The Return to the Eldest (open)

[Dolvan Galia]

Corellia, sometimes called the Eldest. My home. Heading towards Coronet City, its capital, I received a transmission from the spaceport.

"Incoming ship, please identify in the name of the Omega Protectorate."
"This is Dolvan Galia, pilot of a HWK-290 light freighter call-sign The Grey Sentinel, requesting permission to land in the Coronet spaceport. Beaming my credentials over now."
"Receiving your credentials now. ... Alright everything seems to be in order Mr. Galia. Once you enter atmosphere please follow the guide ships to the landing area. Enjoy your stay on Corellia."
"Thank you."

As the transmission cuts off, I begin pulling into the atmosphere above Coronet City. While the view is lovely from this high up with the various hues of blues, greens and greys coloring the planet below, I still dread stepping onto the surface. As far as I remember, my father Dakarus Galia still lives in the city, probably still building ships in the factory. I sorta just left one day three years ago. I haven't talked to him at all during those years, trying to distance myself from Corellia as much as possible. Now I have to return and deal with his personality again. Chit, this is going to be an interesting few days. All I need to do is get the information I need and leave as soon as possible. There's a reason I left home when I did.

I follow the guide ships to the landing area of the spaceport. In a short transmission they tell me where to land: Platform E-17. A place a little out of the way. I needed this break. Landing smoothly, I get off my ship to meet the customs officer.

"Any goods to declare?"
"Nothing but basic traveling supplies."

I hand the officer a cargo report.

"Hmmm. Everything seems to be in order Mr. Galia. However I'm gonna have to send some of my boys to inspect the ship. You understand why right?"

A common check against smugglers on major worlds. Giving my consent, the customs officer sends a few of his subordinates to check my ship for smuggled materiel. Knowing this will take a while, I take in the scenery. The spaceport itself is full of large, open spaces surrounded by many buildings of varying sizes and heights. The port bustles with activity as ships depart, arrive, and unload. People shuffle around going about their business and an air of calmness fills the air. Beyond the spaceport lies Coronet City itself, its skyline dominated by skyscrapers. The customs officer takes my attention off the scenery.

"Everything's clear Mr. Galia. You're clear to leave the spaceport anytime you wish. Enjoy your stay in Coronet City."

Thanking the officer, he hands me a small data pad with my civilian clearances entered in. Now to enter Coronet City proper and go find my father.

*sigh*

This is going to be a long stay.

 

[Dolvan Galia]

As I left the spaceport, I remember the city as it was when I was younger. Boy, the city has barely changed. Sure the people are different and the buildings have a different feel to them, the city is practically the same. Looking around, I can easily see over the heads of basically everyone there aside from a few sentients among the crowd. My mask makes me stand out from the crowd and I quickly grow to hate it. I don't like to stand out.

Milling throughout the crowd, I calmly look for anyone I recognized. I wasn't that interested in searching for my father, who would be. I more so. Dakarus Galia was a stern kind of person. He didn't accept failure, and he had that kind of look that could make your skin crawl. It wasn't exactly horrifying to look at by itself but the intensity with which he delivered it did. I don't know how to really explain it with words but it kind of just made you squirm a bit with discomfort and shame at the same time, like he knew you did something wrong and you want to just crawl to a hole and stay there for a while.

I was speaking with some of the vendors on the side of the street when suddenly a tall man came up to me. He was slightly taller than me, which immediately set me on guard. My father was one of the only men I had to literally look up to.

"Hello there stranger. You don't look to be from round here. What's your business on Corellia?"

The man's eyebrow perks up, waiting for a response.

"Merely to visit family."

His eyebrow hangs there for a moment, as if it is daring me to explain myself to him.

"Well then stranger.That would be a good answer...if I were stupid. Now then...would you be so kind as to tell me your name?"

"My name is Dolvan Galia. I've come to visit my father."

The man's eyes are still skeptical but they shine with a fire from within. I instinctively suppress a shudder.

"Is that so Mr. Galia? Now that would be an interesting coincidence. If you are indeed Dolvan Galia, I should at least see your face. After all his own father should be able to recognize him."

Yup. That confirms it. This is my father. Chit. I remove my mask to show him my face in all its scarring glory.

"Dang it boy, now I know why you wear that mask. Put it back on. You look like a wreak."
"Thanks for the sympathy dad. I'll explain it all back at the old home."
"I've got a feeling you'll be asking for "that" with your face like that."

I nod my head.

"Thought so. ... I still live at the old place. Think you can get there alright?"

I nod my head again.

"Alright. See you at home. Glad to see you're shaping up to be just like your old dad."

He walks briskly away. I let out a long sigh. All I've got to now is get the "thing" and get back out as fast as I can.

This is gonna be an interesting stay to say the least.

 

[Dolvan Galia]

I travel through the city, admiring the view. The place still feels the same. While beings from across the sector can be seen milling through the crowd, I look down on most of them. It makes me feel uncomfortable, getting all this attention. I didn't like large crowds like this back then either.

I have mixed feelings about the past. My mother died while I was young, leaving me to be raised by my father. An intimidating man at best, he has always had an extreme personality. Not in a bad way or anything he just demanded a lot out of life. And it affected everything he did and how he interacted with anyone he knew ... especially me. As his son, he demanded, or rather, expected me to do great things. It grated on me after a while of receiving a lecture hours long after making one little mistake or error. Every week. For years. It would get on your nerves too I'd bet. Seeing him earlier reminded me of that much.

He doesn't look that remarkable to the casual observer, but get close, you can see why he's an intimidating character. His graying hair and squared face give him a stern look, add to that his flat, hooked nose, cloudy gray eyes and a long mysterious scar that crosses his face from his temple to his chin and you're looking at one heck of a man. He's also taller than me, easily 6 feet 5 inches. Very few are able to look him straight in the eye because of this. Beyond that he really is unremarkable. Middle manager in the Corellia manufacturing business, working mainly on building star ships. Lives in a middle class area of the residential districts. The usual kind of thing for an average man.

Meandering through the crowd, I head towards the residential district. As I get closer, the crowd begins the thin out a bit, focusing mainly on the business quarter, dominated primarily by the spaceport. My heart races as I approach my old home. I have many memories of that place, few of them fond, all include my father at some point. I see the old home on the horizon and my mind begins to race, almost in tempo with my heart. Psyching myself up, I get ready to speak with my father again. I'll need all the support I can get.

 

[Dolvan Galia]

Entering the building, I immediately see my father standing in the hallway.

"How long have you been standing there?"

He approaches me and shakes my hand.

"Long enough. You took your sweet time getting here."
"I wanted to see the sights. It's been the better part of three years since I've last been here."

He looks at me for a moment, still gripping my hand. Then, satisfied with my response, he ushers me into the house. The main room of the house is still sparsely furnished, almost spartan in its design. As few chairs, a small table, his desk, everything was still there. He motions for me to sit down. When we were both settled, he began to speak.

"It's been too long my boy. Hows business been treating you?"
"Good where I could find it."
"When'd you get those injuries?"

He points to my mask.

"Recent run. Somebody set me and Getz up."
"Where'd it happen?"
"Lyran IV, out in Wild Space. Little agricultural center right at the edge of civilization."
"Any idea who set you guys up?"
"None at all."

He pauses for a moment as if thinking about something.

"Where's Josiah Getz? I didn't see him with you."
"Dead. Killed on Lyran IV."
"Well, he knew what he was getting into when he left Corellia. You should have too."

He takes a deep breath.

"And now your here to ask for that. You're lucky enough I let you take his personal effects."

He again points to my mask.

"The way I see it, the group that set me up with the phony shipment have already faded away to plot other plans. I could either chase after them in a futile effort to extract revenge and probably die in the process or I could train, get stronger and become so well known in the galaxy that they might come to me. That's why I need that."
"Looks like you've already got this planned out and if you leaving to become a merchant or something is any indication, I won't be able to talk you out of this."

*sigh*

"I'll go get what you need."

He leaves the room. I breathe deeply. He actually acted like a sensible person for once. I guess experience does that to you. Soon I'll be able to start my journey. Now all I have to do is wait.

 

[Dolvan Galia]

The wait is mind-numbing. An hour or two waiting for something important is rather exhausting once the anticipation sets in. Finally I hear his footsteps approaching the room. As he walks in, I immediately notice a sizable box in his hand. Sitting down, he places it on the table close to me. The box is rather unremarkable, a solid beige color with metallic clasps.

"Take it."

He gestures towards the box. I hesitate for a moment, uncertain of what to expect. Then I cautiously pick it up and open it. Inside is a pyramid shaped holocron with a small kyber crystal sitting inside it. The holocron is primarily a solid obsidian color with silver-lined edges with a curious symbol etched into the obsidian, also in silver. Taking the holocron in my hands, I examine the symbol, seeing that it is an hourglass snugly fit inside a circle, the top edges of the hourglass touching the edges of the circle.

"Why is the last of the ancient family heirlooms a holocron?"

My voice breaks the encroaching silence.

"You'll find out when you open it."

His cryptic answer races through my mind as my imagination runs wild with impossible scenarios. As I'm thinking, my father gets to his feet and looks at the setting sun through a nearby window. He slumps back into his chair.

"It's getting dark out, so I guess you can stay the night. Just one night though, then you're gone. I don't care where you go but you can't stay here."

He gets up and starts to leave the room when suddenly he turns around.

"Just a word of advise for when you first open that thing. First, don't open it here. That's a given. Second, open it in a totally secluded area. Don't ask me why, just do it. Finally, once you've opened it, .... I said don't ask me questions! ... Anyway, once you've opened it, only then can you open it anywhere else."

Pausing, he turns to face me directly, cutting off my trait of thought.

"I know you have questions. The holocron will answer them tomorrow Dolvan. Sleep well."

As he finally leaves the room, my head swarms with questions, every one concerning the mystery surrounding the holocron and its family connections. I put the holocron back in its case and tightly close it. Whatever my reservations, I get ready to sleep. My father says my questions will be answered tomorrow, and he isn't one to lie to me. After making sure the holocron is in a safe place, I close my eyes and fall asleep, waiting eagerly for the morning to arrive.

 

[Dolvan Galia]

As the morning sun filters into the room, I wake up, slowly rising to my feet in an attempt to stay awake. Checking to make sure the holocron is safe, I open its case. With a sigh of relief I see it still resting there. I don't know why, maybe I feared that someone would take it. A possibility, but a slim one. hastilly scrawling a note for my father, I leave the house, bound for the wilderness of Corellia.

Eventually I make my way to a secluded beach someways out to the east of Coronet City, preparing to open the holocron. I had never done anything like this before, never had even imagined it. For one I'm back on Corellia. I swore never to come within a few parsecs of the area if I could help it once I could. Two I'm about to open a holocron using the force. Hadn't thought about training my force abilities beyond the minimum needed for my work and my father discouraged it when I was younger. Not much reason to not use it but my line of work kept me sufficiently occupied.

Trying to mentally prepare myself to use the force in any great amount, I look around one last time to see that no one followed me. I'm easily distracted by the scenery around me, the crashing of the waves on the shore, the smell of salt permeating the air around me. No wild-life to interfere with my concentration at this point.

Satisfied, I return my attention to the pyramid shaped holocron at my feet. I notice something peculiar seeing it in the sunlight. The obsidian parts seem to absorb the sunlight, appearing darker than in the artificial light of the room while the remaining silver seems to reflect the light, appearing even brighter in nature. It's almost as if the holocron itself seems to be in balance with nature and by extension the force itself.

I carefully focus on the holocron, struggling to lift it using the force, let alone to open it. Sweat beads on my forehead from the exertion. I begin to drown out the outside world to the exclusion of the holocron in front of me in an effort to increase the strength of the force working on it. Slowly it begins to rise, inch by inch. Stopping it about a foot off the ground I stabilize it, sweat starting know to drip down my face. I am now totally concentrating on the holocron, trying now to open it.

The holocron begins to open, slowly at first, splitting at the silver seams. My fingers start to dig into my knees with the effort straining my body now. The holocron now begins to open faster and more consistently as time goes on until suddenly it flies open, a small figure appearing next to it.

"Finally someone has had the guts to open this fething thing!"

Startled by the appearance of this small humanoid apparition, I nearly flail backwards, but somehow remain calm. The figure, noticing me sitting near by, turns to me.

"You're that one huh? Well, it could have been worse. But wait .... is that my mask?"

The figure leans in closer, staring intently at my mask.

"Well I'l be frizzled Mandalorian, so it is."

Wait ... did he say HIS mask?

"A-are you really Idiian Galia?"

My voice comes across with a halting tone. The figure doesn't seem fazed by the question, replying quickly.

"So there are still those who remember me. *sigh* I should be right in assuming you're a Galia too then right?"

I nod my head.

"I'm sure I'll figure out your name sooner or later but for now, we need to go over the ground rules for your training. Any questions?"
"I've got a few but they can wait until later."

Idiian's apparition nods, looking content.

"Alright then. Let us begin."

 

[Theoden]

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[Theoden]

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[Dolvan Galia]

"Here are my rules for training you. I won't repeat them so you better listen closely.

Rule Number One: I won't teach you everything you'll need to know about the force. You're gonna have to explore and experience the force throughout the Galaxy.

Rule Number Two: Carry the holocron with you at all times. I know a lot so you might be able to use that knowledge in a crisis.

Rule Number Three: Only use my knowledge in a legitimate crisis, otherwise you're on your own.

Rule Number Four: All significant amount of training must happen where I tell you to go. You'll understand why later.

Rule Number Five: If you die, I'm not responsible.

You got that? ... Great! Now we can get to work."

Idiian is quick and to the point with his explanation. Good for an instructor, or a leader. Maybe both.

"What now?"

He looks at me with a slight smirk dancing across his face.

"Now we can get off this hunk of rock and commence your training in the force. Only the basics at this point though. You're not strong enough to handle anything else."

His words sting but represent the truth. I slowly close the holocron, allowing him time to get back in it. With the holocron sealed up, I place it carefully back in its case. I make one last glance towards the soothing calm of the sea lapping against the sandy beach before making my way inland, towards Coronet City. The beach is close to the city proper, allowing easy access back to the urban areas. With my cargo in hand, I begin to make my way back through the city towards the spaceport with a newly found sense of purpose. I've got a long road ahead of me.

 

[Dolvan Galia]

The city is crowded as the sun reaches its zenith. I busily worm my way through the crowd, clutching the holocron close to me to protect it. If I'm to begin to my training, I need to get back to the Grey Sentinel and the space port. I get closer to the space port, taking advantage of every opportunity to move faster. I largely ignore my surroundings, focused entirely on the mission at hand. I'm certain other pedestrians are disrupted by my aggressive speed but I barely register their complaints and insults.

In the distance I begin to see the spaceport, slowly increasing my speed. I get there faster than I thought, my focus warping my perception of time. I look up at the sky, seeing that the sky as darkened with the onset of evening. I refocus on the space port, looking for my ship. The crowds have thinned with the dimming of the light. I see a few traders unloading their cargo and a small squad of security agents on patrol. Noting their position, I continue searching.

After searching for about an hour, I am stopped by a few security agents, different than before.

"Good evening sir. Are you looking for a ship?"

I nod my head.

"Papers please."

I pull out the data pad for the Grey Sentinel and hand it over. The officer in charge reviews them as his subordinates shift nervously on their feet. After a minute, the officer hands back the data pad.

"Everything seems to be in order Mr....Galia. It's getting late. Do you want us to escort you to you ship?"
"If it wouldn't inconvenience your patrol."

The officer and his patrol escort me to The Grey Sentinel at Platform E-17 and leave to finish their patrol. I let loose a long yawn, exhausted from my visit. I quickly get into my ship and ready to sleep. Locking up the ship, I place the holocron in a safe place and get ready to sleep. Idiian with tell me tomorrow where I need to got to start training. I need to rest, my eyes closing. I'll need all the rest I can get for tomorrow. Flying a spaceship is no easy task.

 

[Dolvan Galia]

As morning arrives, I wearily rise rubbing my eyes to keep them awake. I check to see that the holocron is still there. Ultimately a paranoid and unnecessary action when I see it still in its case. I pick it up and place it in a more open space as I clamber to the controls. I contact the spaceport authority.

"This is the Grey Sentinel and its captain Dolvan Galia. Requesting permission to take off."

After a slight delay, a voice crackles over the comm array.

"This is the port authority for Section E. ... You are clear for take off."

The comm array goes silent as I run through the take off procedures. Soon I am quickly gaining altitude, watching the city melt away below. The stars just seem purer up here above the atmosphere. No distractions, no distortions, just the stars them selves. The sheer beauty of it leaves me in awe of the galaxy.

Trying not to lose myself in the scenery, I turn back to the controls, maneuvering away from Corellia's gravity well. I turn to the holocron, using the force to open it. It goes smoother the second time, if only a little. The apparition of Idiian Galia appears, looking as if he too just woke up. I swivel my chair to face him.

"Where do we go from here?"

Idiian thinks for a while, pondering my question. Finally with an answer, he perks up.

"Tython."

I instantly focus, all weariness fleeing from my senses.

"Tython?"
"It makes a lot of sense if you think about it. Tython is the birthplace of the force, where the first monks those thousands of years ago first tapped into its mysteries. It represents the Force in balance with itself. The other reason I will keep to myself."

One thing he said stuck with me and wouldn't let go. Irked, I attempt to dispel my confusion.

"What is so important about having balance in the Force?"

He nearly jumps from my question, his eyes seeming to gain a new fire.

"I knew you would ask that sooner or later. While I won't say much now, lets just say that the current perspective on balance is broken, with both sides trying to achieve balance in the Force while proclaiming their allegiance to one side or the other. This will not be stable in the end. What is needed is true balance. This will be something I cover during your training."

Realizing this was all I would get from him at the moment, turned back to the controls, carefully inputting the coordinates into the hyper drive system. As the hyper drive warms up I lean back into my chair, contemplating what "true balance" must mean. While my mind began to drift, the hyper drive went into action, sending the ship whizzing through the galaxy towards Republic dominated space. Since I can't jump directly to Tython from Corellia, I head first towards the Cambria system so I can rest and possibly refuel before pushing on to Tython. I'll need to take every opportunity to rest now, for I fear I will have little time to rest once I reach Tython and begin my training.

 

[Dolvan Galia]

Entering the Cambria system from hyperspace, I make my way to a nearby space station. I easily make contact and get clearance to land. Landing in the indicated hanger, I immediately get out to converse with a Republic Officer about getting a visa to travel Republic space. He thinks about it for a few minutes before saying that I would need to do something for the Republic to get it. I mention my experience as a trader, shipping things across the region. His face lights up as he quickly says that the station has to send a small shipment to the Vulpter system. Reluctantly, I agree, allowing the hanger personal load in into the Grey Sentinel.

After a few hours the loading is completed and I receive the visa from the officer. Getting back in my ship, I leave the hanger having no further reason to remain. Setting course for Vulpter, I activate the hyper drive. As the ship accelerates, I lean back in my chair. Hoping to learn more about this "true balance" thing I open the holocron. Idiian's apparition appears.

"Are we going to Tython now?"
"Not exactly. To get the visa, I had to agree to ship a small amount of cargo to Vulpter. After that, then we'll go to Tython."

Idiian looks slightly saddened by my response but quickly recovers.

"Alright. Understandable. What do you want to talk about this time?"
"Tell me more about this "true balance" thing."

He doesn't look too surprised.

"Fine. Just a little bit though. Ahem. Imagine the Force like a coin, with the light and dark sides as its two sides. Now each side wants to create balance in the force while championing one side of the Force. This goes against the very nature of the coin. What both sides seem to fail to see is that every coin has an edge and it is this edge that best represents a true balance of the Force, relying on both sides to hold it in place. Without either side, the edge would be unstable. And that's all you're getting for now."

I close the holocron and the apparition disappears. I reflect on his explanation, the words swimming in my mind. While the concept is now somewhat clearer, I sill have questions, mainly about how this "true balance" will factor into my future training. For now, I have to wait and see what the future has in store.

 

[Dolvan Galia]

The delivery to Vulpter was uneventful and generally uninteresting. In a short amount of time, I'm preparing the Grey Sentinel to go to Tython. I find myself in a familiar situation. Leaning back in my chair, I open the holocron again. Idiian's apparition appears like clockwork.

"Hello again."

The man shimmers before me, his smug attitude seemingly daring me to ask the obvious question.

"What mysteries of the universe shall I unravel for you today?"

His voice starts to get on my nerves. I consider closing the holocron without talking to him, but I pause. A wonderful idea popped into my head.

"What was your experience during the Four Hundred Year Darkness?"

His face seems to lose all color, my question putting him off guard. Suddenly his features harden, contorting in thought. When he begins to speak, his voice sounds much more ... solemn.

"I was born in the year 402 ABY. A rather uneventful year I'm sure. Galactic Civilization was still, well, civil. The Alliance still held and everything seemed fine. As you now know, everything changed with the beginning of the Gulag Virus. It all just fell to pieces. I was still on Corellia when the news broke that Corescant had broken down into riots. That, I believe, was the final straw. Corellia fell into an intense period of rioting as political order broke down. I barely escaped the planet with my life, between the threat of disease or rioters. It was a harrowing journey but somehow I made my way to Tython. While Tython still faced the Gulag Virus, it was ... more peaceful. I believe it was the Force that provided some protection to the planet, kept it safer. I won't go into more detail at the moment but Tython is an important place to me in more that one way."

He goes silent, giving no indication that he'll continue for now. I respect his silence and close the holocron. His words were difficult to hear, sounding more like an incomplete history lesson with a cliff hanger. With more questions than answers, wait for the ship to leave hyperspace.

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After a few hours, the ship leaves hyperspace alright. I tap on the holocron to let Idiian know that we've arrived. I see Tython come into view. The planet looks beautiful from outer space, the planet's browns and grays seemingly mingling ... peacefully. I make the preparations to land on the planet. The visa checked out with the planetary authorities. As I head down to the planet, my mind swirls with questions, most relating to Idiian. A new chapter in my life is beginning, all I have to do is have the courage to face it.

"As I got closer and closer to the surface of Tython, I knew that something had changed. An unfamiliar and strange future was swiftly appearing before me, opposite to everything I had known previously. I remember getting the same feeling I got after leaving Lyran IV, but instead of an ending, I sensed a beginning. I enjoyed that feeling and felt invigorated but frightened. After all, we must all fear the future, if only a little bit."
-Memoirs of the Galaxy---Dolvan Galia