Private Children of Shiraya: A Destiny Forged

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Children of Shiraya: A Destiny Forged
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Off and on throughout their childhood, Hisashi had been there to protect her and her siblings. There wasn’t a time she could remember where he wasn’t there, yet Briana barely knew anything about the man. There was no telling how he was going to take her request to allow her and her sister to tag along with him unbeknownst to their parents. Initially, there was no plan to drag Blaire into this, but she’d heard the rustling of her nosy little sister outside her bedroom quarters while packing, and was forced under threat of blackmail to let her come.

“Hurry up and quit dragging your feet or we’re going to miss him,” Briana chided, adjusting the rucksack slung over her shoulder and picking up the pace, feet pounding against durasteel to make it to the hangar bay in time. Her long golden-brown hair swung behind her, tied back simply with a string to keep it out of the way of her narrow face, having never taken the time to twist and tangle it into the kind of convoluted hairstyles her mother often donned.

Quietly under the cover of night, the two girls slipped side by side through the gated passageway that would lead them to the Estates hangar bay platform.

“Hisashi!!” Briana called out after spotting him, waving her hand frantically in the air, her voice echoing throughout the pristine hangar and taking notice that he was just loading up the last of whatever supplies he was taking along with him onto his ship.

Coming to a screeching halt a few feet before the Shinobi, she took the time to smooth over her leather spacers jacket and compose herself. “Take us with you,” she huffed, slightly out of breath. “We can help. You've seen my simulation scores, and everyone knows that Blaire is one of the best mechanics out there, she was practically born a grease monkey. Besides, the two of us know that bone-head better than anyone and it feels wrong sitting here at the Estate doing nothing while our brother is missing.” Suppose he missed the tiniest detail that could lead him to Brandyn's location? Surely having more eyes couldn't hurt.

Hisashi | Blaire Sal-Soren | Brandyn Sal-Soren ​

 

[Hisashi]

CLAN EE'EVERWEST ESTATE - HANGAR

The Yamata-no-Orochi was no gem.

The Estate of Clan Ee'everwest was a shining example of Naboo's finest. Every corner seemed to be carefully maintained. Not a plant was without its pruning. Not a floor was without its polish. Even within their hangar, every hull gleamed and shined. The Yamata-no-Orochi being the sole exception. The vessel was a hardier ship, one that had survived one too many battles above orbit. It was well-armed. A little slow on the sublight speed. But it made up for this lumbering pace with a solid hyperdrive. Above all else, it was Hisashi's.

He owed no man to acquire it. He earned every part, aftermarket or otherwise, through the fruits of his labor. Through keeping the House of Teyla alive.

Now, a member of that very household had fled into the unknown. And it was his sworn duty to see him returned safely. It was here that a lifetime of blood came in handy. When given the order by the mistress, Hisashi briskly excused himself from the family gathering. Once within the halls, shadows brimmed from his form, bouncing off in the form of literal hounds. The beasts knew their orders without word needing to be given. Some bounded off for the young lord's quarters, seeking anything that might have remains they could track.

A few socks and a hairbrush did the trick.

The others went for security - every moment of the young lord's escape would be directed to the Yamata-no-Orochi before takeoff. Hisashi needed little time to prepare. Only acquiring provisions and enough coin on hand for the trip Coreward. When he did finally board his vessel, the hounds were in tow - rushing up the ramp in accordance with his orders. But they were not alone. Hisashi soon heard his name being called. He squinted.

"Briana?" he said, eyebrow raising. His arms folded upon his chest as she drew near. She and her sibling desired to join him on the quest...and his first instinct was to say no. After all, how could he consider this repaying the mistress' kindness? If he had been more vigilant, the young lord wouldn't have escaped to begin with. And to remedy this...he would take two more children potentially into harm's way? The shinobi grimaced underneath his face mask. That is, until they arrived at the base of the ramp.

Perhaps it was the light. Perhaps it was a trick of the eye, or his own lack of slumber. But he didn't see the grown Briana before him, but rather the younger girl who once followed him about with curiosity in her eyes. The girl who thought she could escape his gaze by poorly hiding behind potted plants. Hisashi huffed.

"You stowed away. And by the time I found you, we were already in hyperspace."

He relented, regretting every syllable which fell from his lips.

"Get settled. Quickly."​

Briana Sal-Soren | Blaire Sal-Soren | Brandyn Sal-Soren​

 

[Blaire Sal-Soren]

'Shut up, Jeez... You're always moaning about something' Blaire thought, creeping stealthily behind her older sister Briana. On her person, nothing but the clothes she had chosen to come with and her backpack. Within a few universal tools, and test kits for various fauna and the like. Not to mention a few changes of clothes in case the trip took longer than expected. Normally Blaire wouldn't dare think about leaving Naboo. Finding strong comfort in home, and solitude; and yet Brandyn leaving how he did was too tumultuous for her to pretend like it didn't bother her.

So, she would leave her lair just this once. Ironically she looked a little cleaner, and more tidy than usual tonight. She could look like a bum at home all she wanted, but her Mother would strangle her if she was spotted looking disheveled out in public for no good reason. When your family owned estates, and played Sunday sports with politicians however...

"Hey, does the whole Force Sensing thing ever warn you when you're gonna' get socked in the nose?"

She mumbled the idle threat, huddled behind her sister and creeping stealthily along until they were outside. After a quick little jog to the hangar, they weren't any longer at risk for being caught, but as they neared, they would see Hisashi prepping for takeoff. If it was up to her, she would've probably just hidden away to remove the possibility of denial, but her sister had a different plan of action in mind.

“Hisashi!!” Briana called out after spotting him, waving her hand frantically in the air, her voice echoing throughout the pristine hangar and taking notice that he was just loading up the last of whatever supplies he was taking along with him onto his ship.

To be fair, she had tried to sneak up on Hisashi exactly sixteen times in her life. And had never, ever been able to do it. The most egregious time she still wanted vengeance for was the time he pretended to be asleep, then effortlessly caught her in her own prank. She owed him for that; one day... Maybe a glitter bomb or something... She smiled as they neared, glancing over to Briana, and maintaining some quiet as her sister navigated the conversation.

"Briana?"

"And Blaire..." She added off-handedly, moving past Hisashi and moving to sit on a circular durasteel container.

"You stowed away. And by the time I found you, we were already in hyperspace."

"Shotgun!" Blaire called out, popping off that container with energy, and turning to thud up the ramp. After settling in, she would indeed take up position as co-pilot, flying like a true nerd. If others would jump on the craft and hit the power. She had already started checking gauges, and pressure levels; making sure everything was correct for travel. Even putting on the headset, and beginning to drum lightly on the console ahead of her.

Hopefully her happy go lucky attitude didn't affect Hisashi, though Blaire was completely unaware how conflicted he was in that moment. She was just ready to have an adventure! One that wasn't regulated by them having to act, or behave a certain way. She hated rules most of the times. People were meant to be free!

Brandyn Sal-Soren Briana Sal-Soren Hisashi

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

The eldest of the triplets had not expected Hisashi to agree, due to a lack of either one of the sisters having any kind of real-world experience. Prepared for his refusal, Briana straightened her spine and squared her shoulders, both hands on her hips and eyebrow cocked. It was a classic Briana standoff pose. That, ‘I know better than you look’ of a stubborn know-it-all who wouldn’t take no for an answer. The same look that had so often landed her in hot water with her superiors back when she attended the Elle Acradium Academy for young women.

"You stowed away. And by the time I found you, we were already in hyperspace."

She remained steadfast in her posture until his words finally sunk in, slowly softening, possibly saved from the embarrassment of having to try and back up a false show of bravado that the young Sal-Soren wasn’t ready to prove, especially not to a seasoned veteran like Hisashi who possessed a propensity for combat.

"Shotgun!" Blaire called out, popping off that container with energy, and turning to thud up the ramp.

Briana dodged quickly left to get out of the way of her bolting younger sister, wind whipping past in a barely missed head-on collision. “Hey! Watch it!” she griped, rolling her eyes at the antics. “I swear, if she could be plugged into a ship, I don’t think she’d say no.” Briana murmured, thinking that for a moment she could see the form of her elusive sister running about in the viewport.

“Thanks for this,” she said pointedly to Hisashi with a polite nod, finally following suit up the ramp at a much more steady pace to find a rear seat, fastening the belt over her lap and shifting until she was comfortable.

Unlike Blaire, Briana felt a lot more reluctant to leave the only home she'd ever known. It was ridiculous, really. It wasn't like she wouldn't be back, and the sooner they left, the sooner they'd return.

It was time to bring Brandyn back home.

Hisashi | Brandyn Sal-Soren | Blaire Sal-Soren ​

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

PLANET: Ank Kit'aar
SYSTEM: Druess

Ank’Kitaar was not on most people’s maps. In fact, Brandyn had barely heard of it before when choosing it as his destination. The hope was that he would simply slip through customs there, and then make it for Coruscant and the Jedi Temple to request training. Sure there was the looming doubt as to whether or not he would be accepted by the Jedi, but that was pushed well and truly from his mind.

His plan had worked well. His friend Darian had helped him purchase false credentials to travel under, the pseudonym of Carrington Doomslayer was pretty sweet. Darian had visited the Estate, switched passes with Brandyn and then used shrubbery as a disguise to make it look like Brandyn had departed through the lakeside exit. The reality was much more simple. Brandyn had dressed as Darian, hat and all, waited for the patrol droids to circle pass and then departed from the front gate using Darian’s pass.

Guilt was now the plague of Brandyn’s mind. Would his mother be scared for him? Would his father be furious? Yes. The answer to that one was a quick yes. Would Blaire feel betrayed? And would Briana just be jealous that he did it first? Who knew. Perhaps he would never see them again. That thought did hit harder than most.

”Mr Doomslayer!”

The voice was robotic, and flustered. Not an uncommon pairing. Brandyn realised that his pseudonym had been called out a few times already. His attention was pulled from staring out the window of the public transport shuttle, as he glanced back at the pilot droid

”We have landed, Mr Doomslayer. You may disembark now, just as all the other passengers have done.”

With a twitch of his head, Brandyn glanced out the window. The droid was right. They were in the public landing facility, much smaller and lacking amenities compared to the one on Naboo. He must have completely zoned out.

Brandyn stop, and grabbed his duffle from the overhead storage compartment. Without a word, he departed from the vessel, avoiding eye contact with the droid’s optic sensors. The bright sun of Ank Kit’aar’s system beat down on on the young runaway. It felt. Different. Hotter than the star of Naboo. He was truly beyond the life he had always known.

”Alright…Carrington Doomslayer…let’s find a ride to Coruscant.”

Destiny awaited.

| Blaire Sal-Soren | Briana Sal-Soren | Hisashi |​