Maia Yen

Maia Yen-Prax

Biographical Information
Race	Hapan
Homeworld	Ut, Hapes Cluster
Mother	Fa'li Hal'Sum
Father	Xin Yen
Spouse	Khajan Prax
Siblings	None
Children	None
Born	Year -1, Day 175
Imperial Service
Branch	Order of the Sith
Positions	Senior Superintendent
Prior Service	None
Awards

Childhood

Fa'li Hal'Sum

Maia was raised in the Hapes Cluster by Fa'li, a simple yet noble woman who hails from a long line of honorable and reputable women of the Hapes Cluster. Although the surname Yen was one that outsiders would know little of, within the Cluster it was a name that plastered fear into the hearts of many. Fa'li Yen (nee: Hal'Sum) had a reputation among other Hapan as being a senial old woman who could not see the err in her ways when she allowed an outsider by the name of 'Xin Yen' into her home, falling into a false sense of security within a short space of time and speaking openly about matters that were otherwise 'classified'. Fa'li was foolish in believing she could trust the outsider and after sharing just three weeks with him and taking on his name as her own proudly, awoke one morning to find him gone, having stolen a number of important documents but leaving her a gift she had not expected.

As Maia entered the world, Fa'li knew that she would never be able to bring herself to telling the girl the truth about her father and came up with a number of stories to tell anyone who asked about the mysterious child. Some were told that her father was a Lorell Raider descendant, and that his work in the galaxy was of great importance to him and as such he could not always be around. Anyone who wanted to meet the Raider was given lie after lie until eventually people generally stopped caring and just focused on watching the infant blossom into a bright and aspiring young girl who appeared to have her head screwed on, which was more than could have been said for the mother. Maia was raised with the beliefs of the Hapan firmly under her belt and listened to the many stories her mother told about her father's great adventures. It was unfortunate that she may never have the chance to meet the man, given his line of work but she had high expectations that he was a good man and one she could follow in the footsteps of years down the line.

Not a day went by when Fa'li did not wish she could tell her daughter the truth but in doing so she knew that she would jeopardise the girl's future, but it wasn't just Maia's life that would have been in jeopardy, it would have been Fa'li's as well, given that she had welcomed the man into her home without paying mind to the warnings of her close relatives and friends who knew, from the moment he had stepped foot in their city, that he was trouble. In the end all but one had turned their backs on the mother as she brought her daughter into the world knowing that there was nothing she could do to stop the world from turning. But Fa'li was fortunate that her one friend and companion had seen that the woman had been lost and desperate, and having been offered trinkets and riches with promise of more it was an offer that most would have taken up in a heartbeat.

Being raised in the Hapes Cluster but more specifically in the Ut system, Maia was rather fortunate in more ways than one. By the time she had reached the age of 5, she was entertaining anyone who would listen with a number of melodies she had taught herself, both in Hapan and Galactic Basic. As well as having the beautiful voice as was common among women from Ut, Maia was also quite fond of playing the Feegharp, although at the time she was far too small for it, or rather it was too large for her. The Feegharp weighed in at around 75KG and had a height of 1.6m. With plenty of practice however and pure determination, soon enough Maia was able to play one of the most widely known pieces with little difficulty; The Hapan National Anthem - Age of the Queen Mother.

Unbreakable Bonds

Every few months Maia and her mother would prepare their home for the arrival of guests. Among them were the 'Togruta' Lin-Pa family, including their daughter Farra who, at the time was a few years older than Maia. Farra inspired Maia, and the more time Maia spent with her, the more she came to realize just how much she wanted to be like Ms Lin-Pa. She taught Maia about life as a traveller, about the worlds they visited, the many places they had seen. She spoke of how, when she was older she would be joining the greatest alliance of all time, the Galactic Empire. Naturally this confused Maia, and she was curious to know more about why the young Togruta would want to join another faction when they had a perfectly decent faction closer to home.

"Home, Maia.." Farra had smiled warmly. "Home is where you make it, not where you live. If you could stand on your own two feet and serve a greater cause, would you? Imagine being able to explore new worlds and planets, and sectors. Imagine what you would be capable of if you allowed yourself to break free from your comfort zone. Dear sweet Maia, you are young but one day you will see for yourself. There will come a time when you will want to embrace an opportunity."

Later Years

Xin Yen

For several more years Maia would continue to perform songs for an audience that seemed to grow, with people flocking in from all across the Interior Region just to come and listen to the girl's music and her voice, one that even her mother was proud of. And yet, as time went by, Fa'li still felt the niggling sensation of guilt and it haunted her to the point where she could no longer sleep peacefully at night, slowly losing her mind as she dreaded the day the truth would emerge about her daughter. She would lay awake at night staring up at the ceiling and think back to the stranger that had entered her home, made broken promises and left her to raise a child alone. She did not regret ever giving birth to Maia but even she knew life for the girl would not always be so innocent and prosperous. Not when she had a dark secret hanging over her head about just who Xin Yen really was, and almost certainly not when the Hapes Cluster had finally formed an alliance with the Galactic Empire and turned their backs on the Rebel Alliance.

There were times when Maia would find her mother pacing the room and muttering away to herself, having an argument with someone who, as far as Maia could tell, was no more a man than a figment of her mother's imagination. Maia was however a girl raised well and knew not to question her mother, simply clearing her throat upon entering and allowing the woman a moment or so to compose herself before she entered. But at the back of her mind there was a constant feeling of worry and fear, that there was something the woman was keeping from her. However, it was not until Maia's 13th year, when she returned home after another singing session in the streets of Ut, that she met her father for the first time. It was later revealed that his intention had been not to come and see Maia but to take her away from her mother and show her the galaxy from his shuttle that was docked at a nearby Hangar Bay. Although she was curious to see the galaxy and was tempted by the offer, Maia, with the backing of her mother, sent the man on his way and told him that the next time he stepped foot in Ut, she'd see to it that he was arrested and that to her, he was nothing more than a criminal. He tried many times to persuade Fa'li to speak to Maia about his offer but she knew that her daughter's mind was made up, and no further mention of the man was ever made to Maia again.

The Empire's Influence

Before Farra announced her enlistment, Maia, Farra and a young Zeltron friend of Farra's by the name of Vrai whose uncle worked on the shuttle that the Lin-Pa family travelled on, would spend days together whether it was travelling around the Hapes Cluster itself, or exploring various parts of Ut that Maia had not been able to see before. They'd laugh and joke and Maia would attempt to teach Vrai and Farra how to play the Feegharp, often having to cover her ears because of the din they made. It was, for the most part, a perfect friendship but Maia kept thinking back to her father's visit and expressed her feelings in one final song. A song, she vowed, that would never be heard.

After word reached home about how Xin had left the Cluster, Fa'li started to notice a change in her daughter, a change in her that would be more evident over the next four years of her life, but Maia's unusual behavior was not just because of her father's visit or how he had given up hope and abandoned her, but something else. Maia had received word from Farra Lin-Pa that she had been accepted into the Galactic Empire and her training would begin when she arrived at her destination.

Fa'li had hoped that the girls would spend time together more, that Maia would want to go out in a shuttle and do the things she loved doing, but not only would Maia refuse to go out into the streets to sing to her adoring audience, but she had lost interest in her music which had been something she had been devoted to for most of her life. At first Fa'li thought nothing of it but when she found Maia's Feegharp sat outside their small home for anyone to take she knew that something was wrong. She tried to get Maia to open up, to talk to her about whatever was troubling her but all Maia replied with was: "I don't have time any more."

By the time Maia reached 17, her mother had all but given up trying to persuade the girl to leave her room, so one could imagine Fa'li's surprise when, upon announcing that there was a visitor in Ut of significant importance from the Galactic Empire, Maia took up her Feegharp and went outside. Although she did not stray too far from home, still finding the world almost new to her having been a recluse for so long, she sat and played to her heart's content the many tunes she had once graced the ears of all who would listen, including the Age of the Queen Mother, Hapan's National Anthem, and one other song. The Song of Parting.

Fa'li, at the first sound of the harp had tears in her eyes as she stood in the small front yard and listened from afar but she did not approach her daughter until she had finished playing. Surrounded once more by the people who loved her, Maia made one very important announcement that both surprised and worried her mother. She wanted to join the Empire. There was no reason at the time for her choice of future path but Fa'li feared that Maia's decision was not one made with a sane mind. But it was during an argument one night that Maia told her mother the real reason why she wanted to join the Empire.

"Farra went missing months ago," She snapped. "She hasn't been in contact with Vrai, she hasn't contacted me. Her parents don't even know if she is even alive because their messages have been rejected every single time for about nine months now. It's like she never existed! If I can find out just what happened to her, maybe I can stop this constant pain in my chest, and move on! I cannot move on and mourn for someone when I have no idea if she's even alive or dead..."

Maia was more determined than ever to become a recruit and serve the Empire, if only to find out the truth behind her companion's disappearance, but it wasn't until several advertisements came through to her from several officers of the Galactic Empire that Maia took the leap of faith and sent in her application without her mother's knowledge. The only time that Fa'li ever learned about Maia's new adventure waiting for her was when the girl stood in the lounge area with a small case in one hand and a datapad in the other. Fa'li begged Maia not to leave, giving her lie after lie about what the Empire was, how terrible it would be for a woman, how things would go horribly wrong for a girl, especially one such as a young Hapan female who was known for their beauty and connections to Lorell Raiders. But Maia's mind was made up, especially when her mother spoke so cruelly about how Hapan girls could end up in trouble, knowing full well how hard it had been for her to grieve for her missing friend, and she left immediately heading to the Starport where she caught a Shuttle to the given coordinates.

Unfortunately for her the Starport she was supposed to aim for was closed and she was dropped off in an abandoned city miles from anywhere.

Eventually, after communicating with several officers and the Dean of the Academy, transport was arranged to collect the girl and she made it in one piece to the Academy, where for some time afterwards she was either out on a mission following practicums set, or she was in her dorm away from most of the other Recruits to focus on her studies. While first impressions may not have been the best ones for Maia, she made sure that she knuckled down and got on with her work, passing her exams and aiming for extra merits with her Training Officer, a man who, much to Maia's delight, would have a great impact on her future career in the Empire.

"Maia," Each night as she lay sleeping, Maia found herself on the shuttle with Farra Lin-Pa holding her arms out to her and smiling. "I'm proud of who you have become. Don't worry so much about me and where I am, as long as you think of me as I was, I will never be far from you," It was a sad moment for Maia but it was also special moments such as this, within dreams where nothing else mattered, when time stood still, where she could just cherish what special friendship she had been honored to share with the Togruta female, and of course, the Zeltron Vrai.

After some time, Maia had all but forgotten why she had joined the Empire originally, no longer looking for answers as to why Farra had disappeared. Instead, much to her delight, she was instead focusing on doing well in the Regional Government, travelling from place to place, delivering materials and learning the art of construction where, while in the galaxy on a ship with a bunch of workers, she could prove to herself that she might be a bit of a bubblehead at times, but she was no longer just a girl with sheer determination, she was a woman, representing something far greater than anything she could have ever imagined.

For she was an Imperial.

A Marriage

Khajan Prax and Maia

Service Record

Promotions

Grade	Rank	Time Held (Combine Time)	Promoted By
[T-1]	Recruit	Y18 D85 - Y18 D89	Not applicable.
[O-1]	Junior Superintendent	Y15 D89 - Y15 D174	Grand Moff Destra Kami
[O-2]	Superintendent	Y15 D174 - Y18 D265	Senior Adjutant Ben Camden
[O-3]	Senior Superintendent	Y18 D265 - Ongoing	Senior Adjutant Ben Camden