What makes you strong

[Lora Hav'vrun]

The Devaronian girl smiled at her reflection in the mirror, orange skin with a few small, barely visible brown marks dotting her face and shoulders, even as she covered them with a long sleeved dress shirt. She examined her hair, dark brown with white streaks and tucked a stray hair behind her pointed ears. Everything had to be perfect today. Today was finally THE day. She buttoned the stark white shirt and adjusted the collar, making sure it was properly pressed and sharp. She had to look perfect today. The blue blazer was next, letting it sit on her shoulders as she imagined it was a slightly richer hue, a different cut of fabric. She gave herself a final once over, double checking everything that could go awry. Hair fixed. Shirt tight, bright and right. Pants had been pressed and the crease was neat against her thigh.

She steeled herself and walked out into the hallway. A pair of twin girls ran past laughing. "MARI, TOYA!" She screamed as they nearly barreled her over laughing and playing, fingers messy with who knows what girls their age got into. They stopped to stare at their sister, Lora, and grinned wide and beaming at her. "You look stupid!" one of them laughed before returning to their parade through the hallway of their home in Tikaroo, Devaron. She shook her head and trounced down the stairs, the smell of spiced meat cooking immediately filled her nose. "That smells amazing mom." She said as she approached the simmering pot and pulled off the lid to get a closer inspection.

Her mother, an older Devaronian with deep red skin and black hair, appeared out from behind the cooler, closing it as she went. "It should, I've spent all day slaving over that cursed stovet op. Well, help yourself, Lora. There are bowls on the table."

It was tempting to the girl, very tempting, mother's cooking was fantastic, but... today had to be perfect. No stains, no splatters, no mistakes. "I'm just going to grab something from the pantry... actually. I don't want to mess up my clothes." She walked over to the cabinets and pulled them open, rifling through until she found what she was looking for, a box of prepackaged dehydrated meats. Her mother frowned.

"I really wish you hadn't picked up such awful eating habits from your father last time he was home. Those things are nothing but salt." She scoffed at her daughter's eating choices and turned back to the counter top, slicing up small trays of luncheon meat for the girls' afternoon snack. "What are you so dressed up for anyway?"

Lora unwrapped the jerky, biting into it before swallowing hard. This was it. The argument was coming and there was no turning back from it. "I'm going to the Imperial garrison to recruit." The knife clattered out of her mother's hand in response as she lost her grip on the utensil. She quickly recovered, picking it up and pointing it toward her child like an angry accusation, "We've had this conversation Lora. I don't want you in the army, it's dangerous. IF you're so insistent on serving, why don't you consider running for office? Why just last week I was talking to M'dge down the street, you know her and"

"There's a treaty, mom." She insisted, cutting her mother off. "Not that it should matter! Damned Rebels, the Empire is being far too kind to their traitorous hides. No good treasonous, lying sons of" Now it was her mother's turn to interupt her rant. "I said NO!" She snapped back, setting the knife down and crossing her arms. "No daughter of mine is joining the Imperial forces, and that's the end of this disc-"

"What kind of sympathizer bantha piss is that!" Lora covered her own mouth in surprise at her outburst as the older Devaronian's eyebrows raised. "Excuse you, Lora Mg'ret Hav'vrun? What did you just say to me?" This was it, no turning back for the girl's ambitions, she was rebelling here and now. "I'm joining." She insisted. "It's the law anyway. You know what I am. I didn't say anything until now because your house, your rules... but my birthday was last week... so..."

Her mother's nostrils were doing that thing where they flare in and out rapidly that always meant she was absolutely livid, even if she wasn't yelling or screaming. "Lora. You are an adult now, you're right. I can't keep you from walking out that door and going where ever you like. But I damn well sure can keep you from walking back through it afterward. I want you to think long and hard about what's really important to you. What means the most to you. This... ridiculous flight of fancy or your loving family." She narrowed her eyes. "Choose."

==

Lora pushed the application across the table to the officer she'd been brought before and smiled her widest smile. Her mother didn't get it. She never would. It wasn't some childish notion. It was her duty. It was the duty of every right and proper Imperial citizen.