Amber

I did not think of my pets as extensions of my abilities, tools, or weapons to be pointed at the enemy. These were my digital friends, with personalities of their own. I took my role as their handler seriously.

And why should I not?

Many pets would come and go through my care, but one would remain a constant; one that I would reach for whenever I needed a spark of life or immersion; one that I felt was as much a part of Vincer as his particular style of dress, or his appreciation for the fairer sex, or his fear of sandstorms mussing up his groomed head of hair.

Amber.

I randomly came across her on a return from a squad hunt on Naboo. A little baby amongst her pack. The rest of the squad ran on, but I wanted to be selfish for a moment so I stopped to tame the kitten.

Little did I realize I had found Vincer's best friend this side of Cyra. I named her for the color of her eyes.

Amber was not like the other cats in the game. Her gentle face, the quiet nature, and the soft pad of her feet. If you ever dabbled in creature handling, you might already know how the other breeds were louder; with raspy, frequent grunts or other noises.

But not Amber. Her quiet reserve gave her a life, as if she had a higher level of existence then her feline peers. She seemed smarter, almost haughty. She conducted herself as a little lady, one fit to be by Vincer's side.

Despite her tiny size at first (and the pictures above were after she already started to grow), Vincer let her off the chain to attack enemies; a tiny torpedo in the "water", speeding in to attack her papa's foes.

Her coat grew lighter as she aged, and her claws grew sharper. She was as much a member of the squad as the others, and maybe moreso as she was there when no one else could be.

Shown below is Vincer and Amber discovering a part of the old Mos Espa Pod Racetrack. We were going to follow it through to the end, but we ran smack into a nest of dragonettes which changed our mind. We lost the trail, but survived to tell the tale. One of many.

Whether fishing, instructing the squad, waiting for a shuttle, or watching the entertainers in the local establishments, Amber was there.

Whenever Vincer did anything, it just didn't feel like he was doing it properly if Amber wasn't somehow involved. Whether flying ships, blasting Imperials, building furniture or running cities. Amber was there.

When creature handler was removed from the game and she became a mere icon in the datapad Amber was there, waiting. And despite all evidence to the contrary that the ability to have a pet would return; Amber and Vincer waited, separated by the inane decision by SOE to keep them apart.

But we all know how the story ends. It finishes like a all good stories do. Happily ever after.

After countless months apart. Amber was there.