Gabby was riding her bike home from school. It was finally the weekend, and during lunch break, she got a text from the local game shop that her order was ready for pickup. When she got there, she found her friends Thorax and Starlight there already and asked them, "Hey, you guys got your NRG systems too?"
Thorax nodded, and Starlight said, "Yeah, we got Star Wars the Old Republic for our first game. I'm excited to see how virtual reality works in a Star Wars game."
As she paid for her order, Spike came into the store, "Looks like you guys beat me to getting my order." before purchasing his and saying, "I'm going Bounty Hunter, what about you guys?"
Thorax told him, "I'm going to be an Inquisitor, and Starlight told me she was going to be an Imperial Agent."
Gabby smiled, "That leaves me as a Sith Warrior. When we meet up on the fleet, we should form a guild."
As the friends departed, Gabby continued her bike ride home. When she did, she said, "Mom, dad, I'm home! I'm going to go set up my NRG system before dinner!" before rushing up into her room and connecting the device to a power source.
When she put on the VR helmet, a computerized voice said, "Thank you for purchasing the NRG Virtual Reality Gaming System. Your chosen game is Star Wars the Old Republic. Please start character creation by choosing your gender, class, and race."
Gabby told the device, "Female, Rattataki, Sith Maruader."
The helmet beeped a few times before sending a shiver down Gabby's spine, and the computer voice said, "VR link stabilized. Due to the VR link, you will be unable to exit the game until you have completed chapter 3 of your chosen class's story. Uploading link now..."
Gabby screamed as she felt herself getting sucked into the game, and as her father ran in, she told him quickly, "This game is a Sword Art Online rip-off! I can't leave the game until I finish story mode!" before passing out completely. As she awoke in the game, she was on a small shuttle, which she assumed was part of the game's opening cutscene for the Sith Warrior.
As she stepped off the shuttle, she was greeted by a Sith Overseer who said, "At last, you've arrived. Good, there is so little to do and so much time. Wait a second... scratch that, reverse it, thank you."
Gabby said to herself, "D-Did he seriously just make a Willy Wonka reference?"
As she ignored the reference, the overseer said, "I am Overseer Tremmel. For decades I have administered the trials that prove who is and is not worthy of joining the Sith Order. The trials are a way of weeding out the weak. Those who undergo them either survive and become Sith or die trying."
Gabby nodded, "I won't disappoint you."
Tremmel nodded in satisfaction, "Good, I risked a lot to make this happen. You are here and ahead of schedule because of me. I expect you to obey. You face your trials, you serve me, and I will make you the most powerful acolyte here."
Gabby smiled, "I like the sound of that."
The overseer continued, "The trials themselves are difficult enough, but they are hardly your greatest challenge. There's an acolyte here named Vemrin. He's your enemy, and he will try to kill you. We must prepare you."
Gabby smiled again, albeit a bit more evilly and said, "Let him try, I'll destroy him."
Tremmel nodded, "With my training, someday you'll destroy all your enemies. However, that practice blade you've arrived with is insufficient, the blade of lesser acolytes. You need a dominating weapon. In the Tomb of Ajunta Pall, there's an old armory, a strong Sith war blade awaits you. The tomb is thick with k'lor'slugs, deadly, savage beasts. Be swift yet careful. They've been the end of many acolytes."
Gabby nodded, "If they lack the instinct to avoid me, I'll feed them their heads."
Tremmel continued, "When you obtain your war blade, I suggest you spend some time in the tombs bloodying it, then come see in my chambers at the Acadamy."
After this, Gabby went out of the landing dock to see multiple players talking about the fact they were stuck in the game until they completed the main story. When she recognized one of the voices, she went over and said to a Sith Pureblood Inquisitor, "Thorax, is that you?"
The Twi'lek nodded, "Yeah, it's me. I tried getting in contact with Spike and Starlight over the chat channels, but they're down while the servers are being updated. Guess the jackasses who made the NRG system had no idea how many people would log in on opening day. Still, we'll find our way out of here, I'm sure of it."
Meanwhile in the real world...
Gabby's father, Golden Scar, slammed the phone down when he was told the company who created the NRG system claimed no liability. "She's stuck in there and there's nothing we can do but hope."
Frostblossom, Gabby's mother was looking through the owner's manual and said, "There is a way to see how she's doing and communicate with her." before hooking the NRG system up to the TV and setting it to the HDMI input. When she did, they could see what Gabby was seeing. She tried the communication feature to say, "Gabby, can you hear me sweetie?"
Gabby saw the message as it showed up on her private holo-communicator. "Mom, dad? I didn't think I'd be able to talk to you."
Golden Scar nodded, "We weren't sure ourselves. The bastards who made this system left disclaimers on the box that clears them of liability. How are you doing right now?"
Gabby told them, "Steady but shaken I suppose. It's not like I ever saw this coming. I met up with Thorax already, and I'm getting ready to head into the tombs. Mom, considering how... graphic some of the creatures are, you may not want to watch this." She knew her mother had a weak stomach when it came to graphic horror, and the k'lor'slugs did look like something you'd expect out of some mad scientist horror flick."
Frostblossom gulped, but nodded, "Message received. We may not be able to help you in game, but we were able to purchase you some in game money, get some good gear for protection."
Gabby smiled at her mother and said, "Thanks mom, thanks dad. I promise I'll get out of this game safe and sound." before the com cut out. She decided to take her mother's advice and purchase some new gear in the Cartel shop, picking out some new armor and a pair of lightsabers.
Now ready for her first quest, Gabby heads to the Tomb of Ajunta Pall as her first step to getting out of the game's virtual world that she found herself trapped in. With the help of her friends, will she be able to get that far?
Gabby made her way into the Tomb of Ajunta Pall, cutting down any k'lor'slugs and tomb raiders who came too close to her. She quickly made her way to the armory of the tombs. She eyed the deactivated droids as she walked towards the weapon rack to get her Sith war-blade. "These droids give me the creeps. It's one thing to see them on a computer screen, it's completely different in real life."
As she collected the war blade and held it in her hands, she felt more powerful and started heading back out of the armory, only for the droids to spark to activation. As they attacked her, she used the Force to smash the area around her, knocking the droids to the ground before they got crushed by the pillars near them.
As she made her way out of the tomb and to the Overseer's chambers, she was stopped by two young men. One of them said, "Hold up, acolyte. Let me get a look at you." before looking her over and continuing, "So you're Overseer Tremmel's secret weapon. Impressive, but too little, too late. I'm Vemrin, and unlike you, I've fought and bled to get where I am. I demand respect."
The other man said, "This is ridiculous Vemrin, let's just kill her and hide the body."
Vemrin shook his head and said, "We're not on Balmorra anymore Dolgus, there are rules, traditions. We'll leave this to Tremmel and his last pathetic hope."
Gabby yawned, "You really know how to bore a girl. You're more likely to bore me to death than beat me in a fight."
Vemrin growled, "You have no idea the enemy you're making. Let's get out of here Dolgus."
Dolgus told him, "I'll catch up with you." before saying to Gabby, "Listen to me you useless priss, acolytes aren't allowed to murder one another. But accidents happen, it isn't murder without witnesses. No more warnings, Vemrin's the alpha monster here. You go after Vemrin, you die." before walking off.
As Gabby continued into Overseer Tremmel's office, she saw another girl, when Tremmel said, "Ah, you've obtained your war-blade. Are you comfortable with it?"
Gabby nodded, "It was much more useful than the practice blade was."
The other girl said, "What's this about father? I've been here two months and I've only gotten my war-blade."
"I know what I'm doing Eskela, and you will not breathe a word of this to anyone, understood?"
Eskela nodded, "Yes father."
Tremmel looked to Gabby and told her, "Acolyte, this is my daughter Eskela, one of the senior acolytes here. She's close on her way to becoming Sith, if she can mind herself."
"I'll keep quiet father, but I won't be able to help you if this blows up in your face."
"Forgive her, she's just bitter I'm keeping secrets. She growls, but she's loyal. I believe I heard Vemrin as you came in. Did he make his move?"
Gabby shook her head, "No, but I can tell he'll be the closest thing to a challenge I'll get here."
Tremmel thought for a moment, "If he didn't attack, he doesn't recognize the threat you pose. That's good, but Vemrin's not the type to sniff around too long before taking a bite. As much as I hate it, any Force sensitive is allowed entry to the Acadamy. We're losing the traditions and value of Sith blood that hold the tapestries of Sith history. Vemrin is mixed blood, bred with the blood of slaves. He can't be allowed to advance."
"And why do I have a feeling that a simple 'accident' in the tombs won't work?" After all, that punk made a good point, it's not murder without witnesses.
Tremmel shook his head, "Vemrin has caught the eye of Darth Baras, a powerful and influential Sith Lord. He's being groomed to be Baras's new apprentice."
Gabby sighed, "So, we have to stop Vemrin from becoming Darth Baras's new apprentice, but we can't just kill him in the tombs. I had a feeling it wouldn't be that easy. But no matter, the trials will strengthen me so that I will be ready to fight Vemrin when the time comes."
Tremmel nodded, "Correct. Now, onto your next trial. There are three prisoners I want you to interrogate. Listen to each prisoner's story, and let your passions guide you. The choices you make will be scrutinized. You arrived earlier than you were supposed to, and because of that, Darth Baras will be able to judge you severely, and by that, I mean fatally. Go, talk to Jailer Nash in the prisons and return when you have interrogated the prisoners and passed judgement."
Gabby nodded, "Yes overseer, I will do what I think is best, and hope that those choices are what Darth Baras would approve of." before heading off to the jails. As she did, she thought to herself, "Vemrin is much more annoying in reality, even if this reality is completely virtual, he's still a pain in the ass. Well, I guess I'll have to deal with it until I'm off Korriban."
And so, Gabby has obtained a new, stronger weapon. But she has also gained a rival with an acolyte named Vemrin, who unlike her character, has been bred through generations of slaves. To her, it sounded a bit racist, but she wasn't going to argue against people stronger than here until she was strong enough to stand a chance. Now she begins her second trial. How will she pass judgement on these prisoners?
Find out next time!
