"I'm... I'm just not sure about it." The static ruffled the edges of Anesa's voice as she fastened the envirosuit. "Samy, keep the turrets up while I'm out there, alright?"

A casual salute from the gunner on the other side of the airlock viewport put Anesa more at ease. She wasn't the only one biting their tongue -- it was a bad feeling, and everyone but the captain felt it burrowing into their stomach.

The noises outside her suit evaporated with a negative rush, the fluttering of air dissipating into the cold black outside. Long steps brought her to the opened door, setting her out onto the hull of the freighter. Her feet ignored any proper sense of direction, stamping against the hull and releasing as Anesa worked the controls for the magnetic boots.

Her eyes drifted to the illuminated bulk of scrap and salvage towed behind the freighter. And her stomach dropped, forcing her to fumble the commlink button.

"Marlo! Open the rear scanners -- do you see that?" Anesa pointed past the scrap as if the pilot could see through her own eyes. Black specks dove and spun like a disturbed hive, all ahead of a roving cruiser.

The sound of frantic clicking faded with the pilot's frustrated groan, followed by the deeper, gruffer tone of a half-drunk captain. "Why in hell's name are they here?"

Welcome to the Independence Games -- to the lull between Dark Crusade phases, and the chance to step up and prove yourself against everyone else in the Brotherhood. 60+ competitions in eleven categories... pick your poison, then rock your entries!

Activity Report

Incoming and Outgoing

Magnus Khar (New), Ragnar Rothblood (New), and Arturis Schulen (Rogue) have all joined Plagueis in the past month! Welcome to the House -- I'm looking forward to seeing the impact you all have no this House.

Award Lists

Promotions

Ragnar Rothblood: Novice Shadowkind: Dark Jedi Knight Zuser Wheloc: Dark Jedi Knight Arden Karn: Sith Warrior (EQ1) Teylas Ramar: Sith Warrior (EQ1) Kuro Kogarasu: Obelisk Prelate (EQ2)

Competition Awards

Clusters of Fire Alaris Jinn di Plagia (18), Arden Karn (7), Celevon Edraven (4), Eiko (2), Furios Morega (2), Kant Lavar (2), Kuro Kogarasu (5), Nite Dawn (3), Silent (16), Solus Gar (10), Teylas Ramar (1), Tra'an Reith (1), Xenithus (10), Zuser Wheloc (4)

Pendants of Blood Furios Morega, Solus Gar, Teylas Ramar

Novae: Gold: Solus Gar (2), Alaris Jinn di Plagia, Ronovi Tavisaen, Teylas Ramar, Arden Karn, Tra'an Reith Silver: Nite Dawn (2), Eiko Bronze: Kuro Kogarasu, Eiko, Ronovi Tavisaen, Tra'an Reith

Scrolls of Foundation: Tra'an Reith, Eiko

Merit and Sacramental Awards

Dark Crosses:Vessicant, Zuser Wheloc Anteian Crosses: Celevon Edraven, Furios Morega, Nariah Jadon, Ronovi Tavisaen, Seabr'imsto'nedansr, Shadowkind, Telum vas Umbra Steel Crosses: Alaris Jinn di Plagia, Kuro Kogarasu, Nite Dawn, Silent, Solus Gar, Teylas Ramar Seals of Loyalty: Alaris Jinn di Plagia, Tra'an Reith

Shadow Academy

Classes Passed: Ragnar Rothblood (2)

Rollmaster Report

Competition Spotlight

Independence Games is live, over on the staging website -- a version of the new website that's in beta-ish testing. All the competitions are there, and need to be submitted through that new website. I know it's weird, but that's the future over there. It's slick, shiny, and blazingly fast and doesn't force you to muck around with a bunch of email addresses. Go compete!

The Summit's getting details about the next phase of Dark Crusade and still pouring over the information -- we'll start talking about what that next phase will look like as we're getting through Independence Games. Look for emails and for Tra'an's report due out towards the end of the month!

The Plagueian Path

No specific news right now. Things have been quiet.

Journeymen, do you have a Master? Do you want one? Yes? Then email me or strike up a conversation with the Equites around the House.

Equites, do you want a student? Think you have what it takes to selflessly guide another member through the club? Talk to a Journeyman. Coach them through some TOR or just hang out with them and help them with their promotion requirements.

As always, keep me in the loop about conversations like that.

Question Time

I tried something new for Ask the Summit this time, and I guess that I need to explain what I really meant to do.

Why the forums? I heard a lot of groaning about the forums -- it's out of people's normal, casual "path," requires you to log on somewhere else and type, proof, and submit your post. So, yes, it's not nearly as simple as working on the email list. I completely understand that.

While I explained that the forums would be easier for me to keep track of, let's walk through some of the reasons why it would be awesome to get just a little bit of presence on the forums moving.

So far, the one regular activity in the Plagueis forums is Tra'an's posting of the fiction. Awesome, because it's there and archived so you can reference it. Really good for our community, though? There's no conversation associated with a fiction post. People read it and then move somewhere else for comments -- so...

1.) The Plagueis forums aren't being used for back-and-forth communication right now.

Then, let's stop and think about someone who comes into the club. A lot of organizations across the internet have skipped the email list and IRC model that we've been using. It's not very normal. Both of the formats that we like to use (email and IRC) are very instant. An email lives for only a few days, and an IRC comment will only last for a few minutes until it's overlapped by new content. So...

2.) Our current communication doesn't have a long shelf life, which is fine for us, but...

Imagine you're scoping out the DB for the first time. Your buddy showed you this website, and every other online club you've been a part of has spent most of its activity on the forums. So, where do you look first for activity? The forums. And what do you see there? There's a House called Plagueis (that dude mentioned in one line by Chancellor Palpatine in that movie? Really?). And their forums are really quiet. You don't have a chance to install IRC and show up in the chat room -- that takes quite a bit of effort, actually. You won't get an invite into the Google Group until you're officially signed up. But those forums... those forums are public enough that people can scope us out based on our posting record.

3.) … the forums can be a public face for Plagueis's activity in a way that entices new members.

And so, while it's easier for me to transition Ask the Summit to the forums, it also should look pretty appealing to you. The more Plagueians we have hanging around, active and engaged in events and enjoying Star Wars fandom together, the better absolutely everything becomes.

So, next time when I post a link to the topic for May's Ask the Summit, please don't groan so much. I'm sorry that I wasn't clear on the reasoning earlier -- we'll do better next month.

The hilt of a training saber smacked against the transparisteel. On the other side, Anesa glared back, too angry to let herself think. She lept up, her forearms pressing against the smoothness.

"You have potential," the masked figure spoke as it stared at her, voice flat and distorted. Her anger wasn't reflected in the expressionless steel. "That's why you're alive. And your ship stood between our raid group and our target -- that's why your ship was taken by the Terminus. And now you're here, in my care."

Without pausing, the figured turned his attention to the crowd of robed figures massed in the corridor. "Our guest has learned something today -- something that I have been trying to teach you over and over again. Would anyone like to finish my thought here? What happens to the things that stand between Plagueis and the objective? What command have I given every one of you who has hesitated?"

"'Don't stop,'" a burly human smiled at the Overseer.

"And why?"

"We have to do whatever it takes. 'Pay the price of strength,' like you said," the apprentice continued.

The metallic voice hinted at a smile. "Someone was listening." With the lesson settling into his apprentices, he turned back to the caged engineer. A stutter in the speakers offered the hope of more words from the Overseer, but the noise cut away. Anesa heard the phantom echo in her mind as she unwillingly repeated the words again and again. Potential. The price of strength. The price of staying alive.

Closing

Arden: Maintain activity, recruit more people, and stay sharp in the ACC Eiko: Communicate effectively and frequently. Evoroth: Explore the ACC, branch outside of SWTOR. Gaius: Make a difference in the Brotherhood. Silent: Get laid. Solus: Supporting the Summit. Telum: Rewritten history and purpose. Tra'an: Present fascinating fiction, create a supportive environment, and expanding and embracing open communication. Vessicant: Challenge every Journeyman in the ACC for training Xathia: Help people get into ACC, continue preexisting awesomeness.

How're you doing on those resolutions, guys?