A Prince of Dathomir (Darth Maul x OC)

Reputation - Part 2

After that day, she gained a little more credit with the three, as well as actual credits- knowing now she was indeed capable of handling herself in a pinch. Their next jobs were not so involved, just tracking down various criminals and deserters back to the bounty hubs and clients. She smuggled items through customs and avoided patrols. Her skills became honed, her knowledge became deeper and more vast. Her kill count also increased, though the face of that woman remained in her mind.

She had left her former identity behind after that first mission. She knew that a Nightsister was easy to trace, and so disguised herself as human, and went by the name 'Siren'. Her reputation as Siren had increased, and though she was young, she'd had a few jobs in quick succession, riding more or less on Treshan, Bane and Ohnaka's coattails. By the fifth job, Bane relinquished the lead to her and let her take charge of the task.

The four of them had been on task to deliver an unusual shipment of exotic creatures to Tatooine for the sake of the Hutt clan. It was thanks to Siren's well... siren abilities, that they had captured the main target of their journey. A rancor. It seemed a perfect fit. Siren was able to prove her claims and then some. Not only had she defeated the wild rancor mother, but captured the younger, smaller beast and was able to lure it in with a lullaby song. The three grown men were in awe of the teen sitting with a baby rancor and petting it like it were a tamed loth-cat. Adaji especially had skirted past it, even for a baby, it was big enough and strong enough to rip his head off, something the girl was keen to remind him.

After that task, and even instructing the Hutts on how to care for the creature, she had the reputation of her own to be respected in the criminal circles. The jobs became a little better paid after that, and hunters seemed to find her friendly, though she didn't talk much about herself, others seemed to find her easy to talk to. The big blue eyes and half smile on her face seemed to be one that people opened up to. What they didn't know was that she was using her magic passively, as Mother Talzin had taught her alongside psychological tips she had learned from the extensive reading she had undertaken recently. These two techniques combined, most people were willing to tell her almost anything. She was not using any of this information for anything, just learning, absorbing, adapting. She was making herself rather popular to other criminals, once Bane had started telling her about a job he hadn't spoken about before... he got halfway through before catching himself and realising what she was doing. Zaiya of course feigned innocence of it all.

For all her new skills, she still had much to learn. She was fast, but not as strong as her larger male counterparts, still too young and reckless, she lacked the wisdom and experience that came with age, something she learned everytime she was injured, shot at or after she rushed in and it didn't quite work the way she wanted.

The little team was not together all the time, Bane didn't want to share all his profits after all. He had offered her respect and willingness for her to give him a call if she needed help. He might even lower his rate... if he was in a good mood. What he'd actually said was; 'You're not so bad for a witch.' Though the rest of the message she had inferred.

She stuck mostly with Hondo for most of the time, and he seemed to be more fond of her presence now. Especially when she got him out of trouble once or twice... or a dozen times. He also collected a much larger group of his men, now that they didn't have to mind about stealth. It seemed the skeleton crew were for the Alderaan trip only. She became a sort of first mate to the Pirate, some of the crew initially laughed when dealing with a teenager, but quickly learned that she was capable enough to hold her own.

---

As for the Captain, he regarded the little sister with curiosity, while he had been hesitant of her at the beginning, she had a way that made both he and his men laugh, even when she was being impertinent. At some point, the contract became more than just business. The girl, now calling herself Siren, had become something more than just a paycheck. She had become a friend. Hondo didn't know when he started to care about the kid, but he found himself getting nervous when she was in danger, or when she went off on her own on the occasional mission with Treshan or Bane, or another part of his crew. When had he become a mother hen!? This was ridiculous! He tried to tell himself that it was about the profit, and hid his thoughts well, though it seemed not so well that Treshan didn't send him annoying looks regularly. Idiot.

Well... the kid wasn't so bad, reminded him of himself when he was young. It was just a shame that she had such a low affection for money. It was almost disappointing, she was too loyal, not greedy enough to be a good pirate. Though deep down he didn't know if he was disappointed or proud. What she was learning from him was how to be friendly, to draw people in, until she needed to put the boot down. He recalled seeing the look on her face when he had executed one of his men in front of her. The way her blue eyes became so wide. He had not given any pretense, but his voice had lost it's flamboyant nature, dropping low before pulling the trigger. She had stared at him, and he had worried she was now fearful... though her respectful bow put an end to such thoughts. That was when she had seen a glimpse of the pirate side of him, unpleasant but necessary. He had noticed that this was when she had begun to make an effort to be more friendly to people, and had caught glimpses of her watching him, he didn't get the feeling of mistrust... but of respect. She didn't look away quickly when he caught her, she just nodded, and after a moment would turn away. She had begun good at smiling at others, the smiles didn't even look fake anymore, though when she thought she was alone, she would often look out at the stars wistfully, as though there was something more out there she wanted. Though what more than money did anyone really need?

---

Adaji came and went, and he always brought Zaiya hot chocolate blends and new things to read when he returned. He had also started teaching her Mando'a, seeing as she was part Mandalorian, apparently, though no matter how much research he did, he couldn't figure out what clan she was from, there were too many of his people spread out and not all were known to him. He didn't tell her of his little adventures into the archives, he felt it would be better to tell her when he knew something, though he didn't have much to go on. Dathomir and 13 - 14 years previous. It wasn't much, but someone had to know something, surely?

She was a fast learner, though very private, and sometimes he had visited her room, and heard her speaking to someone, when she returned had a slightly colder demeanour as she had when she'd met them for a while before she warmed back up. Other times she was in very high spirits, and the conclusion they (being Ohnaka and himself) had come to was that she had transmissions from home. It made the most sense. Maybe there was some... witch she loved there? A boy witch? Were there such things? Or was she into girls? Adaji couldn't tell, she didn't seem interested in anyone in an overly fond manner that he could tell.

In more recent times, he had started calling her cyar'ika, which had made her go very quiet for a while, until she realised he wasn't going to treat her any different, and she had become more comfortable. In return, she had referred to him as ba'vodu, which he was excited about, though became a little disappointed when she called Hondo and Bane the same. It seemed she regarded them as close as family, he felt rather blessed to be referred to as her uncle, and made no secret of just how pleased he was, of all of them, he had taken a shine to her the most. And in honour of his new 'title' he decided to spoil the girl with gifts every time he saw her. That's what family did, right?

---

Days became months and months became years, over two had passed since the start of her contract as a budding bounty hunter and assistant to the pirate Ohnaka. Zaiya had enjoyed her time with them, maybe too much, as she found herself laughing for real sometimes. Was it alright to have fun like this when her friend was Winged Goddess only knew where, and the Fanged God did not speak. He could be hurt, probably was hurt... she felt like she was wasting time some days. She was becoming more anxious as time passed, she needed to get back to her main goal for leaving Dathomir. She needed to find him. Then she could show him how she had become stronger as she had promised. Even though she knew it was for her skills, her training. The things she was learning with Mother Talzin with the transmissions she was able to make fairly regularly. Though one evening the Great Mother told her something unexpected.

"You must return home, Sister." She told the teenager.

"What? Already? But I still have not found him, or finished the training from these bounty hunters and pirates!"

"No, you have not, but there is a technique that I must teach you now, you are ready."

Zaiya knew it was foolish to argue, and so made her excuses to The Pirate Ohnaka that she must go away for a short time. She did not want them to come to Dathomir... she did not think that her Nightsister world and the one of Siren were ready to meet.