Astraal Vao

Astraal Vao was a Rutian Twi’lek born alongside her twin brother Shado Vao. When their parents’ starship crashed on Vendaxa, both children survived but were orphaned and taken in by the humanitarian Imperial Mission. Jedi Master Wolf Sazen later discovered that both twins were Force-sensitive and offered them the path of the Jedi. Shado accepted, while Astraal chose to remain with the organization that had raised them, becoming an Imperial Missionary devoted to providing relief and assistance throughout the galaxy.

After Darth Krayt seized the Imperial throne, Astraal remained within the Mission but secretly protected Princess Marasiah Fel while the deposed Fel dynasty fought to survive. She helped conceal Marasiah from Sith Imperial agents until Darth Talon discovered them on Socorro, forcing Astraal and the princess to escape aboard Cade Skywalker’s ship, the Mynock. Astraal directed the group toward Vendaxa, where she could contact Shado through an emergency signal the twins had established years earlier. Talon followed them, leading to a battle involving Shado, Wolf Sazen, Cade, and the Imperial Knights.

When Marasiah was gravely wounded during the fighting, Astraal remained at her side and prevented tensions aboard the Mynock from erupting into violence. After conventional Force healing failed, she convinced Antares Draco and the others to allow Cade to attempt healing the princess, saving Marasiah’s life. Astraal later reached Bastion with the Fel loyalists and attempted to persuade Shado to remain there, though he chose to return to the Jedi. Unaware that Imperial Mission leader Konrad Rus had begun cooperating with Darth Krayt to preserve the Mission, Astraal continued trusting him and unknowingly passed information that reached the Sith.

Appearance: Astraal Vao has cool slate-blue skin and a tall, elegant, curvaceous build with narrow shoulders, a full bust, a defined waist, rounded hips, and long legs. Her eyes are blue beneath dark lashes and finely shaped brows. Her head is framed by large pale ivory lekku that are thick at the base, heavily ridged, and arranged in broad layered curves around the crown and down the back, with one section curling forward near the shoulder. A structured ivory band crosses the forehead in evenly divided rectangular segments, while small pointed ears extend outward from the sides of her head. Around her neck is a thick dark blue-gray collar with a softly scaled surface and subtle circular patterning, sitting above the neckline of her gown.

Her clothing is an elaborate floor-length ivory gown made from lightly patterned fabric with a faint geometric weave. The upper section has a wide square neckline and fitted bodice shaped closely around the chest, with vertical seams and structured side panels that narrow strongly through the waist. Broad shoulder pieces sweep outward and descend into long fitted sleeves with flared cuffs, while a cape-like rear panel falls behind her from the shoulders. The gown continues into a long straight skirt with overlapping front panels, recessed side folds, and a central rectangular panel bordered by raised piping. Narrow horizontal bands wrap the sides of her waist beneath the arms. Her footwear is pale ivory with segmented rounded toe caps that match the rest of the outfit.

Personality: Astraal is compassionate, gentle, intelligent, and intensely devoted to helping others. Her loyalty to the Imperial Mission comes from gratitude rather than political ambition, since its members rescued and raised her after the deaths of her parents. She places duty above personal comfort and is willing to protect people even when doing so places her against the government her own organization officially serves. Although she lacks Jedi training, she is courageous enough to offer direct assistance during armed conflict and possesses a strong ability to defuse confrontation through patience and reason.

Shado Vao is Astraal’s twin brother and one of the closest people in her life, despite their different paths as missionary and Jedi. Marasiah Fel becomes Astraal’s trusted friend, student, and confidante, with Astraal protecting and advising her during her years in hiding. Konrad Rus is the leader of the Imperial Mission and someone Astraal deeply respects, never realizing during their early dealings that he is secretly feeding information to Darth Krayt. Wolf Sazen is the Jedi Master who discovered the twins’ Force sensitivity, while Cade Skywalker becomes an uneasy but important ally after transporting Astraal and Marasiah from Socorro and later saving the princess’s life. Antares Draco and Ganner Krieg become allies through their service to Marasiah, while Darth Talon is Astraal’s principal Sith enemy during the flight from Socorro and Vendaxa.

Astraal is naturally Force-sensitive, though she never undergoes formal Jedi training and does not develop the combat abilities associated with her brother. Her strengths lie instead in diplomacy, humanitarian work, judgment, and maintaining composure during political and military crises. She is capable enough with technology to repair the Mynock’s damaged communications system while stranded on Vendaxa, allowing her to contact the Imperial Mission for assistance.

She speaks Basic, Ryl, High Galactic, and Huttese, and can understand Binary, giving her considerable versatility when working among different cultures and populations. Her experience within the Imperial Mission also gives her practical familiarity with relief operations, Imperial institutions, and the movement of people through unstable regions of the galaxy.