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Nathaniel Reed's
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:: An ongoing episodic story of fan-fic set after Episode VI Return of the Jedi, and inspired by George Lucas' historical draft concepts ::
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| December 2023 |
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Revisiting artwork animation for the Virtual Edition
31st December 2023 |
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As I prep artwork for the final - final ! - set of images for the Virtual Edition Episode VII Plague of Doom, I've had tme to revisit one of the old 'Flash animation' sequences to re-post them as an animated GIF. I'll aim to re-publish or even re-create these over the next few months, all the while creating the new artwork to close POD.
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The latest artwork for the illustrated virtual edition of Episode VII : Plague of Doom recreates the final duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Kayos in the Imperial Palace on Courscant, from the old 'flash' animation to animated GIFs....
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| You can see the VE artwork in the 'Coruscant' art gallery as well as in the online illustrated story, and you can discuss this in the forum here ! |
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| As I did with the progression of the Virtual Edition Episode X, I will post below sections of the prose for Episode XI as I draft it.... |
A proximity alarm sounded on the control board of the landspeeder, and Etoille leaned forward to tweak the accuracy reader. On the scan-scope, several blips resolved into individual marks apparently hiding amongst the foliage and boulders of the open scrubland through which they were travelling. Distant hills, nestling in the purple ozone haze, marked the territory of the Frutex clan.
“We’ve got company,” he announced. “Probably your folks, Princess,” he added.
The two Vytalli clicked and rustled in nervous excitement.
Etoille decelerated, arcing the speeder to a stop near a grove of wild nut trees. As the vehicle whined to a halt, several Vytalli lumbered into view, the lead figure being King Pynus of the Frutex clan, who had recognised the occupants. Etoille discerned that most of the other clan members were male ; all carried rifles and daggers in their tendril hands.
Pynus clicked and chittered and rustled.
“My daughter ! I am so glad to see you alive and well,” L8 translated promptly, from its holding on the front hood of the speeder.
Rosae responded with warm rustles, and stepped out of the speeder. Her three stump-legs carried her to her father, and the two embraced. Pynus looked across to the remaining occupants.
“But why is Viridis still here ?” demanded L8.
Etoille slid out of the speeder.
“Let’s say the Radex clan were not overly welcoming. I think Viridis has chosen his own path... and I suspect your daughter has too...”
“He is not welcome here,” L8 responded flatly.
Viridis clambered out of the speeder, standing proudly in front of the King of the Frutex clan.
Rosae fluttered her head petals and clicked and rustled angrily.
“I welcome him ! Father, I love him ! And he loves me.”
“This again ! Juvenile emotions !”
Rosae shuffled to Viridis’ side.
“We will not be separated !” continued the princess, her words translated by L8. “We want to bring an end to the feud between our clans !”
“The Radex cannot be trusted ! The Outlander here said as much just now !”
Viridis stepped forward and rustled his head petals and emitted internal clicks and chitters.
“This lack of trust from both clans perpetuates the animosity.”
The prince spread his tendril arms wide, gesturing at the Frutex present.
“Why do you all carry weapons ? Were you not hoping to be reunited with Rosae ?”
Pynus bellowed loudly with angry clicks and rustles. “Silence !” roared L8 in unison.
The Force whispered to Etoille and the Jedi divined the Radex prince’s intuition.
Viridis refused to be intimidated. “Sure, you were entering my clan’s pastures... but I wonder if I was not the only one you were prepared to silence ? Is a future union of our clans too frightening a prospect for you ?”
There were gasp-like rustlings from some of the Vytalli at the back of the gathering crowd ; Etoille identified them to be the few females of the clan, presumably significant members of the Frutex who had accompanied the king and his lieutenants, but had possibly been unaware of Pynus’ hidden agenda.
Pynus snapped at the women-folk.
Rosae clicked and rustled her head petals.
“You would kill your own daughter to propagate this inter-clan hatred ?! Then future seedlings are already dead !”
Pynus gestured towards his daughter. “One broken seedling can go to rot, the clan can produce many more !”
“But reproducing the same seed will only weaken the clan and spell a barren death !” the prince pointed out.
“Inter-mixing our clan seed would strengthen and flourish all the Vytalli !” cried out Rosae. “We must think globally, not singley !”
Pynus had heard enough.
“Enough of this heresy ! You are my daughter no more !” Pynus snapped an order to his armed guards. “Kill them both !”
The Vytalli beside him flicked their rifles into readiness and aimed them at the prince and princess ahead of them.
Etoille leapt forward, his green sword blade snapping into view. With a wide lunge, the Jedi deflected the salvo of killing shots harmlessly away.
Another salvo was parried by a figure-of-eight blocking twirl, and then Etoille pushed out his right palm. The rifles flew upwards into the air and clattered to the ground some distance away.
Pynus revealed a hand blaster and aimed it at Rosae. A red blast flashed out, only to be skillfully met by the green lightsabre. Etoille too a step forward, and swiped the tip of the blade across the king’s blaster, destroying the barrel in a shower of sparks. The King jerked backward, dropping the remains of the hand gun to the ground.
“Enough !” the Jedi Ranger demanded. “There will be no more bloodshed !”
He gestured back towards the prince and princess.
“Your future lies with these two. Listen to them. They speak truth and insight !”
“Yes !” called out L8.
From the back of the crowd, the female Frutex clanfolk shuffled forward.
“Our seedlings and our fruiters are weakening. We have seen this over the last few harvests, but King Pynus refuses to listen to us. We would welcome Rosae and Viridis to guide us with their new ideas.”
The king flared out his tendrils in anger and frustration.
“Betrayal ?! You will be sliced for this !” He shouted once more for his guards.
But the loyalty of the lieutenants had been tested, and confusion now reigned. They recognised the validity of what had been spoken and the Vytalli instinctively trusted the feminine insight.
One female figure shuffled forward.
“As your queen consort, I relegate you, Pynus, and elevate Rosae and Viridis as regent-wards under my protection. They will not be harmed, and we will let their union guide us.”
She turned to the lieutenants.
“Guards, escort our king back to the clan home, where we can discuss this amicably and positively.”
Etoille sensed the tension evaporate, and breathed out a sigh of relief.
But the Force tingled at his conscience once more, and he glanced away towards the distant hills.
Suddenly, flashes of light erupted in the orchards near the Frutex clan, and smoke began to appear. What appeared to be lightning flickered and flashed, yet the sky was clear of thunder clouds.
“Look !” he called out. “Your pastures are in danger !”
Everyone turned to look in the direction of their clan home.
A squawk sounded, and one of the guards took a comlink from his belt, and held it aloft. Frantic clicks emanated from it.
“Outlander bandits are plundering our silos !” announced L8.
Without waiting for instructions, Etoille leapt back into the landspeeder, and powered it up.
The Vytalli quickly shuffled back towards their own speeders hidden in the groves behind them.
The Jedi Ranger activated the ignition, and the speeder raced away towards the hills.
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| Nathaniel Reed, 31st December 2023 |
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