Most of the great philosophers of Mystacor have since warned about acting on future visions. I believe that we all see the future in dreams, sometimes – hence the existence of déjà vu.

❂❂❂

Shadow Weaver hummed softly as she sat in the nursery, watching the little ones play with toys. As soon as she'd joined the Horde, she had beseeched Hordak for several harmless childrens' toys – blocks, crinkles, and the like – citing that they needed to work together from an early age. Hordak had liked this idea; secretly, Shadow Weaver enjoyed watching the children play with the things she had brought for them.

Adora, now four years old, laughed with the other kids. "C'mon, Catra, give it to me!"

The girl chased Catra around the room; Carmen's kit held a ball of yarn that Shadow Weaver had been able to – with mighty effort – charm to ravel itself back up when it sensed that the children were done with it.

Adora tackled the five-year-old; the other children soon joined in the fun, dogpiling Catra to get the yarn. Shadow Weaver fought to recall the names she gave them when they'd been put into the nursery. Lonnie. Kyle. Rogelio, the Leezan orphan. Anástasis, a small Eastern boy who looked almost too similar to Micah. More, but she had allowed Carmen to name the felinetta children, so she couldn't recall them.

A dreadful hiss sounded from under the dogpile; Adora was flung backward. Catra emerged from the pile without the yarn, and Shadow Weaver's child lay on the ground, lips parted as she began to cry.

Shadow Weaver leaped up from her recliner. "Stop," she said in a deep, commanding voice. The children ignored her, some of them rushing to help Adora up while others went to Catra or Lonnie.

"I said, STOP!" Shadow Weaver shouted. The children froze, eyes wide with fear. "Adora, come."

Adora sniffled, wiping away tears with her meaty toddler hand, then promptly cried again. "My tummy..."

"Did someone kick you?" Shadow Weaver inquired as she bent down, dabbing at the girl's face with her dress sleeve.

Adora nodded. "Catra..." she sniffled.

Shadow Weaver's attention snapped to Catra, who was huddled in the corner with the yarn. Carmen's child had a problem with hitting the other little ones, and Shadow Weaver would not tolerate such disgraceful behavior. Horde soldiers had to be well-behaved, not unruly and rebellious.

"Catra, come."

The felinetta stepped delicately over to Shadow Weaver, avoiding eye contact. According to her tutors, Catra made slower progress than Adora and the others and refused to apply herself in class. Shadow Weaver feared that one day she would have to personally educate the felinetta herself.

A long silence. Then Shadow Weaver spoke. "Your mother has discussed with me at length about your hitting problems."

Catra rocked back and forth on her heels, her eyes – one blue, one yellow – still staring at the floor. She didn't understand what Shadow Weaver was saying, likely. Stupid child.

Shadow Weaver spoke slowly, forcing herself to use simple words. "Your mama," she said, "told you to stop hitting people."

"Yeah."

That's it? "Catra, speak to me next time. Do not hit Adora."

"I was under a buncha kids," Catra shot back in an impish snap. "I screamed, but you didn't come."

"I was unaware of your pain."

Catra scoffed, and Shadow Weaver froze her with kinesis magic – briefly, turning her around. "You will not use that tone with me."

"So? You're not my mom."

"I am above your mother. You will obey me. Is this understood?"

Catra scowled, tears dripping down her cheeks. All the children, Adora included, had stopped to watch. The girl's crystal-blue eyes looked horrified.

"You must do better," Shadow Weaver told Catra. "Here, your ethics are everything. If you disobey protocol, you will be cast aside. Forgotten. Uncared for."

Catra's eyes widened, and she met Shadow Weaver's masked face. "Forgotten?" she whispered.

Shadow Weaver nodded sternly, unfreezing her. "Now, you will apologize to Adora."

Catra nodded, going to her friend and lacing their hands together. "I'm sorry."

Adora sniffled. "Me too."

"I hit you. You didn't do anything."

"I made Mama yell at you."

Shadow Weaver froze. What...did she say?

No. It wasn't Shadow Weaver's fault that Catra was a fool. Adora – perfect, reliable Adora – could keep her in check. And if she could not...

A dangerous line of thought. Shadow Weaver didn't exactly like Catra, and if she grew up to be trouble, Shadow Weaver could not afford weak links. She would have to dispose of the kit, and Carmen would be heartbroken yet again...

"Adora, sit with me," she ordered, holding out her arms. Adora reluctantly stepped up into the armchair, laying against her. Though Shadow Weaver's daughter was certainly powerful, Glimmer could possibly exceed her ward in prowess...

Shadow Weaver's eyes snapped upward, and the ideas coalesced. Angella is pregnant. There will be complications, and she'll be unable to move.

The baby would arrive shortly, and Micah would be occupied. Shadow Weaver would look for an opening, then rally her troops to attack while Micah and Angella were busy caring for their newborn daughter.

She pressed her mask to Adora's forehead, then rose. "I must attend to my work," Shadow Weaver said, calling the nursemaid. "Catra, do not forget what we discussed. I will not suffer your misconduct for much longer."

Catra blushed, the red showing on her tan skin. "Yes'm," she mumbled. "Bye."

"Goodbye," Shadow Weaver said, grinning despite herself as she exited the room to plan once again.

✧✧✧

Beck's heart pounded as she and Carmen walked into Shadow Weaver's office. They were in charge of attacking once Carmen scouted the area, but the felinetta had – once again – screwed up the mission.

It hadn't been Carmen's fault after all – Beck was the one who had prompted the felinetta to go and talk to Micah and Nell. Was Shads angry? Of course. But it was all worth a small riot, rather than the Horde seizing such a crucial supply line.

Shadow Weaver sat at her desk, hands folded. "What," she growled, "happened?"

Carmen began to cry. "I'm sorry, my lady! It was my fault. I – I talked to 'em! Got the attention'f that Salinean, yeah?"

"Salinean? What are you talking about?" their commander barked.

"Commander," Beck said smoothly, "may I explain? This entire issue is my fault, after all."

Shadow Weaver paused. Then her gaze softened just a bit. "Did you put Carmen up to this?"

"Yeah. Wasn't a good idea, but you try everything. I thought that if Carmen posed as a refugee and tried to distract them with stories about the Horde's might, I could scout in peace. Micah and Nell were there, after all."

"What did you tell them?" Shadow Weaver snapped at Carmen.

The felinetta wilted further. "Um...just 'bout how Jibril almost overthrew you. Y'know, 'bout the false Illuras rumor –"

Shadow Weaver sighed and clenched her fists. "And you, Beck, told her to do this?"

"Yes, ma'am."

The commander scowled. "To the detention block. Tell them I say drop and give me fifty. If you're too incompetent to do that, program your skiff to take you to Beast Island."

Damn it. At least Beck could buff her muscles in order to survive the tenuous exercise. She would need to regurgitate her food on the way there, and guzzle enough water to make it through.

As she walked out of the room, she heard Carmen speak to Shadow Weaver in soft tones. "I...I'm so sorry, my lady..."

Shadow Weaver hushed her servant gently. "This doesn't affect future plans – I'm still laying siege to Illuras. That false rumor will soon become a reality, in a twisted way."

"Illuras? You found an opening?"

"Yes."

"How'll you get past Mike and Angie?"

"They have created their own distraction."

"Which is?"

"Mm...can I tell it to you? You won't blab now, will you?"

Carmen shuddered. "I won't. Promise."

"It's...her."

Beck's blood froze. She had to finish her penance and get to her holo-pad, for not only Illuras was in danger.

Shadow Weaver had plans to incite an attack against Micah's baby daughter.

❂❂❂

Did you know...

- Most of Starwalker 3.0 ended up being different than Starwalker: Prime when push came to shove. This is one thing I added into the third draft, and at first, I wasn't exactly sure it fit. I was concerned it made Shadow Weaver too unlikable. However, I realized I needed to let my readers have their own opinions and not to shove my opinion of her into their faces, sacrificing the story in the process.

- There's still a part of me that worries as well about how her treatment of Catra and Adora comes off. On the one hand, this is a work of fanfiction and thus I can technically do what I will with their relationship. However, I don't want to sand down what she did for the sake of my own biases. But on the third hand, Shadow Weaver isn't at her full wickedness yet, and thus the balance is difficult to maintain. It's complex.

Tell me what you think...

- How will Beck get revenge on Shadow Weaver?