- 27 BBY-
- Planet Gree -
The Gree mark their foreheads with hieroglyphic tattoos to signify caste and rank. Initially, their society was divided into four roughly equal castes.
Crafters who were responsible for producing devices. This caste declined and vanished in later eras.
Researchers who developed new technologies. However, this caste also disappeared over time.
Then there are the Operators. They are tasked with operating technology by "playing" the machines; Interestingly, they eventually became the dominant caste.
Finally, the Administrators. They manage governance and administrative duties.
The Gree lack a warrior caste, having relied on droids for defence. Within each caste, subgroups or guilds specialise in various functions, such as construction, synthesis, and text mastery. As their technology reached its peak, the Operator caste rose to dominance. In contrast, the Crafter and Researcher castes declined due to a combination of societal decline and the loss of specialised knowledge in bioengineering.
By now, most of the general Gree population has become apathetic and near mindless, performing only basic tasks to earn food and shelter. A few serve as Operators, but most act as low-skilled labourers attached to masters or work under Gree traders. Traders hold a slightly higher social status due to their role in external commerce, despite being looked down upon by their masters. The highest ranks in Gree society consist of Grandmasters, who are renowned experts in their fields, Guildmasters, who are leaders of local guilds and Masters, who are respected individuals operating critical technology and hold guild council seats. Masters jealously guard their knowledge, which led to the loss of many secrets.
Below, the masters are senior assistants—apprentices waiting for master positions—and students, who performed menial tasks and rarely advanced beyond assisting roles. Gree worlds are governed by local guild councils composed of masters, who answer to a grand council and ultimately to the grandmaster council on the Gree homeworld. Guild councils regulate their respective caste subgroups and control the limited seats for new masters.
.
The trader's vessel lands on the turf owned by the guild on the planet Gree, the homeworld of the Gree Enclave. It is one of the more prominent ones of the planet, and the Guildmaster enjoys a high position among the Guild Council. He has connections to the Grand Council, which is located just next to the Guild Council on Gree.
The door opens, and from it the trader exits, still holding onto the device the stranger had given him hours earlier. The hooded figure of the stranger follows him at a slow pace due to Greek biology. They enter the building and pass the two guard droids, who check for intruders. The Grees are a strange race, and it is amusing to see that they haven't been taken over yet. Their technology would serve a useful purpose, but there is basically no real crime in the Enclave. Not because it's not possible, but because it would be fruitless to do so. Why would you establish a foothold on a planet that doesn't have anything to give you? The technology is so closely guarded by the Operators that it would need a forceful invasion to take it from them... or would it?
The trader leads the hooded man to the Guild Council's chambers, and they enter straight away. Several other Masters are waiting for their arrival and eye the piece of technology with interest and greed.
""Vertex arrival confirmed, Guildvertex. Technology construct secured within parallel. Spiral outcome resonates positive—performance rated high. Does the current form reflect favor?"" the trader asks.
""Affirmed, Drom-kukru'k. Performance meets expected shift. Advance device-form to council vertex for full spectral inspection."
The Guildmaster praises the trader for his efforts and tells him to bring the device forward so that they can inspect it. But the hooded figure stops the trader from going forward.
"Now, now. Let us not forget that despite its heritage, this piece of technology belongs to me, dear Gree Council Members. And as the owner of this technology, I would like for us to establish our new 'relationship' as it were."
""Define your tangent, non-native vertex. To spiral into Guild parallel, you must align your form halfway—reciprocal tangent required for true connection,"" the Guildmaster says.
"What I require is rather simple. I wish for your guild to perform a series of tasks for me, just for today. If everything works out as planned, you will enjoy more political and technological power than you could have imagined. Your station would improve so drastically that the Grand Council might welcome you with open arms," the stranger replies.
""Spiral accepted. By what vertex shall we define your form, non-native tangent?""
The stranger removes his hood, revealing the head of a Zabrak. The face is marked, and his eyes shine with power that the Gree's don't understand. In a deep voice, the stranger finally introduces himself.
"I am Maul, and here's what I need you to do."
.
- Asation -
A T-6 shuttle exits hyperspace and flies to the spaceport located on Asation, the major port world of the Gree Enclave. Travel around the Gree Enclave started on this world. Visitors to the Enclave were required to leave their ships on Asation and book passage on the Baran for transport to other planets. The Jedi land their shuttle and get out, walking to a Gree, waiting for new ships to arrive.
"Greetings, my name is Jedi Master Ashka Boda, and these are my fellow Jedi Masters Jabidus Inspra and Jedi Master Yarael Poof. We are here to book passage on the Rokak'k Baran."
""Baran vertex ETA three clicks. Cost quantified: ten Gree Coins per parallel,"" the Gree says.
"What did he say?" Inspra asks.
"He said it would take three clicks for the Baran to arrive. And that we would have to pay 10 Gree Coins each," Ashka Boda tells them.
"And how much would that be in Republic Credits?" Poof asks.
"There is no equivalent. They don't accept Republic Credits here. But don't worry, I have it covered."
After waiting the required amount of time, they finally see the ancient and immense starship Rokak'k Baran. The product of Gree technology, which is now long lost, is disk-shaped and measures approximately five kilometres or three miles in diameter. It is the only means of travel between the worlds of the Gree Enclave and requires a crew of 5'000 Gree to operate. The Baran, as the vessel is actually called, is commanded by Rokak'k, considered to be one of the most influential masters of his time, and he dedicated himself to ensuring that the Baran maintained its schedule as it travelled around its circuit.
The three Jedi board the Baran, and as they do, they are allowed an audience with Commander Rokak'k.
"Commander Rokak'k, it is an honour for us to meet you. I am Jedi Master Ashka Boda, and these are my fellow Jedi Masters Jabidus Inspra and Jedi Master Yarael Poof. We are here to inquire about a man who would surely have boarded the Baran some time ago. His name is Count Dooku of House Serrenno. Would you happen to know anything about that?" Ashka Boda asks.
""No vertex by that designation pulses within the Enclave-form. Your search spirals void. Entire Guildparallel now immersed in fresh construct—gifted tech-form demands all spectrums of focus.""
"Would you mind translating that, Master Boda?"
"He hasn't seen Dooku, but apparently, there is some new piece of technology that has all of the Gree fixated on it. But the Commander doesn't know where it came from," Boda translates.
"And it appeared from nowhere?" Poof asks.
"Indeed," Boda says.
"Dooku."
"I agree. He has given them something they desire, and they will get what he wants in turn. Commander Rokak'k, may I ask whether we could have an audience with the Grandmaster Council?" Poof asks.
""Tangent confirmed. Communication spiral permitted for brief cycle. Align your signals accordingly,"" the Commander says and moves away.
"He said he would ask."
"So what is there to know about the Gree?" Master Inspra asks.
"They are an ancient race. Their fixation on old Gree technology is what caused them to reach this decline. But they are not defenceless. Their society is a sad sight to behold. Poverty and neglect all around, but they don't seem to care all that much themselves. It's just the way it is. If Dooku managed to excite them to this degree, then we might be facing a more serious threat than we imagined," Boda says.
"Master Boda is correct. There is a reason why the Gree haven't been conquered or have fully died out. They aren't without resources, but their mentality is very much unlike anything we would encounter in the galaxy. I feel there is more at stake," Master Poof says pensively.
A few minutes later, the Commander returns.
""Grand Vertex Council initiates meeting spiral—courtesy to your Order-form. Arrival shall occur at Gree tempo; time-shift is ours to define.""
"He said that the Grandmaster Council has agreed to meet us," Master Boda translates.
"And how long until we reach Gree?" Master Inspra asks.
"Well... he said we will get there, when we get there."
"How wise of him," Master Poof says and smiles lightly.
.
The Grandmaster Council was in a state of excitement. The top league of the Gree Enclave's political body were looking at the technological box that was delivered by one of their members. The Operators were very eager to get this unknown, but definitely ancient Greek device, into their hands. They were discussing what to do with them, and it passed through their tentacles.
After a few hours of discussion, the Jedi are announced. The door opens and the three Jedi enter the room, looking at each of the Grandmasters and then at the 'mystical' box in their midst.
"Greetings, esteemed Grandmaster Council. We, as representatives of the Jedi Order, would like to express our gratitude at being welcomed here amongst you. We know you're very busy, so we'll keep this brief. The Republic and the Jedi Order would like to inquire whether Count Dooku of House Serrenno had visited the Gree Enclave and what his intentions were."
The Gree Grandmasters look at one another and then at the Jedi.
""Your tangent spirals without anchor. No such vertex has intersected Enclave-form. If presence occurred, it eludes all recorded parallels. Data: null.""
"They say that they don't know Count Dooku and that he hasn't been here," Master Boda translates again.
"Impossible. We have received reports telling us about that. How could that be the case?" Master Inspra asks.
"I don't know. Do you think..." Master Boda says to his brethren and hints at the possibility of them lying, without saying it in the Gree's presence.
"No, I feel they are telling the truth. Then there is but one solution," Master Poof says and looks at the device.
"The technology? Do you think there's something that controls their minds?"
"It might be the case. I am getting a bad feeling from that strange-looking box. I have an idea," Master Poof says. "Esteemed Grandmaster Council, we thank you for your time and will take our leave now."
After saying that, Master Boda and Inspra want to walk out, but see Master Poof move forward towards the box and take it into his hands. He doesn't say anything and just walks out. But what's more surprising is that none of the Gree say anything. The Jedi leave the chamber and walk out of the building.
"Your illusions are truly powerful, Master Poof. But was that wise?"
"It is the only chance for us to find out whether or not Count Dooku was here, and if he isn't, then who would initiate such a thing?" Master Poof says.
The three start to look at the strange box and check it for means to open. Master Boda has some experience with the Gree language, but he and almost every other man and women in the galaxy knows almost nothing, if anything, about their history and technology. After they have checked it from all sides, Master Poof takes it into his hand and uses the Force to feel what the box should do. And indeed, suddenly...
*PFFFFFFFTTTT*
Small needles appear from different sides of the box, releasing colourless gas into the air. The three Jedi Masters immediately start to use the Force to detoxify the potential poison they had inhaled. Master Poof looks at his palm and sees the tiny hole one of the needles punctured. He narrows his eyes and looks at his colleagues.
"I believe we have just prevented something from happening, my friends. This attack of whatever it was wasn't meant to target us, but the Gree Grandmaster Council. Do you understand the implications?"
"A takeover? Could this be the darkness that you have been feeling for the past years? The one that also concerns the Grandmaster?"
"It is possible. I will have to check it out. I feel a connection suddenly. The Force is guiding me to the place of origin of this mysterious box. We shall split up. Master Boda and Master Inspra, I want you two to address the Council again. Also notify our brothers who remained on the Rokak'k Baran," Master Poof says.
"Should we notify the Jedi Council?"
"I'm unsure at this time."
"We shall see. If things continue the way they are, I will notify the Jedi Council about our findings. I believe there is much more going on than meets the eye."