Another Place and Time

[Kuxtal]

An ancient ship entered normal space above the planet of Zakuul and began its descent. Its weapons were powered down and the ship seemed to be running on reserve energy, no defensive shielding were active and the ship itself looked as if it would fall apart which it almost did upon entry to the planet atmospher. Red hot and several plumes of smoke trailing behind it the old imperial prison ship made its slow steady way to the Zakuul City Spaceport, a flying hazard to the city below as loose armor plating was pulled off the hull by the planets gravity.

Any scans would show only one life signature in the bowels of the ship. No other crew or passengers were visible on the scans as the ghost ship somehow went through docking protocols and landed on an open landing pad.

For a full hour the ship sat there unmoving until the end of that hour. The rusted ship sat shut up tight, but Suddenly on the main by doors came the loud ring of something solid striking the durasteel from the inside and a large dent appeared convex to the outside hull of the ship. There was another loud bang on the door as a second, deeper and larger dent appeared beside it. Finally there was a third strike on the door that turned the two dents into one huge dent in the door of the imperial prison ship. There was a minute of silence, then with a loud crash the reinforced rusted durasteel door of the ship tore from its tracks in the ship and flew outwards, flying straight off the edge of the landing pad.

Inside was dark except for a strange glowing blue pattern. The glowing tattoo pattern that outlined the shape of a being sitting on both knees in the darkness, and two glowing blue eyes looked out at the light with an intense stare.

[member="Kay Arenais"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

The battered ship wasn't stopped on it's way to the port, even though it was a prison ship. The fact that it was Imperial in nature and seemed to be on a pre-programmed course gave them little cause for concern while it was in the air. On the ground was another matter.

As soon as the vessel landed, a squadron of troops had it completely surrounded, blaster rifles trained on it. The banging didn't cause any of them to jump or pull the triggers. Instead they just stood there solid like statues and waited. The door flew off it's hinges. One trooper ducked to avoid it before the piece of metal fell off the edge. Then they pressed in closer, moving in unison towards the vessel.

One trooper raised his blaster rifle in ample firing position, trained on [member="Kuxtal"] in the doorway. When he spoke, the speakers in his helmet amplified his voice, giving it a tinny mechanical quality as well. Still it was weighted with authority. "Step out slowly.Keep your hands to the sides where we can see them." At this moment they had no idea of the size of the individual hidden in the shadows. But that was sure to come as quite the surprise.

 

[Kuxtal]

There was a moment of hesitation as the orders were given, but before the order could be repeated they could see movement. In the darkness of the ship the glowing decorations began to move. Kuxtal stood up and they could see his glowing eyes till they rose above the edge of the doorframe/hole of the ship. Kuxtal approached the hole in the side of the ship and bent over to fit through the doorway.
The light from outside hit him and revealed sky blue skin stretched over huge taut and corded muscles. In the light of outdoors his tattooes were reflective but not as brilliant as they were in the dark.

Kuxtal was bent over to pass through the hole, but once clear he straightened up to his full height and took in a deep breath of fresh, unfiltered air and let his eyes drink in the scenery of the planet and city before him, all but ignoring the squad that had their weapons trained on him.
Except for what appeared to be a homemade cloak of army blankets, he wore nothing and was apparently unarmed unless one considered his hands which were large enough to grab around the torso of a grown man a dangerous weapon.

Kuxtal looked around the landing platform for a moment, then looked up at the sun shining down on him, he closed his eyes and let the heat soak into him for a long moment. He couldn't remember the last time he could feel the sun like this, the air brushing against his skin, the feeling of real gravity beneath his feet, and a world full of color and life all compared to the dull grey and repetitive sights of the crumbling prison ship. He knew there were others around him, but for now he didn't care, simply indulging in these long lost pleasures.

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Kuxtal"] was larger than expected. The man easily dwarfed the troppers gathered around him. Each of them had their blaster rifles raised at various levels to be sure that every part of the giant was covered.

The same trooper that spoke earlier addressed him again. "You are an unauthorized visitor of Zakuul City. Therefore you are to be escorted to the Processing Centre for questioning. Is that understood?" Right now he wasn't sure if the giant spoke basic. He wasn't sure of the giant's species. One thing was for sure; he was no Chiss.

The troopers waited to fall in formation around the giant in order to escort him to the centre. Lucky for Kuxtal that all buildings had high ceilings and tall doors.

 

[Kuxtal]

Kuxtal opened his eyes as he was addressed again and looked down at the spokesmen, probably the captain of the squad. He spoke with a large voice that had a deep resonance and it held a deadly note to it. His expression was not a pleasant one as he seemed to stare right through the captains helmet and into his eyes and very soul. For all he knew he was on an imperial world, and he would not quietly comply like he did last time.
"You dare assume command over me? You want to coddle me along like some prisoner to be questioned and tortured?"

He glanced around him at all the little soldiers and their blasters. His anger flashed and he exerted the force through his body once more as he lifted both arms into the air. As his arms rose so did the soldiers. He picked them all up off their feet and held them a good seven feet off the ground.
"Your empire will come to an end! and my face shall be the last thing your emperor sees before I tear him in two!"

 

[Kay-Larr]

That was unexpected. If [member="Kuxtal"] could see inside their helms, each trooper's eyes would be widened. Yet they didn't flail their arms or legs. They didn't panic. Instead they opened fire.

The giant was easy to target, especially at close range. The stun bolts hit him hard and fast, all at different points on his body. It wasn't as though they knew where his weak points were.

The trooper that spoke earlier did so again, his voice not varying from the tone he had earlier. "The Empress would surely not die by your hand. But you could die by ours. Unless you comply." The giant had a lot of power. He'd need to be subdued before any movement of him could be made.

 

[Kuxtal]

Stun bolts had been used on him before without any effect against his endurance. Normally he can take huge amounts of abuse before he would begin to feel the effects... But that was before, and his years aboard that ship had left him weakened and unfocused.
The barrage of stun bolts was very effective, each bolt sent a shock through his system that resulted in him quickly losing consciousness. But it did take every bolt they fired at him to produce that effect.

His eyes rolled back in his head before closing. His arms dropped to his sides and the soldiers were released from his grip. Finally his great height tilted and he fell backwards with a crash on the permacrete platform, the impact cracked the ground beneath him which told of a much greater weight and density than even his apparent size warranted. He remained conscious just long enough to hear the captain speak, then his mind drifted.

Kuxtal was severely malnourished from his ordeal which accounted for some of his weakness, but not all. and with his last drifting thought wondered why he was brought down so easily...

 

[Kay-Larr]

The troopers had prepared themselves for their release the moment that they saw their stun bolts taking effect. So when the moment came and the giant let them go, they all landed with their knees bent to absorb the shock and help maintain their balance.

The landing platform shook as the giant fell, leaving quite a lot of damage that needed to be fixed. Once he was removed, that is.

Still with their blaster rifles trained on him, the leading trooper put in a call for some of the large battledroids to come and collect him for processing.

It took nearly an hour for [member="Kuxtal"] to be brought in and placed in a room large enough for him. He wasn't put under any restraints. Instead there were only guards. Earlier a call had gone out to the Empress herself, letting her know of the strange giant that had landed on their world. Kay was ever the curious one, and even though some part of her warned her of the risk, she still went on ahead to see the giant for herself.

And that was what the giant would discover upon waking. Sitting at a table with a variety of foods and a teapot with tea, Kay observed him. "Ah, you're awake. Wonderful. Care for some tea? Something to eat perhaps?"

 

[Kuxtal]

Kuxtal awoke and his eyes snapped open immediatly. He was on the floor in a large room with guards lining the walls, blasters present. He heard the voice of a woman offer him food and drink and that voice was oddly calming. He slowly pushed himself up off the floor till he was kneeling and looked at the woman seated at the table. He was already as tall as her sitting while kneeling, but then he stood up and his head came close to a foot from touching the high ceiling.

He dwarfed everyone in the room, but again the guards took a back seat in his mind while he focused on one singular goal. She offered him food, that was not the tactic of an imperial, and this woman did not wear the grey uniform but rather the regalia of a very important woman. She sat their confidently and rightly so, her soldiers would protect her.

Kuxtal slowly approached the table, making no alarming movement that would warrant another shock. He was apprehensive but he was beginning to see that he was not in imperial custody, or at least, not the empire he knew. He watched the woman who sat their so composed and proper even as she would have had to look up to meet his eyes. He scanned the plates of food hungrily with his eyes and selected the one of the largest choices, reaching down with one large hand to pick up a whole cooked bird, half the bird disappeared in a single bite, bones splintering and consumed as well, the rest of the bird followed in the second bite. That little bit of food aroused his appetite and he knelt down at the table and began eating with abandon.

He didn't intend to be rude, but on his list of priorities, eating was well above speaking to his captor or host at the moment. He had been on that ship for who knows how long as it continuously flew its randomized routs, stopping when programmed to refuel at designated stations to quickly take off again. He only knew that the force sustained him during that time and he never left that ship. But now at last the ship had exhausted its power and drifted aimlessly to this planet.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay poured them both some tea as [member="Kuxtal"] began to eat. She didn't stare at him, she left that for the guards. Besides, that was rude in and of itself. Cradling the tea cup in both hands, she had a sip. "Take all that you need. I can imagine that you need a lot to sustain yourself." Not that that would be a problem, of course. She could have more brought in if need be.

"I apologize for having you brought in this way. But it's just procedure. You are an unauthorized guest and as such, you need to be vetted. Conversations are always more comfortable with tea, aren't they?" She leaned back in her chair, resting her tea cup on her lap. "What is your name and where did you come from?" There were plenty of other questions that she had. But there was plenty of time to get to them.

 

[Kuxtal]

Kuxtal ate, but once he began to fill up he slowed down a bit. He looked at the tea cup she filled for him and gently tried to pick it up without shattering it in his fingers. It had a nice smell, one he had all but forgotten, so he drank it gratefully. He was more willing to talk now with food in his stomach and he turned his attention to the woman across from him as she asked her questions.

He responded hesitantly at first, "I am Kuxtal... Kuxtal K'atun… From Corellia..."
He glanced around the room they were in. It didn't really look like a cell and the architecture was very different from the common imperial construction methods, "This isn't an imperial planet, is it..."
It wasn't a question, more of a statement to himself spoken aloud. He seemed to visibly relax as the facts began to click together in his mind. The guards were not stormtroopers and were definitely better trained, their blasters more advanced as he experienced.

He looked the woman dead in the eye, "I apologize for the trouble I have caused. I was under a false and unfounded belief that I was in imperial custody once more." He bowed his head to her, "Please accept my apology for my rudeness as well. It is obvious that you are the matriarch of this planet and I apologize for resisting your soldiers and any damage I have done."

He raised his head to look at her once more. Even hungry and surrounded by guards, as well as being out of control of the situation he wore an expression of confidence as if it were his natural state. "I realize that you many questions, but I have questions as well." He ate another plate of food and drank some more tea before going on, he was truly ravenous even now. "What planet is this? What galactic year is it? What has become of the empire and the rebel republic?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Corellia? Kay had been there before, but hadn't come across a species like [member="Kuxtal"] before. But then again it wasn't as though she had visited every neighbourhood.

She slowly shook her head as he spoke of this no longer being an Imperial planet. And even moreso as he apologized for the circumstances following his arrival. "There's no need to apologize, but thank you all the same. And you're right, this no longer is an Imperial world. The First Order fell just a short time ago."

Kay sipped her tea as he ate some more. She studied him as he studied her. The guards within the room relaxed internally, but their outward appearance didn't show it.

"You are on Zakuul, the heart of the newly reborn Eternal Empire. The year is 856 ABY. And as for the Empire of old and the Rebel Republic, they are much smaller than before. The largest Empires are the Sith, The Outer Rim Coalition and the Confederacy of Independant Systems." The latter held another Eternal Empire, one bent on genocide and destruction of the Light.

"How is it that you found yourself in that prison ship? How did it get so damaged?"

 

[Kuxtal]

The First Order? He hadn't heard of a First Order but he let it go for now. It made sense when she said it was now 856 ABY, and he would have to ask her about the acronym ABY, he deduced that it meant that there was a historic battle to mark that time of galactic history, but he was unfamiliar with the events... His mouth went dry when she spoke of the rise of the sith and new empires... He was truly on that ship for a very long time.

She asked about his ship and he answered honestly, "It's an imperial prison ship. I was a prisoner on board that ship when I foolishly trusted the justice of imperial law..." He decided to not reveal everything just yet, "If what you told me is true... And the term ABY marks the ending and beginning of a new era... The damage you see on that ship is age and mechanical failure over eight hundred years without maintenance..."
He shifted to sit cross legged and rested his elbows on his knees, folding her fingers thoughtfully over his mouth, his brow furrowed in concentration as he forced his fogged mind to focus. If his math was correct... he had been trapped in that ship for 866 years!

If he had been gone for that long... It's no wonder empires have risen and fallen... And it's no wonder his ship drifted forgotten amid the chaos of a changing galaxy... And if that time frame was accurate... that made him over fifteen hundred years old... and if that were true... then everyone he knew before was probably dead.
Kuxtal rubbed his eyes, suddenly feeling extraordinarily tired. He pinched the bridge of his nose. The realization of everything being changed and nobody or nothing familiar to rely on hit him hard and he didn't know how to process that. His face was grim and troubled and he seemed to stare into space in deep contemplation.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay blinked. Did [member="Kuxtal"] not know what ABY stood for? Perhaps he was just nowhere near the main activity of the Galaxy when he had gotten onto that ship. Eight hundred years. There had to be some mistake. Yet for some reason she knew that it wasn't.

"ABY stands for after the battle of Yavin. How could you have survived for that long? What about food? And water? All the necessities of life?" Oh she had plenty of questions on hand for him.

But then she saw how tired he was. Surely the realization of his situation was quite overwhelming. It was time for a change.

Kay finished her tea and then got to her feet. "Well I think that you've had quite the day. Shall we get you into more comfortable accomodations? I have guest rooms in one of the towers in the city here, with beds large enough to fit a Herglic. And I can have my tailors get you some new clothing. Unless of course you'd rather stay here or go back to that old ship?" It was entorely up to him of course.

 

[Kuxtal]

Kuxtal slowly looked at the woman. So there was a battle at Yavin that marked a change, the beginning of a new era... and he was truly ancient. He was concidered one of the few creatures in the galaxy blessed with longevity among others... But a millenia? even he did not know how he managed to sustain himself for that long on a prison ship on the force alone... But he did have some suspicions about this based on his experiences aboard that ship... that would have to wait until he had regained his strength.

She offered him hospitality and that seemed to snap him out of his reflections again. She was kind... and that was a change from what he knew of the galaxy and other people, "Any hospitality would be most gratefully accepted..." He paused, she never spoke her name. He didn't know if that was a custom on this planet that you refer to superiors by their title, in which case she hasn't mentioned that either.
"Forgive my question... But can I know your name? I don't know what my role is to be while I am here... But I hope to be able to repay you in some way when I am able."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded as he accepted the change in scenery. She hadn't seen him on his feet yet, and no doubt he was going to tower over her. At least the construction of most buildings favoured very high ceilings and tall doors. It was an intimidating design, but also smart for the off chance that really tall species entered the halls.

[member="Kuxtal"] asked for her name and for a moment she had thought that she had given it. But perhaps she was merely thinking to do so instead. "I am Kay Arenais, the Empress of this world." And soon to be Empress of the nearby worlds as well, once she was able to expel the rest of the First Order terrorists from Zakuul.

Kay gestured towards the door that was opened by one of her guards. "We can discuss all of that later, after you've had a proper rest. So shall we?"

 

[Kuxtal]

When Kuxtal stood he did indeed tower over her. He was taller than the Wookiees and physically more powerful than even his considerably powerful appearance suggested.

She identified herself as the empress of this world which confirmed his suspicions. All the same he cringed inwardly at the title of 'Emperor' or 'Empress'. That title was the herald of an age of darkness in the galaxy that he had seen come into power and been imprisoned under. But when he extended his senses into the force he saw her own strength and her aura did not look dark to him at all. All the same he hesitated to believe that she was the exception to all he knew of to hold that title before her.

He stepped around the table to follow her out into the hall and was glad for the tall construction the people of Zakuul employed. He wondered if he were still a prisoner, or if he was able to redeem himself in the eyes of the empress. He had no idea where he could go, especially since he had no idea about the planet he was on, where he was in the galaxy, or in what ways the galaxy had changed while he floated in space. But more importantly he wondered for how long he could rely on the hospitality of the empress. Perhaps if he remained a prisoner of sorts he could learn what he needs in order to adapt to this new era.

He looked down at his large hands an barely covered muscular body. The force may have sustained him, but he had indeed deteriorated while confined in inactive meditation. His body wasn't as strong as he remembered and his mind not as sharp as it was. He wondered if he could somehow indenture himself to the empress which could give him opportunity to regain his strength again before facing the galaxy once more.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Oh yes, [member="Kuxtal"] was tall. Super tall. She barely reached the middle of his rib cage. At least he wasn't her enemy at the moment.

Kay and her guards led him to a large transport. They moved through Zakuul city, it's inverted buildings reaching high into the sky. It wasn't at the heights of the buildings on Coruscant, but they were tall.

Finally they stopped at one of them. Kay got out and waited for Kuxtal to step off. "Here we are." Without lingering, she bade him to follow her inside to one of the lifts. It easily held his weight. "I've got everythung aranged for you but new clothing. My tailor will arrive later this evening to get your measurements. You'll have plenty of food, drink and access to the holonet so that you can learn about what's been going on during your...time adrift. Keep in mind, you're not a prisoner. You're free to leave when you want. But it'd probably be better if you learn about the Galaxy you are in now before you go out there and face it alone." The lift stopped at his floor and she exited it. Across the hall was his room with the doors already open for him. Furnishings for large species decorated the apartment. It was cozy but not crowded. "You'll also have a direct link to communicate with me."

 

[Kuxtal]

Kuxtal stepped into the spacious apartment. It was more than enough for him concidering the salvaged bunks he slept on in the ship. He turned to her after she had introduced him to his new apartment, "I am very grateful to you, Emperess Arenais. But I feel that I must ask... What is it that you expect from me in return?"

He knew enough about politics and schemes, those things never seemed to change, he couldn't imagine an emperess making him a ward of the empire without some ulterior motive. His glowing eyes focused on Kay. He watched her facial expressions and body language with her reply, measuring from when she took a breath to speak to the effect that her heartbeat would have on her voice and words. He hated being in debt to anyone and he believed that relying on goodwill alone was foolish and no offer should be assumed as such off hand.

 

[Kay-Larr]

"I don't expect much for payment. Sometimes kindness goes a long way. You are from another time and place. You have wisdom and insight that is unheard of in today's Galaxy. All of that I can learn through conversation." Over tea more than likely. That was just her way.

Kay had been able to turn many enemies into allies. She had an uncanny ability to influence others. It was a Force gift that she wasn't consciously aware of. Of course that also made her a magnet for powerful enemies as well.

"We can learn from eachother. At least for the time that you are here. Now is there anything else that you need this evening before I leave you to rest?"