W42SS

Star Wars: Sigma Scarlatina Outline

by Philostrate/Sicily and Puck/susie

Rating: PG

Summary: We HATE summaries. People get sick. People die. People fall in love. That's it. Goodnight.

Disclaimer: All the people you recognize aren't ours. The people you don't recognize stand a decent chance of being ours cause we made up a whole bunch of them up. Oh, and this story was done BEFORE Vector Prime came out, so any resemblance in names or characters is a result of tapped phone lines, not copyright infringement.

Spoilers: Everything up thru the novel Vision of the Future

Acknowledgements: Thanx to parks, tire swings, & late night sugar highs for being our inspiration. Also, yay to the real for his help. :-)

Authors' Notes: THIS PIECE WILL BE UP FOR ONE WEEK, WHILE WE COLLECT FEEDBACK BEFORE WE START TO WRITE THE STORY. we've been working on it forever. Please review & tell your friends so we can improve it before we write the whole thing.


Prologue: Jedi student Kalliye Ruthera, and her droid, 4-DOK-18, nicknamed for short, leave her parent's house on Tynna; on their way back to the Academy, they cut through the Black Nebula and land on a planet (nicknamed ) in the middle. The planet is barren and flat, with white, brittle grass and a very pale sky. The temperature is cool, and the climate dry and windy. The landscape is shadowed, but there are few clouds in the sky. No animals, not even insects, and no evidence of any past civilizations can be seen. Kalliye is curious, and thinks Brendann, her boyfriend, who is a scientist, might find it interesting. Doc takes several grass samples, but now Kalliye starts feeling nervous and decides to leave. But on the way home, Kalliye feels worse. She can barely fly her ship, and by the time she gets back to the Academy it is evident that she is quite ill.
1 Preparations for the wedding between Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade (both of them are really nervous); wedding itself; call to their friends in Imperial space (Wedge, Karrde, etc.); reception; both feel danger warnings through the Force, but they are so happy that they ignore them.
2 Leia, Han, Lando, Tendra talking; cleaning up; Lando acting strange; Tendra worried
3 Quinn and Aoqu'lan Jame introduced; their history and motives explained from Aoqu'lan's point of view. Aoqu'lan & Quinn are brothers, from the planet Kuat, orphaned when Quinn was only three and Aoqu'lan was around sixteen or seventeen. When he turned eighteen, Aoqu'lan was accepted at the Imperial Academy on Carida. Quinn, still very young, was sent to live with friends on the planet Agamar. But after the Imperials found out there were Rebel sympathizers there, Quinn's entire town was set to be destroyed. Aoqu'lan threw away his promising military career and rescued his brother. For years they scrounged in the background as Aoqu'lan raised Quinn, and after the Empire fell, they started their own shipping/intelligence business with their partner, a former Scarlet Guard named Aedeyan Ckarr. Aoqu'lan has held it over Quinn's head for years that he threw away his career for him. He has emotionally abused his brother, and as a result, Aoqu'lan, whose brainwashing at Carida stuck and who is fiercely loyal to the Empire, is the leader and Quinn, though good, is cowed by his brother and has no self esteem. Their conversation in this chapter deals with whether Aedeyan has done it yet.
4 Former Imperial Scarlet Guard and friend of Mara Jade Aedeyan Ckarr attacks the newlyweds; Mara is injured but begins her recovery; Luke acts overprotective
5 Kalliye goes to Academy; shows symptoms; Luke figures out that it's a disease of Jedi w/ Ghent's help (I think it was called Alpha 7 they discover that it affected Jedi many years ago and that there is more information on the planet Charubah in the Hapes cluster; Mara continues to recover
6 Karrde and Shada leave Imperial space; say to Wedge and Rogue Squadron; experience awkward feelings toward each other on the long ride home
7 Ckarr's interrogation by Luke (tough cop) and Mara (nice cop); his motives explained: his father was an Imperial commander at the beginning of the Empire, and he was living with his father on Coruscant as a child. He made friends with the only other child there, Mara Jade, a Jedi student in training to be the ultimate secret weapon: the Emperor's Hand. Whenever they were both in-system, they would get together and talk. When Ckarr was only sixteen, he was accepted into the Imperial Academy. As they said goodbye, they swore an oath to each other: Never, Ever, Under Any Circumstances, Betray the Empire. They agreed that if either of them did, they would be killed within one standard week by the other. Ckarr left and began his training and quickly rose through the ranks. He saw very little of Mara until he became a Scarlet Guard. He and Mara stayed friends as they grew up, but they lost touch when the Empire fell. She did call him to find out if he knew how the Emperor died, but Ckarr wasn't on the Death Star when he was killed. He knew she planned to kill Luke Skywalker but wondered what was taking her so long. They lost touch almost completely for several years, but then he found out about her engagement since it was all over everything and kind of hard to miss. Ckarr hoped she wouldn't go through with it and even considered that it was a ploy to kill him, but under Aoqu'lan's persuasion, he went to Coruscant for the wedding day. After seeing his dearest Imperial friend marry a hero of the Rebellion, Ckarr remembered his promise and attempted to kill both of them that night. He was captured and imprisoned instead. Also -- Academy students Brendann, Joyan, and Tamynne, cousins also from the planet Tynna introduced (Brendann is Kalliye's boyfriend)
8 Senate meeting; Senators Qeri Tierce (Corellia), Ritox Yrele (Hutt ambassador), Sephora D'iran (Mistryl), and Clims (Coruscant) introduced; all are acting suspiciously. This chapter tells in detail the political conflict between the Mistryl and the Hutts. After several missing persons were reported, the Mistryl began to suspect that the Hutts were kidnapping civilian citizens to use as slaves. The Eleven arranged to send several Shadow Guards to a probable location: a secluded town called ________. The Hutts took the bait and the Shadow Guards were taken along with the rest of the villagers. The Guards attacked the Hutts and their minions en route, took control of the ship and drove it back to Emberlene. Then the Eleven sent a message to the Hutts asking for the return of their people. They flew it there on the stolen ship. The Hutts percieved this as a threat and demanded their ship and crew back. The Mistryl tried to arrange a hostage switch but the Hutts refused, saying they didn't take anyone, or sell anyone as a slave. The New Republic stepped in at this point, not wanting the situation between two of their semi-adversaries to get totally out of hand and hoping to score brownie points with at least one of them. The issue has become increasingly heated in the Senate, which is the perfect set up for anyone wishing to manipulate the politics of the NR for any amount of time. Pro-Hutts say things like When honest people can't even conduct simple business deals without getting accused of slaving and Were the Guards even sure they would be sold as slaves? Pro-Mistryl say things like Slavers should be punished, and They were acting within their rights and a hostage transfer would have been the fair thing to do.
9 Karrde and Shada arrive at Coruscant; discuss Lando, disease, & Imperial behavior with each other and Luke & Leia; decide to find out from Bastion. Only problem: no one knows zactly where Bastion is, except the people at THE HAND OF THRAWN. So, someone has to go there. Luke volunteers K & S for the job. After they leave, Leia asks if this has anything to do with his own experience there. Luke just grins and says they should really get a move on. Leia replies that this is from a guy that took ten years to get a steady girlfriend. Luke responds that she took five years herself. Leia hits him.
10 Academy again, symptoms are spreading and getting worse, Kalliye is in phase two; Eiram Naej introduced; discussion between Luke, Mara, Ckarr, Ghent, Leia, Han, Lando, Tendra, Karrde, Shada, etc. they decide who's going where and what they're going to do once they get there (Luke, Mara, Ckarr, Ghent, and one of Luke's students, Emi'tari Ydege will go to Charubah and from there anywhere else they need to go to find the cure. Ckarr is coming with them even though he says he wants to kill Luke and Mara because he is from Charubah and can readily access their computers and get past systems that might keep outsiders out. Mara also thinks they should give him a chance for old friendships' sake and because at one point she wanted to kill Luke herself. Ghent is coming because he's a slicer and he provided the first piece. Luke, Mara, and Emi'tari are all Jedi, so the disease directly affects them and they are worried. Emi'tari, who was visiting her parents back on Garqi, and was not infected, cannot go back to the Academy or she'll get sick. Meanwhile, Karrde and Shada, who are worried because they think the Imperials are hiding something, will go with another Jedi Knight, Eiram Naej, to the Hand of Thrawn to find out the new location of Bastion, Imperial Headquarters. Although Eiram was at the Academy, he is willing to take the risk to help people, especially since neither Karrde nor Shada is Force-sensitive. They need him because the native animals near the Hand can only be communicated to by a full-fledged Jedi Knight using the Force. Then they will go to Bastion at its new location and find out whatever they can about the strange Imperial behavior. Han and Chewie, since they are not Force-sensitive and cannot get the disease, will make supply runs to and from the Jedi Academy. Leia knows that there is something strange going on in the Senate, that someone might be setting cultures against each other, so she will stay on Coruscant with her aide, Winter, and her three children, to protect them and herself from the disease and smooth things over in the Senate. Since they don't know if non-Jedi can carry the disease or not, Han cannot come back to Coruscant once he has left. Because of this, Lando agrees to stay with Leia on Coruscant event though he is uncomfortable there and has been framed for the Vengeance organization on Bothawui. Luke also agrees to send two of his students, twin sisters from the planet Roon named Kirnt and Eliga, to help Leia handle things. Since Lando is staying on Coruscant, Tendra will travel back and forth between there and their mining base to make sure everything is going smoothly.)
11 Karrde and Shada leave to go get Eiram Naej at the Academy; Han leaves; Leia is having problems with the Senate, we find out that Qeri Tierce has a ysalamir for a pet and keeps it with her at all times, Senators are being rude and nasty to each other, and Ritox Yrele is happy about this and Sephora D'iran is disgusted, Qeri doesn't seem to notice and Clims is being way too nice to Leia. Kirnt & Eliga are hurting, not helping, and they are inspiring the kids be naughty and driving Lando & Winter crazy
12 Academy problems; Luke contacts his old friends, Tenneniel and Prince Isolder, who rule Hapes, to get clearance and say hi. Luke, Mara, Ckarr, Ghent leave; Luke stops at academy to see Tionne; stop at Garqi to get Emi'tari; proceed to Charubah to see letter; Jame brothers pursue; Teneniel and Isolder greet them and Luke begins to read letter.
13 Lando &Tendra discuss things, he is going crazy because of being cooped up on Couscant with five bad kids and an unflappable lady who never says anything, but he doesn't want to complain, so he doesn't tell Tendra, but this makes Tendra worried because he's not being honest and she knows it. It doesn't help that everyone thinks Lando is responsible for the Bothan terrorism and only he knows he isn't. Tendra talks to Leia, but Leia is distracted by all her problems
14 Karrde, Shada, Eiram go to Hand of Thrawn to learn new location of Bastion. Eiram is his usual annoying, pain-in-the-neck self, but Karrde and Shada find themselves grateful that they're not alone with each other anymore and come to depend on his presence.
15 Contents of THE LETTER disclosed: it was written by Vima Sunrider to an unnamed friend and fellow Jedi master, and it says that the plague, which we have called Sigma Five, has been gathered and placed in a hidden planet. Those infected were treated with the blood of the Force Dragon, and most have recovered fully, although some lost their Jedi powers in the ordeal. They stop there, since Quinn & Aoqu'lan show up and start shooting, but everyone makes it out unhurt. Ckarr figures out that his friends are after them, and renews his oath to kill Mara and Luke as soon as I don't need them anymore.
16 Academy issues; Kalliye is progressing rapidly and symptoms are spreading. Joyan gets it here. Tionne is worried, because she doesn't have enough Force talent to help a whole lot. Other trainees are panicking and she is having trouble calming them down. Brendann is now through the roof because of Kalliye and Joyan.
17 Karrde, Shada, and Eiram en route to Bastion. Karrde and Shada are still really weird with each other. They get even more nervous when Eiram shows symptoms of Sigma Five. This chapter is comic relief from all this disease junk, because Karrde and Shada really can barely say anything to each other.
18 Senate meeting, now there's two more planets at each other's throats, and reactions of the previously mentioned senators are almost the same as before. The ysalamir in the Senate room is making Leia nervous, but she can't ask Qeri to get rid of it because negotiations with Corellia are very tense. Leia sends a message to Han, and he says he's having trouble meeting all the needs. They pretty much think that non-Jedi can't carry it, but they're not sure. Leia knows how desperate it is, so she takes a chance and sends Winter to the Academy to help Han and Tionne.
19 Luke &Co. go to Myrkr, where they all go crazy except for Ckarr and Ghent. Ghent and Emi'tari first start to begin their romance, (he helps her through the bushes & trees in the forests on the planet), Luke begins to feel just slightly jealous of Mara & Ckarr's old relationship, but he ignores it as increased stress. Luke also finds out that he can use both his own Jedi powers and the device he was using to test candidates for his Academy to test the Force-sensitivity and powers of different animals. Quinn & Aoqu'lan follow them, but reach the planet too late.
20 Leia talks to Luke about her problems especially since she sent Winter away. She asks what the deal is with Kirnt and Eliga since they're being such brats. Luke responds that usually they are very composed but they must be reacting strangely to the stress of the disease. Luke warns that Winter might also be able to carry the disease, but Leia says she has no choice.
21 Karrde and Shada arrive at Bastion, and they begin looking for information. Eiram is sick, and must stay on the ship, giving our favorites more time alone. They talk to an old Imperial officer who has lost his ideals and he refers them to someone else, first telling them that some weirdos from a destroyed planet have been snooping around and they might have something to do with it. On their way to the other contact, Shada sees Karoly in an alley and breaks off to follow her, leaving Karrde behind. Karoly talks to someone about the creature and Shada overhears it. Karrde realizes that his partner is missing, and finds her at about the same time as Karoly. There is a Karoly admits nothing, but gives them a code that will allow them to go to Emberlene.
22 Winter arrives at the Academy and has a long discussion with Tionne. Kalliye is in the third and final stage of the disease, so Tionne can describe all three stages in detail, which she does. Brendann is going absolutely insane, and this leads to him also contracting Sigma Five. Now Tamynne is freaking beyond belief.
23 Luke and Co. go to Dagobah. Basic reactions- Luke: nostalgia, but he's still showing symptoms, so he's wierded out. Mara: inclined to bug Luke about training and taking Callista to Dagobah, but it's to cover up that she's really so worried about him and his symptoms. Ckarr: inclined to roll his eyes, but now he's having a hard time not showing his jealousy about the relationship Luke and Mara have. Oblivious to all this, there are Ghent and Emi'tari. Emi'tari is fascinated that the great Jedi Master Luke Skywalker trained here. Ghent is fascinated with Emi'tari. Anyway, aside from all that, they still don't find what they're looking for, a Force Dragon. They get ready to leave. Meanwhile, Han and Chewie are up to their necks in trouble, since there's no way they can get all the necessary shipping done, and they might have someone following them.
24 Leia is ready to walk to Endor in an environmental suit. Kirnt and Eliga are still causing problems. Although they are her they pout when they are told to do work and are making Jacen, Jaina and Anakin behave badly. Leia hasn't blown her top at them yet, but she's close. Meanwhile, Clims gives Leia an important piece of information about the Senate which proves true. This makes Leia not trust him just as much since how did he know it was going to happen? Lando is chewing proton torpedoes, too, since no one trusts him, not even Tendra, and the kids won't listen to a word he says. He's still under suspicion for the Senate problems, too.
25 Karrde and Shada decide to try to go to Emberlene, even though Shada knows they could kill her if she returns. Eiram is much worse. On the way to Emberlene, he dies. Shada is now going nuclear. She's risking her life for this whole thing, and the only guy keeping her and Karrde talking is now dead. She's upset, and ashamed and embarrassed to ask for the emotional support she needs. Karrde is nervous because he really likes both Shada and Luke, Leia, and the other Jedi. He knows what's at stake and he doesn't know what to do, or how to help Shada, since she resists any kindness he tries to offer her. In this state, they arrive at Emberlene, Shada's ravaged homeworld.
26 On the way to Onderon, their next stop, Ghent and Emi'tari really get together. Meanwhile, the adults, while grinning after Ghent and Emi'tari, are really very nervous and tense themselves. Luke and Ckarr are each jealous of the other's relationship with Mara. Mara herself is worried about Luke's symptoms, worried about him and Ckarr being ready to toss each other out the nearest airlock, cracking up about Ghent and Emi'tari's relationship (she knew Ghent first, so she's allowed to gloat) and confused about Ckarr's actions towards her and Luke. On the way, they give a little background about Onderon, the Jedi wars fought there, Leia's visit there, the terrain, the creatures, the people, the local bars, etc. They get there, and again don't find what they're looking for. Next stop, Dathomir.
27 Winter returns from Yavin Four not feeling well. A few days later, it is revealed that Anakin has caught the disease from his nursemaid. Since he is so strong in the Force, it affects him a lot. Leia doesn't understand it, since she thought Winter was not Force-sensitive. There is also more trouble and systems are threatening to leave the republic. Han, meanwhile, runs into a bounty hunter holding a grudge, Dengar, and lands on an asteroid to make repairs.
28 Lando & Tendra are not doing well. Tendra has returned to Coruscant, but she and Lando can't communicate. They fight because of a misunderstanding, and Lando becomes so furious he threatens to break off their engagement. Tendra is heartbroken but can do nothing.
29 Back at the Academy, nothing has improved. There isn't even an attempt at lessons anymore. The students that are not sick themselves are busy caring for all those that are. Cilghal, who has tremendous healing powers, returns to help, but despite her best efforts, Kalliye dies in this chapter. Brendann, already ill, is heartbroken and as a result gets even worse. Tionne is also upset, as is Cilghal. This is the first death of a student. Meanwhile, back on Coruscant, the Senate is in shambles. Not even Leia can control it anymore. There is hardly even a pretense of control anymore. Leia doesn't know what to do.
30 Luke and Co. are almost out of options. But not quite. He makes another call to Teneniel, and asks for clearance to visit Dathomir. She agrees; they go. Ghent and Emi'tari are totally oblivious to all the older peoples' problems. The older ones basically leave them alone.
31 Shada's legal trial for returning to Emberlene; punishment is something bad, like fighting a rancor or something
32 Shada fights the rancor or whatever; she wins; Mistryl offer her return
33 Senate meeting; Coruscant people
34 Han escapes asteroid and starts back home
35 Shada makes her decision, she and Karrde negotiate for the Force Dragon and kits to take back to Coruscant.
36 On Dathomir, Luke leaves Mara in the ship with Ghent while he takes Ckarr and Emi'tari with him to the surface. Luke knows Mara is stressed out, and so he leaves her there with Ghent to check up on her and make sure she relaxes. The Jame brothers arrive on the surface only a few hours later, while Luke is still trying to do tests with his limited Force abilities. Aoqu'lan corners them, and demands from Ckarr, Why didn't you kill him? He's a traitor, you've been with him for two months, why haven't you done anything, what kind of coward are you, etc. Luke, meanwhile, has had another fainting spell and is out, cold. Ckarr backs up from Luke and Aoqu'lan and Quinn grabs Emi'tari and holds her out of the way. Mara, who has not been relaxing at all (like Ghent would check), has been monitoring what's going on with Luke through the Force. Luke's to far gone in the disease to be able to tell very much.
37 Leia has nervous breakdown; Senate worse; Anakin worse
38 Academy -- students are dropping like flies; Cilghal and Tionne are almost dead themselves
39 When she feels Luke faint, Mara gets worried. And when she feels Aoqu'lan beginning to shoot towards Luke, she goes after him. Meanwhile, Aoqu'lan is making a big speech as he gets closer and closer to killing the unconscious Luke. Emi'tari is struggling with Quinn, but Quinn is winning. Mara can't get there fast enough. At the very last, eleventh hour, time-is-running-out second, Ckarr shoves Luke out of the way and takes Aoqu'lan's blast full in the chest. He lands on Luke and begins to die. However, after he sees his brother brutally murder someone like that, especially a close friend, Quinn realizes what a jerk his brother is. In the rage at Ckarr's death, he releases Emi'tari and attacks his own brother and kills him. Mara gets there just in time to see all this. When the fight is done, she tells Quinn not to go anywhere, she wants to find out what's going on. She runs over to Luke who is unconscious, and Ckarr, who is dying on top of Luke, and they exchange their famous last words. Mara finds out that Ckarr couldn't kill her -- he was in love with her, and she was married. Bad stuff. Anyway, he dies, Mara gets all upset, and Quinn runs away, saying he can never forgive himself for killing his brother. They go back to the ship. Ghent is surprised. They leave for Tatooine.
40 Karrde & Shada arrive at Coruscant w/ cure; treat people; leave for Academy
41 Academy -- people are happy again, all cured, HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
42 Luke practically dead; they go to Tatooine anyway; gain information about Qeri and Lando from Klif, who is depressed, disillusioned, and drunk in the Mos Eisely cantina; return of Han
43 Senate problems
44 Mara has nervous breakdown on the way back; Luke worse; Mara, Ghent, Emi freaking; Ghent comes to realization of selfishness
45 Karrde & Shada distribute cure at academy; start home; return of Luke & Co.; give info about Qeri & Lando; Luke worse; proceed to Academy
46 They catch Qeri. Leia feels better; Luke & Co. return again, because Karrde & Shada weren't there; Luke is finally treated
47 Clean up: Luke better; Qeri in prison; Aoqu'lan dead; Ckarr dead; Quinn left; Disease gathered up; all cured; they put the remnants of the bacteria that cause Sigma five back on the planet of Sigma; Leia survives her nervous breakdown; Lando leaves Coruscant and feels better; Tendra happy; Kirnt & Eliga go back to Academy with Emi'tari; Karrde and Shada more comfortable around each other; Anakin cured; everyone happy; all better!