Tishla

April 22, 2025

Species: Gelt
Birthdate: 410 IE
Birthplace: The Realm

Lattus Tishla, once a reluctant participant in a rogue invasion of a human colony, rises to become one of the most important political and moral figures in the Compact Universe. Born to a servant family and indentured to her childhood friend as a concubine, Tishla reclaims her late husband’s authority on Gilead, negotiates peace between species, and leads the reconstruction of the planet—now known as Hanar.

Tishla’s story is one of profound transformation—from servant to stateswoman—and her ability to navigate grief, diplomacy, and power makes her a powerful symbol of reconciliation between humans and Gelt.

Key Traits and Developments:

Rise to Power:

  • After Kai’s death, Tishla asserts his claim over Gilead, defying the Laral family and reshaping the colony into a joint human-Gelt settlement.

  • Adopting the title First Citizen, she governs with a rare blend of confident leadership and servant humility, symbolized by refusing to pave the plaza outside her home.

Relationships:

  • Orias Palak: A highly respected member of the Warrior Caste, Palak serves as Tishla’s chancellor and closest political advisor. In her youth, he acted as a father figure to both Tishla and Kai, shaping much of her outlook on leadership and honor.

  • Trevor Colt: Former resistance leader during the Gilead invasion. Colt recommended that humans accept Tishla’s offer to rebuild after the war. He remains a casual lover but deeply loyal friend, offering both blunt advice and personal support during her leadership.

  • Bornag: A younger Warrior assigned to Tishla during her initial diplomatic overtures to the surviving humans. He had standing orders to kill her if her offer was rejected—a fact both acknowledge with dry humor later. Like Colt, Bornag acts as a trusted protector and close advisor.

  • Athena: Tishla’s daughter with Kai, born after his death. Named for Athena Jovann, the Metisian official who aided Tishla during her exile. Athena becomes a symbol of hope for Gelt-human coexistence, later forging deep bonds with JT Austin as her adoptive “dad.”

Relationship with JT Austin:

  • First captured by JT while posing as a mute refugee (“Trixie”), Tishla gradually earns his trust after revealing her true identity.

  • In Storming Amargosa, an unplanned intimate encounter between them underscores the depth of their bond. She refuses to let JT remove Lizzy’s bullet locket, telling him, “She is part of you,” showing her sensitivity to his grief.

  • Though Gelt and humans are biologically incompatible, Athena later expresses a wish for JT to become her father, cementing a lasting bond between the two.

Servant Mentality and Leadership:

  • Tishla’s diplomatic style—deferential but never subservient—stems from her upbringing as a servant. This “servant mode” allows her to lower defenses and build alliances across cultures, especially between former enemies.

Diplomatic Acumen:

  • Orders the Gelt fleet to stand down during the Liberation of Amargosa, preventing a bloodbath.

  • Accepted as legitimate by both Gelt and Compact leadership. Serves alongside Fleet Admiral Tran, Governor Best, and Athena Jovann in postwar rebuilding efforts.

Cultural Bridge:

  • Tishla’s leadership helps normalize human-Gelt relations, not through dominance, but mutual rebuilding and emotional honesty.

  • Her personal relationships—especially with JT and Athena—reflect her broader political philosophy of healing divided peoples.

Legacy and Role in the Series:

Tishla serves as a mirror to JT Austin: where he is driven by action and guilt, she anchors herself with sacrifice, empathy, and calm resolve. Her selflessness often frustrates those closest to her, particularly Palak and JT, who fear she values duty over her own life.

She becomes a revolutionary figure among the Gelt, not by conquest, but by proving peaceful coexistence possible—even after deep wounds of war.

Author’s Notes:

  • Tishla was partly inspired by Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones)—a woman who transforms oppression into leadership—but Tishla ultimately seeks to relinquish power once Hanar is secure.

  • Originally created for The First One’s Free (now merged into Tishla’s Journey), she evolved into a major character after strong interest from early editorial feedback.

  • Her evolving relationship with JT Austin parallels the dynamic between JT and Mitsuko Yamato—family-like but layered with complex emotional tension.

Appeances: Tishla's Journey, Second Wave, Storming Amargosa, “Half Shell“