Tag: Star Wars: the Old Republic

Swamps. Why did it have to be swamps? Sometimes Brant thought his master Hu’izei had a sense of humor.

It was raining when Brant set down just outside of Dewlight. It was always raining on Auratera now, the clouds thick and black as if they were made up of something other than water vapor. Brant turned up his collar, wishing he had thought to bring a hat. His presence in Dewlight was supposed to be a secret, so he didn’t dare wear a Sith’s robe and hood, though he gloomily reflected that, too, would have been suitable for the constant downpour.

Gamely pushing past his distaste for the wet, Brant spent most of the first day scoping out the small city. He visited the governmental buildings, asked to see a record or two under the plea of historical interest, even signed on for a tour of the President’s Palace — anything, in reality, to get closer to his mark, though the actual assassination would have to come later.

Brant spat blood on the plating of the Nar Shaddaa streets, glaring at the retreating back of his master. He should have expected that punch. He really should have. Did he think just because he had somehow snagged the attention of a Dark Councilor, he would not be above more beatings? Brant cursed in Mando’a. Of course that would have been too easy…

So, obviously the crows and sparrows here aren’t like Earth’s crows and sparrows because this is Star Wars; I just didn’t want to go hunting down an appropriate name for them. I picture these ones something like an archaeoptryx.

Author’s Note

Brant watched the birds scrabble in the courtyard. It was midday, and the Academy preparers had just finished putting together the slop normally fed to the Acolytes. Typically the scraps and cuttings went into the incinerator, transported there by an astromech droid, but the droid was getting old, and it would leak and drop pieces of food across the courtyard as it rattled along, and the birds would come to fight over them.

Today, along with the usual sparrows, had come some great crows and a vulture. All the sparrows scattered when the crows came down to snatch up their meals, and the crows scattered before the vulture. Yet there were a few among the sparrows who didn’t take off when the bigger birds came, but instead chose to hop about just out of their reach. When the crows weren’t looking, they’d dart in to snatch at the food, cleverly backing out again once they tasted of it.

Yet there was one in particular who seemed to make it his mission to antagonize the crows before flying off. Whenever a crow settled, its lizard-like tail draped calmly over the balcony rail as it ate, the sparrow would dart to it and, nip, sink its tiny teeth into the crow’s gray, feather-bared tail.

Master Yonlach is an NPC in SWTOR, part of the Sith Warrior storyline. Like many elements of SWTOR, I’ve re-interpreted his role in Darth Merce’s story, and there’s nothing in this post that contains spoilers for the canon plotline, unless you count the small reveal regarding Jaesa.

I picked this title to echo “The Crucible of Korriban” and “The Darkness of Dromund Kaas”, for while this is not Sith training, it does reflect Brant’s continuing journey in his usage of the Force. The beginning is a bit slow and exposition-y as it’s been sitting that way in my notes for months; it picks up a little more towards the middle, I promise.

Author’s Note

The Tusken Raider rose up out of the sand directly at their feet, too quickly for Merce to shout a warning. Only his Force-sense prevented the creature from breaking his knees, as his red lightsaber shot out in reaction and cut its staff in two before it could complete the swing. Even so, the claws on the staff’s tip slashed across Merce’s chest, drawing blood and almost pulling him over when they caught on the fabric of his robe. Continue reading “The Mirages of Tatooine”