Squab (Keshiri)

Squab was a male Keshiri who suffered from a congenital defect that made him small and hunchbacked. He was slow to react and slow moving for his species. Squab originally served the family of the Human Varner Hilts, Grand Lord of the Lost Tribe of Sith, as a slave. Prior to 2975 BBY, Lord Hilts, at the advice of his wife Grand Consort Iliana Hilts, assigned Squab to work for his rival, High Lord Korsin Bentado, as an aide. By doing so, the Hilts rankled Bentado by forcing him to include a deformed Keshiri among his retinue of otherwise physically perfect Human staff. Nevertheless, Bentado made Squab a regular part of his entourage as an assistant.
During the invasion of Alanciar, the continent to the east of Keshtah on the planet Kesh, Squab accompanied Bentado on the Ebon Fleet, an invasion force of airships. However, the Alanciari, the Keshiri who were indigenous to that continent, downed the fleet at the Western Shield countryside. Squab and his Sith master Bentado were among the surviving Sith members of the Ebon Fleet. They then traveled to the Alanciari capital of Sus'mintri where the Sith forces infiltrated Vaal Hall, the headquarters of the Alanciari government, and wiped out the War Cabinet. Their actions effectively decapitated the Alanciari government and enabled the Sith to take over Alanciar's highly centralized defense force
However, Korsin Bentado then turned against his liege Varner Hilts and plotted to kill Hilts by ordering the Alanciari ballista to down his airship Good Omen when it reached Alanciar. He intended to create a "Second Tribe" on Alanciar with himself as leader. While Squab pretended to be loyal to Bentado, his true loyalties lay with Grand Lord Hilts. He used Vaal Hall's semaphore system to communicate with Hilts and warned his master about Bentado's plot. Bentado was also opposed by another High Lord, Edell Vrai, who had recruited an Alanciari guide named Quarra Thayn. While Vrai and Thayn sparred with Bentado and his bodyguards, Squab secretly countermanded Bentado's orders to destroy the Good Omen and allowed Hilts' airship to land safely in Port Melephos, a coastal port in Alanciar. In the end, Bentado was personally executed by Squab, who informed his master that Hilts had sent his "regards" to Bentado. Following the defeat of Bentado, Edell asserted control over Bentado's men and the signaling devices. Squab and Bentado's former Keshiri servants occupied the signal tower until they were relieved by Grand Lord Hilts' followers.
==Biography==
===Sith service===
Squab was a Keshiri man who served the Lost Tribe of Sith during the Hilts Restoration. As with all of the Keshiri who had lived on the continent of Keshtah Minor since 5000 BBY, Squab was taught to revere and worship the Sith Tribe as the descendants of the Protectors, ancient gods in Keshiri religion. He was a servant of the ruling Grand Lord Varner Hilts and his wife Iliana Hilts. In 2980 BBY, Iliana and Hilts assigned Squab to work as an aide for High Lord Korsin Bentado, the leader of the Korsinite League and the designated commander of the invasion fleet that would invade "Keshtah Major," another continent in the planet Kesh's southern hemisphere. In 3000 BBY, Varner Hilts had discovered a large map at the Kesh Sith Temple which confirmed the existence of a second continent and he used this information to unite the Tribe, which had endured a millennium of chaos and anarchy.
For the next twenty-five years, the Tribe put all of their energy into developing a technology that would enable them to reach this new continent which they intended to conquer. The Tribe's chief engineer Edell Vrai eventually developed airships, which were held aloft by helium. While Bentado was unhappy to hire the hunchbacked Keshiri, he feigned delight and accepted Squab into his retinue of "perfect" human specimens. As the leader of the Korsinite League, Bentado revered the Tribe's founder Yaru Korsin and his daughter Nida Korsin, and regarded the Testament of Yaru Korsin as scripture. The Hilts had assigned Squab to work with Bentado because they knew that the High Lord secretly harbored ambitions of usurping the Grand Lordship from Varner Hilts. Squab was part of Iliana's spy ring and he was assigned to keep an eye on Bentado in the event that the latter was plotting to overthrow the Hilts family. While Bentado still did not treat Squab as his equal, he was never seen without the Keshiri assistant.
===Invading Alanciar===
In 2975 BBY, the High Lord Edell Vrai led a reconnaissance mission to Keshtah Major. However, his airships were shot down by the native Keshiri, who called themselves the Alanciari and their homeland Alanciar. Despite these heavy losses, Edell and six other crew members survived and they managed to capture the Alanciari sailing vessel Mischance, which they would use to sail back to Keshtah by the Sea of Flames. In addition, the Sith party also captured two Alanciari: the signal officer Jogan Halder and his secret lover Wardmaster Quarra Thayn. While Edell's crew returned to Keshtah, he and Quarra remained behind for a ground reconnaissance mission into Alanciar's interior and capital of Sus'mintri. Edell's thoughtcrier Taymor also managed to transmit a telepathic warning that the expedition had encountered trouble.
However, she was killed before she could finish the message and the Iliana's thoughtcriers only received a garbled message of surprise, shock and confusion. Despite the poor intelligence on the Keshiri in Keshtah Major, Squab's liege High Lord Bentado insisted on proceeding with the invasion. He requested an audience with Grand Lord Hilts and was accompanied by Squab and eight other Korsinite League members. During the meeting, Squab carried a note which showed that Bentado's listeners had intercepted Taymor's call a few hours ago; confirming that Edell had finally found the "hidden land" that Korsin had revealed to them. While Hilts suggested that Bentado wait until Edell return, Bentado reiterated that the Grand Lord had already promised that if they found anything, his forces would immediately be ready to strike. Bentado also reminded Hilts that he had assembled his airships and crew for the invasion.
Bentado also brushed aside Iliana's concerns by arguing that Vrai was not a warrior but a talented tinkerer. He assumed that Edell was still waiting for his forces to arrive to carry out the invasion. Hilts reluctantly granted Bentado permission to launch the invasion. Squab joined Bentado and his followers in kneeling before the Grand Lord of the Tribe. However, he caught the hint a moment too late and nearly hit the floor trying to follow suit. Unknown to Bentado and his followers, Grand Lord Hilts and his Consort were secretly planning to send the Ebon Fleet to their doom. Hilts regarded Bentado as a potential threat to the Grand Lordship and saw the invasion as a convenient way of eliminating his rival.
===Behind Enemy Lines===
The Ebon Fleet, which consisted of sixty airships, flew across the Endless Sea to Keshtah Major. After three days of travel, the Ebon Fleet reached Alanciar's Western Shield, a rural countryside region that was home to state farms and canals. Squab accompanied Korsin Bentado and served aboard his flagship Yaru which contained a mixed crew of Human Sith warriors and Keshiri servants, who served as translators. However, the Alanciari had prepared for the arrival of the Sith for the past two millennia. In 4975 BBY, the Keshiri exile Adari Vaal had fled to Alanciar and warned the locals about the Tribe. As a result, the Alanciari evolved into a warlike and industrialized civilization that was built around resisting a Sith invasion. Due to their well-trained and equipped military and effective semaphore communications network, the Alanciari were able to mobilize several ballistae units within minutes. These fired flaming javelins at the Sith airships, downing several of them and killing many of the Sith invaders.
Bentado's flagship Yaru was hit in the gondola by several flaming javelins. However, the ship managed to escape the battlefield and crashed into the eastern highlands. However, Bentado's crew managed to cut the gondola away from the burning gasbag before it collided with the top of the ridge. This saved the crew from a fiery death. Squab survived the crash as did his master Bentado and several Sith warriors and Keshiri servants. Bentado suffered several burns on his head and a broken leg from the fall. Despite the disaster at the Western Shield, Bentado and the surviving crew of his dirigible managed to escape the battlefield and traveled to Sus'mintri, the capital of Alanciar and the headquarters of the War Cabinet, Alanciar's military government. Under the cover of darkness, Bentado and his Sith followers infiltrated Vaal Hall, the headquarters of the War Cabinet, and slew all of the Alanciari politicians, bureaucrats, guards and signal officers stationed there.
They also succeeded in capturing the adjacent signal tower and the "worldwatch", a situation room which controlled all telepathic and semaphore communications in Alanciar. Thus, Bentado was able to control Alanciar from behind the scenes and immediately used the signal tower to order the Alanciari sentries to deliver food. In addition, they used the signal tower's thoughtcrier facilities to order the Alanciari military to bring their Sith captives to Vaal Hall, where they were reunited with their Sith comrades. The Sith were also able to lure Quarra Thayn, a former thoughtcrier in the Alanciari military, and her Sith captor Edell Vrai into the building. During Edell's reunion with High Lord Bentado, Squab brought a sheaf of parchment to his limping master.
===Bentado's Mutiny===
After exchanging pleasantries with Edell and updating him about their capture of Vaal Hall, Korsin Bentado ordered his Keshiri servants to cancel the alarms in Alanciar, which had been ringing for the past few days. Squab carried the parchment to the foot of the stairs which led to the signal tower. Within a minute, the shrill whistles above Sus'mintri stopped and this effect was also felt throughout the entire continent. He then ordered Squab to bring the other Keshiri servants in the signal tower to a ready state in preparation for the next wave of Sith from Keshtah Minor. When Edell suggested warning the Tribe about the threat posed by the Alanciari, Bentado revealed that he actually wanted to shoot down the Tribe's airships.
Since Bentado was unable to gain the Grand Lordship as long as Hilts lived and because Iliana was protecting her husband from any threats, he decided to create a "Second Tribe" on Alanciar. Bentado planned to use the military and industrial might of the Alanciari to forge a new empire on the new continent. He also compared the Keshiri on Alanciar favorably to their counterparts on Keshtah, and dismissed Squab as a "waste of flesh" which Hilts had saddled him with. While the Tribe's founder Yaru Korsin had found sculptors and painters, Bentado had encountered a warrior race of builders and armorers. Bentado also planned to rule the Alanciari state as a solitary Sith by bending their working system of government to his will. He believed that his plan would succeed because he was the only Sith on Alanciar, forgetting his followers.
However, Edell refused to supported Bentado's plans and tried to remind them of their loyalty to the Tribe and Grand Lord Hilts. Meanwhile, Quarra condemned Bentado for murdering her people's leaders. In response to Edell's recalcitrance, Bentado ordered his men to seize them. Bentado attacked Edell with Force lightning but Quarra managed to wound the former with her hand-ballista. They then escaped into Adari Vaal's secret library, which was hidden behind a tapestry of the ancient Herald. Bentado's men pursued them but were unable to find them. After a night of resting, Edell and Quarra made an agreement to stop Bentado for the good of the Tribe and the Alanciari. They managed to infiltrate the "worldwatch" via a diagonal tunnel.
By then, Grand Lord Hilts' airship Good Omen had arrived off the coast of Port Melephos, a port on the western coast of Alanciar. Squab was present with his master Bentado in the "worldwatch" went the Keshiri crew in the signal tower above received the message from semaphore operators in Melephos. Bentado ordered Squab to order the Alanciari to dispatch uvak diamong-flak teams to shoot it down. Bentado knew that the Tribe had just sixteen airships left and was hoping that Hilts would have sent them all. However, Hilts had by then learnt about the military capabilities of the Alanciari from Edell's lieutenant Peppin and had mounted a grand deception operation designed to convince the Alanciari that the Tribe did not pose a threat to them. This included repainting the airship white and bringing his new Alanciari "ambassador" Jogan Halder, whom the Tribe had manage to win over.
===Defending the Tribe===
At that time, Bentado was also still pulling glass shards from the stump of his left arm. In response, Bentado instructed Squab to order the Alanciari uvak "diamond-flak" teams to engage the aircraft. Upon exiting the tunnel, Edell jumped onto Bentado, and used his legs to drive Bentado's head into the map surface. After rolling across the map table, Edell ignited his lightsaber. Shortly later, Quarra emerged and startled Squab. One of Bentado's female followers then attempt to aid Bentado but Edell shoved her aside by using the Force. This distraction enabled Bentado to recover and snare Edell's ankle, causing him to fall to the ground. Quarra then attacked Bentado with Adari's lightsaber but the High Lord managed to ignite his own lightsaber. He was able to deflect her attack by using his higher position on the map table. Meanwhile, Edell recovered from his fall and managed to impale another Korsitinite defender.
However, Squab was able to escape up the staircase leading to the tower before the two attackers could stop him. To both Bentado and his opponents, Squab appeared to be relaying Bentado's command to destroy the Good Omen but was actually ordering the Alanciari defenders to allow the Grand Lord's airship to land. While Quarra could undo Bentado's grip on Alanciar from the tower, Edell feared that she could bring a host of Alanciari on his head. Before Quarra could pursue Squab, Bentado used the Force to throw her against one of the lower belfies, knocking away her lightsaber. Standing over the Keshiri woman, Bentado threatened to kill her unless Edell stayed away from him. In response, Edell threatened Squab with his lightsaber. The Keshiri servant had already returned from the signal tower and was cowering beside the wooden spiral stair case which led to the signal tower. However, Bentado was unconcerned by the potential harm to his Keshiri servant since he believed that he could find more Keshiri servants on Alanciar.
When Bentado threatened to kill Quarra unless Edell yielded, Edell stood up for her by describing her as a "big help" and telling Bentado that it was rude for guests to kill their hosts. Bentado dismissed Edell as a "fool" and used the Force to throw Edell against a concrete wall. As a result of the attack, Edell dropped his lightsaber and Bentado flung Quarra to Edell's side. After Squab emerged from hiding, Bentado ordered the Keshiri to pick up Quarra's lightsaber while he took care of his two enemies himself. Bentado intended to execute his two wounded opponents but was interrupted by a message from Squab. Squab had received a parchment from another of Bentado's other Keshiri servants which carried the news that Grand Lord Hilt's airship had landed at Port Melephos. When Bentado asked whether the airship had been brought down, Squab confirmed that it had landed safely. Bentado was shocked that his plan to assassinate the Grand Lord had fallen apart.
All this time, Squab had been secretly serving Grand Lord Hilts and had disobeyed Bentado's command to down the Grand Lord's airship. In desperation, Bentado attempted to command Squab to order the Alanciari troops to kill Hilts and anyone with him. However, Squab countermanded this order with a new order from Hilts ordering him to kill Bentado. Squab then used Quarra's lightsaber to stab Lord Bentado through the heart, killing the Sith Lord. This effectively ended Bentado's dreams of creating a "Second Tribe" and killing his rival Hilts. Squab then handed Bentado's weapons to Edell Vrai, who was designated as the new commander of the Sith forces on Alanciar. Following Bentado's death, Edell reasserted control over Bentado's men and the signaling devices.
===Unification===
Under the orders of High Lord Edell Vrai, Squab and all of the other Keshiri servants, who were loyal to Grand Lord Hilts, disarmed Bentado's surviving Korsinite League supporters. Edell was able to force the Korsinites to yield to his authority by threatening to bring all of the Alanciari down upon Vaal Hall if they did not surrender. Edell also communicated a deal from Grand Lord Hilts to the surviving Korsinites, whom he intended to exile or enslave. Due to their heavy losses at the Western Shield and the death of their leader, the Korsinite League was broken and never recovered again.Lost Tribe of the Sith, 22 January 2014/Email from John Jackson Miller Having established control of Vaal Hall and its signal tower, Edell also used the semaphore machines to communicate with the newcomers at Port Melephos, updating them about the recent developments in Sus'mintri and the defeat of Bentado's mutiny.Lost Tribe of the Sith/Email from John Jackson Miller
While Edell and Quarra Thayn went to meet Grand Lord Hilts and Jogan Halder who had landed in Sus'mintri's parade grounds, Squab and the Keshiri servants occupied the strategically-important signal tower until the arrival of Hilts' white-suited human advisers. Hilts and Jogan were able to convince the Alanciari to submit to Sith rule by claiming to be the Protectors, powerful gods in Keshiri religion. By contrast, the deceased Bentado and his supporters were portrayed as the "evil" servants of the Destructors, malevolent entities in Keshiri religion, who had been expelled from the Tribe. Following the speeches, Edell updated Hilts about Squab's role in helping him defeat Bentado. Hilts praised the Keshiri man as another idea of Iliana. He also joked that whenever a Grand Lord sent his regards, one's life was in danger. Following the arrival of Grand Lord Hilts' forces over the next few days, Bentado's Korsinite supporters were taken into custody and presumably enslaved or killed. Meanwhile, Squab continued serving his Grand Lord and Grand Consort loyally.
==Personality and traits==
Squab was a quiet and unassuming Keshiri male who was able to hide his feelings and thoughts. As an aide, he was literate and skilled in handling parchments and other documents. Above all, Squab was also loyal to the ruling Grand Lord Varner Hilts and his wife Iliana Hilts. While in the service of High Lord Bentado Korsin, Squab was also proficient in the art of deception. While feigning loyalty and obedience to Bentado in public, he actively countermanded and frustrated Bentado's orders to kill Grand Lord Hilts and create his own "Second Tribe" in Alanciar. While it is unknown whether he was Force-sensitive or received any instruction in the Sith ways, Squab still knew how to operate a Sith lightsaber, which he used to slay Bentado, thus ending the latter's mutiny against Varner Hilts.
==Behind the scenes==
Squab first appeared as a supporting, non-point-of-view character in John Jackson Miller's Lost Tribe of the Sith: Pandemonium, the last novella in the Lost Tribe of the Sith series. Pandemonium was released as part of the mass trade paperback Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: The Collected Stories, which was released on July 24, 2012. This marks his only known appearance in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. According to Miller, Squab was originally intended to be named "Squib" but the author changed his mind after learning that "Squib" was a term for a non-magic individual in the British author J.K. Rowling's bestselling Harry Potter fantasy novel series.
==Appearances==
*Lost Tribe of the Sith: Pandemonium 
==Notes and references==
Category:Enslaved individuals
Category:Keshiri
Category:Males