RPG & OTHER ART/PROJECTS INSPIRED BY SCI-FI & FANTASY

ARIA: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A FORMER SPACE PIRATE

2009-06-27T20:19:00.010-06:00

AUTHOR's NOTE: I am developing the story of how Aria met up with various characters and leading up to where she now fits into the Star Wars galaxy. When I started with her, she had no history at all. She was just a SW "Former Pirate" template that I modified from the 6D system. Well now she has a history: her mother's (Ariasha) history is only hinted at in this story, and her father's (Reissem) history is described more openly. I wrote up quite a detailed background on her mother in a separate segment. Bear with me as I edit this; I had it saved to different servers and because it was getting so long, it started to get errors when I saved it (too much spacing, etc). So I have copied & pasted it again and now I have to edit it for spacing, etc, yet again...

Chapter 1: HOMECOMING
Two suns scorched down on a lone figure at the base of a dune. The figure straightened and removed a shawl, revealing her face. After wiping copious amounts of sweat from her forehead, she gazed out across the immense horizon, the hazy line wavering in the heat. She then bent to continue her task.

Ariasha had almost finished connecting the last of the five refrigerator cylinders that had to be replaced when she dimly heard a voice over the sound of the welding. She lifted her visor.

“Mother!” A tall, youthful girl, with her long braid wildly undulating, ran up the slow rise. “Mother!”

“What is it, Aria? What are you doing running all the way out here by yourself!?” The woman winced as she stood up, and shielded her eyes from the suns with a tremulous hand. “Can’t you see I’m trying to fix this vaporator? I’ve got enough to worry about... ”

“Sorry, Mother, I couldn’t find any neighbours - and besides, I wanted to tell you! There was a message today from dad! He’s gonna be here tonight!!” she said breathlessly.

Aria’s mother shut off the torch. “What did you say? He’s coming? Tonight?” She took off her hat to release an assortment of gathered braids, revealing a moist forehead and flushed face.

Aria nodded excitedly, “C’mon Mother, let’s go back and clean up the house!”

“How am I going to be ready in time?” Ariasha fussed. She fumbled to pick up her equipment and threw a large duffel bag to Aria. “Here throw this in the ‘speeder and let’s go!”

* * *

Despite their speedy return, there was little time left to clean. Reissem Gunnir would be home any minute. Aria hastily shoved blankets and clothing in the washing room, and went to straighten up the modest visiting area. Meanwhile her mother cleaned up the kitchen and started supper. The tantalizing smell of cooked meat and spices was floating through the air when they both heard the door slam.

“I’m HOOOOME, girls!” bellowed a familiar deep voice from the front of the house.

Aria made it to the door first. Reissem dropped all his belongings on the floor and extended his arms.

“Father!” she tried to wrap her arms around his wide shoulders and laughed. “I’m so glad you’re home! Tell me what you’ve been doing. Tell me what adventures you’ve been having while me and Mother slave away down here!”

“Plenty of time for that later," he replied and cupped his hands around her face, “You’ve grown again?” He put his hands on his daughter's shoulders, then grabbed her by the hand and twirled her around as she laughed. “You must’ve gained at least an inch in height since I last saw you. You are starting to look more and more like your mother... Speaking of which, where is - ?"

“Here I am, Re!” his wife answered, coming toward the steps to the landing.

“Ariasha!” He whispered hoarsely.

Did his smile waver just now? wondered Aria. I guess Mother didn’t limp quite so bad last time he was here. I guess it’s been so gradual for me that I didn’t notice, either, until now.

Reissem stepped down from the landing to his wife and pulled her into an embrace. “How have you been, my love?”

“Not bad, Re. Better now,” she shrugged inside of his arms. “Are you hungry?”

“Am I hungry?” He threw back his head and laughed heartily. “I am! I’m just as hungry to eat as I was hungry to see my family! There’s just one thing, though...”

The two women looked at each other. Aria’s eyes widened, while her mother’s narrowed slightly.

“I’ll show you,” he said. He went to the door and pointed at it. “Do you have room for one more?”

Ariasha nodded. “Certainly,” she smiled. “Is it one of your crew mates?”

“Yes. Now, don’t be alarmed, “ he said as he opened the door a crack. Then he opened it all the way. A growling Wookiee filled the doorway... Aria and her mother jumped and grabbed onto each other. “I told you not to be alarmed, “ Reissem laughed, calming their astonishment. “She’s quite friendly. In fact, she’s adopted me!”

“Adopted?!” The girls chorused.

“Well, you see,” struggled Reissem, “That is... Well, I’ll tell you all about it over some of that delicious supper I smell cooking!”

Chapter 2: HONOUR FAMILY
“You saved her life?” asked Aria with a mouth full of stew. “How? What happened?”

“Aria,” her mother rasped. She shook her head at her daughter and chuckled. “Really, Re, I did raise her better.”

“Heh! You’re as messy as a Wookiee,” he laughed and nudged Charlebbekka, who was busy shovelling chunks of gravy-soaked bantha steaks into her jaws. Her great shoulders shrugged and she growled a lengthy phrase to Reissem. Her final grunt sounded a little indignant.

“Oh, really?” He asked the Wookiee. He translated for her, “She said she thought she was being very dainty. Sorry Aria. I should have said you’re as dainty as a Wookiee.”

Aria rolled her eyes at her dad, swallowed loudly, and then asked, “Well? How did you save her life?”

Reissem leaned forward in his seat, and looked around, as if suspicious of someone lurking nearby. Aria also leaned in eagerly, eyes wide as Reissem began...

*****

Captain Rugar is quite a grouch. But then, I’ve never met an Aqualish who wasn’t. He keeps the crew in line with fear and intimidation, or with promises of good plunder. However when Rugar sees red he sometimes gets himself and his crew into things they almost can’t get out of.

This was one of those days.

The heavily modified Dreadnaught, The Tusk, made an evasive manoeuver and turned tail.

“What in The Swamp are you doing, Ras?” He spat at his one-eared navigator. “You’re supposed to go toward that ship, not away from it!!”

“B-b-but Captain!” The Rodian cowered, wiping some of the captain's saliva from his remaining ear. “It’s an Imperial Landing Cruiser! Y-you must be mad!”

“If you think I’m mad now,” hissed Rugar in the Rodian’s ear, “Just keep
going away from it.” Ras felt sharp claws dig into his shoulders.

Suddenly The Tusk turned about and headed toward the Imperial ship.

“That’s a good boy,” whispered Captain Rugar, patting the trembling Rodian on the shoulder. “You get to keep your other ear.”

“They’re hailing us, Cap,” shouted a Phindian. “I don’t suppose you’d want to -“
”Of course I want to communicate with them!” Rugar bellowed. “Sishik! Target the main engines and weapons systems - and don’t forget to take out their troop compartment,” he howled into the comm system.

“Aye, sir,” a Verpine voice hissed in reply.

The Imperials, apparently confused, and thinking The Tusk had fled,were not prepared for the second onslaught. The engine was rendered useless with some efficient laser fire from The Tusk, and a few seconds later so were their communications and all weapons systems.

Rugar clapped his huge hand on Ras’ back, “Next time I’ll order you to make that “fleeing” manoeuvre. Brilliant, boy! The ‘Ras Manoeuvre!’ I wish I could give you back that ear, because you sure as the Void aren’t going to get a promotion!” He laughed madly.

The Rodian joined in with a hysterical giggle.

A few minutes later, in a tremulous voice, Ras announced, “Sir, The Tusk has latched onto Motherload’s main cargo hold. The hooks are in and the drill has successfully breached the acquisition’s hull.”

“Set your blasters and your claws on ‘kill,’ we’re goin’ in, ” Rugar screamed gleefully.

He looked at his team with admiration, or at least I think it was admiration. He might have been wondering how they tasted with gravy. There were several different kinds of meat on board The Tusk: a Shistavanen, two humans, three Togorians, a Trandoshan and Sishik, the Verpine weapons specialist.

“Okay, Gunnir, you lead this time.”

“Aye, Captain,” I said, grimacing under my armor. I looked at the boarding team. “Let’s go!”

Clamping to the ship’s docking shaft was not a problem, with the Imperial ship, Motherload, being immobile. Our drill is very specialized. Once it pierces through a hull, it opens up at the end and clamps outward so as to prevent a ship from pulling away - well, without pulling more of its own hull apart. Not only that but this mechanism also plugs up and covers any leaks that the drill might’ve made, and thus no one is in danger of being sucked out by the vacuum of space. The inside is like a hollow proboscis that we use to enter into an adversary’s ship.

It was us physically trying to get ourselves inside the Imperial cruiser that proved a little more difficult.

Blasters started going off as soon as the drill-clamps opened. Without any warning, Captain Rugar ran right into the fray and started shooting at everything that moved. I saw him revelling in joyful hysteria every time he heard a scream. The rest of the boarding crew hastily followed behind, giving cover fire as well as following up and finishing off.

I shot an Imperial officer who was about to shoot my Captain, but someone still managed to take out a chunk of the Aqualish’s shoulder with a large blaster rifle.

However, instead of falling, Rugar became even more enraged. He threw his blaster at his assailant, grappled him down and twisted the man’s neck until it made a snapping sound. Then he recovered his blaster and, leaving his victim conscious but unable to move, continued reigning as much terror as possible.

Aargan, one of the Togorians, finished off the wounded man. I called on two of my team mates.

I said to the Shistavanen, “Gid! Come with me. Sishik, you, too. The rest of you, cover us.”

Through the smoke and blaster fire, we took cover and made it to one of the larger containers in the hold. I don’t think anyone noticed us going around behind the fray, what with Rugar’s maniacal distraction.

“Sishik, do your stuff,” I said. “Gid, you and me will go in when she opens the seal.”

“Sounds good,” replied the canine man. He grinned wolfishly. “I’m glad you’re leading, today, Reissem. Last time that cowardly Rodian froze with fear at the first sign of blood. I had to drag his useless green hide off myself. Pretty unusual for a Rodain.” He snorted derisively.

“Yeah, too bad about his ear,” I said sarcastically, and put a hand over my own. “I guess there’s no room for a screw up for me, either.”

“Reissem,” the Verpine rasped, clicking her mandibles. “The seal is open.”

Me and Gid opened the large compartment. We had to pull back momentarily to recover from the smell that hit us like a freighter.

“What in the System were they going to do with all these Wookiees?” I asked, surveying the bedraggled contents. None were moving...

The wolfman shrugged, scrunching up his nose, “The smell of death. Not too freshly killed. Maybe bounty acquisitions being brought in. A botched slave run?”

A low moan forced itself though the pile of fur and blood.

“A live one!” I started pulling at arms and legs, trying to pull bodies aside. Suddenly I pulled an arm and almost fell back because I wasn’t expecting such a light weight. I gagged.

“Easy, friend,” said Gid, steadying me and patting roughly me on the back. “Look, we don’t have enough time. Let’s look in a different container before these guys get reinforcements.”

“Sorry, it’s just that,” I gently put the little body down and turned my head in disgust, swallowing hard, barely maintaining the churning bile in my stomach. Memories of my dear wife and precious child flooded through me. “There are children here. Females as well as males. Why would the Empire kill babies??”

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out,” Gid growled softly. “I’d like to get out of here.”

“You go,” I ordered. “I’ll get the Wookiee. See if you can find something for yourself.”

“Why?” The wolf-man asked. “Dead weight will just slow us down.”

“It might come in handy later,” I said, continuing my grizzly search. “Look, I’ll explain later... Go ahead. Go! I'm delegating.”

I struggled through the heaps of limbs, the images were... indescribable. But I was determined, because I could swear I could hear laboured breathing somewhere in back of that damn dark crate. Finally, near the rear, buried under four other Wookiees, I found the one with life still in her, lying on her stomach.

“Hey,” I knelt down and nudged her shoulder. “Hey, can you walk?”

She suddenly roared, and grabbed my leg squeezing it hard, trying to topple me over.

“Ah! Ow! Hold on! Hold on!” I yelped. “I mean, let go! Let go! I’m trying to get you out of here. You want to get out of here, right?”

She loosened her death-grip and made a weak, inquiring growl.

“Good, you understand Basic. Can you walk?”

She slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position, covering what looked like a nasty wound across one side of her body. When she tried to stand up, she nearly fell, and I tried to steady her.

“Woah, lady. Take it easy. That’s a nasty blaster wound there. What say we go to my ship and fix you up?”

The Wookiee looked at me intently and nodded, swaying slightly. Then we walked out of the container, me supporting the Wookiee, with some difficulty. She howled in pain, or sorrow, or maybe anger, as we waded through Wookiee bodies.

The insectoid was waiting outside. “Whew,” she hissed. “I can smell why they had this thing sealed -Oh!” When she saw the wounded Wookiee she looked at me with lowered antennae. “What... are you doing?”

“Just help me get her back to the ship when Gid comes back.”

“But -“

”Never mind!” I glared at her. “I’m leading the search, and I found something I want. The rules are you help me with mine this time, I help you with yours next time!”

Sishik looked up at the ceiling with compound eyes and rasped, “Fine. Whatever you want. The blaster fire is slowing down somewhat. I think we should go back.”

Just then Gid showed up with a bulky sack. “I’ve got a load of ship parts and some surveillance and communication components. Whatever else they have isn’t worth much to us,“ he said, shifting the loot.

“Well now, I suppose I’ll have to help you carry this... this...” Sishik grated.

“Yeah, yeah, just do it,” I ordered. “Uncross at least a couple of your arms and use them to help me instead.”

We returned to the scene, but our guys didn’t look like they needed much help. Imperial officers of varying rank littered the hold. Some with their limbs. Some with their heads. None with their lives.

“Looks like you finished,” commented Gid. He saluted and put the sack of goods at Rugar’s feet. “I think you’ll be pleased.”

"I’m rarely pleased,” retorted Rugar.

A Togorian was trying to bandage the Aqualish’s shoulder. “Purrn, get away from me! You shed, and you’ll get some of your mangy fur in my wound. Go look after our other wounded!”

I saw Cale, the other human, bandaging one of the other Togorian’s laser-burned legs. The fur was burnt off and there was an angry red line running from the hip down to the knee. The Trandoshan was searching the bodies. The blaster mark across his snout didn’t seem to bother him.

“Listen, Wookiee, let me handle this,” I mumbled as Sishik and I struggled under the furry being’s shoulders on the way over to the Captain. “It may sound insulting but some people only understand one thing, and that’s if there’s something in it for them.”

The Wookiee nodded weakly. I staggered a bit under her weight, and cleared my throat. The Aqualish turned suddenly and glared at me & Sishik and I thought his eyes were going to pop out and hit me in the head when he looked way, way up at our wounded Wookiee.

“Gunnir,” snapped Captain Rugar. “Leave that meat behind. I told you before, we’re not a rescue unit, we’re pirates. I’m not going to warn you ag-“

“But Captain, sir” I spoke up. “I got her for the whole crew! You remember that there are a couple of things about Wookiees that might prove useful - to you. Right?”

Gid and Sishik gawked at me. They knew our dear Captain doesn’t like to be interrupted.

“I’m listening,” Rugar growled. I had a feeling he was either holding back or else his blaster needed new charges.

“You, being our wise Captain, must know that Wookiees are awesome trackers & navigators, for one thing,” I said. The Captain looked interested, and somewhat flattered that I thought he was wise. “And of course you also know a lot are mechanically and technologically inclined,” I continued. “And when their in tip-top shape they’re fantastic fighters!” The last point seemed to seal the deal.

Rugar nodded thoughtfully. "Well, clean her up then,” he snapped and got up to go back to The Tusk. “The rest of you, let’s go! And Gunnir!” he growled as he spun around to face Reissem again. “The next time you cut me off mid-sentence, I’ll cut you off in your mid-section!”

“Understood, Captain Rugar,” I said, with a little beads of sweat forming on my brow.

We reconvened an hour or so later in our meeting room. Captain Rugar had assembled the entire crew. He crossed his arms behind his back and circled the large room we were seated around, apparently lost in thought. He looked like he was in a good mood, for once. That wasn't necessarily a good thing, either, but you take what you can get with an Aqualish.

“You are here now because I want to bring to your attention,” he said momentarily, “that this Wookiee we have on board will be an asset to the crew.”

Several crew members nodded knowingly, some exchanged disapproving glances.

Gid raised a furry hand. “Speak,” said Rugar. “How do you propose she will fit in, Captain?” He growled. I shot him a look, but he ignored me. “I consider the tasks I do on this ship and with this crew to be very valuable to you. I don’t want to loose my rank or assigned duties. You know I do great at what I do now.”

“Oh don’t worry, Gid, old dog,” the Captain said slyly. “I have no intention of displacing anyone on this crew.”

There was a collective murmur of relief at the table.

“Ras,” called the Captain, in a sing-song voice. “Please stand up, won’t you?”

The Rodian jumped to attention. “Y-y-yessir?” He nearly gibbered.

Rugar casually, in one clean and seamless motion, brought out his hand, armed with a blaster, and shot the Rodian through the skull.

“Well, now. There seems to be a position open for a navigation officer,” he said mildly.

The rest of us sat there, frozen in our chairs. Ras had been knocked over by the blast, and there wasn’t much of his head left, except for what had splattered onto us.

“Seems he met with an unfortunate accident with a blaster.”

“Sishik, Gid,” said Rugar, and then turned to two Togorians, “Purrn and Scrahg, get the Wookiee. And Cale, perhaps you could shove this mess out the airlock?” he added, prodding the green body with his boot. He added helpfully, "I believe there is a wetvac in storage somewhere."

Momentarily the four showed up with the wounded Wookiee, whose health seemed much improved. Her nose rankled, however, when she saw the ooze still dripping from the walls and our clothes. I was surprised to see he hadn’t shackled her.

“Looking better I see,” said the Captain. “Yes?” He gestured to the being with his hand up. Without much regret in his voice, he added, " I apologize for the mess. Rodains smell rankly enough when they are alive and in one piece."

“I used that laser we re-acquisitioned last week to heal the wound,” explained the Phindian who had doctored the wound. “The other damage she managed to live through will heal in due time.”

“Well done, Woro,” Rugar affirmed. He turned a calculating eye on the Wookiee. “You realize, of course, that you are indebted to me, Wookiee. You will remain on this ship until you have paid off your debt,” he intoned. “I do not offer my services for free. And if you want to make trouble about it, I’m sure we could drop you off at the nearest Imperial correctional facilitation. Do we have an agreement?”

The Wookiee huffed and crossed her arms, but I caught her eye and winked at her. She nodded reluctantly.

Sishik raised a spindly arm. Rugar acknowledged her with a nod. She rose and held up a small gadget, which she handed to the Captain.

“Captain Rugar, Sir,” she clicked, “Here is a translator I threw together for the Wookiee. I will eventually download this program into the main ship’s computer.”

“Excellent Sishik,” purred the Captain. He took the translator and admired it. “Show me how it works.”

“All you have to do is make certain this side,” she demonstrated, “faces the Wookiee when she speaks, and the view screen is facing you. On the screen will appear an approximate translation of Shryywook into Basic.”

“Good,” he held it up to the Wookiee. “Well? You manage to comprehend Basic. Tell us your name.”

She barked softly, proudly putting her fist to her heart. “Crew, meet Charlebbekka,” he said. “Congratulations, Miss. You are now our navigator. I’ll see you on bridge tomorrow morning. The Rodian set us a course for an isolated moon before he quit, so we’ll be able to rest well tonight.”

I put up my hand. “What is it Gunnir?” sighed the captain.

“Do you mind if I show her the ropes?” I suggested. “I know, more or less how the ship’s navigation system works, and I’m sure she can catch on to everything else.”

“Fine, “ said the Captain as he twirled on his heel. As he exited the room, he said over his shoulder, “She’s your pet anyway.”

*****

“Woah...” Aria pushed her plate aside. Her eyes had a faraway look. She refocused on the present. “What do you think Captain Rugar would have done if you hadn’t spoken up?”

“Probably would’ve either killed her or left her to die,” her father shrugged.

Charlebbekka paused between chews and gave his back a hardy smack, and then mussed his hair.

“Hey! Woah! No need to be quite so affectionate there, missy,” he said, coughing. “You nearly broke my spine!”

“Well, where is the translator now?” Aria inquired.

“She wanted to leave it behind,” explained Reissem. “It sort of reminds her that she still owes Captain Rugar.”

The Wookiee chortled good-naturedly. Aria and her mother looked at Reissem, waiting for a translation.

“Oh, it was nothing,” said Reissem, looking a little red around the ears. “It’s nothing, I - what?”

The Wookiee looked at him for a half a second and then unexpectedly grabbed him, hugging him toward her, knocking his chair over. She proceeded to muss up his hair with her mouth twisting into a mischievous grin.

“AUGH! OK!” he protested, trying to escape the heavy embrace and the hair mussing. “I can hardly breathe! OKAY!”

Charlebbekka let go and the man tumbled to the floor. Aria and her mother looked at the Wookiee, then each other, mouths hanging open. They peered over the table.

"Can you see him?” Ariasha asked her daughter, concerned. A hand appeared on the table, and he rose, with some difficulty, and rather breathlessly. His hair was quite messed with most of it sticking out straight up and in other directions.

“Uh, what she wanted me to say was,” he paused as he pulled himself onto his chair and attempted to flatten his hair down, “She wanted me to make sure you knew she doesn’t feel like she owes the Captain anything, because it was me who saved her. She is repaying this debt by protecting my life.”

There was a stunned silence. The women were looking at their furry guest with a mixture of disbelief and awe. Ariasha’s expression wavered slightly.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “It’s nice to know he’s got a friend like you when he’s out there.”

The Wookiee looked startled at this statement, but then bowed her head slightly and respectfully raised a glass.

Ariasha stood up from her chair. “Would you like thirds?” she asked heading toward the stove unit. Aria heard her mother gasp, and turned to see her mother’s legs fold beneath her. Reissem’s chair clattered on the stone floor again as he hastily stood up,

“Are you okay? What’s wrong? Is it getting worse?”

"Just... give me a minute,” she said stiffly, facing away from them. Fighting the tremors in her arms & legs, she began to get up, fists clenched in pain or embarrassment.

“Mother! Let me help you to the visiting room!” Aria pushed out from the table. Suddenly Ariasha was aloft in big furry arms.

“Oh my! For heaven’s sake,” blushed the woman, looking down at Reissem. She turned to Charlebbekka. “I’m not helpless, I just lost my footing. It’s nothing. Let me walk.” She protested all the way to the couch where Charlebbekka gently put her down.

“It’s okay, love,” said Reissem, sitting next to her and picked up her hand. “We’re all related now! Nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I’m not -“ she checked herself from raising her voice. “I’m not embarrassed, I just...”

“I still don’t understand this “family” connection to the - Charlebbekka,” prompted Aria.

The Wookiee growled a garbled phrase.

“I’m what she calls “Honour Family,” he translated. “I’m sort of her brother. And you’re her niece!”

“And Mother’s her sister-in-law!” laughed Aria.

A soft, throaty laugh shook Charlebbekka’s fur. She put a heavy arm around the burly pirate’s shoulder and drawled inquisitively. Reissem looked startled.

“Oh, we’ll tell them about that later, ‘Lebbie. I’d just like to sit around with my family and catch up on the news.”

“What did she say, Father?” asked his daughter, moving to the woven carpet to sit by the furry guest.

“She just wants me to tell more stories,” he smiled. “But, now, I want to hear some stories about you two.”

The Wookiee’s brow creased in confusion, but she didn’t continue the conversation.

"Tell, you what, my friend,” he winked. “Why don’t you help yourself to some more stew?” The Wookiee grunted an affirmative, but Aria noticed Charlebbekka let her gaze remain on her father for a few more seconds as she made her way back to the kitchen.

“Good news, ladies,” he said gathering his wife and daughter to each side of him. “I have some more money for you both. I even had time to, er, get you some gifts!”

“Well, now you’ll have to show them to us,” Ariasha admonished. "You can’t expect us to concentrate on conversation when there are presents!”

"Really? What an astonishment!” he grinned wolfishly. He rose briefly to grab the large backpack he had dropped at the door when he had first arrived. “I worry about you, young lady,” he said seriously. “And I see that you are turning into someone strong and beautiful and, your mother tells me, brave. You can always use strength and beauty to get what you want, but here’s something for you when you get too brave for your own good.”

He pulled out a large bag and handed it to Aria. The weight surprised her. She pulled out two boxes and a heavy object wrapped in hide. She opened one container and pulled out a pair of slender black leather boots. “Aw, these are slick!” she said enthusiastically.

When she opened the next box she could hardly contain her joy. Without a word, she got up and immediately buckled on her new utility belt and holster.

Ariasha looked warily at her husband. She knew what was coming next. “Oh, hey! What?” Reissem asked sheepishly. “I think she’s ready, don’t you? I’m going to teach -“

“Oh wow, Father! Mother look! Look what he gave me!” She had unwrapped the hide and was now cradling a blaster in her hand. She saw her mother’s look of contention. “Mom. I promise - promise - not to use this until Father shows me how. For now, it’s just going to sit here in my holster. See? I put the safety on!” Her mother closed her eyes. “Oh please, Mother!” Aria went to her and kneeled in front of her. Clasping Ariasha’s hands in her own, Aria sputtered out every reason why she could keep the blaster. “Remember, Mother, when you told me I shouldn’t go wandering around on my own? But I don’t really have a lot of choice, sometimes, do I? And remember when we had that talk about boys and girls and how you said how much you worried about me? Remember when we went to town and those people were picking on us? Remember when we saw a Tusken Raider?”

“You’ve been wandering around on your own?” Reissem looked sternly his daughter. He turned to his wife. “You had that talk? People were doing what in town? Which people? Tusken Raider?!”

Ariasha covered her eyes. “Alright, alright. I see,” conceded Mrs. Gunnir. “I guess you’re going to be needing one sooner or later. I was just hoping later, is all.”

Aria whooped and ran on the spot for a couple of seconds. Then she turned back and hugged her mother. “Thank you! I promise to be careful!”

"I hope so,” sighed Ariasha.

“Okay, okay, Mother,” Aria said excitedly as she went back to her seat on the floor. “Your turn! Open your presents now!”

Reissem smiled. "Yeah! You’re gonna love ‘em, my little raindrop!” he said, rubbing his hands together. He produced a smaller bag from his backpack. Ariasha put her hand into the canvas bag and pulled out a glass box encasing a gossamer diamond necklace.

“This... is for you Ariasha. It looks delicate, but it’s unbreakable. Like you.”

She was speechless as he fastened it around her neck. She covered her mouth and tried to blink away tears. He handed her a small box, and opened it for her. Inside were delicate, white shoes.

“What am I ever going to wear these with?” she said, and pulled out a small parcel wrapped in colourful cloth. Her husband watched her intently as she gently unwrapped it. She lifted the lid of a ornately carved wooden box. “Oh, Re!” Ariasha sighed. “It’s so delicate! Look, Aria!”

She pulled out a full-length dress. Small, dainty diamonds accented the silvery fabric.

“Isn’t that rather sheer?” Aria said, wrinkling her nose. “Where do you expect her to wear that?”

“Oh, it leaves some to the imagination,” said her father. He waggled his eyebrows mischievously at his wife and then turned to see what his daughter's expression revealed. Ariasha giggled.

“Ugh!” their daughter groaned, sticking her tongue out.

“Never you mind, young lady,” said her father, wagging a finger at his daughter. “I am taking Mother on a getaway!”

“What? But Father, will I get to see you, too??” cried Aria.

“Of course you’ll get time with me!” he replied soothingly. “I have seven days - five days to spend with you, and if I keep my head down, another day after that! I kind of left the Captain with the impression that Lebbie and me were going on a mission to trade parts on the Black Market. Well, I gave him a rough idea about how long it will take to complete the task, you see. And he trusts me enough so that I didn’t have to let him know exactly where I’d be.”

“You’re insane, Re,” said his wife, as she hugged him tightly.

“Well, that does explain a few things, doesn’t it, love?”

“Will I be here all by myself?” Aria asked, brightening.

“Not to disappoint you, but me and Lebbie already made arrangements,” he said. “She said she’d be happy to stay here with you while your mother and me go off together. So it’s settled. Now give me some ideas as to what my two treasures have been up to the last six months?”

“Well, mother wants me to learn self-defence,” Aria stated. “She says she’s looking for someone to train me.”

“Is that so?” inquired Reissem, and then looked at his wife. “Do you have anyone in mind?”

“Uh, well, yes and no,” was his wife’s reply. “I have a few people in mind.”

“Anyone I would know?” he probed.

“Um, no,” she said not meeting his eyes. “Look, are you finished eating? I need to clear the table.”

“Mm-hm,” he said raising an eyebrow.

Aria’s forehead creased slightly at this strange exchange.

Reissem pressed on cautiously, “Weeell... Is it someone you know?”

“I, um,” she hesitated. “I haven’t really met any of the ones I sent queries to. I’ll let you know if I can, when I find one that seems appropriate.”

“Such a mysterious woman!” Exclaimed Reissem, teasing his wife. He didn’t notice Aria looking at them with a quizzical expression on her face. “How often I seem to have these allusive conversations with you.”

“What are you two going on about?” their daughter demanded. “What’s going on?”

“I hope to find out, someday,” said her father, gazing fondly into his wife’s eyes. “She never keeps anything from me but her past.”

Ariasha reddened. Her daughter’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “Yeah! That’s really true, ”she said, pointing her finger at her mother. “You always change the subject when I ask why you never talk about where you came from. What happened that you ended up here with Father?”

“You know how we met,” Ariasha pointed out. “I was working in a bar, and-“

”Yes, yes,” Aria interrupted, rolling her eyes and repeated what she always heard her mother say time and again,“Father rescued you. But what were you doing before that?”

“Nothing that either of you would be interested in,” she said evenly. “Go get the wine out of the cellar.”

“Mother!” Aria stood up and put her hands on her hips.

“Don’t worry,” assured Reissem. “She’ll tell us the whole story someday. Won’t you?” The question seemed more like a plea than a certainty.

“Maybe. But it’s in the past,” she replied. “Nothing like what is happening now in the present, your safe return. That is something to celebrate.”

Reissem drew his wife to him, and gave her a soft, lingering kiss.

“And I celebrate that you two are still here to greet me,” he said meaningfully. Then he noticed Aria still standing there, watching them. Her arms were crossed, but she didn’t seem as determined to cross-examine her mother anymore. In fact, Reissem noticed, she looked as though she might even be sad.

“Aria,” he said softly, winking at her. “Oh. Right.” She uncrossed her arms and turned to get the wine.

Chapter 3: TRANSLATING
Aria was outside, with Charlebbekka, working on the repairs her mother had almost completed the afternoon before. She was glad her father and mother could be alone together for a while.

“Hey, thanks for coming with me, Charlebbekka,” she said, looking up from her work. “They obviously don’t like me to be alone out here.”

Charlebbekka nodded.

“I don’t know what the big deal is,” she snorted. “There’s nothing out here. At least nothing that will show itself at this time of day.”

She glanced at Charlebbekka, who was sniffing the air. “Did my father tell you where he and mother went?”

The Wookiee shook her head, and pointed at something Aria had missed welding.

“Thanks, but I was getting there.” She looked up at the Wookiee who had cocked her head to one side. “Okay, okay, you’re right, I missed it,” she admitted, blushing as she saw to its completion. “There. How’s it look?"

Charlebbekka nodded and gave a thumb’s-up, growling an affirmative.

“I wish I could understand your language,” she said. “Do you think you could teach me?”

The Wookiee straightened, smoothed her fur thoughtfully for a second and then nodded. Charlebbekka pointed at herself and slowly let out a short sequence that sounded like,”Gggharrr-yip-bark-ah.”

“Oh that’s how you say your name in... in... What do you say it in? Shryywook, right?”

Charlebbekka nodded and barked an affirmative, “Ghharrirrwoof,”she enunciated.

“Maybe start with what my name sounds like in your language.”

“Arrh-aah,” said the Wookiee, sounding it out gamely.

Aria smiled encouragingly, “Hey, that sounds pretty good! What about ‘blaster’?”

Charlebbekka made the appropriate sounds, “Gahrr-ghgh.”

“How do you say ‘shoot’?”

The Wookiee barked shortly and harshly.

“Okay, I wanna see if I can hear it in a sentence,” she paused in thought. "Can you please say ‘Shoot it with a blaster’?”

“Rah-grrrrrrr raawr arra ah gahrr-ghgh.”

“Okay, how about ‘Drop your blaster?”

The lessons went on for about a half an hour. Aria finished up her repairs, snapping the security doors shut on the vaporator. She glanced up at her furry care-taker who was leaning limply against an outcrop of rock.

“Hey you look a little sick,” she observed. She pulled out her water bladder, and pointed at it. “You better have some water. What did you do with yours?”

Charlebbekka responded by taking the cork out of hers and tipping it upside down. Not a drop came out.

“Sheez, Charlebbekka,” Aria shook her head. “I guess I can’t blame you, you’re not exactly dressed for climate. We might have to get you a bigger water container.”

The Wookiee growled mournfully.

“Here, you can drink some of mine, just leave some for the walk back.”

The Wookiee gratefully tipped Aria’s water bladder and drained a good amount.

“Okay, woah,” Aria pulled on her friend’s arm. “We have to share the rest until we get back home. Here, I think you need a little shade. Put this loosely over your head.”

Charlebbekka took the white cotton cloth Aria had draped across her head and shoulders. She made a protesting sound and shook her head, and made as if to give it back.

“No, no - it’s fine,” grinned Aria, pushing it back toward Charlebbekka. “I can tie my hair up and I have sleeves to cover my shoulders. You’re just... Well... You don’t have a lot of choice in wardrobe.”

The Wookiee made an amused sound and nodded. She placed the sheet over her head, and hung on to the corners to lift it so she could see properly. Aria packed up her toolbox and motioned the tall furry being to follow her. She grinned up at her. “You sure don’t get quite the same coverage as I do with that thing.”

Indeed, the cloth easily draped over Aria’s head and over her shoulders and could be tied or clasped in the front, shawl-like. With the Wookiee, the cloth covered her head more like a hand towel.

“So it will be faster if we just head straight home, but if you start feeling over-heated, let me know & we’ll detour it through some shadier spots. It’s still not the hottest time of day, so we should be okay.”

“Raahhahh?”

“Yeah, it gets hotter here,” said Aria. “In a few hours I wouldn’t want to be out here in the middle of all this reflective sand, that’s for sure. Then it gets hot underfoot as well as over your head. You don’t have shoes, so I hope the pads of your feet won’t get uncomfortable.”

The Wookiee looked apprehensive. Aria nodded. "Yeah, we’d better get moving.”

As the two of them walked, Aria tried repeating back and reviewing the phrases she had learned. She asked her Shryywook language teacher questions in Basic. Charlebbekka would reply in Shryywook, which Aria attempted to translate back into Basic. The Wookiee laughed a few times, but mostly nodded and patted her young charge on the shoulder once in a while, encouraging her.

At first Aria asked general questions, like, “How do you like Tatooine?”

Charlebbekka growled & pointed a hairy finger at the suns. “The suns...?” Aria guessed. The Wookiee nodded. She pointed at Aria’s forehead, & then raised her hand to her furry brow and pretended to wipe away sweat. She made a disgruntled sound as she did so. Aria wiped real sweat from her own forehead, “Hot?”

Charlebbekka nodded mournfully, then she repeated the sounds in one entire phrase. Aria translated... “The suns... are hot.”

The conversation was like this, gradually increasing in length and complexity. At one point Charlebbekka snuffled and then barked out a coughing sound.

“My... what is going to burn off?” Aria mumbled. Then she grinned and translated: “Ah! ‘My fur is going to burn off!'” Charlebbekka growled and nodded. She seemed to be panting slightly. “Look Charlebbekka,” said Aria, putting her hand on her arm, "We’re only about a half-mile away. Then you and I can have a nice long cool draught of water.”

The Wookiee sighed with relief and nodded. They continued the last while in silence. The Wookiee looked down at the youthful woman-child beside her with interest. Aria wasn’t really focused on the path to the house, but rather her eyes were on the ground. She didn’t speak until they had entered the threshold and she had ushered Charlebekka into the visiting lounge.

“Here, you can start with this, and I’ll bring out a pitcher,” she said and went to the kitchen to fill one. On the way back she turned the cooling unit to full power. By the time she brought the pitcher of water, Charlebbekka had an empty glass and was wiping her mouth with some satisfaction. Aria refilled it and had a drink herself. Both the diminutive human and the formidable Wookiee sat back, relishing the re-saturation of dry throats & the refreshing coolness sitting in their stomachs.

“Charlebbekka - what is it my father calls you? Lebbie - may I call you Lebbie?” The Wookiee nodded and patted Aria affectionately on the shoulder. “I want to thank you first of all, for the language lessons,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve had so much fun in, well...” She shrugged, “Well, it’s been a long time. I still remember a couple times I spent with my father, when my mom was healthier and I didn’t have to look after her so much...”

She felt a furry finger pull some hair out of her eyes. She blinked, surprised at the wetness that suddenly sprang to her eyes. “Do you mind if I ask you a more personal question?” she asked shyly. Lebbie looked at her intently and woofed an affirmative. “My father doesn’t tell me everything about what he does. I know he wants to protect me, but... I still need to know things. About my father. Anything at all.”

Charlebbekka nodded and leaned back, accepting this line of questioning. “My father rescued mother. He rescued his captain,” she said softly, looking down at the glass of water in her hand. “He rescued you.” She glanced quickly at Charlebbekka, and felt rather then saw her staring intently at her, patiently waiting. “Don’t tell him this, Lebbie,” she implored sternly, her voice breaking. Lebbie wrapped a comforting arm around the girl and Aria edged in closer, hiding her face for a moment in the dusty fur. Aria looked up at the Wookiee. “But I sometimes wish he would rescue me, too.”

The Wookiee gently slid an arm under Aria’s shoulders, picked her up and placed her squarely across her lap, and wiped what remained of the tears on Aria’s face. “When you were alone, in the dark, in the storage container...?” One of the Wookiee’s eyebrows raised and she shifted in her seat slightly, but she nodded for Aria to continue. “When you were there, and my father came to help you,” she asked. “What did you feel?”

The Wookiee looked kindly at Aria and gently squeezed her arm. She growled softly and put her fist to her heart. Then she put her two fists together and made a motion as though she were breaking something between them. “Your heart was... broken?” she asked, wrinkling her brow. “I don't understand...”

Aria watched the Wookiee’s expressive hands as she pointed to herself; then pointed to a picture of Aria & her parents hanging on the wall. Then she pointed at herself again, pointed at Aria and then made a slashing motion with her hand. Aria swallowed a large lump that had formed in her throat with some difficulty. “I’m so sorry your family is gone,” Aria said hoarsely. She embraced the Wookiee. “I’m so very very glad that you are part of my family now. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to my father or mother.”

The Wookiee was stunned and now it was her turn to lower her head.

“When you pointed at me, does that mean you had a daughter, too?” asked Aria, still with her arms around the Wookiee’s neck. Charlebbekka nodded. “What was her name?” she asked, curiously.

She got up and refreshed Lebbie’s glass. Charlebbekka took a few sips and leaned back again and growled her answer. “Your daughter’s name was Jrrlwra?” Lebbie grunted and nodded. She pointed at Aria and growled another phrase. “I remind you... of her?” Aria laughed. “How?”

Lebbie chuckled throatily, and began to explain. The Wookiee patiently explained until Aria understood that the Wookiee thought she and her daughter shared the same spirit. Curiosity and self-discipline and a sense of family convinced Lebbie that, had Jrrlwa been alive and the two youths had crossed paths, they would probably get along very well.

“Wow,” said Aria. “That is...” She tried to think of words to describe how she felt. She gave up and just hugged her Wookiee friend again. “That is a great compliment. Thank you.” There was a comfortable silence then, while the two of them just sat with their thoughts. Aria looked at the time piece on the wall.

“Hey, after we grab some lunch, do you want to go into town?” she asked. “I need to buy some food for when mother and father get back.”

The Wookiee hesitated. Aria laughed at Charlebekka’s rumpled expression.

“It’s okay, we can take the speederbike,” said Aria. “Have you ever driven one?” Charlebbekka shook her head. “It’s okay,” she said. “I can drive it. My mother showed me how.”

-----------

There were several visits with Charlebbekka and her father, and after some visiting with family, Aria was always keen to practice her Shryywook. When the two were out on a hike or an errand to Mos Eisley, she would tell Aria what really happened - some extra part of the stories that Reissem would sometimes leave out, like the first time her family had met Charlebbekka.

Even though the Wookiee would expand on things, Aria suspected Lebbie was still leaving out some detail, but she had a better idea of what her father risked out there. She knew he felt this was the most lucarative and quick way to keep up with the costs of looking after his wife; paying workers when Ariasha had bouts of pain and fatigue. He had paid scientists and doctors with all manner of pirate booty to find out what was wrong with her, but no treatments or prescriptions or diagnosis seemed to help. Indeed, as time went on, Ariasha seemed to age a lot faster than normal, grew tired more and more easily, and sometimes could do nothing but sleep. Her more concerning symptoms were muscle weakness, sometimes accompanied by seizures and debilitating pain. And the "attacks," as her mother called them, were never in any pattern. The sporadic nature of the disease made Ariasha decide she would begin to stick closer to home, where medication, neighbours and family were near.

Although it was never spoken, Aria knew her mother was never going to get better. When her father and Wookiee friend had conversations in front of her Aria could understand most of what was being said, even if her father pretended what Charlebbekka was saying something else. No one ever mentioned that Ariasha might slowly be dying, but it was a fear that sometimes came unbidden to Aria's mind. She noticed the anguished expression her father would have on his face when he thought no one was looking.

Sometimes he would speak to Charlebbekka about his concern for his wife or about some upcoming missions when he thought Aria was out of hearing range. Aria hid the fact that she could understand Shryywook from her father so when the two shipmates had conversations in front of her, she would hear and understand more of the conversation than her father was aware. The Wookiee had told her that she should tell her father soon, or she would tell him for her. Aria understood that Lebbie did not like hiding things from Riessem. Aria said she would tell him, and made Lebbie promise not to tell before she got a chance to. "I'm just waiting for the right time."

Eventually, with Reissem being quite an alert and observant father, he did catch on that Aria knew how to understand and even speak some Shryywook, however was quite a good sport about it.

"At least you have someone else to talk to, when you and Aunt Lebbie go off on your walks," he said cheerfully. "Could come in handy, getting on a Wookiee's good side!"

Little did Aria know, that there was a little more meaning in that statement than what was on the surface. Every time Reissem came to visit he commented on how his little girl was a little more mature and taller... growing up a little too quickly, but beautiful - tall and willowy, like her mother...

Chapter 4: GROWING UP TOO QUICKLY
Aria answered the knock at the door, and was surprised to see Charlebbekka standing there, her fur billowing slightly in the sandy evening breeze.

"Hey!" Aria jumped and embraced her tall Wookiee friend. "What a surprise! Welcome, welcome! You and -"

She broke off her cheerful tirade when she noticed, first, the look on her Wookiee friend's face, and secondly, the gaping absence where her father's form was usually present beside his faithful compatriot, Lebbie.

"Where's father?" Aria asked, although her voice made it clear that she was horrified that she knew the truth. Suddenly sound seemed to muffle and vision seemed to dim slightly. She backed away from the door.

"Aria, who's there?" called her mother from the back of the house.

Aria stood frozen for a half a moment, her mouth moving but not forming words. "It's nothing mother - you can stay in bed," she called back, hoping her mother would not notice the tremor in her voice. She struggled to finish the thought, staring desperately at Lebbie. "It's... uh, our neighbour... little Tannis has been looking for his sister, you know how she's always getting lost... If you don't mind I'm going to go help him find her."

"Tannis?" called Aria's mother, her voice sounding fatigued and worn. "Oh, yes, from down the road. Sorry Tannis, I'm not feeling well, or I'd help - you go ahead Aria, I'm just going to rest."

"Okay mother, I won't be long."

But Aria stood, rooted to the spot, wishing time could stop and rewind.

Charlebbekka picked up Aria's shawl from the hook near the door and gently pulled her by the arm, and they left the dwelling.

Aria walked stiffly beside the tall Wookiee. Lebbie growled a concern, noting Aria's halting walk and alabaster expression. "I... I'll be fine," replied the young woman. "I'm just trying to think. I don't know how I'm going to tell mother. How will I...?"

The Wookiee helped her onto the family's speederbike. From somewhere far away, Aria watched herself, moving mechanically, somehow getting onto the speederbike even though her limbs felt disjointed and heavy.

She clasped on to the back of Lebbie, holding on to big handfuls of reddish-brown fur and felt the movement of the speederbike as they headed smoothly to whatever destination they were going. She watched the ground blurring by, and wondered if that was how fast her father had seen her grow up, though she had hardly noticed.

Flashes of memory came up through her otherwise out-of-focus thoughts. There was the time he came home in the middle of the night and took them all in orbit to watch the sunrises on the other side of the planet. There was the wide-eyed tearful look of joy on her mother's face whenever he came home, so happy and young-looking that Aria almost forgot how sick her mother was. There was the look of surprise and pride on her father's face when Aria had shot her first target with her new blaster: an empty bottle out in the desert. There was the time she and her father went out for a ride together on a dewback - her first time on any ridingbeast. She sat behind him and held on tight to her father's shirt and they both laughed as they swayed and rocked on the huge beast's shoulders, and he taught her pirate songs.

Now... Now there was no time left.

Aria jumped slightly. Lebbie was growling and shaking her arm softly. Aria hadn't noticed right away, feeling numb and husk-like. The speederbike must have come to a halt.

"Oh, sorry..." she started. The Wookiee helped her off and she trudged on, with Lebbie leading her. "Where are we going?" She looked up and saw they had arrived at Chalmun's cantina. "Oh. Yeah, I think I could use a drink. I somehow... feel cold..."

This cantina had become a familiar place the last couple of years - at least for Reissem, Charlebbekka and Aria. Chalmun's Mos Eisley Cantina was where Ariasha had met with Aria's mysterious martial arts trainer, and Aria had to be content, at the tender age of 13, to wait outside the cantina while her mother met with her potential trainer.

Now she worked as an assistant barkeep and sometimes waited and bussed tables. She had been introduced by Lebbie to Chalmun when she was 16, and since Aria was willing to work and seemed to be able to take care of herself, as well as knowing some good self-defense and being pretty handy with a blaster, she was hired. Aria worked at Chalmun's regularly and used it as an opportunity to keep up her Shryywook language lessons.

Chalmun was a very understanding boss when it came to Aria needing time off to care for her ailing mother. Charlebbekka and the now 18-year-old Aria walked into the bar. Chalmun appeared to have been waiting for them. He waved them through to the back to a private room and brought them some drinks himself. He said nothing, merely exchanging a glance at Charlebbekka, who nodded. He put a comforting arm on the young human's shoulder, returned the Wookiee's nod, and exited the room.

Aria took a sip of her drink and felt some colour come back into her cheeks. She leaned back in her chair, eyes closed, arms extended, palms face-down on the table. "So... What happened, Lebbie?" she asked.

Charlebekka explained what had happened: Reissem was leading the mission: they were to go in, find some crystals they were tipped off about, and take as many as they could, then hyperspace out. The usual.

The Tusk pierced the hull, the party attacked through the impromptu portal. Only thing was, these weren't some ordinary run-of-the-mill miscreants or local authorities that were firing back. The ship they were attempting to heist had a contingent of fully armed elite stormtroopers: the Empire's Best.

Apparently a scientist from Mrlsst was kidnapped and a band of Rebels was attempting to rescue him at the same time, using the 'acquisition' operation as a distraction. Apparently the captain's 'reliable source' who had told them about the precious crystals on board had overlooked the small detail about it being full of Imperials on a completed mission that had involved harvesting crystals for a prototype weapon.

Blaster fire was everywhere, explosions, flying debris. In the confusion, Charlebbekka had, just for a fraction of a second, lost track of her human brother. She had turned around to find him, and found herself at almost point-blank range from a stormtrooper's heavy blaster pistol. Everything after that microsecond happened before Lebbie's eyes in slow motion. She heard Reissem yell in rage at the stormtrooper, and was helpless to stop the laser fire as he threw himself in between his Wookiee guardian and the blaster.

He lay dying in the Wookiee's arms as his last breaths left him. He grabbed hold of her arm, just like he had when he first helped her stand up when he'd found her in a containment cell under a pile of her dead kin.

As Charlebbekka continued, Aria imagined what her father had said and how he forced out his last dying wishes… "Please... tell them... I'm sorry... didn't mean to leave them... alone back there... Please... help... my girls..."

Not many crystals were found, but the ones that were found were quite large: a fortune.

"Where is... his body?" Aria looked at Lebbie across the table. The Wookiee explained that the captain had let her take Reissem's body, and she had it on her shuttle, awaiting a proper funeral.

"I see," said Aria. She watched as Charlebbekka stood, and moved Aria's drink aside to gently place a dusty, beaten up old knapsack on the table between Aria's hands.

Aria suddenly felt her eyes get very hot, and pulled the knapsack toward her and clasped it to her, watching her tears spilling onto it and spotting the dusty canvas. After a moment or two, she opened the straps with trembling hands and reached in.

"Oh, Lebbie, thank you for this," she whispered. In her hand was a tattered picture of herself and her mother. "It was when we were both so much younger. It was before she started having the seizures. I think it was when I was six."

She pulled out a datapad. "Encrypted, no doubt," she said smiling faintly. "I'll find out what the code is." She pulled out sealed package, and opened it, revealing a long piece of silken material. "This is from mother's hair. She wondered where it went. It was one of her favourite hair ties. She always thought I had taken it and lost it," said Aria, chuckling and then struggling not to break down again. "It still smells faintly of her perfume." She paused, "I shouldn't be doing this," she stopped, put up her hands, abashed. "I can't open this without mother!"

She hastily began packing everything back into the sack, when Charlebbekka, touched her on the shoulder. Aria looked up, questioning. Charlebbekka unzipped a side pouch and pulled out a smaller leather bag, and deposited it in Aria's hands. She motioned the girl to open it. Aria unzipped it and looked inside: even in the pale lighting of the backroom, something heavy shifted and glittered inside the darkness of the pouch. She reached in and pulled out two huge red crystals. She sat mesmerized at the reflections casting about the room. "Great Krayt," she muttered, drying the rest of her tears off with her other hand. "You weren't kidding. I can definitely help mother with this. I just have to find the right buyer on the market, and then I could get a medical droid full time for mother, and some other droids to help out on the farm..." Charlebbekka looked inquisitively at Aria. "I plan to get off this rock someday, Lebbie, and this is my first really big break."

The Wookiee tilted her head and made an inquiring sound.

"I plan to eventually work like my dad," said Aria.

Charlebbekka barked, waving her hands in protest and shaking her head.

"Yes, I am," barked back Aria hoarsely. "I always wanted to be with him. Now he's gone. This is the only way I know how to be near him now."

Charlebbekka grumbled, resigned. Then added something cautiously.

"Yes, I know I can't leave mother," Aria sighed, her shoulders fell. "I can't do this to her. She's lost him, and she won't want to lose me on top of that." She sighed. "Yes, I will have to stay. For now."

Charlebbekka pulled her chair over to Aria and encircled her with a furry embrace, drawling in Shryywook.

"Thank you. That's nice of you to keep me in mind for later... We can keep in touch and when I'm ready to join you, we'll hook up." She tried not to think of her mother's condition that would allow for when she would be free of this planetary prison.

She looked at her chronometre. "I guess I'd better go back, it's been over an hour. Thanks for the drink. Do you want to stay with us tonight?" Lebbie considered for a moment, then shook her head and explained. "Yes, that's true. Perhaps you can stay somewhere else for tonight then, and then come over around noon tomorrow?"

The Wookiee nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I'll take care of mother and the two of us will look at this together, first," she said, looking down fondly and placing a reverent hand on the knapsack under her arm. "Thanks so much Lebbie. I know you kept him alive a lot longer than he was meant to. Are you going to be okay?" asked Aria, putting her hand on the Wookiee's head.

Charlebbekka's forehead touched Aria's and two great tears rolled down her cheeks and absorbed into her dusty fur. The two friends embraced once more, and then Aria gathered up her father's knapsack and went home as her friend waved to her.

Chapter 5: OUT OF THE KRAYT'S MOUTH AND INTO THE SPACE SLUG'S
Aria waited at docking bay 93, watching construction of some more docking bays through a cordoned-off area. Hovercrafts brought materials to crews waiting to weld and add circuitry. She marvelled that there was even any need to add more docking bays.

Who would want to come to this planet? Or perhaps the better question is, who is crazy enough to think that there is going to be a sudden commercial or trades boom that would cause them to want to add more docking bays? What a waste. Aria knew that the money could have been better used somewhere else, because of her own situation and because of others less fortunate than herself. But she also knew where the money was coming from, so she wasn't surprised. That's the way it is on Tatooine; those with the power and the credits are primarily the Hutts or other scum. Why would they want to share any of that with the other inhabitants on this chlorophyll-forsaken planet?

The sound of an incoming shuttle landing nearby grabbed her attention. It was Charlebbekka, come to take her away from this rock. There was nothing keeping Aria here now.

"Hey, you ol' furball!" greeted Aria, warmly. Charlebbekka gave Aria a Wookiee hug that pushed the majority of the air out of her lungs. Rubbing her ribs, Aria looked up at her friend with a rueful grin on her face. "So, I doubt you want to hang out on this hateful over-heated sandpile. You game to take right off again? I have all the stuff I own." She pointed at her meager luggage. Charlebbekka's eyes softened somewhat, and she nodded, warbling something in Shryywook. Without another word she went around behind Aria and picked up her tightly-packed duffle and then headed back to the shuttle. Aria took one last look around her, and then wondered why she did, as she followed Lebbie up the ramp into the shuttle. Aria settled in beside the Wookiee.

"Nice shuttle, Lebbie," she commented. The Wookiee made a snorting sound. "Well it looks nice to me," Aria shrugged. "But I don't get out much." Lebbie harnessed herself in and motioned Aria to do the same. Then --- lift-off.

Aria's stomach lurched momentarily and she felt her head sway as she saw the ground fall away, receding, and then the buildings shrank and she could see everything around Mos Eisley and outside of it including the horizon, all the creatures looking tiny and insignificant. The horizon fell away and it was nothing but sky, and a feeling as weightless as gossamer. She fought vertigo as they lifted nearly straight up and then shot forward , the planet pulling back on every bone in her body. Then there was the bouyant vacuum of space and the lightness of the atmosphere disappeared, and darkness was everywhere and infinite except for the pinpoints of stars that somehow were not consumed by this massive nothingness, spread out like shattered glass and diamonds.

This was like the time her father had taken her and mother into orbit to see the sunrises. But now her mother and father's ashes floated with the rest of the space dust, on some magical journey into eternity. Aria wondered briefly if they might form some kind of beautify comet and maybe crash into a star or be absorbed into some anomoly in Wild Space or the Unknown Regions... And come through it to another side of existence.

Charlebbekka glanced at Aria's face and chuckled. "What?" asked Aria, not tearing her eyes for one moment from the window in the cockpit. "Like I said, I don't get out much."

All too soon, it seemed, The Tusk came into view, and Charlebbekka shot Aria a cautionary glance. Aria took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "Yeah," she shrugged. "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I know all the stories about your loving Captain Rugar. Like we rehearsed: I'll just keep out of his way, stick close to you, and try to keep my big mouth shut. And I know, no huggy-cuddly-wuddily stuff while on board. I gotta act tough."

Charlebbekka nodded, and then punched the communique button and warbled a request for docking.

"Ah! Charlebbekka, you are clear to dock," a loud and boisterous voice proclaimed. "Welcome back. I understand you have some extra baggage!"

"I'll take that as a greeting," ventured Aria. "I take it you are the Phindian."

"Why is it that everyone guesses that before they even see me? Yes, Woro's the name." He continued wryly, "I take it you are the baggage: human, female, Aria -- Reissem's offspring."

"That would be me."

"Well, you sound nicer," said Woro, only slightly less irreverantly. "Perhaps you smell nicer as well. Welcome aboard!"

There was a slight bump as the Wookiee maneouvered into the hold. Aria followed Lebbie out into the hold and met up with Sishik the Verpine, who peered curiously at her with a many-faceted gaze, antennaes quivering just over Aria's head. "Welcome to the fold, Reissem's offspring," she hissed, clicking her mandibles together simultaneously. "Rugar sent me to take you to your father's old quarters, and to basically... shall we say, size you up."

"I see," said Aria, keeping what she hoped was an even tone and stoic expression. "And what do you determine at first glance?"

"I see a female version of Reissem, much longer hair, toned musculature, composed expression, although somewhat elevated heart rate," she rattled off, as Charlebbekka and Aria headed down a narrow hallway. "But I am the wrong species to ask about any creature with a skeleton underneath a layer of skin. I find it intriguing that mammalian creatures spend so much tedious time tying up and decorating dead growths of hair as you do, as it looks cumbersome all tied up like rope and hanging down as it does. It looks to me like the first thing an enemy would grab to pull up your chin and get a good angle at your throat. I also wonder that, unlike my species, the mammals' females all tend to be more finely built and smaller-"

"And that's why the females developed brains," interjected Aria.

"Ah," Sishik murmured, but it was hard to tell if she was amused or accepting the statement as fact. "Perhaps that is the case. Here are your quarters. Charlebbekka is directly across from you. We have breakfast, such as it is, at 800 hours, if you are so inclined. The captain would like to see you after he comes back from the Black Market, most likely tomorrow. Unless he finds the ale he was looking for, and then it may be an extra two or three days. I'll leave you to your own devices, as I am sure Charlebbekka can show you around as much as any of us."

The insectoid bowed her head slightly and left the two ladies at the end of the hallway. The door slid open and Aria saw her father's former room. As she entered, she heard her footsteps echo slightly in the nearly hollow room. It was washed clean, but a few remnants of his remained. So this was my father's home away from home... She thought, and turned around to get a full view of the room. It wasn't much bigger than their storage room back home, but she didn't care. This was where her father had been. On the small table beside the twin bed was a bandanna. This must have been dad's. She picked it up and put it around her neck.

"Hey Charlebbekka, this drawer has a lock on it," Aria said excitedly, attempting to shake the small cabinet. "You wouldn't happen to know where the-" She laughed as the Wookiee produced the key and handed it to her. "You are a clever Wookiee, my friend," she grinned and tried the key. The drawer opened this time... It seemed empty, but Aria rapped the bottom of it and noted that it sounded hollow. A false bottom, eh dad? She looked up at Charlebbekka and smiled mischievously.

The Wookiee winked at Aria. "Right, I'll figure out, um... where everything goes later." said Aria, not wanting to look under the compartment at the moment. She didn't want anyone else besides the two of them to find out about this. "Can you show me around The Tusk now?"

Lebbie chuckled at Aria's unabashed enthusiasm, but then her expression hardened somewhat. As the two began walking back from the direction they came from, Charlebbekka growled a low warning. "Huh? Whattaya mean 'don't act too happy?'" Aria's brow rose.

The Wookiee continued to explain.

"Ah, because if I act too keen, they might start getting annoyed, or they might start giving me too much to do?" Charlebbekka smirked. "Ah... Both. I see. Right then, I'll try to look a bit more cool and detached. How's this?" She tried to make herself look bored, and was startled by the sound that Lebbie made. "Are you laughing at me? What now?" Charlebbekka wiped a tear away with a hairy finger and composed herself long enough to explain.

Aria rolled her eyes, "Sheez, so now I look like a drugged Bantha... Should I try wearing a mask?" Aria noticed the Wookiee stopped laughing and began walking in a more purposeful gait, so she tried to follow suit. She saw why.

They were evidently heading toward the common area, where she saw Cale, the human, was playing Sabacc with Gid, the Shistavenen, and Woro, the Phindian, and a Togorian whose cards thrown face down on the table, had already folded. The other two felinoid Togorians were doing some sort of arm wrestling that involved pinning down each other's forearms, while Sishik and the reptoid Trandoshan oversaw. All the ship's crew members were actively doing something, that is, until she walked into the room.

There was an awkward silence.

"Well, don't stop all the fun on account of me," snorted Aria, with what she hoped sounded like a casual tough-sounding grunt. She returned the penetrating gaze of the Trandoshan.

Charlebbekka barked an introduction.

"Yeah, we can tell she's Reissem's kid," said Cale, chewing on a piece of metal that he seemed to be using to pick his teeth. "Surprised you decided to hang with the gang, little thing like you. Your old man was tops in my datapad-"

The Trandoshan suddenly looked away from Aria and hissed at him, "Really, Cale?" the reptile's teeth revealed a hideous grin. He looked back at Aria and elaborated, "Personally, I got the impression that he wanted to kill off Reissem first chance he-"

Cale's large fist connected with the Trandoshan's eye.

"'Scuze me, Karnic," he said shaking the pain from his bleeding knuckles, while the reptile snarled at him. "Don't be so rude," Cale snarled back at Karnic. He looked back down at Aria from where all six foot eleven of him stood. "Yeah, I'll admit, I said that when I first saw 'im. But we all say that about everyone new face who comes aboard... Present company excepted, of course. So no hard feelings?"

He offered a friendly handshake to Aria.

Aria looked at the proffered hand and grabbed it, intending to shake it, but was caught off guard when he yanked her toward him. Off-balance she fell toward him and he skillfully spun her around so that she leaned back against his chest.

"Easy there, Big Sis," he growled at Charlebbekka whose hackles were raising. "I just want to get to know the little lady."

"Of course," Aria sighed. She rolled her eyes and grimaced, smelling rather than feeling Cale's ale-sodden breath in her ear. "I should be more careful. Fortunately," she said as she shot back her elbow into Cale's stomach, winding him, "My father told me..." And then brought up her fist into his eye, "..all about you!" She turned and saw him bending over, one hand clamped over his stomach and another over his eye. "And now that we've gotten to know each other..." she finished off her sentence with a quick kick to his groin.

Cale crumpled onto the floor, squinting.

"Point taken," he gasped from his fetal position on the floor. "Truce."

After a silent heartbeat of astonishment, laughter from the rest of the species erupted. She turned to look at the group at the tables who were hooting and cheering. Charlebbekka smirked, crossed her massive arms, and nodded in approval. One of the two male Togorians planted a large stein of some sort of foul-smelling ale down, and motioned for her to sit there.

"Hyah! It is not often that, anyone, let alone such a small human like yourself, can put Cale in his place. We need a fourth for Sabacc," he growled, but to Aria it sounded like he was trying not to laugh too hard. "Please honour us."

"Well, I'm willing to learn," she said gamely. She wondered if any of these brutes knew how often her father and Charlebbekka played Sabacc with her. "How do you play?"

Chapter 6: RUGAR'S ARRIVAL
Aria lay in bed in the darkness of her father's former room on The Tusk, reflecting on the evening before. All this newness made her mind race, so when she had woken up earlier than she had intended, she couldn't get back to sleep.

The Aqualish captain hadn't come back yet, so the ship was still in standard orbit. He must have found that rare ale on the Black Market, mused Aria.

The crew stayed up late into the night, some of them playing Sabacc with Aria. The rest watched with growing amusement as her opponents seemed to win heavily for a while, but then later they desperately trying to win back their credits from her as her pile of acquisitions grew. Eventually, they wised up, and she admitted that she may have had one or two card games with her father before, and that he might have given her a few pointers.

She learned that the captain was so suspicious and paranoid about anyone finding out the source of his favourite ale that he hired bodyguards from the surface rather than taking someone from his longtime crew. Probably some Hutt Lord, who killed several beings just to possess it. She took the time she had to learn all she could about the beings she was going to be spending an indefinite amount of time with.

Some of the crew was displaced by the Empire and had no other place to go. Others originally appeared to have been hired by Rugar as body guards or mercenaries, and then decided to stick it out a bit longer, take their chances and gather some pirate treasure. For some of the crew, like the Wookiee and the Trandoshan, and possibly Cale, they seemed to have no where else to go as they seemed to be wanted all over the galaxy from various authorities.

From the other tales they told her about their captain, she knew she should prepare herself for anything. "You best be on your worssst behaviour when he comes back, young missss," Karnic had hissed. "He seems to hate humans the mossst of all the species because he believes them to be weak, but he will put up with them if he thinksss they can be of use to him. You will be no use to him if he thinksss you can be pushed around."

The Verpine leaned in toward her as well, "You should be fine, if you are anything like Reissem. Just remember... Whatever your strategy, never act meek," she suggested. "Although he and his kind prefer everyone to do what he wants, he detests signs of weakness. Hold his gaze when he is addressing you. If you feel he is about to attack you, the best way to disarm him is to pander to his ego."

Aria had reveled in this show of comaraderie. It meant that the crew had accepted her and they wanted the captain to keep her aboard. Aria knew Lebbie's story, and she knew that Trandoshans and Wookiees typically do NOT get along, especially because of their past histories. In the past Trandoshans hunted down Wookiees like game for Imperial bounty. Lebbie didn't seem to hold any ill will toward this particular fellow, so she tried to glean some information from him.

Karnic told her little, other than that he chose not to be present during the Shryywook massacres, and that he had other business that got him into plenty of other kinds of trouble. He would not disclose much else, unless it was about his present role on The Tusk.

Cale, sporting a small cut on his eyebrow and a black eye, with guaze up his nose, seemed not to take offense at his bruises. He said the pirate-brewed still-flavoured alcohol he and his mates manufactured was numbing the pain. She wondered if that was the only pain he was trying to dull, as he seemed to need a lot of it. He did seem to feel better when he wasn't losing his credits to her in Sabacc, and others were. Instead of congratulating the winner of the Togorian wrestling matches, Cale tended to laugh and make fun of the loser. Aria wasn't sure if she really liked him, as his mood seemed to lean toward sadistic joy when someone else was doing worse than he was.

She learned the names of the Togorians. All three of the huge cats were siblings, and had similar grey coats with black stripes. Purrn was the largest, standing at least ten feet tall, and had a tuft of white fur on his forehead, whereas Scrahg did not. Schrag had a slightly darker coat and was wider in the shoulders than his brother, but stood perhaps nine feet tall, whereas Shask'rr, the female, was a "mere" eight feet tall and somewhat smaller in build, and also didn't have as much facial fur or a mane, but Aria supposed she was just as lithe and deadly.

Purrn and Scrahg's method of arm wrestling wasn't one Aria was familiar with. They stood, rather than sat, at a heavy-looking table which was bolted down to the floor. They hunched over it with their claws retracted. They stood on their sides of the table, staring at each other without a flicker of whisker or twitch of ear. Their sister would give a signal and they would, with sudden movement, attempt to pin the other's forearms against the table top. The object of the match was to pin the other's arms down. It got quite spirited sometimes, and in some cases one or the other would end up twisted around with his back on the table, feet off the ground, pinned to the table.

Shask'rr explained, as Aria watched them, that they restricted themselves to arm wrestling instead of an all-out match. For Togorians, like Wookiees, to use claws and teeth when not fighting for food or in defense was considered dishonourable. The point was to see who was the fastest, most cunning, and strongest -- not who could inflict the most lethal wounds. "Why just arm wrestling?" asked Aria. She watched their fierce expressions. "They sure look like they would prefer full body contact!"

"Do you think it would be wise to use our full strength, pouncing abilities, and weight in this tin can?" Shask'rr made an odd sound between a snort and a purr. "We save that for when we are on solid ground. They did try actual wrestling... Once."

"Yes," said Sishik, irritably clacking her mandibles together. "And it took me forever to repair the damage."

"What do you mean 'you'?" laughed the Phindian, nearly spitting out of the ship's brand of vile brew. "It took every one of us a standard week to knock the dents out of things, re-wire, weld, re-program, replace... You," he said pointing one of his right index fingers at the insectoid, "Stood there and told us all what to do, if I recall! Kept pointing in all directions with all your limbs!"

The Phindian, of course, was himself. He seemed quite the jolly fellow, loud and boisterous. He boasted that having four arms allowed him to shoot to kill while he could, at the same time, perform life-saving surgery on someone, and then launched into several stories wherein he had done very nearly that. Some of his mates who were listening grinned wickedly and nodded, while others laughed and rolled their eyes.

A knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts. She smiled when she heard Charlebbekka growling a morning greeting. "Yeah, I'm up," Aria said, and wrapped herself in her blanket to answer the door. She let her friend in. "I suppose it's not exactly one hundred percent safe to change clothing unless I am under the covers?" She smirked and motioned her head toward a small hole high up on the wall, just below the ceiling. She had done a thorough search of the premises before coming to that conclusion. "I took down that camera, but I may have missed another one somewhere."

Charlebbekka snorted in disgust and suddenly disappeared from the room. "NO Lebbie! It's okay!" she hollered to down the hallway. "I don't care!"

She shook her head and gave chase to the galley. Already Shask'rr and Woro were attempting to hold back and calm down the giant forest dweller, who looked terrifying with her fur all bristling and teeth bared at Cale. He was wearing his breakfast and was just getting up off the floor. He had a hand over his eye, the same one that Aria had left a fist print in the night before.

"Couldn't you have at least hit the OTHER eye??" He whined. Charlebbekka made as if to grant him his wish. The Togorian and the Phindian, although under intense strain, seemed to just barely manage to hold her back.

"Lebbie! Lebbie, look at me!" demanded Aria. The Wookiee, with great will power, tore her concentration from the man getting up off the floor and turned to look at Aria. "Stop it, will you?!" Aria tried to look as mean as possible, and although she had never witnessed her friend in that much of a fury, she risked going as close up to her face as possible. Since the Wookiee was leaning forward, she was almost at eye level, so Aria yanked over a chair and stood on it. "Settle down, right NOW, lady!"

Charlebbekka reluctantly untensed her muscles and stood up, and Woro and Shask'rr tentatively let go. "Thanks Charlebbekka," sighed Aria, "But if you don't mind, I would like to at least try to deal with these things my way first."

She lent a hand out to Cale who grasped it, and helped him up. "Sorry about that Cale."

"What in the Core was that all about?" he said, sitting down again.

"Cale," said Aria, sitting down next to him. "Did you hide the camera I found in my room?" Cale looked annoyed and yet somewhat sheepish, "Ur... Ummm... You see, that is...." He faltered even more when he saw Shask'rr narrowing her eyes. She flattened her ears back against her skull and crossed her arms. He shrugged and then threw up his hands. "Look, I had to try!"

"So, you admit that you did install a camera? In my private quarters? To spy on me? And you didn't think I would be smart enough to figure that out?" said Aria, her tone getting more and more poisonous.

Cale's eyes swivelled from the Wookiee glaring at him back to the stern young lady beside him and nodded slowly, shoulders hunched. "Don't do it again," she said. She pointed a finger in his face, and lips a in a single tight line, she moved her face closer as well. He winced as she snapped, "Don't...."

"Well, well, well!" a heavy voice that rasped with gravel suddenly made everyone's do an about-face toward the ship's hold. It was Rugar who had come from the ship's hold, swaying slightly against the support of Sishik and Purrn. Everyone hastily stood and saluted, Aria following suit.

Rugar seemed to be at a point somewhere between just waking up or going to sleep after a long 24-36 hours of drinking and intense partying. Aria wondered if he looked hung over, or if he always looked the way he appeared now. His eyes seemed very glassy and it was difficult to tell if he was annoyed or amused by the scene he had walked in on. "I see we have a stowaway," he growled and pointed a wavering finger at Aria. "Who in the System are you?"

"Aria Gunnir, sir," she replied smartly, stepping forward from the others. "I'm filling in for my father, captain. I'm here to take over his duties."

He appeared to mull this over, and swayed a bit from side to side, as though he might also tip over. "Well, then," he snarled, "I will consider what to do with you," he said grabbing hold of one of Sishik's limbs. "That is, after... I have some time... to think it over."

"Aye, captain," she said, saluting again.

On his way to his quarters, as he passed the bruised male human, he did a double-take. "What happened to you, Cale?" he demanded. "Getting into trouble with the Wookiee?"

"Uh..." Cale hastily cast a sideways glance at Aria, who narrowed her eyes at him, but said nothing.

"Nevermind," he snorted. "I will have a talk with you two, after I deal with... this..." he looked back at Aria with what may have been a distasteful look on his face, but it was hard to tell as he already looked distasteful. "Come with me, Sishik."

"Yes, Captain," the Verpine said, holding out one of her four arms. The other three were laden with baggage. All the baggage, including the Quaran Aqualish, were led away.

After he had been led to his quarters, the tension in the room deflated. Everyone exhaled and either sat down or leaned against something. Some appeared slightly disappointed. Cale, at least, appeared grateful that Aria hadn't mentioned their disagreement, she guessed because it would have made him look bad.

"Well, what's to eat?" asked Aria. "I would prefer a full stomach when I'm learning what to do around here." Lebbie responded with a nod and a grunt and disappeared into the kitchen area, reappearing a moment later with a full plate for each of them of what appeared to be eggs and some kind of toasted bread. Aria stifled a chuckle when she saw the huge heap of food on her friend's plate, but knew that the Wookiee more than likely was holding back.

Aria tucked into the fare herself, "Hey, this is good," she said. "Who's the cook?"

Cale raised a hand half-heartedly, the other hand still nursing his eye. "We take turns."

"I see," said Aria, surprised. "I guess I better learn how to cook, too."

The Verpine came back shortly. "Aria, I see you are almost finished," she bowed. "I suggest that you at least familiarize yourself - and perhaps rather quickly - with anything on this ship that you might be able to assist with. Rugar is sleeping now, but I thought I best warn you that when he wakes up, he will want to have some idea of your usefulness on this ship, besides using up valuable space and eating valuable supplies."

"Got it, Sishik," said Aria, finishing off her breakfast. "You ready Lebbie?"

The Wookiee had taken the trouble to tip the contents of the plate into her mouth, and therefore it appeared as though she was done about the same time.

Aria followed her mentor to the engine room and wasn't surprised when Sishik arrived a moment later. The giant insect looked startled to see them there.

"We meet again? So soon," she said rattling her antennae. Sishik continued in a tone that Aria was sure was meant to be sarcastic, "To what or whom do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well, Sishik," said Aria, keeping an even tone. "I'm fairly talented with fixing things. Us farm girls need to know how to weld and solder; fix components of systems - both software and gears and such; plus maintenence, tune-ups, and upgrades... And sometimes if something breaks or runs down it can be days, weeks or months before the correct parts come in from somewhere, so I know a bit about jury-rigging, cross-referencing, rewiring, substituting parts, reconfig-"

"Enough!" said Sishik, putting all four hands up. "I see you have plenty of experience. Perhaps I can ask for your assistance with fixing the wiring that leads from the engine to the regulator. There appears to be some damage from our last... hm.... mission, wherein we just managed to hyperspace out of target range of a missile. We missed most of the explosion, but something still breached our hull and some parts fell down onto the wiring, and if you look in a few places along the wires, such as here..." She pointed with a hairy claw at some areas to illustrate her point. "And here... Anyway, you seem bright for a being of your species so I'll leave you to let you have a look."

Charlebbekka indicated that she would be in the ship's hold for the time being, so she parted. Aria got to work. She located some gloves that fit her human hands, and, with tools from Sishik's supply, she did some wire-stripping so she could twist some wiring together. She even did some soldering to reconnect the wires to one of the motherboards. When that was done, she asked for approval from the insectoid, who carefully inspected.

From that point she was asked to see what was wrong with the venting system, which Aria discovered turned out to be a filter needing replacement. "Very well done," commented Sishik. "These were simple tasks: we haven't fully tested you out in the engine room or other ship repairs, but you definitely have proven to me that you have an aptitude for it. If need be, I will be happy to make Captain Rugar aware of this."

"That would be greatly appreciated," grinned Aria. She took off her gloves and headed toward the ship's hold to see what Lebbie was up to. (under construction)

The Bracers of Najus

2007-03-04T09:26:00.000-06:00

Hmph! My scanner seemed to suck out all the colour: it's so grey-ish... I will have to fiddle with the scanner settings...

THE STORY BEHIND THE PICTURE:

This was part of an adventure where our Light Side Characters were in a race with our Dark Side Characters to find some bracers that had been embued with dark force energy. The Light Side Characters wanted them so that they could destroy them, the Dark Side Characters at first wanted them each for themselves... But when they saw and felt the horrible power it contained and saw the damage it could do, they too decided to destroy them in the end as well...

-Tohra and Sevoriah are sisters, of the felinoid race of Trianii (center); obvious that Sevoriah is darkside, and Tohra is lightside.

-The character up on the left corner is my bounty hunter, Aurynn AKA Kallen... She's got her own story, but basically the Empire hired her to assist with the search for the Bracers.

-The creature up in the right hand corner is a Defel: Arc Menace is an evil wolf-like creature that is very difficult to see in our light spectrum, especially in the dark: even in the daylight Defels look like a shadow.

- Under the left cat (Sevoriah) you can see Chopra, a Twi'Lek who was assisting the team on the light side... She's a smuggler, not unlike Han Solo, and hails from Corellia...

- The pink girl to the right of her (under Tohra) is a Zoltran: similar to Falleen, they have very persuasive pheremones... I can't remember her name at the moment... Keith? What did you say her name was??

- The two dueling are Jaycekken (light side) and Sariss (dark side): fortunately they didn't actually meet, otherwise Jace would've been beaten, simply from lack of experience. It was all a dream.

-Mariganti is the one having this vision and is trying to keep his friends safe from the leeching power of the Bracers...

A new picture I put on Fan Art Central (FAC)

2007-03-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

FAST FOOD (Fast Enough?)

I drew the above as a request for FirePhantom who did a picture of a dragon for me...

MOUNT DRACO

This one is a picture I am entering into a FAC dragon drawing contest: the rules are that it has to be a pencil drawing. This isn't too bad considering I haven't drawn in pencils for over a decade... I have to buy more 4B & 6B pencils though... The curse of soft pencil lead...

Something Old is now Something New

2007-01-27T17:42:00.000-06:00

These are OOOOLD, but not to you! LOL

(above) Skimming the Silver Lining:
inspired by Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern -- I believe it was Lee Edwards' portrayal of the dragons that I really like. Here is an example of his paintings of dragons... Myself, I was influenced by some pictures of Chinese dragons: those dragons looked like dogs... Add the extra sheer wings and we have our happy dragon...

(above) Wakeful Dreams

(above) Mare Nubium: inspired by C.S. Lewis: The Magician's Nephew

(above) FRAGMENTS OF A NIGHTMARE: I originally did one lino carving, rolled ink over it, and rolled it through a press. Oldstyle! In the above is only one of those prints, and with the help of my antiquated, yet somewhat useful, paint program, I was able to edit out the smudges, add chunks that fell off the lino and therefore didn't print (wrist and thumb), and then copy and paste in reverse and also upside down. I rather like the effect!

(above) RATS: This young lady was carved on a copper plate with a dentist tool. These four are all from the same plate, but done slightly differently. The upper left was done with rolling ink over it, but then removing a large amount of it. The upper right one was done after etching on it for shading and then dipping it for a short time in some mild acid. The bottom left one had some ink smudge off after going through the press. The bottom right one, I believe is the same as the upper left... So essentially (if scanning something is removing it from its original reality and transporting it to cyberspace/digitalizing it) the final print it is a digital replica of a digital replica of the original (twice removed), while the other three are only digital replicas of their original prints (once removed).

CITRUS

2007-01-25T21:49:00.000-06:00

My husband's request, finished.... I think.... Just had to edit the letters: they looked too soft/faded and I did have to edit a spelling mistake!

7thSynn's Drawing

2007-01-16T19:29:00.000-06:00

Here is 7thSynn's Drawing from FAC: he was having trouble with scanning the entire sketch at once: he had three pieces scanned - and this was the only way I could think of that he could get the whole thing at once... He can take this picture and save it to a program like paint on his computer and then download it to FAC: if he wants I will take the coloured version and do the same for him -- I do it all the time for my pictures.

HOW TO DRAW, if anyone is interested

2007-01-04T21:41:00.001-06:00

Click on this to see a larger view of it... It's for moonlightelf, but it is very similar to spiritedchaos' issue below...

Some helpful drawing tutorial links:
-- Animations/Motion (medical) of various body parts -- Art (general guidelines & history) -- Clothing (Alvin's Tutorial) -- Clothing (wrinkles/draping/female) -- Clothing (wrinkles) -- Colouring Pencil Techniques -- Colouring Pencil Tips -- Colour Theory -- Creatures (various) -- Dragon -- Eyes -- Feathers (plural, wings) -- Feathers (single) -- Feathers (two, layered one behind the other) -- Figure (female) and Joints -- Figure (adult, children, musculature, hands, feet, head) -- Figure (more female anatomy lessons) -- Figure (different points of view of female) -- Figure (male) and Muscles -- Figure (male, torso, proportion) -- Figure (proportions) -- Figure (basics: very detailed & helpful) -- Figure (real-life poses) -- Fur, Feathers -- Graphic Design Ideas -- Hair -- Hair (even more!) -- Hair (long) -- Hair (again) -- Hair (Manga) -- Fur -- Manga (basics/anatomy/gear/details/etc) -- Shading with Colouring Pencils & PhotoShop -- Shading (with complementary colours) -- Wings (anatomy, how they sit on the creature) -- Wings (comparing bat and bird wings) -- Wings (detailed feathers) -- Wings (bird's sections of) -- Wings (different sections of bird wings) -- Wings (leather) --

IF YOU FIND ANY OTHERS LET ME KNOW AND I'LL POST THEM IF YOU LIKE...

Trinity_Fire said I could post these links to her tutorials, but if you aren't a FAC member, they may not work: -- Colouring Pencil Tutorial 1 -- Colouring Pencil Tutorial 2 -- Pixel Tutorial 1 -- Pixel Tutorial 2 -- Pixel Tutorial 3 --

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At any time, let me know and I will remove your drawing from my blog... I just use it to send you a link, but I leave it here until then on my blog...

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highteckdudu had some issues sending a scan: here is how you can flip a scan so that it isn't saved upside down or sideways...

STEP 1: if you like you can save your scan to a paintshop program if it makes it easier... But scanners usually have arrows or an editing tab that allows you to flip your picture in a similar manner... After you scan you can go to your picture in the file and choose the edit options...

STEP2: then you would select the entire picture either with the tool or by clicking on EDIT>>>SELECT ALL....

STEP 3: Now you want to choose EDIT>>FLIP IMAGE
STEP 4: This picture needs to be flipped by degrees...

Voila!

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I noticed some folks have trouble drawing folds: this is rather simplified, but I hope it helps...

MOONLIGHTELF wanted some assistance with drawing dragons from the front point of view... It is tougher than three-quarter view, but it's possible... Hopefully these will help illustrate what I mean. You can click on the pictures to see them better:
REPTILES:

COMPARING EYES: BIRD/REPTILE/HUMAN...

This is courtesy of crocdragon who I did a little tutorial on elbows for...

Below: Just some issues I noticed a lot of folks have (including myself):Wow, I don't seem to know my left from my right... I think I accidentally switched them to opposite sides and forgot to edit the article... lol

For 7thSynn : who wanted to know about hips and knees...

The above tutorial is courtesy of SPIRITED CHAOS: a magnificent drawing. He mentioned he wanted to know more about drawing noses...

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OK people: you can't save a BMP type file on FAC... So check out this tutorial (above)...

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A...
B...
C...
The above is for jclark who always used to save pictures with empty space off to the right...

I also stick my nose in people's business sometimes to offer help with artistic problems/endeavours. I am not saying I don't make mistakes - far from it. I welcome critiques with informative and helpful comments because I am always trying to improve... It may have been something that I can't shake from my teaching experience...

I was having issues finding where I was able to edit my stories, but finally figured it out -- Stratadrake is one of the Forum Admin Supporters so he pointed me in the right direction. I suggested it would be easier to make visual instructions like the ones I made above as I am a visual learner... The bottom one is for ME!

COMIC: Honourable Death?

2006-12-07T20:48:00.000-06:00

Here is a section from my Poster #4 that I edited to look like a comic book...

KALLEN and SARISS

2006-11-16T12:25:00.000-06:00

KALLEN: AKA AURYNN
SARISS

Here are a couple more pictures of characters. If you've read this Blog before, you may have already met Kallen, AKA Aurynn... However, Keith's character Sariss, I don't believe I have introduced to you as of yet... Sariss is a master of disguises, and appears to be one of the very few females in the Empire who has quite a lot of power. I will ask Keith to send more info for her, and I think he got her from a source book.

More information on Kallen/Aurynn can be found here 7/22/05 and here.

TRINTA POSTER

2006-10-30T21:46:00.000-06:00

Here is a collage version of the poster I did for our Trinta Adventure. I tried to get an actual photo of it, and it isn't as good as the other posters because I had already framed it.

This was from our Trinta Adventure: there were several adventures leading to this one and continuing after, but this was the one that really stood out for me. Initially, we were attacked by someone who apparently were bounty hunters or, at the very least, were enemies of the Rebel Alliance. We crashed on what appeared to be a haunted or cursed planet. We would have nightmares, but they seemed to come true: Uan'a saw a flaming Rancor that attacked her, and in her dream she died; and then she woke up. Velexa fought Tarc in a light saber duel and she was sliced in half; then she woke up. Eventually, we all went mad... All except Crovax. If it was not for him, we would all be rotting on that swamp planet.

This character... She was a little shady, but we had no choice but to trust her. Her name eludes me at the moment, but she seemed to have that sort of effect on people. In the background you can see the lightning and the green clouds in the background. Everything had a heavy weight to it. It seemed to be the evil, rather than the humidity, that we absorbed into our clothes, our skin and our minds... It was a slow, seeping dread that spread through our bones and made it impossible to feel safe or at peace.

See the eyes in the background? We always felt like we were being watched. It turns out that it was a Jedi, a tormented individual who died after he was tortured at the hands of Darth Vader. It was he who gave away some of the hiding places of other Jedi during the purge of the Jedi. His guilt drove him mad, and the evil vortex that was formed on this planet was the result.

Uan'a's nightmare, above.

Aria here, is about to throw a Zenji Needle. Behind her is the Kazellis Light Freighter. To her right is a panther of sorts that attacked Crovax; it was saturated with evil as well.

Crovax is surrounded by the peace and light of the Force.

We were confused by this image: it seemed to be Raptor Gase, a well-known Rebel Alliance supporter who seemed to have gone bad. He and his band of hunters and trackers were hunting us, and we were attempting to avoid them, and something else was hunting both of our parties. They did catch up to us an momentarily had the advantage. However, we found out by a few well-placed Zenji Needles that it was someone impersonating him.

Uan'a reacting to her nightmare of the Rancor: this image would haunt her dreams for many years to come... To her left are the representations of the undead Dark Jedi who attacked us...

Velexa turns a dark green when angered; she is attacking or defending herself from her nightmare image of Tarc attacking her.

These are not the best images, but I had already framed this poster before I had taken any copies of it, so this is a little bit darker than I would have liked to display. I feel a bit annoyed because SOMEWHERE in my house I have some slides of this work as well that are better lit, courtesy of Keith. It's driving me bonkers that I can't find them, but when I do I will put those on this site as well.

Keith Dobranski's Landscaping: for all your RPG needs

2006-10-15T11:58:00.000-06:00

Hey all,
Keith sent in some of his landscaping that he put together, which I think is mostly carved from painted styrofoam or has rocks or dried plants glued to it from miniature landscaping kits. Perhaps he could send me an email giving me the correct terminology, and what steps he took to make these environments. He has since sent a few more examples which I have added in...

By the way, if you'd like to see some HEROCLIX figures he's worked on and want to know how it was done, check out these links at COMICREADERS http://comicreaders.com/:
http://www.comicreaders.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1859
http://www.comicreaders.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1710
http://www.comicreaders.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1509
http://www.comicreaders.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1444
http://www.comicreaders.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1389
http://www.comicreaders.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1343

Sketches leading up to the final product

2006-10-11T19:38:00.000-06:00

Here are some more studies of characters in the Poster 1-4: At the top left is Velexa Namoon, Falleen; at the bottom is Crovax Brumaxxium, Reiget. The others are Wes Janson in the upper right corner; directly below him is Uan'a (whose full name is really hard for me to remember how to spell! LOL), Bothan; and last but not least, Saline, who gave her life in one of our adventures.

Here are some more studies of characters in the Poster 1-4: At the top is Karnic Foe, Trandoshan; Aria is below him; and Umi and her father Jakmon are on the bottom. The others, such as Raptor Gase on the top right corner and Jobekk Jonn below him are characters from another adventure.

My characters' physical features are all based on real people or other comic book heroes, slightly tweaked. Umi is inspired by Halle Berry; D'Kullia by Angelina Jolie; Crovax was inspired by Thanos. Even some of the creatures in the adventure were inspired from other resources such as D&D or Magic. I try to be inspired or influenced by them and not copy them. I also try to use the imaginations and descriptions of my friends for their specific characters.

For Velexa I sort of went with the guidelines presented to me from various SW source books but I also thought of some statues I had seen before of Egyptian or African origin.

Above is a sketch of Tarc from a b&w drawing from the book Fragments from the Rim (extreme left). Then you see a sketch of UMI ROM, and behind her is her estranged father, JAKMON. My character Umi went on the POSTER I: MACAAB MISSION to retrieve an enzyme from the giant mushrooms in that rain forest (see http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Arzid). There was a slight problem though: Ikcin fell from the top of one of the gigantic fungi and Stormtroopers came and stole her away. Our secondary mission became to rescue her. There is a rudimentary sketch of Darth Vader, and D'Kullia (extreme right). D'Kullia was someone recruited from the Alliance to assist us on our mission. Unbeknownst to our characters, Aria and D'Kullia have some very interesting ties.

Lt. Fawn (or Phaun) was a character in the book A Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy; I adapted her a bit (she was just a b&w drawing), but still managed to may her look evil, yet skittish of Darth Vader. On the bottom I was playing with the idea of Ikcin, fallen on a spider web. But I also wanted to intertwine the spider web with the Imperial symbol (that's the one normally seen on an officer's hat). So I rejected that idea, and went with more of a Hulk transformation idea instead. So as you see below, I placed the syringe with the enzyme/sap that we extracted from the mushroom between the transformation. When Ikcin is under extreme stress or threatened, or angered, she can take the form on the right: she turns into what appears to be a larger, bulkier, hairy/furry and horned being. I also played with the idea of a sort of "Charlie's Angels" idea, but the whole idea seemed a but cliche for me, so I scrapped the trio together of Velexa, Umi and D'Kullia, and spread them out more in spacing so I could have them doing different actions. This appealed to me more because it was less static and more like the movie posters that interested me the most.

Umi's father had some unfortunate run-ins with Black Sun, and therefore it also made her own life a lot more interesting than she really needed it to be.

For the Arachnor below, I used the picture from the book The Essential Guide to Alien Species. I did tweak it a bit, and the illustration was black and white, so I added my own colours. I was also playing more with the Jekyll/Hyde of Ikcin and Lt. Fawn with or without her Imperial standard cap.For more info check out A Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy p. 94-95 or http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Emperor

Above is the final idea I had for the spider, at first. In the end I actually kept the web and Imperial symbol the same, but turned the spider around so it was attacking D'Kullia.

Above was the last sketch before I drew the final version. It's very close to the coloured poster. At the top I moved the villians over to the right a bit more and placed the Stormtrooper squadron between Ikcin and the main villians. At the bottom, I added Jakmon's ship: a Nova-Drive 3-Z Light Freighter -- you can see more info in the SW source book STOCK SHIPS or check out this link: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/3-Z_Light_Freighter
At first I wanted to show Velexa saving D'Kullia from the spider, but I changed my mind. In the final version Velexa is rescuing her little friend she names Vishna from the semi-sentient wolf-apes known in those parts as Forest Brethren. They were using the little sapien as bait for larger prey and were enraged when Velexa saved him. They raided us and stole one of our blasters and made things tense for quite a while! but I spaced out the forest critters a bit more and to create the illusion of more depth, I placed them along a receding line into the background on a branch. I like the finished version of the Forest Brethren, they look a lot more threatening in their postures and facial expressions. I kind of liked how this poster was pretty much divided in two: the Lightside and Darkside of the force pitting against each other made for good tension in the drawing.

Below are sketches for POSTER 2: THE MENDICAR MINES...

Here is another shot of Brezzic Mar; however, D'Kullia has the upper hand. I was originally thinking of her doing a slashing movement with a trail of blood leading back behind her, but I thought the drama just before the kill was better than the act of actual killing.

Above is where David's character Gentry sprang from. Our fellow is much nicer, though, not the type to chop you up for stuffing. He mellowed out even more on the final poster.

Velexa and Tarc are arch-enemies. They have tried to be the other's undoing on more than one occasion. Tarc was inspired by a b&w drawing, I think from the book Fragments from the Rim...

I wanted to figure out the best angle from which to draw Umi when she was hitting the ground with shockwaves all around. Although the effects of the blast were more noticeable from the side, I wasn't sure I could fit her in the space I wanted to from that angle. I think I still pulled off the same effect I wanted from the front view.

Some more drawings above: I really struggled with how I was going to show Tarc crushing Torel Vorne's windpipe with the use of the Force. I decided to have them far apart in the drawing instead of Tarc's victim clinging to his killer's cape. That way I could also throw in the bounty hunters who appeared to allow Tarc's escape. We could not get him; and as his ship left, this view of the bounty hunters appeared as the ship's wake blew dust and sand around them. Just before he left, Tarc threw Velexa a data pad that said BOUNTY: paid in full.

Originally I wanted to add a lot more monsters and characters, but left some out: I could not leave out the idea that shapeshifters were involved in deception (not by their own design; they were being drugged and given chips to control their brains -- to become obedient assassins). The ruins were important because that is where we three ladies all found Force-embued instruments: Umi found a staff; D'Kullia found a helm and breastplate; Velexa found a necklace. I did want to keep Jakmon as more of a centerpiece for the most intense action: him flying out of the mine shaft to try to stop Tarc and Vorne. There were also some creatures that we encountered: if it wasn't for the rock eating creature that tried to eat our skiff, we wouldn't have found out that Ikcin was not really Ikcin -- turns out she was a Shi'ado. Another shapeshifter was actually using the mushroom counteragent against the Imperial truth serum to control or experiment on his own kind. Apparently the enzymes from the mushroom reactived differently with the Shi'ado's body chemistry. The spinewolves lived inside the mines and at one point we weren't sure who was being hunted. Aside from changing placement for what I felt just fit better, I chose to place Tarc on the right lower corner, as though he was going to escape from us off the page into oblivion where we couldn't find him, as he always seems to manage to do!

Below are some sketches I did together of Ikcin (left) and Sabrina (right).

Sabrina's ship, Suntiger, below, was crafted via chop-shop by Keith. It's part tank and part TIE-Fighter. I took photographs of it on different angles until I found the one that seemed to fit best into the poster. It's actually glossier in real-life, but I think I still pulled it off.

Since Crovax is David's character, his vision was of a powerful musculature and bone structure like Thanos. I also went with what little information I could find in the source books, and I believe there was an example of a Reiget in A Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy. On the cover, the Reiget looks a sort of greyish-blue; however in Crovax's case, he was more blue than the usual Reiget, as to how albinos are rare in humans.

Below is a sketch of my version of a Lesser Krayt Dragon: there are a lot more pictures of them around now, but I had a little help from online gaming magazines and The Wildelife of Star Wars.

Below is a comparison between Jabba and Sibarra, and I just went with a paler and cyborged version of Jabba, because I could only find one drawing of him in the Hive of Scum and Villainy source book. Sibarra the Hutt is a Cybernetic Crime Lord. Here is a quote of his description:

"Outcast from Hutt society because he was weak, Sibarra vowed revenge. His highly grotesque, disfigured body was further sent into nightmare status with the addition of a Cybernetic Eye and Arm, Subdermal Plating, and a Cytac’ Shocktail. He is extremely moody with sudden rages spring up from time to time. Sibarra the Hutt has vowed revenge against all Hutts for casting him out. He can be found at times torturing Hutts that he has captured or paid huge bounties for. Sibarra runs the criminal side of the Ace of Sabers. He is a big contributor to the AubroAhntanda Slavery Ring."

David also added the little twist that Sibarra also likes to collect and enslave rare beings, as though they were his very own collectibles. Hence the reason Ikcin was frozen in carbonite, much like Han Solo was for Jabba. Some websites that refer to the Ace of Sabers Casino and its entourage: http://www.theforce.net/swenc/newdescr.asp?search=22911&tab=d and http://www.cold-moon.com/StarWars/npcs/npcs.htm and I believe information on him is also available somewhere in a SW source book A Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy. Sibarra works indoors at his Casino, The Ace of Sabers, which you see in Basic in reverse on the lower right corner of the finished poster. Dunan Par’Ell is the fellow in front of the window - he is Sibarra's Security Specialist, apparently Human

"He resigned from the Imperial Military [branch unknown] under mysterious
circumstances after serving over 10 years. While Par’Ell is human, he has
mirror-like pupils that give him a frightening appearance. He never loses his temper. Par’Ell is one of the few surviving supreme adept in the k’Jari martial art. He can always be seen wearing his signature scarlet body cloak over black armor."

As you can see, I missed this last detail, but we can pretend the lighting is so intense that his cape only appears to be silver and his armor only appears to be blue. Heh heh!

I always thought it would look best to have Ikcin in the center of the drawing, since she was integral to the plot. At this point, Velexa had wanted to seek out someone she had felt a keen sense of familiarity: that somehow she knew they had a lot in common -- so we sought out Crovax on Tatooine. At the time he was errand-boy for Jabba, and we gleaned some valuable information from Jabba about Sibarra the Hutt. Sibarra had recently acquired a Formassan, and the description he gave left no doubt that it was our Ikcin. So we left from there with Crovax "Bruiser" Brummaxium in tow, and headed to Nar Shada where Sibarra and his kind festered.

POSTER III: RECRUITING CROVAX & RESCUING IKCIN - Originally there were more characters involved that I wished to display in the poster. Again, I had to cut back a certain amount. In the orginal sketch I included more of Tatooine. We were attacked by the Krayt on the way to Jabba's, but then also chased by Tusken Raiders. I also rearranged the order of things on the page because I wanted to reinforce the idea that the characters went from above the ground, where it was all sunny and hot on Tatooine, to the Labyrinth that we had to mince our way through (yeah, like Indiana Jones on Meth) was deep underground on Nar Shada, a completely sterile and overdeveloped, overpopulated planet. There was also a Bounty Hunter that came to find us, but fortunately he was on our side at the time: apparently Uan'A, our little Bothan buddy, was getting worried about us and hired him to track us down. Vallikor En-Vahdi was very impressive to look at, but again, I would have either had to draw him extra teensy or leave someone else out of the drawing. The Jawas, truthfully, had some sort of significance, but for the life of me, I can't remember what. Additionally there was a slightly modified Protocol Droid (who turned out to be someone else entirely, we found out later) assisting us with information before we left the Rebel Base, and a Bothan who assisted us in tracking down the feature character in the fourth and final poster: Karnic Foe, the Trandoshan.

On the fourth poster you will see a computer schematic of a Kazellis Light Freighter. See also http://drexfurlow.users2.50megs.com/kazellis.htm --- and I have plenty of sketches and drawings of Karnic and Aria, as they are older characters that were developed earlier than Umi and Crovax.

You can see the helmet in Karnic's hand: this is his new guise. After this adventure he went into hiding to raise his last remaining son in seclusion. The sketches above are the colour, but for the poster, David wanted the mask to look a little more silver or reflective instead of matt black.

Karnic Foe can be a ferocious ally: I was inspired from the picture below.

The final poster is a lot more simplified than what you see below, in the sketch. Again, CT3P0 and Uan'a the Bothan had such minor roles in the actual adventure (they do have MUCH more significant roles in other adventures) that I left them out. The characters with the highest importance were left in the poster as well as the symbol of the helmet and the ship schematic. Karnic was, at first appearance, killed: the Kazellis Light Freighter was bequeathed to Aria. Then, later, and only known to Crovax, Umi, Velexa and Aria, they found out it was not him who had been killed, but it was Karnic's brother who was dying from a disease that would have killed him anyway. Karnic's brother had wanted to die with honour, so he chose to sacrifice himself. Naturally, the killer was Tarc, and the participants were from the Trandoshan Hit Squad. Karnic had ties to this group and was framed for Tarc's crimes, and Tarc was the one who killed him. I wanted the group of four friends to be in the poster, but their expressions and their size emphasize that they were powerless to stop Karnic (they thought) from being killed. I also liked how the helmet, the ship and the Rebel Alliance symbol seem to act as a protective buffer to Tarc and his henchmen. You can see a slight echo with the shapes of the Rebel Alliance crest and the Kazellis Light Freighter.

I wanted POSTER 4: DEATH OF A HERO? to be the darkest of them all, but still wanted a hint of hope showing through the shadows: a bit of subtle ambiguity, as it were. There is a bit of sunshine peeking through clouds on the left, but does this indicate a ray of hope or that the sun is setting on our hero's life? There is an area of light at the top right hand side of the poster, but again, the darkeness in the foreground makes hope recede back again. The darkeness stretches diagonally across from the top left corner down to the bottom right, yet Karnic looks as ready as ever to fight another day. The Alliance crest is present, but it appears to have been used as a weapon or to be bleeding. Ah, dualism!

SOURCE BOOKS of STAR WARS & FAN ART SITES

2006-10-07T19:02:00.000-06:00

Here is another interesting website: http://pluto.spaceports.com/~lms/index.html both for forums and fan art... There is a website where anyone can put their work in: http://www.mediaminer.org/ at MEDIAMINER.ORG -- My art is at http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/src.php?1=1&sort=nameA&type=662§=TV&start=15 I also checked out http://www.rpgfan.com/fanart.html and found their site very cool! Check it out RPG FAN yourself -- they have a LOT of variety for Fan Art, not just Star Wars. At THE FORCE.NET you can find more info as well http://fanart.theforce.net/ -- they can accept one submission at a time. Don't forget to check out the link to http://galactic-voyage.com/Featured%20Artists.htm at GALACTIC VOYAGE as well (see the link below this one): they were the first to accept my posters onto their website.

Aside from magazines, TV and movies, miniatures, painted models/figurines, and sketches and descriptions of my friends’ preferences for their characters, here are some sources I used to get ideas for my creatures. Sometimes I took the ideas right from a book and modified it slightly, or I would take a movie star and alter his or her features slightly. I also used images from other sources such as MAGIC (there is a character that I used straight from a brochure for The Gathering Trading Card Game back in APRIL 2000). D’Kullia I based from Angelina Jolie; Aria is sort of a mix between Sandra Bullock and Julia Roberts; Umi is inspired by Halley Berry. Other characters look vaguely like my friends or family members. I wrote a few of the source books I perused when setting up my work: I am sure there are more, and of course I am only mentioning the ones below for the art of the 4 Posters I sent you, as there is other art and other sources I have used.

GALAXY GUIDE 1
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7828

GALAXY GUIDE 2
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7764

GALAXY GUIDE 3
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7766

GALAXY GUIDE 4
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7768

GALAXY GUIDE 5
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7770

GALAXY GUIDE 6
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7772

GALAXY GUIDE 7
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7774

GALAXY GUIDE 8
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7775

GALAXY GUIDE 9
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7776

GALAXY GUIDE 10
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7197

GALAXY GUIDE 11
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7762

GALAXY GUIDE 12
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7763

WRETCHED HIVE OF SCUM & VILLAINY
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7809
Page 66, 73, 84, 94 & 95

ALIEN ENCOUNTERS
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7734
Page 13, 32-33, 46-47, 101-103, 129, 139-140, 159-160.

The ESSENTIAL GUIDE to ALIEN SPECIES
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/1191
Page 39-40, 59-60, 73, 86, 116, 133, 136-137,138-139

The ESSENTIAL GUIDE to PLANETS AND MOONS
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/714

The ESSENTIAL CHRONOLOGY
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/1068

The ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CHARACTERS
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/714

The ULTIMATE ALIEN ANTHOLOGY
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/9238

PLATT’S SMUGGLERS GUIDE
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/593

GUNDARK’S FANTASTIC TECHNOLOGY: Personal Gear
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/546

GALLADINIUM’S FANTASTIC TECHNOLOGY:Guns and Gear for Any Occasion
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7761

The WILDLIFE OF STAR WARS: A Field Guide
http://www.starwars.com/eu/lit/ref/news20010702.html
Page 40-41

STARWARS ENCYCLOPEDIA
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/733

Star Wars STOCK SHIPS
http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/7820
NOVA-DRIVE 3-Z Light Freighter
STOCK KAZELLIS Light Freighter

COMIC BOOK Bad Guys and Gals – Christopher Hart
http://www.amazon.com/Draw-Comic-Book-Watson-Guptill/dp/0823023729
How to Create Great-Looking Comic Book Women – Christopher Hart
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Looking-Comic-Women-Christopher-Titles/dp/082302394X
How to Draw Comic Book Heroes and Villains – Christopher Hart
http://www.amazon.com/Comic-Heroes-Villains-Christopher-Titles/dp/0823022455
DRAWING & PAINTING FANTASY FIGURES – Finlay Cowan
http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-Painting-Fantasy-Figures-Imagination/dp/0764126288

JEDI POWERS

2006-10-07T15:27:00.000-06:00

Hey all, if you get a chance, check out GALACTIC VOYAGE! http://galactic-voyage.com/

http://galactic-voyage.com/Galactic%20Art-Fan%20Art.htm has fan art with a FEATURED ARTIST LINK where you can see my posters of our RPG: http://galactic-voyage.com/Featured%20Artists.htm

Someone by the handle of JEDI POWERS is the administrator of the website. If you want to have a look at his very informative website, or want to email him about questions, or might like to post your own art, check it out!

ARIA: A NEW BEGINNING

2006-09-30T13:41:00.000-06:00

I am developing the story of how Aria met up with various characters and where she now fits into the Star Wars galaxy.

When I started with her, she had no history at all. Just a SW template that I modified from the 6D system. She was a former Pirate. Well now she has a history, and so does her mother.
Bear with me as I edit this; I had it saved to another server but because I only go back to it after a great while has passed I forgot my password. I frequent this Blog more often. So I have copied & pasted it, but it's currently all de-html'd now: it's all in one big clump. I have a lot of editing to do. In the meantime, I also have real-life things going on, so I am not sure how fast I can work on this or not. But I will peck at it again now, probably more often now that I see it in here when I pop in to add things to the Blog.

This has been moved to FAN FICTION CENTRAL (see link at top of blog)... I will place a better link to this one at some point, but I think because this was getting too long, several errors started occuring... So now it's on my hard drive... Stay Tuned...

THE POSTER SERIES: REBEL FORCES

2006-09-17T00:13:00.000-06:00

TO VIEW THIS IN MORE DETAIL, YOU CAN CHECK OUT http://r3b3l4c3s.blogspot.com/2005_05_01_r3b3l4c3s_archive.html or click on the May Archives and check out UMI ROM's FIELD NOTES from the adventure. Below is more of a summary...
These pictures were done with a number 4 H pencil first, then traced and fleshed out a bit in various black inks, then finished with LetraSet PANTONE 3-tipped markers. In BASIC it says "REBEL FORCES" at the top. David Freeman, my husband, was the one who created the storyline as the GM (Galaxy Master). Together with Leah and Keith, our friends, we role-played out the story with our 6D system and this is an outline of what happened. If you are not familiar with Role Playing Games (RPG) some of the storyline is controlled by the GM, the players' decisions, and some is controlled by chance: the roll of the dice.

THE MACAAB MUSHROOM MISSION
In this adventure we had to extract bio-components from rare mushrooms: Vavo 6 was a mind-altering drug manufactured by the Empire for bringing out the honesty in their enemies during "processing." We Rebels needed an antidote in case one of our own was captured.

Lt. Umi Rom (Human female), Velexa Namoon (Falleen female) & D'Kullia D'Shane (Human female), and Ikcin Mokab (Formassan female) had a mission for the Rebel Alliance: to meet up with an operative, namely Pal Vester, who was a scientist collecting data and doing some experimenting with Macaab Mushrooms. These fungi apparently had some sort of chemical in them that could be used as an antidote against truth serums and specifically Vavo 6. The Macaab mushrooms, some as tall as the jungle canopy, were located in a dense jungle on tne planet Arzid.

Little did we know that spiders as large as elephants were living among them. Note to self: always remember to refer to the ship's database before venturing into an unknown area, and then be prepared to be surprised anyway because the database is sometimes woefully outdated. At one point we were attacked by an Aracnor spider. After we managed to get out of that mess, we began our ascent to the tops of the mushrooms.

Ikcin fell from the top of one of the mushrooms, and we didn't notice she was missing until the Stormtroopers came into our area and found her. They dragged her off, so with our few samples from the mushrooms, we intended to overtake her captors before they arrived back in the city, however we had some technical issues and were stranded overnight in Macaab Forest.We also met up with Forest Brethren (something like a cross between a wolf and an green ape): they became agitated with us because we had saved a small primate that they were using as bait for bigger prey. They managed to get ahold of one of our blasters, but we managed not to get hit. Eventually we repaired our skiff and continued on our way without further incident.

We came back to civilization and luckily, because of the fog in the area, we were not seen... By Darth Vader. Also present was Brezzac, an elite Stormtrooper who was reporting to the Dark Sith Lord. Their presence on this planet meant something important was going down. We couldn't immediately get back to our ship because the place was crawling with 'Troopers. So we kept a low profile in a local bar where we caught up with Ikcin, or so we thought. She claimed she had somehow escaped, apparently with the aid of a Lt. Phaun, an Imperial Officer.With some surveillance and eavesdropping we found out about what some old arch-enemies were up to: Vorn and Tarc. Velexa eavesdropped on an important conversation and it led us all to the mines.

We went out to the mines after we had gathered some more information. If that wasn't enough, Umi met up with her estranged father on this mission. He was on the run, and apparently did seem reformed from his former days of being a bounty hunter for the Empire. He offered his services and then left in a hurry.

In the meantime, the plans were laid to halt the goings-on at the Mendicar Mines... Which brings us to POSTER NUMBER 2:

MISSION AT MENDICAR MINES
On our way there we ran into a rock-creature that rammed our skiff. That's when we found out that Ikcin wasn't really Ikcin: she was Shi'adu - a shapeshifter. We also hid out for a time to make repairs in a ruined city, partially buried. The city was ancient and it had a Guardian by the name of Gentry. We explored the city and found some useful Force-Embued items: Umi had a rod, Velexa, a necklace, and D'Kullia had some armor and a helm.

Umi had contacted her father again: together they all thwarted plans for an evil Shi'adu to use this Vavo 6 formula on his own kind. It rendered his species much more susceptible and complacent rather than its intended use as a truth serum. This mad Shi'adu was experimenting with plans to create a mindless army for the Empire to control: with microchip implants and small recording devices attached to the eyes of the hapless victims, the Empire could turn these Shapeshifters into a deadly army of spies and assassins, if not soldiers. Not only that, but we met up with some of our old arch-enemies from previous missions. Velexa (the Falleen) was intent on getting the guy in the breath-mask: Torrel Vorn had met up with us in a previous adventure and we knew he was up to no good. We also wanted to take out his side-kick, too, who went by the name of Tarc.

However, as I said, things are not always as they seem!

As you can see, we also encountered some Spine-Wolves that lived in the cave: they were menacing creatures: their spines rattled eerily when they moved, so you could hear them before you could see them.

At the end of all this, Tarc turned out to be the mastermind behind plans, not Vorn, and Tarc killed him. He turned out to be a greater threat than anyone realized: he had Dark Jedi powers. This had been masked well.

Velexa had in the past placed a bounty on Vorn's head, so she was very angry that Tarc had taken away her chance to kill Vorn, and to rub it in, Tarc had taken the credits from her account: see the datapad with the words "BOUNTY... paid in full" at the bottom there... Tarc turned out to be a much more powerful and evil man than we had ever believed: he was a dark jedi, strong in the dark ways of the force. The only reason Tarc escaped was because he had several bounty hunters waiting to take us out as his ship took off. We were so busy fighting them that we couldn't stop Tarc... This time.

We had to rendevous back at the Alliance. We were battle-worn and weary, and D'Kullia had to be taken to surgery to recover from some severe wounds. Jakmon Rom, Umi's father, was duly processed and appeared to be on the side of the Alliance now. We had the unfortunate task of having to explain to Sabrina that Ikcin had fallen prey to the Empire. We also met up with other friends from our base, and were informed of a mysterious message that was sent to Karnic Foe: he was missing. Aria, who was quite close to the old reptile, was furious that we weren't going to rescue him first. Sabrina wanted to help us track Ikcin down, but first we decided we must go find more party members: so we went to Tatooine to find Crovax. Aria stayed behind to prepare and to study some clues, such as a threatening communication that was sent to Karnic before his disappearance. And that brings us to POSTER NUMBER 3:

REIGET RECRUITING & FREEING A FORMASSAN
Umi, Sabrina (Ikcin's friend), and Velexa needed some heavy-duty assistance, so they sought out Crovax, AKA "Bruiser"on his current residence, Tatooine. It turns out that he was at Chulum's bar and easy enough to spot, being all big and blue like he was. We learned he had some errands to run from his current employer, Jabba the Hutt. It turns out that Jabba might have some information to help us bring down Sibarra the Hutt, an intense rival. And it was lucky we went on this errand with Crovax because otherwise we would not have learned from Jabba that Ikcin had been captured by Sibarra.

Unfortunately we ran into a young Krayt dragon... Or rather it ran into our transport and tore it up. We had a few intense moments that seemed like days, but with lightsabers and blasters we took it down. Mind you it didn't hurt that the boxes we were delivering to Jabba were filled with SPICE, the purest and most potently addictive drug across the system. Umi had the presence of mind to throw the boxes directly into its mouth, so if it didn't die from our weapons, it certainly succumbed to the overdose it ingested.

Jabba was not very impressed about the missing drugs, however, he knew just by looking at us and by the trophy we brought back to him: he now has the skull of a Krayt Dragon on display at his palace.

We got the information we needed to infiltrate Sibarra the Hutt's vast estate: we were told to be wary of a security guard with silver hair and eyes, by the name of Dunan Par'ell. He owns a security corps, has had about a decade of military service, and may have some connection with the Imperials. We were going to the Casino, THE ACE OF SABERS, with the pretense of gaining employment. Dunan was the one to ask for employment.

Because we were worried about the spies in Jabba's palance, Umi had planted a bomb to cause a distraction to cover our departure. However someone caught up with us: someone who wanted Umi dead -- some Bounty Hunter Guild members from the same guild her father was from tried to ambush their transport with their speederbikes. We did manage to shoot them down and escape, but it certainly did add to the drama!

We were working for a while under our casino employee badges trying to get information on how to find Ikcin. We decided the best way we could do this was to present Dunan with the proposal to give Sibarra information on Tarc, Vorn, and some other important names in exchange for Ikcin.

However, much to our chagrin, we thought we had a hearing, but it turned out we were speaking to Sibarra's hologram: we were lured into what we thought was a conference room, but it was really a holding cell. The only exit was through a large maze, which we were assured, in one part of it was Ikcin awaiting rescue. We had no choice but to play along. We could tell there were bets being placed for or against us: everything is a gamble for Hutts.

After much searching and avoiding (for the most part) booby traps and dangerous animals; we managed to find Ikcin. She was solid Carbonite! Apparently, true to his word, Sibarra had seen he had lost his bet and let us go. I'm glad we put on such an entertaining show for him.

With Ikcin in tow, we scrambled back to the Rebel Base to get medical attention for everyone. Then it was on to the last chapter in our adventure, POSTER NUMBER 4:

THE BETRAYAL OF THE TRANDOSHAN HIT-SQUAD

As I mentioned, upon our first rendezvous with the Alliance to report Ikcin's disappearance, we heard that Aria's comrade, Karnic Foe, was missing. The last thing that anyone found was a coded recording. After CT 3PO decrypted it, we all heard a distorted voice stating,

"Remember Onderon? My wife? Murder? Remember Urska? The past is
about to blow up in your face, Major Karnic."

Urska, it turned out after an extensive search through the SpyNet, was Karnic's mate. The Bothan that gave us this information to go to a certain warehouse district on Onderon, because apparently the spies had last seen Karnic in that area. Our contact there took us to the site.

What we ended up seeing made our blood ran cold: Karnic was trussed up on an altar, and there was Tarc, along with several other Trandoshans from the Trandoshan Hitsquad (which, it turns out, is the unit Karnic was from before he gave it up and joined the Alliance)... This was all news to us (er, that is, he was a very private reptile and uh, also, we hadn't developed as much of a history with this character) and while that was sinking in we found out why Tarc had tied up the Trandoshan: he was going to kill him! Aria tried to stop them, but we had to hold her back: there were too many of them. In reality, Tarc had killed his own wife because she had found out about his plans to wipe out the senate: the HitSquad was a highly skilled team of assassins, their targets: senators and high seats of government. Tarc had tricked them all into thinking Karnic had murdered Tarc's wife, and with the Hitsquad, vengence was dealt with accordingly. So the knife came down, us all helplessly watching.

(It turns out that it wasn't really Karnic, but we had to keep that confidential from even the Alliance at his request. The reason being was because Karnic went into his own protection program -- to raise his only remaining son. He wore a silver mask and told us to call him Acroyer Zar-Karza. The Trandoshan that was killed was, in fact, Karnic's brother who had a terminal illness, and was therefore willing to die for something honourable rather than a disease he couldn't see)...

More coming soon...

2006-09-07T22:09:00.000-06:00

I apologize for not having much new and interesting lately... I have been extremely busy. My hours changed and I come home much later and I just don't seem to have the energy I normally did when I used to start work at 8AM... So, finally, I have gotten around to finishing my Star Wars posters... All four of them... At least I ALMOST have them all done. Then I will scan them and place them next to the sketches I placed on here so many months earlier: that way you can see how the ideas were developed and then the finished product.

See you soon!

A STRAND FALLS INTO PLACE

2006-03-05T18:47:00.000-06:00

Being newly inducted into the Night Pride, Aurynn and Valentyne had sent a reply to one of their new guildmates, Valentia Marshall. Valentia had kindly left a notice at the Guild Hall, announcing she would assist newcomers in quests if they so chose. So they had replied saying that they would definitely appreciate some help with a quest to weaken the stronghold the Dark Iron Dwarves had dug in for themselves near the Thandol Span in the Wetlands.

Valentyne and Aurynn stood behind the barricades, listening to cross fire, idly watching the horizon, awaiting for their mentor to appear.

“I think I see her, Val,” she put a hand on his arm. “Is that her, do you suppose, running this way?”

Valentyne gazed at the figure coming toward them, and they saw her wave to them and smile. “So it would seem,” he replied, and didn’t mention what was in his mind, that it looked like his Aurynn was coming toward them, yet here was Aurynn beside him. The two of them got up, and looked at each other, then back at Valentia. The couple walked slowly up to her, as she slowed her pace and met with them some distance from the barricade.

Aurynn and Valentia stared at each other, as if gazing into a mirror. Valentyne marvelled at the sight.

“Do I need to say?” he asked looking back and forth from one to the other.

“That we look like twins?” Aurynn asked, raising an eyebrow. She was unnerved because the face that seemed to be her own, in front of her, did not raise an eyebrow.

“I don’t think it’s necessary,” replied Valentia, with a bemused look on her face that seemed also to be echoed in her mirror image.

“Well, we do have to get on with the um… fighting,” said Valentyne, clearing his throat. “I would think, perhaps because you are both of the same mould, that we shouldn’t have any difficulty dispatching these Dark Iron Dwarves.”

The ladies tore themselves from watching their living reflections and focused on the task ahead.

The team seemed almost to think as one. Valentyne, a mage, distracted a Dark Iron Dwarf from patrolling with a well-aimed frostbolt. Valentia got a shadow spell ready as soon as Aurynn tensed for her own attack. Aurynn ran up and stunned the Dwarf; then Valentia let fly some devastating shadow curses, weakening him to the point where he couldn’t thwart the cold shadows seeping into his mind. Valentyne casually sauntered up while the Dwarf was in this vulnerable state, and froze him to the spot. Then all three of them reigned down a full attack until the burly fellow fell down, writhing, foaming at the mouth, eyes rolling back into his head.

“I like this pattern of attack,” called Valentyne over a blast of fire shooting from his palm. Aurynn threw a Blessing of Freedom around her betrothed, so that if he was attacked, he would not be hindered whilst whispering an incantation, and could sheep or blink out of range of an enemy’s blow.

“Perhaps we should give it a name,” suggested Aurynn, as she once again ran up and stunned another swearing and sweating Dark Dwarf. “What do you think, Valentia?” She said, raising her weapon over her head to connect with the shining little black beads that were the Dwarf’s eyes.

“How about the ‘Victor-Alpha-Victor Maneuover’!” laughed Valentia as a slippery shadow she had thrown slipped down the back of the hapless Dwarf’s neck and into the core of his mind. “Or the ‘V-A-V’, for short!”

“Or, if you mash all the letters together, you can make a ‘W’ with a cross through it,” pointed out Aurynn.. “That’s even shorter form!” She swung her mace around until it connected with the Dwarf’s pelvis. She heard and felt the satisfying crunch of bone, as well as as the softer sound of tissue crushing. A small spray of blood flecked across her face and she wiped it off.

The Dwarf, stunned and severely hobbled now, still had enough spirit in him to swing up his axe, aimed clumsily at Aurynn, who easily deflected it. Valentia sent some more nightmarish tortures into his head. Valentyne in the meantime, once again, laid ice around the vile Dwarf’s feet, so that he could not move. Aurynn finished the job by hitting the Dark Dwarf squarely in the back of the neck, effectively disconnecting him from his mind. "At least he won't have any more bad dreams," pointed out Valentia.

The trio continued to make ground, making use this ‘W’ manoeuvre. The ladies continued their conversation.

“So, I have concluded that we must be related some way,” insisted Aurynn. “But I thought all of my relatives were killed in a fire.” She danced to one side as a Dwarf suddenly charged at her just after she had dropped a final blow to her last victim.

“It appears that you may have to re-evaluate that information,” chuckled Valentyne as he temporarily sheeped the maverick Dwarf, so his loved one could drink some mana. “Where do you hail from, Valentia?”

“Well…. Let’s see,” she said, thoughtfully. The sheep had popped back into two-legged form again, so she had thrown another spell on him that nearly knocked him over. The fellow still bleated like a sheep and clutched at his eyes. Aurynn, mana replenished, ran up again and stunned him and then started pummelling the Dwarf across his back, which brought him down flat. He lay broken and beyond mending at her feet. For a moment, Aurynn leaned on the handle of her mace, listening to Valentia.

“I was originally, if my sources are correct, from Southshore. My father was killed when I was quite young, as he was drafted into the Alliance Forces and apparently killed in the line of duty. My mother was a very good herbalist and alchemist, from what I understand, but while out gathering these herbs for her elixirs and potions, something happened to her. No one knows what…”

“That’s terrible,” said Aurynn sympathetically. “The war took enough people! And Tragedy should leave well enough alone.”

“Well, I was then taken in by a friend of a friend of my mother’s,” she said, watching Valentyne take aim with some icebolts at another unwary patroller. “Who lived in Stormwind, and that was where I was looked after until I could fend for myself.”

“Really? So close to where my family lived! Near Goldshire,” said Aurynn, moving forward to meet the Dwarf coming slowly toward them. He was shivering voilently, so much so, that he couldn’t prevent the stunning blow that she delivered. Valentia again squeezed nightmares and confusion into his head, while the other two continued their deluge until there were no further signs of life from their victim. Valentia cast healing spells upon them, enveloping them in a warm womb of a light. “Of course, we had thought my older sister had died in a fire. But it was recently brought to our attention that this wasn’t the case at all. It turned out she had been raised by a lone Dwarf, out in the mountains of Dun Morogh.”

For once, the pattern was momentarily broken, as Valentia turned and looked at Aurynn with an incredulous expression on her face. Distracted by this, Aurynn stopped what she was doing as well.

“What?!” yelped Valentyne. He had not seen the two looking at each other, and he had drawn one of the enemy toward him. As the Dwarf he had lured down toward him advanced upon him much more closely than he had expected he blinked out of existence for a moment and reappeared several feet away from where the Dwarf’s axe now lay buried in the ground. “Aurynn!! Your turn!”

“Oh!” Aurynn ran up and attacked the Dwarf, blushing with shame. “I am so sorry!” She spun around and her mace came down and connected with the Dwarf’s forehead, effectly stunning him. Valentyne rushed up and froze him in his tracks. Aurynn noticed where the axe left a telling red line down his arm. She threw a healing spell upon him. Valentyne shook his head. “I won’t lose concentration again, my love,” said Aurynn.

“You look like the fellow I sheeped earlier,” laughed Valentyne. “All is forgiven! You had better pray that I don’t get distracted by you while we are in battle, My Lady.” He bowed before his betrothed.

“You are too good-natured,” said Aurynn, meekly. “Thank the heavens for that!” Then she turned her attention back to the subject at hand, heaving crushing blows upon the frozen Dwarf before her. Valentia also sent dark missiles at him, which made him hold his head and scream. “Quiet you!” admonished Aurynn and her mace hit him in the jaw, causing several teeth, and possibly bone fragments, to fly out. He obeyed, toppling into a crumpled heap. “What was the matter back there, Valentia?”

“It’s just... I can’t believe the similarities in our lives,” she said somewhat recovered. “I, too, was raised by Dwarves, although in Stormwind. However, I was not so fortunate as your sister, as I have never found a trace of my parents or other relatives…”

“Until now, perhaps,” countered Valentyne. “After this adventure, let us settle down for an ale and tale at a tavern in Menethil Harbor.”

***************

After a lovely fight the three of them, tired but satisfied with a good night’s work, headed on the path back to town. When they reached their destination, it was nearly empty. The women found a cozy corner and got comfortable, while Valentyne went to the tavern keeper to purchase a round.

“Here you go, My Ladies,” he said, proffering stout ales to all the places at the table.
“Now, them, Valentia,” he said, pausing to put his feet up. He raised his glass to her, as did Aurynn. “Pray continue, for as a Dwarven friend of ours is fond of saying, ‘A good ale goes down best with a good tale.’ He likes to tell a lot of stories, so he tends to drink a lot. Or perhaps it’s the other way ‘round!”

“Ah, yes!” sighed Aurynn after a sip. “I can feel my muscles relaxing as we speak!”

So Valentia continued her tale...

“My past is nothing exciting or heroic but kind of sad, and full of questions. I knew my parents as little children know their parents: stories and songs that you remember… Happy times in bits and pieces… Faces that fade as the years go by with nothing to remind you of the person you knew before.

I was only 6 years old when my mother disappeared one sunny day, She had readied her basket for herb gathering as she did every morning that it was nice, and shuffled me over to Mrs. Watson’s, the widow woman whom Mama did things for in exchange for a small cottage outside of Southshore where we were staying.

We had moved alot in the last few months after Papa went away. Mama never said what happened, but little children have ears and hear a lot even if they don’t understand everything they hear.

Mrs Watson was a kindly old woman, she referred a lot of people to Mama because she was very good with herbs and potions. Mama was saving every copper she could to get us to Stormwind. She told me I had lots of cousins, and aunts and such there that I could play with and have fun with. I thought it would be grand.

Evening came quickly and Mama had not returned. Mrs Watson seemed very worried, and had sent some of the local men out to search for her, but they never found even the basket she took that morning. It was feared that a Wild Bear or even a Forsaken had come upon her in the woods, and not too much hope was given for her return.

Several weeks had gone by and she still had not returned. I appeared to have taken it fairly well except that I had not spoken or cried about it. I just went about my day doing whatever I was told but never voiced anything at all. I think I was numb and that I felt as though I was inside of a bad dream. I was holding my heart inside of me, protected in a glass chamber, and everything outside of the glass seemed to be going on without me. My movements did not even seem my own, but were someone else’s, and I was watching her and everything else, through the glass.

Mrs Watson asked a friend and a Priest, Garen Stonemaul, to see if he could find a good home for the me, since she was “not able to raise the poor girl," being advanced with age as she was. She had told Garen she knew that there was family somewhere but had no idea where she might find them since Freda Marshall had not really talked much of whom her family was, as far as names and places, but just the area of Stormwind and needing to get there. She assumed that they lived in that area, so she thought of Garen and his sister, Merna. Through the glass I could hear them speaking of me in concerned tones, and once in a while looked at me in a kindly way.

It was explained to me that I was to stay with him. I was told that Garen Stonemaul kept a nice house in Stormwind, in the Dwarven District, though he was never really there much. But his sister, Merna, took care of the house and the children that seemed to find their way to their doorstep. Merna was also a widow, and Garen had been married to the Life of a Priest. So when her husband died, also at the hands of war, he let her have the care of the house. She filled it with needy children and fed them with all kinds of wonderful food, as she was an exceptional cook.

Garen had arranged for our travel to Stormwind and on our arrival to the house, she waited outside while Garen talked to his sister. Valentia could hear plainly outside (dwarfs were never much for whispering).

"Merna, the poor lass hasn’t spoken a word since her momma’s disappearance. I fear greatly for the little lass," he told his sister.

“Well, you leaving her outside with the luggage is not going to improve her outlook either, ya lout!" the woman said and the door flew open and a very round, stout Dwarven woman came out and encircled me in her great arms and took me into the bright little home I would love and grow up in for the next 12 years. Garen, bless his sturdy soul, looked long and hard for traces of my family. He had heard mention of Auberdine, so he went there to see if-“

She paused as she watched Aurynn, sputtering and choking on her drink.

“Are you going to make it?” asked Valentia, getting up and patting her friend gently on the back.

“It’s – ahem,” Aurynn struggled to speak. “It’s just that-“

Valentyne put down his drink. “Valentia, was it Auberdine? Or was it Aberdeen?”

“Aberdeen,” said Aurynn hoarsely, as her coughing seemed to calm down. “Maybe that’s what Garen heard your mother say!”

Valentia sat back down again, and took a measured swig of her stein.

“Aberdeen! That’s my last name,” said Aurynn, excitement mounting in her voice. “What was your mother’s name?”

“Freda,” she replied. “Yours?”

“Glenavon,” Aurynn answered. “Do you remember your mother’s maiden name? Did she ever tell you or Garen?”

“I… I don’t know,” Valentia closed her eyes, trying to conjure up scenes with her mother. “I can see my mother talking to me about something in the garden at Mrs. Watson’s. But all I can see is her face and her mouth moving,” she opened her eyes, and frowned in frustration. “My memories of her are seldom of her voice; all I can remember about her speaking is a resonance, a tone, but it’s always as though I am hearing her speaking in another room through a thick metal door. There are catches of a song…” She began to hum a melody that had stayed with her somehow through the years. “I can’t remember the whole thing, of course,” she sighed. She looked up to see an astonished expression on Aurynn’s face.

“What is it, love?” asked Valentyne, leaning forward, also noticing Aurynn had turned a slightly fairer shade.

“That tune,” said Aurynn, with wonder in her voice. “It is the one that my mother sang to me when I was a child.” She hummed the next phrase of the song. “I know the words, too,” she said softly, staring at Valentia.

For a moment, all three sat there in silence, contemplating.

“My mother’s maiden name was Aisling, Valentia,” she said, breaking the spell that had fallen upon them. “Surely there must be a way to find out if that was your mother’s maiden name as well. I’m trying to think… My mother and father didn’t like to talk to me about anything with their family’s deaths… If your mother died before the fire... How old are you?”

“I think I was born several years prior to the Fire,” replied Valentia, fingers to her temples, trying to concentrate. “Because your parents were farming to grow food for the armies at around the time same time that I would guess my father’s regiment was destroyed. So Holliegh was most likely born around the time, or shortly after, my mother’s disappearance.”

“So, if that is the case, you are five or six years older than Holliegh, and then five years later I was born,” surmised Aurynn.

“That makes me at least a entire decade older than you, little cousin,” deduced Valentia.

“You would most likely have to check those theories and compare them to the records of Iron Forge, Stormwind and Southshore,” suggested Valentyne. “Now that you have a possible lead.”

“I think we have a quest, Aurynn,” said Valentia. “Something I have been trying to find out since I was a child! It feels in here,” she said, placing a hand upon her heart, “as though I am peeking through a keyhole, and I finally have, in my grasp, a key that might just fit perfectly! So many keys I have tried… So many doors I could not open.” Her eyes shimmered. She blinked as a large, warm tear fell.

Aurynn slid her chair over and plunked it right next to Valentia’s, and flung an arm around Valentia; Valentyne did the same on the opposite side. Surrounded by her new friends, Valentia saw her reflection in her cup, and thought she saw traces of a smile. She looked up at Aurynn, who was raising her drink.

“Here’s to possibilities,” she said.

“And to the destination, after a long and difficult journey,” continued Valentyne, raising his goblet to meet Aurynn’s.

“And here’s to Hope,” said Valentia, with a wide smile. Her cup connected noisily with theirs, and they all drank deeply.

*****************

The song that Aurynn's and Valentia's mothers sang to them when they were children......

MARBLE HALLS

(an old Gaelic Lullaby/Love song - a version of it is sung by ENYA)

I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls

with vassels and serfs at my side,

and of all who assembled within those walls

that I was the hope and the pride.

I had riches all too great to count

and a high ancestral name.

But I also dreamt which pleased me most

that you loved me still the same,

that you loved me

you loved me still the same,

that you loved me

you loved me still the same.

I dreamt that suitors sought my hand,

that knights upon bended knee

and with vows no maiden's heart could withstand,

they pledged their faith to me.

And I dreamt that one of that noble host

came forth my hand to claim.

But I also dreamt which charmed me most

that you loved me still the same

that you loved me

you loved me still the same,

that you loved me

you loved me still the same.

VALENTYNE at IRON FORGE

2006-02-19T22:50:00.000-06:00

AURYNN IN SOUTHSHORE

2006-02-19T22:49:00.000-06:00

AURYNN
Prologue: The discovery of Holliegh was every bit as much Aurynn's story...

Another Winterveil's Day at the Aberdeen household. Aurynn watched her father sit lost in thought, as he often did this time of year. He had just been out gathering wood from their stockpile, and now he sat in front of the fireplace, leaning on the back of his chair. She followed his gaze, and wondered what he was seeing. Whatever it was, she thought it burned like that fire in the hearth. Whatever he focussed on seemed to disappear through the flames and deep into the orange coals. Her mother was busy in the kitchen, baking and cooking... In fact that was where Aurynn had been for several hours, helping chop vegetables and fruit, and grinding the dried herbs into powder for the goose, the pies, and the potatoes.

The kitchen still smelled pleasantly of cloves and cinnamon. Her mother was rolling out dough, a few strands of her reddish hair falling down softly about her shoulders; the rest tied back in a bun. Like Aurynn's father, she too had a distracted look to her, until she had finally noticed her daughter's intense observation. At that point she had shooed her out of the kitchen. "Really Aurynn, ye mustn't look at me like that," she admonished, her cheeks reddening a little. "Honestly, I'm fine... I can't think when you keep staring at me as though you think I'm daft!"

The two of them, Eston and Glenavon Aberdeen, always seemed a little far away this time of year. Aurynn had tried asking about their somewhat "off" behaviour. Her father usually just clasped her hand or hugged her, as though she was a precious jewel, and then would tell her, "It's nothing, luv, nothing," he would say. "I just get extra thankful around this time of year to have the family I do around me." Her mother, like the awkward moment in the kitchen, would say in exasperation, "Dear, ye worry too much about everybody else! Now quit your brooding and go find something to do..." Aurynn always felt glad for this time of year, but she felt that her parents, although happy and doting... always their joy seemed a somewhat subdued or muted. There was always the faintest hint, a feeling she held inside that tasted like wine that wasn't aged enough, or like warm sunlight muted by a fine layer of clouds.

Aurynn contented herself with reading from her scrolls. She was amusing herself with translating an old Elvish proverb (she was trying to find one that matched similarly with both a Dwarven and Human Proverb), when there was a sharp rap at the door.

Husband and wife looked up at each other with astonishment. Both at the same time they looked at each other and said, "Were you expecting someone?" and simultaneously they shook their heads, no. Then they both turned to their daughter, who was taken aback by their sudden looks. She shrugged. "I have no idea who it is!"

Glenavon nervously wiped her hands on her apron and looked expectantly at Eston, who stood up hesitantly. "Well, go get the door then!" she admonished her husband. His feet still seemed rooted to where he was standing, so Aurynn got up to get the door. She flung it open.

"Hail there, my young princess!" It was their friend Dragonscale come to visit. The Dwarf picked up Aurynn by grasping her around her knees and she laughed as she almost toppled over. She leaned on his shoulders for support until he placed her gently back down.

"Merry Winterveil to ye all!" he shouted and barged into their home to give bear hugs to all around. He was slightly out of breath.

"Good heavens, Dragon," Glenavon said, flustered and awkward again. "What on earth brings you out to Elwynn Forest, all the way from Dun Morogh, far from your family on this day of days?"

"Ah! I got my reasons, lass," he said by way of explanation. "Have I got a story for you!" He pulled a couple of finely decorated wine bottles from either of his pockets as though he was drawing for a gunfight.

"Dragon, you said that you were saving those," said Eston, eyes popping somewhat, and moving toward them as though to stuff them back into his friend's pockets. "Surely a visit to our humble stead doesn't warrant you to open those prized bottles of yours!"

Dragonscale said, "Oh, it's time," he said, nodding vigorously and setting them down a little harder than necessary onto the table. "And even if it weren't time, lad trust me when I say this: ye'd still want to have a strong drink after I tell you my tale!"

Aurynn grinned. She always looked forward to Dragonscale's tales of adventure and warring. "Everyone sit! Sit sit sit!" Commanded Dragonscale, as Eston brought some wine glasses down from their high up shelves. "Yes, you too, Glena. You of all people are gonna need to be sitting, whether or not ye have a swig o' this stuff, once I'm through. It's a bit long and involved, so ye best get yourselves comfortable."

Aurynn watched her puzzled parents look at each other, with a expressions ranging from furrowed brows to worried smiles. She ran to the sitting area to grab a pillow to place on her chair. "My tale begins, actually Eston, when I spoke with you last summer. Ye may not know this part, missus," he said bowing in apology to Glenavon and looked at Eston.

Eston actually covered his face for a second. He pulled away his hands to reveal a sheepish grin, and said, "I know of which day Dragon speaks," he confessed. "However, I didn't think anything would come of it..." he turned suddenly to face directly in the Dwarf's direction. "Did... something.... Come of it?"

"What are ye talking about?" said Glenavon, shrilly. She smacked her husband playfully on the arm. "Spit it out, man! I don't need the suspense!"

Aurynn was surprised when her father faltered. He looked at Glenavon meaningfully and then his eyes travelled over to Aurynn. Glena watched his expression and followed his gaze. She looked at him as though begging him not to speak and whispered hoarsely as though Aurynn was not there, "Today?" Eston nodded. Her mother's acceptance suddenly made her face turn from animated to an almost resigned expression. She nodded for her husband to continue.

"Aurynn, it is time you learned this. You..." he started, and then hesitated, looking up at the ceiling. "You have... had..." he was looking down and then finally forced himself to gaze softly in her direction."...A sister." Then he let out a breath that he seemed to be holding.

Aurynn at first wasn't sure if he was serious. She looked at him with a grin on her face, waiting for the climax of the joke. But then she noticed her mother's pale somberness, and her smile faded.

"But, father," she asked. "Why did you not tell me of this before?"

"I am sorry, Aurynn," it was her mother that spoke and placed a loving hand on her arm. "We were going to tell you sometime. We just didn't want to burden you with our burden."

"I am not angry," protested Aurynn. "I am just... Surprised... I guess. Um... Maybe more shocked. I don't know how to feel right now."

"Well, Eston," her mother looked at her husband sternly. "Why did we have to tell her? Today, of all days??"

"That's where I continue the story," jumped in Dragonscale again. He had just finished pouring them some wine in their small wine glasses. Glenavon gulped hers down and pushed her glass to him across the table and without hesitation, he filled it up again. "Eh.. heh, yes, these glasses are... quite... erm.... dainty."

"You're probably used to your big stein!" laughed Aurynn.

"Well... Heh! My big fingers aren't accustomed to wrapping around the neck o' these fancy little things, but I'll try not to break it.""Get on with it, will you!" snapped Glenavon. "I'm an impatient woman!"

"Ahem, yes." Dragonscale sat back down. "Here's why Eston had to tell ye about your sister. See, as you recall, I came down to your farm last summer, when you ladies were in town for somethin' and I took your man down to the local tavern for a wee sip."

"A wee sip, you say," said Glenavon doubtfully. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. She looked at her husband, and then at her guest with some disapproval.

Dragonscale ignored the comment and continued...."The reason I took my good friend down for a drink, y'see, was because I could tell something was bothering him mightily. I innocently had mentioned to him that a relative of mine had managed to start a fire in his kitchen. Hell, I thought it was hilarious! Har! I still do. I mean, burning water? That's quite a feat! But in the midst of my tale, which I was expecting a smile or a guffaw, I look up and see Eston here as pale as a ghost and very troubled. He recovered very quickly, but his wane smile tipped me off that somethin' wasn't quite right with him.So I said to him, 'You know, you look like ye could use some fresh air. Let's go get some.'

So we left the house, and we wandered out to the main road, and somehow our feet led us to the Goldshire Inn. So I got a drink for my friend, who helped out our family when ye all lived in Dun Morogh by-"

"What? Dun Morogh?" Aurynn sat up straight on her seat. "When were you two ever living in Dun Morogh!? This is all too-"

"Relax, princess," said Dragonscale patiently, patting her on the hand. Waving his hands in the air a little over-dramatically, he intoned: "All will be revealed... "

"Right. Your parents used to live on the sunnier, warmer side -if there every was such a thing- of a mountain in Dun Morogh, and they had a right nifty Gnomishly-built greenhouse. It was made with glass as thick as my fist and was insulated tighter than a drum, and it was heated by day by the sun, and had a great furnace to keep it warm all night. It was as big as a farmer's field. The Gnomes wanted to experiment with that idea, ye see, since the war was causing our supplies to dwindle. They didn't know much about farming anything other than ores, and neither did any Dwarves that I've ever heard of, so they found some willing participants.

Eston and Glena agreed to try it out, risky though it was. The Gnomes were delighted and assisted with the upkeep. And your parents taught them about farming. So, as I was saying, you saved our skins, Eston and Glenavon. You supplied us with food from yer farm to the army. Glenavon here is a fair enough medic, too, what with her herbs 'n' poultices and bandages. And that much ye know, I'm sure, Aurynn. But they may not 'a' told you which army!

It was the Dwarven Army in Dun Morogh, the regiment I was in at the time. I was just a Private then, and I saw a lot of my buddies die for the lack of food, near as easy as dying from fightin'. I never forgot your mom and dad's generosity, and I told my parents about it. Our families have been friends ever since. That's why, when ye come to Dun Morogh, Aurynn, and ye tell them who your parents are, you'll get a warm clap on the back, and most likely you'll be offered a pint! Har!

So now, you know about that. But you need to know more. Your dad was tellin' me at the bar, after I'd bought him enough ale to losen his tongue a bit, that the reason he was feelin' bad, was because when I mentioned the fire, it brought back the memory of the night his entire family was burned alive in their brother's house. Which is probably news to ye, too, judging by the look on yer face.

I felt awful that the tragedy had slipped my mind. I felt even worse that I managed to conjure up those kinds of memories, especially in this man! He said to me that he wished someone could tell him what happened, because in the space of a few hours that they had left for town to buy some extra blankets and food, and stopped briefly at our place to wish us a Merry Winterveil, their whole world had been torn apart. And it was worse because there was no explanation.

It seemed odd to him that none escaped alive, since if it was a chimney fire, there were sufficient number of adults who were supposedly awake and could've at least attempted to save the others or save the building they were in. He said no one could find any evidence of foul play besides the fire, which was ruled as suspicious. I cried a few tears in my ale with 'im. And then I pledged to find out all I could. I do fancy myself a wee bit of an investigator, ye know, especially after a few ales!

So after I had seen Eston home, I promised him I would look into things. I stayed a week with ye and your parents, and never spoke a word of it to either of you ladies, as I promised I'd keep my great yaw clamped tight. Eston didn't want to give ye false hope, Glena. Upon my return to Dun Morogh, I went back to the site of the fire.I walked around the foundations, and saw what little burnt debris was left, the remenants of floorboards, beams and a half-melted stove. A tumbled-over chimney was heaped over to one side. I knew there were no bones left, as what was left of the charred remains had all been carefully gathered into an urn and buried.

For a month, I would come by in the afternoons as often as I could. I meticulously looked around inside the house, scraping away snow and moving pieces of burnt wood around. The next while I tried to see if I could see anything around the outside perimeter. I even dug down a ways into the snow and placed a little stake where ever it was I last looked, so I wouldn't look over the same place twice. As time went on, I painstakingly circled further out and around in wider and wider circles. Once in a while, one of my relatives would accompany me, or a friend would 'happen' by. They wanted to watch crazy Dragonscale pick away at years of snow, under birds' and rats' nests. They told me, 'Come home, Dragon! Everyone is talking about you!' I refused. I said, 'I need a hobby, even I'm no good at it!'

Eventually, sometime around the beginning of December, I finally got to the treeline, and it was my intent to see if there was anything like clothing or hair snagged in the branches of the trees, or anything that may have been dropped.

Of course, I knew it would be useless to look for tracks in the snow from way back then, so that's why I was a little surprised to see a set of footprints that must have been pretty fresh, considering it had snowed earlier that morn.I followed them a little ways, careful to step into them so as not to leave another set, and I saw that they cut through the forest, and then disappeared near some hoofprints several trees in from the clearing. The horse's tracks led back to the main road and then got lost in all the other tracks. I doubted the stranger had left while I was there, else I reasoned from that distance, I surely would have heard jingling reigns or the horse's heavy steps or neighing. I decided, if this was a clue, no matter how obscure, or no matter how unlikely, I was going to meet this person again.

The next morning I came again, but much earlier. And this time I came around from the back and hid behind a small embankment, sippin' a little whiskey now and again to keep warm. I had just about had enough, as my behind was feeling mighty cold, when I heard the horse coming. I was perfectly hidden between two trees and some bushes, so I peaked out.

From the pine trees, a scruffy traveller walked over to stand behind what looked like an old wagon all covered in snow. He looked up for a moment, from his spot, and then bowed his head. I got a decent look at 'im. He was unkempt and his clothes coulda used some mending, and he looked like he coulda used some o' your home-cookin' there Glenavon. I hadn't seen him around those parts before, that's sure.

I watched him standing there for about a half hour. And then he left. My mind was boggling with all sorts of thoughts. But I wasn't going to jump to conclusions. I went back several more times, and once or twice he wasn't there, but he seemed to make the effort to come when he could, and always quite early in the morning. Then he would leave on his scruffy grey horse. Finally, it was about a week later, and the routine was once again unfolding. I couldn't stand it anymore, I had to do something. It could've been a fella who was just eyeing the place for rebuilding, or perhaps he was an old friend of yours coming to visit the resting place. I had other ideas floating around in my head, but I hoped against them.

The last time, what I did was, while he was looking at the place where the house once stood, I snuck around to his horse. I had some sugar and a few carrots, and fed the beast to show him I was friendly. I then untied him and he seemed to be happy enough to come with me, as I made my way to the man waiting at the wagon.

Well, he reeled around to see what was going on, as he heard us coming. And as quickly as he turned, I saw a knife slide outta his sleeve into his hand. But when he saw that I had his horse, he wavered.

'Easy there, lad!' I said holding up my hands with nothing but the reigns in them. 'I just saw yer horse and came to have a look. And then I saw you standing over here, and I thought I'd come see what yer looking at.'

The man didn't speak right away. He eyed me up and down, probably saw my wicked double axes nestled on each side of my belt, and watched my hands holding the reigns of his horse. 'I'm not looking at much, stranger,' he said, cocking his head. 'There isn't much here to look at, friend.' He said that last word after just a bit too long for me to believe him wantin' to be my bosom beer-drinkin' buddy.

'Ah, but I've seen ye looking at nothing here all week, actually, sir,' I says casually. 'Tell me why you come here, to my friend's farm.'

I got the feeling he was weighing the words with my tone, watching my hands and my axes, and thinking about a reply. 'Why, who is your friend?' he asked finally, returning my casual tone.'They were but simple farmers visiting relatives at this spot some 21 years ago. They left their daughter here in safety with three brothers and their families, and two sisters and their families.' I noticed his face fell somewhat, as my words seemed to have an effect on him. I continued warily, still standing there holding the reigns. 'Aye. There were at least 12 children there, including my friends' three month old daughter. The tragic story is that they all died in a horrible fire on Winterveil Eve. They were all burned, every single last one of 'em.' The fellow looked an odd colour behind his bristles and there was something wrong with his breathing. 'My friends, they came back about 4 or 5 hours later and the sight that beheld them, tore them to pieces...

''ENOUGH!' the stranger suddenly fell down to his knees, clapping his hands over his ears.

'Not a single survivor,' I said dropping the reigns.

'NO!' he shook his head violently, eyes focussed on the ground. 'Not true!'

'Of course it is,' I argued, slowly advancing. 'No one found anyone alive.'
'NOOO!' he gave a strangled sounding yell and startled me by smacking his head several times with his hands. He choked off a sob. By this time I was close enough to attack. I ran at him and bowled him over backward, so that I ended up sitting on his chest.

He was quite the mess. He was frightened, that much I could tell. I seemed to have knocked the breath outta him a moment, but his eyes bulged and he squirmed like a worm caught under a rock. I wasn't sure if he was trying to get away from me, or if he was tryin' to escape from somethin' else that seemed more terrifying to him at that moment. At that close proximity, I could smell stale ale on his breath and see his bloodshot eyes. He smelled faintly of sweat as well, as though he hadn't bathed in a while, save perhaps in ale.

'Well, then, friend,' I said through clenched teeth as close to his face as I could stand. 'Tell me the truth.'

'Please... I been running...' he gasped. 'I been running from that. I was 12 at the time... I had to run. Didn't want no part of it...'I realized that he was no threat. He seemed all limp and cryin' like a baby. So I gave him some relief by gettin' off his chest. But I held an axe to his neck, just in case. I helped him sit up. I hadn't realised he was only in his early 30s. He looked much older than that. I even helped him sit up. From what I could figure, he was more used to the liquid diet than solid food kind, which could account for his pathetic state.

'Explain, then,' I demanded. 'And I may spare your life.'

'It don't matter none,' he said, wiping his eyes. He was all hunched over, his arms just lying there as though there was no feeling in them. 'If you kill me, then at least my old master can't. I was too weak. I wasn't strong enough-'

My ears perked up. 'Oh?' I asked, raising an eyebrow. 'What kinda master would treat his apprentice like that?'

'A mean one, my master was. He named himself Blade-Eye,' he snorted contemptuously. 'The knife wound was nowhere near his damned eye, so I don't know why he called hisself by that name. But he'd sure enough stick a blade in your eye. Or mine.' Then the words started flowing from him like a spilled drink.

'I was the one who climbed up on the roof,' his eyes squinched up again as he was pointing to what was left of the house. 'I was the slimy bastard who put the blankets over the chimney. But I swear, I didn't want to do it. I tried to leave, but I was starvin'... My master wouldn't pay me. And he had been planning the heist for weeks. I knew he'd beat me to a pulp if I didn't do it. So I pretended like I was brave like the others in the gang, pretended I couldn't feel nothin' like they did. It almost worked... But then I saw the people come outta the house, all chokin' with the smoke and I saw what they did to them all. All.... all the blood.' He made as if to wretch for a moment. 'I was frozen up there on the roof, I wanted to tell them to stop, but nothin' came out my mouth. Not even air. I stopped breathin' as soon as I saw the first knife disappear into someone's ribs. Damn moon was so bright...' he trailed off. His nose was all runny and his face looked all the worse, if that was possible, so I gave the vile thing a hanky, which he blew into noisily. 'Not everyone died in that house,' he said after. And it nearly exploded my head when he said that.

I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, and pulled his face to mine (although not as close as the last time) 'How's that?'

'I'll show you... No, I'll show you...' he said struggling to get up. I kept my hands on his collar and pulled him up.

'Aye. You will,' I said to him and let go. He nearly fell down again, but managed to stagger a bit towards where the back of the house used to be.

'Here...' he said, smiling stupidly. 'Here is where I saw him!' He pointed convulsively to a spot where a prickly bush grew. He was shaking with the cold air, or his nervousness, I am not sure.I looked at him, waiting.

Finally I raised my arms and rolled my eyes to the sky, and annunciated, 'WHO!?'

'The Dwarf! The Dwarf!' He giggled hysterically. 'He looked like you, he did!'

I looked at him as though he was was sprouting extra arms. The only Dwarf that resembled me in the slightest is my brother, Thoom. And I hadn't seen him in over 50 years. So the rogue might as well have been saying that he saw me there, and I knew that I wasn't. He saw my look of shock and disbelief.'Aye! Aye! He was like you, only he had his hair tied back, and he didn't carry nothin' but a staff. I seen him with my own eyes, because my master sent me back to make sure all the tracks were covered. But it was really because I threw up when I got down from the roof. I was clearing up some of my new tracks, and then I heard a baby screaming...' An involuntary shudder overtook him for a moment. 'I heard someone shoutin'... I looked up at the back door of the house and I saw this fella fly outta there all yellin' and arms flyin' and he was holdin' something in his arms. I saw him lift it and put it in his jacket, and watch the burning house for a while. And then he walked away... In that direction...' He pointed north.

I looked at him, trying to keep the sound of hope from my voice. 'You're sure. You saw a Dwarf that looked... like me. And he had a bundle that may have been one of the children from the house, and he went north?'

The young man nodded and bowed. Suddenly he was down on his knees again. 'I beg you sir! Please don't tell no one what I did! I promise you, I reformed my ways. I jest been hidin' in these woods, tryin' out huntin' and fishin'...

'And how's that workin' out for ye?' I asked, but I felt I knew the answer. The only thing he probably hunted for these days, was where he last saw his still. And the only thing he probably fished for was his hat outta a pool of vomit.

'I'm gettin' by, sir,' he sighed. 'Only I wish someone could teach me better.' I stood there thoughtfully a moment. "Well, sir, since you finally made a full confession, I am wonderin' if I told ye we could get you a job in a place far from here, and had someone watchin' ye and lookin' after ye, and feedin' ye, would ye take it?'

The man stood up slowly. 'Ye mean it sir? Ye can do that for me? I reckon I would do it! Would I get pay?'

'In a manner of sorts,' I said. 'I tell you what. I know a Paladin who will take you in. You'd get three squares a day, your own room, a warm bed at night. He will watch over you, make sure you stay sober, make sure you stay outta trouble. He runs a sort of hotel. There are a couple others a lot like you there. Similar situations. He likes helping his fellows reform. He volunteers at a stockade, teachin' inmates trades and readin'. You would have to live by his rules, but you wouldn't have no one coming after ye. I can guarantee it.'

The fella looked like he was going to start blubberin' again, so I told him I would send him word and he would come personally to see if he was still interested. 'It's up to you. If ye don't want to come, and decide ye want to stay with what ye got, that's alright. He won't force ye to come back with him, as he knows it's no use draggin' someone away against his will.'

That all happened about eight days ago. I went back to my home and gathered up a travelling bag, sleeping mats and food. I was goin' on a hunt. It took me five bloody days to find my elusive brother. I first spied his trail once I had travelled about fifteen miles from the scene of the crime. It was a faint indentation in the snow. I was on Odin, my ram, so I knew it would only appear to him to be an animal crossing his path. I did the waiting game again, and it took another two days of me freezin' my arse for him to bloody well show up. I was watching the trail from partway up the mountain, where I was nestled in a bit of a cranny to shelter me from our trademark winds. Sure enough, I saw him walking along, and I got on my mount and high-tailed it down the mountainside.

I was just past him and out of his line of sight, but then to make the best of an unpredictable situation, I hollered out his name in the mightiest voice I could muster and Odin & I leapt down in front of Thoom.

Ye should've seen his eyes! Har! I thought our noses were our most prominent feature! His eyes were buggin' so far out of their sockets, I thought I'd hafta catch 'em from fallin' onto the ground! Ha ha ha!

After the initial shock wore off, we greeted each other.

'Well!' said Thoom. 'This is certainly unexpected!'

'Well!' said I. 'So is finding you! And so are you going to invite your poor brother in for a snack? I've been practicing bein' an icicle for two days, waitin' for ye to pass by!'

'Oh, well, absolutely,' he said, bowing. 'Follow me.'

So we talked all the way to the cave. I caught him up on the goings on in our family. I told him I wanted to see more of him. I let him know, I never felt anything badly about him. His shadow magic was just another way to combat evil, like I used my axes. I told him I had been trying to convince our ma and da that was the case, and I was sure, even though they might not like the path he chose, they still missed him. It started to snow as we went along, muting everything and adding to the strangeness of the whole event.As we came up to his modest dwelling, I was just getting into the reason why I had come looking for him, when the door to his cave flew open...'

Aurynn grabbed the edge of the table. She watched her father stand up suddenly, toppling his chair over. He walked over to her mother, who was covering her face.Glenavon was clutching her apron to her chest, eyes bright.

"You mean to say...?"

"Aye!" said Dragonscale, and he looked back to Aurynn, "Standin' there was a young lady, with red hair to match yer own, my lady." Dragonscale bowed to Glenavon. "And with eyes like yours, my friend!" He bowed again to Eston. "She was pretty shocked to see someone with Thoom, I can tell you!"

There was a thick silence.

"Where is she now?" Aurynn asked slowly, not sure if she was actually talking. "My... sister..."

"Oh, me and my brother, we got to know each other again, and we also talked with your sister. We discussed it, and she wants to see you. She didn't know for the longest time that you were still alive. Thoom thought you were in the fire with your relatives, and he had no way of knowing otherwise. So that is what he told her. She wants to come by today, if you don't mind. I can go and get her at the Goldshire Inn. She insisted that I ask you folks first. And she goes by a different name, Glena, just to let you know. What did you call her when she was first born?"

"Odessa," she said... "What does she go by now?"

"She's callin' herself Holliegh."

********************
EPILOGUE: Although the Aberdeens all pressed him to tell them, Dragonscale said he had to be true to his word, and would not tell them where he sent the fellow who had told him how to find Thoom. And he would not give the name, nor say that he knew it. The Aberdeens were just happy to have gotten their daughter back, and although they wouldn't become instantly close, they certainly kept in close communication and visited often, gaining a meaningful relationship. Holliegh still feels the father and daughter bond strongly with Thoom, but she was also relieved that she got to spend time with her blood family, for the time she did.

Eston and Glenavon were much older when they married than most couples of the day, and they waited 5 years before having Aurynn, so they were well into their 70's when they found Holliegh again. About 7 years after they reunited, their parents died and the two sisters became even closer. Aurynn and Holliegh both regard each other as precious blessings... most of the time. They became instantly inseperable, although prefer fighting with their own group of friends, instead of together. They are a little superstitious about being together in battle. They each agreed that if everyone in the party died, they would want the other sister not to be with them, so that someone would still be able to carry on their bloodline, if not their family name.

Aurynn felt this turn of events was miraculous, which is the reason she gives for joining the church as a Paladin. It is the reason she chose her path.

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HOLLIEGH IN SOUTHSHORE

2006-02-19T22:48:00.000-06:00

HOLLIEGH

The full moon looked down upon Dun Morogh, its lidless eye pierced through a violet-blue velvet canopy of evening, save the holes where the stars shone through. The glare of the moon caused all it touched to sparkle like hot tears, all iridescent pearls and diamonds, blue and white fire. A wolf implored to the mountains, and his wistful query echoed back to him eternally and into oblivion.The pine trees, laden with freshly fallen snow, shot upward like jagged darkened teeth in the subdued gloom, surrounding the outline of a house. Windows gazed warmly out onto the snow, a bright and amber stare that spited the northern wind and the cold fingers of snow that clung to the sides of the house. The sound of enclosed laughter and music floated through the air.The door opens suddenly, the light suddenly thickens. A couple pass through the doorway, arm in arm, waving over their shoulders.

"Yes! Yes, of course, we insist!" said the woman, stopping for a moment while the man hooked up the horses to the sleigh. "It isn't fair to make you feed the whole crew!"
"We'll be back with more food and supplies in a bit - we want to stop on the way to wish a Happy Winterveil to a friend on the way back to town!" said the man. "We promise we'll be back soon - in a couple of hours!"
"Alright, then brother," replied a fellow at the door. "Stay warm out there! We'll wait up for you!"

The man assisted the woman into the sleigh, and she giggled as he wrapped her up to her chin in furs. They whispered and murmured to each other, as though to speak in the silence would be sacriligeous. Then with a snap of the reigns, the two horses cut out a new trail to the main road, bells chiming to their hoofbeats. The sleigh and its riders became smaller and smaller on the hill, and then disappeared over the crest. The sounds of merriment in the house continued.

Behind the house, the shadow of a tree, it seems, appears to separate from itself. A wide-shouldered human form, bent low, walks slowly and warily up to a wagon that sits unattended and horseless between the trees and the house. He stays there frozen as ice, peering into the warmth. Cold, dark eyes glint with reflected moonlight. His head is smooth, save for a jagged scar that runs up one side of his face, narrowly missing his eye, and then over part of his scalp. He turns back to the trees, and makes a sharp motion with is hand.

Several more shadows release themselves from the wood, and with equal stealth, slink up behind the man already at the wagon. With no words, and without looking at the others, the man signals sharply to the left and right and to the opposite side of the house. Three fingers each pointing in those directions, three shadows slide eeirily following his direction. He then turns to the remaining followers. He points to three more, and then points to the spot next to which he stands.

He then brings his eyes to the young lad shivering, holding some heavy blankets, and points up at the chimney, where a billowing pillar of smoke is pulling steadily into the sky. The lad, points at himself and then at the three story summit, and then back at himself; he also says nothing, but his saucer-sized eyes and raised eyebrows beg a question. The scarred man, grins sardonically, and with a smooth and casual motion, repeats his gesture, pulls a piece of gold from his breast pocket and wave it in the boy's face. The boy makes a motion to take it, but at that point the scarred man pulls the coin back into his fist, and crosses his arms. The look the thin boy gives him turns from anger to resigned obedience.

He maneouvers ever so softly over to the corner of the house and begins to climb. The boy, his face now visible in the moonlight, glances down at all shadows below, gazes fixed upon his thin little shadow's progress. He pauses to rub his hands and the scarred man, glares at him. The boy suddenly looks in his direction, as if the man's gaze had poked him with an icicle, and continues the climb.Soon the boy disappears behind the chimney. The smoke breaks its line as the blankets cover the chimney. The dark forms on the ground unsheath weapons and tense, eyes toward the sounds in the house.

At first, the continuing singing and music continue to pierce through the evening stillness. From the outside of the house the silhouettes watch, unmoved and unmoving, as the smoke from the connected fireplaces starts to fill the upper floors, where the youngest of the children lay sleeping. Some smoke manages to leak out the windows, obscuring the top of the house. Then there is a kind of pause, and different noises begin to eminate. Concerned voices, raising now.

"Why is it so smoky in here?"
"Is there a fire upstairs? Wake the children!"
"For God's sake open the door!"
"I can't see where the door is!"

The scarred man raises his arm. He watches with satisfaction as one member of each trio stationed around the house, raises an arm in response. Sounds of coughing and yelling out names, then screaming. The front and back doors bursts open, and several men and women blunder out, some dragging unconscious children, some carrying blankets or empty buckets. They are coughing and trying to speak and their eyes burn with the smoke. One man is holding a woman back from entering the house.

As soon as the doors open, the scarred man brings down his arm in a sudden slashing movement. He doesn't even look to see what his men are doing, and leaps into the small group by the front door with the efficiency of an ermine. Slithering up like reared snakes, they are all advancing in practiced and expert unison; shivs, scythes, clubs, knives and poison daggers drawn. Striking. Eyes are focussed, jaws are set. They don't even flinch when the blood sprays into their faces, or they hear neck bones crunching, or when the blades slip into ribcages, lower backs or eye sockets. They all step back and look at the scarred man, who nods. At this motion, they all bend to loot their victims. The man signals the boy on the roof to take off the blanket and come down.

The youngster clambers down, clumsily, and nearly falls. "Something bothering you, apprentice?" He sneers, his scar seems to glow a darker pink than a moment ago. The young man, looking as pale as the moon, manages to shake his head. He avoids looking down at his comrade's busy work. "Aren't you going to take anything? You worked as hard as anyone this evening." The scarred man, waves airily to the twisted mess. The boy looks up helplessly at his master.He suddenly turns away, and bolts to the shadows of a tree. No one can see him, but they do hear his noises as what little is in his stomach boils out of him.This elicits a chuckle from the scarred man, and he shakes his head. He throws the gold coin in the direction of the wretching sound, looks to his faithful group and shrugs, "Apprentices!" This causes the others to snicker and laugh softly, subdued to prevent detection. "Let's go finish up in the house."

***********************

A dwarf walks through the wood, carrying a bag of herbs he has hunted for, toward his cave, thinking of his warm little fire... So much so, that he chastises himself for thinking he actually smells smoke. "But wait a minute," he stops in his tracks. "That is smoke!" The dwarf's curiousity gets the better of him. "Oh, Thoom, you old fool," he mutters, as though he is used to arguing aloud with himself. "You've been alone all this time. Who cares if you smell that something's on fire?" He hesitates a moment longer, then sees a strange glow on a clearing in the wood from his vantage point above the tree line. "What the devil?" Something else is blocking the starlight and spreading in front of the moon. "Smoke alright!"

His pace quickens, and then he sees some horses tied to a tree. He turns his head a little and sees another set of horses several yards away. Checking out the opposite direction, he sees yet another trio of horses tied to trees. "Oh... that can't be good..." Something about a whole team of horses spread out over several yards sets of an alarming thought in his head. Thieves!

He drinks an invisibility potion - something that he has stocked well in his little cave. He runs carefully, but as quickly as he can, conjuring up the illusion that the snow he trod on did not leave footprints. To his left he heard, then saw movement. He froze, hardly daring to breathe as he watched several humans stomping past him in the snow, carrying bundles and bags. Behind each group, one other would sweep a bundle of pine branches and cover up the tracks again with snow. Soon enough he could hear all the horses and their riders leaving, and he then made off toward the sound and smell of burning wood in earnest.

He reached the clearing and was appalled at the scene. The house was in high flames - the old dry wood was burning almost as fast as kerosene. His brow furrowed as he observed that around the house, in the snow that was now quickly melting, blood was spilled. "Well, there won't be much evidence of that left," he muttered, thinking of the lost lives. He wasn't sure how he felt about his discovery, other than he wished that he hadn't given in to his curiosity. There did not seem to be anything he could or should do.

He turned around to head back in his original direction. "That'll teach ye. Pokin' yer great snout in where it don't belong... Ye silly ol-"He suddenly did an about-face."Wha' was tha' now?" Was it the sound of creaking timbers? "I coulda swore I heard -"

That was what he heard. A baby screaming."Great Grandfather's Beard!" He shouted. He didn't really think about what he was doing, but he charged in, placing himself in a spell of temporary invincibility. He leaped through the front door, and although he couldn't feel the heat, he could certainly see it. "Bloody lunatic! What are you doin' jumping into a burnin' inferno, are ye crazy??!" He listened, but he didn't hear anything. "Where are ye?" he bellowed, as a large piece of wood fell down from the ceiling just next to him. He tried not to gag as he noticed bodies around him and smelled the searing flesh. The cries began anew. A huge chunk of what might have been a piece of burning ceiling bounced off his magical shield, startling him. He swore under his breath and followed the sounds until he came to a table in the kitchen, near the back of the house. The table top was almost burned to nothing. A small bundle wriggled and screamed in a small cradle underneath. "Well, you're certainly outta the way -" He managed to grab the little bundle just before the table it was under collapsed from a piece of burning debris falling on it. "Now I'm gonna get ME outta the way!"

He made a sudden burst of speed out the back door, just as his invincibility spell dissipated. The whole top section of the house tumbled on to the main floor as he lay in a prickly holly bush in a snowbank with a bundle of warmth wrapped safely in his arms. "Ah! Well! I didn't realize I could move that fast!" he panted, looking in wonder at the wreckage.He lifted the sooty blanket, and saw a little tuft of red hair, and bright blue eyes. The infant looked at him in wonder, and touched his grizzled face. "Well... Now what do I do with you, little one?" He said, and marvelled at the tenderness in his voice. He cleared his throat, "Ah, well, yes," he said, pleased that he sounded more matter-of-fact. "I don't think I know anyone who I could get to take care of you..." He got up, and gingerly placed the bundle inside the top of his coat, keeping his arm under the bundle so it wouldn't fall out the bottom. "Well, no one for certain knows me." He began his leisurely walk back to his cave. "Hum... No one left to look after you, ye poor thing." He scratched his head with his other hand. "Well, nothin' to be done but sleep on it," he said and quickened his pace. "That's it. For now, my dear, you'll be with me, until I figure out what to do with ye."

He got home, and left the baby on the bed, propped up with pillows and blankets and covered in his fur coat. He started up his fire. The infant fussed and cried, and he tried to think of what to do. He consulted some of his books, and thought back to when he and his brother were being raised. He flipped through some books on raising young. "Hmph, sounds like what I need. Comfort, warmth, and a full belly." He scratched his head, and made an effort to concentrate through the bawling sounds. He stared hard at the little face all scrunched up in discomfort. "I suppose I could get you milk from my goats to feed ye... " He frowned...

He wasn't so pleased when he finally figured out that he needed to change the child's diaper, as not only did he find it most unpleasant, but he didn't know what to use for subsequent diapers. "Well! Thoom, you're a bloody genius, so bloody well think of something!" He finally settled on cutting into squares some old blankets he had in storage. "They will have to do, I suppose." At least this way, he found out that it was a girl he was dealing with. "Oh, great... A young lady!" He found himself surprised that he fervently hoped she would like him. "Ye know, I'm not too savvy with the females..." he told her honestly as he retrieved the baby and brought her near the fire with him. The babe lay in his arms, with half-closed eyes and tearstained face, looking contented now. She let out a sigh."Well, now... what should I call you?" He mumbled. "Well, I landed in a holly bush, when I was rescuing you. This situation is as prickly as the bush was, and I'm not sure that I know what to do about this whole mess," he looked with utter disgust in the direction he had buried the dirty diaper. "And whether or not I like it or not..." He stared hard at the little face sucking a thumb, her eyes opened slightly and fixed on his. "Ha! What the hell! Suppose I should call you something... call you... Holleigh?"

As if in response, a little hand reached out, and the tiny fingers closed around the tip of his nose. The baby laughed. "Well! I am glad enough that you like my prominent nose. Runs in the family, y'know! Right then, Holliegh you are... Or at least you are for a while..."

*******

The couple that left the house that evening to get supplies were Holliegh's parents. The ones that killed her entire family and thieved from them are known as Defias, and that is why, to this day, Holliegh hates them with all her heart. As it turned out, Thoom is the dwarf Priest that raised Holliegh until she was almost an adult. *** FOR PART II, AURYNN WILL WRITE THE REST OF THE STORY FROM HER POINT OF VIEW ***

Rebel Rebel!

2005-07-25T13:08:00.000-06:00

Here is an earlier photo of the first year I wore the Rebel X-Wing Fighter Outfit: I had help from Leah's mom to make the orange jumpsuit. I made the ribbed vest and chute attachments, ordered the helmet off the internet and assisted Keith with the box. The hose was from a sump pump tubing, the gloves were black gardner gloves that I added an outside edge to with the sewing machine; and the boots are just your usual rubber boots. Blaster courtesy of Keith...

Here's a better picture of the rebel X-Wing fighter pilot outfit... I have the holsters in this one... If you want to get a close up, click on the photo...

David and Holly Audition for Star Wars...

2005-07-24T11:30:00.000-06:00

Here's a picture of David Kenobi and Holly Skywalker! *LOL* I crack up whenever I see mine. We had them done at the Buffalo Days Fair one year. The guy who set them up put our faces in way too huge. That IS my real body though (yeah right)....

KD Trooper

2005-07-24T11:28:00.000-06:00

Here's Keith as a Stormtrooper. I took the picture from a crouched position. In case you didn't notice, though, he's wearing socks! *LOL* I guess he can sneak up on his targets more effectively...

Problems with Armor

2005-07-24T11:26:00.000-06:00

Here are a few more shots of Keith in his stormtrooper armor. It looks really cool, but there were a few problems. The bodice was pretty much one piece, and I think he is planning to separate the 2 so he can sit and twist easier side to side with his lower back. We ordered it over the internet and there were some issues with the ordering. I will get the information from David where NOT to order armor!!

SORVAX

2005-07-24T11:23:00.000-06:00

Here is Keith as Sorvax: I will have to get the details on what his cyborg parts are - I know one of his eyes is a half of a tea ball... He also moves (of course) and makes the sounds (of course) of cyborged parts, like servos or gears with certain movements.
(I have a drawing I took of this exact picture further down)... Not sure if you can make it out, but I made him double holsters out of black jean material - he said he was going to spraypaint them black at some point to make them look more like black leather, or else actually purchase some real holsters. I've actually borrowed them on my Rebel Pilot costume, and I must admit, I prefer to wear them as they give me a needed slimming affect! *LOL*

Velexa

2005-07-23T23:46:00.000-06:00

Here's Leah dressed as Velexa. I attempted to make a sort of skull cap with green papier mache paper but the material didn't fit my vision (Velexa's hairline, as with most female Falleens, are way, way back, similar to a Klingon's, so that was what I was trying to accomplish). So I attached a big long black wig to the back of the skull cap and to make it all more seamless, she wore another wig underneath. Also when I tried to match the colour with the face paint I purchased, we found out that the green colour of papier mache didn't match the makeup. I suppose I could've darkened the makeup on her face, but if I recall we were either running out of time to get somewhere or we were running out of makeup. She seemed happy enough with the result (bless her). She certainly dressed the part! She wore a gold chain belt as well as plenty of jewelry, gloves, and flowing silky outfit and black cape. Best case scenario would've been that I could have access to and the money to produce actual rubber masks!

ROYAL CRIMSON GUARD

2005-07-23T17:21:00.000-06:00

Here is David dressed up for Hallowe'en.... we purchased the helmet from the internet, and I made the force pike, the cloak, and I altered hockey shoulderpads so they stuck out more. David's tall frame and wide shoulders made it look extra-menacing! The only issue was that poor ol' David was suffocating because that helmet is nearly air-tight. He looks wicked but he can't breathe... We were going to set up some sort of little fan or something but it's too small. Even a tube that could reach underneath would be good, but so far he hasn't gone out in the outfit since that Hallowe'en.

BUDDIES IN ALBERTA

2005-07-23T16:44:00.000-06:00

Here are the orginal 4 Musketeers, now we just need someone to snap a photo of Carla, as we are now the Fabulous 5 (for more on the new happy couple, there is a WEDDING blog link on the right hand side of this page)... This photo was taken years ago in Edmonton, Alberta. This is at Leah's aunt's house. L-R: Keith, Leah, Holly (me), & David (my husband). We always got together (and still do) for Star Wars Role Playing, hangin' out, movies and whatever...

SHADOW, Aria's Speeder

2005-07-22T14:24:00.000-06:00

Aria had to enter a race to get some credits during one adventure, and decided it would be best to sign up under an alias. She's got some speeder skills, but she's a natural pilot on pretty much anything, like her father was. She actually received a download from her former martial arts coach as a result, which startled her. Aria's chose the pseudonym Yobhee Reissem.
Reissem was her father's first name (he was KIA which is covered in ARIA's story). I came up with the name to honour now-retired hockey player Mark Messier - the last name, spelled backward.
Yobhee happened to be the real first name of Aria's instructor, who up until they parted ways, only referred to herself as "Shadow." Could there be ties to Aria's mother? Is this someone else who knew why her mother, Ariasha, had been banished on Tatooine?

Sky, Kallen & Zyphr: DARKSIDE FEMALES

2005-07-22T14:20:00.000-06:00

Here are my three favourite darkside characters. Sky was hand-picked from the streets by the Emperor himself, and her rags-to-riches would be hard to give up, since that's all she ever wanted in the first place. Kallen was born into it, and the Empire was all she knew, although she did become disillusioned. Zyphr is just a young enthusiast and idealist. She thinks she's doing her part for the Empire, just like her biological father. Her adoptive father pretty much works for the same people - or at least appears to. When your as good a tech as this father and daughter, you never know who is going to come knocking at your service bay.

ZYPHR KRYMZYN

2005-07-22T14:15:00.000-06:00

Here's Zyphr Krymzyn without armor - she usually "dresses up" when she considers herself on duty.

Here is some detailed info about Zyphr's armor. She pretty much made it or modified it herself. Zyphr Krymzyn has some pretty cutting remarks if you don't watch yourself. She's a great tech, but she also likes to use sharp instruments for climbing and fighting - killing if necessary. But really she's a good sport. Unless extreme consequence or under direct orders, she wouldn't dream of sneaking up on someone, preferring a fair fight. Not everyone plays by the rules of course, so it's good to have some extra backup.

Krymzn never backs out of a deal or turns around and shoots her paying contractors in the back. You don't forge a good reputation unless you finish what you start. So far she's only accepted missions and money from the Empire or other related or neutral employers. Because of her background and upbringing, she's all for the Empire and can't figure out why anyone would rebel against a system that holds the galaxy together and keeps it from splintering into chaos.

KALLEN

2005-07-22T14:11:00.000-06:00

You can click on any of these pictures for a closer view:
Here are a couple of concept sketches: Kallen's helmet ended up looking a lot more like a modified stormtrooper helmet rather than Mandalorian-esque.

A detail of Kallen. One of her many aliases is Auron... Here is out of her armour, but she is not one to sit around lounging in civillian clothing when there is work to be done for the Empire... Until a recent mission, she felt she was sharing in the glory that was the Empire. However some of the things that went on made her decide to shed her mask and see what life was like on the other side of her armor... Those who have enough power in the Empire might know how to contact her... Still she's not exactly leaving a trail of breadcrumbs.

Kallen and her armor: no one knows if she is male or female... Well, maybe one or two people now, but she pretty much lives in her armor. Her jetpak has wings that pop out and allow her some silent glide time. As these sketches illustrate, she runs, gives a short burst from her jetpak and then can glide several metres, depending on how high up, wind, velocity, etc...

SKY DRAGONTOOTH

2005-07-19T19:37:00.000-06:00

This is what Sky Dragontooth looks like without make-up... Usually she paints everything white, red or silver, sometimes black...

Above is a version of Sky where she's on a hunt... Depending on her mood and on how much time she has, she could cover her entire body with paint. Note that one of her augmented silver canine teeth is showing. Immediately below you can see some of the ways she paints her face. She prefers to wear red clothing and then colour her face black with lots of white, but it varies...

This is Sky Dragontooth practicing her yoga... She's very relaxed with knives.

Just an FYI, this character is much newer than Aria - I only created her this year, so her stats are nowhere near as developed as some of my characters that I've been RPGing with for 5 years or more...

EMPEROR's HAND: although not considered an expert yet by others in her field, she's still trying to prove herself, and the Emperor sees her potential & knows her ambitions... She wants to do better than the others, so she can get more recognition, reward, and everything else that comes with being better than everyone else.

Human Female
24 yrs old
6'2"140 lbs

RESOURCE ACCESS 4D X 100: 1 time per day roll for an IMP RESOURCE

ACCESS CHECK: Perception Roll - max 2400 creditsFull round to study target (usually target chosen by Emperor/contract)= bonus 1D

FORCE SKILLS:
Sense 2D+1 (surroundings); SENSE FORCE
ALTER 1D+1; alter target to your whim/move object

EQUIPMENT:
Ornamental claws STR+1D/Climb +1D
2 modified custom blasters: 5D+2 damage
Lightweight blastvest: +1D Physical/+1D Energy
2 Daggers: STR +1D
4 Throwing Knives: STR +1D
Cloak

DEX 4D
Slight-of-Hand 6D
Blaster 6D
Dodge 6D
Thrown Weapon 6D
Melee Combat 6D

PERCEPTION 4D
Sneak 7D
Search 6D
Hide 6D
Con
Investigation

KNOWLEDGE 2D
Streetwise (Nal Hutta)
Survival
Language (Huttese 4D)
Intimidate

STRENGTH 4D
Stamina 6D
Martial Arts
Climb/Jump

MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsor Lift
Other

TECHNICAL 2D
Disable Device (including security devices) 4D
FIRST AID

REBEL FORCES: the poster series

2005-07-18T15:31:00.000-06:00

*phew* It took me a few hours, but I had a BIG piece of paper to scan about 20 times so I could piece it all together...
I had to sort of cut around some edges and it's still not perfect, but it's darn near. I LOVE our new scanner! Best Buy ROCKS!
It's the most user friendly scanner/program ever. I highly recommend the HP PSC 1315v, 3-in-one: printer, scanner, photo, and comes with a photo and scrap book program. Ya can't beat it. Just remember to buy the cord because for some reason it isn't included in the box.
This rendering is pretty close to the original, although the colours are a bit brighter in some spots and darker in others, not actually consistant with the real drawing.
I prefer to use Mayfair paper because it absorbs the liquid but also remains flat. For the outline I start with a 2H or 4H pencil and use various black pens and marker: my favourite is the MICRONE (water-proof archival ink). To colour in, I use Pantone Tria markers by Letraset (they are so cool, they have a thick end, and a medium tip that you can also take off and under that is a FINE tip! That's THREE tips people!).

2005-07-18T15:18:00.000-06:00

Jakmon's ship - I'll have to get the name from David...

2005-07-18T15:17:00.000-06:00

Ikcin... She has two faces. Literally. This species is known as a Formissan (forgive the spelling). In this adventure she was kidnapped by the Empire and we had to rescue her. The whole mission was to get a serum based on an extract from the giant mushrooms. We had to put that on hold because we were fooled into thinking the Ikcin we left town with was, well... Ikcin. Turned out to be a Shi'adu, however.

2005-07-18T15:14:00.000-06:00

Arachnors... Not your average spiders. If you cause a thunderstorm everytime you step on a little bitty spider, what happens if you squash one of these?

2005-07-18T15:12:00.000-06:00

Here is a picture of Velexa rescuing the little Veshna (as she named her little primate friend).

2005-07-18T15:11:00.000-06:00

Forest Brethren.... They didn't really get along with us very well. They got kinda mad at us when we rescued a little primate they were using as bait, and they subsequently stole one of our blasters and began to fire on us.

2005-07-18T15:10:00.000-06:00

D'Kullia has her climbing claws ready, as that's the only thing she can access in this scene - after the Arachnor wrapped her up tight for a little snack.

2005-07-18T15:08:00.000-06:00

Here is Jakmon, who until recently, was estranged from his daughter, Umi. He is giving her his ID tags as a keepsake. If you notices just in the background there is a muted symbol of Black Sun...

2005-07-18T15:07:00.000-06:00

Here are some notorious baddies - of course the Baddest of the Bad, Darth Vader and below, one of his many ambitious underlings, Lt. Phaun.

2005-07-18T15:05:00.000-06:00

Here are some of the bad guys: the blonde gentleman with the scar is Brezzac Marr and in the background are his troopers... Just behind Brezzac are Vorl and Tarc...

2005-07-18T10:26:00.000-06:00

Some really old sketches of the characters...

2005-07-18T10:21:00.001-06:00

Arachnor

2005-07-18T10:21:00.000-06:00

Sorvax...

2005-07-18T10:19:00.001-06:00

Krymzyn's father...

2005-07-18T10:19:00.000-06:00

A more youthful Aria

2005-07-18T10:18:00.001-06:00

A sadder, wiser Aria...

2005-07-18T10:18:00.000-06:00

Aria with her Zenji needles in her hair...

2005-07-18T10:17:00.000-06:00

Karnic under cover.

2005-07-18T10:16:00.000-06:00

Karnic Foe

2005-07-18T10:15:00.000-06:00

Karnic Foe

2005-07-17T16:18:00.000-06:00

Velexa with her yellow light sabre (it's not coloured here, obviously, but it IS yellow. I'll show some better colour pictures in the near future....

2005-07-17T16:16:00.000-06:00

Umi (foreground) and Jakmon, daughter and father.

2005-07-17T16:15:00.000-06:00

An earlier sketch of Umi (upper right) and her estranged father (lower left) Jakmon. He was inspired by a drawing in the Star Wars ALIEN ENCOUNTERS - Near Human; Epicanthax warrior.

2005-07-17T16:13:00.000-06:00

Seline: was killed in action in an adventure that Keith ran. It was rather dramatic when after an explosion he ripped his character sheet in two and threw it over his shoulder.

2005-07-17T16:12:00.000-06:00

We had to deal with Jabba at one point, and were nearly blown up in the process (that seems to happen a lot, in his neck (or whatever he has) of the woods.... er desert brush... desert. Whatever.

2005-07-17T16:10:00.000-06:00

Gentry - the last of his species. He was inspired by a D&D character or Magic, perhaps... I'll have to check with David.

2005-07-17T16:09:00.000-06:00

Here's D'Kullia dispatching a Stormtrooper named Brezzac Mar (spelling?)...

2005-07-17T16:08:00.000-06:00

Better watch out - D'Kullia can throw a Zenji needle with as much deadly accuracy as Aria...

2005-07-17T16:06:00.000-06:00

This our favourite Bothan spy, Aun'Arucia... If you ever see marker scribbles, it's me testing them on the pages I sketched on before I did the actual finished product... I will show some of that later on when I get my slides back...

2005-07-17T15:55:00.000-06:00

I was working from perfume and clothing ads, believe it or not, to get the poses...

2005-07-17T15:54:00.000-06:00

This is the moment when Aria and Jobekk "pretend" to kiss to avoid stormtroopers from questioning them...

2005-07-17T15:52:00.000-06:00

Finally we bought a scanner! Here are some sketches...

SISHIX: TERRIBLE BARABEL

2005-07-01T20:44:00.000-06:00

BARABEL BOUNTY HUNTER: She has a wicked move where she does a flying kick. On her way down she delivers a devestating tail whip. Doesn't she have a nice smile?

EMPEROR'S HAND

2005-06-19T12:23:00.000-06:00

Sky Dragontooth: EMPEROR'S HAND...

QUOTES:
I am showing you remorse and pity. I'm sorry you were born and I'm putting you out of your misery.
For those services without an off switch, I'm the off switch.

HISTORY:
Sky was born on Nal Hutta. She never really knew her mother, who may have died or abandonned her when she was barely walking. A girl who pretty much raised herself, scavenging off others to survive, her veracious appetite for wealth and power and the freedoms bought and won with it was and still is hard to sustain. She gets what she wants, one way or another, because she has patience.

For example, as she was growing up in the degenerating urban zones of Nal Hutta, she used to hide, scared most of the time, in sewers & pipes. She discovered this made stealing and pickpocketing a lot easier. She could grab purses and wallets and money bags (usually without anyone noticing) and disappear into oblivion. If she had to knock someone senseless, she could drag them into the pipes, and no one would be the wiser.

By the time she was 12 standard years old, she had integrated herself into a street gang, called The Silver Fangs. They were the closest thing she had to a family. To identify themselves they often dyed their hair flambouyant colours & painted their faces & skin, usually in red, silver, white, and/or black. To become part of this group she had to show them she could kill someone to defend the group, which she did without much regret, ensuring her position in their ranks. Others of her clan had enhanced their faces or limbs with metal, such as replacing fingernails with long metal claws or grafting metal onto bone. This melding of flesh and metal symbolized that they were improved now that they were part of the group. Sky chose to have her eyeteeth removed and surgically replaced them with slightly larger silver canines to signify her allegiance.

Unfortunately, as soon as she started feeling some semblance of rank and security in her group, things went bad.

Her gang of 13 adolescents and youths robbed a shipment of drugs with the mind to sell most of it. Unbeknownst to them, it belonged to a wealthy Hutt named Durga. He employed some relatives of his who owed him some favours - they tracked down every member of her street clan and wiped them out. Except for the 4 females, of course: those he awarded to his family members to do with what they wished.

Separated from her sisters, Sky tried to remain calm. In her holding cell where Skurjj the Hutt kept her for a long time, she tried to keep herself alert and physically fit. She would work out before the guards woke up. She watched their every move.

A week or so of being starved did wear her down, however, and that is when the guards felt it was safe enough to beat her. They shackled her ankles & wrists & threw a metal collar around her neck, and dragged her to the master's dais, where they chained her.

Skurjj ordered his musicians to play & summoned his dancers. They came leaping out draped in wealth and jewels, looking healthy, lithe and happy. He told her she could be well-fed and tended to by his other dancers if she agreed to behave herself.

Sky saw a possible opportunity in this offer... So she agreed. For now.

She was careful to observe everyone's movements and routines in the palace. She knew some of the guards liked her and would let her wander a little more freely than the others if she pleased them a little more. She knew the routine of the cook. She knew the hired bodyguards could be bribed or blackmailed.

She trained with the dancers, three Twi'leks and a human, all females. Under their tutelage she became strong, flexible and deadly. They showed her defensive moves as well as dance moves. After all, she was on Nal Hutta.

The youth grew into a sly and calculating adolescent. Eventually Sky gained trust and influence, and began sneaking out of the dancers' quarters at night. She decided she would be out of Skurjj's grasp by the time she turned 18 (she had picked a date, as she didn't really know when she was born).

Several months before her birthdate, she experimented with some rodent poison she had found and managed to wipe out Skurjj's entire bodyguard ensemble. Naturally, this enraged Skurjj and he began some random executions. She used this tense situation to plant more seeds of distrust among the staff in the palace. There were several more unexplained, unauthorized poisonings, stabbings, and slitting of throats before this activity was traced to the dancers' quarters. Her birthday was looming nearer.

At this point, Skurjj brought out all his dancers before him, under the pretense that he wanted them to perform. Sky noticed several new bodyguards nearby, as well as guards: some looked restless, others were sweating, or had their hands on their holsters. Sky tensed. She observed Skurjj giving a barely perceptible nod to one of the guards who suddenly slashed out with a long-handled axe at one of the dancers, whose head fell from her shoulders with a damp thud and rolled towards the dais.

"Any more deaths would be simply... annoying," he growled, picking up the Twi'lek's head. "Was it her?" He said holding up the head by one of the headtails.

"No," said Sky as she calmly grabbed the axe from the guard. Skurjj didn't have time to respond because as Sky jumped up to the dais, she spun around with the axe & connected it between the Hutt's eyes. "It was me, you stupid targ. Thanks for the birthday present."

She escaped with the rest of the dancers in the ensuing fracas. The surviving dancers went their separate ways, for safety.

Sky searched out her sisters from the street clan, and rescued them all from similar fates. They agreed to keep in contact, but only in great secrecy.

Sky left Nal Hutta, and hired herself out as a scout and mercenary. She gathered fame and notoriety until even the Emperor himself noticed her. And was impressed.

She is now under his watchful eye and has been sent out on several occasions when her talents and cold ambition come in handy.

Just Testing out the NEW counter

2005-06-06T20:05:00.000-06:00

They (Blogger Help) say I my PROFILE sinks down to the bottom of the page because it may contain a hyperlink that is too long, which seems to mean my counter. So I will test out the new one & throw out the old one which last counted off at 231.... So here goes... I have to republish my entire BLOG!

Hey, if you get a chance, check out this link: it is waaay too funny. My buddy at work sent this to me... http://www.storewars.org/noflash/index.html

New Addition to REBEL FORCES

2005-06-04T02:04:00.000-06:00

http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/rebel_forces/index.html It's been forever, but if you click on this link you'll see the newest addition to Aria's story. I've added on from the 1st italics down - I finished some editing and usually I go back and add things once in a while. It was 2:06 AM when I first finished writing the bare bones... If you wish to see the first part of Aria's info, I've also added stats from WESTEND GAMES - "old school." Just click on the ARCHIVES link under the PROFILE on the right hand side of the screen.... I also added Umi's and I will probably continue adding info from my other characters and from my friends' and husband's characters... Please feel free to comment...