| abstract
| - Amidst the scrubby grasslands and winding rivers of Alderaan stood the abandoned compound of Thul. Centuries ago, in the days of Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma, it stood as a vital military post in Kaamos Territory and a vital vanguard against the insectoid Killiks whose hives dotted the planet. Later, when the Alderaanians proved victorious against the Killiks, it still held importance as the primary military base and seat of power for House Thul. Inevitably; however, House Thul and its compound declined in importance. In 3,700, it was closed for good due to the fact that House Thul had made a grab for power, and; thus, was rewarded with exile from Alderaan and the ruination of its holdings. The once proud compound fell into disrepair and negligence. For most of the last few decades, its only residents were Killiks and other wild beasts. But today, the Thul compound was receiving an unusual amount of attention. The door to the ancient Thul Palace had been forcibly blown open and occasionally the sounds of battle flared up from within, only to silence a few moments later. Near the open door stood two men, both Humans, intently watching the opening as if at any moment something of great importance would occur. Both were clad in the regalia of the Panteer Militia; the younger had on militia fatigues while the elder wore the simple armor and uniform of the Panteer militia and had twin blaster pistols holstered on his hip. The elder was man who seemed to be in his early thirties. He was a serious looking man in all regards. He had the perfect posture found only in well-disciplined soldiers and his expression was brimming with determination. Despite his austerity, every now and then he would start tapping his foot, almost as though he were anxious or energetic. Then, after several minutes of watching, there was the sound of fighting deep inside the base. The elder nodded once. "That's it. I'm going in there," he declared and began to walk inside. "Captain, stop!" the younger called out. "You do remember that the Queen gave strict orders for you to only go in if there is an emergency?" The elder stopped and turned around. "I heard an explosion. That's an emergency." The younger shook his head. "Please, Captain Karcen, just stay out. There are only rag-tag criminals holed up in there. We never even take injuries when we run these mop-ups." The captain didn't seem pleased, but strode over to the side of the youth all of the same. He looked back to the base. Another one of the warm breezes blew by, and the captain's foot began to tap once more. As the captain debated whether or not to try once again to take matters into his own hands, a word rang out from inside the base. "Clear!" The youth smiled. "See, Captain? Nice and easy." The captain nodded, but didn't smile. "Very good," he said evenly, "We've secured the base. I'm going to go inform the Queen." At that, the youth turned. "You sure, Captain Karcen? I mean, we've just finished off the pirates. You know I hear that there's a lot of valuable goods in these sort of bases..." he said, grinning slyly. The captain scowled. "Tell the men that there is to be neither looting nor loitering. Everything inside that base is the rightfully confiscated property of House Panteer," he said forcefully, much to the youth's chagrin. "Clear up the mess inside and have the militia back at Castle Panteer by sunset. Those are your orders." The captain turned and began to walk to his landspeeder while the younger soldier kicked a nearby stone. "Damnit. So much for my bonus... How did we get paired up with that disciplinarian? I haven't the faintest idea how the put up with him on Coruscant..." Captain Karcen took a brief respite from his long drive to Castle Panteer about an hour later. He looked out over the vast plain and saw the castle in the distance. The afternoon sun bathed the surrounding grassland in light, making a dramatic effect on the golden grass. The planet was still hardly developed despite being a Core world. Only the occasional settlement or Killik hive broke the uniformity of the never-ending grasslands and sleepy farms. He still was a handsome man; he kept his face well-washed and he never had one hair out of line. He wasn't old enough to wrinkle or even have many blemishes, but there was no more youthfulness in his face. Indeed, the strength in his eyes came less from young energy than a smoldering zeal. He did not seem very pleased. When he surveyed the castle of House Panteer in the distance, he frowned, but when he glanced into space he felt a much sharper pang of nostalgia. If he were a lesser man, he would have sighed. At that point he heard the beeping of the console within his landspeeder behind him and looked back towards it. The screen was blinking rapidly. He quickly checked whatever sentimental expression he had on his face and regained his proper air of command. He walked back to his landspeeder and when he arrived he jumped into the driver's seat. Karcen touched a button on the screen and began to read. Captain Karcen shook his head disapprovingly. He had, of course, known this news for some time. Now that it was public knowledge; however, it would make the already delicate situation in the Republic worse. He gently pushed a button and turned the screen off. His gaze returned to Castle Panteer. He had wasted enough time already, he reasoned, and sped his landspeeder towards the castle. Talant Karcen entered the throne room with a certain calm. He glanced around the high roofs of the castle and at the queen and king. He was never exactly happy while he was here, but he was almost always relaxed. For a man who was often called fanatical, the newly acquired calm was appreciated by the administration. Karcen strode in confidently and stood before his superiors, saluting. The King had never truly enjoyed the company of Talant, a fact he never tried to hide while they talked. "My lord, Panteer," Karcen began, "The militia has fully cleared the old Thul compound of the criminals who infested it." The Queen beamed. "Exceptionally fine work, Captain Karcen!" she said with a very amiable tone to the soldier. "Yes," Ronium Panteer said dryly, examining his fingernails, "Fine work." "I live only to serve, my lord," Karcen said, his voice respectful yet reserved. While he always performed his duties admirably, there was always a lack of energy to his voice. After a moment of silence, Queen Panteer renewed her smile. "Oh, do sit, Captain Karcen, we have important news to discuss." Talant Karcen sat. The Queen seemed to be in an especially good mood today, as she often was in the past few months, but her spirits were not infectious. "Now, Talant," she began, using the soldier's first name to his surprise, "You well know that the Republic has fallen upon some hard times. My husband and I have decided that the two of us should do our part to remedy the situation. We are going on a trip, you see: a diplomatic trip, to be precise. Soon we will be on Sernpidal so we may speak to the Sernpidalians. Because of the current political climate we've also found it prudent to speak little of the departure, keeping it a close secret. We leave on Primeday." Karcen kept a stoic face, but internally wondered about this secrecy. He was the head of the militia. There was no reason that he should not have known about it. "I see. After your public address? Very good, my lady. I shall pack my things." "You're not going Karcen," Ronium Panteer said curtly. This time the captain couldn't help but look surprised. "Not going?" he repeated, "May I ask why, my lord?" "Dear, Talant," the Queen began slowly, "You have provided excellent service to us over the past year. You've been perhaps them most productive captain of the militia that Alderaan has ever seen. In fact, because of your... unique proactivity, my husband and I have come to a conclusion," she paused slightly, as if to collect her thoughts. "Talant, we believe that you are... overqualified for this job." Karcen stared blankly at the queen. "Overqualified? For Captain of the Militia?" "You see, the Republic needs you more than we," the Queen began slowly, gesturing to herself and her husband, "In fact, your services have been personally requested by Minister of Defense Jiran Damaris. He wants you to help orient the newly returning commanders from the Outer Rim to Coruscant." Karcen could hear his heart begin to beat quickly. He could return to Coruscant? No, he was thinking prematurely. He tried to sober himself back to reality. "My lady, I... I could not possibly do such a thing. My place is at-," Karcen said, but was waved off by the queen. "I already told you, the skills you possess are far too important to be used solely by House Panteer. You are to return to Coruscant, present yourself to the Minister of Defense, and do some greater good. Sernpidal is a very safe and calm planet, one where we need little protection. You shall return to Alderaan when we return but until then... You are an acting Captain of the Coruscant Security Force." The Queen beamed again while her husband idly looked at a screen behind Karcen. When the Queen leaned over to nudge him, he sprang to alertness. "Oh, yes. Well, get a move on Captain Karcen," he said with the distinct air that he would rather be somewhere else. "M-my lady," he stuttered, slightly phased, but with his optimism growing wildly within him, "This is... I mean, thank you! Thank you a thousand times over! An acting captain?" Queen Panteer nodded to the starry-eyed captain. Karcen took a step forward as if he were to embrace the queen, but he checked himself. He saluted smartly to his superiors, "Thank you. I shall go gather my things." Karcen turned and strode out of the chamber with a new found spring to his step, and one militiaman could have sworn that the captain had chuckled to himself. When he had left the room and the door had slid down down behind him, the queen looked to her husband. "You see? Wasn't that far more agreeable than sacking the man? Look how happy he was." "Silara, I believe being sacked would've been a good thing. It would knock his pride down a peg." "Ronium! How could you say such a thing? Why do you always such disagreeable things about Captain Karcen?" Ronium Panteer gave a dry smile to Silara, "We've had... differences of view in the past." The Queen looked at him curiously. "Why, that is a lie and you know it, Ronium," she insisted, "You never met Karcen before a month ago." Ronium laughed slightly, "Ah, you are right, Terena. You are right..." Talant Karcen broke out of the administrative center nearly laughing. He walked over to a nearby militiaman and slapped him on the back in an uncharacteristically boorish vigor. Before the confused soldier could even address Captain Karcen, he had beelined for his landspeeder. Halfway to his landspeeder he actually laughed loud and heartily and surveyed the sky. Even further he could imagine Coruscant in all its dazzling radiance. His planet. No longer was his homeworld a source of heavy nostalgia. The melancholy had dissipated to make room for a new found optimism. He felt like starting a speech, but no words could come to him. He only stood by his landspeeder, letting the breeze flow through his hair. The very strange mood on Karcen's part was noted by the nearby pedestrians who looked at him with amused expressions. The captain was known to be despondent on Alderaan. Karcen entered his landspeeder and sped down the street, paying no heed to the chuckling militiamen and inhabitants of the city. He was going to his apartment to pack his belongings. Tomorrow, he thought frantically, planning out his return to Coruscant. It would be tomorrow that he dusted off his old uniform. He would rent a ship! Indeed, for the first time this year Talant Karcen's luck was starting to change. It was time for the captain to return to his homeworld.
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