Ta'-Re' Djo

Hair: long, firey red, usually down or in a pony-tale; on "off time" likes to create interesting new designs…

Eye color: green

Height: 5 foot 3

Weight: 110

Age: 17

Homeworld: Dathomir

Political Affiliation: Rebel Alliance

Weapons of choice: 6" blade Vibroblade with a 5" handle (Styrka) that straps to thigh; staff (Kuri)

Vehicle of choice: Rancor (Összekuporodik), a-wing, tie interceptor

Hobbies: hunting, climbing, flying, target practice (using politicians' holographs as the targets)

Intrigued by: bubbles; Tesserak; Tacomah's "La"; Castor's sense of humor

Pet Peeves: rudeness; the act of helplessness; the term "little girl"; people who consistently argue over irrelevant things; bugs; sand; split ends

Biography:

Being born into the Singing Mountain Clan in the jungles of Dathomir was interesting. For one thing, my family studied witchcraft, by tradition. Growing up, I found that not only was I TERRIBLE at witchcraft, but I hated the whole concept. I found it insanely boring. To think that I had to get stuck with this life was unbearable. I avoided my family as much as possible and often went into the jungle alone to see what I could hunt. The only good that came out of my studies of witchcraft was that I learned to tap into my senses and become highly aware of what is going on around me. These were the only lessions that my cousin, Teneniel, taught me that I could actually hold on to. A bug couldn't fly within twenty meters of me in the middle of the jungle without me knowing that it was there... and I hate bugs.

Other skills that I learned were basically self taught - hunting, fighting, surviving, or climbing... basic things that living in a jungle teaches you. It teaches you to remain calm and not to panic when the time comes to be level-headed. I was taught to be tough at all times – to take the upper hand of the situation. That was the one advantage that living on a jungle world where it was normal to ride around on rancors and keep a couple as pets. (Which I did. I had the cutest rancor. His name is Összekuporodik and he was seriously the sweetest thing around… Ahhhh... yeah. Nevermind.)

Anyway, the jungle can be perilous when you are fifteen, but it can also be a lot of fun. My version of a sugar rush was running and hunting with the other predators and putting myself in unnecessary danger. Even that itself was part of the problem because after a while I got bored. Hunting wasn't fun anymore. There are only so many times you can go out hunting without actually killing any of them, and I didn't want to do that either. I would make tags for each animal so that I would know if I had already hunted and trapped that particular animal already . . . and there are only so many times you can catch the same rancor. That's what happens. You catch the same rancor 65 times and pretty soon it gets to be comfortable with you as a person and it doesn't leave you alone. Then you have to go through all the trouble of taking care of it, and naming it "Összekuporodik".

One day, when I decided to take Ozzy for a "walk," we found a person that looked very lost and confused. Even though he looked like I might take his head off, he asked me if I knew anyone that might be able to help him fix his ship. I said to him, "Well, sir, if you know what the pr oblem is and you just don't have enough hands, then it looks like I'm your girl. If you have no clue what the problem is and you want to find someone that might find it faster than you can . . . well you really got off on the wrong planet. We don't see starships like this too often; however, I’m a fairly descent mechanic when it comes to what little we have."

He replied, "Oh, that's alright. I am sure I know what the problem is; I just need some assistance because it is a two-person job. So if you could help, I would greatly appreciate it."

I immediately agreed under the condition that he would take me with him wherever it was that he was going. He had to think about that for a minute, but after I convinced him that there was nobody else around for miles and he would probably get eaten by a rancor before he found anyone he said ‘well, what choice do I have?'

We were ready to leave in less then three days. I said good-bye to my family, and also made sure that my mother would not give away Ozzy. (Just in case I decided to come back sometime soon.) I only took a few things with me and only because I thought that they might be worth something somewhere else. Not that I had anything of value... I just didn't want to get stuck in a situation where I had nothing to trade.

When we left, I was fifteen. The next day I asked him, "Where are we going anyway?" He told me that he was a supply ship for the Rebel Alliance, and that was where he was going now. I had asked him if it being in the Alliance was dangerous, and he almost inhaled his drink into his sinuses. He told me all about the Alliance, and he really tried hard not to laugh at me, but that only seemed to make it worse. He couldn't believe that I had never heard of the Alliance and thought it was slightly funny.

As an answer to my question, after he had calmed himself, he said, "Yes, but not as much if you are trained properly and can stay calm in a sticky situation." I said that I could and he told me all about the Alliance. I was very interested. I asked him if there was any way he might be able to get me in. He looked at me like an idiot and finally said, "Ok, but I don't promise nothin'.”

Needless to say, I was thrilled. Now there was something that I could do that wouldn't be boring. Every time there would be a different situation. Wow! I was going to have the time of my life. Well, boy did I get a surprise. Oh, it was fun and all, but I spent two years straight, training and it did pay off in the end. At least I found something that I was able to do, and do well. I guess I wasn't a total failure after all.