Tishla

Species: Gelt
Birthdate: 410 IE

Quick Description:

Tishla is a 19-year-old Gelt woman—approximately 25 in human terms—who begins Second Wave as a captive with a secret and ends it as a revolutionary figure poised to reshape the relationship between Gelt and humanity. Small, pale, and humble in manner, she often wears a servant’s gown even in leadership roles, disguising her formidable intelligence and political weight.

Early Life:

Tishla was born into a family of servants and raised alongside the noble-born Kai, with whom she formed a deep bond. To finance her education in genetics, she indentured herself to Kai as his concubine, a role she embraced out of love and loyalty. Their relationship soon evolved beyond formal bounds—Tishla effectively became Kai’s wife and closest advisor.

Kai, misled by the Warrior Caste Laral family, was manipulated into supporting the seizure of two Compact colonies—later revealed to be Gilead and Amargosa. Fearing for her safety and that of their unborn twins, he sent Tishla to the Compact world of Metis, where her indenture was nullified upon arrival. As she unknowingly carried Kai’s twins, this made her his wife under Realm law. After learning Kai had been deceived and killed, Tishla returned to the former Gilead, where she united Gelt settlers and human survivors, rejecting both the Compact and the Realm.

Her son’s murder shattered any illusions of peace. With a quiet resolve, she set out for Amargosa to exact revenge on the disgraced Laral family, whose rogue actions had triggered the war.

Main Events in Second Wave:

Tishla is captured by JT Austin and Eric Yuwono while en route to meet a dissident Gelt faction. She signals surrender and is spared by JT, who gradually becomes protective of her. Known for much of the journey only as “Trixie”—a name given by Connor Duffy—she hides her ability to speak Humanic until revealing her true identity. Over time, she gains JT’s trust and secures a promise: if captured again, he will kill them both rather than allow her to fall into enemy hands. JT solemnly agrees, even preparing a grenade to fulfill the pact if needed.

As the resistance moves toward the downed Ban Ki-moon, Tishla proves herself an asset and enigma. Her identity as a key political figure—more than a mere concubine—begins to surface as she navigates between factions with quiet authority.

Rescue and Escape from Amargosa:

Tishla is eventually captured again—this time by Lucius Kray’s militia. JT, Duffy, and Suicide rescue her in a desperate mission that forces all four to flee Amargosa. Initially, their plan is to escape to Tian or another Compact-aligned core world.

Instead, Tishla directs their ship to Hanar, the former colony of Gilead. There, her role becomes unmistakably clear: she is greeted as “First Citizen”, the political leader of the newly founded Gelt-Human cooperative settlement.

As JT reels from this revelation, Tishla takes his bullet locket in her hand and tells him, “I’m going to help you keep that promise,” turning his personal mission—reclaiming Amargosa and honoring his late wife Lizzy—into a shared cause.

Relationships:

• Kai: Tishla’s former master and lover. Their bond defined her early years but also laid the groundwork for her future leadership.

• JT Austin: Captor turned ally, possibly more. Suicide suspects JT harbors romantic feelings for Tishla. She, in turn, places immense trust in him, including entrusting him with her life.

• Suicide: Initially skeptical, Suicide comes to see Tishla’s deeper value and enables her escape from Kray’s clutches.

• Connor Duffy & Eric Yuwono: Companions in both her capture and escape, their perception of Tishla shifts as her identity unfolds.

• Davra Andraste: Though their contact in Second Wave is limited, Davra is one of the first to show Tishla empathy rather than suspicion. Both are young women shaped by war, with scientific backgrounds (genetics for Tishla, technical systems for Davra). A mutual respect forms quickly, especially after Tishla’s rescue. Davra’s trust in Tishla hints at the potential for future cooperation—and possibly friendship—across cultural boundaries.

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