Private To Cookies! (Zambrano Girls)

[Raya Najwa Zambrano]

Malsheem

Today is a good day for being Raya. Tis the best day for Rayas, a day like this, with its’… day-ness… I’m skipping down the halls of the Medical Centre in part of the High Palace and feel like flexing my hand. Funny kind of feeling, flexing a hand.

“Hello, new ring. I’m’a call you Stanley.” There’s a pink ring of scar tissue around my left wrist, more bubble-gum pink than coral… oooo maybe it’s bubble-coral pink. Another Daddy Loves Me moment achieved, and my grand plan to make Darth Carnifex the Galactic Bad belly laugh is coming to fru-fruit-tition? Fruficcion? To goodly-ness. My Daddy loves me. I know it, he loves me, ‘cause otherwise why would he remind me so many times that I need to improve my fighting skills? Train so hard it hurts, then battles won’t. How else to keep me safe?

Right? … Right?

I catch a reflection of my left arm in a mook’s chestplate, warbled by the curve of duraplast, the bubble-coral ring is all puffed and raw. Healed rings echo up my arm to the shoulder. Something’s stinging my nose, and I can’t help blink my eyes and don’t know why, but it helps when I tug my sleeve down to the wrist, pull on it and hold it with my fingers. But why are my eyes stinging? I sniffle, rub my nose with my right hand (it feels way more Raya-ish than the left), and exhale a deep, deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep almost as deep as Girak-Kaine when he's in the oracular zone, breath.

And I’m dancing down the hall, a bead in my ear feeding me music from my copious collection. If I go this way, I’ll meet Zeptepi Zambrano or G Ghanima Zambrano or even Adara Raxis . Or, if I go the opposite way long enough I’ll circle back… ooo maybe there’s a sandwich or a chocolate shake or marshmallows on a stick with the crusty cookie bits on and … yep!

“Cookies, ho!” This is totes the right way to go. I can feel it.

 

[Zeptepi Zambrano]

Speeder race in the corridors anyone?
Raya Najwa Zambrano | G Ghanima Zambrano | Adara Raxis

'Wait…wait…WAIT! Raya is almost right in front—.' "A-hah!" Zeza suddenly popped up over the opposite side of the galley's steel countertop. "I beat you here this time!" Her eyes narrowed. "You don't get ALL the cookies today, Missy!"

A ring of speeder keys, snatched right from the hull dispatch coordinator, Zeza carefully planted them among the remaining cookies scattered upon the tray. She pretended not to know of them, so Raya could discover them first, and Zeza wouldn't get herself caught in a lie with any of their many mothers this time. Leaning an elbow on the cold steel, she scooted the tray towards her half-sister.

"Everyone else will be here soon. Better hurry up, or you'll get far less than half of what's left," she smiled lightly as she waited.

The crew was just beginning to file in for the making of the meals. Zeza watched as they began to scramble about, making a ruckus with everything they touched. Soon the smell of cookies would be ruined by whatever is on the menu for the day. The freezer was opened and a great number of beef was scurried out, strung up on large wheeled racks.

"Eeew!" she blurted. The milk she just had with her cookies fought against gravity momentarily. Zeza turned away. "Okay, let's go over there now," she pointed out a direction, helping to lift the tray as she rounded the counter to the side where Raya stood. "Do they do this every morning, while you sit here and eat cookies?" she asked, hearing the crew tear into the meat to sever portions for the meal.
​

 

[Darth Ahriman]

Tags: Raya Najwa Zambrano | Zeptepi Zambrano | G Ghanima Zambrano
==================================================

There was no known force or fated conclusion that could offer Valen an explanation appropriate to the scene he found playing out before his own eyes. Standing there silently with his hands buried in the pockets of his black robe peering out from beneath the baggy hood covering much of his face, he watched as his Master Zeptepi Zambrano ...-Appeared to be acting...-Her age?

The young man had seen a great deal of daunting and terrible things during his service to the Empire, yet in the entire time he had known his Master, he had never seen so much personality revealed to him compared to that which she displayed in a matter of mere moments, she also seemingly playing with a friend. Or atleast he presumed they were friends. Truthfully, Zeptepi had struck him as much colder and more calculating than to actually have any friends within the Sith Order.

How much did he actually know about her?

He did not speak or announce his presence in any way, even with the arrival of G Ghanima Zambrano making the pair a sudden trio, all apparently well acquainted and much more comfortable within the High Palace than he seemed to be. It wasn't a place that he was familiar with, and since arriving on Malsheem alongside his Master, despite wanting to understand their being there, it would time some time yet before he truly felt like he had a place within the Kainate.

Darth Carnifex. Darth Prazutis. Two infamous and powerful Sith Lords whose names were well known from one corner of the Galaxy to the next. Valen had never met either of them before, yet he knew of them. He knew not why they had fallen away from the Imperial sovereignty of the Sith Empire, yet that the Kainate had managed to retain their role and reach across the Galaxy in ways that had yet to be revealed to him, a newcomer to the Kainate and estranged to all except Zeptepi, one of the Daughters to the rightful Emperor.

She of whom...Had visibly gagged at the sight of hanging meat, despite having set five other acolytes on him within the first ten minutes of their meeting and instructed him to kill or be killed. Had Valen not undergone the experiences of war, been hardened by the killing of men and women, the training that she had provided and orders followed within open warfare, perhaps he would have been able to enjoy the lighter atmosphere...-But his current confusion, his seemingly perplexed gaze was all a credit to her influence.

An influence severely contradicted the behaviour he was witnessing in front of him now.

 

[First Sister]

Mess Hall, High Palace - Malsheem
White Sith Habit
Spirit Anchor - Choker │ Miniaturized Double-Bladed Spinning Lightsaber​

The tiny Qilin was still sore all over her body, her legs, arms, and core aching with strain from yet another bout of intense, physically demanding, and violent training. Fortunately, she had come off better than Raya, though the Qilin had been left with an ugly cut across her face, necessitating that she go to the medical center as well, wanting to ensure that it would not permanently marr her pale features. She had left with a bacta bandage which ran across her nose and left cheek, along with specific instructions from the doctor regarding how to take care of the wound, so as to prevent the formation of a scar. In contrast, Raya had suffered a severed wrist, necessitating that the girl spend more time in medical as the doctors worked to reattach the appendage. The Sister had stayed by Raya’s side the entire time, if not out of a sense of strange, sisterly obligation, but to keep an eye on a comrade in his Eclipsing Mission.

They were always stronger together.

It was something that the Sister needed to remind herself of, in spite of her tendency towards working alone. For now though, she was far from alone. Entering the mess hall, the Sister took a tray and a plate meant for hands larger than her own, then picked out her food, nerf steak, bread, eggs, and…

A chocolate sundae.

To say the least, the food on offer in the High Palace was far better than the standard rations.

From there, the Sister waited for Raya, her attention briefly called by a blonde Intelligence Officer declaring herself as the ‘Cookie Inspector’. The tiny electromancer blinked at realizing that she had opted for a sundae over cookies, but she supposed that she could have both...

Right?

After all, Lightning and Surge weren’t exactly free, the Sister reasoned to herself as she moved to grab three sugar cookies...

Raya Najwa Zambrano Zeptepi Zambrano G Ghanima Zambrano Valen Arenais ​

 

[Raya Najwa Zambrano]

“Everyone else?” Another snuffle and I draw my right wrist across my eyes, “Are… are we having a party? I didn’t bring anything for a party. S-sorry, I think I got a bug in my eye…”

I see the jingle of keys, and nibbling my lip I snatch them up. Stuffed in my pocket, I feel their jingly weight as G Ghanima Zambrano enters all blonde and unfamiliar. “Huh… maybe I did bring something for a party? Go me! Oooo! A cookie inspector!? Wait… an inspector of cookies? Someone who eats the first cookie to see if they’re poison? Oh my gooses, are we eating cookie-poison!? Who would poison cookies!?”

I blink, and drop my cookie.

“… other than half the family, maybe three quarters of the Sith and Steve… I strongly dislike that guy. Steve… it’s the name, who’s named Steve? Are you a cookie inspector, who eats the first cookie to see if you have a horrific death at the hands of unnamed, possibly Steve, cookie poisoning bandits!?” I gasp, that would be tragic! The most evil in the universe, despoiling the mighty cookie. “… or are you the cookie inspector, who inspects the cookies for quality and choco-chippie bits and the correct proportion of sprinkles and icing?”

Don’t know why seeing First Sister makes the stinging in my eyes worse, must be… it must… I trot halfway to the girl with the bacta patch, a sense of competition and… familiarity? I know the way she moves. The language her body makes, when we’re combating, a most pure Echani invention, combat-body-language. “Aaawwwwwwwwwww chocolate sundaaaeeee I want ooone… ooo! I’m Raya! We’re having a party, are you coming?”

But first no party can begin with meat slabs grossing out my girl! Zeptepi Zambrano had a disgusted look on her face, as racks of meat, and seriously, not the most pleasant view, get wheeled toward the butchery for lunch. Dinner? Supper? Linnupper? Repaaaaahst as Momi Gunnr and the Panathan ones say, with polite etiquette that makes me giggle.

“I gotchoo girl!” Must be for linnupper. I rock back onto my heels, my right hand which feels real and part of me flares in bright prismatic colour. The beauty and Light of the Force radiates and the entire Galley, every work table, sink and oven wibble-wobbles. Transforms into a purple-night with starry sky wonderland of candies. The tiles beneath our feet are flower petals, the table with the cookies a mushroom with green and purple spots, and the offensive beef sides are now marshmallow trees being wheeled around by staff wearing candy wrapper style ensembles.

“There. No more ick-ness on party day.” I dust off my hands, sit down on a toad holding up a stool seat and grab a cookie with a giggle. “Cookies are great. And sundaes, my gooses!”

The microcosm of our galley-bound world is perfect. I’ve got a glass of blue milk, choco-chip cookie the size of my ha.. hand… I clench and flex my left hand a couple times, nibble on the cookie as a candy wrapper servant places an ice cream sundae at my side. White Current illusions like this are as common as my breathing, when I’m around, and I wiggle my left fingers to test them out, conjuring a cutesie Dathomiri bat to flutter around Zeza and Valen’s heads.

Two sets of pounding boots rustle into the galley, and if I believed in time, I’d look at a watch with approval. “Right on time. Hiya twinsies!”

“Told you.” Girak Cadera grinned, his arms stuffed across his chest as Magnus Cadera ‘s jaw dropped and the near seven foot tall stringbean teenager deflated. Girak-Kaine sees Valen Arenais and gasps, staring at him with the doe-eyes of his gifts, before taking a cookie and giving it a slow bite. He smiles meekly at Zeza and First Sister, at the cookie inspector.

“Never bet against a kid, who sees the future, Maggi.” I grin and shake my head, trotting over to our half-brothers and jumping to pat their heads. “C’mon! It’s a party and there’s cookies and ice cream and…. that guy! And a cookie inspector, who either inspects cookies for poison like Maud the Royal Taster…” I put my hand on my heart and sigh, “She will be missed… or! Or she inspects cookies for the correct ratio of nummy bits and pieces and I haven’t decided yet, but now that you’re here we have a consensus and c’mon! It’s a party! People are happy at parties.”

“COOKIES!” Magnus launches at the table-mushroom and despite the potential for poison, starts om-nom-nomming and sipping at my blue milk.

 

[Zeptepi Zambrano]

Raya Najwa Zambrano | G Ghanima Zambrano | Adara Raxis | First Sister | Valen Arenais | Girak Cadera | Magnus Cadera

Zeza laughed at Ghanima's entrance. The shroud has gotten them out of alot of trouble in the past, as it always fools the servants, and is a must have for any day filled with shenanigans. She immediately leaned close, "I love that you brought the thing," she whispered, referring to the shroud. A mischievous smile arced across her lips, as she eyed the tray, noting how close they are to the keys being discovered by Raya.

Something is always afoot with this group. And why shouldn't it be? These girls were bred and born into war. It literally is the purpose of their existence. It isn't fair, seeing how other cultures live on-planet. They have everything given to them by their parents who spend time with them, and they sit there while everyone of the Zambrano's trains an Army and personally goes to war for them so that they can still sit on their butts?! Why are the peasants so privileged? Nobody ever gave Zeza that memo. With every chance she gets, she is determined to live it up a little!

'We deserve a little fun…DAMNIT!'



Everyone poured in during the cantina's off hours, and Zeza smiled in greeting to her kindred.

Raya started her typical day mentally all over the place, as expected. For a moment there Zeza suspected something grand began brewing in her imagination. She reached out her arms and the proof sprung forth. Raya's smile indicated she became very pleased with herself as she altered the rooms perception of reality with genuine fabricated illusion. The staff grumbled, their visual perception disrupting the work, while Zeza cracked a smile. The smell of blood in the raw meat was not masked however, and the Crusader slid another cookie up under her nose. She noted that the keys were already snatched up. She raised up a hand to her brow and subtly laughed in her amusement of the whole charade. In due time, their day shall progress!

Within a moment, a member of staff presented ice cream for Raya, stepping too close to Zeza for her liking that she announced, "Maybe the cookie inspector writes up the staff for a beating."

The strange twinkle bubbled in the eyes of Girak as he gazed from Zeza to… 'What?' Zeza turned in alarm to see Valen, and she wondered what Girak had seen, and whether she could coax him them to tell.



Freedom to human, or as near human as one can get, is vital to everyone. Zeza knew that Valen had not let his guard down since she had met him, and knowing he was standing there, alone in the corner, away from everyone else, still donning the Acolyte robes he wore while he killed jedi, his hood pulled down over his eyes to shield others from seeing into his Soul…she recognized that he had been at continual war a tad too long, that he lost a vital part of his natural existence. She realized her personal responsibility to help him rediscover himself as a person without needing to live up to titles.

Part of her doesn't like this very much at all, and would rather force him to take to his station, scrubbing the floor, or doing the royal laundry. But he isn't just some peasant man like the staff, he is a Sith by his own right. He is accomplished and not some lackey, or horn-dog womanizer either. He performed his duty and earned his right to be respected… even by Zeza herself. Valen didn't just hide behind the name of the Zambrano's, and therefore Zeza found it in herself to deal fairly with him.

She felt her sisters might like to meet the heartthrob Acolyte who was featured in the recent war magazine as the mystery soldier who became notorious overnight as the Sith's next most promising warrior to follow in his career goals! The magazine was truly raunchy and meant for teens, and it hid behind a title most wouldn't choose to pick-up and read on purpose. In fact, although she has never to this day said it aloud, she is proud of how far he has come in so little time, a fact which also earns him furlough. She only hopes it beginning in the midst of her sisters, that Valen doesn't get a big ego over their fawning.



Still she sighed with exasperation before she waved him over to the group. She would order he come over if she must. She tapped into his psyche Telepathically, "Come on over. Meet my family. You are on furlough…three days." Three days is just long enough, that when she earns everyone punishment, Valen will have plenty enough time to do a double shift, taking up her chores along with his own assigned.

'I do so love having an Apprentice...very, very much!'​

 

[Darth Ahriman]

Tags: Raya Najwa Zambrano | Zeptepi Zambrano | G Ghanima Zambrano
===============================================================

The Sith Acolyte had been standing there trying to come up with some form of explanation for that which he saw playing out before his eyes; Most astonishing was not that his Master was acting more like a typical teenager, one with a heart and soul who reflected the very nature of those of a normal life, but rather Raya Najwa Zambrano who used her skills to manipulate the groups understanding of their surroundings, somehow concocting an entirely new and bizarre reality, a mirage or trick to mask the true nature of the room they inhabited. It was all so...Feminine, too.

"Come on over. Meet my family. You are on furlough…three days."

'Do I have to?' were the first words that Valen thought, but knew better than to speak in response to Zeptepi Zambrano 's instruction. The movement from the pair of males closer to where he stood was however something of a blessing in such a twisted environment, the fact that there were at least other males to which he would likely be able to relate better. Surely they would also share his disinterest at such a...flowery, bubbly scene. Girly, for lack of better words. Girak Cadera and Magnus Cadera would receive a nod of acknowledgement, though having been spoken to by his Master would be she who would find his approach first.

"What...-Are you doing?" He asked Zeptepi, soon to quickly add, "Master" in order to appear more subservient. Furlough, this was a word he recognized and yet since joining the Sith Order, had never had time to experience prior to now. Time to relax, to shrug off the fatigue of war against those who would threaten and insult their sovereign right to stand atop the Galaxies highest echelons of society, to rule as the Sith were meant to.

There was a sense of ease and comfort within those times, better knowing how to act within a battlefield and by rank, than compared to the here and now where Valen stood before his fellow teenagers, perhaps the only one of the group who retained the visage of what it had meant to be Sith within the Empire's rank and file.

 

[First Sister]

Mess Hall, High Palace - Malsheem
White Sith Habit
Spirit Anchor - Choker │ Miniaturized Double-Bladed Spinning Lightsaber​

Before her eyes, the steak on her plate morphed into caramel cake, the bread into a pair of long, cream-filled chocolate donuts, and the eggs into cookie dough brownies. Naturally, the sugar cookies and the chocolate sundae remained untouched by the illusion being wrought by Raya, but in glancing up and looking across the mess hall, the Sister could tell that everyone else’s food had been similarly altered by the Princess.

The Sister frowned, as while she had a sweet touch, it wasn’t quite this sweet. She did have iced sugar cookies and a chocolate sundae, after all.

Unfortunately, her affinity for the galvanic forces of nature and the dark side could do her little good in dispelling an illusion of this nature. The art of the White Current, of which the Princess seemed to be quite proficient in executing, was beyond the scope of her knowledge.

Nevertheless, the Sister set her food down at the table, opting to take a bite from one of her sugar cookies while waiting for the illusion to hopefully dissipate as the effort of maintaining it began to strain the Princess. Of course, the electromancer hadn’t told the teenager about the energy-restoring cocktail she had formulated to stave off such exhaustion, which theoretically might have allowed Raya to keep up the illusion indefinitely, if she chose to embrace this new reality to such a drastic extent.

“And I thought I had a sweet tooth…” The electromancer said softly to herself, the irony of her comment completely lost on her as she spooned a massive dollop from her chocolate sundae and pushed it into the gaping maw of her mouth, the flavor exploding on her tongue as she closed her eyes, savoring the chocolatey goodness...

Raya Najwa Zambrano Zeptepi Zambrano Valen Arenais G Ghanima Zambrano ​

 

[Raya Najwa Zambrano]

I didn’t need to hear what the Cookie Inspector G Ghanima Zambrano whispered, the cook’s clench of his fist, the curl of his hand was enough. Body language, why does nobody ever question ho… I flex my left hand.

Suddenly it’s incredibly important, the most important thing in the universe to clench this left hand with its’ fresh pink mark, and I gasp as on top of a bunch of mushroom cap tables and marshmallow trees, miniature visions of First Sister and I in training, of her falling over and me offering a hand… of the chop… a clenched hand on the ground, my saber thrust at her face, fingers curling, inward curling like the fist I didn’t make, the pained scream of a thousand mini-Raya’s screaming without sound as they fall to their knees in tandem, and I can feel the pain in my wrist and it burned like the seven times I’ve felt it before in this one arm and Daddy watching… can’t make Daddy think I’m weak, I can’t be effable, I have to be ineffable, I have to smile and be Raya I have to…

I have to…

Daddy picks me up again, cradled to his chest as my lightsaber veers through the air unignited. Agony roils, body clenched around the hand, his words on how I failed, disappointed him yet again, I should keep my guard, finish the fight, thunder through every time I see another of the hundreds of projections of the moment from before, this one moment, replaying over and over and over and over and…

I gasp as if I held my breath under water ten seconds too long. The images fade to the candy land I made for Zeptepi Zambrano , and I set my posture in the ‘way we were taught’. The Way of a Princess…

“I think someone chopped off my hand…” I clench left-handed fingers I don’t recognize, but know they’re mine. But cookies, and sundaes and a party. “… this isn’t my hand… It’s not my hand, I don’t know… waitaminute…

Keys?” The keys jingle, and I don’t realize anything is amiss until Gigi leans over with a napkin the colour of rainbow print and wipes off my cheeks. My head finds Zeza’s shoulder, cheek pressed on her pale skin. Eyes closed, I take another deep deeeeeeeeeep breath and hold it.

By the time I exhale, the candy land with its’ repetitive shadow-play is gone. My hands jingle on …

“Keys? Oooooooo speederkeys. Guys! Gals! Non-binarinos! I’ve got speederkeys.” My smile cracks across the room, chefs and cooks are busying about, First Sister has the best breakfast in the universe and… “Ooo! Cookies! H-hey, you! Cookie inspector, you say there’s no risk of poison, I’m’a believe you.”

I rub my eyes, one big sniffle before sidling up to Valen Arenais and Zeptepi. “Oh hey! Nice ta meetcha this time round. Be good to my sister, or I’ll… Is… Gigi, is that what people say? I keep forgetting what people are supposed to say… welcome? Are you here for our party? Oh! Wanna go for a ride?”

The keys jingle, and I know there’s a marvellous amount of fun in our future.

“We keep out of the manufacturing district, we won’t get disemboweled.” Hand shaking the keys, I grin and stick a cookie in my mouth, chewing, then flailing for some blue milk Girak happens to be holding, then swallow. “Anyone who wants to go for a joyride’s gotta get a huuuuuuuuug.”

Arms flung open, I wait for the first person to hug me. Don’t know why, but I need this. The fun and the goofing around, a spontaneous party and my siblings scattered to get into the best sorts of trouble. Doesn’t hurt there’s an undeniably hot guy staring at us all, and for once? He’s not even remotely family.

 

[Zeptepi Zambrano]

Raya Najwa Zambrano | G Ghanima Zambrano | Adara Raxis | First Sister | Valen Arenais | Girak Cadera | Magnus Cadera

Zeza had eaten half the tray of warm cookies on her own before anyone else arrived. If she had died, the staff would have likely disposed of her body through the garbage chute, that is how much respect she has earned from them since the moment of her birth. Luckily, their Father has the inhabitants of Malsheem steeped in the Darkside of his Will, for the protection of all.

Her Apprentice seems incredibly awkward. She figured him intent to be a stick in the mud, unless she does something about it. 'Boys! BLECH!' She thought maybe to let him drop the titles for the day…but decided his head might implode. On the battlefield he is a monster, a killing machine; it did not escape her detection that in front of a few teenage girls he seems practically catatonic. She suddenly jabbed her fingertips into his ribs, just to see how he would react. Would he hesitate? A move which would surely get him killed on the battlefield. Would he jump? Or as she supposed least likely, would he lighten the heck up?

Raya's head plopped atop Zeza's shoulder. She lightly pat Raya's cheek as her most bubbly sister's mind slipped into a state of reminiscence and remorse over the obvious loss of her hand. Zeza's eyes fell sympathetically onto the scar, and she wanted Raya to believe the same Truth she does, that under the roof of their awesome omnipotent Father they are free and safe, and that everything will be alright. "Raya growed up," she stated. "All done," Zeza added with a lite shrug.

'Remember keys. Remember keys…'

And then the glorious moment occurred. Raya raised and twirled the keys before their noses with a grand delightful twinkle in her eyes, and she knows exactly what they belong to as well! 'YES!!' Zeza bit her tongue, because Raya must believe she came up with the plan on what to do with them on her own…maybe with a little Telepathic assistance drawing the conclusion on occasion; but she must believe she is in charge of calling the shots, in order that Dad doesn't kill anybody for what they are about to do.

Then suddenly it happened. Raya said she wants to go for a ride around Malsheem. That is a behavior which will obviously be frowned upon, but they can make do if it were to… "Would it make Raya very happy, if we have a race through the corridors?" she asked, slipping in a few details to her unspoken plot, so Raya could form a better idea on what to suggest to her siblings.

Now just to decide what will be the finish line! Will they jump multiple story levels in this friendly competition?

When Raya asked for hugs, Zeza immediately reached over and shoved Valen away, but that did not mean he would be excluded from the fun. She just wanted him not to stank up her sisters any.
​

 

[Darth Ahriman]

Tags: Raya Najwa Zambrano | Zeptepi Zambrano | First Sister
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The jab to Valen's side caused the Sith Acolyte to flinch, turn and stare back at his Master in disbelief. It was the first form of casual contact between them in the entire time of having known and trained under her tutelage, and now without the constraints of formality between them, he wasn't certain at all in how he should respond. Any previous form of contact prior to that moment had been through sparring and the exchange of violence in a bid to strengthen his skill in battle.

Between Raya Najwa Zambrano 's rather sporadic manner in which she spoke to him, almost as though every statement was left to hang in the question of her own perception upon the world around her, to the remark from Ghanima Zambrano in which he had been accused of being too young to drive. He had led a squadron of elite troopers into battle against the enemies of their Emperor and yet here he was being told that he couldn't drive a simple vehicle. He had his own starship!

"What's wrong with that one?" he pointed to Raya, speaking to his Master in blunt question. Ghanima had already proven herself to be annoying upon first impressions and so he placed his attention on the other girl who held his attention a little longer in her bizarre behaviour.

"I don't even know where to start asking questions when it comes to you..." He added, looking to Zeptepi Zambrano, still wanting to figure out what exactly her aim was there, compared to how she had acted and treated him back on Dromund Kaas. She had sent him out on assignments that most typical acolytes would have been killed within, and yet he stood there within the room filled with strangers who seemed to be focusing on cookies and now planning to drive some type of vehicle through the halls of the Royal Palace.

Valen didn't understand. It was that simple. Their careless and childish demeanour had taken him by complete surprise and while many Sith could be mischievous in their toying with their victims, this wasn't that kind of deviance, but rather a juvenile display that made him question his purpose in being there. Perhaps in their eyes, he would seem negative, appear to be a killjoy and perhaps even melodramatic.

"Do we not have more important things to do, Master?"

 

[First Sister]

Mess Hall, High Palace - Malsheem
White Sith Habit
Spirit Anchor - Choker │ Miniaturized Double-Bladed Spinning Lightsaber​

“Sweet, dollopy, chocolate, sugar-stuffed goodness…” The Sister moaned softly, the irony once more lost on her as she fell into the syrupy embrace of her chocolate sundae, stuffing her face with every savory bite. Before long, the electromancer had finished the delicacy, then moved on to the sugar cookies. She scraped away the icing with her teeth, swallowing down a dollop of frosty goodness before eating the cookie itself. However, even in the reverie of delicious, sugary, sweetness, the Sister felt the waves of emotion coming off the Princess, shared experience making the sensation that much stronger.

The diminutive Qilin felt a surge of guilt. She hadn’t meant to cut off her hand, but with blades set to full power at the behest of her God and combined with her own lack of finesse in the lightsaber arts, her blade had found the Princess’ wrist. The teenager’s blood curdling scream in the wake of the blow yet still rang in the Sister’s pointed ears.

She wondered if her Master was proud of her.

And yet, in moving towards the Princess for a hug, the Sister knew that her Master would likely not be proud of her display of empathy and mercy. Sith didn’t coddle the weak, which was why in her mind, the diminutive Qilin justified it as embracing a friend.

“I-I hope it doesn’t hurt too much...Raya.” The Sister said awkwardly to the Princess. “I’ll try to be…” She paused, briefly considering her words. “Easier...next time.”

The Sister gave a deep breath at the mention of a speeder race, remembering that Malsheem did have a raceway, though it was mainly used for by the Grand Army, to train speeder bike pilots and other personnel who made extensive use of fast repulsorcraft.

Maybe they wouldn’t mind a couple Sith using it for a joyride.

“What about the raceway?” The electromancer piped up. "They have a lot of new speeder bikes in the garages, including the Atroxa and the Emeici. I hear those are really fast!"

Raya Najwa Zambrano Zeptepi Zambrano Valen Arenais ​

 

[Raya Najwa Zambrano]

“Awwwwwww cookie inspectoor… I love me too.” Hugs! My family is embracing me, and I am loved. Then! With a gust of sudden and wonderfully noble wind, the cookie inspector is thrown from the thread and although I keep trying to picture what a thread is beyond the thing that makes my clothes, when I pull them on my sweaters, all is right with the world-craft. “Huh. Probably poison…”

“H-hey… We’re old enough!” Magnus puffs up, all seven feet of him with a pout that makes me giggle for how childish it seems. “We have war mounts and…”

“Wait!” Girak-Kaine wobbles, a hand stuck to his temple as he swaggered and bumped shoulders with his brother.

“Wha-what… a vision?” Magnus gasped, gripped onto Girak-Kaine’s shoulders and shook him lightly. This could be it! I lean forward, if Girak sees us in doom and gloom, we can… okay we’ll pick a different route, but still.

“Y-yes, I’m seeing… I’m seeeeeiiiiing…”

“Death!? Dismember-ah-more dismemberment? Worse!” Magnus gasps and hugs his identical twin to his side, ready to run in whichever directino would be safest. “Mother catches us!?”

“I see… us. Never living down the fact we are their little brothers and won’t ever stop being made fun of.” Girak smirked and giggled as Magnus punched his arm with a smack, pointing at Valen Arenais halfway through. “Oh yeah, no death but that guy gets cut. We’re good!”

“You could never hurt me more than Daddy already has.” I hug First Sister with a smirk, despite the throb in my wrist. “Nothing will ever be more painful or more horrific… thus, every day I have is the best! I think! Maybe! Let’s go with yes!” More hugs!? How did I luck out? Still, I hear a big sniffle when hugging First Sister, and… oh. It’s me. A deep breath, and I try to let the rest of the memories go.

“Raya did, didn’t she, Zeza?” I scratch at the long sleeve of my shirt, several other ring-like scars raised under my fingers. With a huff, I kiss Zeptepi Zambrano , my sister’s cheek and yank off my sweater, letting it burst into colourful ribbons (but actually flump onto the floor). I scratch at the new scar, the seven older ones on my left arm. One farther, up to the coil of my shoulder, asymetric to the ring-scars on my right. Girak winces, feels along his skin unblemished. “Hah! Haaaah! How can we not race through the corridors? We’re on a giant ship-world, there’s nothing but corridors… or Momi Gunnr’s Botany Research Spheres…”

Girak and Magnus shake their heads, waving frantic at the thought… “… actually… I’m more scared of Momi Gunnr if I ruined her plants than hitting Daddy in the backoozie with a speeder…” The brothers relax.

I whirl around on Valen with one finger booped on his nose in a radiance of multi-prismic sparks. “You live connected to both what you’ve done, and what you’ll do given a predictable causal chain, not modified intensely by chaotic, outside forces. Always clouded by past battles, or training or definitions, which require redefining, or what is hoped for or sought with foreboding. I adapted.

Now, Valen. You define you… okay... Zeza defines you. Now matters. Pasts, hazy futures, they’re like scars. If not properly treated they pull, but they are not me. They are not now.

I am Raya Najwa Zambrano, child of the Starmother Ahani Najwa, who lives outside of time. I am predisposed to the Light of the Force, in a family where we purge members who do not function in our Father and Uncle’s designs. Bam. Dead. Like forty of my siblings, deceased concubines and even Daddy’s wives. And Daddy lets me live. I am light, and I am now and I am… infinitely chaotic. Someday, my parents will expect me to reform reality, or die trying. I’d much rather live today.” Pale lips squirm into a smirk, then another raucous grin. I trot to the edge of the galley, and out into the hall. But which way? The left way smells like teen disappointment... but the right smells oddly of cheese... Left it is! Wait! I have the keys... I can just... I hit the beeper on the keys, and a distant sound to the left rings out. Aha! Score! “Those speeders aren’t going to race themselves. And Valen? Don’t’cha think Zeza works hard enough? Two breaks, give us all two, massive, breaks…. oooooo Firstie’s right, there’s a raceway somewhere! Let’s go knick some of those Emeeciible-dee speeder bikes and find it!”

“She’s crazy, but kinda right.” Magnus slung his arm over Valen’s shoulder, with a grin from behind his olive-skinned smile. “I call racing the war hero! Since I'm totally old enough and not a child!”

 

[Zeptepi Zambrano]

Raya Najwa Zambrano | Adara Raxis | First Sister | Valen Arenais | Girak Cadera | Magnus Cadera

What is wrong with Raya, Valen had asked. Zeza watched Raya lead the way before she spoke. "Raya is a Master at Augmented Reality. She can make you puke in just under 1 point 3, 6…2 seconds. And she has seen some shit, so we don't let her mind wander. Ain't nobody truly seen what she is capable of yet, and therefore only my Father might manage to undo whatever pops out of her mind unexpectedly, that has the potential to be far bigger than she can handle. Aside from that, she is my sister, my friend, and we all love her just the way she is, foo-foo-y and all."

Valen is a little older than Zeza, and she knew that life here is far different than anywhere else. They might be called hedonistic by most cultures. Valen just mentioned his perplexity regarding her behavior. That she caught his curiosity at all, "Well…that's a good sign you haven't yet lost your humanity to duty." She withdrew the rolled up Teen Magazine that featured Valen from Raya's rear pants pocket and slapped it into Valen's gut, as she giggled, leading him to take hold. His picture was on the front page, and there was a poster of him in the center…but someone already has that hanging over their bed, who shall remain a mystery, unless Valen manages to get himself invited to their midnight teen club meetings.

He pressed to be assigned more work! "I order you to stick with me, and try smiling a little," she said, brandishing what he would determine, an even lesser displayed genuinely brilliant smile. At that, Zeza began to skip down the corridor; a double bounce with each step, not a single, and crossing her feet as she gayly danced along.

Or is it, Valen still might unintentionally believe some nasty propaganda regarding the Sith which the jedi had told to him, that Sith most intensely hate everyone and everything in existence, even kindred, and hold true ties to none?


Zeza wondered how Sista will handle the day's antics, she being the ever present voice of reason for this gang. She proposed racing in the designated arena?! "Erm…what fun would that be?" Maybe the Army is practicing or fighting, or torturing…it didn't matter to Zeza. "Live on the edge a little." Zeza is always being targeted during missions, assumed an adult for her size. She craves the adrenaline even in play! Sista might be encouraged to share stress relief tactics with Valen, who still looks like his shirt has been starched a tad too heavily. But first things first! Zeza spun around to Girak and Magnus. "Alright twerps, you listen up. If you let Dad know what's going on, this will be the last time you two ever hang with us. I am serious! No more outings for you. Plus, I will tell the Moms what you've been up to on the holonet!" Zeza arced her brows in unison. "Uh-huh… That's right! I know! On my own computer buddy? You are so gross!! And…I saved a data chip of the search histories you forgot to wipe. And nobody won't believe it was you guys either. Only you two guys could like Manda Love Prose, or Twerking Hot Mando Babes. You actually believe you can be just like Dad someday? Or… eew… replace him in the galaxy? Don't you!" Zeza wants to vomit just imagining them with wives all across the galaxy. "You two?! Never in a zillion years, Mando NERDS!!" she spat with a sour expression. She has to be hard on them, they are her brothers. If she doesn't set them straight, the galaxy will, or worse maybe Dad will.​

 

[Darth Ahriman]

Tags: Raya Najwa Zambrano | Zeptepi Zambrano | First Sister
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having the magazine forced into his hands, the Acolyte's gaze left that of Zeptepi Zambrano and instead lowered to the front-page article that she was obviously exposing to him with the intent to shame. "What in the f-..." Valen spoke slowly as he skimmed over the document in disbelief. The image was quite clearly him, identical with no trace of photo-manipulation, yet he was pretty certain he had never stood in the pose that the article presented, nor did he ever wish to look as dolled up as this trashy magazine had made him out to be.

'The mysterious Acolyte who has become one of the most prominent warriors in the Empire overnight' Valen silently read to himself. It served his confidence well, despite whatever the intention behind the image of him was meant to project. Clearly, this was one of those girly magazines that teenagers enjoyed reading. Girl stuff. Not something Valen had ever given a second's thought about...-Nor had he ever imagined his Master being a fan of that sort of thing.

He continued to absently follow the group while paying more attention now to reading the article about himself. It made a complete mockery of his service on the battlefield. Valen had certainly enjoyed the feeling of power that he gained through every life he had taken, yet the wording present within the article made him out to be some sort of famous fashion model or something of that sort of nonsense. None of it made mention to the fact that he was a nobody, serving his Master's instructions to the letter, nor anything about his former enslavement. It robbed his image of any realistic detail and instead tried to portray some sort of teen star.

Naturally, he hated it.

 

[First Sister]

Corridors, High Palace - Malsheem
White Sith Habit
Spirit Anchor - Choker │ Miniaturized Double-Bladed Spinning Lightsaber​

After the hug, the electromancer quickly gobbled down her food, savoring the seasoned, meaty flavor of her nerf streak, now that the illusion seemed to have dissipated. All the while, the Sister watched the antics of the teenagers around her with keen interest, her eyes going wide at seeing the teen magazine, which featured an image of a picture of a shirtless Valen Arenais plastered directly on the cover, with a searing red lightsaber in one of his hands. The Sister’s mouth formed a distinct O-shape upon seeing it. Whipping out her mobile pad, the electromancer frantically looked up the title of the magazine and sure enough…

It was real.

“Oh. My. Gosh.” She began. “You posed for the Sith Scene?” The electromancer continued, in spite of the frown which had manifested over Valen’s features.

“What in the…”

Before long, the Sister had a digital copy of the magazine downloaded to her device, flipping through it with wide, enraptured eyes for some time.

She couldn’t help but to wonder if her Father would allow her to pose for a magazine. Surely he wouldn’t mind if she made sure to ask!

Zeza wondered how Sista will handle the day's antics, she being the ever present voice of reason for this gang. She proposed racing in the designated arena?! "Erm…what fun would that be?" Maybe the Army is practicing or fighting, or torturing…it didn't matter to Zeza. "Live on the edge a little."

Unfortunately, the idea of corridor racing didn’t exactly appeal to the Sister. Normally, she didn’t hang out with freeborn or anyone born via natural conception, instead spending the bulk of her time studying or training with other strand-casts in the Sith Order of the Kainate. To say the least, the idea of “living on the edge” was quite the foreign to her, as she had most of life within tight constraints of discipline, in spite of the fact that the idea of posing on the cover of a trashy magazine was somewhat appealing to her.

“I just...don’t want to run over anyone...ya’ know?” The Sister said. “Plus, we can go much faster on the track. There are too many turns in the corridors and they're too tight.” She frowned.

Nevertheless, upon finishing her meal, the Sister followed the group out to the corridors, letting Raya hopefully lead the way to the race track.

“Father won’t mind if we go to the race track.” She added. “Even a Sith needs to know how to ride.” She smiled.

Raya Najwa Zambrano Zeptepi Zambrano Valen Arenais​

 

[Raya Najwa Zambrano]

“Ahh… pfft. Why would we tell Dad? Or… Mom?” Magnus gulped and rubbed at his collar. “We don’t have a death wish… just… a need for speed. And cookies.”

“Hey! My magazine!” Zeza strikes from my back pocket, I had a magazine back there!? Who knew! “Oh! Oooohohohoh, is that… that’s you! Baaaahahahahaha!!! Zeza’s training the Hawtness Hero!”

I smack at Valen Arenais ‘ shoulder, as he ponders the female gaze on the girly mag. “Teeeheeeeheheheheeee.. Zeza he’s blushing! What’d ya think, only military records make the hero?”

The giggles don’t end until Zeptepi Zambrano turned on our brothers.

“What the glory seeking heck are you talking about?” Magnus sneered, bucking forward for the sheer tone of Zeza’s voice. “Take it back! None of us would do something so… disgusting! I know we’re a family of polyamorous wives, concubines and… Dad… but that? Mandos!? Mandos are… they’re…. deviant! Euugh! I bet… I bet Mando armour pickles the people inside! Like… sweaty BO pickles!”

Girak-Kaine’s face reddened more and more, he sunk his lips inward, shoulders bowing on his seven foot, yet to fill out frame. Strange to think seven foot tall teenagers were still growing, but they’re gonna be hooooge.

“…Gigi?” I poke up at his nose, and he sinks behind his twin, cheeks reddened and eyes cast so far down he might as well be looking at everybody’s shoes. Strikes me, Dad’s pretty hard on him already. Gigi and Magnus, they’ve spent every day of their lives in Daddy’s personal space, with their mother on Panatha.

“You know nothing of what I do for our father. None of you do.” Girak-Kaine kept behind Magnus, and I watch the trigger, the catch in his voice. Magnus goes from laughter to puffing up, swerving round to throw an arm around his brother’s shoulder. Hem him in and protect him.

“It’s just Zeza’s next gross joke, bruv. She’s not serious, she can’t be. Dude, you know how she is. Dathomiri girls always put menfolk down. It’s our function.” He punched Girak’s cheek lightly, gave his brother’s shoulder a shake when Girak’s face still wore a mask I don’t particularly want to recognize, lest it kill my buzz dead as their dead sibling. “Wanna see me fight her apprentice for the slight? Little brothers, right? We’re the butt of all jokes… haha! … Butt.”

Whistling into the tension, gosh those brothers can be so serious, I giggle at @First Sister’s antics, the way her mouth moves and wonder… how many of those back-issues is she gonna read?

“We’re not gonna hit anybody.” I snag Girak-Kaine away from Magnus with a couple of swats, when Magnus tries to stop me. “We’ve got Gigi. Put him in the front speeder bike and he’ll make sure we avoid accidents… think of it this way Firstie. We’re working on our pre-cog skills… we’ll find the track eventually. We’re on a giant sphere, eventually! Eventually, it’ll be there. Aha! Here’s some!”

I twist and turn around the corridors, the keys in hand until with a flourish, I take yet another bow. There, a bunch of speeder bikes in rows beside a guard station. I smirk and lean against the corridor wall.

“Now, to liberating said bikes. We coooooould go over there and demand them as is our right… ooooooooor.” I fling a hand up, and sparks dim in colour until taking on the tone of the corridor wall. “Let’s be sneaky.”

The illusion is relatively simple. Just…. the wall. The exact wall behind us, instead put in front. Sure, illusions don’t block sound, but that’s part of the fun.

 

[Zeptepi Zambrano]

Raya Najwa Zambrano | First Sister | Valen Arenais

First Sister being a stickler for the rules, Zeza figured is likely written into her sister's genetic coding. Zeza thrives on the high she gets from unnecessary risk. Blame her Captain's training if you will, and her Mother's coddling, as much as she permitted her wild child freedoms. Still, its no battlefield, and she holds no authority over her siblings to order them to break the rules…everyone present except for Valen, that is. "I hear you," she returned to Sista. It really doesn't matter where they end up racing, just within the corridor would make for more excitement. "I was just thinking, we could score points…by way of timing, as the corners will be a challenge…and perhaps, whoever knocks down the first hall monitor, or truant officer gets a strike against them."

Zeza smiled, repeatedly glancing back over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of Valen's expression as he thumbed through the magazine all about him. She figured he could use a little pride in himself…just a little. She needs some fight in him from time to time, to find fault in him so she may knock him down a peg or two. It's the circle of life for an Apprentice.

The twins questioned her accusations, so far as to threaten a challenge! Well that did not sound like they concede to her blackmail. "The two of you, against my Apprentice? The Mom's would have a cow if you got hangnail!" She knew Valen could take them. Sweet Raya interjected, and Zeza informed her, "My Apprentice could take an entire Army of those two." She is very proud of Valen. He is a sponge for knowledge. "I'm currently educating him in potions." Not making them, just using them as weapons; Valen is sadly no Warlock, plus he is far too old to begin such a meticulous education.

Zeza is much curious about what Illusion Raya might like to initiate to conceal their approach. "Oh gosh! Don't do something unnatural, or they will suspect it's us kids right away!" she warned. ​