CONTINUED

While the party was growing into capable Jedi, I was learning everything I could about the Force, and different cultures' take on it. (The party just assumed that I had accept my role as support and was going to step out of the way and let the BIG BOYS handle the dangerous stuff. I may have helped them reach this conclusion.)

Well, after about a year in-game, the party comes across a conspiracy being led by a Sith who isn't the Emperor. Our ship is attacked by some of his minions, who are low-strength Dark Force-users. The party triumphs easily in a boarding action.

While the party is fighting, I slip off into the bowels of the other ship. I find the captain's room, and search it for clues. There, I find an almost-completed lightsaber and a heavily damaged Sith Holocron. I swiped the both of them, disabled the other ship's engines, and returned before anyone realized I had left.

TO BE CONTINUED (again)

CONTINUED

So, we're back to the ship. This ship, full of righteous do-gooders who think their shit don't stink. After a year of living with Jedi, and that casual arrogance they display because of their powers, the Holocron was a Godsend. Even in the state it was in, I managed to download a massive amount of information into several networked datapads I had hidden above a light fixture in my room. The holocron itself I launched out of an airlock so no one could find it.

I had the information I needed.

While the rest of the party chased leads, and fought incredible battles, my character was still only let off the ship to buy supplies and move cargo. (Even with the quest going on, I had argued that we needed the cargo to cover the ship's expenses) Except this time, there was no smuggling or information gathering. I would buy the supplies, and then spend the rest of the time putting into application the things I learned from the Holocron. Anatomy lessons? No one will miss that Twi'lek girl. Practicing the Force? Set up a gang war by murdering a leader of one gang and blaming it on the other. (My powers of persuasion had become...considerable.) I finished everything I needed for my lightsaber. Everything I needed to learn about lightsaber combat I learned by secretly recording the Jedi while they trained, going over the tapes, and seeing their weaknesses. (My party thought I didn't know how to use anything larger than a pistol.)

TO BE CONTINUED

CONTINUED

I should mention that no one in the party, even the original Jedi, had any inkling I was other than the mechanic/janitor. They would confront me about it IRL, asking me if I was having fun, or if I wanted to make a new character. I'd say no, that being this guy was actually a great time for me, and it was a change of pace to be a spectator to the legendary events instead of a participant.

Six more months game time go by. The Jedi, who at this point were getting stupidly powerful, had finally discovered where the leader of this conspiracy was hiding out. His goal, it seemed, was to kill the Emperor and claim the title of Sith Lord, as well a dominion over the Galaxy.

Of course, they race to stop him.

We get to the hideout of the BBEG. The party actually takes me with them, giving me a blaster cannon and a short speech about staying away from the main fighting. I accept, and tell them that even though I'm not like them, I'll try my best to make an impact.

TO BE CONTINUED