I admit that I've been to Mystacor since my banishment, and have discovered a secret of the country. I did break the confines of my exile to pursue these mysteries, for I have always been intrigued with the history of the kingdom of sorcerers.
...
Shadow Weaver and Carmen returned to the Fright Zone a day later. Her servant had managed to escape through the vents, but the alarm had given her a headache and a half. Shadow Weaver pitied the felinetta; if Catra's screaming was too loud for her, it must have been torturous to hear the alarm.
She ordered Carmen to the sanctum. But before she could go to the infirmary – she had trouble walking, and was sure she had a concussion of some variety – Force Captain Tara found her. "Commander," she said, her voice hard, "there was a riot in the Fright Zone. Soldiers are demanding more variety and substance in their meals. Twenty-four dead."
Shadow Weaver's mouth dropped open. "Twenty-four?"
"Some of them got a hold of the electric rods – how, I dunno. The others accessed our firearms." The Silaxian ran a hand through her short white hair. "It was a small-scale war. More were beaten and wounded in the process. The rioters turned on their fellow soldiers, like there was a conflict under the surface long before."
Shadow Weaver sighed, overwhelmed. Twenty-four... Her face and hands suddenly grew numb, and she wobbled on her feet. The pain in her head grew hotter, brighter. How will I...explain this...
No. You cannot faint now.
She would deal with the issue swiftly and brutally. Then, perhaps Shadow Weaver would escape her commander's wrath...this time.
...
"My lord?" a drawling voice asked.
Hordak turned around; he could barely hear Carmen over the drills sewing his armor in place. He dared not look at the scars scraping across his back from the machines' previous failures. His wounds bled blue even now.
"Why have you disturbed me, Force Captain?" he demanded. In truth, he was not as angry as he sounded – just exhausted and having to overcompensate with force.
Carmen flinched. "My lord, we recovered the...the thingie..."
"The power source?" Hordak prompted.
"Yes, that!" she chirped. "I'm gonna leave it on your desk, yeah?"
"Very well, Force Captain." A pause. "Why have you come to me instead of your commander again?"
"Well, y'see..." Carmen said softly. "Shads ain't doin' well. Micah slammed her head 'gainst the floor – the Crypto Castle's made of metal, it is –"
"And she has a concussion," Hordak finished. Foolish woman. An entire battalion had rioted, and Shadow Weaver would be out of commission to implement his new policies. It wasn't even worth it to withhold the Black Garnet – she would simply lay around, more lethargic than ever, if not given the chance to heal. Growling a bit, he waved his hand. "You are dismissed. Good work, Force Captain Carmen."
He shuddered; the pain had not dissipated since he put on his armor. The cracking sounded again, painful and potent. Hordak gasped from the impact, his vision fuzzing around the edges as his sweat dripped onto the table.
If Shadow Weaver found out about his ailment, he would be dead the next day. Thus, he had to control her somehow. But how could Hordak do so in a way that didn't compromise the Horde itself?
He crushed his eyes shut. Then, the pain...stopped. Why, he was unsure; his episodes could last an hour or more, sometimes accompanied by fainting or vomiting. But Hordak was thankful; perhaps...perhaps God was still looking out for him, even now. Maybe He had made a mistake...
He missed his cohort. He wanted to go back, to fit in. Gaining his bearings, Hordak picked up the enormous battery. It held the power of electricity itself.
As much as he hated to admit it, Shadow Weaver was too valuable to Hordak. Thus, he would settle for this spark of hope. This new invention, made by Princess Entrapta herself. The path to salvation.
...
The Princess Alliance met the next day – or rather, demanded to meet. Foolishly, Micah assumed it would take them weeks to arrive, since many refused to travel by anything less than a carriage. However, nearly all the monarchs arrived to censure him, using sorcerers to take them through the In-Between.
Gritting his teeth, Micah sighed roughly and sat in his chair as they entered the room. Every seat, save Mystacor's and Tropicilas', was occupied.
Keep your temper under control. Princess Talyn's face twisted into a scowl. Her prehensile hair was braided down her back with gold ornamentation; it would become a dangerous weapon if she smacked him. Silence dominated the room. Micah looked over at his wife, then at Nell, who sat on either side of him.
Finally, Princess Talyn of Dryl spoke in an icy voice. "The thief got away despite our efforts. Now Entrapta's power source is in the Horde's hands, and who knows what horrid machines they will use to attack us?"
"I accept responsibility," Angella said softly. "I should have stayed with Shadow Weaver. I was unable to give Carmen a fight because of my pregnancy. If she'd kicked the baby –"
"With respect, Your Majesty," King Rei of Plumeria interrupted, "you should not have faced her alone if your condition was an issue."
Calm your temper, Micah repeated mentally. "We didn't expect to run into Shadow Weaver there. She's good at masking her plans from us."
"Then your spy isn't doing a particularly good job, now, is she?" Princess Talyn retorted.
"Our spy is doing the best she possibly can," Nell said. "Promotions take time in the Fright Zone, and only Force Captains communicate directly with Shadow Weaver."
King Gian of the Snows sighed. "We cannot do anything about it now. Our only hope is to launch an invasion, and attempt to recover the power source."
"Are you insane?" Queen Morgause of Salineas exclaimed. "You cannot raid the Fright Zone – you would have to cross the Whispering Woods to accomplish such a feat, and could not possibly bring enough soldiers."
Micah frowned. "Your Majesty," he said to Morgause. "Your navy could try."
"The Fright Zone is landlocked, my dear," she said. "It would be foolhardy –"
"No," Nell said. "It's not." All eyes turned to him, and he inhaled. "I'm not a tactician, but I have attended many meetings with the king and queen. The Horde has a base by the coast, specifically to ward off intruders from the sea."
"That is precisely our problem," Morgause agreed.
Nell nodded. "However, if there's one thing we can learn from the Horde, it's a sneak attack. They were able to hit Delvala hard with only a hundred soldiers. If we tried a similar tactic, we could take the base by the ocean. Then, we could use their machines to go to the main complex."
"Shadow Weaver will be ready for us," Micah said with a frown. "But if I can distract her...maybe get to the edge of border patrol...it could work."
Nell looked pleased at the suggestion. The royalty were silent. Finally, King Gian sighed. "Good doctor, we wish we could. But you are no tactician."
"I have acknowledged that," Nell said. "Is there a flaw in my plan?"
Micah lowered his eyes. "We'd have to make sure we can arrive at the Fright Zone undetected. We'd need a good handful of sorcerers with us. It wouldn't hurt to bring Angella's sister, too."
Angella nodded. "Spinnerella would make a fine addition to our group. She could speed the skiffs along, and her wind powers are capable in combat."
Micah patted Nell on the shoulder. "I vote to go through with Master Nellith's plan."
"As do I," Princess Talyn said. "We can offer reconnaissance – my sister has crafted capable mapping devices."
"We will offer our navy," Morgause said hesitantly.
"And our forces," King Gian agreed.
King Rei nodded. "Though I will not take part in this fight, I am in favor of the decisions made here."
"Then it's settled," Micah said. "Now, to get down to the specifics."
...
Yet you should not be surprised to know of my disobedience in this regard. No matter how you attempt to dress me up, I am a war criminal, and I disobeyed laws left and right during my time with the Horde.
...
Beck stepped into Hordak's sanctum that evening with a sharp inhale. She'd managed to quell the riots; this should gain the dark lord's favor. Carmen reassured her that Hordak usually only tossed his tools at Shads when he got upset, so she didn't have to worry about his behavior.
As she waited for Hordak to leave his lab, Beck shoved her hands in her pockets. It saddened her how the Horde treated its soldiers. Beck lived through the hell of training – her teachers would beat her if she didn't get the correct time on speed challenges, or make her drink blood if she complained about her thirst.
She thought being promoted to lieutenant would have been better; she was now under Carmen's command, and the felinetta was infinitely less brutal. But the restraints of her position were like manacles around Beck's wrists. No one was allowed to bring foreign books, or to write aside from official documentation.
Hordak exited his sanctum, and Beck dropped to her knees. The alien spoke, his angular features glinting in the dim light. "Lieutenant Beck, daughter of Luz."
"Lord Hordak," Beck replied softly.
"I commend you for your handling of the Fright Zone's riots last night," Hordak said, screwing something into place with a hex driver. "It reassures me to know that someone around here can manage their inferiors." He punctuated this sentence with a grunt.
Beck would have smiled if she could. Little did Hordak know that she had caused the riots for the opportunity. "Thanks," she drawled. "I tried, since order's important around here."
"Indeed," Hordak replied. "I am in need of another Force Captain. Your talent on the battlefield is crucial; the territories we conquered in the east have begun to stir. I require someone to retain order, ensure that riots such as these do not happen again."
Perfect. Beck couldn't resist a grin this time. If she was a Force Captain, she would not only have access to confidential records, but she would report directly to Shadow Weaver herself. "Yes, my lord," she said. "I'd be honored to accept this rank."
Hordak made a hmph sound. "Rise, Force Captain Beck," he said, his smooth voice pleased. Beck did as he said, and he presented her with a yellow badge. A green symbol, the Horde's wings, was stamped into place.
Beck took it, still beaming. "Thank you, my lord." Then she left the room, satisfaction brewing in her chest.
...
Carmen waited for her lieutenant to exit the hall. When Beck finally did, the first thing Carmen noticed was the badge on her chest. Her mouth dropped open. "Beck! Hordak promoted ya?"
Beck grinned from ear to ear, swiping her pale hair out of her eyes. "You've got that right, Carmen. You can't order me around anymore."
Carmen snorted. "You still gotta take orders from my lady, Beck. And Lord Hordak, 'course."
"Speaking of Shadow Weaver," Beck said, walking in a straight march, "how is she since she got back?"
Carmen sighed. "Ain't too happy. She's in her room 'bout now – had to get Li'l Miss Adora all cleaned up and ready for bed."
A faint smile played at the corners of Beck's lips; Carmen couldn't shake the odd feeling she got at her lieutenant's promotion. Though her past subordinate had likely saved the Fright Zone from a coup, it was right strange that she'd become Carmen's equal over it – especially since Carmen herself had done the same thing within two years of recruitment and gotten promoted long afterward.
Carmen breathed a sigh. "I don't get it," she said as they walked down the halls.
"What do you mean?" Beck asked.
"I don't get why they rioted," Carmen said. "We feed 'em, give 'em a new life and a way forward."
Beck snorted at this. "You seriously believe that?"
Carmen's face grew hot. "Yeah," she said. "You don't?"
"I don't know," the older woman answered, gazing ahead with a haunted look in her dark eyes. "Drinking blood isn't my idea of humane treatment."
Carmen's stomach turned at the memory; in training, she'd continued along the course till she passed out from dehydration. "It don't matter," she said softly. "Those people shouldn't've died."
"They would have died anyway," Beck said, her eyes distant. "They're tools, Carmen. Means to an end for Hordak. You know how many soldiers we lost in Delvala?"
"Beck, that's right treasonous."
"It's also true."
"So you're likin' the riots?"
Beck barked a laugh. "Hell, no," she said. "But they say something, Carmen. Something about how we've been treated. I stopped them because I didn't want the whole Fright Zone to pay the price for what a few people did."
"They wouldn't've. Only the shooters'll be punished."
"There were more people involved than those in the crossfire."
"So?"
"So, unless things change, they'll keep happening." Beck's voice was cold. "And who are we kidding? Nothing'll give. Nobody cares, Carmen."
Carmen bit her lip. This sort of candidness from a Horde officer was rare, and shocking. "Then why'd you join?"
Beck looked downward, her expression sad. Her voice was soft when she replied. "'Cause I'm a tool, too."
She walked down the hall away from Carmen, silently.
...
Did you know...
- I had a difficult time with Part 2 initially. I believe that it was originally only 15,000 words, as opposed to 25-30K for the other parts. However, I added the battery subplot to enrich Shadow Weaver's character, as well as allude to Hordak's desperation regarding his portal project.
- "Rei" means "King" in Portuguese, so King Rei's name is literally "King King." This was based on the naming philosophy used in the Kung Fu Panda franchise.
- Despite being a comparatively minor character, Zeka/Beck is one of my favorite OCs ever. I didn't originally intend for her to be so complex, especially given how little page space she had in Starwalker: Prime, but that's not how things shook out in the end. Her character struggle is also very personal to me because of my experiences with being used and manipulated by people in the past.
- One thing I noticed about Starwalker: Prime was that Carmen was a little too oblivious to what was happening in the Horde. I tried to strike a balance between her feeling emotionally conflicted and her repressing those feelings out of respect for her god. That's an issue a lot of cult members in real life faced, and I tried to represent that in a fair way.
Tell me what you think...
- Is the Alliance right to be so angry at Micah over the battery? Why or why not?
- Is Hordak wise to fear Shadow Weaver at this point?
- What does Beck mean when she says she's a tool?
- Why do you think Carmen excuses everything bad that the Horde does? Could there be multiple reasons?