To Free a Slave, A Star Wars riff (FxAny)

[wigglebiscuit]

Feen’Dura was born in the early years of the Dark Times. Like her father, she was force sensitive. Though he never joined the Jedi Order, her father’s name was one of many on the datacrons the Empire recovered from the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. It wasn’t long before Inquisitors started hunting him.

Feen’s father did not have the resources or the training to evade the Inquisitors forever. Finally cornered on Ord Mantel, he took a desperate, heart-wrenching step to protect his daughter. He did the unthinkable and sold her into slavery.

What may seem like an unconscionable choice to the more fortunate races is pragmatic, even logical to a twi’lek. So long have they been enslaved that the word twi’lek is practically synonymous with slave. In some parts of the galaxy, most folks assume when they see a twi’lek, especially a female, that they are a slave. Sadly, most often they are not wrong. Feen’s father knew this. In fact he counted on it.

Feen does not remember much of those early years. She knows her father sold her to save her life. She knows that manifesting her force abilities is a death sentence, but they have also saved her life more times than she can count. Those years taught her to be a survivor, and survive she did. She has passed through many hands, had many owners. Once, she was the personal pleasure slave of an Imperial Moff. She stood in the presence of Inquisitors and high Imperial officers, and like all slaves, was invisible the entire time.

Property. Nothing more. Nothing less.

The Empire is now fallen. The nascent New Republic struggles to hold the few meager systems under its control. Large swaths of the galaxy are independent, struggling to survive after decades of war. Still, Feen survives. In the intervening years she has mastered the more subtle force powers. She is skilled at manipulation and subterfuge. She has passed through many hands, and has left a trail of dead owners in her wake. Some have fallen from balconies. Others have choked to death on food. Others simply died in their sleep. If a master is too cruel for Feen’s considerable perseverance, she takes action.

Still, she is a slave.

The story begins with your character (YC) observing Feen in a smoky cantina on some backwater world. They note the quiet dignity with which she endures her master’s casual cruelty and mistreatment of her. If they catch her eye, she has the audacity to wink at them.

YC notices not just her considerable beauty, but her grace as well. Whoever YC is, they live or die on their ability to quickly size up a situation. YC sees in Feen a sharp mind and a survivor’s grit. She is far more than your average twi’lek slave.

Suddenly, they must possess her. Is it a desire to set her free? Is it lust? Do they need her particular skill set for a job? Is it some twisted combination of the three, or something else entirely that drives them? For a person of YC’s skill, this is not an overly complicated affair. They could just murder the master and been done with it. Simple and straightforward. It would not be the first time someone killed to take Feen as their own.

But that is not YC’s style. Perhaps they are a person of principle. A bit roguish, but a murderer? So in classic Star Wars fashion, they win her in a game of Sabacc.

I won’t spoil the surprise of that scene, but YC leaves the parlor as Feen’s new owner. And this is where the story really begins. See, freeing Feen from a lifetime of servitude is not as simple as removing the collar around her throat. Freeing a body is simple. Freeing a mind? Now that is a challenge. Feen can be infuriatingly stubborn when the mood strikes, and no amount of punishment can nudge her. (Though I welcome you to try.)

Are you up for it?

That is the central personal struggle of the story. The crux. No matter what else is going on, the core of the story is YC trying to set Feen free while she stubbornly refuses to address them as anything other than ‘master’. Stir into that mix a healthy dose of temptation--she is a twi’lek pleasure slave, after all (Seriously, could you resist the temptation? I know I couldn’t)--and the emotional turmoil of two souls trying to find their way in a cruel and indifferent galaxy, and we have the foundation of a great story.

A few thoughts on your character
For this story to work, your character needs to be one of the good guys (or gals). Maybe there is a gruff exterior, but under that lies a heart of gold. Perhaps they indulge from time to time (Feen doesn’t mind. Honestly). Perhaps they engage in their little whims. What is that between master and slave? But ultimately, if they are not in their core a decent person, Feen will dump them and move on.

Feen is a capable, if untrained, force user. YC doesn’t have to be a force wielder, but they should understand the implications of owning such a powerful individual--not to mention the dangers. They should leave the parlor knowing or at least having a strong clue that the person they now hold in their possession is dangerous and capable--she could kill them with a gesture. Sleep tight :)

Perhaps they are a New Republic agent tasked with taking down Imperial holdouts. Perhaps they are an independent operator--a bounty hunter or something similar, working within the New Republic but keeping an eye out for Number One. Whatever the case, they see the potential in Feen and know how best to exploit it. This is important...Feen does not see this herself.

I could go on, but I think you have enough to work with. If you’re intrigued by this tale, PM me. We can discuss specifics and go from there. Please note that this story will likely require you to write from different perspectives and genders. If that's not for you, it probably won't work out.

Happy gaming!

~wiggles

[korr99]

I'm game for this.

[wigglebiscuit]

a friendly bump!