Shakvail

"I am the lost, disconnected. Thus, I must find the way back to the truth, no matter how deep it goes."

- Shakvail

Shakvail born in 49 BBY, was a member of the during the  and eventually  of Denon. She was discovered by (later Master)  as an infant among a large group of captured slaves during an anti-pirate mission in the. At that time she was the only known Safol in the galaxy, and was brought to the. She completed the at age twelve and was taken by Master Bothu as her  learner. After serving many missions together she underwent the in 26 BBY at the age of twenty-five, and achieved the rank of Jedi Knight.

A scholarly and investigative Jedi, Shakvail served a one-year mission on the Rachason homeworld of Radrack. She followed this with a similar mission to the Spri'lek homeworld of Nylath. After facing an Alchemical Nematode unleashed there, she received a vision of the on Denon. She subsequently traveled to the planet.

During the tumultuous period preceding the Shakvail had a wide variety of adventures on Denon in the company of a member of the defense force and Bian. She eventually applied to the for the position of  of Denon, which was granted. During her time on the planet she uncovered significant findings regarding the relationship between the, , s, and the many species of the galaxy.

When the Clone Wars broke out, Shakvail remained on Denon, serving as Jedi General and liaison to the planet's defense forces. Her assistance proved invaluable during the 1st Battle of Denon and the 2nd Battle of Denon when the planet was exposed to Separatist attacks, as well as a number of plots to weak the defenses from within. Her political groundwork allowed Denon's residents to form their own defensive army, allowing the planet to remain secure without anything beyond a symbolic presence.

Origin
While Shakvail was taken to the Jedi Temple as an infant like all Jedi of her time, her circumstances were unusual. She was not recruited deliberately following medical testing. Instead, she was discovered among a large group of slave children during an anti-piracy operation carried out by the s in the Lantillies system in 47 BBY. During that operation her parents were slain by the pirate captain during a vindictive kamikaze attack, but she and the other children were preserved by the actions of Jedi Knight Z'meer Bothu, who was assisting the operation. Z'meer recognized Shakvail's Force sensitivity when she did not cry during the recovery process, and took it upon herself to bring the child to the temple.

Shakvail's genetic code was read by Z'meer and matched against the Jedi Archives. It registered her as a Safol, a species that was believed rendered extinct via the actions of Syrin Clavine during the. As her parents had perished, leaving a record with only her name remaining, her true origins remained a mystery.

Jedi Training
Shakvail was trained in the Jedi temple as any other Initiate would be, but her circumstances colored her training. With not experience with her species, and no materials to reference, she was generally treated as if she were fully human, even though she could not possibly hide the differences in her nature. She became aware that her species was believed extinct at a very young age, and this colored her progression. She grew intensely driven to solve the mystery of her origins as a means of anchoring herself in the galaxy, and studied a variety of subjects including sentientology, history, archeology, and more to prime herself for this achievement. She fully believed that she must become a Jedi, for only as a Jedi Knight would her destiny match this need.

Though a highly focused student with above-average, though not exceptional, skills in many areas, and a focus on study that was truly impressive, Shakvail was somewhat isolated in her childhood. While she had friends, and got along well with most teachers, she felt somehow strangely orphaned within the order, divorced by the holes in her background. She passed the Initiate trials at the age of twelve in 37 BBY, but had no links with active Jedi Knights who might take her as a Padawan. Many were somewhat intimidated by the idea of having an 'extinct' student.

Shakvail submitted a highly skilled performance during the of 37 BBY, utilizing her Safol Breaker Trance in combat to defeat stronger opponents. This impressed the new promoted Jedi Master Z'meer Bothu, observing the tournament at 's behest. In a circumstance most Jedi of the day considered ordained by the Force, Z'meer took Shakvail as her first Padawan.

The young Padawan had numerous adventures alongside her master, learning to attune herself to the Force, use it, and blend its insights with mundane knowledge. She did, however, have a tendency to overly focus on small details, rather than grasping the complete picture of a problem, which her master carped upon often and caused her training to lengthen. She learned Form VI: Niman, as a lightsaber style, blending use of her blade with the Force in combat.

In 26 BBY, Shakvail accompanied her master on a mission to to investigate unexplained attacks by native animals in the northern section of the planet. She succeeding in tracking down and confronting a Nightsister and her pack of s in an ancient ruin. In a dangerous and deadly confrontation, Shakvail was able to utilize her Breaker Trance to find a solution that reversed the flow of battle and brought about victory. At this time she acquired the lightsaber of Decima a Jedi Knight of a much earlier era, whose silently willed the weapon to the Padawan.

Shirtly thereafter Shakvail underwent the Jedi Trials, facing many tests, including a duel with and a vision of the destruction of her species. She succeeded in mastering these difficulties and was granted the rank of Jedi Knight.

Early Jedi Career
A scholarly and investigative Jedi, Shakvail served a one-year mission on the Rachason homeworld of Radrack. She followed this with a similar mission to the Spri'lek homeworld of Nylath. After facing an Alchemical Nematode unleashed there, she received a vision of the on Denon.

Adventures on Denon
Shakvail was involved in a number of campaigns on Denon, plumbing the dangers, mysteries, peoples, and politics of that notable eucumenopolis. She served regularly along a member of the defense force and alternatively as enemy and ally of the assassin Bian. Her efforts brought her into conflict with Steel Sand a and they struggled in a complex, drawn-out series of escapes each trying to shift the destiny of Denon.

Clone Wars
When the Clone Wars broke out, Shakvail remained on Denon, serving as Jedi General and liaison to the planet's defense forces. Her assistance proved invaluable during the 1st Battle of Denon and the 2nd Battle of Denon when the planet was exposed to Separatist attacks, as well as a number of plots to weak the defenses from within. Her political groundwork allowed Denon's residents to form their own defensive army, allowing the planet to remain secure without anything beyond a symbolic presence.

Order 66 and Death
Shakvail felt her master's death during Order 66, and the loss of many other Jedi. Attempting to execute the Contingency Order Denon's tiny Clone contingent tried to seize her, but was stopped by local units. Shakvail would refuse to go into hiding, and made plans to confront the Emperor in a means of maximum value.

Legacy
Shakvail's scholarship was almost entirely lost in the destruction of the Jedi Archives during the, though copies of much of it remained in the hands of the , her interests were discouraged by the movement and would go unstudied for decades, until major revisions in sentientology became under the.

Her contributions to Denon society would prove more lasting, as the bonds and ties she helped to forge carried many on the planet through the and offered a bulwark against Imperial attempts to fracture and divide the people against each other. Though they were forced into hiding for much of that period member of the defense force and Bian did not forget her memory, and she eventually earned a significant place in Denon's history.

Ultimately, her greatest impact was undoubtedly her campaign against Steel Sand, as what might have occurred had the Sorcerer of Rhand had his way with one of the most significant planets in the galaxy can barely be guessed at, but would surely have been catastrophic for galactic society.

Powers and abilities
Shakvail was a skilled Jedi Consular, with a wide range of abilities but lacking in true mastery in any one area. She practiced Ninman lightsaber combat, integrating her average bladework with use of the Force as a weapon. She was skilled at telekinetic movements and had a highly attuned. She had some ability with but little overall control of this power. She was most adept at biological abilities such as.

As a Safol, Shakvail had the ability to enter a state known as the Breaker Trance, which focused on weaknesses in opponents or situations. In effect, this allowed her to innately utilize the ability, though she could not actively use it in the manner of Mace Windu or other Jedi Masters. The Breaker trance was not without side effects, as it overrode inhibitions and caused Shakvail to recklessly attack all foes, and it burned through reserves quickly, leaving her close to exhaustion after less than a minute.

Though not skilled in many traditional non-Force Jedi fields like piloting, Shakvail was a well-learned scientist and anthropologist, and contributed well-reviewed scholarship throughout her adult life. She had an understanding of the machinery of data storage, and a practical knowledge of academic and governmental bureaucracy, and was adept at navigating either. She spoke a number of languages, and picked up new terms rapidly with exposure.

Behind the scenes
Shakvail was created to be the protagonist of the Tales of Denon project by Mechalich, a short story project featuring that highly important, but canonically neglected planet and its inhabitants. She has presently featured in Shakvail: Beginnings a novella explaining her backstory and how she came to be a Jedi.