with happiness as bright as an engine accelerating towards lightspeed and his words could have made the Kessel run in only a handful of parsecs.

It was excellently written!

 

A twinge of sadness struck inside Obi-Wan at the fact that he probably would not get a chance to see this boy grow up at all

 

Yay for foreshadowing!!!!

 

than it was doubly so.

 

Typo--it should be "then".

 

greetings, They

 

Another typo--should be a period instead of a comma.

 

The words shocked Obi-Wan into silence, breath caught completely in his lungs. All he could manage was an unbelieving stare and a single word. ”œMe?”

[ForceFusion]

Thanks for the compliments and critiques, guys! Here's more!

 

***Chapter Ten

 

Vel Taph was bundled as if he were on the ice planet, Hoth. The suns had gone down and the sand had cooled, and now there was only the chill of a Tatooine night left to give him company. A gust of wind rustled his shaggy brown hair, and he tugged his overcoat closer to his body. He hated this planet and should probably leave it soon. The events of the next couple days would probably force him to flee and he was not at all sad about that.

 

The Jedi Master was offering him quite a deal if it all worked out. He'd never had direct dealings with the Jedi, but opinions about them flew across the galaxy, though rarely here on Tatooine. Some people said the Jedi were elitist, power hungry sorcerers that couldn't be trusted. Others thought the Jedi to be valiant heroes defending the galaxy from criminals and scum. Vel's opinion was somewhere in the middle, though he was often referred to as the scum or criminal the Jedi were supposedly saving the Republic from. Qui-Gon Jinn's presence on Tatooine had tipped Vel towards the valiant hero side of things slightly, but he also wondered if the man was as stupid as he was kind.

 

Tatooine was a dangerous place, and almost no one could be trusted. Vel fit right in and he knew it. The information the Jedi had just handed him could probably make him a fortune if he could contact the right people. There were always scoundrels on the prowl looking for information that could fill their bank accounts and somehow the whereabouts of Naboo's Queen and a pair of Jedi would surely get back to the Trade Federation. Not that Vel had anything against the three of them, but he was in serious debt to Jabba and Watto wasn't the type to make hasty payments for the services Vel provided him with. Junk dealers never were. If he slipped the location of the Queen of Naboo to an up and coming bounty hunter drinking at one of Mos Eisley's seedy cantinas, he could pay his debts and blast off this rock.

 

Of course, he knew he couldn't do that. He'd subconsciously decided to work with the Jedi instead of against them the moment their requests had been vocalized. And only for one reason. Anakin. Vel had no idea why he held that boy so close to his heart. Maybe it was that Vel's father had run off on him at such a young age and to see a fatherless young man broke his heart. It could have been the fact that he'd been something like in love with Shmi ever since arriving on the desert planet eight years back. Probably a combination of the two. He'd given up on wooing the poor slave woman a few years ago, knowing he could never come up with the funds to free and marry her. But Anakin he'd kept close. On a planet like Tatooine, in a city like Mos Eisley, a boy needed a father figure. Or at least a friend. He knew he wasn't any good at the fathering act, but he could be a friend. And he could make sure the kid was safe in all the little scraps he found himself getting into, that was certain. Vel fingered his blaster at the thought.

 

Now he was attempting to help get the Queen of Naboo and a Jedi Master out of a galactic scrap they'd gotten themselves into, and all because of Anakin. He didn't have the fifteen hundred dactaris he needed to sponsor Anakin. Not even close. He was in the hole about a thousand. But he happened to know of a fairly rich and overconfident lieutenant of Jabba the Hutt living in the city who didn't have nearly enough security for the amount of money in his place. Vel didn't plan to steal any of the precious artwork or valuable gems the Rodian lieutenant owned, but Treed had quite an impressive bank account, and fifteen hundred dactaris wouldn't even leave a dent. With any luck, the crime would go by unnoticed.

 

Of course, Vel was not a terribly lucky man and he knew that those in Jabba's circle were extremely sensitive about their cash flow, so he wasn't really relying on Treed not noticing the stolen money. He was just hoping that it took the Rodian a couple of days to notice, in which time Vel could flee with the Jedi to Coruscant and be free of this wretched place.

 

Treed's home was only impressive because it was on Tatooine. On the outskirts of Mos Eisley, the house's three stories towered over the rows of single level shacks that made up the habitats of most of the city's impoverished population. As well, Vel knew the house had an elaborate underground level where most of the business took place. Vel had been there a few times in his dealings with Treed and Jabba and he would go there once again, this time with a different business arrangement in mind.

 

Circling around to the back side of the house, Vel peered down a stairwell that was a direct entrance to the basement. As he expected, one massive Gamorrean guard stood watch: intimidatingly strong, though laughably stupid. Gamorreans were rarely dedicated to their job unless they'd been trained from a young age, and Vel knew that the guards Treed employed were simply hired guns. It was just a matter of patience, Vel knew. He drew his blaster and set it to stun, just waiting for the pig-faced guard to give him his opening.

 

It only took fifteen minutes. With a grunt, the guard turned and opened the door, likely to relieve himself in the refresher station. A single, silent stun shot from Vel's blaster knocked the Gamorrean on his face, lying in the open door. Vel sprung out of his hiding spot and down the stairs, stepping carefully over the unconscious guard whose prostrated frame would nicely keep the door open while Vel did his business.

 

The credit transfer station on the wall of the lavishly ”“ by Tatooine standards ”“ decorated room was nothing more than a black box with a number pad and a chip reader. Vel plugged a specially modified chip into the reader, one that would slice into the system and retrieve the security codes. It was ironic, Vel realized, that he'd bought the chip in this very room, and it was one of the reasons he was in debt to Jabba the Hutt. That's life on Tatooine for you, Vel mused, keeping a chuckle silently inside.

 

Though the tones of the keypad were quiet, Vel still hated the noise. Gamorreans weren't known for their sensitive ears and Vel's stun shot should have knocked the guard into unconsciousness so deep nothing shorter than a concussion missile would wake it up, but he still worried. He'd cleared the security code and was siphoning the dactaris into his account. Every one hundred dactaris, a soft beep accompanied by a dull green flash would assault Vel's senses. He wished the process were going faster, though he knew there was absolutely nothing he could do to make that wish come true.

 

The process finished with three gut wrenching chimes and a final red light flash. Vel withdrew his bank chip, knowing he was temporarily fifteen hundred dactaris richer, and hustled out of the basement. He paused at the mass of the unconscious guard, pulling out a note worth fifty dactaris and placing it on the Gamorrean's head, the words ”œdon't tell”

[Anakin T Skywalker]

i'm liking the added bits of darkness to this. Just watch your grammar in a few places, and it will be great.

 

I too enjoyed Obi-wan's mental rant about sand from the previous chapter. I could hardly agree more!

[Dartha Athanth]

Vel's opinion was somewhere in the middle, though he was often referred to as the scum or criminal the Jedi were supposedly saving the Republic from

 

Lol!

 

This whole scrap sounds like it's going to cause trouble later!

 

I've got a feeling the gammorean will end up eating hte note in his sleep...

[Amidala Skywalker]

Nice scene. I like how you're expanding Vel's character, and giving us a feel for what he's really like.

 

Nicely done, and as always, I'm anxious for more.

[ForceFusion]

***

 

Qui-Gon Jinn could feel the heat of the day slowly creeping across the deserts of Tatooine, soon to overrun Mos Eisley. Though it was dawn and the chill of the night had not yet worn off, the Force told of slow but drastic change in the environment of this strange planet. On the horizon, the first of two rising suns climbed slowly into view, its orange disc sending rays of sweltering heat stretching across the planet's surface. Qui-Gon could feel it coming. As he could feel many other things coming, too.

 

The Jedi Master knew he was a controversial figure in the ranks of his peers, and he knew exactly why. He'd proven time and time again that he would push the limits of protocol, risking just a little bit too much, to complete a mission. As well, it was often said that the serene bearded man would interpret the objectives of a mission slightly different than might many on the Jedi Council. While always adhering acceptably to the Jedi Code, Qui-Gon made many uncomfortable with his intense in-the-present attitude, caring mostly for problems, large or small, he could fix with his own hands at the present time, often not waiting for clearance from those with authority. Some saw his tendency to help single victims of crimes to be too time-consuming with no real effect on a situation, yet at the same time, those same people criticized his involvement in Senate policies to make broad changes as too aggressive. Either way, Qui-Gon made many wary.

 

And he knew that undoubtedly the business he would conduct this morning was a prime example for that wariness. Yet he knew that it was something he must do, despite its eventual controversy. The Force was twisting around him, patterns like he had never seen. While he rarely agreed with those who believed the Force called each specific being to a specific destiny, the events of the past weeks were beginning to change his mind. The Force was at work, in one way or another, and Qui-Gon would play his part.

 

The Toydarian junk dealer Watto was flapping around his shop, hovering by his small but powerful wings, opening windows and posting signs, arranging merchandise and shooing away beggars. Qui-Gon had not started on good terms with Watto and surely would not improve that situation any after this morning, but he knew what needed to be done.

 

”œGood morning,”

[Amidala Skywalker]

Hmmm....nice twist! That's certainly upping the stakes. In the movie, they'd be stranded if they lost, but eventually they could have left. This makes a really big difference.

 

I like the twist a lot. Nice chapter, and a nice reasoning of Qui-Gon's character at the beginning there.

 

Excellent work!

[Anakin T Skywalker]

Wow! Talk about a reckless bet! That seems a little bit risky, even for the movie's Qui-Gon. But not necessarily for yours.

 

Be careful to avoid the run-on sentences.

[ForceFusion]

***Chapter Eleven

 

Kit Fisto was glad to be in a more humid environment. Though Rishi's tropical climate was no ocean on Kit's homeworld of Glee Anselm, compared to the cities of Coruscant, it was spectacular. The Jedi Master breathed in the moist air with joy as he meandered through the streets of Rishi's largest city, Pehton. Though the city boasted a population of more than eight million people, it was not at all crowded. Its boundaries stretched far into the jungle, as the boundaries of the jungle stretched into the city. Kit liked the fact that he was walking down a street that was lined with vibrantly green trees sprouting out of the ground at natural angles. The jungle and the city truly interacted here in a way Coruscant had led Kit to believe was not at all possible. The native sentient species, the Rishii, used their powerful wings to soar across the skies, landing on a tree here and there, and kindly greeting passers by who walked on the streets. The simply dressed humanoid Galandans were just as friendly as the Rishii, smiling and nodding respectfully as Kit passed. The only other beings Kit could see in abundance were humans, so he imagined that both the Rishii and the Galandans were quite curious about the strange Natolan Jedi Master walking around. Kit wished he could indulge them with conversation, but unfortunately he was not here to meet with any Rishii or Galandan. He felt bad for ordering Aayla to stay and protect the ship. It was necessary, and she knew it despite her complaints. Though the Rishi and Galandans so far proved to be pleasant, Kit knew that wasn't the case for all of this planet's inhabitants.

 

He was here to meet with a human. Though most of Rishi's two billion inhabitants were Rishii and Galandans, a considerably large amount of humans had migrated here, most of them the shady type running from the law. Rishi did not draw much attention to itself, so smugglers and crime lords found it to be a pleasant safe haven. Kit Fisto had assumed that was why his quarry had made a stop here. Upon accessing a datafile containing a list of recently paid bounties, he found that a human named Kam Shast had made a payment to a bounty hunter around the same time the bounty hunter Kit had been tracking had arrived here. It was the only lead Kit had had since his prey had ditched the homing beacon.

 

It didn't take much inquiry of the local people to find out that Kam Shast was a very wealthy human living in Pehton, but beyond that Kit knew nothing. His limited knowledge of the human was about to come to a close, though, for he had just arrived on the doorstep of Shast's impressive castle.

 

The castle ”“ indeed, it could only be described as just that ”“ towered over the tops of the native trees with its colorfully painted duracreet walls. The art, Kit assumed, was that of the local people, either the soaring portraits of beautiful sunsets characteristic of the Rishii, or the pleasant but simple renditions of everyday objects which the Galandans on this planet were known for. The walls could only be described as a kaleidoscope of art: vibrant with sometimes clashing colors, and alive with life. The trees grew all over the grounds of Shast's castle including on the roof and some of the ledges.

 

Kit began to climb the flight of steps that led to a pair of large, painted doors that would surely lead him into the impressive castle. When he reached the doors, a pair of Galandan guards greeted him. Their hairless grey bodies were simply clothed with white gowns that fell past their knees. Before Kit realized it, the guards were opening the doors for him and greeting him with smiles. ”œWelcome to the homestead of Kam Shast,”