Two guards fell to the ground, their bodies crackling with electricity as the dark figure of Lord Starkiller strode before them. A howl echoed as a winged hound shot towards him. The Dark Lord merely raised his hand, crushing the beast into submission. Several guards joined their fallen comrades soon after, all wounded or killed by the vicious onslaught of Force energy.
A pair of large, stone gates closed in front of him. The guards puffed as they tried to lock the doors as quickly as possible.
"That'll hold him. No mage has ever been able to breach these defenses!" one guard taunted.
"I am no mage," Starkiller replied, extending his hands and, bending the rock to his will, tore the massive gates from their moorings, and cast them aside as easily as one might pick up a piece of paper.
As he stalked through the battered threshold, he continued onwards, leaving a trail of blood and bodies in his wake.
He looked up briefly to the roof, and sensed his apprentice in position.
Smiling, the Dark Lord built up a sphere of energy, and knocked on the front doors with a mighty Force Push.
Having never seen her master in true combat before, Voidicta was shocked at just how easily he had overwhelmed the manor's guards. To think that one man could hold such power, that she now bore such power. There would be few mages that could stand against the Force, if any.
Bending downwards from the roof, the apprentice rapped a nearby window. Seeing that no guards approached, she held her hand against it, and pushed out through the Force. The brittle glass stood no chance against the might of her power, and crumbled onto the floor.
Voidicta slid through the window, making no more noise than a shadow. Quietly moving around the vacant halls, the noble searched for her target. Sensing the maid nearby and distressed, she picked up her pace, running around the corner into a group of guards.
She froze, staring at the guards. She had been caught. Her hand nervously went to her weapon, as the guards raised theirs.
"You're in my way," she coldly stated, remembering that she was not a simple mage, and, therefore, had no reason to be intimidated by such lowly men.
A guard, summoning his courage, charged forward with his spear. Voidicta waved her hand lazily, throwing the man into the wall and incapacitating him.
Most of the remaining guards fled, even as backup arrived. The Dark Lady merely knocked them into walls, columns, pottery, each other, whatever was most convenient for her. Soon, a trail of bodies lined the halls as Voidicta continued her search for Siesta.
Descending to the first floor, the apprentice sensed another presence in the home. Someone else was here.
As she turned, a burst of wind smashed into her chest, propelling Voidicta into a stone wall.
Mott, upon hearing the ruckus, shot to his foyer, accompanied by a loyal advisor.
"What? They breached the gates? Has Reconquista arrived to kill me?" the count asked.
The advisor, a heavyset man with a long dark beard, shook his head.
"I don't think it's them. Reports say that it's one man."
The count's eyes bulged in disbelief.
"O-one man can decimate my entire force? Are you sure it's not a summoned demon?"
"I'm no demon," a voice corrected, "Merely a Lord of the Force."
Mott stared at the source of this voice: a man garbed in a dark cloak, standing at the base of his hall, a trail of splintered doorways and bodies marked his path. So many guards, such strong barriers, all shattered like glass.
But none of the carnage mattered to Mott. This man had broken into his home, and it was but one man. He would learn the fury of an angry noble.
Yet, the count was not a complete moron; this man was able to do what no mere army could accomplish. He was strong, that was certain.
"Julian, offer our unexpected guest a drink, and use the good wine," he ordered his servant.
"S-sir?" the man stuttered, as the count nodded in response.
"I do not believe we have been properly introduced," the count began, leading Starkiller to a smoking room just off the main foyer.
"You're Count Mott. I requested an audience with you the other night and was turned away. Now, I, Lord Starkiller, have come to claim a servant: the maid Siesta," the Dark Lord replied dismissively.
Annoyed, but concealing it well, Mott opened the wine bottle Julian had brought up, and poured a glass for the stranger. Starkiller looked suspiciously at the goblet, before smiling.
Fine, he thought, I'll play your game.
Voidicta coughed. If she hadn't been through her brutal training, that blow would have cost her at least two ribs and a fractured collarbone.
But, thanks to Starkiller, she was much tougher than that.
"You…" she growled, peeling herself from the wall, unscathed by the spell, staring at her opponent with intense hatred.
"Will pay… for that…" she breathed, raising her hand, sending a massive shockwave through the hall, sending the mage through a nearby window.
The entire manor shook from her blast, and, for a moment, the Lady of the Force thought she had ripped the entire building from its foundation. After a minute of it not collapsing, Voidicta breathed a sigh of relief, and continued onwards.
"The terms are simple," Starkiller explained, having finished off the wine offered to him.
"You willingly surrender the maid to my command, or I bury you and your entire estate. Either way, the girl is leaving with me. The question is how injured you will be."
Mott smiled calmly. His guest had taken the bait, it was only a matter of time…
"Why don't we see if we can reach some kind of agreement. After all, I have some friends that could use some help taking care of some… problems. You look like the kind of man to take care of these problems.
"No," Starkiller replied, "I have no interest in your petty politics. You surrender the girl to me, or I will show you the full strength of my fury!"
Mott continued to smile calmly, like this man's threats were of no concern to him.
Voidicta tried a door. It was locked. No problem, though, as she simply pushed against it, shattering the barrier and walking into a room of cowering servants.
The first thing the apprentice noticed was that all of the workers were women. Had Mott assembled his own harem? Her nose twisted in disgust at such an abuse of status. She stomped into the room, scaring the girls.
"Where is the maid Siesta?" she coldly demanded, turning her heated gaze towards a blonde who couldn't have been more than twenty. Come to think of it, none here looked to be over twenty-five.
"I-I am, miss," a maid answered, wearing a red dress that accentuated her curves. The plunging neckline exposed a large portion of her breasts.
It was Siesta, all right.
"Come with me. My master has ordered me to retrieve you," she explained, glancing down the hallway. More guards were arriving.
"And eliminate anyone in my way," Voidicta added, drawing her short sword.
The maid timidly approached the Lady of the Force, shooting a confused look.
"Wh-who are you?" she stuttered, as the apprentice looked at Siesta with a disdainful look.
"I am Lady Voidicta, a Lord of the Force," she introduced, as she made contact with the first guard, killing him with little effort.
Voidicta grimaced. She hadn't meant to kill that man, but she had little choice, and even less time to think, as more soldiers began to pour into the halls.
She had stirred up the ant colony.
Glancing back at the other maids, she pointed towards a nearby exit.
"Get out of here, all of you! There's a good chance that the whole place is going to collapse!"
"I see that you've been stalling as much as I have," Starkiller remarked, standing up to a now-frightened Mott.
"W-what? How could you have resisted the poison! That would have knocked out an entire party!" he shouted, casting aside the now-empty bottle.
The Dark Lord merely laughed in response: a cold, mirthless laugh.
"You really thought that mild toxin would work? Next time, you should dilute it in a much stronger-tasting drink that mimics the flavor to better hide it. I could recommend a few compounds that would make taking out a Force-sensitive much easier."
The count was incredulous, and drew his wand. Even if the toxin hadn't knocked him out, the effects would have slowed down his reaction times enough to make him a much easier opponent.
"You should know, you are facing against Mott the Torrent!" the count replied, and, with a wave of his wand, turned a nearby glass of water into an icicle spear and hurtled it towards Starkiller.
In response, a shockwave broke out of the Lord of the Force, throwing the noble through the wall into the main foyer.
"No second chances!" Starkiller called out, throwing himself towards the count. He let out a bellow that seemed to echo everywhere.
This wasn't just some fallen noble. Even when handicapped, this monster fought with inhuman ferocity.
This was a demonic Elf!
The entire manor shook as Voidicta and Siesta ran down the halls, the apprentice using her Force abilities to throw away whatever was in her way. What didn't respond to her Force Push, she shredded with her sword. Soon, the halls flowed with blood as her blade gleamed maliciously in the torchlight.
"Looks like my master's negotiations have gone about as well as I could expect," she noted disappointedly.
"Y-your master?" she asked, as they entered the main hall.
"Yes, Lord Starkiller. I bet he's-" Voidicta began, as she saw the fight breaking out below them.
"Wait, did you say Starkiller?" Siesta began, but Voidicta didn't hear her. She was too engrossed in the fight.
Starkiller practically danced against the flurry of Ice magic that Mott threw. Even icing the floor to reduce traction did nothing to slow down her master. His blade danced, Delflinger parrying every attack thrown at him like it was nothing.
His fingers curled as a blast of lightning erupted, throwing Mott against the far wall. His hands compressed the air, throwing a powerful blast of Force energy.
But Mott avoided this, as the energy disintegrated one of the supporting pillars. The roof shuddered in response.
Starkiller lifted his other hand, stopping Mott in the air. He hung there, like a limp fish, grasping at his throat, before suddenly flying through the roof above.
This was the first time that she had seen her master really fight. And he was beating Mott like he was nothing.
But something was wrong. Her master stumbled as the fight dragged on. Droplets of rain began to fall through the damaged ceiling. Mott smiled, as he began drawing on the rain to form a torrent of water, smashing Starkiller against the wall, trapping him in a bubble of water.
Voidicta prepared to jump down and protect her master, when she noticed that a bubble of air was forming around him.
Without warning the water exploded outward, violently, soaking the room and leaving a sizable crater in the floor.
Starkiller charged forward, his blade ready to deal the killing blow, when he stumbled and fell to the ground, the wet floor freezing him in place. Mott had immobilized her master.
"You're a fool for challenging a noble, and all for one pathetic maid?" he gloated, stepping towards Starkiller.
As he approached, the ice before him exploded, blocking his advance. As the dust cleared, Voidicta stepped out, her bloody sword glittering with its latest kill.
"Like Hell you're going to touch my master!" she spat, throwing Mott back with a mighty Push.
"So, you're the accomplice. You don't look like much of a threat," the count cockily replied, as Voidicta merely smirked.
"My ally is the Force. It is a magic your feeble mind could never understand!" she shot back, as a surge of water blasted towards her.
Voidicta calmed herself, feeling the Force within the water, and reached out, dominating the magical energy and making it her own.
She weaved her arms, as the water flowed around her body, caressing her skin like another layer of clothes.
Mott gaped in awe, as Voidicta opened her eyes, smiling beneath her watery shield.
"I call it Force Armor. I can command any magic you throw at me, and turn it back against you!" Her dark smile widened. "You can't use magic, so what's your next move, Mott?"
In response, the count charged at her. Voidicta decided that she tired of this aquatic suit, and returned it to send, blasting Mott away with a torrent of his own Water magic.
The count grumbled as he stood, taking out another column. Surprisingly, the roof hadn't collapsed. Yet.
He looked at the frozen form of Starkiller, and had an idea.
Raising his wand, Mott once again rallied his water to strike this intruder. Predictably, Voidicta enveloped herself in the magic. Perfect.
Voidicta smirked.
"Really? Trying that again? You really are pathetic for a noble," she replied, charging forward.
At least, she would have, if her feet hadn't frozen to the ground. The apprentice looked down in shock, as the water began to freeze around her.
"I shouldn't be surprised. Despite your armor, it is still water, which I can freeze and imprison you both," the count laughed, stepping forward.
"Voidicta, Starkiller. Both pathetic names. You should have known better than challenging me!" he taunted.
This was it; their first mission, and she failed. At least she didn't have to see her master's disappointment about this. She would be at one with the Force soon enough.
She closed her eyes, accepting her fate. Suddenly, a sound the Lady had never heard before echoed in the halls, replacing Mott's laughing with a gasp, followed by something hitting the floor.
Voidicta opened her eyes, to see the count collapsed on the ground, a charred hole through his back, and someone quivering behind him, holding what looked like a black musket, only more advanced than anything she had ever seen.
As the figure approached, she realized that the shooter was wearing red.
It was Siesta. She had shot Count Mott.
Voidicta's eyes widened as the maid approached. Raising her weapon, Siesta pulled the trigger, causing the strange noise to sound again, as a bolt of fire cut through the ice, weakening it just enough for Voidicta to break free.
She gasped large gulpfuls of air, as the maid repeated the action of Starkiller. She came back to the apprentice, smiling, but tinged with concern.
"A-are you ok, Miss Valliere?"
"Ok," Galen sighed, as the quartet drove through the night, towards the Enchanted Fairy Inn.
"How did you know it was us?" Louise finished.
"Oh, that was easy: You see, when Galen and I first met, he mentioned that one of his other names was Starkiller. I doubt another mercenary would use such a strange name."
Louise glared at her familiar, as the maid's face fell.
"I… also saw your hair, Miss Valliere. Coupled with the profile Galen has, it wasn't too hard to put the two together."
Galen nodded. It made sense. He looked at the blaster pistol that Siesta used to kill Mott. There was no mistaking it was a heavy blaster favored by mercenaries, though it was often looked over in favor of more modern pistols like the DL-44. But, it could still deliver a lethal blow when needed.
"How did you get the blaster?" the Jedi asked, as Siesta shrugged.
"When we visited my uncle, he gave it to me. I suppose that now that I'm in on your secret, I should let you in on mine,"
"Or, we could kill you right now, and ensure our secret remains save," Louise joked.
"You see, my uncle, before he opened up his tavern, he would travel the land, working as the wandering mercenary Zeroba the Dragon Knight."
"Zeroba?" Kirche repeated, puzzled, before brightening in recognition. "Oh! You mean Zoba the Dragon Knight!"
Siesta concealed a laugh, before shaking her head.
"No, Zeroba was my uncle's working name. Zoba was simply a corruption of that."
"Huh," Louise commented, "I wonder how these changes happen over time."
"It's easy, Louise!" Kirche answered, "Haven't you ever played 'rumors'?"
The noble blinked. It was a kid's game, where you formed a line. The first person comes up with a word or phrase, and whispers it to his neighbor. The goal was to keep as close to the original sentence as much as possible. The starting and ending phrases would never be the same.
"O-of course!" Louise haughtily shot back, "It makes more sense now. After all, losing a syllable would be easy for anyone, wouldn't it?" she reasoned.
What the noble did not wish to admit was that she had only ever watched it played; she had never participated. Whether it was her inability to use magic, or her mother's fierce reputation, her fellow nobles would exclude her.
"So, your uncle… Scarron?" Galen spluttered, wondering how such a… questionable man would ever perform mercenary work, especially violent jobs. Sure, the man was built strong enough to operate as a bouncer at his own tavern, but it was just startling to imagine Scarron, of all people, roaming as a fierce Dragon Knight.
"He… didn't really strike me as the mercenary type," Louise replied.
"Oh, yes," Siesta acknowledged, "I was quite shocked when I learned his secret."
Galen was puzzled, as he contemplated the blaster. It was certainly not from this world.
"How did your uncle get this? And why did he become a mercenary?" he asked.
"Well," Siesta began, "You see, my family has this tradition. When we become of age, we are sent to Uncle Tau, who then reveals our grandfather's secret to us. Uncle Scarron went to become a fighter, leaving Tarbes behind. My father, instead, chose to become a farmer, and has focused more on raising me and my siblings. My cousin Jessica has also been through the ceremony."
"What is this secret?" Louise asked, intent on learning what made this commoner so special.
"I… don't actually know," Siesta admitted sheepishly, "Though I am of age, my father has expressly forbidden me from performing the ritual. He says that some secrets should remain hidden."
Galen furrowed his brow. Whoever this Tau character was, he clearly knew something about Siesta's family. With this blaster, the Jedi suspected that perhaps the maid wasn't entirely from this world. It would certainly explain her father's outburst. Perhaps he believed that knowing you were alien to the only world you knew was too traumatizing for his children.
But why would it inspire Scarron to become a soldier?
"Oh my, Siesta!" Scarron cried out, as the maid slipped into the kitchen, followed by Starkiller and Voidicta.
"What happened? Are you OK?" he began, as Jessica stared suspiciously at the two hooded individuals.
"I-I'm fine, uncle," Siesta replied, waving towards her two rescuers.
"They saved me from Mott's household."
Starkiller glanced at Scarron.
"I understand that you were once the mighty Zeroba the Dragon Knight," he remarked.
Click!
The Lord looked over, seeing Jessica draw a blaster, similar to Siesta's, pointed at his face.
"Where… did you hear about this?" she coldly demanded, shooting a dirty glare at Siesta.
"Now, now, that's no way to act, Jessica," Scarron replied, pulling the weapon from his daughter's hands and disarming it in one swift motion. "They asked a question. And they deserve an answer."
The man looked out the window, into the starry sky.
"Zeroba the Dragon Knight… Zeroba… now that's a name I have not heard in a long time, a long time," he said, turning his gaze upon his niece.
"So you told them?" he asked, as the maid nodded. He smiled.
"Well then!" he shouted, jumping up gleefully, "That means you two can be trusted!"
Voidicta nervously looked towards her master. Starkiller nodded.
"Likewise," Galen said, pulling off his cowl, as Louise followed suit. Jessica gasped.
"Y-you two!" she stuttered, before recovering, "I should have known. You two were kind of odd in the first place. I didn't realize playing assassin was one of your pastimes."
"I see," Scarron said. The group, Kirche included, sat around the tavern's small table. The inn had long since closed for the night, so there was nobody around or sober enough to listen in.
"So, Mott is dead. And Siesta-"
"Had nothing to do with it. Starkiller dueled the count, and wound up killing him. Siesta is free to return to the academy," Louise cut him off. The maid looked warily at the noble. She was lying, but why?
"I get it!" Jessica interjected, "Since nobody actually knows who Starkiller is, the investigation will likely be stopped cold. It will simply become another unsolved mystery."
Siesta shifted in her chair.
"I don't know how I feel about this. I mean, I still… killed…" her voice trailed off, feeling the overwhelming nausea as her emotions finally crashed down upon her.
Her quivering was slowed when a firm hand placed itself on her shoulder. She looked up, to see Galen's reassuring face.
"You did what you had to do. Don't take pleasure or relish in your kill," he said gently.
As the maid stared in confusion, she felt another hand on her shoulder; this time, it was Louise's.
"What the idiot means is that you should accept what you did. Don't use this as an excuse to murder whatever comes your way. Instead, accept that this was a last resort, and move on," she explained, hugging the maid tightly.
"I didn't know what he meant by enjoying it, until I had to kill that guard. I… enjoyed that power, the feeling that I could end a life, so easily. You saw the bloodbath," Louise added, staring at her blade hanging in the corner, still stained with the blood of those men.
Siesta let out a sniff, before regaining her composure.
"But what about the next time?" Galen asked. "There are others out there, like Mott, I bet, who would jump at a maid like Siesta. I mean, we can't just slaughter every noble who comes along."
Louise nodded, smiling.
"I have already thought of that, my dear familiar," she jokingly mocked, "You forget that I'm the daughter of a duke. So, I wrote a letter requesting a specific maid to be transferred into my service. I may not have always gotten along with my family, but I will do whatever it takes to honor this request."
She clenched her fist, steeling herself.
"If that doesn't work, then I'll go directly to the princess and have her decree you to serve me!" she shouted, her determination lighting up the room.
"M-Miss Valliere…" Siesta replied, overwhelmed at the kindness displayed by the noble.
Scarron chuckled, as he turned to Galen.
"I suppose you want to know the truth about our family, then?" he asked.
The Jedi nodded, as the tavern owner smiled.
"It's not my place to tell you our entire family history. That is Uncle Tau's place. In fact," he turned an eye to Siesta.
"Isn't it time you went through the ceremony?"
Siesta's smile died.
"You know my father has forbidden me from taking it."
"Only because he was afraid of what he learned," a voice boomed through the quiet room, shocking everyone.
Galen turned towards the source: the same strange monk they encountered at Stella's shop. Even though he felt empty, the Jedi sensed a strange familiarity to the notion.
Scarron, Siesta, and Jessica all jumped to their feet.
"U-Uncle Tau!" the shouted, bowing as they offered the man a seat. he waved them away with a gloved hand.
"So, you're the Jedi, then? I've been watching you since I first received word," Tau said, looking him over.
"You're not of this world, either, are you?" he asked bluntly.
Galen nodded in agreement, as the man let out a strange laugh. It was almost metallic in nature.
"Then you will know the truth about this family," he said, turning to Siesta.
"It is time for you to learn about your Mandalorian grandfather."
Our story begins long ago, with a man named Jaster Mereel. You see, the Mandalorians were renowned for being fierce fighters with a strict code of honor. But, at the time, the galaxy had changed: there was no place for a warring civilization of conquerors. There was no large-scale war to focus their energies. Without an external threat, they fell prey to wars from within.
Jaster, claiming the title of Mand'alor, sought to reform his people by using the Supercommando Codex as the foundation for the rules on how we would behave. His vision was, those who wished to fight, would become honorable mercenaries and show the galaxy just how ruthless a good Mandalorian could be.
Not all were ready to accept Mereel's leadership. Some, such as the Death Watch, wished to return to their violent ways, and fought against him for control. The True Mandalorians fought alongside their Mand'alor, in a bloody war that ravaged the Mandalore Sector for more than a decade.
One from within their ranks betrayed them, and Jaster fell. It was my master who convinced the remaining Mandalorians to elect Jaster's adopted son as their next Mand'alor: Jango Fett.
For years, they continued fighting for Jaster's ideals, even against the Jedi, to protect their very way of life. Even the Death Watch was hard-pressed to keep up with them.
Then Galidraan happened.
The Jedi were duped by the Death Watch into believing that the True Mandalorians were guilty of a mass-murder. They were slain without mercy.
Only two survived: Jango Fett was stripped of his armor and sold into slavery.
The other was named Silas: your grandfather.
Silas and I met when I was working in starship repair. A job had gone wrong, and he blasted out of the spaceport in his ship, leaving me trapped onboard. After that, I was reassigned to operate as his copilot and maintain his ship while he was away, doing odd jobs here and there. Some of these were not very successful. As it turns out, a hardened fighter was in low demand, especially a Mandalorian.
During one particular job, our hyperdrive malfunctioned, damaging our reactor. We crash-landed upon this world, one that was not on any Republic charts. Silas encountered the village of Tarbes, and was regarded as a Dragon Knight, since he arrived in a beast never seen before.
As he continued his work, I began my repairs on the ship. Time passed, and Silas fell in love with a commoner woman from the local village. He had come to respect her for her stubborn personality, and chose to make her his wife.
But, Mandalorian law prohibits the union between a Mandalorian and an 'outsider'. So, Silas trained your grandmother in the ways of the Mandalorians. I was assigned to oversee her training, and began to record Silas's knowledge for the future.
When the ship was fixed, both of your grandparents took to the stars, traveling to Corellia, Coruscant, and even outer rim worlds like Naboo. They were a fierce duo, easily one of the best mercenary couples out there.
Children came, and your grandmother was unable to keep up the pace. Silas settled down back on Tarbes, establishing a reputation as a powerful knight-errant. He would always protect commoners against nobles, no matter the cost to himself.
One day, Silas received a call from an old friend of his: Jango Fett. Not sure how the Mand'alor would take his apparent desertion, he gave me one last order: watch over his family, no matter what. Teach them the ways of the Mandalorian, follow the Resol'nare, and protect them.
That was the last I saw of my master.
I returned home, and explained to his wife what had happened, and my new mission. She decided that we would reveal her children's heritage when they came of age, and would offer them a choice: follow the path of the Mandalorian, or apprentice to a trade.
Your uncle and Jessica both chose the path of the Mandalorian, accepting their heritage.
Your father, however, was fearful of such a violent history, and chose to become a farmer.
"So now you know," Tau finished, drawing himself to his full height.
"The question now: what will you do?"
Siesta blinked, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, the idea of joining her uncle and cousin as mercenaries was appealing. Jessica, after all, could hold her own in a fight pretty well, even against rowdier nobles.
Yet, wouldn't she be betraying her father?
"If you take this step, there will be no going back," Tau warned, "You will no longer be able to return to an ordinary life, like your father."
"I…" the maid began. She gritted her teeth, her eyes burning.
"I have stood by and watched so many people getting hurt. All because I. Couldn't. Do. Anything!" she spat, showing an uncharacteristic amount of rage.
"To think that, all this time, I could be out there, making a difference! Do you think I would really be happy with an ordinary life now?" she snapped, pounding the table with startling force.
Siesta let out a sigh, her anger dissipating as she fell back into her seat.
"Miss Valliere," she began, turning towards the noble, "If I follow this path, will you still accept me as your servant?"
Louise smiled. Her opinion would help determine the maid's fate.
"Of course! In fact, knowing you can fight against a threat makes you better than a maid; you can be a bodyguard! Think anyone will pick a fight with me, knowing I've got a Dragon Knight?"
Siesta returned the smile.
"T-thank you, Miss Valliere," she replied.
Louise patted the maid's head.
"Please, just call me Louise."
Tau stood up.
"Then it's settled: Valliere, until you clear the paperwork to claim her services, Siesta will return with me to Tarbes, and train in the ways of her ancestors. Once you have done your part, contact me on this," he handed over a comlink, "and I will bring her, ready to work for you."
Louise placed the device into a pocket. One last thing bothered her about all this, as Tau moved towards the door, Siesta following.
"Wait!" she shouted.
"If you came here with Siesta's grandfather, you must be at least sixty or seventy years old."
Tau nodded.
"Correct."
Louise frowned.
"But you don't seem to be slow or need a cane like an old man. You're empty and strange, not like any person I've felt so far. What… exactly are you?"
Tau looked at her, before sighing.
"Since you already know so much, I suppose knowing a final secret wouldn't be too much to ask."
He reached around his robes, pulling them off. As the clothing fell away, Louise saw a skeletal frame take shape, made of pure metal. An iron head stared at her as the robotic hands pulled off his mask and gloves.
Tau was a golem.
No, Louise thought, He's a droid!
"I am the LE-series repair droid, LE-T19, or 'Tau'."
Author's Note
Whew, we've got through another chapter, and I must say, this has opened up the story now.
First, congratulations to our first prize winner: Eecobeo, who guessed the closest, suspecting that Siesta was related to the Mandalorians and Jango Fett. You were right on the money!
Second prize goes to Manram, who creatively suggested that she was connected with the ancient Je'daii order. You were on the right path suspecting that Tau couldn't have been an ordinary human.
Honorable mention goes out to B.J. Blazkowicz, who caught the "Zoba" reference to Jango Fett, and suggesting that Siesta's grandfather might be Sifo-Diyas.
Thank you for participating. I will message you all about what you get to name soon.
Now, my thoughts on writing this chapter:
I struggled with trying to keep the fight interesting without having Galen just steamroll Mott, so I added the poisoning to keep things a little balanced. I mean, poison probably wouldn't kill Starkiller, so it just inconvenienced him. The original draft was Starkiller just breaking the man's bones, piece by piece, until Mott surrendered. It didn't strike me as particularly interesting.
And we see another Force ability that Louise has created. Force Armor is a blend of Tutaminis and Lightning Shield, which allows Louise to redirect magic attacks into a layer, not unlike a barrier, around her body.
This skill does have its drawbacks. As Mott has shown, the elemental affinity of the magic fueling the armor can be exploited. Water can be frozen, as an example.
I would like to take a moment, and state that Louise's first unique skill, Force Purge, was an experiment to see if it was possible to apply magical theories on the Force itself. Get ready for crazier experiments in the future.
On the topic of Louise, I have received some complaints that Louise is not being her tsundere self in my story. I would like to address that concern.
In the first arc, a lot of her anger came from sources that are no longer an issue in this story: her failure as a mage was eliminated when she began to train in the Force. Her lack of magical talent was resolved when she discovered her Force-sensitivity. Her failure of a familiar is not only a powerful Jedi, but he is also teaching her in the ways of the Force. Her rivalry with Kirche is a little cooled down since Louise is still afraid at how easily she could have killed a fellow noble. And, of course, Kirche is scared to death that Louise might lose her cool and lash out, so her flirting with Galen was deemed too dangerous.
With that, pretty much all of the active sources of Louise's fury are gone. So, personality-wise, Louise's emotional state is similar to that of the second arc in the original canon.
There is one exception: Wardes. An arranged marriage does kind of kill her romance options, doesn't it?
Besides, Galen isn't exactly the most romantic person around. Being trained as a Sith assassin does tend to leave that kind of effect on you.
Now, some fun facts about Siesta from here on out: Yes, her grandfather is Silas, the Mandalorian who fought alongside Jango Fett. In Legends, he was vital as he was captured by Dooku and tortured for information about Fett.
So, you see, if it weren't for Siesta's grandfather, Tyranus would have never found Jango, and, consequently, the clone army would have been vastly different.
I did play around with a few concepts. At one time, I had planned on giving Siesta Jedi or Sith ancestry, but I ultimately decided against it, since I believed it would detract from the focus on Louise and her connection to the Force.
Another idea was making her grandfather near-human, giving Siesta unique visual traits, much like how her Japanese ancestry worked in the original FoZ story, but this idea was also scrapped, as I did want her heritage to play a more active role than "oh, she's a quarter Zabrak or something".
So I made her a Mando'ade.
Zeroba the Dragon Knight is a nod towards the Zero Fighter aircraft from the original story. You should expect to see occasional references like this crop up from time to time.
Now, Tau is a droid. I know some were theorizing that he was a Jedi or a long-lived species, but, the truth is, I wasn't sure how old I was going to make Siesta's ancestor. It could have just as easily been a hundred or even a thousand years. Since droids are essentially immortal, I decided to stick with a machine rather than an organic comrade. Plus, I like the parallels between Siesta and Louise: They both have discovered something incredible about themselves, are following a path vastly different from their FoZ counterparts, and both now have unique familiars training them.
Once again, thank you all for enjoying my story so far, and get ready for another unexpected twist in the future!
