Keeper’s Chronicles: Story I

Keeper’s Chronicles: Story I is the first part of a Star Wars fan-work of Number Wan, known as Keeper's Chronicles, about the adventures of Saire Ornel, a girl from the orphanage house on the planet of Shiib during some of the events of the Galactic Civil War.

Overview
The story begins with a minor battle between a small Rebel transport DP20 and the Imperial Star Destroyer, that takes place at the orbit of Shiib.

During the attack the Rebel captain Mordonn decided to drop off most of the cargo intended for the anti-Imperial resistance movement on the planet of Uthel. The Rebel containers were later found by different people, includingTarso Anshelou and the members of the Sarkoro clan. While the Anshelou family tried to open a strange container, the criminal gang encountered problems with the newly found P2 unit from the dropped cargo. The droid was given to Makk Taukvaster, who attempted to study the machine and its whereabouts. After his failed analysis Makk decided to take P2 to his friend Karrus, who ran a workshop in the city of Fiderkha on Shiib.

Tammika Anchelou was eager to find a way to open the box and asked her friend – Saire Ornel to bring her assistant droid Gerbo to unlock the container. After Saire returned back to Anshelou's house, she learned, that her friends were held hostage by a pirate group led by someone called Za'Nok. He explained that he came after the box, however his 'client' asked to bring all the witness with him as well.

Tarso Anshelou was reluctant to give up so easily, so he unlocked a secret hatch and opened fire upon the gang. Though the pirates were taken by surprise, he was fatally injured and couldn't struggle anymore. His daughter Tammika enraged with the attackers made a sharp shot upon Za'Nok, whose armor was badly damaged too. Angry with such a struggle he called on flying droids to aid him – they tried to take the container, but were stopped by Saire, however one of them captured Tammika and took her aboard the pirate starship. Using the ship's turrets the pirates tried to turn the house into dust. Fortunately this very moment an old man Erlion arrived, who used his powers to stop the attackers. The ship left the house soon after that.

The space incident on Shiib was reported to the member of the Dark Guild Thrillak, who was hunting the Rebels in the sector. After torturing the surviving members of the team of DP20 he decided to use the captives as pawns both against the Alliance and his long foe within the Galactic Empire, known as Moff Iv'Iurius. Being a ruler of Uthel the moff was the only one denying the authority of the Guild in his system, but was yet quite favored by the Emperor. Thrillak and his allies from the Guild were setting many schemes including the diversion in order to destroy the reputation of Iurius.

While Makk and Karrus, and their two friends Vingo and Zatsekis were analizing the P2 unit, Makk's rival Jardo Saloni, who also worked for the clan of Sarkoro, made a plot against his opponent. His agent Fadori was waiting outside Karrus's house to start a diversion. After several shots his people speeded up a large fuel tank to ram the house, which caused a large explosion and killed Karrus. Makk and his friends protected the house for a while until they realized they had to leave. However they knew nothing about Sarkoro part in all this, so they hoped he would resolve the conflict between Makk and Jardo as a mediator.

Erlion helped Saire to get through all the ordeals she had come across in recent hours, as he reveled to her, that both he and her droid Gerbo knew – probably – more about Saire they could or would tell her. Having been deprived of the truth about her family, Saire decided to follow the old man into the world of mystics and hardship.

Saire's main goal, however, remained the same: finding Tammika and avenging her father's death.

In Fiderkha they decided to send the container to a luggage-office of the Fiderkha spaceport, until they found a way to leave Shiib. In order to get to the hangars they took a trip on one of the public skiff.

Makk Taukvaster found himself imprisoned together with his friends as soon as he entered Sarkoro's estate. He was sentenced to death for conspiracy against Sarkoro – a plan set in motion by Jardo. Fadori was also sentenced to a terrible death – to be eaten by a dreadful Gra'Grask.

During the execution, only Fadori died, but P2 managed to save the others by deactivating the power generators. As Makk and Vingo escaped from the cages, Gra'Grask started attacking and devouring the guards and people of Sarkoro. This chaos was an opportunity Jardo couldn't afford to lose as he shot Sarkoro and his aide. He also followed Makk in order to silence him as well, but was almost killed by the falling debris. As Vingo, Zatsekis and P2 fled to the spaceport, Makk used a swoopbike to distract the gang from his friends.

Soon after that Makk came across Erlion and Saire, as he was avoiding the attacks of the Sarkoro gang. The public skiff was accidentally shot by one of the criminals, and the passengers fell down. As the Sarkoro guards realized the Empire soon to arrive at the place of incident they fled the scene leaving Makk with the passengers. This time he was almost killed while helping the wounded citizens, but was saved by Erlion.

Together with P2, Zatsekis and Vingo Makk, Saire, Erlion and Gerbo deciphered the box and learned, that the lost cargo had been in reality intended for the Rebels allies on Uthel. It is then decided to get the container right to the group of the resistance movement.

As Makk started the engines of his small ship Grey Sparrow, Vingo and Zatsekis said farewell to their old friend. The two planned to start a new life, without being involved into the conflict between the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire.

The container had the coordinates for the secret shelter of the resistance movement, that was located among the ruins in the so-called Northern Swamps. Being a dangerous place it became home for those who believed in the ideals of democracy and struggled against tyranny and injustice. As Makk, Saire, Erlion and the droids got acquainted with the Resistance captain Nashshe and the surviving captain Mordonn, they soon realized, that the Empire was planning to strike the Rebels on Uthel.

Time was short, and Neshshe ordered the remaining troops and pilots to take the starfighterts and distract the Imperial Star Destroyer while the main transport was leaving for hyperspace. Iv'Iurius learned both of the Rebels presence and the plans of the Dark Guild, but only too late. In his attempt to defeat the Rebel fighters he accidentally destroyed the power relays of Thrillak's Star Destroyer, that almost brought death of the Dark Jedi.

Having escaped from the Empire, Neshshe planned to find other Rebel groups and join the Alliance. Makk said to Saire, that he was not ready to stay with the Rebels, but was eager to help them "from the outside". Erlion was planning to leave as well, but wouldn't explain to Saire the reasons for his decisions. The old man had one – probably last – favor to ask from her: if she was to learn the truth about her past one day, she should find Erlion's old friend – Master Jedi D'Nar, who was hiding on the planet of Tuak'Khan.

Main Characters
Saire Ornel – a young girl, grown up in the orphanage house on Shiib, who is helping the family of Anshelou. Her life changes greatly after Anshelou find a Rebel container, and her best friend Tammika is abducted by pirates. She meets and old man Erlion, who wants to show something to Saire and help her find the way in the Galaxy. Together with Makk Taukvaster and two her droids she comes many challenges, described in the Chronicles.

Erlion– member of the ancient Order of the Keepers, guarding the Key of Eternity, a powerful relic from Uthel prolonging life of all living-beings on the planet. The Chronicles are told from his point of view, though not entirely. He finds Saire, when she needs help and wants her to take his place one day. He can't stay with the girl for long and leaves her soon after Battle of Yavin IV. He also asks Saire to find his old friend – Jedi Master D'Nar for guidance.

Makk Taukvaster – a mercenary, working for the Sarkoro Clan on Shiib. He decides to take Saire and Erlion on his ship to Uthel after he is betrayed by his counterpart in the clan – Jardo Saloni.

P2 – a modified astra-droid who was on board of the rebel ship before the takeover of the Empire. He saves the main characters several times. Before the Clone Wars he served the Security Forces of Uthel.

Gerbo – assistant droid with language and protocol skills. Once served the Royal House of Baash'Taa he later became the property of the family of Ornel. After the Clone Wars he worked in the orphanage house in Fiderkha where he looked after Saire.

Thrillak – a Dark Jedi once a Padawan in the Jedi Order. Being an assassin to an avid businessman he later joins the Emperor and up to the end of his days serves the Dark Guild.

ZID-17 – an assassin droid, that served Thrillak and the Dark Guild for years. He was often involved in various dark missions of these people, like extermination of enemies or sabotage of the rivals of his masters.

Moff Iv'Iurius – the dictator from planet of Uthel that is struggling against his old foe Erlion and all others who try to stop him. After the Clone Wars he became a Governor of Uthel for the Empire.

Captain Neshshe – a Uthelian freedom fighter, a participant of at least two battles for Uthel, he is arrested by the Empire and is later rescued by Makk and Saire from a prison on Kessel.

Captain Mordonn – a rebel captain of DP20 cargo ship captured by the Empire after the destruction of the starwars:Death StarDeath Star. In the end he betrays Saire, Makk and captain Neshshe in one of the cities on the planet of Quedalur.

Jardo Saloni – a mandalorian bounty hunter of Sarkoro clan, who betrays his boss and puts the blame on his death on Makk Taukvaster, who's been his main rival ever since.

Karrus – a merry friend of Makk Taukvaster, who owns a workshop in Fiderkha on Shiib. He tries to help Makk in inspecting the unusual model of P2 unit.

Vingo – a duros technician from Karrus's workshop on Shiib, who discovers that the P2 unit belonged to someone from Uthel. He is unable to explore anymore of the droid, when Jardo's people attack.

Zatsekis – was an alien cook at Karrus's workshop on Shiib, who was helping him around the house. She also had some skills in repairing things, though it was mainly the specialty of Vingo.

Behind the scenes
Story I was created at some point during the period of 1999-2003, after some earlier sketches, but is still believed to be the first part in the whole Chronicles. It should be noted, that Story I is most likely the first to be finished up to the end.

The first draft of Story I was a bit different from what was later seen in Chronicles. There were less interaction between Makk and his friends, as well as Anshelou had only rough appearance in the middle of the story. The two droids – P2 and Gerbo – had a different pre-Story I adventures, that involved their participation in the events of the Galactic Civil War. These chapters have been changed, with new characters added on later stages.

Story I had two more more versions, one of which was the Story I animation, that depicted the events quite differently. Even though all the protagonists appeared in the plot, some plotlines are missing and leave a lot of speculation regarding either characters appearance or their involvement in the War. The animated movie was never released to the public due to lack of video quality, various errors production and incomplete storyline. It did have however music and sound, but no voice acting.

In 2011 Story I saw its first new appearance in the form of black-and-white comics, that are scheduled to be complete by the end of 2012. Its plot is similar to the final version of Chronicles and mainly has no errors regarding names, places and events.

Appearance

 * Star Wars: Keeper's Chronicles
 * Keeper's Chronicles: Story I (animated film)
 * Keeper's Chronicles: Sketches and Drafts