#oc: rhi'khi

[swtorpadawan]

Introducing Darth Betton

Technically, she's an NPC from the game story, not an OC of my own creation. But she's mentioned only once off-handedly, by Moff Tyrak on Balmorra in the Smuggler story.

I decided to use her for Erez Noori's backstory, my Jedi Padawan turned slave turned Sith Inquisitor in the Rhi'khi Legacy.

I finally decided to make her in the game. This is partially for the benefit of @plotbunny-bundle​ and @jjjwhovian​ since they expressed interest in Erez's backstory when i introduced him an age ago.

Those of you who’ve read my backstory for Erez probably know that Betton has done some truly terrible things. Likely i’ll only be writing fic about her if i do some kind of “Whump” challenge.

I'm still addicted to SWTOR character creation.

[swtorpadawan]

World Building Wednesday: Rhi’khi

B A S I C S • Full name: Rhi'khi • Gender: Female • Sexuality: Bisexual • Pronouns: She / Her

O T H E R S • Family: Vague memories of a woman, presumably her mother, singing her songs as a child. • Birthplace: Kuras Three. She barely remembers it; it was all dark tunnels and mines. • Job: Alliance Commander; former Bar'senthor, former Jedi Master, former Jedi Knight, former padawan, former dancing slave • Phobias: claustrophobia from being a child on Kuras III • Guilty pleasures:

M O R A L S • Morality alignment?: Neutral Good • Sins: lust/greed/gluttony/sloth/pride/envy/wrath • Virtues: chastity/charity/diligence/humility/kindness/patience/justice

T H I S - O R - T H A T • Introverted/extrovert. Rhk'khi was a slave on Nar Shaddaa after she was taken from her mother. Trusting others is hard. • Organized/disorganized. She never possessed anything before her rescue; she cares for what she has. • Close-minded/open-minded.  • Calm/anxious. Years of meditation helped her cope with her past. • Disagreeable/agreeable. Its a wash. • Cautious/reckless. Rhi'khi definitely has been known to rush into trouble. • Patient/impatient. Patient. Under normal circumstances... • Outspoken/reserved.  • Leader/follower. Honestly, Lana and company MADE her become the Alliance Commander. • Empathetic/unempathetic. She very much understands the suffering of others. • Optimistic/pessimistic. For everything she's suffered, she's sure she can make things better if she sacrifices enough. • Traditional/modern. • Hard-working/lazy.

R E L A T I O N S H I P S • otp: Vaylin [It’s complicated] • ot3: [REDACTED - not going there] • brotp: Nadia Grell, Errul Marsh, Qyzen Fess • notp: Despite what happened when they met, she's incredibly grateful that Errul turned her down that one time.

[swtorpadawan]

10, 13, 17 for whoever is on your mind at the moment

Character Development “Hard Mode” Meme: send a number & character to my ask box and I’ll write an answer/headcanon in reply. Finally getting to these, @grandninjamasterren !

Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing?

Shiri'ah - like many Twi'leks - normally feels comfortable with a bit less clothing than the average Jedi. Obviously, she'll wear thermal gear when she gets to Hoth or Ilum. (Possibly Alderaan or Belsavis as well.) Unlike Kayeh Antilles, she is not going to be discouraged over certain remarks made by a certain field medic.

Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way? Answering for TWO different OCs…

It took a long time for Rhi'khi to adjust to the sight of blood. She was scarred while a slave on Nar Shaddaa, watching a Hutt eat one of her fellow slaves alive.

Woxia Dakhan has literally licked the blood off the cheek of a defeated enemy as they died. That's just how she rolls.

What was your character’s favorite toy as a child?

Quoraah Beltane desperately wanted a pet nexu as a child. Sadly, she was (and is) allergic to cats. So her parents bought her a nexu stuffed animal that she would name "Mongo". It was her most treasured possession. She lost it when she was exiled from Balmorra, and is still bitter about that.

Thanks for the asks!

[swtorpadawan]

17, 99, and 225

‘Bad Ideas’ - My Writing Journal - Is Dead Thanks for the ask, @lordviridis !

Page 17… eventually became "No Little Girl", which was posted. I'd post the page, but the original version was substantially darker. Eventually, I decided that particular flavor wasn't for me.

Page 99… is a world-building bio page of Ulannium Kaarz and Illaynah Antilles of my Halcyon Legacy. I have a lot of random notes about them. I can't show you the whole thing, but here are some juicy bits.

Page 225… is yet another "Legacies" breakdown. It is already out of date! 😭

Thanks for the asks!

[swtorpadawan]

The Rhi'khi Legacy

Once upon a time, a little girl was sold into slavery on Nar Shaddaa.

She will grow up to change the Galaxy forever.

Rhi'khi Legacy (Left to Right)

• Belea Kaur / Jedi Knight / Sith Pureblood

• Jeeree Myhesh / Bounty Hunter / Nautolan

• Laht'al'ikran (Tali) / Imperial Agent / Chiss

• Rhi'khi * / Jedi Consular / Twi'lek

• Errul Marsh / Smuggler / Zabrak

• Ansonus Ixorr / Sith Warrior / Cathar

• Erez Noori / Sith Inquisitor / Mirialan

• Rebib / Trooper / Togruta

[swtorpadawan]

Character Ask Game - A, E, P

Ask Game: A–Z of Character Vices and Virtues

Thanks for the asks, @chaosandwonder !

I'm going to mix it up a bit...

A. Annoying: What is your OC’s most annoying trait?

Ozibaumnu had very difficult childhood where he had little control over 98 percent of it. It make him rather obsessive about those parts he did control, such as his books and clothes, which he was permitted to keep. He's very particular about his filing systems, how he folds his clothes, things like that.

It doesn't become an issue (since he's a rather private person) until things become serious between himself and Ashara. Fortunately, she's very understanding.

E. Excellent: Which of your OCs is the most virtuous?

Hard to say... I wouldn't go with Corellan, since a lot of his 'virtue' is tied up in his own lack of context. It never occurred to him that he could - say - get angry, or to pursue the deeper mysteries of the Force in a quest for personal power.

I think I'll go with Rhi'khi. Despite everything she's lived through, she's incredibly self-sacrificing. She wants a better galaxy than the one that created her.

P. Positive: What does your OC believe is their best personality trait?

Ulannium Kaarz is incredibly intelligent, and believes that is his most defining attribute. (Its actually compassion.)

Thanks for the ask!

[swtorpadawan]

😎 😳 for whoever you want

They Come in Threes - Head Canon Meme Thanks for the asks, @grandninjamasterren !

I think I shall mix it up....

😳 - Three Embarrassing Head Canons

All three are a result of sheltered childhoods.

Corellan Halcyon grew up isolated and sheltered, even by Jedi standarads. He lacked many nuances for things that many people took for granted. Fortunately, he had Kira's street smarts and Teeseven's decades of experiences to help keep him afloat on his early adventures.

But when his relationship with Kira began... well, he was acutely aware of just how little he knew about the practical aspects of certain things. He was very embarrassed about that, and he doesn't embarrass easily.

(Yes, this means sex. He understood the biology but not the... you know what? I'm explaining too much.)

Fortunately, Kira was more than willing to help him through those early days.

Deviah Sarnova shared one common quality to Corellan's upbringing: She was sheltered.

Despite being highly intelligent and even compassionate, she had a completely justification ready for every questionable policy within the Empire, each of them completely rationale and logical... from her world view. Slavery, conquest, the war with the Jedi ... all of it made sense.

And then she was exposed to the rest of the galaxy and saw how poorly that all worked in practice.

She felt stupid. And embarrassed.

When Rhi’khi was rescued from being a slave to the Hutts, there were so many basic things she didn't know that embarrassed her. She didn't know how to cut food with a knife and fork, for example. It was very humbling, and took time to work through.

😎 - Wildcard Three Random Head Canons

Kael Nosrol Krannus was a Tenebrae true believer. He was genuinely devoted, like the Servants, Children, and Imperial Guard among others. It was only when Zu'fanda told him (proved I should say) that Tenebrae was plotting to destroy the galaxy that he flipped. Having his faith destroyed broke him on a level he never recovered from.

Xadya's favorite alcohol is Merenzane Gold, which was introduced in an EU Boba Fett short story back in the day. It seemed to fit her, even though its her sole luxury.

Moyraah Gargun was a niece to Commander Gargun, an officer in Imperial Intelligence. The Commander and a strike team were sent into the Dark Temple not long before Moyraah was transferred to Dromund Kaas, and unfortunately, they were all driven insane. An Intelligence Captain then hired a bounty hunter to hunt down Gargun for professional reasons. (That bounty hunter eventually became the Champion of the Great Hunt. So the OC Hunter is required to kill Moyraah's uncle every playthrough.) Moyraah truly regrets not getting to kill Medle. She hopes to hunt down the bounty hunter someday.

Thanks for the asks!

[swtorpadawan]

New SWTOR Toons

So i’ve been been rolling up a few potential toons recently, possibly ones i’ll actually play through. With that said, take a look at my new Jedi Shadow, Rhi’khi.

Thoughts?

[swtorpadawan]

Writing Ranking 2020

I was tagged by @dragonheart-swtor​ and @blueburds​ for the 5 Works Meme  which was very flattering and then I saw @sunsetofdoom​ put out a Writing Ranking 2020 that I thought was very cool. So I'm basically combining these two ideas in a single post.

Getting personal for a moment, 2020... like for many of you... was not a great year for me.

It began with the death of my father. This was not an unexpected event in the least, as he had several long-term medical issues that had been impacting him for years. Nevertheless, the experience was still painful, and i still feel like i left too much unresolved with him.

Health-wise, i was expecting to make progress on a number of fronts. That did not materialize, and while that was certainly impacted by the pandemic, I must own that most of the responsibility is mine.  

Professionally, I was impacted by the pandemic like so many others, eventually leading to my being furloughed. So - not a great situation.

Personally, a couple of people on Tumblr who i had once admired and even considered "internet friends" decided that I was the worst human being ever because of how i perceive a fictional character in a fictional universe. (Yeah, people are jerks.)

So yeah - not swell.

Frustratingly, my writing, which i like to think of as an outlet for my frustrations, did not seem to improve either in quantity of output or quality. I theoretically had the free time to do much better than this.

But it's always good to re-assess and learn. So here are the nine actual pieces I posted this past year, in reverse order of how satisfied I am with them :

9) Promises

It's not terrible, but Promises was more of a case study on the Jedi Knight companions than it is an actual story. This isn't even necessarily specific to my main OC, Corellan Halcyon. I think I have some good stuff in there, and I love exploring under-developed characters like Rusk. 8) Perspectives

Again, closer to a case study than a proper story. I had tons of notes and I realized I was likely never going to incorporate many of them into "proper" stories. I do like exploring how different members of the Eternal Alliance feel about Corellan, even if that is a little bit of a "wish fulfillment" type of thing. The game doesn't give us much for most of these characters, so I liked exploring this as an academic exercise.

7) Weaknesses

This one was really short. At some point, I'll give Kira and Vette a proper one-on-one scene, but for now, it was enough for me to establish this connection. Xalek seemed an excellent choice of character to say something totally tactless that everyone was wondering. I'd rank it higher, but length was the issue - it is easier to write a shorter piece. 

6) It Could Always Be Worse

I have this... fixation, I guess? - with taking minor, 30 second NPCs from the actual game stories and expanding on them with a story. I wanted to approach the KOTFE galaxy - and the Alliance - from the perspective of an outsider. A recurring theme throughout the game is people doing things or not doing what they should be doing out of fear. It seemed timely to try to tackle that. Even so, it was a bear to write. 5) Breaking Even

I've barely ever done anything with either Errul Marsh or Rhi'khi, as they aren't part of my more prominent legacies. But this was kind of fun conceptually, and i had some fun banter from Errul. (I was shooting for a Han Solo in The Force Awakens vibe.) And i got to express some of my own thoughts on the unpleasantness of aging. (Spoilers: It sucks. Like, a lot.) 

4) Surprised! Not Dead

A very short piece, indeed. BUT - it got me to get back into my Awakenings series. Also - I loved exploring the Kira Carsen / Bela Kiwiiks relationship post-KOTET. It was very touching in the game story, and deserved to be addressed. So I’m glad I did this. 3) Small Favors

Okay - so - I had TONS of notes on a hypothetical conversation between Kira and Theron post-KOTET. I assumed turning these into a short piece would be easy. Weeks and more than 8000 words later, I produced this... thing. It's a bit flawed, since it's just a one-on-one and most their conversation is about Corellan. I put it third because I'm so relieved i actually got it done. The lesson I SHOULD learn from this is to try to start with an outline if I'm going to have more than 2K words, because otherwise it will get away from me. 2) A Dead World

This was for my 'A Simple Choice' series. There were all these dangling threads from KOTET and the Jedi Knight story, and I wanted to tie them up. All the Outlanders wind up going to Nathema, but one of them has known about it for years. Plus, I liked looking at Corellan and the Alliance from Arcann's perspective.

1) Clothes Make The Jedi

This was just self-indulgent, fluffy fun, from very early in Corellan and Kira's association. I wanted to explore how they saw each other at this point. (I also felt the need to explain my wardrobe choices for Kira.) It will never be my best work, but it's one of the most enjoyable.

So yeah.

Thank you all for listening to me re-hash my writing experiences for 2020. Hopefully, it will turn out that I’ve learned something. (Then again, I've always learned things the hard way.)

In closing - I know a lot of you are going through things right now, and I'm perfectly well aware that many of you have it harder than I do. I'm okay for the moment, and I’m thankful for that. 

Give yourselves a break. Take care of yourselves. And remember that half of growing up is about realizing that there are things in our lives that might bring us momentary pleasure, but aren't healthy for us in the long run. No one else can tell you what those things are. You have to figure it out for yourself.    

Thanks for reading. And good luck in 2021.

[swtorpadawan]

43, 44, 45 for whomstever!!!

Character Development Questions: Hard Mode

(Apparently, this was in my inbox for so long, that the original asker quit Tumblr. That makes me feel kind of guilty. Much love and thanks to @gabelikesart-deactivated2021062 - hope to see you on another platform. If anyone is in touch with them, could you please let them know I didn't completely ghost with them? Thanks.)

I'm going to mix it up, since some of these favor different OCs.

43. Has your character ever had a dependent figure who was not related to them?

I don't talk about Errul Marsh much; his tale doesn't follow the smuggler class story very closely at all. But on one trip to Nar Shaddaa, he rescued a 19 year old Twi'lek slave and smuggled her off planet. She was severely lacking in many basic life skills, and was likewise unable to defend herself. They weren't together for very long, but she was completely dependent on him during that time.

That slave was Rhi'khi. A few years later, she became the Bar'senthor of the Jedi Order.

Everyone needs someone sometimes.

44. How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it?

Deviah Sarnova is quite flirty and playful when she wants to be.

But when it comes to her actual heart, she is more cautious. She's been in love three times, and has meant it every time she said "I love you."

45. What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

Dalken Piett has done his share of unpleasant things while in service to Imperial Intelligence. He sincerely hopes that the Jedi are wrong and there is no afterlife, and that he has nothing to look forward to aside from sweet oblivion.

Thanks again for the asks!

[swtorpadawan]

7 and 14 from the "OC Questions - Laughing" for Rhi’kih?

Oh dear - Rhi'kih has not had a humorous life. OC Questions - Laughing

7. Do they tell jokes to their friends? Do their friends laugh?

Rhi'kih's history... hasn't been great for a sense of humor. He life REALLY sucked, and then she became a Jedi, an order committed to service and sacrifice.

So she's not very good at jokes, normally. She lacks confidence in it as well. Its not that she doesn't find things funny; its just laughing feels unnatural to her. She usually just smiles awkwardly.

Eventually, I think Nadia and the rest of the crew will get her to open up a little. But even then its cery dry.  

14. Do they like to pull fun pranks on their friends to make them laugh?

Nope. She doesn't have the aptitude for it.

Thanks so much for the ask!

[swtorpadawan]

For the "which OC of mine" ask: K, P and S.

Thanks for the asks!

Send me a letter and I'll tell you which OC of mine... K: is the most skilled in the kitchen.

Oh, good one.

I'm gonna go with Illaynah Antilles. Her mother died when she was fairly young, and her father was... inconsistent. So she had to take care of her family from far too young an age. So she was usually the one cooking every night from age twelve.

She joined the Republic military to get out of that life. It devastated her relationships with her father and brother, but she doesn't regret it.  

Several of my other OCs have reasonable amount of food-prepping skill. Moyraah Gargun, for example, once spent two days as a chef to get close enought to eliminate a target. Ozibaumnu is also one of those highly competent people who can do something adequately because he watched someone else do it once years ago.  

Corellan, for his part, is strictly a novice. (He is actually learning to cook by Senya.) But he's eager to learn.

P: is the purest, most perfect cinnamon roll.

Despite everything that Rhi’kih has endured, she really is the nicest person.

(Why am i so mean to her???)

S: has the strongest spirit.

I'm tempted to go with Corellan but.... heck with it, i'm going with Kayeh Antilles. There's something in her that just won't quit.

Thanks again for the asks!

[swtorpadawan]

Breaking Even

“Kriffing Nar Shaddaa.”

Captain Errul Marsh grumbled under his breath as his light freighter, the Devil’s Horn, finally broke orbit from the infamous Smuggler’s Moon. The Zabrak merchant captain – which, sure, made him a smuggler if you wanted to be crude about it – pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh. It was getting harder and harder to make even a (moderately) honest living in his line of work, especially where it concerned the Hutts.

But that was the galaxy for you. With war brewing between the Republic and the Empire everyone was quickly picking sides and carving out their territory. The true independents were getting squeezed out or just dying off.

Errul might have done business with the Republic. He might even have appreciated the Republic when they weren’t trying to arrest him over one of their silly ‘law’ things.

But Errul Marsh was, above all, a true independent. He owned his own freighter outright and incredibly he was debt free, even if he was just keeping his head just above water. He’d die with his ship before he gave any of that up.

It was an existence that had its price. He hadn’t seen or even heard from a family member in decades. Friends (the kind who hadn’t tried to stab him in the back, anyway) had been few and far between. Crew and companions aboard his ship had proved fleeting, signing on with him and staying for a time but each eventually leaving when they finally found something better for themselves. Lovers, likewise, came and went. Usually amicably and with no hard feelings, but sometimes only when they realized that the ace smuggler would never be tied down to anything, not even by love.  

He didn’t begrudge any of them – family, friends, lovers, all – anything. Everyone in the galaxy was chasing after something and they were welcome to chase it. Many of his old associates – the ones he’d stayed in touch with, anyway – had done well for themselves. Two of his erstwhile proteges were now captaining their own cargo ships. Others were running cantinas or small shipping companies. One had ultimately made a name for herself as a Mandalorian bounty hunter, of all things. Indeed, there were worse legacies a man could leave behind.

Still, as the Zabrak had inevitably advanced deeper into middle age, he recognized that his had become mostly a solitary existence. And he was comfortable with that, but still, every now and then…

Ah, well. Life was too short for regrets.

Regardless, loner or not, he still had to make a living. Paying off those Cartel ‘customs agents’ at the spaceport had cut deeply into his profits on this trip. In fact, after his projected expenses for docking at Carrick Station, what with refueling and the Republic’s precious ‘docking fees’ for non-Republic personnel, he’d barely break even after delivering his cargo of adrenals.

Errul exhaled again. He wasn’t that old for a Zabrak, but he was for an independent smuggler. This life would be the death of him.

Force help him, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

The ship wouldn’t be ready to jump to hyperspace for about half an hour, and it wouldn’t reach Carrick for a couple of days yet. Still, there was no reason to prolong anything that needed doing.

Errul rose from his seat, feeling his back ache in protest. He’d been in hundreds (thousands?) of firefights throughout his life, and he could still beat any young up-and-comers on the draw if it came down to it. But the price being paid by his aging body didn’t make it any easier.

Silently telling his back to stow it, the old smuggler made his way to the cargo hold. The room was stocked with pallets full of stim-packs and combat adrenals, and his ‘arrangement’ with the Republic meant that this shipment was bound for their military. With fighting breaking out in so many theaters, the ‘Pubs couldn’t be too choosy these days about from whom they received their supplies.  

Errul surveyed the stacks. It was all in order. The Cartel agents had threatened to delay his departure as they ‘processed’ the outgoing cargo and verified the contents. Errul knew that game, and knew how to haggle them down on the inevitable bribe he offered them. The delay would have cost him with the Republic, and he certainly couldn’t let those agents spend too much time in his cargo hold, anyway.

“Barely breaking even.” The Zabrak sighed again as he stomped his foot three times on the floor panel to the right between the pallets.

“You can come out now.” Errul called out to the empty room. “It’s safe.”

It took several seconds, but finally, tentatively, the floor panel slid open, revealing the secret smuggling compartment he had installed years before.

Huddled within, looking up at him with a frightened expression, was a young Twi’lek woman.

She’s still rattled. He reminded himself. He’d have to play this carefully. Very slowly, making no sudden movements, he reached down, offering her his hand.

“It’s safe.” He repeated softly. “Nar Shaddaa is already behind us.”

The woman – the girl he should say – slowly reached up and took his hand. He helped her out of the hold, and she looked around anxiously.

Errul regarded her with care. Looking at her now in the normal lighting of his ship’s cargo hold, she was clearly even younger than he’d originally thought, having met her in the darkened chambers of Donje the Hutt’s extravagant sanctum. She was still wearing the yellow jumpsuit he had given her earlier – it was at least two sizes too large for her, but it had been all he had lying around that she could wear. It was certainly more appropriate than the skimpy ‘slave girl’ outfit she was still wearing beneath it that left nothing to the imagination. (There was no way he was going to have her running around his ship dressed like that, thank you very much.) Her face and lekku were adorned with elaborate markings which Errul judged to be natural Twi’lek birthmarks and not artificial tattoos. She was quite beautiful, with a painfully feminine figure and lovely blue eyes almost matching the shade of her skin. But then, physical attractiveness tended to be a much sought-after trait of Twi’leks working for Hutts.  

Certainly, with the female Twi’leks. Errul reflected somberly. Rescuing her from that disgusting Hutt on Nar Shaddaa, ferreting her to the spaceport undetected and smuggling her off-world had pressed even his considerable talents. He didn’t doubt for one moment that both of their lives would get very complicated if the Hutt ever found out what he’d done.

“Donje cannot reach me?” she swallowed, finally looking up at Errul, hopefully. Her hands had slid from Errul’s hand to his arm.

The Zabrak shook his head for emphasis.

“No, that giant slug can’t reach you here. In a while, we’ll be in hyperspace. After that, you’ll be out of Hutt space entirely, and you’ll be as free as a bird.”

The girl blinked up at him with her blue eyes, still gripping his arm for comfort.

“I…. thank you, master.”

Errul shook his head vigorously again. He had to put the kibosh on that idea right away.  

“I’m not your master, kid.” He insisted. “Call me ‘Captain’. Or Errul, if you like. You don’t have a master anymore.” Errul tried to give her a comforting look. “That’s what being ‘free’ means.”

The smuggler let that sit with her for a moment. He figured she’d probably been born into slavery… or maybe she’d been taken so young that she didn’t remember anything else. The Twi’lek looked down at the floor, and for a moment, Errul was worried he’d lost her entirely. But after a long moment, she looked back up at him with a hopeful look in her eyes.

“Free.” She whispered, like it was all a dream to her.

Errul grinned. “Free.” He repeated, for emphasis. The Zabrak tilted his head. “What’s your name, kid?”

The Twi’lek swallowed, nervously. Probably she’d been forbidden to use her real name in public. Forced renaming was a common enough practice among Hutt pleasure slaves.

“Rhi’kih.”

Errul then gave her his most charming smile. It was a look that had melted the hearts of hundreds of women over the years. (And, Errul reflected, a handful of men, as well.)

“Are you hungry, Rhi’kih?”

“I…” the Twi’lek looked up at him, uncertain, as she regarded his expression. Finally, her features softened and she swallowed again.

“Yes, I am.”

********************************** 

The galley wasn’t much to look at. To be honest, with the Devil’s Horn having only one permanent resident who wasn’t a droid – that being Errul himself – it didn’t really need to be anything special.

Yet another benefit of bachelorhood. Errul reflected. Unlike some of his contemporaries, he disliked over-decoration, preferring the utilitarian to any ostentatious aesthetic.

Nevertheless, he had always tried to keep it fairly well-stocked and in good order for when he did have company, and with the help of his Seetoo droid, it was kept clean as well. At this moment, there were exactly two frozen bantha steaks left, and Errul decided now was as good a time as any to break them out of the freezer and grill them up.

The girl - Rhi’kih, he had to remember – had sat down at the small table only at Errul’s prodding. She was still very skittish, taking everything in with trepidation. He couldn’t blame her, given where she’d been living.

Finally finished preparing the food, he served the steaks up on a pair of plates, along with glasses of blue milk for each of them.

“Here. Eat up.” Errul smiled, taking his own seat after distributing utensils.

The Zabrak took up his knife and fork and then tasted the succulent meat, closing his eyes in pleasure. Out of all the skills he’d picked up over the years, learning how to cook – properly, and not like the  bachelor he was – easily ranked in the top three in having improved his personal quality of life, going along with how to pilot a ship and how to talk your way out of a tight spot.

(Shooting a blaster? Oh, don’t be silly. He was born knowing how to do that.)

Opening his eyes again, he noticed that Rhi’kih was merely poking the steak with her fork, clearly troubled over something.

“Something wrong?” he asked, concerned. “Its not undercooked for you, is it?”

“Uhm. No.” She looked down embarrassed. “My… my master never let me use knives. No one taught me.”

Errul cringed inwardly. There were a hundred plus one evils resulting from slavery. One of the most underrated was the lack of basic life skills many oppressed people suffered from even after finding their freedom. It could keep them on the fringes of society forever, and perhaps, more likely to end up in the desperate circumstances that had seen them become slaves in the first place. Neither the Republic government nor anyone else seemed equipped to help them acclimate.

“Here.” Errul got up and came around the table. Very gently, he took her by the wrist and helped her grasp the knife. She let him, having apparently grown comfortable with him by now.

“Hold it like this. Good. Now the fork like that – yes. Good. Now cut…. Perfect.”

It took about a minute. But Errul was finally satisfied the Twi’lek had learned how to cut her own food adequately.

“It’ll get more natural with time. Trust me.” He reassured her, observing her progress as he took his seat back.

Rhi’khi finally tasted her steak. Her eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but think of it as a sign of life.

“Good?” he asked with a grin.

“I…. yes!” she gasped.

Errul was rewarded with a lovely smile from the Twi’lek. It was the first time he’d seen her smile genuinely since meeting her. He’d seen the conditions under which slaves were kept on Nar Shaddaa, and what sustenance they were given. Occasionally, pleasure slaves like Rhi’khi would be fed rich food or wine from the plates and goblets of their masters, almost as if they were pets. The rest of the time they tended to be served an unappetizing gruel back in their pens. Neither option was particularly healthy in Errul’s estimation.

A reasonable nutritional diet – including bantha steaks – was another thing she’d have to adjust to.

As it turned out, Rhi’khi was famished. Her table manners needed some work, but she ate her bantha steak and drank her blue milk with gusto. Errul took it as a positive sign; she’d have to learn to pace herself, but that could come later.

Errul was almost done with his steak when he glanced up, realizing that the girl was eyeing him tentatively as if chewing something over.

He put aside his utensils.

“What is it now?” he asked.

The Twi’lek swallowed, then reached out, laying her hand on his.

“I owe you everything for freeing me… Captain.” Rhi’khi smiled up at him, coyly. It was the same smile she’d worn while dancing for Donje’s visitors back on Nar Shaddaa. Noting her brief pause, Errul suspected that she had had to stop herself from calling him ‘master’ again. “I am… very grateful.” Her fingers gently entangled themselves with his, her thumb brushing against his palm.

Errul felt a sudden but familiar warmth in his belly and down to his loins. This beautiful young woman – with her lovely figure, pretty blue eyes and coy smile – was offering him comfort. Even at Errul’s age, the urges still came, and he certainly couldn’t deny the Twi’lek’s sex appeal.

It was the Zabrak’s turn to swallow, as he looked up into Rhi’khi’s eyes.  

Errul Marsh prided himself on his ability to read people. During negotiations. During games at the Pazzak table. During a tense stand-off with guns drawn. And the fact that he was still alive after all this time was a sign that he was good at it. It had always been a talent, but he’d refined it over the years with invaluable experience.

So it was that he noticed things. In particular, the slight tension around the girl’s otherwise enticing eyes.  

No.

This was not a young woman who was genuinely smitten or enchanted by him. (Galaxy knows Errul knew what that looked like, even if it had been awhile.) No. This was a girl who was, even now, still worried that he would sell her off to the next gangster he ran into or that he’d otherwise abandon her to some unknown fate the moment she became inconvenient.

In her mind, this was about taking control of the situation in the only way she knew how. Rhi’khi was desperately trying to offer him something to ensure he would protect and look after her, this was only coin she could possibly offer him. It bothered him that she’d been conditioned to think that her sex appeal was all she could ever offer to the galaxy. Errul added that to the growing list of consequences of her enslavement. The fear of going back to Nar Shaddaa or the fear of the unknown would lead her to continue living the life she had been living, even after she had just risked everything to escape that very life.  

After all, it was all she knew.

That wasn’t what bothered him the most, though.

No, what bothered him the most was knowing – knowing – that not so many years ago, Errul would have taken her up on the offer in a heartbeat. By now, his lips would have been on hers, she’d have been propped up on the table and soon the clothes would have gone flying. (And few of Errul’s lovers had ever complained about his skills in the bedchamber.) Oh, he’d have shown her a great time; he’d have taken her on a trade run or two to some exotic planets and shown her sights few beings could even imagine. Beautiful beaches, majestic mountains, cities that were clean and comfortable in stark contrast to the filth and grit she’d seen on Nar Shaddaa.

He’d have let it last a week. Or maybe – maybe – as long as a month. (He’d only gone as long as a month with a woman a couple of times. It was better that way.) Certainly no longer than that. Then he’d have found something for the young Twi’lek, letting her down gently and making sure she had something to get her started on the rest of her life.  

After all, he’d have thought to himself, what she was offering him had been offered freely and was therefore his to take.

That was one of the lies people told themselves. But with age had come wisdom, and Errul liked to think he had given up lying to himself a long time ago.  

“How old are you, kid?”

The words came from his lips abruptly. Rhi’khi looked confused for a moment, then worried, as if she thought she had done something wrong, and might be punished for it. She withdrew her hand.

“I…. nineteen, I think.” She said with uncertainty.

Nineteen. Shavit. He was more than twenty years her senior. Force. He’d lived too blasted long.

“Hold on a second, okay?” he offered.

Errul rose from his seat and walked to the far corner of the galley, right next to the washer. He opened the small cabinet above, being careful to block Rhi’khi’s vision of what he was doing. (He didn’t have any reason to distrust the Twi’lek, but he hadn’t survived this long by being careless.) He removed the panel at the back of the cabinet, revealing a hidden biometric safe box. The Zabrak pressed his hand to bio-scanner, then entered a code into the keypad. The safe popped open.  

There were a number of trinkets located within, some appearing to be mundane while others would have caught the eye of any professional treasure hunter. Errul ignored the rest and took the one object he had sought. Then he closed the safe, putting the fake panel back in place.    

Errul turned back to Rhi’khi, setting the item down on the table. It was a small metallic cube, with ornate engravings etched on all six sides.

“Don’t worry. It won’t hurt you. Promise.” He gave her a soft smile. “Go ahead and touch it.”

Rhi’khi tentatively reached out and lightly brushed the foreign object with her fingertips.

After about a second, the cube suddenly lit up with the engravings emanating a blue light. A small holoprojection then materialized above it, revealing a Cathar woman wearing long robes.

“I am Master Juhani of the Jedi Order.” The projection spoke in an accent that was provincial, but the voice was clear and nevertheless confident. “And these are my teachings.”

Rhi’khi cried out in alarm, withdrawing her hand from the cube. All on its own, the object went flying off the table and through the air, ricocheting off the ship’s bulkhead before coming to a rest on the floor. The Twi’lek, plainly rattled, pulled her knees up to her chest, staring down at it in fear.

Errul just chuckled nonchalantly.

“Sorry about that. I had to be sure, and this saved me a lot of time.” The smuggler reached down and picked up the cube, setting it back on the table. It was undamaged from Rhi’khi’s inadvertent outburst, which he took a relief in. Errul knew it was nearly three hundred years old. “Like I said, this won’t harm you.” He regarded her with a satisfied expression, having been proven right. “I figured as much about you, when I saw you talk that Gamorrean out of ‘enjoying’ the company of your Nautolan friend back at Donje’s club.”

“What… what was that?” Rhi’khi asked nervously, still staring at the cube.

“This? This is a Jedi Holocron.” Errul tapped it, nonchalantly. “I’ve been hanging onto it for a while, mostly for occasions like this.”      

The Twi’lek swallowed, starting to regain her composure.

“I don’t understand.”

“Hmmm.” Errul regarded her, debating how to continue. “Have you ever heard of the Jedi?”

“I… yes.” Rhi’khi stammered. “My master… Donje, I mean… sometimes ranted about them. He called them ‘meddlesome Republic fools’. And he said that they fought the Sith.” She paused. “I think he was a little frightened of them.”

The Zabrak just nodded.

“Not without cause. Jedi and Hutts don’t really see eye to eye on much.” Errul sat down across from her, stretching his arms. “Jedi are… well, peace-keepers, you might say. When things are going alright for the Republic, they’re like diplomats. They go around resolving conflicts and helping to uphold the law. They’re pretty… noble, I guess. They’ve helped a lot of people when no one else could. Not as many as you’d hope, but a lot.” He chewed that over. “Of course, these days, they’ve been at war with the Sith Empire, even when they’ve had that sham of a peace treaty. So it’s been tough going these last few decades. They’ve got a lot of rules they have to follow, and they can be very pretentious. These days, they have to defend the citizens of the galaxy, uphold their own lofty principles and beat the Sith all at the same time. No one is going to succeed at that. But to their credit, they keep trying.”

“Having said that…” he continued. “I can honestly say that they do the best they can in a crazy galaxy.” Errul paused at a bygone memory, his voice taking a more conciliatory tone, then looked the Twi’lek directly in the eye.

“You’re Force-sensitive, kid.”

Rhi’khi just blinked.  

“The… Force?” she asked in confusion.

“Yeah.” The old smuggler settled into his seat. “It’s like this… invisible energy field created by all living things. It binds the galaxy together, or so the Jedi say. And some special people – like the Jedi and the Sith – can manipulate it; it gives them power.”

“You have that power. You’ve been able to talk people out of doing things before, haven’t you? Maybe not Donje or other Hutts, but others, right?”

Rhi’khi nodded nervously.

“Right. Basically, Rhi’khi, it means you have the chance to become a Jedi.” He paused and looked up at the ceiling. “Or a Sith.” He added dourly. “If you like, I can introduce you to someone on Carrick Station, and, if you decide it’s what you want, they’ll test you to confirm what I just told you. The Jedi usually recruit kids young, but they’re less discerning these days. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but I’m confident they’ll take you in and teach you how to become a Jedi.”   

Errul paused here for effect.

“But I won’t do that if that’s not what you want.”

The Twi’lek stared down at the table.

“I don’t know what I want.” She whispered quietly.

The Zabrak nodded. No surprise, there. Rhi’khi had probably never been given the chance to think about what she wanted.

“Well, I think you’re in shock, kiddo. A lot of stuff is happening to you very quickly. I wish things were different, but here we are.” He gave her what he hoped was a comforting look. “Not everybody can quite get over the things life throws at them. And you’ve had way more thrown at you in the last few hours than a lot of people will experience in a lifetime.”

“But… if you can let go of it – what with growing up a slave, everything that’s happened to you, everything that was done to you – then maybe, just maybe, this is for you. And maybe, maybe, maybe someday you can help some other little girl from having to grow the way you did.”

The Zabrak considered what he had said. She deserved the truth. All of it.

“No promises, though.” He added firmly. “Even at their best, before the Empire came back, the Jedi couldn’t stop the Hutts from trading in slaves entirely. The best they could claim to accomplish was keeping the slugs in check. And like I’ve said, the Jedi aren’t at their strongest right now. It’s a dangerous life, what with the Empire hanging around.”

Rhi’khi seemed to chew that over for a long moment. Despite his reputation for being a fast-talker, Errul was actually quite comfortable with long silences, and gave her all the time she needed.

“What if I can’t do that?” she finally whispered.

He understood. Rhi’khi might seem meek and innocent at the moment, but Errul couldn’t imagine anyone going through her life without building up a sense of indignation, and scars on her soul that ran deep. If she were aware of that, then she was wiser than she let on.

“If the anger and resentment are too much, well, odds are you’ll become a slave again. Except not a slave to another Hutt, but a slave to your own anger. And to your past. I’ve seen it happen with others who’ve been through the kinds of things you have, even the ones who weren’t Force sensitive. They just… can’t be free of it. They can’t be free of what they’ve gone through. Even with otherwise good people, it eats away at them, over time, and it never ends well.”

The Zabrak looked away, not wanting the Twi’lek to see the look on his face just now. He was speaking from experience, but that experience wasn’t something he was ready to share.

“And then a lot of them wind up doing to others what was done to them.” Errul continued, speaking from experience. “They all have justifications, of course. Little lies they tell themselves. ‘Oh, the galaxy owes me this’ or ‘these people deserve what I’m doing to them because their ancestors killed my ancestors’. It’s all a load of druk.”

“People hurt other people because they can’t let go.”

Trusting himself now, Errul took a breath and turned back at Rhi’khi, giving her a hard look in the eye. She was still watching him closely.

“The ones who do that who are Force-sensitive? We call those Sith.”

The girl shivered again, wrapping her arms around herself.

His expression softened at the sight. He’d given her the ice bucket of water to the face. The least he could do was offer her a towel.

“But… if neither of those choices appeal to you, the guy who runs the cantina on Carrick Station owes me a favor. He’s a tough boss, and the pay isn’t that much, but he treats his waitresses right. He doesn’t put up with any flyboys like me messing with them, y’know? I could set you up. You could work for him for a while, just serving drinks and finding your feet, until you found something better.”

“As for this ‘Force’ business… well, maybe it will let you just live your life.“

“I promise I’m not going to make you choose anything. I’m just telling you what I can do to help you, since you look like you need it.”

Rhi’khi was looking up at him again. She probably didn’t completely understand everything he had said, but she seemed comforted by his words nonetheless. Maybe she liked having a third option, or maybe she just liked listening to his voice. That didn’t really matter right now.

“Well. I’ve just dropped a barrel of Hutt manure on you, kid. I’m sorry to do it like this, but I find it’s for the best in the long run.”

Errul polished off the last of his blue milk, then cleared the table. He put everything away in the washer, set the machine to run, then turned to her again.

“I don’t pretend to know what’s best for you. But I’ll give you as much time as I can to think all this over.”

He moved to stand, only for Rhi’khi to reach for his hand again.

“Captain, wait.” She suddenly interrupted.

Errul noted she didn’t need to stop and start again to remember to call him ‘Captain’ and not ‘Master’. He smiled at her progress and stopped, sitting back down.

“How… how do you know all of this?” she asked. “If you are just a ship captain, how do you know about the Force, and me, and… why do you have this?” she looked at the holocron again.

The Zabrak slowly grinned. She was a sharp one. Most people struggled to use their intelligence in tight spots; when you’re threatened and focused on simple survival, it was hard to think things through. He’d seen enough of that in the refugee camps growing up. But if you offer folks just a little security and comfort, a little breathing room, sometimes they could surprise you with what they could come up. Rhi’khi may have been under-educated and naïve, but he was suddenly confidant that whatever path she took, she’d figure things out, in time.

“Well, let’s just say that once upon a time, a Jedi helped me out of a jam.” He answered wistfully. “They took the time to tell me about a couple of things. As for why I have the holocron… well, it just sort of fell into my lap during a little misadventure on Dantooine this one time, years ago. It’s no good to me personally; I’m not Force-sensitive. But it’ll make a useful bargaining chip if I’m ever in a tight spot… or for confirming cases like yours.”

The Twi’lek took that in and released his hand, thinking.

A chime sounded throughout the ship, and Errul cocked his head.

“I’ve gotta get that. We’re ready to jump into hyperspace.”

With that, Errul stood up. Rhi’khi turned and stared down at the holocron, lost in thought. The Zabrak made for the door and then stopped, turning just enough to speak to her over his shoulder.

“Just remember: Whatever you choose, that’s your choice, and yours alone. That’s the hardest lesson of freedom. What’s happened to you up until now was someone else’s doing. What you do after this is yours.”

As Errul stepped out of the galley and prepared to head back to the cockpit, he hung back for a second out of view around the corner, watching the young Twi’lek mull over her future. He certainly didn’t envy her the choice before her, but he needed to make sure she was okay to be alone right now.

Slowly, tentatively, Rhi’kih reached for the holocron. As she touched it, the little holo-image – the ‘Gatekeeper’ – once again materialized.

“I am Master Juhani of the Jedi Order.” The Jedi started again. “And these are my teachings…”

Errul observed as Rhi’khi watched the projection, a look of fascination coming across her features. As she listened to the words of the long-dead Jedi, she seemed to Errul to become more relaxed, a small smile coming to her lips. A natural, organic smile – not the coy put-on she’d shown him earlier.

The Zabrak turned away. He didn’t pretend to know his own destiny any more than he knew Rhi’khi’s, but maybe both of them were about to take the next step on their respective paths.

Errul sighed again as he sat down in the chair of his cockpit, finally pulling the lever and triggering the jump into hyperspace. The stars outside the cockpit canopy shifted as the Horn made it’s jump, as the galaxy seemed to bend around the trusty old freighter. It was a welcome sight. No matter how many times he saw it, it always relaxed him.

This had already been too much philosophy for him in one day. He decided to blame it all on that Reactor Core he’d had at the cantina before he left Nar Shaddaa. That Rodian bartender was a good listener, but he always put too much spice liquor in his concoctions, and no doubt that was making Errul sentimental. It made him reflect back on what he’d thought to himself earlier.

If it wasn’t ‘this life’ that would be the death of him someday, then it would be sentimentality. He didn’t doubt it for one minute.

He thought back to Rhi’kih listening to that holocron in the galley.

“Yeah, barely breaking even.” He whispered with a smile. He shook his head. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Kriffing Nar Shaddaa.” He grumbled.

  END

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

Author’s Notes: I’ve never written about Errul before, but he’s my oldest ‘active’ O.C., as I developed him way back when I was on Free-to-Play. I eventually abandoned his game play, as in my mind, I don’t see him as an ‘Outlander’ type figure. But I keep him around. I saw some talk on Tumblr complaining about the player’s tendency to make our O.C.s on the young side. Errul, in my head-canon anyway, is a smuggler on the wrong side of forty.

People do change. They learn and they grow and they don’t stop doing that the moment they turn into an ‘adult’. (Which is totally a made-up word anyway.) True, the changes aren’t always for the better, but they do come. How you feel about things twenty years from now may be very different than how you feel about things now. That doesn’t make your opinions any less valid; it just means that they don’t define who you are.  

Juhani is here just because I like Easter Eggs.

The character of Rhi’khi is inspired by a Twi’lek slave in Nar Shaddaa who was planning to escape with a smuggler in a bit of ambient dialogue within the actual game.

I remember reading an article about people who defected from North Korea, and the immense challenges they faced adapting to the modern world. Even given assistance by South Korea and other countries, most of them have no practical job skills and an education that was incomplete to say the least. It was very sobering.  

Oh – and spoilers – Rhi’khi ‘grows up’ to be the Barsen'thor of the Jedi Order in this iteration. The first lesson there is you never know what the person you help might go on to do. The second lesson is don’t worry if you feel you’re getting a late start on pursuing your life goals. Honestly, it is not a race. It never was.

Good luck, and may the Force be with you.

[swtorpadawan]

So we know about the Alliance in the Halcyon Legcay but what about the others; Sarnova, Beltane, Barith etc? Who leads and joins them?

Oof, @jjjwhovian - oof.

So - Deviah leads the Alliance in the Sarnova Legacy. Nas'ash'dia leads the Alliance in the Nas Legacy (with help from her brother, Ozibuamnu). Quoraah leads the Alliance in the Beltane Legacy. Rhi'khi leads the Alliance in my Rhi'khi Legacy. And Kayeh leads the Alliance in the Green Legacy.

Moyraah Gargun is an Alliance Commander as well, but i'm still not sure I want to build a legacy around her.

The Barith and Adas Legacies do not (currently) go into KOTFE / KOTET, though i reserve the right to change that.

Details on membership....

I'm going to level with you. Some of my Legacies are in the process of being... "adjusted".

So.... I gotta check those lineups.

I don't know how deep my worldbuilding will get for those. For Halcyon, I do it automatically. For the others... meh. I'll do it if i need to.

Thanks for the asks!

[swtorpadawan]

SWTORpadawan OC Masterlist

Characters are listed Left To Right. Most recent clean-up: 2/25/22

Halcyon Legacy (Left to Right) • Zu'fanda Pampya / Sith Inquisitor / Twi'lek • Illaynah Antilles / Trooper / Human • Xadya / Bounty Hunter / Human • Bas'riish / Smuggler / Twi'lek • Corellan Halcyon * / Jedi Knight / Human • Ulannium Kaarz / Jedi Consular / Mirialan • Gahraath Vaiken / Imperial Agent / Human • Kael Nosrol Krannus / Sith Warrior / Pureblood

Sarnova Legacy (Left to Right) • Leida Orpharya / Sith Inquisitor / Human • Laht'al'ikran (Tali) / Imperial Agent / Chiss • Zerahte Nu / Jedi Consular / Miraluka • Deviah Sarnova * / Sith Warrior / Cyborg • Zed Mompi / Smuggler / Nautolan • Redak / Jedi Knight / Chiss • Rumatt / Bounty Hunter / Rattataki • Brev'paror / Trooper / Twi'lek

Nas Legacy (Left to Right) • Iruvih Onadia / Trooper / Mirialan • Woxia Dakhan / Sith Warrior / Pureblood • Ahla Jadeonar / Jedi Consular / Togruta • Nas'ash'dia * / Imperial Agent / Chiss • Ozibaumnu / Sith Inquisitor / Chiss • Vinjike / Smuggler / Twi'lek • Akhinom / Jedi Knight / Cathar • Hochix / Bouty Hunter / Rattataki

Beltane Legacy (Left to Right) • Mehio Nareves / Jedi Knight / Mirialan • Neemah Rath / Sith Warrior / Pureblood • Nowan Ko Detizu / Jedi Consular / Cathar • Quoraah Beltane * / Sith Inquisitor / Human • Yolo Covray / Smuggler / Human • Dalken Piett / Imperial Agent / Human • Valkon Tuum / Bounty Hunter / Cathar • Toviq Nareves / Trooper / Mirialan

Barith Legacy (Left to Right) • Sonora Phit / Bounty Hunter / Cathar • Husalla Nasan / Smuggler / Mirialan • Zu'fanda Pampya / Sith Inquisitor / Twi'lek • Shattaah Tey / Trooper / Togruta • Pol'fenn / Jedi Knight / Twi'lek • Fen Huang / Sith Warrior / Human • Czuci Anjek / Imperial Agent / Rattataki • Vaykyar Tey / Jedi Consular / Togruta

Adas Legacy (Left to Right) • Neemah Rath / Sith Warrior / Pureblood • Urshenia / Sith Inquisitor / Togruta • Vusah Djek / Bounty Hunter / Rattataki • Laht'al'ikran (Tali) / Imperial Agent / Chiss • Teeanah Malvern / (Protagonist) / Human • Sulyn Padok / Trooper / Cathar • Husalla Nasan / Smuggler / Mirialan • Wavanih / Jedi Consular / Zabrak • Shiri'ah / Jedi Knight / Twi'lek

Rhi'khi Legacy (Left to Right) • Belea Kaur / Jedi Knight / Pureblood • Jeeree Myhesh / Bounty Hunter / Nautolan • Laht'al'ikran (Tali) / Imperial Agent / Chiss • Rhi'khi * / Jedi Consular / Twi'lek • Errul Marsh / Smuggler / Zabrak • Ansonus Ixorr / Sith Warrior / Cathar • Erez Noori / Sith Inquisitor / Mirialan • Rebib / Trooper / Togruta

Green Legacy (Left to Right) • Chria Malcar / Bounty Hunter / Cyborg • Neemah Rath / Sith Warrior / Pureblood • Grott'hu / Sith Inquisitor / Rattataki • Kayeh Antilles / Jedi Knight / Human • Cennesh Myr / Smuggler / Mirialan • Korno'lone'deamizu / Imperial Agent / Chiss • Vaykyar Tey / Jedi Consular / Togruta • Rebib / Trooper / Togruta

Currently Unaffiliated OCs (Left to Right) • Kayeh Antilles / Jedi Knight / Human She now has her own legacy! • Moyraah Gargun / Imperial Agent / Human • Jor Pysholn / Trooper / Cyborg • Platt Okeef / Smuggler / Human

[swtorpadawan]

... I didn’t have a Male Togrutan Trooper 🥴

His name is Rebib.

I have no other explanation.