Over a year ago...

Nuriko's ship MR-Liebe lands in some remote location... she isn't sure where. After that dream she had and that quick departure, she allowed her subconscious to guide her here, not even paying attention when programing in her destination.

"I need to capture a dragon. I don't even think I've seen a dragon before." She laughed somewhat bitterly at her own short-comings. "I really need to get around some more."

She tested the levels of breathable air, pressure, and such and such before deciding where she landed... WHEREVER this was-- as there was no name in the out-dated information banks on hand, was indeed a "safe" planet. At least it was by the assessments of her ship's computer and her astromech, R4-B4.

R4-B4 beeped.

"Yes, yes, you're always right. You're starting to sound like my husband, you know."

The astromech spun around and whistled somewhat wildly.

"No," she laughed. "That wasn't an insult..." She looked around and sighed. "Never was good enough at this technological crap..."

Part of Nuriko wondered why joining this group was so important to her. Of course, she remembered after running away from home, she had taken refuge with a small band of female mercenaries. They were in no way disciplined enough to keep a unified group or form a competent sisterhood, but there was something about being in the presence of powerful women that was... well, empowering.

They had begun her training in the art of fighting and her journey to the darkside. No, there was nothing like being in safe clutches of a sisterhood. She hoped to find that feeling again.

Another part of her felt she was betraying Rama and the others of the Empire. But considering how many of them kept divided loyalties themselves and how few had responded to her when she "brought up" (so to speak) having stricter rules when it came to having more than one alleigiance... they would not be another TSE or RSO or ROS... they were different.

Nuriko rubbed her stomach. Luckily she wasn't so far along to be severely handicapped should she be confronted by an enemy. She was bitter enough to herself about not missing not just one, but two tournaments. She wasn't going to pass this chance as well.

Nuriko looked through some of her stuff, and was glad that she brought a spear with her. Though it reminded her of that battle with Alpha, and angered her in that she was unable to defeat him, it was also a reminder of her first battles... the ones with her first teachers. The ones she where had won and crushed her enemies... It was tangible hope... in a sense.

She twirled the spear around a bit to get the feel of it. Since having been broken (for it was the same one used in her fight with Alpha), she repaired it with a joint of metal, held in place with a thin internal rod and the ends, sodered tight. It would not be so easy to break this one.

Nuriko looked in her stuff and pondered wearing the mask again. It was a part of that old sisterhood. They all wore masks. For some reason, such things brough more feelings of empowerment. Wearing the mask is like shutting in all of your vunerability. Part of her believes putting that kind of faith in your mask is what made the Seraphim so powerful. She reaches for it... and puts it on.

Nuriko secured the mask and took one look at the repaired voice distorter. She decided against disguising her voice this time.

She quickly twirled the spear and placed in the holder of a backstrap, which she fastened around her shoulder. She put on her heavy cloak and belt with her blasters, sabres and whip... and let her mind clear up for the vision to re-appear.

The dragon appeared to her once more...

It didn't seem like a vicious thing. Only gentle... She didn't usually have visions like this-- let alone ones of gentle beasts.

"....dragons are powerful creatures... and quite magical too... so powerful and magical, in fact, that to master one is quite impossible for meer mortals... but not for such as our caliber..."

She remembered what LV had said. If some kind of magic's at work, it would completely explain why these visions were coming to her. She began to wonder if her just being around LV might have had a hand in them.

"...they should become respectful of you and be willing to be your partner and protector for life... treat him or her with respect, and I guarantee you, they will do the same to you..."

She wasn't sure how the hell she was going to pull it off, but it had to be done. As simple as that. She lowered the ramp and left her ship... but not before something else entered her mind...

Her daughter at what was now Nuriko's current age...

"This will only help empower her," Nuriko said to herself, smiling under that mask. She felt her stomach and engrained it into her head that she would have to be careful fighting while with child...

Nuriko wandered around, not quite knowing where to go... letting what she saw in the vision guide her. It brought her to a small town. It looked almost like a ghost town at first. No one was outside.