Saga [UDC VIII]Drabble-licious--Week 9 posted 5/24

So the moose muse bit hard today, and I finished all five drabbles for Week Five. Since Doran had his set, it seemed only fair to devote a week to the other half of my OTP, Raissa Baiard-- the Force-sensitive Imperial prefect who becomes Doran's padawan, friend, and eventually his wife.

Dinner
Dinner used to be such a sad affair--staring at the empty chair across the table from her, alone in the too-quiet house.

But now that he was in her life, dinner wasn't so lonely. The house wasn't so quiet. Her life wasn't so empty. She never would have imagined when she first saw him that he could add so much to her life.

She breezed through marketplace to buy their favorite meal: brewats from L'moko's stand, fresh greens for salad, and of course, the mushrooms that he loved.

He was waiting to greet her at the door.

"Whuff!"

Notes: Raissa's dining companion is her homely, but faithful pygmy roba, Frugly. She rescued him from an abusive slythmonger in "Raissa Baiard Solves Them All".

Theater
Every morning, she puts on her gray uniform and pins up her hair, ready to take on the role dutiful prefect again.

She's become a very good actress over the years, skilled at downplaying the aspects of herself no one but her family can see. By now, she's an expert at putting on an Imperial mask to hide the Jedi inside. No one sees her moving behind the scenes, finding new roles and disguises for those persecuted by the Empire.

She plays her part without applause or fanfare, though every performance has to be perfect.

Their lives depend on it.

Pint
She found her daughter in the kitchen.

The conservator's doors were wide open and the toddler sat there, among the puddled remains of the beebleberry ice cream. Purple stickiness covered the little girl's face and hands and streaked her red-gold curls. Frugly was enthusiastically aiding her in emptying the carton. He, at least, had the grace to whine when Raissa came in.

"Mara Jade Blayne! What do you think you're doing?"

She frowned up at her mother, putting one chubby hand on her hip and waving the other in a sweeping arc. "I not the one you looking for!"

Shot
The crack of blaster fire in the alley. A blinding flash of blue. The smell of ozone and burning flesh. Lightning tears through her shoulder. Her knees buckle with the pain.

He's there to catch her, ease her to the ground. She grabs his hand and clutches it hard; he lays the other against her cheek. Warmth and comfort radiate from it, spreading through her, surrounding her in the Force. Slowly, slowly, the pain recedes beneath the healing glow and she can breathe again.

His hazel eyes shine almost green when they meet hers. "Shh. It's going to be okay."

Spoiler

Okay, this one probably isn't fair, because the incident it references is in an upcoming, and as yet untitled Raissa and Doran story. Spoiler Alert: Raissa will be fine

Alcohol
He reached for the glass of whiskey again, and she drummed her fingers against the table. The more questions she asked, the edgier he got. The edgier he got, the more he drank. At this rate, he'd be under the table before she understood the Jedi Code.

She wished he could see it didn't matter if his answers were perfect. That he didn't need to dive into a bottle whenever he was nervous, not with her. But he would only shrug off her concern.

Sometimes she wished she could pour every last drop of his Whyren's Reserve down the drain.

Notes: Raissa's reflections during her early days as Doran's Padawan, when he frequently used Corellian whiskey as "liquid fortifications" to get through the lessons

 

Awww!

And even as an itty-bitty, the snark is strong with this one!

Which makes it even more "awww".

 

I agree with Cowgirl Jedi 1701 here: The snark is with you... always.

Mara, so young and so sneaky. This also refers to 95% of my kindergarten kids that I am dealing with 5 days per week.

But what struck me most is this one here:

Every morning, she puts on her gray uniform and pins up her hair, ready to take on the role dutiful prefect again.

She's become a very good actress over the years, skilled at downplaying the aspects of herself no one but her family can see. By now, she's an expert at putting on an Imperial mask to hide the Jedi inside. No one sees her moving behind the scenes, finding new roles and disguises for those persecuted by the Empire.

She plays her part without applause or fanfare, though every performance has to be perfect.

Their lives depend on it.

Somehow I had the "Moulin Rouge" version of The Queen song "The show must go on" playing in my head, with Jim Broadbent singing it:

 

Dinner: When you showed me this one before posting, I thought it was dead funny. Like, everybody would've expected a loving man at the end and you give us a cute fugly-frugly pet.

Theater: I assume that this one is more relevant for the period after the children have been born, but I see it as something that could be applied to the period before Raissa even meets Doran. Her "role" has always been there, it's just that it got more complex after she definitely started playing roles on both sides of the story. Either way, a masterful piece of flash-fiction, right there.

Pint: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. A kid attempts a Jedi mind trick on her mother. This is adorable!

Shot: GULP. I hope we get to read this soon. It sounds painful, but I'm still curious. Poor Raissa!

Alcohol: Nice to see the unnerving scene from the beginning of In the Cards from Raissa's point of view. Doran's drinking was ranging between annoying and worrying and seeing that she understands that and, in a way, thinks that she could help him cut it down as much as he could help her understand her the Jedi Code, shows that their bond is growing strong.

You're on a roll!

 

I'm very sorry that I have gotten so far behind in these wonderful drabbles. This last set is terrific.
Dinner: What a romantic meal, with Raissa so grateful to have that special someone in her life at last - that drooling, snarfing, slurping Frugly slobbering across the table from her. Excellent image!

Theater: Wow. What a dangerous role she must play. She puts on the uniform of the very people who wouldn't hesitate to kill her, and the ones she loves, in a heartbeat. Very well done.

Pint is absolutely adorable. Frugly is guilt-stricken, but Mara, nuh-uh. The little stinker tries to mind-trick her own mom! Never give up, never surrender. Raissa is getting a glimpse of what Mara's teenage years are going to look like here.

Shot: This is such a switch up from the humorous one previous, but just as skillfully done. Great action here, and I'm glad that [hl=black] Raissa isn't hurt more seriously.[/hl]

I have got to read "In The Cards" and see where this all began. The Raissaverse is very broad and deep, and I haven't really scratched the surface. But like all your work, you've revealed so much about both characters in just a little space.

Excellent work, and I'm enjoying all your writing.

 

Raisa and her pet; adorable
Theater; danger
Pint; I love Mara Jade
Shot; she survives
Alcohol; she knows that he doesn't need that

 

You know even tiny Mara had to be full of sass. With a double helping of snark from her parents, she almost had to be

Definitely. There are echoes of my daughter here...and my niece and nephew before her...who had all those grown ups figured out, and would tell you categorically they hadn't done the thing you just saw them do Little Mara still has a few things to learn about her abilities and the fact that mind-tricks don't work on Mom.

Ooh, yes...I can see that. Raissa does have to carry on with her show, no matter what happens. She can't afford not to, for her family's sake.

I enjoyed messing with the expectations on this one. But really, before there was Doran, there was Frugly...and the homely pig-dog is the one who put the first cracks in her famous reserve.

Thank you! It's true...she's always been playing her part as an Imperial officer, trying to do her best even when she disagreed with their methods. When she adds new roles--wife and mom--things get even harder.

I feel like every Jedi youngling probably attempts this at some point It's just the nature of kids.

I'm trying to finish up a few things before I start the story, but Raissa and Doran are going to face some challenges.

Doran isn't doing a very good job dealing with emotions, and it seems like turning to alcohol as a solution is not uncommon in fugitive Jedi cast adrift. Raissa can see how destructive the habit can be.

Well, you know, slobbery company is better than none!

Thank you She does it not just for her loved ones, but also for the citizens of Merkesh who'll never know how she's working for them.

Yep, Raissa should not be surprised that her daughter has a mind of her own, especially as it concerns a certain young Rebel

Thank you again! I think that that's part of the fun of doing these; you can play around with different genres within the set. And finding alternate meanings for some of the prompts lends itself to mixing things up a bit.

Not to be redundant, but thank you so much! I am glad you're enjoying them.

Frugly is cute--or at least so ugly that he's cute--and he and Raissa do make an adorable pair. I love Mara, too, and it's a lot of fun to imagine this younger version of her. Raissa takes on danger for her family, and Doran does the same for her...eventually she'll be able to show him he doesn't need the whiskey to cope.

 

Since her parents (and Ezra) have had their own weeks, Week Six is dedicated to Mara Jade Blayne, my AU Mara from "Star Crossed" and "Teenage Rebellion".

Dream
The other girl lurks in the corners of my dreams, me and yet not me.

Like me, she is more than she seems, unnoticed except when she chooses.

Dressed in black, she is my shadow. Her lightsaber blade is purple, not green, and she wields it with ruthless efficiency. It's not her only weapon--blasters, knives...even poison. I am a Jedi, but she is a killer.

And worse, if anything can be worse, she kneels to the Emperor himself and calls him "master."

I wake up gasping, wishing I had never seen her... the girl I might have been.

Stars
Hi...oh, nothing much. I just finished my shift at the Café, and I'm up in the roof garden. The stars are bright here tonight. I know this is crazy, but I borrowed Nick's star charts so I could figure out where Yavin is and at least face the right direction when we're talking. If I'm reading this right, you're over there, the faint red star by the horns of the Bantha constellation.

I know, I said it was crazy! But the stars always seem closer up here, and when I look up at them...I feel closer to you.

Spoiler: Notes:

a conversation via comlink between Mara and Ezra, between "Star Crossed" and "Teenage Rebellion".

Barricade
She learned a long time ago how to build the walls, how to hide the feelings she can't let anyone else see: anger, sadness, fear...especially fear. Now she puts them up with hardly a thought, so no one can see her weakness. No one has to know she's not the perfect daughter, sister, friend.

Putting up the walls is easy; taking them down...that's hard. If they saw what was behind them, what would they think of her? If they knew her doubts and fears, what would they say? What would he say?

Better to keep them in place.

Rain
It seems like it's always raining on Yavin. Sometimes it pours mookas and tookas, sometimes it just drizzles gray mist, but it's always raining. The wet seeps through the cracks in the old temples and makes everything clammy. The clothes in the laundry next to my barracks never really dry; it smells like mildew.

It was never like this on Merkesh. I get so tired of rain.

But when the rain stops, everything is green and alive in our clearing. The waterfall sounds like music; the orchids bloom and glow. It's beautiful, romantic.

There's nothing like that at home, either.

Spoiler: Notes

Mara's homeworld of Merkesh is fairly dry, since it is based on Morocco, while Yavin's real world analogue is the rain forests of Guatemala.

Home
When I left Merkesh, I thought I was so ready to be on my own. I never thought I'd be homesick for a minute.

I'm getting used to lumpy bed and terrible food here. The fact that the barracks is damp and smells like feet and there aren't enough 'freshers for everyone doesn't bother me so much anymore.

But it's not home.

Home is Annina's pink fluff and Nick's model ships. It's lightsaber practice with Dad and target practice with Mom. It's Frugly laying on my feet and Princess taking over my pillow.

Home will always be where they are.

 

[Engage 4-yo] Dat first one was da bestest! [/4-yo]

Great work with that first one, quality from the first sentence, feeling the EU Mara in the corner, sensing her appearance, her weapons, her....her allegiance.

Stars, interesting point. The note gives it direction (no pun intended) and weight.

Good wordplay and comprehension for Rain. If you were doing TripAdvisor for Yavin, I wouldn't touch that place with a sterilised bargepole!

 

love your Mara and her yearning for her real home

 

These were some really, really interesting explorations of your AU Mara - because you're comparing what it was to what could've been and subverting the whole idea and, at the same time, she does have some minor struggles in your AU as well, so portraying her as somewhat flawed, open to dark thoughts and yearning, is very, very effective.

Dream - This reminds me of the "original" Mara in your Break Free story and it's nice, yet absolutely haunting to see your Mara have an alternate universe where she's this person somewhere deep in her subconscious.

Stars - This is not crazy at all. Tracing the stars is my kind of a thing in stories and she found her right star in Ezra, like Findswoman suggested.

Barricade - Er, hello, Mara, a combo of your what-could-have-been self and some of your mother's traits are talking through you.

Rain - Love the juxtaposition between this one and the last one. There's something good about Yavin, the romantic after rain state, even though it rains mookas and tookas -wonderful worldbuilding, by the way!

Home - My favourite of the set, by far. The contrast between feet and fluffy pittins, Nick and Annina as opposed to random and not-so-random Rebels. But this is the price of growing up and following that Sky-guy to protect him from, well, himself at this stage.

 

After so many eloquent folk already said so many things about your fic, I can only say that I enjoyed myself at the end of a long hard day at my new work & much heartbreak in private.

For brief moments I was in a galaxy far, far away, plunging into the heads/ lives of your characters.

Thanks!

 

Thank you so much It's got to be profoundly unsettling for Mara to realize thatvon some level she's capable of being that dispassionate killer, and harder still to realize she's capable of being the enemy.

Dating in the GFFA brings a whole new meaning to "long distance relationship." When the distance between sweethearts can be measured in light years, you do whatever you can to narrow that gap.

It may not be as much of Galactic armpit as Tatooine, but constant rain and bad accommodations wouldn't put it on the top of many lists.

Thanks I'm glad that you are enjoying the drabbles and the Rebels characters in particular. I have a feeling they're going to continue to pop up through the rest of the Challenge as well. They're my space!family

Yes, poor beleaguered Luke is SUFFERING and the Rogues' PLAGUE OF PUNS does not help. I'm not exactly sure they feel bad about that, though Meanwhile, ZEBSPRESSO will always be around, so long as there are thirsty Lasats in need of a caf fix and sometimes, Ezra can get things right, when he follows his heart. No need for fancy love poems when a simple gift and sincere words will do.

Indeed, sometimes our animal companions are more pleasant to be around than the human ones Raissa and Frugly have always had a special bond. Raissa's always been required to put on her "Imperial mask", and the role only gets more dangerous and complex as her role changes from friend and padawan to wife and mother. I like your description of her as the compass; it's no due in no small part to her guidance that Doran finds a better path than drunken cynicism and their daughter is confident enough to strike out on her own to follow the will of the Force (once she figures out that Mom is immune to Jedi mind-tricks).

If you want even more meta head-splosion, it started out as an author dreaming about her AU character having a vision of her EU self Love the image of Ezra as her "right star"--a star to guide and bring light into the darkness. She is very much her mother's daughter, putting on a mask and holding in her emotions to protect her family...and herself. Like so many things in life, that annoying rain that's so unlike her home world has both its drawbacks and its benefits. Yes it makes things clammy and mildewed, but it makes those brightly glowing orchids bloom, too...all the better for those stolen moments in romantic clearings . I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to say that Mara's path will bring her back to Merkesh, to the place--and the people-who will always define "home" for her, wherever the Force and the stars may lead her.

Like so many of us, Mara has to leave home to find out how much she loves it.

Glad you enjoyed them! Some of the flaws and yearning are going to become more apparent now that she's started training Luke "teh aaaaangst king" Skywalker. She's going to have moments where she sees glimpses of what she might have been if [hl="black"]Raissa had not thrown up on the Grand Inquisitor. [/hl]...and perhaps what she could still be.

Again, love the image of him as her star...and she is his Perhaps they aren't so star crossed after all.

Even in an AU, some things stay the same!

This is Mara when she takes down the barricades at last...under all the snark and grousing about mildew and damp, there's the secret romantic who's looking forward to those moments after the rain.

So true on the bolder part--growing up is often learning that the place you couldn't wait to leave has become the place you want to go back to.

Thank you for the beautiful compliment. I am glad that I could provide a few moments of entertainment for you, and hope things will soon be better for you.

 

Week Seven features some foodie drabbles. Yum!

Tangy

Dex served something new in the mess hall today: tomo-spiced karkan ribs. I've never had them before, but they are GOOD. Aunt Beru never made anything like THIS! The meat is tender and juicy; it's falling off the bones. The ribs are swimming in a red sauce that's spicy and tangy...and messy. I'm licking it off my fingers when Mara sits down next to me.
"Luke..."

She's looking at me SO INTENTLY. Like she's trying to MEMORIZE MY FEATURES. My heart THUMPS. "Yes?"

She leans forward, and...hands me a napkin. "You've got sauce all over your face."
Notes: Luke gets his first taste of tomo-spiced ribs in the Yavin mess hall.

Sweet
They're her comfort food-- Wookiee cookies from her mother's recipe: double chocolate chips, cinnamon and vanilla.

Their flavor is taste of every Life Day since she was a little girl. Competing with her sister for the privilege of licking the mixing spoons. Snuggling on the couch with Doran, watching cheesy holos. Frugly's soulful-eyed requests to share them. Crumb-faced children who'd use the Force to levitate the cookie jar off the counter. The first batch Mara made, slightly burned on the edges. Tea parties with Annina and a dozen stuffed pittins.

The cookies are sweet, the memories are sweeter.
Notes: Raissa and her favorite dessert, Wookiee cookies, which have appeared in several of her stories.

Spicy
They're surprised when she offers to make dinner, but they shouldn't be. Cooking is as much an art as painting. The ingredients--the meat and vegetables--are her canvas; the spices add the colors. She doesn't need a recipe. As when she paints, she experiments, adding a bit of this, a dash of that until the balance is just right.

She watches as they try it, their hesitant bites followed by smiles and nods. She waits...

The hetikles kicks in and they all grab for their drinks at the same time.

Now she smiles. True tiingilar. A masterpiece

Notes: Sabine makes dinner for the crew. The dish she cooks is tiingilar, a spicy Mandalorian casserole. Hetikles translates as "nose burn"!

Bitter
Master Onfroi left his drink on the table when he left to use the 'fresher.

The Corellian whiskey sour looked enticing, with a bright red zherry and a citron wedge garnishing the sugared rim. Dominic was already feeling quite adventurous and grown-up--this was the first time Master Onfroi had brought him along on a mission--so after making sure no one in the cantina was watching, he snagged the glass and took a gulp.

He choked on the bittersweet fire that flooded him.

Gasping, Dominic slid the drink back. He was never going to drink that stuff again!


Bland

Breakfast today--and every day--is a bowl of gloppy gray paste that's theoretically porridge, the texture not quite viscous, not quite solid. Technically edible, but essentially flavorless. It sucks the spoon in with a slurp when you try to take a bite.

Try adding artificial milk product to thin it down. Some beebleberry jam to make it less gray. A handful of yub nuts to add a bit of crunch. Maybe a little dried jogan fruit for sweetness.

Once you reach the point where there's as much other stuff in the bowl as porridge, then it's almost fit to eat.

Notes: Dex's daily dose of porridge, as seen in "Teenage Rebellion"

 

Tangy - LOL, Luke! That's some major wishful thinking and instead....BWAHAHAHAHAHA.

Sweet - Love to see how these cookies are actually bite-sized chunks of Raissa's memories. And I had a smile on my face because of Annina and stuffed pittins tea parties.

Spicy - Now, here's somebody who cooks food for REAL WARRIORS and these pittins can't take it the way it is.

Bitter - That's some strong stuf, ait...and yeah, he's never going to have it again. Sooo true.

Bland - So, this is a recipe how to make the food more bearable? But is Dex okay with these modifications?

 

I agree with Ewok Poet
Like the various characters reacting on food

 

Poor Luke can't catch a break...but at least the ribs are tasty.

I really like your description there; such a perfect, poetic summary of the way food can evoke vivid memories. And I'm smiling too, thinking of a slightly bemused Raissa playing tea party with her youngest and all those pittins.

Apparently "nose burn" is a quality that is prized in Mandalorian cooking, so Sabine's dish is truly a work of ART!

Yep, Doran should have listened to his younger self.

What Dex doesn't know won't hurt him This is about how I feel about oatmeal/cream of wheat/other hot cereal...only edible once it's been altered beyond recognition.

Thanks! It was fun to take a bit of a different approach this week and use food as the center of the set.

 

Week Eight-- And, once again, I'm returning to my current obsession, Rebels. This time, the drabbles all feature the lovely and capable space!mom herself, Hera Syndulla

Rebellion
Her father wouldn't be happy if he knew she was working on the droid again. He says she spends too much time on it. But he's never here to see, so why should he care? He says the droid is useless, they don't need another, but he's wrong. She knows that it could be her friend when her father's busy--again.

The droid, at least appreciates her. He's a cranky thing-- you'd think he'd be nicer to the one who's fixing him-- but she likes him anyway.

She sits back to inspect her handiwork. "I'm going to call you Chopper."

Revolution
Another year gone by, and still the Empire remains. She's seen so many setbacks in that time--their ships destroyed, their base discovered, good friends lost. Every loss, every defeat drags at her heart and wears her down a little.

Another year gone by... yet the Rebellion grows. she's seen joy and triumph, too. Every life saved, every prisoner freed, every refugee fed is a victory. Every little victory leads the way to greater things. New allies. New chances. New hopes to keep her going.

She will continue, surely as a planet around the sun, until her revolution is complete.

Freedom
She was raised underground, but the sky has always called her.

When she was a little girl, peeking out to watch the Republic's ships overhead, she yearned to be up there with them, flying free. She left Ryloth to become a pilot, but she found that she is never more at home than when she's in the cockpit, her hands on the yoke.

When she's flying, then she is at her best, even though there are explosions all around her. When she's up here, everything is right, even when everything is going wrong. When she's flying, she is truly free.

Martyr
There is no for her time to mourn.

She has to act now, to take the opportunity he died to create. The Imperial fleet is momentarily in chaos.

Later, she will have time to remember him: her commander, her colleague, her friend. He was stern and unyielding at times, but he never shrank from doing what was right, even now, even at the last. His death bought the chance for life for the few under his command who remained, and she will not waste his sacrifice by hesitating.

She bows her head as the Ghost jumps to hyperspace.

Notes: I tried to make this one as vague as possible, so read the notes at your own risk!

Spoiler: HERE BE SPOILERS FOR REBELS

Hera, in the Season 3 finale, when Commander Sato steers his ship into the Star Destroyer, so the survivors from Atollon can escape.

Veteran
You don't understand me at all, Admiral. You think because war has shaped me, it's made me hard and ruthless, like you, forged like weapon, whose only purpose is to destroy.

You don't understand why I'm fighting. It isn't for power. It isn't because of hate.

I do it for the ones I love. For the ones I don't even know--the weak, the helpless, the persecuted, the broken. I do it so someday they can all be free. So their lives don't have to be shaped by war, too.

Yes, war has shaped me. But it hasn't hardened me.

Notes:In response to Admiral Thrawn's "No wonder you're as equipped in spirit to fight as well as you do. War is in your blood. I study the art of war, work to perfect it. But you. You were forged by it."

 

I don't know much about Thrawn, but from the little I do know about him, I get the impression that what he said to Hera was one hell of a compliment.

 

Not been able to see Rebels here in the Netherlands but I love how you give me glimpses of their adventures

 

Waarom? Dat vind ik nu heel gemeen voor SW fans. Want de "Clone Wars serie" mocht je wel in Nederland zien, earlybird-obi-wan.

Anyway, I enjoyed your descriptions of fun food stuff and pittins in a galaxy far, far away.

And being a fan of the "Rebels" series as well, I love that you did more than justice to the characters that you have chosen. You took the whole thing to a new level.

 

Rebellion - Lovely scene where Hera meets Chopper. I don't blame her dad at all. Working on that thing would have intimidated just about...everyone.

Revolution - This leads us to the last sentence of Rogue one - "we have hope". For as long as there are people are Hera, there is hope.

Freedom - What a wonderful contrast you explored here. From under the ground to the stars. This is so beautiful. And freedom means different things for different beings, this is Hera's kind thereof.

Martyr - As somebody smarter than me said, "when your leader's gone, he only means to make you stronger, because what you need, you are".

Veteran - None of this will get into Thrawn's thick head. He will still see Hera as a blood-thirsty warrior from an inferior race. And something barbaric. Ugh!

 

True; I'm sure he meant it that way. But one of my favorite things about that episode was the way Hera is completely not awed by Thrawn. Admiral? Fancy white uniform? Holding her captive? Pfffft...space!mom doesn't care! You're in her home, blue boy, and she's gonna tell it like it is!

I confess I had to look up Proust's madeleine :blush:, but that is the feeling I was going for. It was also inspired by my mother's sugar cookies (a holiday favorite) and a similar moment from the movie Ratatouille, where the food critic remembers his childhood comfort food on tasting the ratatouille. I'm starting to become more like Sabine now when I make curry--a little of this spice, a little of that--though my curry is on the mild side and definitely low on that prized Mandalorian hetikles. I didn't really have a speaker in mind for the last drabble, but it probably is Ezra. He seems to turn up everywhere and it does seem like him to put that much other stuff in the porridge.

Thank you very much I adore Hera (obviously!) and writing these gave me a couple more bunnies that I don't need, particularly concerning her and Chopper. She was the one who pulled him from a crashed ship and repaired him, so they've been together for a long time "Revolution" came about when I was looking for alternate meanings, and the planets spinning and passage of time seemed relevant here. And you spotted the influence for "Freedom" from the episode "Wings of the Master," where Hera does indeed make Quarrie's ship soar.

You have not come to the episode that inspired "Martyr', hence the vagueness and spoilers, but is all I will say. "Hera's Heroes," the episode where she encounters Thrawn is one of my favorites, because Hera is so strong. She is all kinds of awesome, standing up to him, if not in these particular words.

:blush: Thank you very much; that's a lovely compliment, because I love the show so much! If you do get the chance, I highly recommend it; it's much more than you would expect from a cartoon.

Once again, thank you so much! I'm glad that you feel I'm doing this great show justice.

Ha! Yes, no wonder Hera has such patience and fortitude...she learned it while working on Chopper!

Hope is what keeps her going, and she is able to share that hope and kindle it in others.

Those Republic ships, bringing freedom to Ryloth, must have been very inspiring to her. Now she is in their position...flying free, and bringing freedom as she does.

I'm not sure anyone can ever make Thrawn realize how wrong he is on so, so many things. But Hera will speak truth to power and she will not let him break her spirit, more reasons why I love her!