Saga - PT To the Last Star (DDC2019) - Enfys Nest

Title: To The Last Star

Genre: Diary
Author: Divapilot
Characters: Enfys Nest
Era: PT (just prior to ANH); Pre- Solo
Notes: Written for the 2019 Dear Diary Challenge (DDC2019)
Summary: Young Enfys Nest learns what it takes to be a true leader.


Third Moon of Winter in My Fifteenth Year at Nest, During the Silent Sigh of the Goddess

Mother came home last night. Father was pleased to see her again, and he had made roast corfowl with savar bread to bring to the celebration. Anshyn kept trying to steal food but he reprimanded her, reminding her that the celebration food is for all who live in the Nest, not just for little girls like her.

I asked Mother about the excursion. She told me that they had found and recovered the missing equipment, which she will sell to her buyer in exchange for more grain for the upcoming hard season. And, as a present, she brought me a length of dewback leather. It’s well broken in and will make for an excellent pair of riding pants.

This afternoon, we all celebrated together in the Great Hall, and the men opened the creaking rafters to allow the sun in and the smoke out. Tables stretched across the wide room, and little children and their small pets played beside each other. There was much feasting, not only Father’s corfowl but the other fine foods that the men brought. We sat beside the expeditionaries, even beside those who are not Of Us, as they earned their places today with a successful venture. We finished our celebration with a joyous song of thanks to the Goddess, and then the men began to clear out the foodstuffs and left the Great Hall. It was time for the business of running the Nest to commence, and the Great Hall would be needed for the meeting.

After the celebration, which included the company of Aunt Jarrica and Aunt Thyhur and their mates and their children, I had turned to leave with the younglings when Aunt Jarrica caught my arm. “You are of age now,” she said. “You have been asked for at the meeting.”

I stopped, surprised but not really surprised. I expected this day would come. Now that Mother is home she will begin to plan the next operation, and I always knew there would eventually be the day when she would want her First Daughter to attend her. So I turned away from the younglings, never to go back. I could hear the Fathers singing as they began their evening chores and the younglings call to each other and laugh at their games under the watchful eyes of the Fathers. But my day to play games is done. I have woman’s work to do.

At this point in the evening, the Great Hall was growing dark, with slats of pale yellow light falling in lines across the benches and tables. Lumines were kindled at the corners of the room and they cast a golden hue to the assembly. The women of the Nest were all there -- the Mothers in front, the Sisters and their babes at breast in the middle, and the Grandmothers behind them. In the very back were the New Women, and that is where I sat. My friend Gandys glanced at me. Her Mother is the leader of the Gatekeepers. The New Women slid over to make room for me.

Mother began the meeting. She told of her excursion, of the Hutt ship they attacked, the contraband that they had uncovered. She explained how they recovered the shipment, and she listed by name the warriors who participated. Then she listed the names of the warriors who had fallen in the effort (there were only two), hitting her chest and raising her fists to the Goddess as their names were consigned to the Sacred Above. She mentioned that among the items hoarded by the Hutt criminals, they had found six slaves and had freed them. Of the crew of the Hutt ship, she only had to execute seven, and three were allowed to live so that the story could be retold.

The witnesses in the Great Hall murmured their approval.

“As a final part of our celebration tonight,” Mother said, her voice strong and deep, “I have decided it is time that my First Daughter should join us.” She looked at me. “Come. Approach the high bench.”

I got up and walked confidently to the front of the room. All eyes were on me and I stood proudly. My mother stood tall and strong as the Goddess herself, her black hair like a halo around her head.

“Enfys of the Nest, it is your time to ride above. You will join the Cloud Riders on our next excursion.” She placed her hand on her battle helmet, which lay in front of her on the table.

I placed my hand on the battle helmet beside hers and recited the vow of the Cloud Riders. “I will fight beside you. I pledge my loyalty until we reach the last edge, the last opening, the last star, and can go no higher.”

Spoiler: Notes on this character

Enfys Nest is a canon character from the movie Solo: A Star Wars Story. She also appears in the novelization of the movie. You can find out more about her here.

 

This has the well-known and much-loved divapilot oomph of description.
The reader is totally immersed in the sights, sounds, textures, and emotions of the scene. I love the ambience of this culture ... it has an SW but also a classic European clan/hunter/warrior feel.

Enfys' mother is a very sensible strategist and leader and you can sense Enfys' pride at being one of the "New Women" and not amongst the younglings.

 

Intresting chapter
I don't know anything aboubt this character, (though I heard she is in Solo?) but its defenetly an intriguing beginning, looking foreward were this goes to.

 

Thank you for reading and replying! I always look forward to your comments. There isn't a whole lot to go on with Enfys, but I liked her character so much in Solo that I decided to create a backstory for her. Her costume is fur and bone and metal, so I figured a mix of technology and clan/warrior was called for. I see her as a kind of a space Viking or space Hunn. She comes from a long line of proud people.
Enfys's mother, according to canon, was the leader of the Cloud-Raiders. I would think she would be proud of her daughter getting ready to follow in her footsteps. And Enfys has been waiting for this moment, literally all her life. This is what she has worked for.

Thank you for your comments! Yes, Enfys Nest is in Solo. In the movie, she is the leader of a notorious pirate gang that steals a treasure away from Han Solo and his compatriots. She is not one to mess around with!

*****.

2.

Fourth Moon of Winter in My Fifteenth Year, During the Dawn Sky in the Aerie

It’s not like I haven’t ever flown a swoop before.

After all, I have flown my own swoop almost since I was able to walk. At first I flew with my mother, soaring across the open lands. I remember the thrill of the air rushing past me, the roar that it made as she gunned the engine. Then I got my own, a smaller version that did not have as much power so that I could learn the maneuvers. Now I have a Skyblade that I myself customized. I know how it handles, how it feels as it powers up and strains toward the sky. I have ridden swoops across the steppe, with a cloud of golden dust glittering behind me, blotting out the orange sun. I have raced through the canyons with my friends Gandys and Satti, coming so close that our machines hum in synchronicity, then peeling away to soar up the side of a cliff.

But this time is different. This time, I will prove my bravery and my skill not by riding my swoop up the side of the highest mountainside or as quickly as I can maneuver it around the sharpest obstacles. I have already proven my prowess with that.

This time I will be dropped from the sky.

The Aerie is always hidden in the clouds in some way, either in low orbit or gliding down into the atmosphere. It is our home in the sky, where we launch our swoops. Weazel, my mother’s lieutenant, says that when I show him I can do this, I will be worthy of my own weapon. He is the armorer, and he will let me pick the weapon I deserve. Tomorrow morning, as the first light reflects off the metal of the Aerie, the bay doors will open and I will sail out into the sky, my swoop screaming down toward the ground. I will become a true Cloud-Rider.

I am not afraid. I will not fail. I might die, lose control of my swoop and crash into the ground, but dying is better than failing.

I know I can do this.

 

Great description of the different skills needed to be a successful swoop-rider: speed, agility, maneuvering around tight or steep places, and also from the sky. Enfys is confident but not overly so. She knows her strengths and loves the ride for itself, as a pilot loves flying; it's in their blood and gives them joy, besides a sense of purpose or being their career.

 

I remember the Swoop Races in the old KOTOR games which could be pretty tricky. Imagining how it must be for soneone to actually flying one of them is certianly a challenge, requiering good reflexes and a focused mind. Intresting describtion of Enfys feelings and thoughts before this trial.
I'm intrested how this continued.

 

Thank you for your kind words! Enfys was born to soar. Her mother is the leader of the Cloud-Riders (canon!) so she has been exposed to it all her life. She's brave and focused.

Thanks, Anedon! I appreciate it. I see swoop riding as not far off from the pod races that Anakin did on Tatooine when he was a kid. Enfys is transitioning from a young girl under the direction of her elders to a young woman who gives directions on her own. She's an interesting character to write about.

***


Fourth Moon of Winter in My Fifteenth Year, During the Twilight Song in the Aerie

I knew I could do it.

The crew stood ready at the bay doors, with the swoops aligned in position. I halted them. My swoop was in the back. I demanded that I should be the first to glide out. I caught a glimpse of Weazel’s smile and I knew I passed the first test.

The Aerie sank through the atmosphere until we were in a dense pocket of clouds. I looked out of the open bay as the swoops were re-ordered, my Skyblade taking first position. I could not see the ground. I would be flying blind.

I attached my helmet and my breathing apparatus as the air was extremely thin, and I mounted my swoop. I hitched my safety harness in place. One last check of the equipment and glance at the readings, and I was ready. My pulse quickened. Then the light changed on the frame of the bay doors, and I revved my machine.

It was strange at first, the free-fall, but I soon tilted the swoop downward and pierced the clouds. My crew followed close behind. I was sure there was a reason why Mother had chosen this place for my test, and sure enough within a matter of moments I discovered it. There, in a small settlement not far away, was evidence of an imperial presence. There were the tell-tale alignments of vehicles, all neatly arranged. There was the large-array communications device used to relay messages to satellites and then to the distant planet of Coruscant. As I fell closer, I saw the gunner’s defensive mounts, all pointed outward in all directions -- all directions except up. I smiled.

I motioned for the crew to split into two groups and attack from opposite sides. I held back with Satti and Weazel. I watched as they came shrieking from above, like terrifying beasts of the air. We swept in close and strafed the Imperial settlement, and the soldiers started running in all directions, oblivious to their commander’s shouted directions. The left flank took out their guns. The right flank blew up their vehicles. (Why do they always put them in such neat rows?)

Then I flew straight into the chaos of their compound with Satti on my left and Weazel on my right. One of the shinywhite troopers shot at me, but it didn’t matter as I had fanned out my beskar armor and the blaster bolt made hardly a dent. I located a cache of supplies and a quick read-out told me that their weight would be something we could handle, so on my signal we netted the crates, hooked them up, and ascended.

We rode back into the clouds and we were on the Aerie before they had a chance to even begin a pursuit.

Once everyone was back in the bay, we gave over our swoops to the technicians for any repairs or adjustments. Mother joined us in the bay. I could see the pride in her eyes. We opened the crates -- food, medical supplies, and weapons. A very, very good haul for my first time.

I removed my helmet and tried to take off my chest plate but the heat from the blaster had wedged it closed. Satti came over and helped me lift it up. “You’re hurt,” he said.

I looked down. Sure enough, there was a burn that ran from my left shoulder onto my chest, but the shot didn’t penetrate my pressure suit. The energy from the blaster must have transferred around the edges of the armor. (I will have that taken care of.) He looked at me with worry in his eyes. “It’s nothing. There’s no pain,” I assured him. “Right now, I must look after my crew.”

A quick check determined that all were accounted for. Weazel smiled at me. I had done it.

Mother spoke. “Enfys, you have proven yourself worthy today. I had expected you to ride your swoop with pride. My hope was that you would ride as their leader. I had not thought you would actually carry out a successful raid. Your strategy was sound, and your focus was sharp. We have these supplies now because of you. You are a Cloud-Rider.”

I held my head up with pride, but I did not smile or show anything other than acceptance of her words. I could do that later in private.

Weazel has promised me that I may have my pick of any of the weapons in the armory. I deserve it.

Spoiler: Notes

Weazel is Enfys’s lieutenant. He is a canon character. In my fanon, he is also the weapons master for the Cloud-Riders.

According to canon, Enfys wears armor made from Mandalorian iron, or beskar . It’s a remarkably tough material that can withstand a lot of abuse, including a blow from a lightsaber.

Enfys’s vehicle of choice is a Skyblade 330 swoop. Of course, she has modified it for her own purposes.

I swear I read somewhere that the Cloud-Riders had a ship called the Aerie, but I can’t find the source now.

 

Superb debut. She not only stayed focused but immediately took advantage of the situation that arose and came up with a strategy to make a raid without serious injuries/damages to persons or swoops.

 

Hi there, just stumbled over this fic and find it very rich in words. There is also a lot beautifully pictured characters and their development, especially from the main character itself who made me already curious in the "Solo" movie, which I liked.

I will try to be a regular reader, because I am still having much on my plate though many things improved or changed for me recently.

 

Intresting chapter
Enfys defenetly shows some great potential as a leader here, recognizing the situation and quickly coming up with and executing a plan.

 

Thank you! Enfys has been waiting for this moment to shine, and she took advantage of it. She is smart and resourceful, but she also knows how to work with her team. She's a born leader.

Thanks so much! I liked Enfys so much in the Solo movie - truth be told, I liked her best and I wish we had seen more of her. I think she deserves more of a story than what she was given.

Thanks, Anedon! I appreciate the kind words. Enfys sized everything up literally on the fly, and she exceeded her mother's expectations of what she could do. She did her people proud that day.

Thank you! As I mentioned to @AzureAngel2 above, I really liked Enfys in Solo. I think she is a remarkable character and her backstory is even more intriguing. I'm trying to flesh out what would have led her to be accepted as the leader of the Cloud-Riders at such a young age. I'm kind of using the Anglo-Saxon epic "Beowulf" as a template - what that community would look like, what their priorities would be, so Enfys kind of has a Viking vibe here. Her pride and confidence is not boastful or self-promoting: She knows her worth and expects to be recognized for it. But she is also a social revolutionary, something unheard of in the Anglo-Saxon world, so it's going to be a trick to synthesize the two aspects of her character. Since Enfys's mother was the last leader of the Cloud-Riders, I made them essentially matriarchal, but with a sense of equality among the sexes and also between the original members and those from other worlds who joined them.

****

4.


Fourth Moon of Winter in My Fifteenth Year, During the First Light at the Nest

We returned to the Nest with our cargo. Mother had organized a recovery team for each mission, so the crew came out and began unloading our haul. As hauls go, mine was not the largest, but it was still respectable. Among the medicines were bacta sheets and antibiotics, things that had a large value as tradeable items. The food was distributed for the Fathers to use. Some of the preserved food would go into storage. The weapons were examined, and some were kept for us while others were set aside for trade. There were data cards and some other technical things in there too.

My little sister Anshyn came over to me. She touched my armour. “Are you going to go away to fly like Mama now?” she asked me, frowning.

I smiled at her. “It’s what we do, Little Bird. We fly, and when we come home to the Nest, we bring you presents.”

I held out my hand. Her face shone with delight when she saw what I had. On the way home, I had taken a circuit board out of one of the datapads that was in the recovered cargo. I had wired a simple toy for her that lit up when she pressed a button. Anshyn loved it.

“When can I go flying with you and Mama?” she asked.

I hesitated. “I’m not sure,” I hedged. “Maybe Mama knows better.” I put my arm around her shoulder. “Come. Let’s see what you’ve been doing while I was gone.”

I held her hand as we walked together back to our home. The fact is, I don’t like lying to her. Anshyn will never be a Cloud-Rider. She was born different from the rest of us, although I remember that there once was a boy with her condition in our nest, years ago. Anshyn can’t think as quickly as I can. She is a sweet, loving, happy girl, but she just can’t keep up. She will grow and mature into a woman’s body, but her mind will always be a child’s. But I love my sister, and it is a joy and not a burden to have such a presence in our lives.

The next day, Mother sent out a crew to barter with some of the communities in our circles. Those whose task it is to handle commerce, the Merchants, had divided up the medical supplies and the weapons into things we can barter and things we needed for ourselves. The Merchants had scoured the materials of any traces of imperial ownership, and those things whose imperial origins could not be removed were placed in a special vault known only to the Gatekeepers like my friend Gandys and her family. We need the fuel for our swoops, coaxium infusers for the Aerie, and metal and machine parts for fabrication. The Nest has some animals that we use for wool, and we can make our own clothes, but we’ll trade for food and for clothing, too.

Later that day, Weazel came up to me and told me to come with him to the armory. The armory is underground, and a simple fly-over would never reveal the extent of the supplies we have. I walked through the rooms until I came to the weapons chambers. Weazel stood back, his arms folded. “Take whatever speaks to you,” he said.

I took my time. Choosing a weapon is critically important. It’s more than something you carry with you for protection. It has to represent you. If I am to go on more raids as a Cloud-Rider, I want to make an impression. I’ll have a sidearm, of course, but nobody notices a blaster. A blaster shoved into a holster on my thigh doesn’t impress anyone. When I swoop from the skies, I want to be remembered.

I trailed my hand across the weapons. I picked up a rifle, but put it down. Rifles are for long-range action. My crew can supply the cover fire. I will be in the heart of the skirmish. I wanted a weapon for close action.

There were some weapons resting on mounts against the wall. One of them, an electroripper staff, caught my eye. I glanced at Weazel but his face was impassive. It was beautiful, a shiny silver staff with a power charger at one end and a high-voltage generator at the other. I examined it more closely. There was room along the edges for an inscription. I pulled the weapon down and felt its heft in my hand. It felt like it belonged there. I ignited it, and the weapon came to life, bright blue lights glowing at each end and a hum that sounded like it was purring. None of the other weapons compared.

With a quick motion, I switched it off and flipped it into position beside me, the power charger on the floor and the ripper blade generator coming to about the level of my head. It felt like a leader’s weapon -- the staff of a chief. I stood prouder, taller, with this at my side. “This is the one,” I said.

Weazel smiled. “I thought so,” he said.

Spoiler: Notes

Enfys’s weapon is an electroripper staff that she personalizes with a line of poetry.

 

Lovely seeing Enfys with her sister. You can sense her caring and discretion in what she says and does not. I am very happy that those who "aren't as quick" as the others are treated well in Enfys' society. I think she has chosen her weapon well. It fits her role and temperament.

 

Hi there. I've been thinking of Enfys lately ... after reading a wonderful short story for the City/Country Mouse challenge of all things. And now there's a category for a diary that was left from one year to the next ... hoping this fun one might resume.

 

Just re-discovering this one on my trawl back through 2019 -- and that there were a few more entries that I missed. Enfys was so intriguing in Solo, and this is just the kind of further elaboration that I immediately wanted to see! As always, your worldbuilding is extremely cool and it was thrilling to get more insight into the Nest and the Cloud Riders. And like others have mentioned, it's really nice to see that Enfys is so close to her sister, and that her community accepts their members who can't do the whole warrior thing.