Garik Maj-Han

"Absolute power, in anyone's hands and regardless of their intention, is never a good thing."

-Teachings of the Followers of Palawa about Force-users

Garik Maj-Han, or simply Garik or Maj-Han, was a Follower of Palawa and Grand Master of Teras Kasi who worked for the Galactic Republic Security Bureau as a special investigator and undercover agent. The secret of longevity passed down to him has allowed him to live well beyond the means of any normal human even though its believed that he is not entirely human.

Early Life
Garik Maj-Han was born on Carratos, a haven planet for outlaws and other outcasts. It was there his parents met for the first time; his father, Meric, was a low level Vigo for Black Sun. His mother, Serenna, worked as a bounty hunter and assassin for the same organization. They encountered one another at a party held by Black Sun Underlord Dal Perhi and the two had what could only be described as a torrid love affair until Serenna announced she was pregnant. She soon gave birth to a son, which she named after her great grandfather, Garik.

Serenna quit working regularly as an assassin to raise Garik. Meric also took time to raise his son as well. It was commonplace for Meric to occasionally take watch of Garik while continuing in his duties as Vigo. If Garik learned anything from his father it was how to be totally ruthless. One day Garik witnessed his father calmly order a Twilek into an airlock and coldly release her into the upper atmosphere. His time spent with his mother brought different lessons. Besides being a hired gun Sarenna was also a Follower of Palawa. From her Garik learned of the corrupt nature of the Jedi and that it was his right to defend against their form of tyranny.

Garik's world changed forever when he was 10 years old. While he and his mother sat in meditation Meric arrived at their quarters drunk on lum. Without warning Meric attacked Serenna with a vibroblade. Unable to defend against the attack without harming her beloved, she chose to die rather than put up a fight. At the moment Meric drove the blade into Serenna's chest Garik tapped into the dark side for the first time and snapped his father's neck in a single movement hurling his body across the room. Before Meric's body hit the floor Garik was standing over his mother. He knelt at his mother's side holding her hand in her final moments. As she died Garik let out a loud scream, not realizing that he had sent ripples that Force-sensitives from all over the sector could feel. After he finished shedding his tears, Garik took a few items from his home and set out into Chofin.

A New Home
For many following months Garik survived on the street of the Chofin Settlement. He used one of his father's lessons to stay alive: "Protect what you have, for someone will always want what you posses." Garik eventually ran into his Aunt Lotus, a friend of his mother Serenna and Follower of Palawa, who was now the closest thing to family that the young boy had. Lotus could feel the darkness swelling inside the boy and took Garik off Carratos as quickly as she could. They ended up landing on the unknown backwater world of Kerpla, located on the edge of wild space, 40 parsecs from Endor. Kerpla is where Garik met the rest of his Aunt Lotus' sect of Palawa followers, the Gold Dragon Order. There among the many men, women and children that comprised the order he would hone his skills in Teras Kasi.

Years came and went with the sands of time and around the time of the First Galactic Civil War, Garik had grown very strong in the Teras Kasi arts, easily surpassing the mastery of most of his instructors quicker than any of them had ever seen. Before too long, Garik achieved such a high mastery of the skills taught to him, he was summoned to train with the Grand Master of the Order itself and learn secrets that not even his mother and aunt had a chance to learn. More time passed and before he knew it Garik's training was complete and he received the title of Battle Master and given the charge as the Champion of the Order. With this came the knowledge that one day Garik would become the Grand Master of the Order and see the Followers of Palawa into the unknown future. Unfortunately, Garik would never get the chance.

Sorrow turned to Vengeance
On the very day he was anointed Grand Master of the Order, the Yuuzhan Vong discovered and attacked Kerpla with the all the savagery they could bestow upon the planet. Garik defeated several hundred Yuuzhan Vong on his own but it proved to not be enough. Even though the other members of the order fought with bravery and honor, they were slain by the Vong without mercy. The only reason Garik survived the brutal attack was by putting himself in a hibernation trance that made the Warrior who checked him think him to be dead. Once the opportunity presented itself, Garik made his escape on an old VT-49 Decimator located in a deep underground hangar. As he made for the safety of hyperspace, Garik vowed to bring the all the Yuuzhan Vong to justice even if it meant killing them one by one.

During the Yuuzhan Vong War, Garik learned his world was just a stepping stone in the beginning of the invasion by the aliens from the Unknown Regions. This fact alone helped fuel the flames inside Garik. He became vicious and merciless when fighting the Yuuzhan Vong; in his mind he had to fight fire with fire. After his mission to Kuat at the end of the Yuuzhan Vong war, Garik had grown tired of fighting and his body bore the scars of many battles. Seeking solitude, Garik returned to Kerpla and sought to rebuild the former Palawa encampment.

Seclusion and Return
Over the years, Garik continued to hone the skills passed down to him by the former Grand Master and spent much time in meditation. Soon a vision of the One Sith entered his mind and Garik was ready to act but his vision also told him his time wasn't now and that this darkness had to take its course. In the year 200 ABY, Garik's vision spoke of an impending darkness and that he had to act this time. Garik decided to join the Galactic Republic and signed up with the Galactic Republic Security Bureau as a special investigator and operative. He worked in conjunction with GR Intelligence and Special Forces to find out what sort of enemies were on the prowl and stop them dead in their tracks.

The Noble Murders
"Greetings Lady Vestra, I am Garik Maj-Han of the GR Security Bureau. The KDY Board of Directors requested for me to see you when they learned I was on planet."

-Garik Maj-Han to Khari Vestra, the only surviving victim of the infamous Noble Murders.

In events that shocked and gripped the galaxy, a frightening series of grisly murders took place on various worlds throughout the galaxy. The most shocking revelation of these murders were the fact that every single victim was not only a member of a wealthy aristocratic, political or industrious family but also every single victim was female. By all accounts, over 20 victims were all brutally and savagely beaten to death by someone or something that had great physical strength and martial prowess. Some victims died quickly while others were left to exsanguinate or simply to choke to death on their own blood. Seeing as these murders occurred on various worlds throughout the galaxy, it took investigators a long time to discover the pattern and the links they all shared. Once the link was discovered, Galactic Republic Security Bureau assigned Garik Maj-Han to the case and he went in hot pursuit of the murderer.

Learning information from a shadowy figure known as Variss on Nar Shaddaa, Garik went to the planet Kuat looking for the murderer. Upon arriving, Garik was contacted by the KDY Board of Directors Chairman, Adal Kholis, who's family was a long time friend of Garik dating back to the first Yuuzhan Vong War. Kholis invited Garik to the KDY offices for a special meeting of the Board of Directors and to inform him that one of their own was recently attacked in a most brutal way. Thinking this to be the next victim, Garik asked to see the body. He was shocked to learn that this victim was still alive.

Heading to the Kuat City Medical Center, Garik went to the room of Khari Vestra, the survivor of one of the most horrendous beatings ever seen on Kuat. Upon entering the room, there was little doubt in the Investigator's mind that this victim escaped the murderer with her life intact. But one detail of the attack was something that vexed Garik, Vestra's Telbun, Taru, was present at the location of her beating and has subsequently disappeared since then. Upon learning that Garik was the investigator assigned to the case, Vestra insisted that she tag along with him to find her attacker. Not being able to dissuade her, Garik relented and allowed her to follow.

Garik took Vestra back to his ship, the Diligent, and there introduced her to his crew. Granny, his Human Replica Droid co-pilot and communications officer and the twin YVH2-series battle droids Igg and Ook, all three who have known Garik since the waining days of the first Yuuzhan Vong War. From there the trio headed to Nar Shaddaa for Garik to see Variss for more information and to pick up an item he had previously purchased. After applying a little leverage to loosen Variss' cryptic tongue, Garik went to the lower levels of Nar Shaddaa to pick up the sub-space sensor booster that Variss acquired for him. While Igg and Ook loaded the sensor booster, Garik and Vestra were targeted by an unknown being on the landing pad. After entering into brief combat with the unknown being, Vestra got off two lucky shots that dropped their assailant and sent him plummeting into the lower levels of Nar Shaddaa. However, the attacker, before falling to its fate, dropped an item that made Garik and Vestra question the identity of their attacker. The item dropped was a Yuuzhan Vong coufee, the weapon of choice for when a Yuuzhan Vong wants to get up close and personal.

While discussing the identity of their attacker, Vestra received a call from an unexpected person, her Telbun Taru. Making out the best translation from the garbled transmission, Garik learned of an explosion at the Elite Hotel and that 'Khari Vestra' was one supposedly there at the time. He immediately pointed the Diligent in the direction of Coruscant to rush there in hopes of catching the murderer. Upon reaching Coruscant, Garik was summoned by his superior, Director Venessi, at the GRSB office to come in and report, something he had failed to do for some weeks. After giving his report, Director Venessi informed him that 'Khari Vestra' was at Coruscant General Medcenter in Westport. Issuing an order to have the medcenter placed on lockdown, Garik called Happy, a GR Commando, who assembled his team and left with Garik and Vestra for the medcenter.

At Coruscant General, Garik was directed to the room of 'Khari Vestra'. After deploying the twins and Saber Squad, Garik, Granny and the real Khari Vestra, disguised as a T'Suur via a holoshroud, made their way to the room under the guise of investigators wishing to get a thorough statement. Being informed by Igg that there was a Yuuzhan Vong life form nearby, Garik entered the medical suite and found 'Khari Vastra' sitting on her bed with a rather unamused look on her face. Playing along for as long as possible, Garik finally told Khari Vestra to deactivate her holoshroud, an act that caught the impostor off her guard. The Impostor of Khari Vestra attacked the real Khari Vestra with blinding speed, proof positive that this wasn't a human they were dealing with. After getting the impostor to turn her attention to him, Garik punched 'Khari Vestra' in the face, more precisely the bridge of the nose. Knowing that if this was a Yuuzhan Vong, they were more than likely wearing an ooglith masquer and that the release for the biot was located on the bridge of the nose. As thought, the masquer slithered off the impostors face to reveal the Yuuzhan Vong Intendant Lotva Shai.

After sending both Granny and Vestra out of the room, Garik and Lotva Shai entered into unarmed combat which went for several rounds back and forth. In the process, both Garik and Lotva Shai were injured in the fight, both receiving stab wounds. Garik new his injury, while not fatal, was causing him to lose a lot of blood fast. He needed to finish this fight fast if he wished to survive this encounter. Using the Teras Kasi arts that he had honed, Garik used his inner strength and will to produce a Raging Storm, a Teras Kasi ability similar to that of a Jedi's Force Repulse. The following shockwave of energy cause significant damage to the room but more importantly sent Lotva Shai flying out of the 134th floor window of the Medcenter. Believing to have killed Lotva Shai, Garik received medical attention from the responding medical droids. Vestra was so happy to have the ordeal over with and was so grateful for his actions, she paid the bill for the destruction to the medical suite caused by Garik.

Personality and traits
"Do not confuse me with the baby snatchers, I am a Follower of Palawa."

-Garik Maj-Han to Lotva Shai upon being asked if he was a Jedi.

Even as a child, Garik harbored a very serious but playful attitude towards those who proved to be trustworthy. He didn't play games as a child other than games that honed his early teachings in the Teras Kasi arts. His strong sense of right and wrong, indoctrinated by both parents in their own ways, proved Garik to be steadfast is his approach of things. Not too impulsive but not too held back, his overall perception of things proved to be a great ally to him. Even after the death of his parents and the training in Teras Kasi he learned, Garik stayed reserved but headstrong when it came to fighting.

After the destruction of Palawa encampment and the death of his Order, Garik obtained athumb|250px|right|Garik's theme song, Indestructible by Disturbed hatred for Yuuzhan Vong that rivaled his displeasure of Force-users. This hatred led to a fiercer fighting prowess and merciless disposition when it came to Yuuzhan Vong. This also came with a quick-draw mentality when he enters a fight, making sure to draw first blood and end a fight as quickly as possible as well as on his terms.

The combined stress of his parent's deaths and the deaths of his loved ones on Kerpla have left Garik emotionally depressed, an affliction Garik cures by drinking heavily when in bouts of depressive episodes. He blames himself for not seeing things sooner and stopping them before they got bad. One of his biggest fears was that in the end all his abilities wouldn't be enough, something he believed wholeheartedly.

Powers and Abilities
Brawling: Teras Kasi Martial Arts is a rare specialization. A person must study full-time under a master of Teras Kasi for many months to acquire the first rank of Adept. Dedicated to keeping any and all Force Users from using their powers for personal gain, the Masters of Teras Kasi are formidable foes indeed.

Contort/Escape: This ability is similar to the Jedi power of the same name. Contort/Escape allows one to work there very free of bindings by twisting their bodies in often-unnatural ways. Often it is necessary to dislocate joints, or commit otherwise painful acts to escape bonds.

Blind Fighting: Practitioners of Teras Kasi have learned to use all of their senses in combat, and are thus at a great advantage in dark environments. With ease they can fight in total darkness even when completely blinded.

Ignore Pain: Teras Kasi users must be able to master their own bodies, and as such, they have learned to set aside their pain and keep fighting. This ability is the equivalent of the combined Jedi powers 'remain conscious' and 'reduce pain'. The primary difference is that the Jedi no longer feel the pain, the Teras Kasi still feels it, they are just able to ignore it and keep going.

Sense Force Use: Teras Kasi sometimes find them opposed to Jedi or other Force users. Their self-imposed duty, the hunting down of dangerous Force Users, has caused them to develop some affinity with the workings of the Force. Thus, though they are not able to use it themselves, they have learned to detect its use. This power is considered always on, like a passive sensor, and undetectable by a Force User. The character may also concentrate on a specific person they feel may be using the Force. Different Force users also feel slightly different to a trained Teras Kasi, almost as though they each have a different taste. As one grows more familiar with a specific user, they can begin to recognize his exact flavor. Just because a Teras Kasi recognizes a particular Jedi's Force, does not mean they would be able to immediately pick that Jedi out of a crowd. Until they see him, and feel him use the Force simultaneously, they may never actually associate the user and power together. Masters of Teras Kasi have followed specific Force users for years without ever knowing what they look like. They simply follow the power use; unfortunately, by the time they arrive at the scene the Force user is long gone. This power is often used together with detect Force user. If you can tell that an individual is a Force user, and you know that a strong power was used in the area, it is likely, though by no means guaranteed, that is the individual who used it.

Concentrating on the Force User: Excessive Force use in the area by other users can muddle a trail. By focusing one specific presence, they can track a single Force User. Some Masters are rumored to be able to sense Force use in other systems, this is not confirmed however.

Detect Force User: The Masters of Teras Kasi have also developed the skill of noting the subtle differences that differentiate a Force user from others. By applying this skill, it is often possible to tell, just by looking, whether an individual is a user of the Force, and their approximate power level. The more advanced the target, the more clearly the signs show. These can be just physical looks, as well as how they move. A good deal of this ability, however, is just an unidentifiable instinct. A skilled Teras Kasi can sometimes even detect which path the Force User Follows.

Resist The Force: This is one of the most difficult of the Teras Kasi powers. It is rarely used, but when needed, can be extremely handy. The Masters of Teras Kasi have managed to come up with a way to actually push the Force from them, effectively rendering themselves invisible, and untouchable, to the Force. This can be useful in eluding detection or evading attacks. Extremely powerful Teras Kasi can also push the Force from those in contact with them, but only a master would normally attempt this.

Meditate: Meditation is a skill taught to all Teras Kasi students. Before they can advance into the more complex arts, they must be able to enter a calm state, no matter what the circumstances. One in a meditative trance gains the benefits of sleep, without loosing complete track of the surrounding world. In addition, while in the trance they may make use of any other of the Teras Kasi abilities. This includes all sense, defense, and even escape skills. These benefits are only reached however, when one is in full meditation. Meditation does eliminate the need for sleep. The dreams that come in a true deep sleep are still essential to allow the mind to sort itself out. The need, however, can be greatly reduced, allowing one to get by on only an hour or two of true sleep daily, or even less for the truly skilled.

Hibernation Trance: Building on the meditation skill, hibernation trance goes one step further. The character is no longer aware of their surroundings. They become so relaxed, that their body becomes almost catatonic- only an intensive scrutiny will detect any life signs. In this state, the body uses far less air, and requires far less food and water. It is possible to go over a week before truly requiring water. Unlike simple meditation, one in a hibernation trance is completely oblivious to what is going on around them. Unless they take an actual wound it is unlikely they will wake up, even then it will take several minutes before full awareness is achieved. When one goes into the trance, they decide how long they will stay under.

Pinpoint Energy Centers: The master uses the energy centers of an opponents or allies body to create any of several possible effects, depending on the combination or strength of the attack. Anything from slight nausea, intense relaxation, or even instant death can be caused.

Burning Fingers: Similar to the Jedi's Force weapon skill, by channeling energy into the hand and fingers, it allows a Teras Kasi to strike and do more damage with one's hands than their appearance would suggest. Using one's will to fan the flames, a Teras Kasi practitioner hands appear to be 'on fire' when using the skill and have been even rumored to be able to grab a lightsaber blade when used to full capacity by a master.

Blazing Fury: With the use of this skill, user would tap into his/her innermost will and turn things such as fear and pain into useful means by converting them into their own intense focused will. The user could then channel their new will to increase his or her own speed, strength, and ferocity during an attack.

Teras Kasi Needle usage: An ancient and almost forgotten art, Teras Kasi Needle usage involves placing needles in various pressure points and energy centers to derive results varying from temporary paralysis to instant death. The art was almost lost due to two reasons; practitioners preferred to use simple strikes as opposed to needles due to the quicker reaction time and that striking various other pressure points could reverse the effects of striking at pressure points as apposed to piercing them with a needle.

Primal Strength: Teras Kasi practitioners have learned how to tap into the hysterical strength within the body. This can give them a tremendous boost of power, but can also do great damage if over used. To use Primal Strength, one is pulling energy from their bodies' reserves, and if completely drained the practitioner will be extremely weak, and may pass out. There is also a small chance that constant use could be too much of a shock for the heart, and induce a heart attack.

Detect Weakness: 'The Masters of Teras Kasi have made a study of the bodies' weaknesses. This allows them to zero in on sensitive areas, and exploit them. Armor and personal force shielding may counteract this in the physical sense, though the Master may still take advantage of his/her opponent's mental and emotional state.

Wind Slice: 'An effective tool for keeping enemies at a distance, the Wind Slice was the ability to create a telekinetic impulse of concussive pressurized air. Teras Kasi practitioners normally use this in conjunction with fist/palm strikes to increase damage but could use it at close range like a Jedi Force push without making contact.

Raging Storm: One of the most powerful skills learned by a Teras Kasi Warrior and is similar to that of a Force-user's Force wave. It was essentially a wave of pure will energy that pulsed out from the practitioner that utilized it, which knocked back anything within the power's blast radius. The strength of Force Wave was extremely potent, and its raw power was on more than one occasion described as a telekinetic explosion. The power took on appearances varying from practitioner to practitioner, anything from blue to red waves of static like energy depending on the inner disposition of the practitioner, and could push multiple opponents at once.

Longevity: Although not an actual Teras Kasi power, this ability is a vital component of the Teras Kasi training. Unlike other Teras Kasi abilities, no hard and fast rules govern this ability. The standard Epicanthix lives 150 years, while a Teras Kasi Master may live up to 300 years or more regardless of his/her species.

Eyes of the Dragon: Eyes of the dragon is a skill that only few Masters of Teras Kasi have learned. The use of this skill requires one to use his/her more darker energies within. The skill is the most advanced form of combative foresight, allowing one to see incoming attacks much easier than a normal Jedi's trait along the same principal. This makes a Teras Kasi Master seem faster than any Jedi beyond any means.

Weapons and Equipment
While Teras Kasi is a unarmed combat form, Garik Maj-Han incorporated weapons into his fighting when needed. He carried with him a vibro-katana made of cortosis, an ore that shorts out lightsabers temporarily upon contact with the blade. Although he rarely used the weapon itself, he found its mere appearance acted as an ample enough deterrent.

Garik also carried with him several throwing knives made of the same ore, which he kept concealed in the sleeves and folds of his robes. More often than not he'd use these during combat in stead of his vibro-katana because of their portable nature and ease of concealment.

Writing Garik
"It doesn't matter what style or form he's in, Garik will always be my one true bad ass."

-Bubba explaining his key creation, Garik/Ire.

Bubba, the demented Fanboy who brought you MCD, created Garik Maj-Han as his first character in text-based RP. Although not originally named Garik, he has become one of the staples of Bubba's writing. Garik originally started out as the Sith Lord Darth Ire, a ruthless and heartless man who did anything and everything to further his own means. Writing Garik proposed several challenges for Bubba initially, he had become so accustomed to portraying an evil Sith Lord for so long that it was hard to play such the little goodie two shoes (by comparison) that Garik was. Going from bad to good was difficult but ultimately where Garik needed to go.

World of Star Wars Yahoo
Garik Maj-Han was originally created as Darth Ire on the WoSWYahoo site three years ago. Crafted as the Master of Darth Acheron, Ire shared the look of MCD in his original incarnation in hopes to do something frighteningly new with a Sith. After events such as waring with his former apprentice to killing his former apprentice to single-handedly destroying the Jedi Enclave Dantooine, Ire was sent to turn a powerful Jedi to the dark side and was in turn redeemed and fell to the lightside. Becoming an instrument of light and vowing he would atone for his many years of darkness he brought upon the galaxy, Ire ceased to exist and only Garik remained.

It was during this period Garik litterally fought for the hand of Lorana Collet, the young and attractive daughter of a Sith Lord who's ruthlessness was rivaled by Ire's. Originally meeting her during the Bandomeer Incident, Garik after turning to the light side tried to keep his feelings for Lorana a secret and burried deep within him. He knew she was spoken for by another man, a Jedi named Augustus 'Gus' Starwarrior, and knew that his feelings would have to stay what they were. After her fiancee left with no warning and no word, Lorana sought comfort in Garik's arms. The two grew closer and love brewed between them, however Gus would soon return and things would be thrown for a tailspin for everyone.

Lorana left with Gus but eventually found her but found her way back Garik. Gus upon learning of how close Garik and Lorana had gotten became enraged and sought revenge on the one-time Sith for breaking up his family. On the snowy ground of Telos IV, Garik and Gus settled their differences in a fight to end all fights. Emerging victorious, Garik and Lorana went on to marry and restart the Galactic Empire under a new reign of true peace and prosperity.

After Lorana was kidnapped by 'the Organization', Garik went on a rampage looking for her. In this time he was feeding too much off the dark side and was coming dangerously close to falling back to it.