SithLore

Slade has determined that our writing prompt for this month is as follows:

March 2021 Prompt wrote:Your character suddenly has a pet. What is it? How do you interact with it, and how does it interact with you?

500 words is the limit. Please turn in your responses by end of day (GMT) March 11th, 2021.

Dastan leans casually against the edge of his desk, staring down into the viewpanes on a durasteel box before him. His team had snagged the creature he wanted since his return from the Unknown Regions. They placed it in a box, and left it in Dastan’s quarters, as ordered.

His helmet concealed his intrigue, watching the creature inside. It looked about- confused, afraid, and yes… he felt it- primal anger.

It was wearing a restraint- a technological masterpiece. Thankfully it wasn’t obtrusive and wouldn’t be uncomfortable. He wanted to be a ...kind... master. Dastan’s lips parted with a smile. He just. couldn’t. help it.

Dastan bent down to hit a release button and the box's door hissed open. The creature scurried out with a huff. The head of the creature grew a long mane of black, with some longer whiskers around the mouth and nose. It's eyes darted quickly, and scurried for the room's door. Dastan slid into place just before it- shaking his head, and wagging his finger.

“Hold it,” It’s eyes flared- and Dastan could see the clear rage building up in their eyes. The eyes- though one was damaged- held some intelligence. Some radial scarring around the left socket- the eye being clearly sightless. He wondered if there was a story around that. Caught in the scuffles with another creature of its kind, perhaps?

Dastan raised both of his hands in a gesture that he wasn’t going to harm them. Why did he do this? It was a human gesture after all... probably just instinct for him. Either way, he gave a sigh, and gestured ‘downward’ with a gloved hand, pointing to the ground.

“Sit.” A calm, clear voice.

He sensed out with the force- and hoped maybe that would help him illustrate the point. Dastan’s eye again caught the high-tech collar -'Ah, it won't help..'. It was meant to neutralize connections to the force. Other creatures in the galaxy were sensitive to, and could reach into the force for all sorts of dangerous effects- Akk dogs, Jakobeasts… and more similar creatures- Vornskrs.

He watched the creature stare back at him with a strange look... It either didn’t understand- or didn’t care. Dastan smiled and chuckled to himself.

“That’s okay. This is day one little fella', we’ll come to an agreement soon.”

He turned and sauntered to his desk. “Why don’t you come over here, and relax? We’ve got all evening to figure this out.”

He didn’t know why he was talking to it. Another instinct, perhaps. Though as he turned his back, the creature lunged at him! Yes... This was the type of pet he wanted.

Spinning around, he chuckled, “Perfect!” as he reached out with his left hand and grasped it in place with the force. It’s 'claws' stretched out- teeth bared, chest heaving with angered breaths. Dastan smiled and admired the beast, and slowly let it down to the ground.

“Next time that happens, Slade, I’m rolling up a newspaper and swatting you.”

Having finished her lessons with Warvanus for now, Kita had arrived back to Lord Tormentous Citadel. She had been given a new pet, a baby nexu to be precise for her hard work and also as a new companion for the future.

"I can't wait to start training you Warv!" She exclaimed excitedly as she glanced down at the nexu cub. It gave her a tilt of its head curiously and mewed in response. Naming it after her battle master seemed...right. Seeing as how it was given to her by him and would be a fierce nexu as it got older.

It had been an enjoyable ride for the young sith apprentice. But she wasn't so sure how her master was gonna react to her bringing the cub into his home when it clearly belonged outside with the other beasts. However this wasn't just a beast to her. This was a furry friend...who had the potential to protect her as it grew. Knowing she needed the protection and the cub needed bonding time, surely her master wouldn't have minded Kita keeping Warv with her.

Peeking into the throne room, she didn't see Tormentous anywhere and quickly snuck into her room down the corridors. Locking the door behind her, she sighed and put the cub down before falling on the bed tiredly. Warv clawed his way up clumsily and laid on top of Kita's chest purring, rat like tail curling up around him. The vibrations and sound alone lulled Kita off to sleep within minutes.

Hours later she awoke to find her new pet Warv was not on her chest anymore. Kita bolted upright and with blue eyes wide she noticed her room had been trashed. Claw and teeth marks on her bed post, pillows torn apart, weapons knocked over. "How can such a tiny little thing cause so much damage!?!?" She told herself.

That's when she saw it...the bedroom door hadn't been closed all the way. "Oh crap." Leaping off the bed, Kita used the force to guide her to the baby nexu's location. ...It ended in the throne room.

Her heart caught in her throat hoping her Master hadn't yet found it running around the Citadel. Opening the door slightly, Kita made sure Tormentous wasn't inside before walking in and finding Warv knawing on Derek Starrs skull. "WARV NO!!" The cub gave a small whine of dissapointment as Kita scooped him up.

There didn't seem to be any damage. With a sigh she hugged the nexu tightly and proceeded to scold him. "I'm just glad I found you first." She said with a sigh of relief. "I'm going to have to teach you not to damage other people's property." With that said she headed back to her room with the cub in tow.

Minutes later Tormentous walked into the room and approached his throne...only then to absentmindedly step into a little present left behind by the nexu cub Warv…

~End~

Zechs sat alone in his shuttle enroute to somewhere for some reason for whatever time it'd hold his fleeting interest. He didn’t have a pet, a living companion, or spare parts. He had never been one for such attachments, but he had stumbled into them, despite his best efforts. They rarely lasted due to circumstances impossible to avoid or self-generated.

Alone. It was how he always saw himself being, but tomorrow was tomorrow. Anything was admittedly possible.

At the Jedi temple on Koda Station, Adar was laying on his bed, having just woken up. However, he felt something was off. Small, metal jitters could be heard across the room, and mostly from around his bed. He soon begun to realize that this sound wasn't normal. But when he opened his eyes, he couldn't believe what he saw. He observed meticulously the object that stood a few meters in front of his face. It looked like one of those white flying droids they used for lightsaber deflection training, though it looked more like a sunflower. Its metal parts seemed to move around quite a bit, with only the white core staying motionless. Not only that, but It's optic resembled an eye, with a blue iris, that could actually blink! The little droid just sat there, looking at Adar, almost like waiting for him to say something.

"Emh, hello? What in the Force are you? And what are you doing here?"
It didn't seem to be hostile, or outfitted with weapons.
"Hi!, I am a Ghost, well your Ghost now. The Antarian rangers were tinkering with some old droid parts and software. I was programmed to be a companion droid, and Master Srid sent me to you, Master Adar. Sorry if I scared you."
Adar was speechless. Droids were a common thing to his life, but this was a first. Well, he wasn't gonna let this go. He smiled and extended his hand to little Ghost.
"Did he now? Well, you seem cute enough. Let's talk more over breakfast."
The little droid landed on Adar's hand, and they went off, talking and getting aquanted.

Initially, Adar was a bit skeptical. The droid observed him and his movements, and that fell a bit creepy. It also looked a bit lost, and perhaps he was. He must have been the first "companion droid" to be made, and aside from his programming, he didn't know what to do. Eventually. Adar broke the silence and set a few boundaries, along with a suggestion for Ghost to do "whatever feels right". The little droid blinked and jittered in agreement, and thus, a new bond was made.

Throughout the following days, Adar and Ghost became close. Ghost always stayed close to Adar, keeping him company, helping him with calculations and memorization, and showing affection, as much as his metal frame could. Adar saw how little Ghost liked to twirl in the air, and the effort he put on being entertaining. But most of all, he seemed happy, and that is what Adar valued the most. Someone close to him. Jedi were often alone, but with Ghost, Adar never felt lonely. Although it was obvious the small droid was programmed to be more of a pet, Adar saw him as a true companion. A companion that gave him hope and power, much like the Force.

Being in the enemies base on crait Kyrsha heard some noices coming from a vent nearby. When she looked she saw a little Vulptex. Not fully grown yet and a bit scared of its surroundings. Kyrsha deceided to leave it by the vent and to look for the databank. The Vulptex came out of its hiding spot, looking at Kyrsha.
Being the curios little Vulptex, it started doing circles around Kyrsha investigating its new finding. Kyrsha following the little creature decided to squat down and stretching out her hand.
Sniffing her backhand Kyrsha turned it around so to let it sniff her palm. Tho it spooked the Vulptex at first it investigated the new thing
it was presented with. "spook ya there didn't I" she said. Kyrsha looked at the young Vulptex, smilling at him.
"Curious aren't you, you would make a fine agent" she laughed, trying to pet the Vulptex. Again unsure of the action the Vulptex it took some sort of aggressive stand backing of. Noticing this Kyrsha said "it's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you."
The Vulptex carefully coming closer again, letting Kyrsha pet him. It wasn't easy with its of crystalline bristles coat but the Vulptex didn't care. It seems to like the geasture.
Kyrsha suddendly remember that she was in an enemies base, so she quickly got up went to the databank and downloaded the infomation needed for the mission she was currently on.
The Vulptex looked at her as Kyrsha went to the door, following not too close behind her.
Kyrsha scouting around, the little Vulptex suddenly brought her attention to enemy comming closer. She quickly hides, waiting for him the pass.
"Good catch" she said.
She saw her chance to get out and go to the speeder which will get her to the pick up point. Getting on the speeder she saw the little Vulptex
She picked him up
"you know, I kinda need someone like you after all this job gets kinda lonely."
"you know you need a name, what about Vex, you like that name?"
Kyrsha looked at him and he gave her look back "I'm taking that as a yes" she laughed.
"well Vex lets get going"
The ship arrived and both Kyrsha and Vex went onboard to the new adventures that awaits them.

Watch the bird he’d said: it’ll be a piece of cake he said. As a rule, Sa’ato would only consider taking in a lifeform dependent on photosynthesis. However, an old grade student of his was between houses, and needed somewhere to stash his feathered companion while the house sale was finalized. What he had not told the retired Neti though, was that this was no dwarf peko peko from Naboo.

Indeed, the aging academic was baffled to find a large crate, rather than a small travel case, on his doorstep one morning. Inside was one large and rather moody painted spat by the name of Delbert. The reptavian towered impressively over Sa’ato at a little over two meters, and the two skirmished often in the first few days, the flightless Talusian biped attempting to peck at the professor’s gnarled head at the most inconvenient times.

Eventually, a shaky piece was established. Delbert’s plant-eating nature was not overly destructive to the arboretum, and the Neti was prone to scratching at his beak in gratitude for any cross-pollination the bird inadvertently encouraged. All that changed with one panicked holomessage. In his haste to temporarily relocate his sizable pet, Sa’ato’s former student had forgotten to mention a stipulation of his maintenance.

Delbert’s amalgamation of scales and feathers had to be thoroughly rinsed at least one a week, otherwise he would be vulnerable to infestation by mites and other foreign entities. If Sa’ato detested one thing in his manor, it was pests- especially any that might threaten his plants. Of course, he couldn’t let the spat fall in on his watch either. Thus he made all the preparations to bathe the creature, expecting it to be a simple affair.

Oh how wrong he was. Very, very wrong. The first sign of water caused Sa’ato’s avian guest to fly into a manic rage. Wall panels were pierced and rent asunder, carpets torn, furniture overturned. So it was that the Neti found himself crouched behind the gouged remains of a sofa like some game hunter, his skin coated in perspiration as the now-defunct environmental controls spat a heavy mist throughout the house.

Ears pricking up at the sound of the bird’s gravely breath, Sa’ato lifted his crude weapon, a hand pump filled with water and a powder detergent, and scanned the haze that lay ahead for his prey. No sooner had he done so before a large vase soared into view and detonated against the Neti's wrist, sending the pump spiraling out of his grasp.

Crying out in surprise, Sa’ato observed Delbert half-perched over a side table, poised to launch another antique Malastarian ceramic at the professor with one of its clawed feet. Having had quite enough, Sa’ato leapt to his feet and dove forward, tearing a bar of soap from his belt and hurling it at the crude beast. The spat fired back in turn, and time slowed around the pair. Both hit their mark, and found themselves groaning in pain. So the stalemate continued.

All of the submissions were appreciated, and the winner has been unanimously selected. Again, thank you all for the time and effort put into this month's writing prompt and a special thank you to guest judge Slade for keeping the train running on schedule, so to speak.

The winner is... Professor Sa'ato Mors!