#(But before she quits the Senate and declares Rebellion)

[senatormonmothma]

@arc-77

The Chandrilan Embassy on Coruscant was a testament to the opulence and elegance of its homeworld. From the moment one stepped through its grand entrance, they were enveloped in an atmosphere of refined luxury that echoed the architectural aesthetics of Chandrila itself.

The interior of the embassy, with its spacious corridors and ornate chambers, uncannily resembled the interior of The Chandrilan House. The floors were crafted from polished Chandrilan marble, their smooth surfaces reflecting the soft illumination of strategically placed lumicrystal fixtures. Richly upholstered sofas and chairs provided comfortable seating, while delicate Chandrilan floral arrangements brought a touch of nature into the space. The rooms, furnished minimally, were occasionally and tastefully accented by artifacts depicting aspects of Chandrila’s rich history, each piece as radiant and unyielding as Chandrila itself.

However, inside the reception hall, subtle reminders that this was, in fact, an embassy punctuated the air of domestic splendor. State-of-the-art holo-communication devices and secure data terminals seamlessly integrated with the tasteful decor, embodying the blending of tradition and progress. The distant hum of airspeeders permeated the halls, a reminder of the bustling cityscape beyond. And through the expansive windows, the towering spires of Coruscant reached towards the sky, their shimmering lights contrasting with the soft glow of the enormous lumicrystal chandelier that was suspended from the high ceiling.

Tonight, the duality of its existence bothered Mon Mothma. The embassy, bequeathed to her by the Chandrilan House so that she could fulfil her Senatorial duties on Coruscant was her home. A sanctuary and a place of solace, where she could escape the weight of her responsibilities and the ceaseless struggles of the galaxy. But on this evening, at the insistence of her husband Perrin, she once again found herself playing host to a gaggle of strangers at an impromptu dinner party.

Resplendent in an elegant gown, she moved through the crowd with effortless grace. Her presence commanded attention as she engaged in conversations, her voice carrying an air of authority tempered with congeniality. Senators, high-ranking Imperial officials, and even members of her own family mingled amidst the throng, their voices blending into a harmonious symphony of polite discourse.

Despite the formalities and politeness, her stomach knotted as she watched her Imperial guests traverse the polished floors, their crisp uniforms and the echo of military boots on the marble felt like a violation, an intrusion into her sacred space. The grandeur of her home was now tinged with the oppressive aura of the Empire, casting a shadow on the very essence of what she held dear. It was as if a dark stain had marred the sanctity of her haven, a reminder of the compromises and concessions forced upon her by the political landscape. Her inner turmoil intensified with each passing moment. She despised the Empire and all it stood for—its oppression, its disregard for individual freedoms, and the innocent lives it had extinguished. And yet, as a leader and diplomat, she was forced to navigate treacherous waters, engaging with those who perpetuated the very system she fought against.

“Mon-“ Perrin’s voice echoed over her thoughts, and she turned to face him, nodding politely at the guest seemingly in his charge “would you mind keeping Commodore Fordo here company for a few moments? I need to excuse myself, a little too much of the Nubian punch, apparently.”

Mon Mothma smiled politely, any hint of animosity that she carried towards her husband completely unevident. “Of course, dear.” Lifting her glass, she let a gulp of Mezzaine Gold slip past her lips, a lubricant to prime her inner socialite, and looked to the man Perrin had introduced as Commodore Fordo. "I must confess, Commodore, if I had a single credit for everytime I was introduced to someone via Perrin's inebriation, I’d have accrued a deposit sizeable enough to bid for ownership of the Imperial Palace.” She extended her hand. “Senator Mon Mothma, delighted.”

[dreamyourselfxbackagain]

Look who just woke up- is that JIMMY SMITS? No, I must have been mistaken, that’s BAIL PRESTOR ORGANA from STAR WARS. I heard they are 67 and stuck here just like everyone else. Even in the 20’s, he still gives off a FATHER OF THE REBELLION, FIGHTING FOR WHAT’S RIGHT EVEN IF FIGHTING ALONE, HARD BEING THE SURVIVOR, SAVING EVERYONE BUT YOURSELF, CONFIDENCE THAT COULD KILL impression. In Sydney they work as a MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. They’re known to be quite COMMITED & KIND, but have a tendency to be DISHONEST & STUBBORN on their bad days.

Gender/Pronouns : Male / he/him

How long have they been in Sydney : In his memories, whole life. In reality, 1 month

Which suburb do they live in? Darling Point

Personality description : Above all Bail is kind. He believes in creating a better future. He is completely committed to that, and is respected for his views. He also loves deeply, and is a family man. Whilst he is honest in his beliefs, he does have the ability to lie very convincingly as he managed to hide his own allegiances even from Sith.

Memories of their real life : 

Bail Prestor was born into nobility, but dreamt of a life outside of that. Dreams often full of chasing purrgil far from his own. He soon realised it was not something that would ever happen, and soon he found new a new dream when he met Breha Organa. Eventually they married, and he took her name. However they knew if they were to have children, it would be from adoption.

With Breha as Queen, he became the statesman for Alderaan, and it was also where he met Mon Mothma. He did not join the senate until after the attack on Naboo. During this he made contacts, ones he knew would be important. However unlike them, his honesty and commitment to justice meant he he held the respect of his opponents. Though he was also known to be an ally of the Jedi, and also befriended Padme when she joined the senate.

As war broke out, Bail remained loyal to the Republic and the senate. When Kenobi discovered the clones, he did originally vote in favour of their creation. That was until he saw them, and realised how human they were. It was a mistake he knew he'd need to redeem, and need to keep fighting for what was right. As the war carried on, he did what he could to bring about peace in the senate, but together with Breha also made sure that Alderaan gave relief aid.

Eventually it seemed that the Clone Wars was over, and then Bail received news that the Jedi had tried to take over the Jedi temple. With his knowledge of the Jedi, he rushed over there, but was intercepted by clones. He had been leaving when he saw them kill a Padawan, and so went to find Yoda. Obi-Wan was able to get to them, but they hadn't heard from any of the others, and those who hadn't been killed by the clones initially were being told to return to the temple. Bail was summoned to the senate, where Palpatine announced the creation of the Empire whilst he and Padme watched in horror.

Whilst he tried to help Yoda attack the Emperor, after this failed Obi-Wan bought an injured Padme to them. He watched one of his closest friends die, and soon learnt the truth about the children's father. Whilst he would have taken both twins, they knew it was safer for them to be seperated, and so he returned to Alderaarn with Leia.

He went to Padme's funeral, but on seeing Ahsoka there, gave her a communicator. Publicly he declared his loyalty to the Emperor, but secretly he and Mon began forming a rebellion. To begin with, it was simply to supply relief, yet he kept an eye on any news of rebellions happening in the galaxy. He could play the part of the loyal senator, but in reality the rebellion was growing quickly.

Eventually they realised a full scale war was coming, and Bail needed to bring Obi-Wan out of hiding. He returned to Alderaan, and sent Leia to go and find him. But Leia's ship went missing. Bail never learnt that she was alive, he was killed when Alderaan was destroyed.

What was their fake life like:

Born before the turn of the century, Bail had a similar life in that he worked in politics, climbing the ranks. However, he did not need to establish any rebellion this time. He also married and adopted children. Whilst he was too old to enlist during WW1, he did what he could to try and assist the soldiers and their families. However his wife passed away working in munitions. He did what he could to raise his children, and do his job, though now has become a bit of a workaholic.

Optional, please pick at least three and interpret them however you wish ::

Theme Song: My Way - Frank Sinatra

Quote: The whole galaxy knows I'm a family man, Ahsoka Tano. The Empire is counting on it. They think it means I'll be more amenable to certain suggestions

Wanted Connections: Co-workers Friends Family - he'd have adopted

[soc-characters-as-songs]

The OCs as historical royals?

ivy: princess archidemia ("princess archidamia entered the senate "with a sword in her hand" and told them that they were all going to die unless sparta's women took to the battlefield. she also served as captain to the spartan women and put spartan children to work, because this was sparta, after all. thanks to princess archidamia's leadership the spartan women were able to hold off the invading armies long enough for chelidonis' boyfriend to show up and assault pyrrhus from the rear -- which was every bit as brutal in ancient greece as it sounds.")

meredith: princess zhao of pingyang ("technically, princess pingyang didn't start out as a princess. she was the married daughter of a governor living in china in the 600s during the sui dynasty. it just so happened, however, that the sui dynasty had about as much control over china as a sick dog has over its bowels, so her dad decided it was time to get his rebellion on. the bad news was that he was out in the boonies, and pingyang and her husband were a stone's throw from the palace. so, like any good father fixing to take on an empire, he warned his family before they became enemies of the state. the husband took off to join the rebel army and pingyang moseyed out of sui town like she had all the time in the world. except, not really. on the way, the future princess sold her family estate, using the money earned to raise an army to join the rebellion. tens of thousands of otherwise warring rebel forces joined her to support her father until she eventually commanded an army 70,000 strong, which pingyang personally led to numerous victories. also, once emperor yang found out that her strict no raping/pillaging policy was winning over his people, he sent an army of his own to engage the "army of the lady." pingyang didn't just defeat the sui army sent to kill her, she fucking routed them.")

diana: princess joan of kent ("princess joan of kent's marital history is notoriously tricky to unwind; she secretly married a knight at age 12, then was married by her family (against her will) to the earl of salisbury a year later. the husbands fought over that for decades until the pope himself declared the knight, thomas holland, her true spouse. when holland died, joan was a controversial widow with four children, but that didn't stop edward, the "black prince" of wales, from pursuing her. they married in 1361 with the blessings of the pope, who had to personally give permission for the wedding to take place because they were closely related. what's more, princess joan was the first woman in the royal family to be bestowed the title princess of wales — a title later shared by princess diana.")

alassie: princess mirabai ("mirabai was not only a princess in 16th-century India, but also a highlyfeminist poet, and later, a literal saint. mirabai refused to consummate her marriage to a prince because of her devotion to the god krishna, and after her husband's death, refused to take on the traditional role and garb of a widow and worshiped krishna openly. apparently — and quite a lot of mirabai's life has become legend, so take some bits of this with a grain of salt — her family was highly displeased by this and attempted to kill her on numerous occasions, but she became a wandering holy woman and a bhakti saint, and never returned to her aristocratic home.")

ramona: truganini ("truganini was a member of the tasmanian palawa people, and the the daughter of a tribal elder. when australia was being colonized in the 19th century, truganini formed an alliance with a settler, george augustus robinson, who had been tasked with convincing the palawa to move to a neighboring island to escape the violence of colonization, where they were later imprisoned. truganini is remembered for leading her people through this era with courage and strength.")

rhea: princesse clara de caraman-chimay ("if anybody on this list sounds like fun, it's the princesse de caraman-chimay. born clara ward in detroit to millionaire parents, she would become a princess through marriage to a belgian noble, prince joseph de caraman-chimay, when she was still a teenager. but the princess would rapidly attract scandal; king leopold II of belgium was allegedly so attracted to her that she had to leave his court to avoid gossip, and she later left her husband and kids to run away with a hungarian nightclub performer, rigo janczy, in 1894. gossips whispered that the wealthy heiress gave rigo pet elephants and tigers as gifts, and the two performed together in clubs for several years (and even got matching tattoos). they eventually separated, and the princesse would marry several more times before dying at the age of 43.")

cornelia: tamar of georgia ("tamar, georgia's only female monarch in history, is known as "king tamar" because the concept of the throne in georgian history was entirely male. tamar was the sole heir of george III, and came to the throne in 1178 as a co-regent at the age of 18, when she was still a princess. the move was unprecedented and made tamar a hugely powerful woman. when the king died six years later, she became his successor, and, depending on who you ask, either convinced doubting nobles of her excellence through diplomacy or just had them all killed. she was apparently a very successful ruler either way, expanding georgia's empire, but she clearly took no shit: in 1187 she decided she was fed up with her husband, divorced him, and exiled him to constantinople.")

kaden: princess chiomara ("here's the scene: the tribe led by chiomara's husband agrees to pay the gold the romans are demanding for chiomara's return. chiomara's captor brings her to the designated drop-off to get his ransom from her tribesmen. while counting the gold, the chief's wife gives a little nod, or, according to one historian, gives a little chit chat in her native language. whatever she did, it translated into "cut his fucking head off" to her rescuers. and they did it. she picks up the bloody head of her roman rapist and carries it in her dress all the way home. and upon seeing her husband, she throws the noggin at his feet like some kind of rapper dropping his mike, declaring, "only one man who has lain with me shall remain alive."")

andreia: rani lakshmi bai ("lakshmi bai was born in india in 1835, and her dad worked for a prime minister, so she was raised in a royal setting. but unlike most princess types, lakshmi bai wasn't content to just learn needlework and curtsy etiquette. instead, she spent her youth studying swordsmanship, archery and how to use guns, and also how to find the tightest yellow jumpsuits. clearly this is all going to come into play later. while emotionally recovering from the trauma of losing a husband while also still being a child herself, rani lakshmi bai said "fuck it" and became a freedom fighter. her first move was to recruit an army that allowed lady soldiers. next up, fighting the british! she took her role so seriously that she reportedly went into battle with her adopted son strapped to her back, presumably to drop him off at soccer practice after each fight. rani lakshmi bai, "the most dangerous of all the rebel leaders," was eventually killed during the battle of gwalior. according to a british report of the battle, she died "firing at the man" who had shot her in the back ... hopefully while raja jr. was at the babysitter's.")

suzy: empress matilda ("despite a huge amount of resistance to the idea of a woman sitting on the english throne, empress matilda was a famously feisty monarch willing to put england through nearly a decade of bloody civil war in her attempt to claim her right to the crown. daughter of henry I of england and married to future holy roman emperor henry V in 1114, by her early teens matilda was already one of the most powerful women in europe. after the death of her brother prince william, the line of succession passed to matilda, but henry wasn’t keen to pronounce his daughter as heir. henry remarried in the hopes of fathering a legitimate son, but the marriage ended childless. with no male heir in the running (none of his 25-or-so illegitimate children were eligible!) he was finally forced to pronounce matilda as next in line to the throne.")

samuel: not really a royal but simo häyhä ("simo "simuna" häyhä, nicknamed "white death" by the red army, was a finnish sniper. he is believed to have killed over 500 men during the 1939–40 winter war, the highest number of sniper kills in any major war. he used a finnish-produced M/28-30 rifle, a variant of the mosin–nagant rifle, and a suomi KP/-31 submachine gun. häyhä estimated in his diary that he killed more than 500 red army soldiers in the winter war. his unit's chaplain antti rantama credited him with 259 confirmed kills by sniper rifle and an equal number of kills by submachine gun during the winter war.")

bianca: the she wolf of france ("princess isabella was so damn deadly that she eventually earned the nickname "she-wolf of france" for all the new assholes she tore england. isabella began her life as a wealthy french princess, betrothed at the age of 12 to her very gay husband, edward. and for a while there, isabella played along as nicely as one could expect for the tween wife of a homosexual guy, even making an alliance with her husband's boyfriend. it wasn't until edward got a new boyfriend that the shit hit the fan. it started when edward, isabella and their entourages were mucking around after a failed battle in scotland, and edward decided to split. with his army. while the scottish army was heading in her direction. before you knew it, isabella was surrounded by hostile forces and it took a couple of her knights stealing boats to get her out of the jam. so, that was bad. isabella went to france to regroup. and by "regroup" we mean raise a navy and an army and nab her own boyfriend, because why should edward have all the fun? in 1326, isabella and her army sneaked over to england, where they were joined by multiple factions who were also pissed at edward and his boyfriend, hugh. edward and hugh saw the jig was up, so they fled. within weeks they were both arrested and brought back to isabella.")

archibald: attila the hun ("attila, frequently called attila the hun, was the ruler of the huns from 434 until his death in march 453. he was also the leader of a tribal empire consisting of huns, ostrogoths, and alans among others, in central and eastern europe. during his reign, he was one of the most feared enemies of the western and eastern roman empires. he crossed the danube twice and plundered the balkans, but was unable to take constantinople. his unsuccessful campaign in persia was followed in 441 by an invasion of the eastern roman (byzantine) empire, the success of which emboldened attila to invade the west. he also attempted to conquer roman gaul (modern france).")

raphael: miyamoto musashi ("miyamoto musashi, also known as shinmen takezō, miyamoto bennosuke or, by his buddhist name, niten dōraku, was a japanese swordsman, philosopher, strategist, writer and rōnin. musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 61 duels. he is considered the kensei, sword-saint of japan. he was the founder of the niten-ichi-ryū-school or nito-ichi-ryū style of swordsmanship, and in his final years authored the book of five rings and dokkōdō (the path of aloneness).")

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

On August 21, 1831, Nat Turner, an enslaved American, led about 70 of his enslaved and free Black neighbors in a rebellion to awaken his white neighbors to the inherent brutality of slaveholding and the dangers it presented to their own safety. Turner and his friends traveled from house to house in their neighborhood in Southampton County, Virginia, freeing enslaved people and murdering about 60 of the white men, women, and children they encountered. Their goal, Turner later told an interviewer, was “to carry terror and devastation wherever we went.”

State militia put down the rebellion in a couple of days, and both the legal system and white vigilantes killed at least 200 Black Virginians, many of whom were not involved in Turner’s bid to end enslavement. Turner himself was captured in October, tried in November, sentenced to death, and hanged.

But white Virginians, and white folks in neighboring southern states, remained frightened. Turner had been, in their minds, a well-treated, educated enslaved man, who knew his Bible well and seemed the very last sort of person they would have expected to revolt. And so they responded to the rebellion in two ways. They turned against the idea that enslavement was a bad thing, and instead began to argue that human enslavement was a positive good.

And states across the South passed laws making it a crime to teach enslaved Americans to read and write.

Denying enslaved Black Americans access to education exiled them from a place in the nation. The Framers had quite explicitly organized the United States not on the principles of religion or tradition, but rather on the principles of the Enlightenment: the idea that, by applying knowledge and reasoning to the natural world, men could figure out the best way to order society. Someone excluded from access to education could not participate in that national project. Instead, that person was read out of society, doomed to be controlled by leaders who marshaled religion and propaganda to defend their dominance.

In 1858, South Carolina Senator James Henry Hammond explained that society needed “a class to do the menial duties, to perform the drudgery of life. That is, a class requiring but a low order of intellect and but little skill.”

But when they organized in the 1850s to push back against the efforts of elite enslavers like Hammond to take over the national government, members of the fledgling Republican Party recognized the importance of education. In 1859, Illinois lawyer Abraham Lincoln explained that those who adhered to the “mud-sill” theory “assumed that labor and education are incompatible; and any practical combination of them impossible…. According to that theory, the education of laborers, is not only useless, but pernicious, and dangerous.”

Lincoln argued that workers were not simply drudges but rather were the heart of the economy. “The prudent, penniless beginner in the world, labors for wages awhile, saves a surplus with which to buy tools or land, for himself; then labors on his own account another while, and at length hires another new beginner to help him.” He tied the political vision of the Framers to this economic vision. In order to prosper, he argued, men needed “book-learning,” and he called for universal education. An educated community, he said, “will be alike independent of crowned-kings, money-kings, and land-kings.”

When they were in control of the federal government in the 1860s, Republicans passed the Land Grant College Act, funding public universities so that men without wealthy fathers might have access to higher education. In the aftermath of the Civil War, Republicans also tried to use the federal government to fund public schools for poor Black and white Americans, dividing money up according to illiteracy rates. But President Andrew Johnson vetoed that bill on the grounds that the federal government had no business protecting Black education; that process, he said, belonged to the states—which for the next century denied Black people equal access to schools, excluding them from full participation in American society and condemning them to menial labor.

Then, in 1954, after decades of pressure from Black and brown Americans for equal access to public schools, the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren, a former Republican governor of California, unanimously agreed that separate schools were inherently unequal, and thus unconstitutional.

Immediately, white southerners lawmakers launched a campaign of what they called “massive resistance” to integration. Some Virginia counties closed their public schools. Others took funds from integrated public schools and used a grant system to redistribute those funds to segregated private schools. These segregation academies dovetailed neatly with Ronald Reagan’s rise to political power with a message that public employees had gotten too powerful and that public enterprises should be privatized.

After Reagan’s election, his Secretary of Education commissioned a study of the nation’s public schools, starting with the conviction that there was a "widespread public perception that something is seriously remiss in our educational system." The resulting report, titled “A Nation at Risk,” announced: “the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation and a people.”

Although a later study commissioned in 1990 by the Secretary of Energy found the data in the original report did not support the report’s conclusions, Reagan nonetheless used it to justify school privatization. He vowed after the report’s release that he would: “continue to work in the months ahead for passage of tuition tax credits, vouchers, educational savings accounts, voluntary school prayer, and abolishing the Department of Education. Our agenda is to restore quality to education by increasing competition and by strengthening parental choice and local control.”

The drive to push tax dollars from public schools to private academies through a voucher system has remained a top priority for Movement Conservatives eager to dismantle the federal government, although a recent study from Wisconsin shows that vouchers do not actually save tax dollars, and scholars do not believe they help students achieve better outcomes than they would have in public schools.

Calling education a civil rights issue—as President Barack Obama had done when calling for more funding for schools—former president Trump asked Congress to fund “school choice for disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children. These families should be free to choose the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school that is right for them.” (In fact, most of those using vouchers are already enrolled in private schools.) His education secretary, Betsy DeVos, was a staunch supporter of school choice and the voucher system; she and her family gave $600,000 to promote school choice ballot laws in the decade before 2017.

The coronavirus pandemic sped up the push to defund public schools as Trump pushed hard to transfer funds from the closed public schools to private schools. In December 2020, he signed an executive order allowing states to use money from a federal anti-poverty program for vouchers, and as of mid-2021, at least 8 states had launched new voucher programs. A number of Republican governors are using federal funds from the bills designed to address the pandemic to push vouchers.

In 1831, lawmakers afraid of the equality that lies at the heart of our Declaration of Independence made sure Black Americans could not have equal access to education.

In 1971, when segregation academies were gaining ground, the achievement gap between white and Black 8th grade students in reading scores was 57 points. In 1988, the year of the nation’s highest level of school integration, that gap had fallen to 18 points. By 1992, it was back up to 30 points, and it has not dropped below 25 points since.

—-

Notes:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3h500t.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/12/in-southern-towns-segregation-academies-are-still-going-strong/266207/

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/nation-risk-and-re-segregation-schools

https://progressive.org/magazine/private-school-vouchers-levin/

https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2021/05/07/tracking-the-growing-cost-to-taxpayers-of-private-school-vouchers/

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/governors-federal-virus-aid-expand-school-choice-79563407

https://www.news-herald.com/2021/08/08/ohio-public-schools-plan-lawsuit-to-challenge-edchoice-program/

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona-education/2021/08/17/arizona-gov-doug-ducey-offers-incentives-reject-mask-mandates/8169357002/

https://www.courthousenews.com/devos-family-donated-600k-school-choice-ballot-efforts/

https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/12/07/504451460/school-choice-101-what-it-is-how-it-works-and-does-it-work

https://www.npr.org/2017/02/28/516717981/watch-live-trump-addresses-joint-session-of-congress

https://edreform.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/A_Nation_At_Risk_1983.pdf

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/28/trump-private-schools-pandemic-451757

https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/12/07/504451460/school-choice-101-what-it-is-how-it-works-and-does-it-work

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/nation-risk-and-re-segregation-schools

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[jakeh0wl]

Star Wars Short Fiction - Week IV - A New Hope

“…We will then crush the Rebellion with one swift stroke.”

The Imperial officers gathered at the table nodded their agreement, murmuring declarations of concurrence. Even the arrogant Admiral Motti, seated to Tarkin’s right and still recovering from Vader’s choking display of power, dipped his head towards the Grand Moff.

Tarkin stood, eyeing the officers. “You may leave us,” he said, sweeping his hand towards the seated men. “I would speak with Lord Vader alone.”

The officers rose from their seats, each giving Tarkin respectful half-bows before filing from the room, several of them shuffling nervously beneath Vader’s black, eyeless gaze. Once he and Vader were alone, Tarkin waved to the Death Star Troopers flanking the entrance to the conference room, who sealed closed the doors.

Tarkin straightened, hands clasped behind his back, then turned to Lord Vader. As always, the six-foot, black-clad cyborg regarded Tarkin with that unreadable jet mask of a face, the eyes shimmering a dark red when the light caught them. The identity of who hid behind that visage was something Tarkin had guessed at, and was now fairly certain of.

Still, the regard of the Emperor’s Force-wielding pet remained unsettling, even after all these years. “You have still had no luck with the princess, Lord Vader,” Tarkin said. It was a statement, not a question.

“No,” Vader replied in a deep, dread-inducing voice. As always, Vader said little when he could help it, preferring to unbalance those he was addressing with the mere power of his presence.

Tarkin, however, was not so easily shaken. Whilst Vader still left Tarkin with a sense of unease, the Grand Moff had built an impressive immunity to Vader’s influence. This, coupled with Tarkin’s favour with the Emperor, guaranteed a certain level of mutuality between them. “Despite your assurances that we will soon have the Death Star plans returned to us,” Tarkin continued, “I remain uncertain of the probable success of your interrogation methods.”

“The princess has a fierce will,” Vader replied. “She bears an unexpected degree of resilience.”

“She’s the daughter of a politician,” Tarkin said, pacing across the reflective black floor of the conference room. “Such things are understandable from one of her upbringing.”

“We will retrieve those plans,” Vader said, watching Tarkin from across the room.

“Can you be sure, Vader?” Tarkin said, meeting the man’s – the machine’s – masked gaze.

Vader didn’t respond.

“I thought not,” He shook his head, running a hand through his thinning hair. A thought occurred to him then. “Whilst I cannot say I approve of you choking my officers, Lord Vader, and despite my lack of knowledge in the details of your powers, there is no denying that you are in possession of certain unique… assets. Assets that, concerning our present situation, could prove very useful indeed.”

“Dispense with the ambiguity, Governor,” Vader demanded. “You would have me refer to methods of interrogation utilising the Force?”

Tarkin raised an eyebrow. Something in Vader’s tone suggested he had already considered – or perhaps even tried – using the Force to manipulate the princess. “Could such a thing be done?”

“The Force is not a torture machine, Governor,” Vader growled. “To perceive it as such is to lay bare a gross ignorance of its nature.”

Tarkin mentally scoffed. It seemed that the Emperor’s most feared and deadliest servant was not above the occasional thinly veiled insult. There was something about that revelation that Tarkin found surprisingly amusing. “Very well,” Tarkin replied. “I have outlined a proposal of how to deal with this rebel problem of ours which I intend to present to the Emperor momentarily. He is awaiting my transmission. Would you care to join me, Lord Vader? I believe this proposal will be of interest to you as much as it will be to the Emperor.”

Vader said nothing, simply gazing across the circular table at Tarkin with those eyeless, black visors. Then he nodded, striding across the room to stand at Tarkin’s side, cape rippling slightly as he moved. Despite their occasional differences, Tarkin’s respect for Vader was rivalled by no other. Everything that Vader was emulated power and authority, and there were oft times when Tarkin found himself envious of the pure fear Vader struck into those beneath him.

Tarkin leaned forward, sliding back the black panel of the activation key for the holographic projector. Pressing the key, Tarkin took a step back as a great, shimmering projection of Emperor Sheev Palpatine, supreme ruler of the Galactic Empire, took shape above the table.

Tarkin gave a sweeping bow. “Your Imperial Majesty,” he said.

Vader went one further, falling to a knee. “My Master.”

Not the first time, Vader’s unwavering loyalty and devotion to the Emperor reminded Tarkin of a muzzled akk hound. The most ferocious akk hound in the Galaxy, one who made entire systems tremble when the Emperor saw fit to let him off the leash.

The Emperor’s holographic eyes, shadowed beneath his ever-present hood, shifted between the forms of Tarkin and Vader. “Governor Tarkin, Lord Vader,” the Emperor addressed them. “You hinted at a proposal you had for me, Governor?”

“I did, my lord,” Tarkin replied, straightening in the Emperor’s presence. “It would appear that we are faced with a dilemma of a rather urgent nature. Despite Lord Vader’s best efforts, the troublesome Princess Leia has yet to inform us of either the location of the rebel’s hidden base or where the data tapes containing the plans for this space station are. Now, considering recent development concerning the Imperial Senate and the state of the Imperial Systems, I believe, my Lord, the time has come for more aggressive negotiations.”

“Speak on, Governor Tarkin,” the Emperor drawled.

Tarkin glanced at Vader, the black-clad cyborg expressionless as ever. “There exists a way to ensure the princess’s cooperation. Namely, her revelation of the rebel’s hidden base. We have yet to exercise the full destructive potential of this space station, and now we have been presented with the perfect opportunity, my Lord.” Tarkin reached down, activating a second hologram above the table. The form of the Emperor slid back to give way for the blue-green projection of a planet that now hovered before them, between Tarkin and the Emperor. “Alderaan, my Lord. The Princess’s home planet. It is a world of beauty and peace. The Alderaanians bear no love of weapons and claim passiveness. However, our intel holds that this traitorous planet was a core breeding ground for the Rebellion, offering the rebels both a hidden base of operations and support in the Imperial Senate. Now that the Imperial Senate is no longer an obstacle, I propose we test the true power of this space station’s superlaser. Jedha and Scarif were but… inklings of the Death Star’s capabilities, my Lord. Alderaan will provide the perfect test target to experience the obliteration that this station is prepared to unleash on the Galaxy. With Alderaan held as an example, no System would dare oppose you, my Lord, nor give the rebels any further support.”

The Emperor studied the holographic projection of Alderaan. “Wisely spoken, my friend,” the Emperor said. “I approve. As does, I sense, Lord Vader. However, what is to become of the princess and the rebels?”

Tarkin clasped his hands behind his back. “Herein lies the final stroke, my Lord. We will suspend the destruction of Alderaan before Princess Leia as a threat. With the Senate’s recent dissolution, the princess’s father, Bail Organa, will soon be returning to Alderaan. I believe it wise for us to wait until we have confirmation of his return before we initiate the test of the Death Star. Then, faced with not only the annihilation of her home planet, but the loss of her family, I believe the princess will be quite willing to give up her rebel friends. Alderaan will still be destroyed, of course. Then, once we have the location of the rebel base and Alderaan is but dust between the stars, the princess will be deposed of most adequately.”

“Excellent, Tarkin, excellent,” the Emperor said, cackling. “Have the princess brought to me on Coruscant once Alderaan and the rebels have been destroyed. We will make her execution most public.” The Emperor’s holographic shadow shifted towards Vader. “Lord Vader, I believe you may be of some use in that respect. I would have you execute the princess personally.”

Vader bowed. “As you wish, my Master.”

The Emperor turned back to Tarkin. “You’ve done well, Governor. I am most pleased.”

Tarkin felt a rare smile tugging at his lips. “I will have an order for the princess’s execution written up, my Lord.”

“Good. I will await news of Alderaan’s… eradication.” The Emperor’s figure blurred, then faded, the projection fuzzing out.

Tarkin subsequently disabled the hologram of Alderaan.

“You have garnered the Emperor’s approval,” Vader said.

“As I have yours, apparently,” Tarkin replied, turning to face him.

Vader pointedly ignored the statement. “Despite the advantageous effects its destruction offers, Alderaan will certainly be a loss to the Galaxy.”

Tarkin nodded. “A necessary one, however.”

Vader made for the doors of the conference room. “Perhaps if events in the last weeks had transpired differently, it would not be so.”

Tarkin sensed the implication. “It was not I who lost the data tapes to the rebels above Scarif, my friend,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “From your troopers’ reports, you practically had the plans within your grasp. Had you not been distracted by certain… unnecessary thrills, those plans would now be in our hands.”

Vader turned back to face him. “The rebels were far more prepared for our pursuit than anticipated,” he replied. “And perhaps if you had turned the Death Star’s weapon on the rebel fleet instead of firing on the planet, their escape would have been impossible.”

Tarkin smirked. “You saw what the Death Star did to Scarif,” he said. “There was no guarantee our own forces would not be decimated in the process. Including your own.”

Vader took a step forward, towering over Tarkin and raising one gloved hand towards him. “Galen Urso’s daughter was on Scarif, Governor, as was Director Krennic. Your frequent bouts of rivalry with the Director were well documented. So do not speak of unnecessary thrills to me, Tarkin.”

Tarkin swallowed, holding his composure. Likely only his imagination, but it had seemed for a moment that the softest touch of pressure had brushed his throat. He stepped back, carefully forcing an amiable smile across his lips. “Perhaps, my friend, it is best if we simply agree that the loss of the plans at Scarif was an unfortunate misstep on both our counts,” he said.

Vader studied him for several quiet seconds, then straightened. “Indeed,” he said eventually.

Tarkin moved made for the exit, the doors to the hallway beyond hissing open at his touch to the entrance panel. Vader strode past him, the Death Star Troopers standing outside the conference room wincing slightly at his shadow.

“I will set our coordinates for Alderaan. If you would be so kind as to retrieve the princess, Lord Vader,” Tarkin said, “I will have her execution order procured.”

Vader gave the slightest, towering nod, then turned away.

Tarkin watched, eyes narrowed to slits, as Vader walked down the hallway, black cape billowing with his stride. Tarkin would need to tread careful on this ice, fearsome things waited beneath.

Turning away from the conference room, Tarkin made for the command bridge.

[brooklynislandgirl]

👮🏼‍♂️- How do they regard authority? Are they generally on the side of the Empire or the Republic?

Your Faith For Bricks || Accepting

{ @mynameisanakin for also sending the question <33}

The Prince eyes the woman before him. Not a muscle twitches. Hardly a breath to see be drawn or exhaled. Face unreadable beneath the darkness of the cloak’s hood enshrouding her features, but if he hazarded a guess, he would say her eyes are either riveted to the floor, or staring just past his shoulder. There is no malevolence that he can feel emanating from her though there’s a subtle, pervasively creeping sensation that is both intimidating as it is silent. Something he can’t quite put his finger on though it isn’t pleasant. Marks this moment as anything but a social engagement. He rolls his neck along his shoulders. “The anti-Imperial sentiment is out of control in this sector. If you try and convince anyone otherwise, your ambition will be noted. Best of luck to you.”

That seems to strike a nerve. He can hear the sound of the leather gloves as she fists her hands within the sleeves of her robes.

“You do understand,” she begins carefully, shrewdly. “That the Rebel Alliance is responsible for terrorism? They do not seek peace, or freedom. Their goal is to overthrow the government chosen by the representatives of the people. Elected and given its powers and privileges from the very citizens that are now being subject to a handful of malcontents who, under the leadership of a hereditary monarchy, have taken upon themselves what’s best for the galaxy. That they have a history of terrestrial war crimes such as wearing the uniform of the enemy, false surrender, and the killing of unarmed prisoners? They smuggle goods under the guise of diplomatic missions thus avoiding the payment of legal tariffs that get spent on infrastructure and services for the Empire.

“They mistreat Imperial prisoners of war, condone cannibalism and desecration of the dead, the execution of Cl... disabled Storm troopers, have been known to attempt acquisition and use of ion disrupter rifles, which were banned by the Imperial Senate due to its effects on sentient beings. And...and the use of children as soldiers, Your Highness!  Most Galactic citizens would find that abhorrent.”

He steeples his fingers and taps them against his lips. “A rhetoric I am sure you’ve said to dozens of planetary leaders. And yet you offer no proof.”

Her voice becomes softly strained, spoken through her teeth.  “The rebellion has no proper authority to declare war, and what they are doing- This isn’t about the legitimacy of the Empire, nor praise for a constitutional dictatorship. The Empire was legally formed. It spans most of the inhabited galaxy. Do you not think the war would be much bigger if the people hated it that much?  The Empire stopped the corruption that plagued the Republic! The galaxy is an immensely dangerous place! Just look at the way the Hutts operate! We have gone a long way to clean things up and make the galaxy a safe enough place for even the rebels to live and complain about it!”

She raises her hands and lowers her cowl to directly look him in the eye, and for a moment he’s taken aback. There are fine lines at the corners of her eyes which blaze emerald fire as they narrow on his face, and similar ones at the corners of her mouth. Such a distinct difference that when last he saw her. She’d been much happier then, a fact he could not have blamed her for if he tried, but this same woman now is forged from a different temper.

“Do you believe it right that one man should have so much say over the entire populace?” “When that one man ended the War, ended the tyranny of the Jedi, and doesn’t interfere with local planets and their authority except understandably when terrorists, anti-Imperial factions or criminal enterprise is involved? Absolutely. Lord Vader is an unmatched warrior and commander and he-.”

“I was not speaking of Anakin.”

She pales visibly.

Rel rises from behind his desk at long last. His armour allows his already tall, broad frame to tower further still over her. He carefully removes one gauntlet to stroke bare knuckles down her cheek, unmistakable affectionate. “My sweetest little flower-” “I am Lord Ven-

“You are Melakeni Ivers, daughter of mine, no matter what ridiculous thing you play at being, and I see what is in your spirit, even if you do not think so. And I will pray to the four moons that when everything settles, that you and your human boy come out unscathed. But I am afraid that for the time being... Zelos will remain as we always have; neutral and uninvolved in Galactic politics. Now, will you indulge an old man a stroll through the gardens before you leave again?”

~*~        ~*~        ~*~

There is unspeakable grace in the way she comes to kneel before him; gloved palms flat, one knee bent, the other almost parallel to the deck plating but not quite. Head bowed reverently. The tension of the bridge crew is palpable; no one purposefully draws Lord Vader’s attention if they can avoid it, even aboard his own ship. “Mission completed, and I am once more yours to command, My Master.”

He looms over her, the very spectre of Death, the Unmaker of the Universe. A single, brief gesture bids her to rise, to follow as he stalks on ridiculously long legs from the bridge, his heavy, armoured steps echoing long after their passing.

~*~       ~*~     ~*~

“Must you do that, Keni?”

“Must is a strong word.” She smiles up into his face. “I prefer to think of it as a perk of the j-” Before she can finish the sentence he lowers himself down over her and nips at her bare shoulder. The smile becomes a laugh which ends in a sigh of contentment. She has been away too long and they both know it. These few small and stolen moments alone together are too few, though infinitely more frequent than their days in the Temple. They shift around until they are both comfortable, though still entangled. 

She gathers the blankets that have managed to pool around his hips and drags the further up, to give herself some modesty and warmth as her skin begins to cool. He doesn’t mind that she lays her head against his good arm and presses her hand flat against his chest while his fingers curl into her hair.

���How’d it go with your father?”

“Exactly as foreseen. As a soldier, he cannot abide the rebels. As a prince and father, he has no love for Palpatine. Zelos, he says, and I absolutely believe, will do nothing no matter what happens from here. Though his fondness for you...if asked...he would side with you in a heartbeat. The troopers you know will follow you anywhere. And as much as you might hate it now, you are still the Hero with no fear. The rebels would fall in line, I think...while the Empire... Our Empire...would welcome his removal from his throne.”

And while Anakin ruminates in silence, his Presence in the Force is like a storm.

“We don’t have make any decisions right now,” she said and nuzzled into his neck. “Just know there’s options.”

[notebookqueenofnarnia]

The Just Jedi

The super long summary totally not proofread but whatevers.....

After hearing of the Caspians' demises, Edmund attempts to contact Capt. Elidor, who, he sent on a mission to rescue the rulers of Telmar. Unable to make contact, Edmund Immediately sets off with a small crew to discover the truth. On board, Edmund is overcome by exhaustion and falls asleep. He dreams on of those Jedi dreams that can only be the Force speaking...

In the dream, his betrayal to the White Whitch replays before his eyes. He and his siblings arrive on the planet of Narnia as refugees from a war on their home planet. Yet, Edmund quickly grows bored with provincial life of their forest friends (like the Beavers and Mr. Tumnus) and wants to get away from Peter's overbearing big brother attitude. Which leads him right to Queen Jadis, who instantly recognizes Edmund's sensitivity to the Force. She promises to train him, give him the ability to overpower even Peter, in return for the location of his family's ship. He consents, but does realize she's teaching him the dark ways of the Sith. Jadis then uses part of their hyperdrive (something rare on the outlying, self-sustaining planet of Narnia) to power a weapon of her own design. It (get ready for this) using a combination of technology and the power of the Dark Side, turns her victims in to carbonite upon contact. She uses upon everyone in the forest, Edmund's siblings just escaping with their lives. They retreat to the camp of the rebellion against Queen Jadis, lead by Jedi Master Aslan. As "all traitors belong to Jadis," per Narnia's ancient religions, Aslan sacrifices himself in Edmund's place. Yet, to Jadis's surprise, Aslan is even more powerful as a Force Ghost and aides the newly elected four kings and queens of Narnia in their victory over Jadis. The former queen and Sith dies, butler weapon is lost upon the battlefields.

After their victory, Aslan tells Edmund he must go to the Jedi Temple to learn to control his abilities. Edmund does, becoming Master Windu's padawan. However, Edmund is still plagued by the darkness that Jadis encouraged and constantly fears for his family's safety. After a frightening occurrence involving Susan and a Calormenian suitor, which Edmund had foreseen in a vision, he makes the decision to leave the Jedi and remain with his fellow Narnians. Many question and fear his choice, but he's at his calmest around his family.

Edmund jolts awake when the ship enters an asteroid field. Just as he wakes, he hears Aslan's voice echoing in his ears, saying "The galaxy will need you more."

At the last known location of King Caspian's ship, Edmund realizes there is debris from two ships amongst the asteroid field. He is relieved to find the crew of his rescue ship unharmed in an escape pod. Capt. Elidor tells him the attackers appeared to be pirates, but he was suspicious of that cover as they blew up the ship rather than taking it captive. Edmund suddenly feels something through the Force and directs his ship's flight to another escape pod, containing young Prince Caspian and his tutor. The tutor tells Edmund that he recognized the so-called pirates as Calormenian business associates of Lord Miraz.

Edmund attempts to contact his siblings, but is unable to. His anxiety growing, Edmund orders his ship into full attack when a small X-wing jumps out of hyperspace. To their great surprise, its pilot is the young ex-royal from Commenor (aka the Reader!). She tells Edmund that the Trade Federation has blocked all communications on Telmar. The Federation members have also encouraged Lord Miraz to take his brother's throne, to which the man agreed. King Peter has challenged Miraz to a duel to stall, which both Edmund and the reader can foresee ending in Miraz's claim on the Narnian throne next.

Edmund and the reader make the decision to leave Prince Caspian and his tutor on the planet of Alderaan. (Where he will grow up safely in refuge with Alderaan's soon-to-be-adopted princess as good company.) Best to keep his survival a secret from murderous uncles. Meanwhile, Edmund contacts Master Windu to tell him what has happened. Mast Windu informs Edmund of similar take-over tactics of the Trade Federation all over the galaxy, but tells the king that no aide will be sent to Narnia and Telmar until there are hostages. Senators who were on Telmar have already returned to the Senate.

Racing back to Telmar, Edmund has a vision of the Reader in immense pain. He doesn't mention to her, but she obviously looks quite distressed. She tells Edmund she's already seen the fall of too many leaders to watch it happen to the Narnians. They're too good a people. Edmund, tells her that, when all this is over, she can remain on Narnia as long as she like. She takes this to be an admission of his feelings and kisses him. Edmund rebuffs her, already having enough problems keeping his emotions in check. As they land back on Telmar, Edmund glances at Narnia in the sky, longing for home and wishes he could spend the rest of his days peacefully in Cair Paravel with the Reader and his siblings at his side.

Edmund arrived in just enough time to try to talk his brother out of this stupid duel. They can return to Narnia, gather the troups, and take Telmar back from Miraz and the greedy Federation. Between the four of them, they could easily provide enough guidence until Caspian comes of age. But High King Peter refuses. Declares that he would not sacrifice his troops when he could humiliate Miraz in this duel. Miraz would admit to the conspiracy and crimes when Peter had his sword, Rhindon at his throat. The brothers walk toward the duel together after a final reassuring "For Narnia. And For Aslan."

At the duel, Miraz has a very odd sort of weapon. About a half hour into the well-matched fight, once helmets had been lost, Rhindon breaks Miraz's weapon. Peter has Miraz on the ground, asks him to admit to his crimes. Miraz does, but suddenly lunges forward and pressed his broken weapon into the side of Peter's neck.

The High King of Narnia turns to stone.

It's chaos. The Narnians are surrounded and fighting for their lives. People are running towards the ship, but Lucy is running towards her brother encased in carbonite. Edmund, his anger and anxiety mixing toxically in the Force, fights his ways toward them, only to watch his younger sister turned to stone as well. The Reader drags him away, towards the forest and the ship. He sees that Susan is not with them and knows she's joined the others.

They arrive at the ship in a hail of blaster fire. The gangplank is lowered to allow the last to run, even as the ship rises in the air. Amongst all this, Edmund can feel a darkness rising in the Force, overwhelming the Light. The Reader runs to the communications port to send out distress signals and reports, but the channels are overrun by reports of similar chaos across the galaxy. The Narnians will not be heard.

Edmund stands at the gangplank in a daze. He hears the screaming on Telmar and screams millions of miles away. He hears Jadis's voice ("The traitor belongs to me") and Aslan's ("the galaxy needs you"). He hears Lucy's sobs and Susan's panicked "Peter!" It's too loud, too much.

A dozen years ago, Aslan taught Lucy how, with her minor abilities in the Force and with her relationship with Narnia's natural world, she could heal all those affected by Jadis's weapon. It was while Edmund was a padawan. No one else knew the secret. It took take years to discover how.

Edmund looks over his shoulder as his frazzled and injured people, at the Reader who is desperately trying to find some help in the galaxy. Only the Reader looks back at him and sees the broken look in his eyes before he jumps to the ground. The ship continues to try to escape.

There are troops on the ground. Edmund doesn't care if their droid or sentient, they all fall before his light saber. He fights his way back to where Miraz is showing his weapon to those from the Trade Federation. One tap to on Susan's stone head sends the Just King into a rage. Within moments, the only conscious beings for miles are Edmund and Miraz, dueling to the bitter end.

Edmund's rage dissipates as he feels a familiar presence behind him. Miraz sees him first and falls to the ground in surprise. To keep him there and to give him a reminder in the coming years, Edmund drags his light saber through Miraz's right thigh. Miraz begs for mercy.

"No one will come here." The Just King declares. "You will see to it that no one disturbs us until the end of our sun and this whole system burns. And you will destroy that weapon. Otherwise, you'll have him to answer to." He nods towards the figure of Aslan, standing behind him. Edmund deactivates his lightsaber and stands up straight. Aslan speaks, but Edmund does not turn around.

"Much worse than he will befall this galaxy, Edmund."

"Much better than I will bring an end to their terror. Do it, Miraz."

The new King of Telmar (and soon the whole Narnian system) took a moment to catch his meaning. Then, he seized up Queen Jadis's old weapon, built from the very thing that brought them to Narnia, and froze the fourth Pevensie in carbonite.

Miraz held his promise. As the Republic fell and Empire rose, as he charmed and fell in favor with those in charge, he kept his promise to the stone-faced Just Jedi. Amongst his other tyrannical rulings, he declared no soul shall ever go to the field where Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy stood together for eternity. He split Jadis's weapon and buried a piece on every planet and moon under his control.

The Reader retreated to the safety of Alderaan, where she kept an eye on Prince Caspian X and learned the stories of Narnia from his tutor.

And nineteen years later, she and the young prince sneak into the forbidden field on Telmar. Under the watchful eyes of a lion, they turn four stone faces back to flesh. Peter, Susan, and Lucy are all blind from hibernation sickness, but Edmund can see the faces of two familiar strangers. There's something in the woman's eyes that takes his breath away.

The young man with her speaks.

"Help me Narnians, you're my only hope."

And there it is! I hope this is a somewhat satisfying ending that still stimulates the imaginations. It certainly did for me! If anyone anywhere would ever like to write or draw anything inspired from this narrative, please don't hesitate. Just promise you'll send it to me.

[dasakuryo]

Title:  For The Children of Tomorrow Fandom:  Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Characters/Pairings:  Cassian Andor, Leia Organa, Bail Organa (mentioned), Breha Organa (mentioned), K-2SO. Rating:  T | PG-13  Prompt: Cassian gets to see his intelligence work make an immediate small-scale change in someone’s life for the better (as a counter-point to big-picture intel work) [for @thefulcrumcaptain ‘s Cassian Andor Promptathon).

***

Cassian stops short as soon as he steps inside Intelligence. He barely manages to mask his surprise with a respectful bow of his head when his gaze meets the young woman's. Curiosity flashes across her features, a gentle twist in her brow glimmering under the mellow yellow halo-light. "Your Highness," his voice strikes a respectful hushed tone. Leia Organa cracks a smile as he steps closer. He meant to contact a handful of his informants scattered across the Outer Rim, the safe channel there considerably more secure than the one Kay had set on his U-Wing. Yet, and the thought brings a slight crease between his eyebrows, it is something he'd better do while alone. It's not like he can demand the Princess to leave. Technically, she is his superior, after all. Things might have been different, had Draven been in there. But he is not, and Cassian will have to delay his rest longer than he had anticipated. "Captain Andor," the young girl acknowledges him with another bow as he reaches the table. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots the way her gaze lingers on his face. He remains silent, eyes scanning down the file on his data-pad, waiting for her to add whatever seems to be on her mind. The silence stretches between them. An insistent tapping breaks it, and a swift glance to his left awards him the image of Leia biting on her lower lip, the hand by the projector controls twitching and slowly curling into a fist. "Is there a way I might be of assistance, m' lady?" he says, gazing up from the screen. The rhythmic sound stops. She locks eyes with him, letting out a long sigh. "Perhaps, captain." "What is it that you need?" She lowers her gaze and bites down on her lip again. Harder. She wrings her hands this time. "I am looking for a file, but I can't seem to find it," she eventually lets out, almost blabbering.  She evades his gaze again, focusing on the gleaming screen before her. Cassian pushes down the frown yanking at his face. Something is off and he can't quite put his finger on it. Not yet. He clears his throat and ambles closer, paying attention to the letters flickering before them. A rush of an emotion he can't quite define hits him. It takes the air out of his lungs and he has to take a deep breath to steady his suddenly racing heartbeat. Those are... names of classified files the princess is trying to access to. There's a reason why she can't find what she is looking for. Moments like this are when Cassian is left walking a treacherous dangerous line. As an intelligence officer, he should be able to assert the boundaries and be able to send her away empty handed. As a rebel, her being the daughter of a Rebellion founder and general that surpasses him in rank, he can't simply wave her away that easily. "You will have to consult with Senator Organa, your Highness," he finally settles for a more diplomatic approach. "I am at not at liberty to provide you with classified information if he does not allow if beforehand, Miss, I hope you can understand." There is a twitch to her lips and a gleam to her eyes. "Naturally—" she trails off and her mouth twists to the side. "I was just hoping to locate more children." The unspoken question weighs heavy in his chest. "Children, your Highness?" He is not aware of any ongoing Intelligence mission that entailed such a task. Leia flashes him a smile. "Yes. Children, captain," she says, an air of pride to her voice when she tilts her chin up. "Your recent intel allowed our Pathfinder squads to take over Imperial facilities throughout Atrivis sector. Underground Imperial detention facilities."

Children. Taken for being suspected of subversion and allegiance to rebel cells. Abducted together with their families suspected of dissidence and treason to the empire. Children kidnapped to use as leverage. Children born while their mothers were in detention.  Realization dawns on him like a warm stream meandering down his chest. He tries to say something in return, but his mouth is as dry as Tatooine's desert and the words get stuck at the back of his throat. The scene he witnessed earlier that day, the Mantoonian woman crying tears of happiness and her voice melting into words of gratitude to Mon Mothma and Senator Organa flickers through his mind. Relief unclenches a knot deep in his heart he doesn't quite remember being there.        "I will never— How could I ever repay you?"        "There is no need. Knowing that another family hasn't been torn apart by this war is enough." "I was hoping an in-depth look to your intelligence findings and other reports would allow me to tie loose ends," Leia lets the smile spread across her face. Warm. Sincere, "and figure out where more of this children may have been sent." There is something in the tone of her voice, in they way her hair catches the light, in how she stands there clad in white robes that strikes him as ethereal. Almost lulling in the magic of the image. As if he can allow himself to believe such a thing is possible —achievable— after all the things this war has robbed the galaxy off. "It will be my pleasure to assist you, your Highness." There is a new glimmer to her eyes when he speaks. "I'll see what I can find in the archives that might be of use, and provide you with a copy as soon as I am allowed to." She raises an eyebrow. "I hope you understand I'll have to inform General Draven and Senator Organa about this," he licks his lips, "enterprise of yours beforehand." She nods. Cassian knows the only reticence to follow through with the matter might come from Draven, but not Organa. Cassian does not doubt that as soon as her daughter plans reach Queen Breha's ears, she will be providing the Rebellion with any and every mean at her disposal to locate and relocate the children and their mothers safely. Away from imperial claws. "Naturally." He bows his head again and she answers doing a small curtsy, before shuffling to the door. She hands him her data-pad as she walks past.

"What is it, Kay?" he asks under his breath, around a grumble. He can practically feel the droid's photoreceptors glued to his every move. "There is an inconsistency." The droid provides, whirring.

"How so?" Cassian mumbles, eyeing the controls. It won't be long now, they will be jumping out of hyperspace soon. "With my records." The droid whirs again and it strikes Cassian as a frustrated huff. "Your heart rate is unusually slow on the eve of an undercover mission to an imperial facility." The laughter almost burns his throat. Of course Kay will be worried he's not exhibiting his usual caged anxiety-driven mannerisms. He guesses trying to predict the chance of this anomaly having a dangerous consequence on the mission's outcome and —most importantly— Cassian's well-being during said mission. "This is a different undercover mission, Kay." Cassian reminds him. The silence drags on for a few seconds. Cassian can practically see Kay gears moving and whirring, until he finishes his predictions and diagnostic and the answer presents itself to him. "Is the prospect of rescuing sentient children more rewarding then?" He asks, but by the cadence of the answer Cassian knows it is not really a question. "It makes you happy," the droid declares with a finality that makes something tug inside Cassian's chest, "unlike other undercover missions." "It makes me hopeful," Cassian feels the need to clarify. Even if Kay is partly right in his assessment.

"Hopeful?"

"For the future, Kay." Cassian says, hope spreading warm and fluttering quick behind his ribs. "For the future."

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Secret Wars chapter 9: The Masters of Evil (originally posted on August 27, 2018)

AN: And we're back everyone! Oh boy oh boy Heart of the Crystal Gems is going to be (or at the time I would post this, was) a wild ride that I can't wait to take part in with my fellow SU fans. But now it's time we return to Earth-2013 for a bit to see how our heroes will win out against evil and save the universe. Please note that some scenes may be a bit disturbing, so reader discretion is advised.

"So these Crystal Gems, they call themselves, could they be mutants or perhaps aliens?" US Senator Robert Kelly asked while he, along with a few other political and military figures, held a secret meeting to discuss the Crystal Gems.

"Based off of what this young Ronaldo chap said on his blog, they are indeed aliens but where did they come from? Why are they here? What is their purpose?" government agent Everett Ross answered with questions of his own. "Any input Thunderbolt?"

"I fear they are not to be trusted!" General Thaddeus Ross declared pounding his fist on the table. "If what this blogger says is true, then they were responsible for the monster attacks, the disappearance of the ocean, the giant hand, the earthquakes, that Chitauri invasion and Thanos! We must take action immediately!"

"Calm yourself sir, might I recommend we wait until the time is right to act?" Ross's subordinate Glenn Talbot suggested. "Talbot is right gentlemen, maybe these so-called Gems could be of use to us." President Matthew Ellis, who organized the meeting, stated. "I especially see promise in their young sidekick with the shield. Reminds me a lot of Captain America."

"What is this about gemstones I hear?" another man with silvery white hair, blue eyes, a dark blue suit and a red tie announced stepping into the room. "It seems we have quite a collection of government powers in just one room."

"Secretary of defense Truman Marsh?! We thought you died!" Kelly exclaimed aghast at the sight of Marsh appearing before them after he had seemingly perished. "I guess reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated." Truman commented with a shrug before he sat down with the men. "So tell me my friends, what brings us all together here?"

"We're not telling you until you tell us how you're alive and well Truman, if that is your real name!" General Ross shouted. "Now, when were you born, when did you die and how?"

"I was born on July 10, 1968 in Jackson, Missouri and died on May 1, 2015 in quite a nasty car accident." the former secretary of defense answered putting up a charismatic facade, but they all knew something was up with him. "Now then, about these Crystal Gems gentlemen."

President Ellis finally gave up and began explaining. "Recently, there was a large spike in alien activity originating from a town in Delmarva called Beach City, which is home to a group of odd women known as the Crystal Gems. This spike rose higher when the alien warlord Thanos invaded the town and utterly clobbered the Gems."

"Oh really, and who else was present that time?" Marsh pressed for more questions.

"Aside from those Gems, others that were present were the Avengers and those Guardian weirdos." the president continued. "Among the Avengers were Captain Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Dr. Bruce Banner, Thor Odinson, former S.H.I.E.L.D agents Natasha Romanoff & Clint Barton, Captain Carol Danvers, King T'Challa of Wakanda, Dr. Stephen Strange, Spider-Man, Dr. Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne."

Marsh's eyebrows perked when he heard Ellis mention Stark, Banner & Pym. "Well, I think I might know how to handle these Gems." he stated. "But I require that you play along with my ideas."

"Hear me, and rejoice! You have the privilege of being purged by the Great Titan." Ebony Maw, one of Thanos's minions, declared as he and the Black Order stood before the champions of Earth on Battleworld. "You may think this is suffering. No, it is salvation!" he continued on as the champions prepared to fight. The Crystal Gems & the Avengers were ready to put an end to Thanos's reign of terror while Jasper plotted on taking revenge on him for her late superior Pink Diamond. "The universal scales tip toward balance because of your fate. Smile, for even in death you have become children of Thanos."

"This is our plan everyone, we just mow them down, take on whatever else Thanos throws at us, then we blow his planet to bits and go home." Iron Man commanded.

"Hulk, Tony the Tiger, you go after Black Dwarf." he said to Hulk & Jasper. "Oscar, you and I knock Ebony Maw down a peg." he then turned to Peridot. "Nat & Woody Woodpecker go against Corvus, Danvers & LSP with Proxima Midnight and finally Garnet & Cap versus Supergiant. Are we clear on that?"

"I have one question." Pearl piped in. "Did you seriously just call me a woodpecker?!" she shouted in the billionaire's face. "Metal man got point, pointy woman kinda look like bird." Banner commented pointing at her nose before she covered it in embarrassment. "And who is this Tony the Tiger?" Jasper added. "Cereal mascot, his Frosted Flakes are just great!" Spider-Man answered. "But we don't have time to discuss food right now."

"Yes, now we fight." Garnet declared before leaping up and charging at Supergiant, who retaliated with an energy barrier while Ebony Maw summoned more Chitauri & Outriders with a snap of his fingers using his telepathy and the battle commenced.

It was at that first attack that the final battle for the fate of not just Earth, not just the human race, but all life in the universe has begun.

"Your abilities are inconsequential compared to ours!" Maw boasted tossing a crystal spire at Stark, who deflected it with a blast from his repulsors. "Yeah well I've got an alien kicking ass with me!" the armored genius responded punching him in the face. "Now Peri!"

"Just a fair warning, I'm still pretty rusty with these." Peridot cautioned aiming her plasma cannon at the minion of Thanos and fired, though she kind of missed as the energy ball bounced across the area before smacking Maw. "Hey, least you tried kid."

Elsewhere, Hulk, Jasper and Black Dwarf went all out against each other. "HULK SMASH DWARFIE, HULK HATE DWARFIE!" Bruce roared smashing as he always would while Dwarf slashed at the gamma beast's arm with his axe. "Surrender yourself monster! Thanos is almighty and his forces just as so!" Black Dwarf boasted. "Quit your bragging Dwarf and come and fight me!" Jasper challenged him. "Let me handle this Hulk, I've known him for far longer! Thousands of years even!"

"What makes you think you can best me like when we fought during the Rebellion?" Black Dwarf asked. The quartz simply responded by wordlessly grabbing him by the arm, smashing him into the ground, standing him up and then finishing it off by punching straight through his chest and grasped his literal heart in her large hand.

"You utter animal!" Black Dwarf gasped his final words before collapsing over dead. "Seems he's gotten weaker since we last fought." Jasper commented dropping her now deceased opponent's heart to the ground and stepping on it, much to the horror of everyone else present, even the remainder of the Black Order. "Jasper, what did you do?!" Steven cried in alarm. "That guy may have been evil, but deep down they were still-"

"Don't give me another about how all life is precious Rose!" Jasper interrupted the boy. "When you're faced with Thanos, it's either kill or be killed!" She then got an idea as she turned her attention to Ebony Maw. "Speaking of which..."

"Oh no, everybody retreat! Thanos is letting us die!" the Maw cried out before Jasper pounced him and hoisted him by the neck. "Uh, anyone not pissing themselves in fear wanna stop her?!" Hawkeye asked. "Allow me." Doctor Strange declared summoning a Crimson Chain of Cyttorak and wrapping it around Jasper's neck trying to pull her away. "No one try and stop me! Thanos has to pay!"

"Please great and powerful Thanos, spare my life!" Ebony Maw screamed for his master before his fear turned into rage. "So that I may exact my reven-" He didn't have enough time to swear revenge before Jasper snapped his neck before casually dropping his corpse to her feet. "By Odin's beard, she actually did it." Thor gasped. "Jasper may be violent, but not this violent." Lapis added. "I wonder if it has to do with Thanos."

Speaking of Thanos, he was too busy reveling in Jasper murdering his minions to even care. "It seems I have a potential new second in command." he muttered gleefully. "I suppose you find this satisfying as well my bride?" Lady Death only replied with a small grin. It may not have been any words out of her mouth, but it was something. "Yes, very satisfying milord." Mephisto stated. "But what of the others now?"

"Please Jasper, just stop! The Black Order don't matter now, Thanos might come down any moment!" Garnet warned Jasper. "Zip it fusion and let me exact my revenge!" the Gem warrior screamed before launching a spin attack straight at the remaining servants of the Mad Titan. "Quickly everyone, back to the moon!" Corvus ordered his surviving comrades and they made a run for it. Well, two of them did.

Before she even realized it, Supergiant was caught in the path of Jasper's attack and slammed into some nearby rubble, almost grinding her into nothing until her blood coated the Gem's hair. "Ah, feels like old times!" Jasper shouted with a sadistic grin. "Now go along you two, run back to your master. But tell him I'm coming."

The remains of the Black Order did as they were told before running off and were teleported away, presumably to Thanos's moon castle. Jasper's psycho smile then turned into a firm frown before turning back to her situational allies. "What are you all looking at?!"

"We've seen many lives taken during the war, but none as gruesome as this." Pearl mused. "And I never seen her this bloodhungry before." Amethyst added. "It seems she shares the same vitriol towards Thanos as we do, but prefers to vent it in a more physical manner." Black Panther deduced. "But what matters now is that we all work together to stop him."

"It seems the carnage has stopped for now your holiness." Mephisto deduced as the three deities watched the champions settle down from the tussle with the Black Order when suddenly, they heard Corvus and Proxima teleport into the temple, Corvus being especially furious over their master's betrayal.

"How could you Thanos?! You simply dropped us down there to be game for that Quartz!" he shouted at the titan who just rolled his eyes. "You two are supposed to be arch-enemies and now it seems you want her to become one of your new minions!"

Before the leader of the Black Order could speak any further, Thanos grabbed him by the neck and held him high in the air. "Perhaps you should think twice before speaking out against a tyrant like myself."

The Reality, Time & Soul Stones on the Infinity Gauntlet began to glow and before Corvus knew it, he found himself disappearing into dust. "What are you doing with me?!" he cried in terror. "Balancing the universe for my beloved, what else?" Thanos gave one last snide remark as his late second in command vanished with a loud scream and his glaive clattered onto the ground.

"No! No no no no no no no!" Proxima cried for her husband and picking up his weapon. "What did you do to him you monster?!" she screamed with nothing but sorrow and rage filling her eyes. "I suppose you would like to join him Midnight?" Thanos offered her preparing to disintegrate her just like Corvus. "Mephisto did say Hell is quite roomy."

Proxima Midnight simply said nothing before she plunged her late husband's namesake weapon into her chest & out her back and then, she finally collapsed dead on the floor before her master. Thanos gazed at her body before looking towards an Outrider. "Take her away." he simply commanded the alien soldier and it complied, picking her up and carrying her out.

"I suppose that pleased you as well my dear?" Thanos asked Death, but she gave no answer. "I shall take that as a yes." he answered for her before stepping outside his temple and gazing down upon the champions. "Now then, unleash the Masters of Evil!"

"Wait master, stop!" Mephisto cried interrupting his commands. "What is it that you want now Mephisto?" the Mad Titan inquired. "I have detected an unknown vessel headed straight for Battleworld, specifically the champions' current location!"

The alliance between the Avengers & the Crystal Gems had little time to rest before they spotted a familiar spaceship soaring towards them blasting "Cherry Bomb" by the Runaways. Both teams knew exactly who it was by the music alone, the Guardians of the Galaxy have come for them.

"What even is that horrible noise?" Jasper shouted covering her ears in disgust. "That's not noise, that's 70s punk rock!" Steven exclaimed. "And there's only one spaceship that could make an entrance with that." Pearl remarked.

"HERE WE COME TO SAVE THE DAA-AAY!" Star-Lord heroically declared flying the Milano downward. "How did we even manage to detect them so fast?!" Connie wondered standing next to him. "I don't know, maybe the author just wanted to introduce us faster." She-Hulk quipped before Wolverine glared at her again. "What did we say Jen?"

"Okay I'll stop the gag for good. Besides, Deadpool might appear someday too." Jen replied and Logan just responded to that with a facepalm. "That's exactly what I dread." he groaned. "We can banter later guys, look!" Wasp exclaimed pointing straight toward the group. "Excellent, let's touch down." Rocket said preparing for landing.

The Milano finally touched down and out of it came their cavalry. "Guys!" the Guardians exclaimed rushing toward their fellow heroes. "Steven!" Connie shouted running up to her best friend and hugging him. "We were all so worried for you!"

"And it seems the gang's all here! Hank, Jan, Parker, Wanda, Pietro, Vision, even Bucky!" Tony commented. "Good to see you're still alive Steve." Bucky greeted his old friend with a handshake followed by a hug. "Nice to see you too sergeant."

"I am Groot!" Groot shouted hugging Lapis and Peridot in his arms. "Groot, we missed you too!" the green Gem responded wrapping her metallic arms around the tree alien's neck. "I am Groot?" he wondered curious about his friend's new form. "Oh, these are just limb enhancers like the ones I had before I joined the Crystal Gems."

"So, you must be Jasper correct?" Rocket inquired to Jasper. "What kind of freak are you supposed to be?" the larger quartz wondered with a sneer. "Freak?! I ain't just a freak, I'm a one of a kind maniac! There ain't nobody else in this universe like me except me!"

"So how did you guys manage to find us?" Steven asked Spider-Man. "Why you can thank Scarlet Witch for tracking you down and Wolvy & Bucky for bringing us all together." the webslinger answered. "You're welcome kid, but let's stop being all heartfelt reunion-y with each other." Logan stated. "We still got a certain purple madman to take care of."

"Indeed my combatants. With the arrival of our new challengers, it's time we up the ante a bit." Thanos boomed from his moon and the champions were all surrounded in beams of light. "What's happening to us now?!" Ant-Man exclaimed. "Damn you foolish beacons, you cannot contain Drax!" Drax screamed trying to break free before he vanished along with Steven, Thor & Doctor Strange.

"Steven!" Pearl cried out before she vanished along with Carol, Natasha & Gamora, followed by Garnet, Amethyst, Bucky & Wasp, Spidey, Lapis, Mantis & Kamala, Connie, Hulk, Groot & Wolverine, Cap, Bismuth, Star-Lord & T'Challa and Stark, Peridot, Rocket & Pietro.

Next to vanish were Rhodey, Wanda, Vision, Hank & Falcon and finally Jasper, Hawkeye, Yondu, Lion and She-Hulk.

"The game has been set and our warriors assembled." Thanos declared reclining in his throne with a devious smirk. "Let the Secret Wars begin."

The first to reappear were Connie's team in the middle of an abandoned gladiatorial arena. "Where the hell are we?" Wolverine wondered. "Hulk know this place." Banner stated. "Hulk's enemies sent him here long time ago. Hulk then become a gladiator and lead rebellion against red man alongside rock thing and bug."

"Speaking of red man, is he the one?" Connie asked pointing to a red-skinned male wearing a gold war-suit standing before them. "Well if it isn't my traitorous champion." the man calmly stated unsheathing his sword. "And it seems you have a few plus-ones."

"Who are you supposed to be?!" Connie exclaimed pulling out her own sword. "So this little morsel with her own sword doesn't know who I am? How very quaint." the war-suit clad man smirked. "I am Angmo-Asan II, deposed ruler of the planet Sakaar. But you may refer to me as the Red King." he introduced himself. "Now then, shall we engage in combat?"

"Don't take red man lightly, that war-suit is strong. But still not as strong as Hulk." Banner cautioned the smaller girl. "Well what are we waitin' for bub? Let's do it to it!" Logan exclaimed popping his claws and charging at the Red King, who reacted with a blast of flames from the palms of his war-suit. "Your claws are nothing to me miniscule lifeform! I only want the girl with the pink sword!"

"You mean me?" Connie asked. "Yes child, I have a feeling you might be gifted in the art of swordsmanship so that is why I choose you to face me!" Angmo-Asan stated. "Do you accept my challenge young one?" he offered pointing his weapon at her. Connie hesitantly looked back & forth between the fallen king and her blade before she finally put on a brave face and pointed it at Asan. "I accept your challenge!"

"I am Groot!" Groot cried out for her before Hulk shoved him aside. "No, we only step in if little girl is in trouble." he said in a surprisingly calm and rational tone. "Otherwise, this her fight."

"Are you ready yet young one?" the Red King asked Connie, who was busy repeating "Keep my stance wide, keep my body lowered." to herself before taking a fighting stance. "Okay, come at me!" she exclaimed and the two charged at one another. Angmo made the first move with a mighty thrust that Connie quickly dodged before parrying.

"You most certainly have good form, but I've had many years of training while you are simply a novice!" the former ruler of Sakaar bragged making another attack. "Well I trained under a professional who actually fought in a war!" Connie replied preparing to block, but failed and received a cut on her arm, dropping her sword. "Well it seems this teacher didn't train you enough. Now on your knees."

Connie was then forced to kneel before the Red King who then brought his blade to her neck, pretty much preparing to execute her. "Once I'm done here with you, the other fools here will be next and then the rest of your friends will fall to Thanos!" he shouted. "Any last requests?"

"Yeah," the girl said looking up at a large figure stepping behind her executioner with a smirk. "look behind you." she declared. Angmo was reluctant to comply until he turned to discover the Hulk, looking as furious as usual, standing right behind him before he roared. "HULK HATE WHEN BAD PEOPLE HURT KIDS!" he screamed. "NOW HULK GONNA SMASH YOU AGAIN, CAUSE HULK STRONGEST THERE IS!"

"Not if I smash you first!" the Red King shouted firing missiles out of his mechanical arms at Hulk before he was suddenly torn out of his war-suit and punched downward by the radioactive beast. Wolverine & Groot then took their turn pummeling him before the tyrant had his vacant mechanical armor tipped over by a still-injured Connie right on top of him, killing him off.

"Heh heh, now little king squashed." Hulk declared chuckling before he felt a sudden pain in his chest and regressed back into Bruce Banner. "Oh my gosh, Mr. Banner!" Connie exclaimed rushing to his side. "Are you alright? Steven has healing spit that'll help you!"

"You're worrying too much kid, it's just chest pains. And please call me Bruce." Banner said. "But speaking of which, let's get that scratch on your arm checked out." He then grabbed her by the limb and closely examined the wound given to her by the late ex-ruler of Sakaar. "Doesn't seem too severe, but we're gonna need some gauze just in case."

"So I suppose you're gonna need my help Bruce?" Logan asked. "That's exactly what I was gonna say. Use your claws to cut off a bit of my pants for her." The mutant complied, carefully slicing out a portion of Bruce's purple jeans with his metal claws and handed it to Groot, who neatly tied it around the wound. "There we go, just let it sit until we can find the others and you'll be right as rain."

"Thanks Bruce." Connie gratefully said before Groot walked over to the abandoned war-suit and started looking at it. "I am Groot!" he exclaimed pointing at the machine. "What is it Groot?" the gamma radiation genius asked. "I think he's trying to say that the Red King's suit might be of use to us somehow." Connie stated. "But how?"

"Well, let's just take it and camp out here until someone finds us." Wolverine suggested putting the suit back in an upright position before they all realized Angmo-Asan was suddenly missing. "What the?! Where did that scarlet sissy off too?!" Logan cursed in frustration. "He wouldn't be able to run off like a baby so what happened?!"

Unbeknownst to them, ashes were floating around the arena before they simply decided to brush it off and find somewhere to rest while being watched by an unknown figure in a black coat.

In a wasteland covered in black sludge, Spider-Man, Lapis Lazuli, Mantis and Ms. Marvel appeared out of beams of light before examining their surroundings. "Where are we guys?" Lapis wondered. "Judging by the fact we're in space and surrounded by black goo." Peter began before Kamala started speaking in unison with him. "We must be in symbiote territory!"

"Symbiotes? Aren't they those slime creatures that go searching for hosts?" Mantis asked her teammates. "Oh you bet they are Mantis! In fact, there's actually a few of them on Earth." Kamala stated. "Like Carnage, Toxin, Anti-Venom and the big man himself, Venom!"

"Speaking of which, I think I can see one that looks a lot like him." Peter shushed them all and they patiently waited for someone to appear. "And my Spider-Sense can't track this guy. Be on your guard everyone."

It wasn't long before the symbiote leaped from out of nowhere and let out a mighty roar. "Wait a minute, you too Venom?!" Peter exclaimed in shock. "You are indeed correct human, I am indeed similar to the symbiote on Earth that you are familiar with, but in reality I am not him!" the alien explained. "When Thanos arrived on Klyntar, he ordered that we bring him one of our own, which turned out to be me before he destroyed our planet and used its remains as part of Battleworld!"

"Enough talk, we came here to kick your butt!" Ms. Marvel cried enlarging her hands. "Embiggen!" She used her Inhuman powers to try and restrain the symbiote but sadly failed. "You are insignificant to me child, I only want someone who has suffered great pain to make myself stronger!" the symbiote exclaimed slithering out of her grasp. "And I think I know just the one."

Examining each of his other opponents, Venom used telepathy to take note of whatever they've been through. Reading Peter's mind, he discovered that he was still grieving the loved ones he's lost like his parents and his uncle. For Mantis, he learned she was taken from her home and used by a powerful being who lied about how she was destined for something greater.

But for Lapis, he was hit with a tsunami of trauma. Getting caught in the Rebellion, sealed in the mirror & interrogated after being mistaken for a Crystal Gem, left behind on Earth, taken by Pearl & being forgotten for thousands of years, eventually being released & returning to her home planet only to be imprisoned once again, trapping Jasper in Malachite & torturing her for revenge and finally leaving Earth with the barn thinking the Diamonds would attack.

"Oh yes, so much pain! Negativity is maximum!" Venom screeched leaping toward Lapis and latching onto her. "Hey, what are you doing?!" the Gem cried trying to flee from the symbiote's grasp. "Gaining more power! Our abilities combined would make us unstoppable!"

"No please, let me go!" Lapis screamed in terror, not wanting to relive Malachite all over again. "I've already suffered enough!" she continued struggling but to no avail. "Don't worry Lapis, I'll save you!" Peter called out firing a web-line to stop Venom, only for the ooze creature to latch himself onto it. "Oh, walked right into that one!"

"A Gem combined with Spider-Man, this has to be a dream!" Venom cheered as he prepared to possess the two of them. "Uh guys, could use a little help here!" the webslinger exclaimed to Kamala & Mantis. "I can't keep him contained, he'll just slip out!" the young NuHuman said before she turned to the Guardian. "Wait a minute! Mantis, what can you do?"

"Well I can do lots of things like feeling the emotions of people I touch and put others to sleep." Mantis stated. "And symbiotes have a weakness to sonic frequencies, I think we got it!" Kamala declared. "I'm gonna need you to make it go to sleep Manty, but it's gonna be risky! That thing loves taking other's bodies, and it doesn't have any money to buy them dinner!"

"But what if he has money?" Mantis asked. "It's a figure of speech, now get him!" Ms. Marvel shouted and the alien obeyed with a nod, racing toward the symbiote with her hands out. "Another one wants to join I see! Well there's always enough room for everyone!"

"Don't worry you guys, I'll save you!" Mantis cried placing her hands on the symbiote's gooey form and briefly felt herself about to become one with him before she prepared to unleash her powers. "Go...to..." she muttered while her antennae glowed and Venom felt an odd sensation before he realized what was going to happen. "Oh no." he cried before Mantis let her abilities loose. "SLEEEEEP!"

The alien screamed in pain as he accidentally freed Lapis & Spidey from his grasp, wincing at the soundwaves making him tremble. "Now's our chance!" Lapis exclaimed forming Venom's liquid form into a ball before Spider-Man covered it with his webs. "Go Kamala!"

"You got it!" Ms. Marvel exclaimed tossing her enlarged fist back before giving the balled-up Venom a devastating punch, sending him off to parts unknown. "I will return!" he screamed before he became nothing but another star in the sky.

"Woohoo, we did it!" Peter cried hugging Lapis in celebration. "Yeah, you did it. I was nothing but some damsel in distress like in some of those movies." the ocean Gem said solemnly. "It was all thanks to you three that I wasn't made the slave of some goo monster."

"Aw don't feel like that buddy, I loved how you squished Venom into a little ball long enough for Peter to web him up." Kamala reassured her. "Yes, you don't have to keep being so hard on yourself. Maybe someday you can become a Crystal Gem and fight alongside your friends, especially Peridot." Mantis added. "Speaking of which, we all make a pretty good team."

"You're right Mantis. Which one of you was struck with a bolt of brilliance to find out Venom's weakness?" Spider-Man asked. "It was thanks to my extensive knowledge of supers combined with Mantis's powers that saved your asses." Ms. Marvel bragged. "But what do we do now? Seems like the others might still be fighting."

"I suggest we just camp out here until someone finds us." Lapis suggested sitting down. "At least we won't have to worry about that thing menacing us now."

"That sounds like a great idea. Too bad we don't have marshmallows and a campfire." Peter snarked and the four of them laughed, while a figure in a black cloak watched over them.

Next up was Pearl, Gamora, Black Widow and Captain Marvel appearing in the middle of a futuristic city. "Where are we?" Pearl wondered examining her surroundings before bringing forth her spear. "I recognize this place. This is obviously Hala, the home planet of the Kree race." Carol explained. "Though given the lack of wars and general unrest around here, I'd say Thanos put them on the snapping block too."

"Indeed he has!" a blue-skinned woman in green armor declared from on top of a building. Jumping down, Gamora immediately recognized their opponent. "Hala the Accuser. Who would've guessed Thanos would make you one of his minions?"

"Thanos promised that he would lock the Kree in an eternal war in exchange for my services." Hala declared pointing her staff at the four women. "But why would you want one when Thanos basically got rid of your army?!" Pearl exclaimed preparing for combat. "Sounds a bit counter-productive, I must say."

"Enough talk, fight me!" Hala exclaimed charging at them, staff at the ready. Tossing it like a javelin, Pearl narrowly avoided it before stabbing Hala in the torso, puncturing her armor. "Now girls!"

Natasha then fired her pistols before following up with a high kick that sent the Kree Accuser flying into a building. And speaking of flying, Captain Marvel charged at the villainess at high speeds, tackling Hala and pushing her through several buildings before dropping her to the ground, where she was greeted with Gamora socking her in the face and disarming her with her sword.

"It's over Hala. We've won." the former minion of Thanos declared pointing at their defeated opponent with her own staff. "No, you don't understand! If I dare lose to you, Thanos will unleash a power unlike any other!" the Accuser cried begging for mercy before she realized that her hand was already turning to dust, followed by the rest of her arm and then her entire being.

"So if his minions lose to us, they're disintegrated?!" Pearl cried out in horror. "Even if Hala was a criminal wanted across tons of galaxies, she definitely didn't deserve to end up like nothing." Danvers responded picking up her staff. There was a brief moment of silence between the four women for their fallen opponent before they split up to investigate the city while a black-covered figure watched them from high above.

Iron Man, Peridot, Rocket and Quicksilver reappeared on what looked like the Great Wall of China, but it was surrounded by rather futuristic architecture and heaps of metal near it. "So, who we fightin' now?" Rocket inquired before they heard a faint rumbling noise followed by a loud roar. Suddenly, a large green Chinese-esque dragon wearing purple made an entrance before the group, roaring once again to strike fear into them.

"Oh, hey Fin Fang Foom." Tony casually greeted the beast who glared at him in response. "A Makluan?! We gotta run!" Peridot screamed running as fast as her limb enhancers could. "You have no idea what you're up against Stark, that thing is an absolute monster!"

"What are you so scared about Dottie? I've faced this guy tons of times before, I can handle him." the Armored Avenger declared before the alien dragon swiped at him, but Tony managed to blast off at the right moment and joined Peridot in hiding.

"Oh I see, this is the classic scenario where the knight in shining armor and his trusted companions have to guard the princess from the fearsome dragon." Quicksilver snarked. "I'll provide cover while you guys think of a plan. I've known him longer so that oughta distract him longer." Tony decided before flying toward the Makluan. "Hey Godzilla, you missed me?!"

"How could I not Stark?" Fin Fang Foom growled launching a wave of fire at the Avenger. "Thanks to Thanos, I have grown so much stronger than you!" he boasted striking his human nemesis down with a knife block, but Stark responded with one last repulsor blast before he crashed down at Rocket's paws. "Anything guys?"

"Well, while you were nearly digging your own grave, Pietro, Rocket and I have decided on one plan that can take him down." Peridot explained. "And that's build a giant laser cannon!" Rocket exclaimed laughing madly. "We're just gonna need tons of scrap metal lying around to help us here."

"Oh look at that, we're practically surrounded by all the junk we need!" Quicksilver exclaimed spreading his arms out to get the others to notice the materials they required. "Okay, while you guys work on the thing I'll go and distract him next."

"Good plan Sonic." Tony answered before he began getting to work on gathering the metal. Meanwhile Peridot worked together with Rocket on the schematics of the cannon. "So we're going to need a static engine for this one? You got any P?" the raccoon stated. "I'm sure my limb enhancers could provide a good substitute. To wit, if you can help me take them off."

"Well how does that work anyway?" Rocket asked jiggling at the Gem's metallic foot. "I think you might need to press the yellow diamond on the knees and elbows." Peridot suggested while demonstrating how to do so with her left limb. "See?"

"Uh guys, any minute now!" Pietro cried continuing to run from Fin Fang Foom. "Give it time Gonzales, never rush genius you know!" Peridot shouted before Tony finally returned with the scraps they needed. "Got 'em all gang! Let's get to work!"

While the three geniuses got to work on constructing the laser cannon, Quicksilver on the other hand was running for his life away from the dragon alien who continued to launch fire from his mouth. "Why am I running like this?! I ain't no coward!" he said to himself. "I'm a damned Avenger, and ain't no one is going to bring me down!"

Just as he made his bold declaration, time suddenly skidded to a halt. Everything was completely frozen in place except for the speedster himself who took advantage of this to further inflict damage on the Makluan beast. Pietro sped forward with a strong uppercut before kicking him in the eye. He then finished it off with a punch to the dragon's privates with a giggle just as time returned to normal.

Fin Fang Foom collapsed howling in pain from the mutant's attack before getting up and glaring furiously at him. "IGNORANT WHELP!" he screamed preparing to finish things once and for all before he was met with a laser blast to the face.

Turning around, Foom discovered Iron Man now with a large cannon attached to his arm made up of various metals including Peridot's limb enhancers. "How do you like them apples Ord?!" Tony shouted charging it up again before firing at will, this time sending it straight for the Makluan's mouth. "I hope you're hungry!"

"I've had enough of this! DIE!" Fin Fang Foom finally snapped preparing to kill them all before he suddenly froze, falling flat on his face and revealing a figure in a black coat behind him. "Uh, what just happened? Who are you?" Rocket asked as the dragon faded away and the figure descended to the ground, extending his hand in lieu of speaking.

In a facsimile of the planet Xandar, Captain America, Bismuth, Star-Lord and Black Panther were next to spawn. "Geez, seems like they get attacked every other month or something!" Peter quipped. "You think this is where Thanos got his first Infinity Stone?"

"We have no time, look alive!" Bismuth shouted shoving the leading Guardian out of the path of an attack from their old enemy Titus. "Star-Lord, it's about time we faced each other again."

"Oh hey big guy, how's being put on trial by Homeworld for kidnapping a high-ranking Gem doing?" Star-Lord exclaimed cheerfully, though in actuality it was just an insult. "For your information you rapscallion, your Ravager partner had made that all up to stain my reputation! If he were here instead of you, I'd be even happier to annihilate him." Titus shouted. "Now lay down and face my vengeance."

"Leave him alone cat man!" Bismuth shouted smacking the ex-Nova Corpsman in the face with her hammer hand. "You have no right to assault an officer of the law like that you Bismuth!" Titus yelled before he felt his head being smacked by Captain America's shield. "You're no law enforcement, you're just as much of a criminal as the ones you claim to hunt down!"

"You are a disgrace to the Nova Corps if you think your mangled view of justice is cool!" Bismuth shouted preparing to engage him. "I may go to great lengths to do what I think is right, but I'm crossing the line at punishing those who look at me funny!"

"I like her." Quill commented. "Me too, I admire her passion." Rogers added as the fight between the blacksmith and the ex-Supernova continued on. "Shouldn't we try assisting her?" T'Challa suggested. "She may be strong, but I believe her alone won't be enough."

"Way ahead of you Sylvester!" Star-Lord shouted flying over to Titus and tackling him from behind. "Get off me you rat!" Titus screamed trying to toss the Guardian off his back before he was met with Black Panther slashing his face and damaging his cybernetic eye. "Again?!"

"Now!" Bismuth shouted before the captain charged at Titus & backed up his laser cannon with his famous shield. Titus tried to fight back by firing from his mechanical limb, but the shield's Vibranium construct combined with the amount of built-up energy caused a massive explosion that destroyed the arm.

"Good work everyone. Now then, let's signal the others and find someone to converge." Cap stated before they heard Titus whimpering in fear. "No, please! I can't die like this!" he cried out beginning to collapse into dust. "Thanos promised that I would regain my status in exchange for serving him, but he never told me about this part of the deal!"

"Wait, deal?" Bismuth shouted just as Titus finally faded away for good. "It's possible that all the villains Thanos has recruited might've also asked for something in exchange for their services but if they failed him, they would be eliminated." the king of Wakanda deduced. "But now we must ask, where do we go from here?"

Unknown to Black Panther, his question would be answered in the form of a mysterious figure in a black coat watching them from atop a building.

Next up were the team consisting of Jasper, Hawkeye, Yondu, Lion & She-Hulk along with War Machine, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Ant-Man and Falcon on a landscape that proved to be familiar to the Ravager. "Skrullos?! Seems like we're facing the queen and her lackey now."

"Oh goody, those two again." Jennifer flatly added. "I can only assume you faced them before?" Jasper asked the jade giantess. "You bet. They held a big secret invasion of Earth where they replaced tons of people, including me!" Pym explained. "That was a very humiliating experience for myself."

Suddenly the aforementioned shapeshifters appeared before the eight of them, the Skrull queen Veranke and her minion Kl'rt, the Super-Skrull. "Now doesn't this seem unfair? Eight of them against just the two of us." the Skrull commented before his master shushed him. "No matter my most loyal servant. We shall find a way to take advantage of this."

Lion quietly snarled at the green aliens before stepping to Hank's side. "So what are your reasons for siding with Thanos?" the scientist wondered. "Simple. If we destroy you here, Thanos will reward us with changing the timeline so that our invasion was successful." the Super-Skrull answered preparing for a fight. "And we refuse to let you get in our way!"

"That's what you think." Jasper challenged him cracking her knuckles and charging toward Kl'rt. The Skrull stretched his arms and grabbed her mid-charge, tossing the Gem around a bit before smashing her on the ground. "Don't think I can go down that easily!"

With that, the rest of the party charged toward Veranke who retaliated by ordering tons of turrets & droids at her beck and call. "Terminate them my machines!" she cried before they all fired at will. The seven of them fought back with all their might against the Skrull queen's mechanical minions.

"Remember, Veranke herself is our current objective!" Hank commanded growing larger and stepping on a platoon of robots. "You got that right doc!" Jen replied crushing another between her thighs before she saw Jasper grab the Super-Skrull by the arm and toss him around like a toy. "And I like her style!"

"Never thought I'd hear a human praising me." Jasper mused taking notice of the heroine's compliments. "But no matter, after I take down these two Thanos will be mine!" She then landed the finishing blow, tossing Kl'rt into an array of turrets, putting him in their path and eliminating him.

"Nice throw there Jasper!" Rhodey called before firing at will at the machines. Meanwhile with Vision and Wanda, they were standing back to back while Sam soared overhead and Yondu rode on Lion's back sending his Yaka arrow flying towards more turrets. "All right Vis, what's our next move?" the witch asked her lover. "I suggest that I phase through them while you mind control them into attacking one another, giving me enough time to sneak attack them."

"Good plan there my dear." Vision agreed and he faded away, leaving his beloved to curse the machines into attacking one another. As the robots began fighting amongst themselves, a large laser beam appeared from out of nowhere and reduced them all to scrap metal, its owner revealing himself as Vision.

As for Falcon, he flew straight for Veranke guns blazing and letting out a war cry, but she simply dodged them all before being tackled by Jasper. "Do you yield your highness?!" the quartz snarled gripping her arms before she began fading away into dust. "What?!"

"My queen, no!" Kl'rt screamed for his master as he disintegrated as well. "Could this be what happens to Thanos's minions when they fail him?" Hank wondered. "Because this definitely has Infinity Stones written all over it."

"It most likely is." Jasper concurred. "But one has to ask what did the Skrulls ask for in return." Just then, a figure dressed in all black appeared before them, emitting a mysterious air around him.

Next up were Garnet, Amethyst, Bucky and Wasp. "So which one are we gonna face now? Annihilus, Blastaar, maybe even Galactus?!" the small Gem asked excitedly. "None of the above Amethyst." Bucky answered, much to her disappointment. "But speaking of Galactus..."

The old soldier pointed upward to a humanoid male figure on what looked like a surfboard hovering down to them, a male that Bucky and Janet recognized very well. "The Silver Surfer?!" Wasp cried in shock. "How did Thanos find a way to brainwash him?!"

"It is simple mortal! When Thanos discovered me, he brought me under his control as one of his most powerful lackeys with the Mind Stone! And I stand here today as the Dark Surfer, your personal executioner!"

"A herald of Galactus? Impossible." Garnet muttered in fear of what someone with the Power Cosmic could do. "We have to break Thanos's control over the Surfer, he could help us out against him!"

"Roger wilco G!" Amethyst shouted tying the Surfer down with her whips. The herald struggled to free himself before he was met with a stinger blast from Janet in his emerald eyes. "What is the meaning of this?! Let me go!" the Dark Surfer screamed before becoming trapped in a headlock by Garnet. She then discovered an odd orange bulb growing on the back of his head. "That must be what's controlling him!"

"What, that little thing? Doesn't seem too hard. Just pop it and we'll be done here." Amethyst remarked just as the Dark Surfer finally broke free and flew off. "Aw dang it!"

"We got to time it just right and shoot the damn thing!" Bucky stated loading his gun. "I only got one shot at this." He carefully aimed his rifle at the bulb on the Surfer's back, making sure he had a clear view of it before finally firing. The bullet sailed skyward toward the bulb and pierced straight into it, making the bulb burst and splatter all over the Surfer's head as he reverted to his more recognizable silver coloring and crashed into the ground. "Target eliminated!"

"Must...reach...Strange..." the Silver Surfer muttered slowly regaining control of his mind. "What is he talking about?" Amethyst wondered. "He must be talking about the doctor, probably wanting to find him and talk about Thanos." Garnet deduced. "Please Surfer, tell us your business!"

"I wanted...to warn him." Norrin Rad groaned in pain. "Great danger, coming this way. Must be stopped!" The Surfer then began screaming in terror. "His arrival could herald the end of the universe! THANOS IS COMING!"

"Uh newsflash Bender, we already kinda got the message." Amethyst snarked before the herald grabbed her shoulders. "They're all dying! Billions upon billions of souls are blinking out of existence! Horrible, not a one knew what struck them!" the Surfer continued his rant before Garnet finally silenced him. "We know! Thanos has brought us all here to fight his minions and stop him! Tell us, how did he brainwash you?"

"Apologies for panicking my friends." the Silver Surfer apologized sitting down on his board. "The last thing I remember before Thanos found me was flying down to Earth to warn Doctor Strange about the Mad Titan's reign of terror before the Black Order captured me and used one of the Infinity Stones to make me his puppet. Since I was the only soul among his Masters of Evil that didn't make a deal with him, that must mean I won't be disintegrated like the others."

"That's good to know buddy, but how do we get out of here?" Janet wondered sitting down next to Silver. "I think I may know someone. Look."

The Surfer pointed toward a figure in black standing before them and smiled at him.

The final group to spawn were Steven, Thor, Doctor Strange and Drax in a locale that looked insanely familiar to the young Gem. "Is this Homeworld?" he wondered looking around at the architecture, including the large white statue in the distance. "By Odin's beard, did Thanos strike here as well?" Thor gasped in astonishment. "Indeed he did brother."

Loki suddenly appeared with a dastardly smirk on his face ready to face the four of them. "Loki, you're with Thanos too?!" Steven cried summoning his shield. "Of course I am child. But I'm not the only one." the God of Mischief replied gesturing upward to a large pillar of light that collapsed to reveal none other than Yellow and Blue Diamond.

"The Diamonds!" Steven cried in alarm. "My God." Strange added in amazement. "As I live and breathe. I've only heard stories about how my father participated in the Rebellion, but I never thought I'd be facing two of the Diamonds today." Thor stated beginning to reminisce on tales of days long past. "I still remember the story of how he lost his eye that day."

In the heat of the great war between the Crystal Gems & their newfound allies against both the Gem Homeworld and Thanos, the Allfather Odin stood back to back with Rose Quartz against an army of Topazes.

"Seems like we've bitten off more than we can chew." the leader of the Crystal Gems commented. "Do not fret my comrade! You've shown great vigor in recruiting us to your cause along with Wakanda, Atlantis, the Vishanti, the Inhumans, En Sabah Nur & K'un-L'un and we shall show that same vigor here today!" Odin declared spotting the first foe within his sight. "I suppose that white light must be their leader."

"White light?" Rose stuttered turning back to Odin in fear. "Odin, you have no idea what you're getting into! That's-" she tried to warn him but her words fell on deaf ears. "A chance for me to show these Homeworlders what I've got!" the Allfather boomed running away from his pink comrade. "For the Nine Realms!"

Roaring like an animal as he plowed through Homeworld Gems and Thanos's forces, Odin saw the white light get closer to him. "Come and fight me you filthy Diamond!" he screamed jumping high into the air with Gungnir at the ready, tossing it straight at the light.

Only for it to come flying back towards him and striking him in his right eye. The Asgardian king screamed in pain as he fell to the ground with his beloved queen Frigga being the first to rush to his side.

"I remember that man quite well." Yellow Diamond commented. "He was quite loud and foolhardy back in the day, but I assumed he wised up a bit after he lost his eye to White. But back on the subject at hand, now all of you will have to meet the same fate, especially Rose."

"For the last time, I'm not Rose!" Steven cried trying to correct the monarch before Doctor Strange shushed him. "Stand down Steven, you are quite strong on your own, but are nothing compared to two Diamonds." he stated. "Well what if they're nothing compared to me?!" Drax hollered running toward the two Gems with his daggers prepared and laughing like a madman. "Come and face me giant women!"

"No." Blue Diamond simply said striking him down with just a finger before glaring at the remaining three. "And as for all of you." she snarled just as the Sorcerer Supreme stepped forth. "I've faced quite a lot of galactic menaces, but I never knew I'd face two Diamonds." he declared summoning forth a pair of glowing red bands and flying forward. "By the Crimson Chains of Cyttorak!"

Strange tossed his arm out and entangled Yellow with the chains, but she freed herself by touching them with an electric shock, leaving the doctor open for Blue to attack next. Strange created a portal that brought him a short distance away to break his fall and prepared another spell. "By the Bolts of Balthakk!"

"Get him my Diamond!" Yellow Pearl cried from the stands with Blue Pearl sitting next to her. "What she said."

As the fight between Strange and the Diamonds raged on, Thor and Loki began locking horns once more. "What do you seek to gain from siding with Thanos again brother?!" the thunder god asked striking his adoptive brother in the face with Mjolnir. "Surely you realize that failing him with only result in horrific punishment!"

"He would've spared my life if I didn't fail him here like last time." Loki explained. "And even because of that, I still won't go easy on you regardless!" He jabbed at his adoptive brother with his spear and knocked him out cold with his magic.

Meanwhile, Steven was trying to sneak across the battlefield away from the Diamonds before he suddenly came across Drax lying down on the ground after being attacked by Blue Diamond. "Are you okay Drax?" the boy asked the destroyer as he got up. "I am very okay, for I am alive!" Drax declared proudly. "Ha-ha-ha-ha, screw you giant women!"

"I wouldn't say that if I were you Drax." Steven winced as the destroyer's insult caught Yellow's attention and she charged toward the two, preparing to assault the boy before she was stopped by Thor. "What?!" she shouted clashing with the Asgardian. "Stop this Odinson, the brat is mine!"

"What are you doing Thor?! You just abandoned me so you can save a simple child!" Loki whined. "Please everyone, stop fighting and listen to me!" Steven urged everyone. "Thanos is using the three of you as his puppets, and if you fail him, who knows what he could do!"

"Don't try and brainwash me Rose!" Yellow screamed shoving Thor out of the way and nearly stomping on Steven once and for all before she was halted by Loki of all people. "This boy is right. The Mad Titan has played us all for fools and I suppose we all know what happens when we lose."

"Loki is right, Thanos would destroy us." Blue Diamond agreed with the trickster god. "Although we naturally oppose one another, he's a greater threat to everyone." she stated and Yellow just facepalmed in exasperation. "I can't believe I'm going to do this." she muttered before turning to Steven. "Okay little one, how about this? We join forces to defeat Thanos once and for all. But this is only temporary, since you are a Crystal Gem."

"Very well then. But we need a place to stay and make plans." Strange stated before they all spotted a black cloaked male appearing out of nowhere and gesturing toward a futuristic metropolis. "Well, speak of the devil."

Meanwhile Thanos was watching everything play out from his moon shrine and looking very furious. "First the Surfer and now them?!" he roared raising his Gauntlet to the air. "They all will pay!"

"Wait master!" Mephisto cried breaking his blind rage. "I have a solution to this. Why don't I settle things myself?" he offered with a smug grin which Thanos returned. "Very well then Mephisto. You may depart, and make sure not to fail me like all the others."

"Duly noted oh great and powerful Mad Titan." the Prince of Devils replied kneeling before the dark lord. "My humble personage bows before your grandeur." The demon then disappeared from the palace, leaving Thanos smirking and Lady Death still stood motionless by his side.

Journeying their way to the metropolis, Steven attempted to make small talk with the cloaked figure. "Uh, excuse me sir but I have a few questions." he said. "Who are you, what do you want with us, where are we going?"

The figure gave no answer and continued floating forward. "And why does nobody answer when I ask important questions?" Steven mumbled before they heard a rumbling sound followed by a mad cackle. "That laugh." Loki gasped just as Mephisto appeared before the group. "So what do we have here?! The boy, his little defenders and a couple of traitors too!"

"Mephisto! You're gonna pay for scaring the Gems back on Titan!" Steven shouted preparing his shield. "Oh I'm not interested in you for the moment boy. I only want the Diamonds." Mephisto stated turning to the two monarchs. "Look at you! You're supposed to be among the most powerful beings in the cosmos and yet here you are subservient to someone you could crush underfoot!"

"Insult us all you want demon, but perhaps we could do the same to you." Yellow said preparing to strike Mephisto down before Thanos suddenly appeared. "That is what you think Yellow." the Titan declared appearing out of a portal behind the demon. "I'd like to have a word with you Mephisto."

"Why master, couldn't you arrive until after I terminated them?" Mephisto asked before he was grabbed by the neck and pulled up to Thanos's gaze. "I know you have something planned for me demon. Tell me what it is and I promise your humiliation will be less painful!" he threatened. "I refuse Thanos! Was this your own plan for me, to obliterate me when you realized my endgame?!" the devil cried fearfully.

Thanos only answered by punching him skyward with the Gauntlet and forcing him down with the Reality Stone, making sure to smash him deep into the ground. "Do you yield Mephisto. Or do you fall?"

Mephisto gave out a frightened yelp before he vanished into thin air, leaving Thanos disappointed and everyone else aghast. "Keep in mind that this is only a preview of what I can do with the Infinity Gauntlet. If I decided to, I could wipe out all of you and everyone else on this planet with just the snap of a finger. But that's for later. As for now, I'm watching you."

Thanos turned his back and began to walk away before stopping for a moment to gaze at the cloaked man. "And I'm also watching you in particular." he stated getting back to walking and then he slowly vanished. "What did he mean by that?" Steven asked glancing at their mysterious rescuer before they continued onward to the metropolis.

"There, this should last us for a while!" Connie declared rubbing some pieces of wood together given to her by Groot to make a fire. "Thanks for giving me the wood Groot."

"I am Groot." Groot replied before Rocket spoke up. "So, the gang's pretty much all here!" he stated reclining on Bismuth's shoulder. "We're all a bunch of jackasses around a campfire brought back together by some jackass we don't know about who thinks he's all mysterious by dressing in clothes that completely hide him and not speak at all!"

"Hey, speaking of the gang being all here, there's still someone missing." Amethyst remarked. "What about Steven?" she asked. "That's right. We're still missing Steven, Point Break, Dumbledore and Tattoos." Iron Man answered. Just then they heard a familiar voice. "Hey guys!"

"Oh speak of the devil and he shall appear." Hawkeye snarked as Steven finally reunited with the other heroes. "Steven!" the Crystal Gems cried rushing to hug the child. "We were all so worried for you Steven!" Pearl exclaimed. "Who were you up against, how'd you do, what happened after that?" Amethyst asked. "We're just happy you're all right if you can't tell." Garnet calmly remarked. "And it's good to see the rest of you as well."

"Thank you Garnet. I can assure all of you fought well today." Thor proclaimed. "Actually my friends, it's not just us four that came here." Doctor Strange nervously stated turning around and gesturing something forward, that something being Loki, the Diamonds and their Pearls. "Surprise!" Loki exclaimed with a mischievous grin on his face while Yellow just face-palmed.

Everybody present was completely at a loss for words at the sight of three of their enemies before them, especially Captain America, Rocket Raccoon, Hulk, Bismuth, Pearl and Lapis.

"I'm sorry, am I dreaming or are the Diamonds standing right in front of us and not wanting us dead?!" the blacksmith exclaimed trying to comprehend what's going on. "Aw geez, for the record miss, we didn't capture her because there was this big guy trying to kill us." Rocket groaned. "And I suppose you also heard about how he "kidnapped" one of your own."

"T-the Diamonds?! Steven, are you crazy?!" Lapis began to panic and tried to fly away before she felt her ankle entangled in a string of web. "Lapis, wait!" Spider-Man cried out trying to pull her down. "Man, you're tough! Can someone give me a hand?"

"I got this long-legs." Rocket stated firing an electric net launcher that managed to bring Lapis back to the ground. "Look Tidal, I know you're kinda afraid of Homeworld and you don't wanna do anything with them, but I don't think you would abandon everyone else all willy-nilly!"

"I know Rocket, but you've met them before. Why aren't you as afraid?" Lapis asked beginning to calm down. "Because trust me blue, I've met far worse people than those two." the mercenary stated before Spidey decided to speak. "And I know what it's like to run away. You remember how I mentioned how many times I was like Spider-Man no more, right?"

"Yeah. Can you give me one reason you quit one time?" Lapis asked. "It was because I lost someone close to me one faithful night. This someone was the only girl I ever loved and this villain just took her away from me." Peter answered. "She got much better and became a crimefighter in her own right, but that night still haunts me even today."

"Who was this girl?" Lapis asked again, but Peter started to get a bit teary-eyed under his mask and dodged the question. "That's not important! But what's important is that you don't always have to run away thinking that can instantly solve your problems. You gotta face them head on." he said bringing the Gem in for a hug, who returned it with a smile. "Thanks Pete."

"Okay, it was fun being sentimental and all that, but let's just discuss the REALLY big elephant in the room." Star-Lord exclaimed. "Just who, the hell, are you?!" he exclaimed to the cloaked figure, who simply sighed and actually said a full sentence. "Well, you got me."

The man finally ditched the cloak to reveal his red hair & red and white bodysuit under a brown leather jacket. Out of everyone, this man caught the eyes of the Avengers and Steven. "Don't you just hate it when you have to not talk to keep being mysterious?" the man snarked. "Bet you all didn't see me coming."

"Eros?" Cap gasped in astonishment. "I'm sorry, who?" Amethyst said. "I remember him. Thanos made him appear in my dream." Steven said. "Are you Thanos's brother?"

"Of course I am sport. What's your name?" Eros asked Steven. "My name is Steven Universe, and these are all my friends the Crystal Gems." the boy introduced himself and the Gems. "Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Connie, Peridot, Lapis Lazuli and Bismuth. And there's also Jasper and Yellow & Blue Diamond."

"You got a whole harem of Gems? Oh baby, why couldn't I have your life?!" Eros exclaimed before trying to make his move on Garnet. "Hey there sweetheart, name's Eros, but the ladies call me Starfox!" he purred sensually. "You know among all the types of babes I usually fall for, the strong silent types are usually among my faves."

"Say another word or I'll make sure you're physically incapable of talking." Garnet calmly threatened Starfox, who nervously backed away in response. "Okay, I'll cut it out! Sheesh, can't please everyone."

"Tell us Eros, why have you assembled us all here? Not just us, but some of our enemies as well!" Thor asked the Eternal. "Funny story Goldilocks. In fact, the Gems here are the very reason I assembled y'all here today." Starfox explained before apologizing to Steven. "And I sincerely apologize for calling them your harem kid, I didn't realize it was kind of a touchy subject and I won't bring it up again. Capiche?"

"So he and Thanos are brothers?" Lapis wondered. "I seriously don't get why there are so many siblings that look nothing like one another." she deadpanned much to Loki's chagrin. "I told you back on Asgard, I'm adopted!"

"Okay so gather round ladies and germs, it'll be like telling stories around the fire!" Starfox coaxed them all into sitting with him around Connie's impromptu campfire. "So you all know Thanos, right? Big scary guy that wants to wipe out half of the universe because some lady told him everything was getting too big which somehow turned him on? Well what if I told you-"

"That it was because he was ostracized by his people for looking different?" Steven interrupted the Eternal's explanation. "Correctamundo squirt!" Eros applauded him before getting back to his story. "Anyway, when our peaceful little planet of Titan was doomed due to some ecological crisis, Thanos had the bright idea of killing off half of its population to save the rest. And to them, it was a big no-no and they kicked him out!"

"So being shunned by his people, then exiled because his way of solving a problem was too drastic?" Connie wondered. "You know now that you tell us, I can actually understand where he's coming from."

"Nice assumption there sweetheart. Moving on, Thanos thought he was finally lost until he heard of Lady Death, who also thought that the universe was getting too big and a match made in Hell was born." Starfox continued telling his story. "She gave him his own army to carry out her wishes and the first thing he did? Kill off half the people of Titan before that crisis could call dibs."

The Eternal continued on before Steven tapped Gamora on the back. "Uh Gamora, there's something Pearl and I want to tell you." he said to the Zenwhoberi. "Yondu, Cap and Bucky need to hear this as well."

"Why, is something the matter kid?" Bucky asked while the two Gems led them somewhere hidden from the rest of the party. "Something is the matter, and I couldn't stand not telling you." Steven continued before letting out a solemn sigh. "It's about Rose."

"Why, what about Rose?" Rogers wondered before the boy motioned for Pearl to speak. "Rose Quartz was actually Pink Diamond." she revealed to the four of them, to their absolute shock and confusion. "What the?!" Yondu gasped turning his head back & forth between the two rebels and the Diamonds. "You mean to tell me I was helping one of them all those years back?"

"Exactly. Which begs the question, how did you get involved with Rose? You should be like really old right about now." Steven wondered. "As a matter of fact kid, I often forget when I first met her and Pearl." Yondu explained scratching his chin. "Maybe it was thousands of years ago or maybe on my way to fetch Quill for his pappy, I don't know."

"As for me, I have a much clearer answer: time travel." Gamora stated. "Among the various training regiments he put his children through were sending us to the distant past to assist his younger self. And yet somehow this didn't alter the timeline. It's just as nonsensical as it sounds."

"So a tyrant was helping us fight tyrants. Talk about cruel irony." Bucky muttered before turning to his best friend. "What are your thoughts Steve? You seem awfully quiet."

The captain let out a sigh and finally began to speak. "Listen, I want to be mad, I want to feel betrayed but I just can't because I've been through this before." Steve stated before looking at Bucky and then at Tony in the distance. "Sometimes when you've hidden a secret for so long, it can have disastrous consequences when it gets out. Does anyone else know yet?"

"No, just me and Pearl for now. Maybe we should break it to the other Gems when all is said and done." Steven answered before he felt his idol's hands touch his shoulders. "Trust me Steven, no matter how they feel about it, I'm sure things will turn out fine nonetheless." he confirmed with a warm smile. "Now come on, let's go rejoin the others."

The six rejoined everyone else around the fire as Starfox's story ended. "Hey guys, where were you? Y'all missed the best part!" he exclaimed. "I was on my feet against Thanos, like a man-"

"I think we've heard enough you." Yellow Diamond interrupted him. "Now then, how about we rest up and think of a plan?" she suggested. "That's good big lady, but let's leave the plan making to me." Stark cockily stated much to her frustration. "I'm a natural leader and strategist here! Leave this to a professional!"

"Big talk coming from someone with such a long neck!" Tony insulted the monarch. "Speaking of which, how's the weather up there?!" he continued jeering. "If we weren't on the same side, I'd kill you on the spot." Yellow growled and the two continued arguing. It was about to reach a boiling point before Star-Lord interrupted them both. "Guys guys, calm down! Why don't we let me do the planning? After all, there'd be less risk of being murdered by giant women or your dignity tainted by someone with an ego huger than his mansion?"

There was dead silence between the Homeworld monarch and the armored human before Tony simply said "Wow."

The next morning, the champions had awakened and assembled before Captain America. "Okay everyone, today we finish this." the captain declared. "We've been under Thanos's thumb for far too long and it's about time we make him pay. Now we may be naturally opposed to one another, but today we stand together as one against a common threat. As Gems, as gods, as heroes, as humans, as-"

"As my prey." Thanos boomed appearing seemingly out of nowhere to everyone's alarm. "Were you spying on us the whole time?!" Garnet exclaimed as they all geared up for battle. "You could say that my dear Garnet." the Mad Titan answered. "I could just wipe all of you out with just my fingers, but I'd rather extinguish you all one at a time. Starting with you brother."

"Long time no see Big T, when's the last time we ever clashed?" Starfox asked, his voice now more serious yet still keeping a laid-back tone. "Been about like 500 years ago? Lost count after another hundred." The Eternal cracked his knuckles and prepared for a rematch years in the making and zooming forward with cosmic energy surrounding his hands before Thanos punched him in the face, sending him flying across the city.

However, Eros got up with only a few bruises and stated "Is that the best you got?" He let out a mighty yell charging at his brother again and unleashed a mighty uppercut that sent him sky high. "Get out while you still can guys!"

"But what about you?" Peridot exclaimed preparing to flee. "I'll be alright, I can take Thanos!" Starfox said. As for Thanos himself, he was descending back towards the ground when he noticed his trusted stasis gun falling with him. Seeing this as an opportunity to please Death, he grabbed it and aimed at the fleeing champions. "I've got you in my sights!"

Thanos pulled the trigger and fired a bolt at Connie, who didn't notice it until she heard someone scream in pain. That someone was Hawkeye, putting himself in harm's way all for the life of a fellow skilled human in a world of superpowered beings.

"Clint!" the other five main Avengers cried out for their teammate rushing to their side. "Are you okay Clint?! Please speak to us!" Natasha shouted shaking her partner's unconscious form. "I'm okay guys, just a serious concussion." the archer groaned. "And I'm feeling a bit numb in my shooting arm."

Just then, Eros was tossed back to the ragtag band of saviors by Thanos who was looking rather furious. "You've gotten soft brother! I demand a real challenge!" the titan boomed. "I'd like to take that offer." Jasper declared stepping forward. "Are you nuts Jasper?! You know how strong Thanos is!" Amethyst cried to her fellow quartz. "I know runt, but if I die here then I'm going to die settling things with Thanos once and for all."

"Very well then Jasper. I've been waiting for that rematch for the past thousands of years." Thanos stated removing his armor and getting into a fighting stance. "Go ahead, give me all you got."

"With pleasure titan. But first," Jasper said before she turned to Steven and the others. "all of you outta here, now!" she commanded. "Why Jasper?!" Steven exclaimed before he was cut off by a loud "GOOO!"

"Well, you heard the big lady." Tony commanded leading everyone else away from the city. "Is there a place where we can recover?" he asked. "Let's go back to Earth! Well, the fake Earth really, but you know what I mean." Steven suggested as he and Connie hopped on Lion's back. The boy only looked back at Jasper as her final showdown with the Mad Titan began and he only said "Not right now Steven, not right now."

The two brutes screamed at one another as their fists locked together. They struggled to push each other down until Jasper gave in, collapsing to the ground before Thanos leapt high into the air. "Is that all you got?!" the soldier roared spindashing straight toward him. "Because I've got more for you!"

"Come on!" Thanos boomed opening himself up and catching Jasper in his arms, holding her in a bear hug. "Don't underestimate me monster!" she howled giving her arch-rival a mighty headbutt, freeing her from his grasp and the two fell back down to the ground. "I have to say Jasper, you haven't gotten rusty one bit."

"Ditto Thanos. But when I'm done, your precious Gauntlet will be nothing but rust!" Jasper cried charging towards the dark lord again, but she was knocked down with a single punch that sent her flying into a nearby building, making it topple to the ground.

When she finally came to amongst the rubble, Jasper pulled her hair from her eyes to find a familiar face that she thought was long gone. "M-my Diamond?" she stuttered at the very sight at her late superior Pink Diamond standing before her. "I can't believe it, you're here! You were never shattered! I am just so happy to see you again!" Jasper began crying before taking a knee. "Tell me, what are your orders?"

Pink Diamond opened her mouth and began to speak, but she was interrupted by Thanos's large hand striking her in the torso where her gem was and smashed it in his hands, killing her. "I know what it is like to lose my dearest Jasper." the titan said cupping her chin and budging her head to meet his gaze. "To feel so desperately that you're right yet to fail all the same."

"You-you monster! You couldn't!" Jasper screamed before she spotted some teal spikes growing on her arm. "No, no! I can't go through this again!" she cried. "The mind is a fickle thing, isn't it? One moment you're seeing things, and the next you feel like you're going mad." Thanos continued revealing the glowing Mind & Reality Stones in his gauntlet. "And reality can often be mundane as well. But not anyone with these stones, one of which I used to heal your corruption. Sadly, it seems to be wearing off."

"Sadly?! SADLY?! The only thing that's sad is that you used my greatest failure against me!" Jasper howled as her corruption worsened. "And yet here you are kicking back as millions die under your thumb! I may be a brute, but I know where to cross the line!"

"But the universe and its resources are finite my friend. If those are left unchecked, life will simply cease to exist. At least, that is what Death made me believe when we first met." Thanos continued without a care for his opponent's condition. "I must ask you my friend, any final wishes?"

"Please...tell me what really happened to her." Jasper gasped finally giving up hope. With a smug grin on his purple face, Thanos gave no answer. "Y-you, you insane bastard!" were the quartz's final words before she fully became corrupted once more, a quadrupedal beast with spikes adorning her form, a lack of eyes and sharp teeth.

"I am truly sorry." Thanos muttered with a hint of actual regret in his tone before he grabbed Jasper's gem and ripped it from her face, poofing her. "You were a mighty opponent Jasper, but alas. There must always be a clear winner." he commended his inactive foe before dropping the gem on the ground and stepping on it, shattering her once and for all. Without a word, he turned the other way and stepped through a portal back to his shrine to Death.

However in the distance, the Silver Surfer remained behind to spectate on the fight and with a solemn bow of his head, he returned to the others.

Upon finally arriving at the facsimile of Beach City, the group took a moment to catch their breath. "That was just intense! Felt like we were gonna die there!" Amethyst exclaimed falling flat on her back. "Indeed, half of the time I felt like we were going to be crushed by debris." Pearl added sitting down on the deck. "Hey wait a minute, aren't we missing someone?"

"Yeah, where the hell did Silver Bells go?" Wolverine asked when just then, Norrin returned to them. "Where were you big boy?" Starfox asked him. "And what happened to the big lady?"

The ex-herald of Galactus was silent for a moment before finally giving an answer. "She's dead." This proved to be a great shock to our champions as they took a moment of silence to honor Jasper's sacrifice against Thanos.

"What now?" Thor asked breaking the silence. "Well normally I would have something made to kick his ass, but we got nothing right now." Tony replied before Groot spoke up. "I am Groot!" he exclaimed pointing at Pearl's gem. "Oh that's right, you gave me the Red King's warsuit in case we needed it." she stated. "So we're going to need your help Stark."

"Good idea big guy, but we need to buy some time in case Thanos tries to show his ugly mug at us." Tony remarked. "Seems like we're gonna need all the help we can get here. Rocket, Thor, Peridot, Lapis and Bismuth, you're gonna help us make a godkiller. The rest of you go take him on until we're ready."

"But who's gonna lead us against him?" Connie asked before looking at her best friend. "Me? But I'm not ready yet!" Steven exclaimed before Garnet calmed him down. "Then consider this your first leadership training exercise." she benignly declared. "Garnet's right Steven, you were born to lead the Gems just like your mother before you." Captain America stated. "Don't feel so scared right now, we'll all be with you every step of the way."

"As Gems." Yellow Diamond added. "As gods." Thor followed up. "As humans." Connie said holding her friend's hand. "As heroes." Spider-Man declared. "As champions." Pearl said. With those words of encouragement, Steven turned to face the horizon before them with his shield raised up high. "Thank you everyone." he thanked them all before letting out a battle cry of "Ultimate Alliance, assemble!"

This was a day unlike any other where the forces of good and evil were forced to band together under a common threat. Although their conflicting alignments prove to be a problem, they knew they had to set their differences aside for the final battle. On that day, the Ultimate Alliance was born.

And that was it for The Masters of Evil! Sorry to keep you waiting everyone, but hopefully this was all worth it! Join us next time for the final battle with Thanos in Forever Fight as One. But for now, I think I'm going to take a load off and maybe get back on a smaller story. That's right, we are really truly going back to the clash between One Punch Man's Saitama and Villainous's Black Hat in Black Fist! Until then, catch ya later.

Dedicated to Steve Ditko

November 2, 1927-June 29, 2018

Without your strange mind, we wouldn't have gotten such spectacular characters.

[warsamongstthestar-keen]

Chapter Twenty-Five

The four continue down the pipe, slowing down to a fast walk, trusting the rest of the team to keep the Imperials distracted. "You're so well organized. To evade the Empire as you have, you must have quite a support system. Good funding, powerful allies," the Senator says, casually.

The Jedi Master, walking behind Hera, squints at the Senator. Even after what Kanan said, he still seems fishy, almost as if he's trying to lure information from the rebels.

"No, this is it. We're all there is," Ezra says, turning around.

Keen smiles. As far as Ezra knows, they're the Rebellion, and up until a few weeks ago, Ar'iabel believed it as well. Then, she met the Rebel High Command.

"You can't be serious."

"I hoped we could learn from you, Senator. Your transmissions have already helped keep us going."

"Just to know someone else is out there has meant a lot," the Twi'lek supplies.

"You bring hope to so many downtrodden souls, Trayvis," Keen finishes off, just as the team arrive at an intersection of pipes, that all lead to a giant fan. They're up on the second level, which means they have quite a jump to the floor of the sewer.

"Come on!" The boy jumps, landing on the floor, Hera follows directly after him.

The Senator turns to face the Jedi, gesturing for her to jump. She just stands there, arms crossed across her chest, nodding for him to go. Hesitantly, Trayvis jumps, screaming as he falls to the ground, landing on his face. Keen rolls her eyes from under the mask, jumping delicately down, as Ezra and Hera haul the Senator to his feet.

"How are we getting past this thing?" the Twi'lek asks the two Force-sensitives, letting go of the Senator's arm.

"We could try to cut the power," the Padawan shrugs.

"Yeah, but if the Imps catch up with us, what's to stop them from following us?"

"Watch our backs will ya?" Hera hands the Senator a blaster, walking over to Keen and Ezra.

The Jedi keeps one eye on the Trayvis, while also trying to figure out a way to cut the power to the fan, and once again start it up once they're through.

"That's enough. We're not going anywhere!" the Senator declares, lifting the blaster, aiming it at the Rebels across from him.

"Whoa! Senator? What are you doing?" The Jedi Master senses fear and nerves from the boy, as he ignites his lightsaber, stepping in front of Hera.

"Put your saber down, boy. Now!"

Keen steps in front of both rebels, igniting both of her blades. She balances on the balls of her feet, ready to strike at the Senator at the slightest sign of him moving for them. "Why don't you put the blaster down, and we can talk about this."

"You're...You're with the Empire?" Ezra asks, sounding very upset.

"But all your transmissions, those planets you visited. How did word not get out about you?"

"Because no one ever knew...not even my own droids. Insurgents are not arrested. They're identified and watched. The troublesome ones have...accidents after I'm gone."

Trayvis is waving the blaster as he speaks, moving between pointing it at the three rebels.

Master Quinara takes a step forward, leveling her blade at the Senator's arm, "I recommend dropping the blaster, or you might have an accident of your own!"

Trayvis turns to her with a sneer, "You'll do nothing to me, you're a Jedi, a peacekeeper."

"Don't mistake peace with security, Senator. I've killed before. You could ask the Inquisitor, but he's dead!"

Ezra regains his voice, babbling, "But you're not a traitor. You're a voice of freedom, a-a light in the darkness like my parents."

"Parents? No one has spoken against Lothal since...the Bridger transmissions. I remember them. The original voices of freedom. You're their son."

"Why? Why?" the Padawan protests, stepping in front of Keen.

"I joined the Empire...like your parents should have...for their lives, for you. Your parents were very brave...and very foolish. Where are they now? I'll tell you, my boy. They're gone!"

Ezra gasps, a pained expression flitting across his face. His anxiety spikes, as the pain fills him, Keen feeling it permeate through the air.

"They're not gone, Trayvis," Hera protests, breezing past both Jedi and Padawan. Keen moves an arm out to stop the Twi'lek, but she just brushes past it, moving closer to Trayvis.

"Stop right there."

"As long as we fight, all that they spoke out for lives on," she stops, standing meters in front of the Senator.

His finger closes around the trigger, as he once again demands for the Twi'lek to stop. He seems confused as the blaster clicks, nothing leaving the barrel for the pilot. Hera doesn't hesitate. She punches Trayvis in the face, effectively knocking him out. "A true rebel would know if he's holding a charged blaster."

Keen almost laughs, but the feeling of Ezra's pain, still radiating from him.

"How long did you know for?" the Jedi Master asks.

"I could ask the same as you. You were quick to start trying to talk him down."

Keen shrugs, "Something was off from the beginning. I had sensed the deception, which doesn't explain how you knew."

She disignites her sabers, shoving them into her bag, as Hera says, "He tried to get us to surrender. He wasn't tired when he stopped, he was waiting for Kallus to catch up. And he wanted our secrets. I didn't want to believe it."

The sound of running footsteps echoes through the pipe, as the rest of the Ghost crew come into view. Zeb, who is the first one down on the platform below, asks, "What happened to the Senator?"

"He was working for the Empire," the Captain replys easily.

"Is there anybody on our side?" Sabine groans angrily.

Keen shrugs, and states, "Yeah, probably, I mean, the Empire's pretty big, and the Galaxy's even bigger. No way everyone is rooting for the dictatorship in the sky, whether they're brave enough to admit it or not. They probably need a shove for the light, something to give them hope," she shrugs.

Kanan tosses a smile her way, pointing the Trayvis, "So, guess he stays here. What's our plan?"

"We were gonna stop the fan to get through."

"Ok, but what will keep our friends from following?"

"Keen brought that up too," Ezra states, helpfully.

Ar'iabel smiles, she had planned to use the Force to halt the fan long enough for the crew to get through, but then there was an attempted murder, and things got out of hand rather quickly.

"We only stop it long enough for us to get past it," Kanan says. His eyes land right on the Jedi Master, and he adds, "Cover me."

She doesn't hesitate to ignite her blades, standing directly in front of the Knight, as he closes his eyes, concentrating on slowing the fan.

"Incoming," Ezra shouts, and the Imperial blasters start firing in their direction.

Master Quinara blocks the blasts coming for Kanan, the others returning fire. "Y'know," she tosses over her shoulder at the Knight, "Sometime today would be greatly appreciated." She can practically hear the scowl Kanan gives her, as the fan slows to a halt.

Hera's order telling the rebels to move is drown out by Agent Kallus shouting at his Troopers, "Blast the Jedi!"

"Yeah," Keen mutters, "Like no one has ever tried that before," as she parry's the bolts coming at her and Kanan.

Ezra leaps through the fan blades, and Kanan, through gritted teeth, growls out, "Keen, let's go!"

Master Quinara turns, jumping through the blades, Kanan right on her tail. He wipes his forehead with the back of his hand, "That was really close."

"Yeah, you're lucky you have me around, aren't you, Sandy?"

"Some days I'm grateful you're around. Others I wish you weren't here to share embarrassing stories about my Padawan years."

"Oh, really, and what sort of a day is today?" Keen questions, as the team nears their exit of the pipe.

"Today's one of the days where I'm grateful you're around."

Master Quinara smiles, as she drapes an arm over Ezra's shoulder, as he trundles up beside her. Reaching the exit, they find that the Imperials have sealed it.

"Ugh," Kanan moans, "Can't that droid do anything?" He pulls out his blade, cutting through to the other side. The metal of which he carved the hole out of tumbles down just between all the rebels.

Even from the bottom of the pipe, the Jedi Master can hear Choppers groaning.

"Hey, you're supposed to be glad to see us," Kanan grumbles in return. The astromech only responds with more grumbling.

[pingou7]

Daddy’s girls (or four times Jyn and Leia changed the story and one time they didn’t) by pingou @pingou7

The first time Jyn Erso — daughter of the Imperial scientist Galen Erso, yep, that one — sees Princess Leia Organa — daughter of Senator and Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan, yep, that one — she thinks nothing of her, in particular. But while her father had always called her Stardust, Jyn doesn’t take long to gather the Princess is a Supernova.

Jyn & Leia friendship. RebelCaptain - HanxLeia. Alternate Timeline.

Note: Almost a year ago I wrote this “girlie one-shot” about Jyn and Leia meeting as an entrance in the Rogue One fandom. I was intrigued with the idea of their rebellious teens. I give you a slightly revised version and the moodboard to go with it! Enjoy. (P.S: The matching tattoos with Kyber Crystal and the Rebel Logo sport the initials D.G. in Aurebesh… because I’m a perfectionist like that).

Read it on AO3 (or under the cut) 

I

The first time Jyn Erso — daughter of the Imperial scientist Galen Erso, yep, that one — sees Princess Leia Organa — daughter of Senator and Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan, yep, that one — she thinks nothing of her, in particular.

She’s a bit younger than she, a bit smaller (and that’s quite a feast, considering Jyn inherited her “petite stature” from her mother) she has a lot of luscious chocolate brown hair and eyes, fine clothes and she doesn’t talk much either, surrounded by Imperials as they are. 

But while her father had always called her Stardust, Jyn doesn’t take long to gather the Princess is a Supernova.

Two hours into the festivities, Jyn (who is regularly put under the ‘useful’ tutelage of her surrogate uncle Saw Gerrera, when her father can arrange it) catches the girl sneaking out.

“You have to be constantly on alert, Jyn, your father’s name and position can only do so much,” says the leader of the Partisans in her mind. So, she follows the girl discreetly. She’s getting bored anyway, and as usual, that bastard Krennic is creeping her out. A bit of fresh air will do nicely.

She doesn’t expect to see a Princess of a peaceful planet cursing in four languages (as far as she can tell, anyway) and grumbling about forgetting her lighter. A cig is hanging hazardously between her lips, and the frown on her youthful face makes her look older. Suddenly the royal persona she witnessed earlier seems a lot more interesting to the not quite Imperial/not quite rebel girl.

“You’re smoking?” Jyn asks with amusement.

“I’m trying to, apparently I forgot my lighter. Do you have a problem with that Miss Erso?”

If someone caught her smoking, Jyn would be sheepish or at least uncomfortable. Not Leia, she’s glaring, defiant, casual and plain scary for such a tiny package. Saw did say the tiniest fighters are usually the most dangerous. The older girl shrugs in response and goes to pick a lighter hidden in her combat boots — her dress is long enough to hide them, and her dad laughed out loud when she showed him she had no intention to change for classier shoes. Leia just raises a perfectly arched eyebrow, seeing black boots under her red-silk imperial garb, but she favors her with a smirk.

“None, your highness,” she finally answers, handing her the thing with a smile of her own.

“Drop the title, my friends call me Leia.”

A few hours later, getting home in the impersonal penthouse her father occupies on Coruscant, Jyn is amazed to see she made a female friend so easily. She’s not used to open up to strangers, and she had always been surrounded by men. But something in the princess of Alderaan just clicked with her, and the kyber crystal around her neck seemed to pulse, the more they spent time together. Trust in the Force, had been her mother’s last words, and while Lyra Erso didn’t have time to transmit her faith to her daughter, she feels like their encounter had somehow been the will of the Force, indeed.

—————————————————————————————II

The second time Jyn meets Leia in the flesh, one standard galactic year has passed. They kept in touch with a surprising regularity, through letters, Holocomms and the occasional video conference, but the daughter of Galen Erso is still rendered speechless when the Alderaanian shows up at her door, on a random Saturday night.

Her father is on Eadu for the supervision of a secret project — she couldn’t accompany him, and her Uncle Saw had just started settling on Jedha. Usually, she hates being left behind, but as she takes in Leia’s unusually disheveled appearance and too bright eyes under smeared black khôl, suddenly she’s glad for being alone.

Before Jyn can find anything to say, Leia has thrown herself at her, not caring if her embrace is awkward and probably stiffer than it should be.

“Jyn, I got a brother,” she says into her neck, like some let out a curse word.

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it Leia? You’re sixteen, but I’m sure you’ll be a great sister.”

You are to me, she wants to add, apart from dad and uncle Saw, you’re the only family I have left. But she’s saved from uttering such mushiness when Leia elaborates:

“I have a twin brother, Erso, a biological sixteen year old boy with whom I share DNA.”

Said Erso blinks stupidly at her friend, and stares as the recently elected senator literally vibrates in fury. Force.

She digs out Corellian whiskey shots from her father’s cabinet, and lets the Princess vent as they indulge. Unlike Jyn, she’s a lightweight, the fine, soft and fragrant liquors which are found on her planet didn’t prepare her for the rush of alcohol the amber liquid brings, whereas Jyn participates in drinking games with some of the imperial academy, once in a while.

Leia knows he exists somewhere, she heard her father speak about him with the Senator (and secret Rebel leader) Mon Mothma, but she doesn’t who he is, where he lives and what he looks like. She has a brother, she has always known a part of her was missing, but she’s just so angry nobody ever told her about it, not even her father, and she’s a complete daddy’s girl!

Somehow, the expression strikes Jyn, and she starts to laugh: “Well, I’m one too!” she declares a bit too brightly. Leia is clearly a talkative drunk but Jyn is a happy one.

When the girls regain consciousness the following afternoon, feeling like they’ve been stamped by a few banthas, Jyn is horrified to see a small fresh tattoo on her left calf: a star, a kyber crystal and the letters D.G. But Leia only giggles when she exhibits a similar one, with a star, the symbol of the rebellion and the same D.G. Leia sometimes has to conceal it with makeup, and Jyn is always sporting socks into her practical shoes, but their secret is safe, and it’s nice to have a shared reminder of identity, friendship and happiness in a world that is getting more fickle and dangerous.

—————————————————————————————

III

The third time Jyn encounters Leia without strangers in the vicinity, teenage shenanigans are far from their minds. Jyn turned twenty-one, the Princess is nineteen, and both are thrown head first into the Rebellion.

It’s been three years since the older girl got separated from her father, seeking permanently refuge with the Partisans on Jedha. She has been trained into a terrorist, a killer, a fighter, a rebel without a cause, and she knows her idealist of a father wouldn’t like it, if he knew. But it’s been a long time coming according to Saw and she just had to find a way to survive, while making the Empire pay for tearing so many people apart from their families, from their freedom. Galen and Leia are much more subtle, molding in the Empire society while alimenting the Rebellion. It’s smart, it’s effective, but Jyn didn’t think she could do this, too.

Until her best friend sent her Cassian Andor, a Rebel intelligence officer, K2SO his reprogrammed imperial Droid and her father a deserter pilot named Bodhi Rook. And after Jedha City and its Temple of Whills got destroyed, their improbable association counted two more members: A sightless Force believer named Chirrut Îmwe and a mercenary called Baze Malbus.

By the time Jyn reached the Rebel HQ on Yavin IV, she knew she had to follow Leia’s lead if she wanted her father’s plan to succeed. Of course, the Rebel leaders were more than wary of what she said, until she caught Bail Organa’s eyes, who vouched for her and her “allegations” and had Draven into a corner. She would get Galen’s plans of the Death Star, and pass them to Leia so that the Rebellion could bring a fatal blow to the Empire.

Cassian and her group of misfits — named Rogue One — were too late to save Galen on Eadu. They got the necessary backup on Scarif, and managed to come out alive, despite massive injuries, but Leia got captured by Vader.

When the two scarred women see each other again, they’re fatherless.

Jyn is still recovering in the medbay, next to Cassian, when Leia Organa comes to sit by her bed. Her jaw is set, and she’s frowning, and intimidating and so far from the carefree princess she’d somehow grown to love as a sister. It brings tears to Jyn’s bright green eyes, but Leia’s are getting darker, almost black.

“Jyn Erso, you’re not allowed to die, ever. Do you have a problem with that?”

“None, your highness,” she finally answers, swallowing her despair and soreness with a smile.

“Drop the title, my family calls me Leia.”

The urge to sob is back, through the princess’ tone is as demanding as ever, and when she exhibits the tattoo on her calf, Jyn ignores her nausea to hug the last survivor of the Alderaanian royals, almost like she did with Cassian, when waiting for death to come on the Scarif beach. Almost, but not quite. Leia Organa is her sister in all but name, but Cassian Andor is… Cassian.

————————————————————————————— IV

The fourth time Sergeant Jyn Erso hangs out with “The” Princess Leia, the whole Rebellion speaks about it for days.

She has the reputation of being unmanageable: Imperial born, Partisan grown and Rogue within the Rebellion. Everyone knows the small Rogue One unit is a special case, that they depend solely on each other, since they refused to be decorated for their dedication to the cause. As former spy Cassian Andor was practically Draven’s man through and through, nobody understands why Senator Organa sought out Jyn — and her team, by extension.

When they had to relocate on Hoth, and sleeping quarters were attributed, the Alderaanian leader chose to refuse her private room near the commandment to share with Erso, in the corridor which holds the members of Rogue One. The fact that Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, as well as the Wookie Chewbacca were also housed in that era of Echo Base didn’t rise as many rumors, which is strange to Jyn, but much more relevant, if she musts say so.

She’s seen how Leia is with Han, and while she has nothing against same sex relationships (Chirrut and Baze are proof of that), she laughed out loud when Cassian refused to meet her eyes and asked if she was with the Princess in that way. Apparently Kaytoo had been regrouping data and he and Bodhi (influenced by the rumor mill) came to the conclusion she and the Princess were “likely to be amorously entangled”.

“She’s family,” is always their response — to Leaders, to Rebels, to Rogue One and to Solo, Skywalker and Chewie. No more, no less.

Until Draven decides to reclaim Cassian for a solo mission, now that he is healed — his back is still fragile, even after several Bacta tank immersions — but the despicable man is intent on separating “his best intelligence officer” from his team, from her. She tries to plead with Cassian as much as she can — they still hadn’t addressed the thing that exists between them — but his loyalty is foremost to the Rebellion. He smiles gently at her, takes her hand and lets his thumb graze her pulse point, but she knows he’ll do as Draven bids him to.

“Eres mi hogar, no tengas miedo, siempre volveré hacia tí mi estrella.”

“I don’t speak Festian,” she mumbles at his door.

“I know,” he replies with twinkling eyes while she gets back to her quarters.

When she gets there, it’s Jyn who rants and Leia who listens, somewhat patiently:

“I can’t forbid him to go because you’re worried about him. Draven is right, he is a good agent, and this solo mission could bring valuable information to the Rebellion. But, tell me, do you like Captain Andor, Jyn?”

Leia didn’t even brush the subject before now, but she is used to get straight answers and suddenly Jyn feels trapped. She thinks of all the times he came back for her, when he didn’t have to. She thinks of “Welcome home”, of their embrace on Scarif, of his lips on her temple when the first Death Star was destroyed, of her hand steadying his trembling back around the Base, of his jacket she took and has yet to give back.

“I don’t know, Leia. Do you like Han?”

“Why do you ask me that? He’s insufferable, and has no sense of justice and even if Luke finds him great, I think he has the ego of…”

Jyn turns Leia out as she lays on her cot, and her hand comes against her calf, where the tattoo is safely hidden by socks and heating pants. She thinks of her dad, of her mother, of Saw, of Jedha and Scarif casualties and she hopes she will never have Cassian to add to that list. When Leia retells a witty comment from Solo in which he affirmed Leia liked him because he’s a scoundrel, Jyn interjects:

“He’s right on that one, though, you liked me because I wasn’t as proper as I pretended to be. You like people like Solo and me, I find kinship in his “selfish approach”, for one, and it doesn’t mean he’s not a good man.“

"I was far wilder than you were, Erso, and you know that!”

“We were daddy’s girls, but I chose to obey when you defied yours.”

As soon as the words leave her mouth, Jyn regrets letting her guard down. Leia’s impassive senatorial mask is back in full, and the chill in the air has nothing to do with Hoth glacial temperatures this time. She’s already berating herself in her head, hearing her father exhaling “my stardust” with his dying breath, when Leia’s steely tone pierces the silence:

“I’d do anything for my family. Maybe I can’t prevent your Captain to leave the Base, but I can assign you to Solo while he’s gone, since the two of you seem so alike”.

“Thank you Leia,” she whispers, “at least we have you in common, and that’s something. Tell me,” she asks in the dark, “do you speak Festian?”

“I’m not fluent, but I can manage, why?”

“What does Eres… mi hogar… and mi estrella means?”

“It means I should take the room away from Rogue One, or that I’ll have this one to myself soon.”

“I’m serious, Leia!”“So is Captain Andor Jyn, I can assure you. If you don’t get what he said already, I —”

“Please, tell me.”

It may be the last words she’d hear from Cassian and she can’t bear not to have the slightest clue of what he meant. Jyn never copes well when people are leaving. She’s on the verge of sleep when she hears: You’re my home, my star. She’s not sure if it’s Leia, or Cassian, or Galen speaking — in her nightmare, she loses all three on Scarif.

By morning, everyone is gathered in the hangar and Jyn tries to follow the rush which precedes missions. She naturally gravitates around Rogue One, and tries to ignore Cassian while Bodhi and Luke Skywalker chat about piloting. It’s only when Han and Chewbacca join in that Leia makes her way to them:

“Han, Sergeant Erso will accompany you and Chewie on your reconnaissance mission.”

“Oh, and what about you, your Worship? You’re not up to join me for a bit of fun, anymore?”

“Corellian things make her a bit reckless, in my experience, Solo. Don’t worry, I should keep my head cold.”

Luke seems confused, Han turns even more smug, but under Leia’s glare Kaytoo declares she has a good chance to die in atrocious circumstances. Then Baze snorts, and Chirrut smiles, and Bodhi fidgets, but Cassian grows even moodier, stiffly saluting Leia before walking away. He doesn’t look at Jyn once.

—————————————————————————————+1

The next time Jyn sees Leia for more than debriefing between two missions after the Battle of Hoth, she seems almost broken, cradling Luke to her chest aboard the Falcon. Skywalker is missing a kriffing hand, Han Solo is nowhere to be seen (someone named Lando Calrissian emerges from the cockpit), and the Princess refuses to say anything. Leia Organa has nothing to say, and in the seven years or so since Jyn can call her a friend, that’s a first.

She instantly reaches for her, but her eyes are fixed on Cassian. Mon Mothma takes charge, and the Base (which is in the Endor system for now) is getting back to normal, but Jyn can’t leave Leia’s side, when she’s glued to Skywalker in the medbay. When Kaytoo, of all people, is “sent to retrieve her for the night”, Leia is still clutching her hand. Once Jyn assures she’ll come back later, the Princess says ‘I know’ in an odd voice, and the rebel doesn’t know quite to say.

As foreseen, Jyn and Cassian had started living together — Han had been a bit too flirtatious with her after they got back from Takodana, Cassian downright punched him and while furious with the whole situation Leia rattled them out loudly: “Cassian and Jyn are in love dumbass! Why don’t you try your pick up lines on someone desperate?”

“Like yourself, you mean?” The smuggler had replied, otherwise unfazed by the whole commotion. But he did send Jyn a wink when neither Cassian nor Leia were looking. Even if her best friend is still in denial, she considers Han family.

Which is why, once Cassian is here to gather her into his arms, Jyn lets the tears Leia refused to shed fall. For Han, for Luke, for Leia and for the kyber crystals, around her neck and on her skin which both seem so heavy tonight. He rocks her softly, murmuring in Festian against her hair, and Jyn wants to slip under his skin, safely curving around his beating heart, when the Corellian is frozen in carbonite. A while later, he grants her wish as much as she can expect, for if she doesn’t slip under his skin, Cassian settles under hers, proving to each other that they are alive and whole.

When Luke and Leia decide to go rescuing Han on Tatooine, Jyn wants to accompany them. But then Bodhi comes back injured from the Operation Yellow Moon and as much as she likes Han and the rest of Leia’s companions, the Rogue One crew is her family. The Jedhan pilot is her only living link to her father, besides, as Baze and Chirrut said, they have to stick together no matter what.

So she embraces Leia when they depart for Skywalker’s home planet, and the Alderaanian advises her to “remain close to her boys while they’ll be Hutt-kicking”. As usual, Bodhi is too impressed by Senator Organa to say anything, but while Chirrut smiles in the direction of her best friend, Baze grumbles about age difference — of course, Kaytoo is also bothered to be referred to in such derogatory manner, he’s not a boy, he’s a Droid and if he should belong to someone, it’s Captain Andor, certainly not Jyn Erso… But Cassian only salute politely the expedition and it’s only when they’re somewhat alone that he says he doesn’t mind being one of Jyn Erso’s boys as long as he’s the only one she stays close to. She rolls her eyes at him (he’s far mushier that he’d been when they met four years ago on Jedha) but lets him kiss her.

If she stares at her tattoo, praying to the Force for Leia’s success with her mother’s crystal in her hand, nobody says anything about it.

After that, things accelerate almost too fast for Rogue One to process, but since Scarif, each one them felt as if the Rebellion didn’t really need them. The point is, they find themselves surrounded by Ewoks, celebrating the fall of the Empire, the second Death Star is destroyed, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are dead, and both Jyn and Leia have to learn how to respect their fathers 'legacy, in a freed galaxy.

Finally, when the third day of festivities is coming to an end, the two women sneak out for a while. It’s been quite sometime since Princess Leia had quit smoking, but Jyn Erso still has a lighter on her, and they pass it to Luke, since he “needed to light a fire for personal reasons” (must be a Jedi thing). As they watch him walk away, his sister brings out a flask of Corellian whiskey — which she certainly got from Han — and both daddy’s girls toast it to the starlight sky:

For Galen, for Bail.

[cipherninethousand]

Phoenix, Chapter 1

Phoenix is finally here!  I wanted to wait until I was done, but if I do that I’ll never post it.  So here we go.

Title: Phoenix Fandom: Star Wars Summary: In the time since Senator Amidala's death, her faithful handmaidens have scattered to the winds.  Though they've obeyed the Empire's new laws, someone begins to follow Sabé on Naboo.  She will not let them take her.  She will not let her story end like her Sovereign's. AO3 link

Notes: I wanted something that had more than just Bail starting the rebellion.  That’s great, but I refuse to believe that Padmé’s handmaidens would just slip quietly into obscurity.  And thus, Phoenix came into being.   I. Embers

In the month since Padmé died, her handmaidens have scattered.  Rabé, to parts unknown, as has Eirtaé, and Dormé to family on Onderon.  Ellé and Moteé remained briefly - long enough to leave active duty - before they had returned to Coruscant, storing Amidala’s belongings to make way for Naboo’s next Senator.

Only Sabé remained on Naboo.

It's the way of handmaidens, once their duty is done, yet the ache lingers.  Each will mourn Padmé in their own way.

Twice per week, Sabé goes to light the braziers in Padmé’s tomb, picking her way through the myriad of offerings.  It’s a routine.  Comforting, calming in the chaos and the rise of this new Empire.  Wipe dust from the stained glass. Place fresh lake lilies on the sarcophagus.  Empty the braziers, and place fresh incense.

When finished Sabé clears out the old offerings - flowers, incense, candles, and food, disposing of the things used up or rotten.  Queen Apailana had sent a note.  There are caretakers paid by the crown, but Sabé had insisted.  When they had tried to come early, she had come earlier still, and the mausoleum is spotless.  So they had relented to her, letting this handmaiden in mourning dark (1) care for the Senator’s grave.  She spends many quiet hours there.  Cleaning.  Watching.  Protecting Senator Amidala in death, as she had in life.

She remains for an hour after to write.

Sabé had kept a journal long before – quietly and secretly – the entire time that she had served Padmé, even though she wasn't supposed to. It was the first thing handmaidens are taught. Keep your sovereign’s secrets. Handmaidens must not divulge them, even by accident.

Back then, her entries were lighter. Brighter.  Swept up in the ideal of serving a Queen (a brilliant one), an achievement which she had worked for her entire life.

Then, the first entry began: My heart is full. I have a Queen to serve, her guidance to follow. She is a girl far wiser than her years, dark of hair and eye like me.

But now...

She began a new book. Sabé can't bring herself to keep writing in the old one. It goes in a drawer, pulled out when she cannot bear to go on. Amidst tears, old and aching and this new void, which she is expected to navigate without a compass, she writes.

My heart is empty. I have been cast adrift in the stars, with no moorings, no compass to guide me. My Senator, my Sovereign, is dead, along with her child.  Her cause is gone. The Republic she fought for is in shambles, but...no. That is incorrect. This is no longer the Republic that my dearest Lady fought for. It is an Empire, formed beneath the boot of a man she called friend.

I recognize the Chancellor no more. He would blame the Jedi – cast them out as her death has thrown me – but there is something sick and wicked which goes beyond that. I cannot let it stand. As he tightens his grasp, I will make certain that as many as possible know of her legacy. Liberty must be restored.

It is my duty now that she is gone.

Sabé Ajeri, written circa 19 BBY

-...-

Imperial Naboo has lost its luster, though its bustle hasn’t ceased.  There are as many people (tourists, politicians) as ever, seeking out some blessing from the Emperor’s birthplace.  Perhaps it’s knowledge they seek, or an edge against Palpatine.  Still, it's duller, colors and life dimmed.

Sabé can still recall the last time she saw Palpatine on Coruscant.

His withered face had screamed anger. She’ll never forget the fear when his yellow eyes landed on her, the shiver that raced down her spine.

But she forces it from her mind.

There are steps behind her - more than just tourists’ strolling - these are deliberate.  To their credit, she’d hardly noticed them as she left the mausoleum.  They’d nearly blended into the rest of the people around her, steps ringing against cobbles, all very careful to linger just out of sight.

All very nonchalant. Uninteresting, to the average person. Not to Sabé.

And she has to give this one his due – he's good – but ultimately, he brings her to a question.

Why would someone want her followed?

Mourning has become Sabé’s duty in the weeks since Amidala’s death. Unadorned indigo robes with white sash and without cosmetics, as is proper. No weapons since she is (technically) inactive. Well, that's a lie. A small, slender dagger is tucked into the lining of her sleeve, and a tiny holdout blaster sits in her pocket. Five shots. Still, it raises more questions as to why anyone would want her followed; it settles heavy on her heart

If someone would have her followed...what of the others?

She fears less for the later ones, but for those who were always with Padmé, those who traveled to Coruscant, they are in danger. Dormé. Rabé. Eirtaé too. She does nothing yet. Perhaps it's old paranoia. Too many instincts, or a remnant of her vigilance on Coruscant.

She wouldn't be the first to be declared a danger.

Gods know she wouldn't be the first.

But she feels something else. A deeper tug, low in her gut – something that she must watch.

-...-

For a whole week, Sabé watches.  She doesn’t change her routine - no sense in tipping off a spy.  In the mornings, she rises early to practice her forms until her stomach nags for something to eat.  When she leaves for the market, he slips in behind her.  The man is careful to never approach her apartment, and he doesn't wear the same clothes – he even uses prosthetics to change the shape of his face.  Just enough.  He's not gotten closer all week.  All the more concerning. Sabé continues to walk, steps even and measured, pretending that she can't now see the man's obnoxious hat.  She'd nearly written him off as a stalker, some devotee of Padmé's, until she'd noticed that he'd never gone to the tomb.  Not one gift for the departed.  He only follows her.

She's had enough.

Pulling her hood low on her face, Sabé angles for a group of young ladies. To her fortune, she can see that their robes bear the crest of handmaidens – a group in training for the many Princesses who will campaign in the next election. All are in the same dark blue as she. It makes it easy to join them, then weave through them until she can step into a narrow alley between buildings.

Her follower's steps turn clumsy when he loses sight of her; Sabé can't quite contain a little smile for it.

Breathe in, wait. Breathe out, and in again until he passes the mouth of the alley, before she yanks him in with her, pinning him against one wall. The crack of his skull against the sandstone is enough to stun him, just long enough that Sabé can put him exactly where she wants him.

One hand at his throat. The dagger, resting against his flesh.

“What do you want?” She hisses.

To his credit the man looks afraid, his hands raised in surrender. Sabe asks again. “Why are you following me?!”  He shakes his head, desperate to get away.  Sabé digs her knife a little harder into his throat. "Liar!  You've followed me for weeks now."  All at once, the man's fear melts away.  He doesn't struggle, nor does he try to push Sabé away, but he shrugs. "Gotta keep an eye on the troublemakers."

“I mourn my Queen. That is not against the law.”

He shrugs. ““If mourning is what you call it.”

Sabé could be better. She could be calmer. Take him to a more secluded place, question him. Taking him to the authorities would be better still. But she cannot. Sabé drags the man deeper into the alley.

For a third time she demands to know why he's following her, what he wants.

He says nothing more.

-...-

Even with blood on his face, the spy will not answer her questions.  Hit and dragged to a safehouse and struck again, still he refuses.  He spits out a tooth where Sabé had first struck him; there is blood on one of her sleeves.  She checks his bindings again, then steps outside.  She has to get to the Palace, to Queen Apailana.  If they would chase an inactive handmaiden, there's no telling what they would do to the Queen.  

No guards stop her as she walks up the Palace steps.  The Queen's handmaidens, however, are not oblivious to her fear.  When a girl steps out from one of the marble columns, Sabé nearly draws her knife again.  She's as unremarkable as any handmaiden, and yet the look she's giving Sabé leaves no doubt that she would defend her Sovereign to the death.

“Come with me, sister,” She says softly.

Sabé follows behind her, past the throne room and into a chamber just behind it – the Queen's dressing room.  Apailana doesn't call to Sabé, or her handmaiden even as they pass behind Governor Bibble, standing before her. She raises a hand to pause the governor, then whispers to another handmaiden, who falls in behind Sabé. The first waves at a pair of short stools.  She stares, hard until Sabé sits gingerly on the closest.  Does the Queen know? Will she help?  

She tenses as the Queen stands. Finishing her conversation, Apailana steps into her dressing room, the swish of her skirts like thunder in Sabé's ears.  I must trust the Queen.  And, as if realising that it’s out of her hands Sabé takes a deep breath.  Accept your fate.

Apailana’s handmaiden cleans her hands.  Gently.  Careful of the broken skin.  Desperate not to see condemnation in the Queen’s eyes, Sabé focuses on the handmaiden instead -- on the curl of red hair that’s slipped from beneath her cowl. “There,” the girl says. “Much better.”

“Ané,” Apailana says, “please escort Governor Bibble out.  Ladies.  Leave us, please.”

Ané stands, then bows.  As she slips out to carry out her orders, Queen Apailana steps around to Sabé's front, and pulls a chair up next to her, mindful of her headdress. Sabé clenches her hands into fists in her sleeves.  A few moments pass for the handmaidens to disperse.  All the while Sabé focuses on the lines painted on Apailana’s face, avoiding her eyes.  Amidala’s preference had been red over white.  Apailana favors blue.  The Queen tilts her head forward suddenly - jostling her headdress - but it remains firmly in place.

The door clicks shut.  It may as well have been a bomb.

“I've heard many whispers about you.” Apailana murmurs.

Her voice is soft, though her eyes are hard when Sabé finally looks at her.

“Some say you can’t let go of Senator Amidala, or that her death has broken you.  I don’t remember it that way.  Something troubles you, Sabé.” Apailana takes Sabé’s hands in hers.  Her gaze softens, and it strikes Sabé just how young this Queen is. “Tell me what happened?”

She spins a quick tale for the Queen, so fast that she stumbles on the words.  Her normal calm eludes her grasp and ome desperate, wild thing takes hold of her until she comes to the spy, terror rooted in her spine.  Queen Apailana listens quietly throughout, squeezing Sabé’s hands gently.

“You have to tell me the truth.  Did you kill him?”

“...no, Your Majesty.”

Apailana breathes a little sigh that’s not quite relief.  “I have a few more questions.” The little Queen nods.  To reassure herself, or maybe Sabé. “Did anyone see you with him?  Guards?  Handmaidens?  Stormtroopers?”

“No one saw me hit him.  I was able to pass him off as drunk until I hid him away.”

She tells her which safehouse - the apartment near the waterfalls - with so many tourists that a single stumbling man will not draw questions.  Apailana squeezes her hands once more, before she stands suddenly.  She paces the dressing room in long strides, to the windows on the west, then the door, to make sure it’s locked, and back to Sabé where she circles her, thinking.

“This is...you have to understand I have no wish to do this.”

“Majesty?”

The fear that had faded returns, crawling up her throat.  The windows.  She can run there.  Break them, and flee Theed.  There are favors she can call in to get off world.

“ --send you away.  At least until this spy is dealt with.”

“Majesty?” She repeats.

Apailana's facade crumbles; it's enough to make Sabé reach for her, her training taking over.  To comfort her.  It's yet another reminder of just how young the Queen is.  How can she do this to someone so young?  Even so the little Queen composes herself, breathing deep until she can control the tears gathered on her lashes.

“You must leave Naboo, at least for now.  Captain Panaka, you remember him?”

“Our governor.”

“Our governor, who's utterly loyal to the Emperor.”

“Your Majesty -- “ Sabé begins, “Wouldn't that make him more suspicous?”

Apailana shakes her head. “My handmaidens will take care of our little...problem, and in the meantime you will leave Naboo.  I promise you, we will make it safe for you to come home.”

If someone had asked her later, she would say that it was the Force.  Now, however, Sabé can't explain the sudden vision that takes over.

There's a house, old and covered in vines emerging from the blur.  Soon the picture widens to a woman with Sabé's face, but older than she is now, sweeping leaves from the walkway.  Two more people stand hesitantly at the old gate.  One is a girl dark of hair and eye and the other, a boy of the same age with sandy blond hair.

They smile when she notices them. It's Padmé's smile.

And just like that Sabé is jerked back to the present, where Queen Apailana is watching her with no small amount of fear.  Something whispers to her. “How long, Your Majesty?”

Apailana sags again, this time with true relief, and she smiles as she helps Sabé up. “You have three hours,” she says, “And I will send Ané to fetch you.”

1.) Mourning dark is what I imagine mourning clothes to be on Naboo. Usually referring to navy blue, they can be any nearly any color so long as it is so dark as to nearly be black. They're meant to be unadorned and belted with a plain white sash.

[naberiie]

what was your favorite part of writing Breha in From Which Stars Have We Fallen?

What an excellent question!! And I’m going to apologize in advance, because this might drag on for far longer than need be, but thank you for such a great question!! 

OK, so. We all know that Star Wars has a tendency to give us glimpses of fascinating (usually female) characters, and then promptly forgetting about them as soon as their screen-time is done. Of course, the handmaidens are top of this list for me; and until recently, so was Breha Organa. The only glimpse we had was at the end of ROTS! And we could assume that she and Bail did an incredible job of raising Leia to be the competent, fiery leader, Senator, rebel, and General she was. Breha deserves so much more love

@evaceratops and I started working on From Which Stars before the Leia novel was released. She appears in the very first chapter of the fic. I really enjoyed the challenge of writing a space Queen with a distinct voice from the other space Queen, Padmé herself. I also liked giving her some parallels to Leia’s message to Obi-Wan in A New Hope.

Another challenge was politics and systems of government! We knew that Naboo has a electoral monarchy, but Alderaan’s monarchy is bloodline-based. The Organas were the current royal household, but - with some pulling from Legends - other Alderaan Elder Houses had, at one point, ruled as well. The concept of the Elder Houses was definitely fun to play around with. We decided that Core and Inner Rim worlds were the bulk of the Elder Houses; Naboo is sort of a Mid-Rim exception to this rule. One of my favorite headcanons that we developed for this fic is that Naboo was, at one point, a medieval bloodbath as the noble families fought for the crown. Compared to Alderaan and its millennium of peace, Naboo is still medieval, but they’ve calmed down enough to declare the monarchy an elected position to reduce the violence of families seeking power and holding grudges for centuries. 

Breha inherited a crown on one of the most affluent worlds in the galaxy, and it was a challenge to give her manner of speaking the weight that a position like that would require. And then the Leia novel came out (I tore through it and marked my copy with every relevant worldbuilding tidbit I could find), and if I can pat myself on the back, I think I did a pretty good job of predicting Breha’s character!

We learned that she’s definitely not one to back down from a challenge. She isn’t afraid to stand up for what’s right, to actively work and rebel against the Empire, using every political maneuver in the book to help those in need. She’s altruistic but realistic; she doesn’t shy away from the possibility that the rebellion will escalate into a full-scale conflict with the Empire (something the Bail doesn’t want to admit to himself). She is level-headed and calculating. She takes care of Alderaan’s accounts herself, by hand, and - quite possibly my favorite character development fact - she has an artificial heart and lungs! And she lets the system lights remain visible in her chest. 

As soon as I finished the Leia novel, I immediately went back and snuck in references in the fic: the pulmonodes, the candlewick flowers, how the palace is a strange combination of both modern and very, very ancient; the court systems and Alderaanian landmarks. So on and so forth!

Breha Organa was a challenge, but an exceptionally fun one - and now that we have even more information thanks to the novel, her character is even more of a badass than we originally anticipated! She’s a lovely character to write, and I’m really glad to see that we’re finally getting more canon information for her!

[keldae]

Catching Up

It had been a rough day for Jedi Battlemaster Xaja Taerich. Only mere hours ago, she’d been broken out of a carbonite block, and had almost immediately died of the long-term carbon poisoning plaguing her body (and she still wasn’t sure what exactly Lana had injected her with to keep her alive, but the cure had hurt almost as much as the disease!). Once she’d survived the thawing out process, she’d immediately been tossed her old lightsabers and had to fight her way out of the Spire with Lana, only briefly catching glimpses of Tee-Seven as her little droid had scuttled about, apparently on Lana’s orders. And while Lana could plan a good rescue op, this hadn’t been one of them, and the Sith had had to drag her Jedi rescuee all over the damned Spire, trying to find a new rendezvous for their escape pilot to meet them at (and Xaja thought Lana had found the snarkiest pilot to ever take control of any shuttle, and she included her brother on that list). Then there’d been the combat upgrade from the endless Skytrooper legions to the two Knights of Zakuul, both of whom had escaped, then the encounter with Vaylin (Xaja wasn’t sure what exatly had happened while she’d been frozen to make Vaylin’s name feared, but anyone who could make Lana sound that scared was not somebody the Jedi wanted to encounter), then crashing into the Zakuul swamps and finding a derelict ancient alien warship with a new droid in tow who, if Xaja didn’t know better, had to be a repainted version of the HK-47 droid that Revan had been reputed to have, even down to calling everyone ‘meatbag’.

On top of everything else, she’d had a splitting headache and felt like she was going to throw up all day, and that was before Koth had spilled the metaphorical beans about five years of her life being gone.

Xaja was still trying to wrap her head around the idea as she and Lana trekked through the swamp, seeking out fresh water and supplies. The Sith had had a couple of protein bars on her, but once they’d made it into Koth’s shuttle (before it had crash-landed) she’d pressed them into Xaja’s hands. “You’ve been without any sustenance for a far longer time, Master Taerich,” the blonde said. “You need those more than I do.” And Lana had been right- the bland, flavourless rations had done much to soothe the upset cramping in Xaja’s empty stomach. But nothing could quite ease the anxiety that still coursed through the Jedi’s body, especially now with Lana grimly recounting the details of Zakuul’s conquest. “... When Saresh found out, she had the Senators in question disgraced or dismissed. She’s still trying to continue the war with the Sith Empire despite the arms limitations and the fact that she could not extend her term any further. There’s a puppet chancellor in place now who takes her orders.”

“What of the Empire?”

“The members of the Dark Council resisted, and failed utterly. Only Darth Acina still lives, and she’s taken the mantle of Sith Empress-”

Xaja’s face drained of all colour as she grabbed Lana’s arm, stopping the Sith from walking. “All of the Dark Council? What of Darth Imperius? My brother?”

The pity in Lana’s gaze nearly broke Xaja. “All of the others of the Dark Council were killed or went missing. But your brother wasn’t a casualty of the Eternal Fleet. The Wrath found out about you and your connection to him.”

“Darth Maglion,” Xaja whispered, her heart plunging into her stomach in a way that it hadn’t since Master Orgus had been killed.

“Your father’s brother.” Lana nodded in confirmation. “It didn’t matter that you’re blood kin too or that you’re still legally considered dead across the rest of the galaxy- for Imperius to know you existed and refuse to turn you to the Empire’s service or kill you himself was nothing short of treason. And that’s before his active rebellion against Vitiate, who Maglion is devoted to despite what happened at Yavin and Ziost…”

Xaja crumpled to her knees, grief for her youngest brother making her chest hurt and her vision blurry. “How?”

“He’s the Wrath. It didn’t take him too long to find where Sorand lived.” Lana knelt beside Xaja and rested a hand on her shoulder. “If it’s any comfort to you, Sorand’s wife and children were never targeted. They’re still safe with her people on Mandalore.”

The Jedi took a shaky breath and rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes, trying to clear her tear-obscured vision. “... My father?” she finally asked, her voice unsteady. “Korin?”

“I don’t know,” Lana confessed. “Your father went completely off the grid after Sorand was killed. He’s made his living from being undetectable- it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s fleeing your uncle or planning revenge for what happened to your brother… or to you. And Korin has always been difficult to track, even before the Eternal Fleet’s attack. The last I heard, he was in the Outer Rim, but that was some time ago. Rumour has it he’s attempting the Rishi Maze to get away from Zakuul.”

Xaja wrapped her arms around her slim frame in a vain attempt to cease her uncontrollable shaking. Five years gone and her family had been torn to shreds, possibly all killed. The redhead had never felt so alone in her life, not even when Arcann betrayed her after freeing her so she could kill Valkorion (pretty much literally over Darth Marr’s dead body). Questions rose in her throat, along with the threat to throw those ration bars back up, and she had to fight to get words out. “... My crew?” she finally asked.

“We’ve been looking for them. Tee-Seven’s ownership automatically transitioned back to the Order when you were declared dead, but I managed to get him into working to get you free. I believe Rusk was transferred back to active rotation in the Republic Military, Knight Carsen vanished with the rest of the Order, and I have not been able to locate Doctor Kimble or Lord Scourge.”

One more question lingered in Xaja’s throat, the answer one that she both desperately needed and dreaded hearing… the one answer that could break her utterly or give her a reason to keep fighting. “And Theron? Where is he? Is he-?”

“I’ve seen Theron within the last few months. He’s still alive.” Lana paused in a way that made Xaja’s heart thud dully in her chest. “If my attempt to rescue you failed, he had the backup plan, and if that failed I think he would have burned the Spire down to get you back. I think he’s the only person who wanted you freed from there even more than I did. He... he didn’t take the news of your death well. Until we learned you were a prisoner and not dead, I think he’d given up the will to live, to be honest...”

Theron was alive. That was the first good news Xaja had heard since her rescue, beside the note that her brother’s family was safe. She took a shaky breath and wiped away another tear from her pale cheek, knowing she was showing Lana a very vulnerable, hurt side to a Jedi legend and not able to care. Her family torn apart, the Order scattered, her first friends Force-knew-where in the galaxy (if they even still lived), and her former lover apparently half-mad with grief, and five years of her life were gone and this hurt more than any Jedi should have admitted to…

Lana rubbed Xaja’s shoulder in a comforting fashion as she stood up. “I know it hurts, but do you think you’re able to continue moving? Scans show one more area that we may be able to check for supplies, and it’s not wise to stay in one spot in this jungle for too long.”

Xaja took another slow inhale, thought for a minute, and slowly nodded. Focus. “Okay. What’s the status now with the rest of the galaxy? What is Zakuul doing?” It was easier to think about what the enemy’s movements were than to dwell too long on her destroyed family and friends. Why you, Sorand? Your spirit was the only one to survive Korriban without being consumed by hatred for the Jedi. You didn’t deserve this! Are Dad and Korin still alive? Kira, Doc, Scourge, Rusk…

Theron… where are you?

[plotlinehotline]

When trying decide how the government of my fictional nation/city/town/village works, what are some things I should consider?

Before we start getting into the nitty gritty of how agovernment works, I would suggest you do a bit of research on different typesof government. Is your nation a monarchy? Democracy? Make one up because thoseare so much fun to create? Once you decide how the nation will be ruled as awhole, it should be quite easy to make it trickle down to town and villagesize. But there are a few basics building blocks to consider, so let’s reviewthose.

Ruler

First, who rules your nation? Or how is it ruled? This goesback to the question on type of government. If you have a king/queen, do theyhave all the power or do they have a council or parliament? Here you can createyour own rules about ruling. The king could have most of the power to dictateorders and laws, but call in his council to discuss foreign policies. Or hecould have little power because he is going crazy so the council makes allmajor decisions.

Similarly, you could have a Roman Empire situation. They hada two head leaders who at first were like a President, ruling for a short, oneyear term, but could be re-elected non-consecutively. Later, this Caesar guythought he was all that and declared he would rule for life like a king, butnot really because he still had a Senate. However, the Senate was not like theUnited States’ Senate. This Senate had little to no rule making power and insteaddiscussed foreign and domestic policies, directed the religious life of Rome,and handled the state finances. They relied heavily on the Caesar as a figurehead for the Empire since he controlled the military and major legislativeorders. Fingers-crossed nobody stabs the guy.

Whatever direction you choose to go, it must be rememberedthat for any government to effectively work, the majority of people must obeythe powers of authority. I say majority because there are always those littlerebels who touch the special thingy when the sign says “Do not touch specialthingy”. But for a majority of people to obey the head authority with minimal objection or rebellion, there has to be history and a background of respect for your government. You need past generations to pass down history of wise decisions made by government leaders to your younger generations in order them to follow and obey, assuming it is a decent government. However, if your government is deeply corrupt or just starting out, a rebellious attitude by people would be both understandable and realistic. For the deeply corrupt, dystopian style government, it is time to actually change and now all the small rebellions of decades past have become an outright revolt of the whole nation. For the new, baby government, there will be rebellious people simply because people do not like change and they will demand things return to “normal”, but not so much so that everyone will disagree. Your baby government is the fruit of revolt of a bad government so most people will welcome baby government with open arms.

Judicial System

Another important element that is a must in any government,is a judicial system. Your nation will need some sort of judge or respectedfigure who can settle disputes amongst themselves. If Farmer Green and FarmerBrown are fighting over who Betsy the Cow belongs to, who are they going to goto, to settle their argument? This one is also very flexible. The king or headleader can act as the sole judge over the land, but then there is a long lineout the door to hear the people’s problems. You could have a traveling judgewho travels from town to town settling disputes or you could have a localjudge. But wait! A head religious figure could also play the role of a judge tothe people. It really depends on your nation’s culture. Any of these would workquite well.

Security/Emergency System

For the sake of discussion, I am going to assume that yournation is pretty well set up and has a decent government. So, something toconsider is a security or emergency system. No, not those house alarms for a burglar.I mean Police, EMTs, Army, National Guard, who are you going to call whentrouble happens? Uprisings happen, especially when your ruler isn’t ruling theway people feel he or she should. Who is going to show up to make sure nobodygets hurt or contain the damage? This security group does not necessarily haveto be the Police or Army, they could be a group of magic wielding old ladiesthat knit handcuffs! But this group must be respected and have enough authorityfor people to listen and be effective.

The emergency system is similar. If there is an accident andinjuries occur, does an ambulance of sorts with EMTs show up? Of course they donot have to be EMTs, they could be healers or any other name that works foryour nation. It is simply a matter if they do or do not have this service inplace. If your nation does not, your culture could be friendly enough and closeknit to where if there is an accident, witnesses jump in and help save the day.“Is there a doctor here?!” will be yelled frequently in this situation. Itworks well too, but consider that there is not always a doctor, nurse, healer,etc. nearby to help and they may need to rush to the nearest hospital.

Creative Bonus: Does your nation have a flag? Does yournation have a national animal? (Pst! Scotland’s animal is a unicorn!) Does yournation have a national anthem? Does your nation have national holidays that aregovernment appointed? E.g. United States’ President’s Day or Veterans’ Day.

Phew, that was a lot of information! Don’t stress about itthough! World building is fun and you get to be creative. Don’t be afraid totry something new, it is your story and your nation after all!

Happy writing!

-Mia

[arielsojourner]

My mind won’t let this AU crack alone. If I have to suffer, so do all of you. More of my Father and Son Time Travel Star Wars Extravaganza. 

Part 2:

-Vader and Luke have a good system going. Vader shows up and takes control of whatever Separatist Fleet he can get his hands on by virtue of he is a terrifyingly tall Sith and he has the red lightsaber to prove it. Battle droids being battle droids just go along with it and then Vader reprograms as many as he can and blows the rest up and contacts whatever Republic troops Luke has already managed to take command of while their usual Jedi is away (the Order is stretched thin after all), and makes peace. 

-The local planetary leaders are a bit bewildered by it all to say the least. Those forcibly invaded by the Separatists are just stunned. “The Dark One isn’t killing us. The droids have gotten rid of their weapons and are now rebuilding our homes and planting crops. He and the Jedi General want to know if they can borrow some swoop bikes and go racing. What is happening here?” 

-The planets that that sided with the Separatists on moral grounds find Rebel Alliance/Jedi Luke a more than sympathetic ear to their concerns of Republic corruption. He promises to get them in touch with Satine or with Padme and have their concerns addressed. He tells them to keep pushing for reforms.

-The Trade Federation, Banking Clan, and Techno Union ilk find all their valuables taken from them. "Why blow it up when we can take it from them?" Luke suggests. The Rebellion was very much like Tatooine that way, nothing goes to waste. The opulence of some planets and the devastation of others really bothers him. Luke is very much into “rob from the rich to feed the poor.” Declaring peace is expensive work. The clone troopers they free along the way are happy to help in their new roles as reconstruction forces and peacekeepers.

-Padme goes back to Coruscant to bring favorable reports of the war ending to the Senate and sponsors a bill for clone rights. The Chancellor has to fake being happy about the whole thing and try and desperately spin it to his advantage but is not sure how. Ventress has vanished. Dooku hasn’t returned his calls in days. The constant dark side high of mass slaughter on a galactic scale has dropped to a mere trickle. He is feeling his age again. His “allies” are getting poorer by the minute.

-The Jedi Council doesn’t quite know what to make of Padme’s report. She praises the Jedi’s efforts in peaceful resolution and how their knights are reaching out to Separatists and working on reconstruction. 

-Obi-Wan looks at Yoda and Mace. Reconstruction? What reconstruction? Should they say thank you? Is that appropriate? Which Jedi is making peace with Sith backed Separatists and rebuilding? Is this about that weird report Master Kit had filed recently about the unknown Jedi working with a reformed Sith Lord? There was that holonet story about a Sith and Jedi clasping hands in peace but wasn't that just fake news? But what about the knights and masters returning from the Outer Rim after finding out they simply weren’t needed to fight anymore? Has anyone heard from Master Krell recently?

-“Tell no one of this we will,” Yoda says. “In turmoil the Force is. No longer merely clouded but raging like a storm. Investigate we will.” Obi-Wan and Anakin go with Padme to try and meet up with the mysterious Jedi/Sith duo but head in the wrong direction because Luke and Vader are already on the move.

- Ahsoka heads back out to the front lines with a squad or two of clones to rejoin the 501st and meet up with Master Krell.  She meets up with the 501st on some planet in the midst of “peace operations.” Luke is on the ground helping the locals and waiting for his Father to finish blowing up the rest of the Separatist bases that cannot be re purposed for the inhabitants with Ventress taking care of destroying the fleet in system. Ahsoka shows up just as Luke hands General Grievous his head and his arms on a platter. 

-Vader is on his way to the scene, v. v. upset his son had to face Grievous alone and taking it out on everyone who gets in his way (large explosions in the distance getting ever closer and closer). 

-Luke and his three clone apprentices (Fives, Hardcase, and perhaps Chatterbox?)  and the rest of the clone reconstruction forces are battered and bruised from Grievous but no one died. Luke picks up Grievous’ lightsabers and is all for giving them to his clone apprentices so they can be used for good again. 

-The clone troopers love their brothers who are Force sensitive. They think it is the coolest thing ever that someday soon the “generals” leading the way, defending them with lightsabers will be brothers, though Rex is a tiiiiny bit worried about what Hardcase could do with a saber. 

-Ahsoka doesn’t know what to make of all of this. She doesn’t know this Jedi, dressed in black, not wearing any armor (much to the constant despair of the reconstruction troopers not to mention his father – “I do not need armor, Father.” “Do not argue with me. Put it on NOW or I will put it on you myself!” Vader wonders if this would be what raising Luke from a baby would have been like. Was Luke the type of baby to strip off naked whenever he could? Is that what this is? Luke constantly loses his armor as soon as he can. It is restrictive. He can’t see how anyone can move in the stuff. The clones just gather it up where they find it since they know Vader will be demanding his son wear it again as soon as he comes back from reprogramming battle droids into sanitation workers or whatever he is doing). 

-And Luke is very pleased to meet a Jedi apprentice,  but seriously wants to ask her if she thinks re purposing Grievous’ lightsabers so Fives, Chatterbox, and Hardcase (having survived Umbara thanks to Vader dealing with Krell early) can start training with a saber is acceptable. Maybe it is a bit creepy? What does Ahsoka think? And Ahsoka just looks at Fives & Co. and then at Luke, and then at Fives & Co. and then at the explosions behind Luke (Vader is getting closer) and then at Luke and is like “What?”

-Captain Rex is quick to introduce Commander Tano around and share with her the amazing news about Fives & Co. being Force sensitive and “we should really being processing your troopers sir, get the chips out, stop accelerated growth so they can join the reconstruction teams.” Ahsoka blinks. “What?!” 

-“Fives is a Jedi!” Echo exclaims. “Go on Fives, show ‘em what you can do.” And encouraged by all his brother’s Fives closes his eyes and breaths and levitates one of Grievous’ arms into the air to give a jaunty wave until a shock wave from a nearby Vader related explosion causes him to lose focus. 

-Ahsoka decides enough is enough and shouldn’t they be worried about whatever is coming their way that is loud and on fire? “Nothing to worry about, sir” Rex is quick to assure her. “Vader is just taking care of the rest of the Separatists so the planet can go about its peaceful business. Luke, sir, I think we should have Kix put some bacta on those bruises before your father gets here.”

-In Rex’s mind, keeping Luke safe is of paramount concern. Vader is practically a force of nature (pun very much intended) and the only thing that keeps him on an even keel and with a focused direction to vent his black rage is Luke and even that varies from day to day.  Rex can manage the situation though. He isn’t sure why but Vader’s total obsessive behavior with his son seems vaguely familiar.

-And then Vader shows up and only has eyes for his son, furious that Luke faced Grievous without him, Grievous shouldn’t have even BEEN here! And Luke is hurt. That’s a bruise on his cheek, there could be internal bleeding, someone get a medic here now! Where is Kix? Oh, is that Grievous’ severed head? Well, good job Luke. Vader is super proud (That is my SON!) but what do you think you were doing taking such a risk!?! And Luke is all “It’s fine Father, we are fine. Fives, Chatterbox, Hardcase and I handled it just fine and look! Lightsabers! We can move forward on training.”

-And Ahsoka is all “Sith. That’s a Sith. That’s a very very VERY large and very powerful Sith. Why is no one doing anything about the Sith? He feels like a black hole of darkness, pain and burning. Is no one feeling this? Anyone? ANYONE?”  

-Hardcase nods “I know, Commander. Wild and crazy doesn’t begin to cover Vader. The amount of damage he can do is just beautiful. Took down more Clankers than anyone but is total mush when it comes to his son. Do you think we get to pick our lightsaber color? How about two lightsabers? Could I have two of them like you do?” 

-Ahsoka feels the need to call Obi-Wan, hell, to call Anakin. She needs sanity and she needs it now.

-Anakin stills so suddenly, Obi-Wan runs into him. “What is it?” Anakin just shudders. “Nothing, just felt something really weird in the Force.”