#I am so so happy with how Shaak Ti came out!!!

[omaano]

Shaak Ti and her tiny charges join the Hades AU, complete, with colourful little highlights and a dialogue box this time (and an alternate version under the cut where I tried my hand at taking the shade/Force-ghost aspect a little further than I did with Fives)

"There is no doubt that Grogu is an exceptional youngling, but I cannot take him on as a Padawan no matter how much I may wish that I could. My duty is to look after the clones as they grow and learn - we cannot just abandon them once their war is over. As a Mandalorian you must understand this. However, I would gladlyassist in your quest in any other way I can."

Linear timeline who? Rex can have a mighty white beard and then look spry and blond simultaneously, there is teenager Omega and Boba sitting on his throne on Tatooine, so just don't worry about it XD Have three of my clone OCs as baby cadets and enjoy how cute they are instead.

[mcu-coworkers]

Smile

Summary: A smile that meant the world and so much more to Anakin

Pairings: Anakin Skywalker x reader

Anakin Masterlist

Word count:1,045

A/N: Hello everyone!  I   took a short break but  I �� am back and with tons more ideas!  I   also want to say thank you to everyone who suggested songs in my previous post. I  ‘ve been listening to them and  I   loved every suggestion and  I hope  I   can tell the story right.<3. As always  I   hope you guys enjoy.xx

(Gif by @starwarsblr​)

It was the first thing that caught his eye when he returned from his mission, you were a new scientist replacing a past one he’d never even met before.

But now oh how he was interested.

He had to know you.

It wasn't long until he had your friendship and found himself spending every spare minute of his time with you.

Obi-wan began to notice the distractions in Anakin's mind but there was no greater sight to him like seeing his brother smile.

Never actually confronting him he held onto this secret and only hoped you cared for Anakin in the way that Anakin did for you.

And you did, far more than what Obi-wan expected.

You tried to move past it cursed with the knowledge of Jedi being forbidden of attachments.

You did your best to stay friendly, but damn it did he make it hard.

When he came into your lab asking little questions as if he was actually interested in what you were doing.

The way he listened to your rants when one of your tests failed.

The jokes he’d say to get you to laugh never failed to cheer you up.

But nothing made your heart skip a beat like his touch.

The first time, you had been working late on an assignment given to you by Shaak Ti in hopes to figure out certain DNA fragments of the clones.

It wasn't until morning the next day that you’d figured it out and Anakin had just walked in to your cheers of success.

In that moment you didn't think, you just did.

And so you jumped into his arms, a bit taken back but happy to hold you he held you tightly and picked you off the ground.

You fit him perfectly.

Your hands wrapped around his neck, you realized how soft his hair was, his musky scent that smelled amazing and the warmth of his touch.

Blushing you pulled away and he put you down with a small smile on his face.

“What was that for?” he said.

Trying to hide your blushed cheeks from him you turned to the screen and showed him.

“ I   finally figured out the DNA structure we needed.” you said quietly.

Coming up behind you he smiled and hugged you from behind, “Sounds like celebratory ice cream will be needed.” he said as he spun you around and walked you out.

And that was the first of many ice cream dates, eventually ice cream became dinner and dinner became picnics on other planets.

Eventually, you went too far and there was no turning back.

You were in love with Anakin Skywalker, and he was in love with you.

You’d try to stop it, for his sake.

An attachment like this could get him kicked out of the order and ruin all he’s worked to build.

Anakin didn't care,  all he cared about was coming home to you and seeing that beautiful smile on your face everytime he walked through the door.

He couldn't have been happier.

Anakin only feared one thing in life after that, losing you.

He’d become so consumed by these terrible thoughts that he began to neglect you looking for a solution to a problem  that didn't yet exist.

‘Yet.’

It was yet another sleepless night waiting for him to come home when you heard a loud crash come from downstairs.

Figuring it was him you quickly went down stairs to help him.

“Ani?” you asked, looking around.

“Ani? How cute.” you heard a voice say.

Quickly turning towards it you gasped when a red saber went through your chest.

Falling to the floor you struggled to keep your breathing steady.

“It is done my lord, he will be at your mercy.” the voice said before walking away.

Anakin had already been on his way back when he felt a sudden pang in his chest.

“No, no, no ,no” he said as he sped up hoping the force was wrong about this.

He’d seeked guidance from Yoda on how to protect his team better.

He’d suggested meditational healing, but there had only been very few to succeed in the practice.

Anakin being the chosen one, he had the potential to succeed.

Racing into your home he searched for you in the dark prepared for a fight should he find someone else.

“My love.  I‘m here.” he said loudly hoping you’d respond.

Building up all the strength you possibly could you said, “Ani.” barely above a whisper.

It was enough for him.

Running to you he found you on the ground practically lifeless.

Kneeling he took you in his arms and analyzed the wound.

A lightsaber.

“It's okay baby,  I   can fix this just hold on.” he said panicked, tears beginning to brim his eyes.

He needed to focus, but no matter how hard he tried his fear just grew stronger and stronger.

“It's okay, it-its-” you tried to ease him. You knew this was it for you and you could have hoped for a better place than his arms.

“No,  I   should have been here, I should have-” he said sobbing.

“Ani don't hate yoursel-f, d-ont, don't let it destroy you.” you whispered as tears began to fall from yours.

Kissing your forehead he began to whisper apologies and  I   love you’s as he still tried to focus once more.

Pulling the last of your strength you smiled and held onto his arm as you began to see black spots.

“Love you Ani, A-lwa-ways.” you whispered as you took your last breath, a single tear falling from your eyes.

Holding onto you even stronger Anakin cried harder choking in his sobs as your hand fell from his arm.

Suddenly his screams began sounding further and further away.

And just like that, he jumped out of his dream and sat up looking around wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Seeing the sun begin to rise he decided it was time for him to get out of bed and begin his meditation.

Once again he’d dreamt of his mystery girl and once again, it all ended the same.

He’d find you one day.

And when he did he vowed to change the ending no matter the cost, that smile would be his forever.

[bobafetts-princess]

The No-Good, Very-Bad, Terrible Day

Pairings: Kamikaze (Sunburst Squadron) x GN!Reader (no use of Y/N, if there’s a gender identity and I missed it, let me know!)

Word Count: 3.5K

Warnings: It’s Kami so this gets a little bit INTENSE FRIENDS. Choking, edging, overstimulation, little bit of anal play, degradation and praise kinks, some dirty talk, Kami is a TOP, Kami calls you his good little slut like a million times, ass slapping, hints of depression and anxiety, lots of fun aftercare from our snarky boy (I think that’s all?? IDK)

A/N: So this is based off of @jangofctts Clone OC Kamikaze from her Sunny Squad! I hope you like it Miss Keida because I had a lot of fun writing it! If anything is OOC, IM SORRY I TRIED. I used your master list as inspo a hundred times and thanks for encouraging us to write about them!

You can find her Sunburst Squadron Masterlist HERE

(ALSO I am the mermaid anon, I’ll be glad the day Tumblr lets us send asks from a sideblog on mobile) If you saw this on my personal, no you didn’t 

It really had been one of those days. Shaak Ti had reprimanded you in front of a room full of people because you’d gotten two squads mixed up and sent one through training as a successful squad and the other down as a bad batch when it should have been reversed.

You were her assistant and usually on top of your game, but something was off this week and you were sure it had to do with the fact that your boyfriend, Kamikaze had been off-world for the last month on a mission with his squad, the Sunburst Squadron. He’d explicitly instructed you not to touch yourself while he was gone, a fate worse than death you swore. Sleep had been hard to come by as well because it was uncommon for you to get sleep when Kami was out on a mission, you spent too much time worried about his safety. So you were tired, horny, embarrassed, and wanted to drown out the nasty things your brain was saying to you.

Thankfully you’d been able to fix your mistake but not before the bounty hunter Bric, they had in charge of training had ALSO yelled at you in front of a room full of people. He was more harsh than Shaak Ti, more anger than disappointment, and his tone was much more aggressive. His reprimand was mean and if you made mistakes often you would understand but you’d been working under Shaak Ti for a few years and rarely made them, let alone make one this big. If you weren’t so stubborn it would have sent you into tears, the way he spoke to you and made you feel small. Thankfully for you, Shaak Ti recognized your body language and facial expression and sent you home for the day.

But you didn’t go back to your bunk, you made your way to the bunk that Kami and his brothers shared when they made it home and curled up against the sheets, savoring the smell of him on his pillow. Kami smelled like gunpowder and cinnamon and something spicy you couldn’t quit put your finger on.

You weren’t sure when you’d fallen asleep, or how long you’d been out when the crashing of the door woke you up. You scrambled for the blaster Kami kept under his mattress, brandishing the weapon at the person trying to enter this room and only relaxed when you saw the familiar cheeky grin and mass of dyed red curls.

“Hey sugar tits, aren’t you supposed to be working?” He asked, pulling his armor off piece by piece and flopping on the bed next to you, his head near where your knees were bent and curled beneath you. Your fingers started raking through his hair and you explained your day to him.

“Shaak Ti sent me home, I made a mistake and she wasn’t happy,” you told him, your fingers making his hair stick up even more wayward than it already did. “And then that asshole that’s in charge of training yelled at me too, it was awful,” you felt Kami’s body stiffen from where he laid because no one liked him, he was cruel and unkind to the clones, unnecessarily so. One of his hands reached up to massage your calf gently as a way of support because Kami might talk a lot, but he was bad with words.

“Anyways, I came in here to lay down because I missed you and hey! What are you doing home?” You asked him, so wrapped up in your own shit that you forgot he wasn’t supposed to be home for two more days.

“Blanche sent me home early while they did cleanup, something about getting it out of my system so he doesn’t have to listen to it?” He chuckled and the twinkle in his eye when he looked at you had you laughing out loud. Kami wasn’t known for being quiet and his brothers got tired of listening to him and you.

“Imagine that? Two whole days with just the two of us?” You sighed in contentment at the idea and Kami’s hands snaked a little further up your thigh, sending little jolts through your body. Even with him being home you were still stressed from your day and he could sense that.

“What’s the matter? I thought you’d be happy I’m home,” he said and you could hear the hurt in his voice.

“I am happy you’re home Kamikaze, I’m just worn out. And you didn’t let me touch myself for a month so I’m kinda dying,” you chuckled as his head snapped up as the mention of you touching yourself.

“So what do you need? I’ll give it to you,” he promised, the most emotion and softness you’d get out of the semi-hardened pilot.

“Break my back like a fucking glow stick Kami, take me out of my own head for a little while,” you told him, head dipping slightly out of embarrassment at your admonition. You could feel the prickle under your skin from being denied for so long but you knew you would be crying for Kami to stop before the next two days were up.

“Off the bed. Strip, I want you naked,” his tone was commanding and you nearly got whiplash at how face he went from playful boyfriend to demanding lover. Your legs scrambled to comply and while you were stripping, Kami was pulling out toys from the trunk under his bed. He grabbed the vibrator and a small plug before he looked up to admire your naked form.

“Look so good when you do as I ask,” he murmured, finger trailing down your cheek to your throat as he came to stand over you, his frame much larger than your own. “On the bed. Face down, ass up,” he barked and you scrambled to do as he asked. Your pussy was already wet, the month of missing him evident. The bed dipped as he moved behind you, calloused fingers ghosting over your cheeks.

“Always so ready for me, I don’t deserve you,” Kami said and you lifted your head to argue with him but he laid a sharp smack to your cheek in warning. “Don’t move or I’ll be forced to punish you,” he promised, lust and dominance dripping from his voice.

You complied even as his hands ghosted over your skin and you wanted nothing more than to press into him, get the contact you’ve been craving since he left. Two fingers trailed along your folds and you had to work at not arching into him, especially when he circled your clit with those two fingers.

“Kami,” you whined, drawing out his name, “Kamikaze please.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make you feel good,” he promised and you knew he would. His fingers plunged inside you, a little tight from not having his hands for a month, but the stretch felt so fucking good. Kami kept one hand on your ass, spreading you open for him as he fucked you on his fingers. You tightened around him, mind already going foggy as he grunted praises to you.

“Such a good little slut for me,”

“Always so fucking eager,”

“Fuck, you’re squeezing my fingers so tight, can’t wait to feel that around my cock,”

The hand holding you open shifted so he could press his thumb against your asshole and you cried out, on the cusp of coming but Kami knew you. He pulled away abruptly, leaving you teetering on the brink as he laid a sharp slap to each ass cheek before massaging the soft flesh.

“Awe, poor little thing, you didn’t think I’d let you come already, did you?” His tone was mocking as his fingers worked into you gently again, thumb pressing against your asshole once more.

“No, baby, I’m gonna bring you to the edge, over and fucking over again until you’re crying for me to let you cum,” he promised and you simply nodded, a sign to him that you were ready, you wanted this. His fingers quickened their pace, curling against that fucking spotuntil you almost couldn’t take it anymore. But then his fingers pulled out as his thumb pushed in and you screamed his name, teetering on the edge again.

Kami worked his thumb in and out of you, not touching your pussy for now, until he felt you were ready for the little plug. There was the distinct click of a bottle and then the cool metal of the plug was pressed up against your asshole and Kami was talking to you.

“Think you can take it? You know how much I love seeing your pretty ass plugged when I fuck you on my fingers,” Kami said and you nodded to him, pressing back just slightly so he knew you were still with him. He worked in the plug slowly, the size a little much after a month but he worked you through every centimeter, whispering praises and ghosting his free hand along your ass and back and thighs until you felt the plug slip all the way in.

“Fuck,” he whispered, using his hands to spread your cheeks slightly so he could get a better look. Giggling a little, you wiggled your ass at him, earning you another slap to your cheeks. “I thought I told you not to move.”

“Yes, Kamikaze. I’m sorry, Kamikaze,” you whimpered, not in the mood to be punished.

Don’t get it twisted, there were days when you pushed every fucking button Kami had just so he would punish you for it later, but today was not that day and you just wanted Kami to make you feel good.

Kami must’ve sensed it because he reached down, turning the vibrator on the lowest setting and placing it against your aching clit. You cried out, arms stretching out in front of you to grip the sheets and keep yourself grounded. His fingers brushed at your entrance and you moaned his name, wishing he would fuck you with them.

“Were you good while I was gone?”

“Yes Kami, I was good,” you promised.

“Didn’t touch this pretty pussy, even once?” His fingers were thrusting shallowly, keeping you balanced close to the edge.

“No, not even once.”

“So fucking good for me,” Kami was starting to get more and more worked up and it wouldn’t be long before his control would snap and he’d be edging you relentlessly. The pace of his fingers picked up and he clicked the vibrator up a notch, making you fist your fingers in the sheets and scream out for him.

Your orgasm was fast approaching, the moans dropping from your mouth wantonly but right as you went to tip over the peak, Kami pulled out, tugging slightly on the plug in your ass.

“Kami, please!” You cried out, but you knew your night was only just beginning. Kami edged you over and over again, each denied orgasm sending you higher and higher into subspace until tears were streaking down your face and your throat was raw from begging. Kami talked you through each one, tone mocking as your cunt clenched down on nothing when he pulled his fingers out. He was attentive even as he destroyed you, taking your body and your mind apart piece by piece and molding it back together the way he liked.

“That’s such a good fucking slut for me,”

“Awe baby, you’ve gotta beg harder if you want to come,”

“Hear how wet that pussy is for me?”

He checked in after every denial, asking if you were okay and wanted him to keep going and your answer way always the same, yes please Kami I can take another.

You were near sobbing now, your orgasm so close you could almost taste the fucking thing. Your mind was blank and full at the same time, the worst parts of your day long behind you and the thought of Kami’s fingers plunging in and out of you filling the empty spaces. It was exactly what you needed, the release of being out of control of everything bleeding the tension from your shaking form and leaving the gooey feeling of submission in its wake.

“Please, Kamikaze, I’ll do anything, please baby let me cum,” you begged, pulling out all the stops when he finally relented.

“Cum. Cum until I tell you that you can stop,” he commanded, fingers hitting that delicious spot as he kicked the vibrator up to the highest setting and you screamed out your release, garbled grunts of his name mixed with groans of pleasure as your body clamped down and you came, over and fucking over again.

“That’s right, a good little slut coming for me,”

“Fucking love hearing you scream my name,”

He pushed you from one orgasm right into another until you were shifting on the bed, trying to get reprieve from the onslaught of sensations on your sensitive cunt.

His fingers left your cunt and you breathed a momentary sigh of relief but then he laid a harsh slap across your ass.

“I thought I told you not to fucking move,” he snarled, smacking your ass again.

“Kami, please, I can’t come again,” you whined, trying to stop your hips from shifting.

“You beg me to let you come and then you beg me to stop? You’ve gotta pick one, baby,” he said, forcing your body into another orgasm that had you screaming from overstimulation.  

“Please, Kamikaze, want your cock please,” you cried, knuckles white from how hard you were gripping the sheets. You must’ve said the magic words because all stimulation stopped and the bed was shifting under Kami’s weight as he sat up behind you.

“You want my cock? Beg me for it,” he demanded you as he rubbed along your folds, sending jolts of electricity through your body with each pass over your clit.

“Kam-Kamikaze please, give me your cock, I need it so bad,” you begged but it wasn’t quite enough for him. He pushed himself in just slightly, your warmth encompassing only his head. You already felt so full with just his head and the plug and you couldn’t wait to see how you’d feel once he pushed all the way in.

“Hmm, I don’t really think you want my cock. You don’t sound serious,” and you could just imagine the face he was making, one hand wrapped around your hip and the other tapping on his chin in fake contemplation.

“Kami,” you whined, drawing out his name, “please baby. I’ve missed your cock so bad since you’ve been gone. Thought about you every night, wished you were here to fuck me stupid,” you told him, wanting to rock back but not wanting the punishment that would go along with it.

“Since you asked so nice, I’ll fuck this pretty little pussy,” he told you, pushing in inch by inch as you groaned with the feeling. Kami was thick and long, enough to stretch you even with all the prep and touch the deepest parts inside of you. The fullness you felt from his cock in your pussy and the plug in your ass was unparalleled.

“Maker this pussy is so fucking good, so wet for me,” he groaned, pulling your asscheeks apart so he could watch his cock split you open as he thrust slowly in and out of you. You were whimpering for more, for him to pound you within an inch of your life, but Kami had the restraint of a god, pushing himself in and out of your walls slowly. One hand tugged on the plug, the other keeping you spread open as he toyed with you, talking about how he couldn’t wait to fuck your ass one day.

The things Kami said to you on the regular were so filthy so debauched that you swore you could come just from him talking to you, but today you needed his cock.

“Kamikaze, baby, I need more,” you whined, reaching an arm back to grab at his wrist. But Kami was quick as lightning, twisting so your wrist was in his and was pressed down into the small of your back.

“I don’t recall telling you that you could touch me,” he snapped, hips picking up their pace as he mocked you. You didn’t have a response that wouldn’t displease him so you just lost yourself in the sensations of Kami filling you over and over again. His strong hand wrenched your chin back, twisting your body awkwardly as he opened your mouth for him. He spit into your open mouth and you eagerly swallowed for him, opening your mouth for him to see.

“So fucking filthy for me, such a good fucking slut,” his voice was low and you knew he was close, the rhythm of his hips faltering slightly as you cried out for him.

He pulled your body back against him, your back flush with his strong chest and one of his hands immediately wrapped around your throat.

“You’re my little cockslut, aren’t you? Always happiest when I’m pounding one of your little holes??” Kami snarled, his hand squeezing tightly around your throat as he pounded into you and you whimpered a yes. His other hand snaked down to your clit, hitting harsh circles that made you clamp down on him.

“Come for me,” he told you, but you didn’t think you could again.

“Kami, I can’t, I can’t come again,” you cried, nails digging into his arms.

“Come or I won’t let you for another month.”

Your body betrayed you at his words, clenching down on him harshly, his body wringing one more orgasm out of you as he chased his own high.

He came hard with a roar of your name, fingers tightening impossibly tight on your throat as he spilled himself inside of you. Both of your bodies fell in a heap on the bed, his longer and wider frame covering yours as you caught your breath.

“Whew!” Kami said after his heart rate slowed and he peeled himself off of you, “good job sugar tits!” His face was cracked into a shit-eating grin and you couldn’t help but roll your eyes and laugh. “You laughing at me? Pshh, I’ll give you something to laugh about,” he promised, pinning you beneath him as he tickled your ribs, until tears ran down your face and you begged for him to stop.

He pulled you in for a deep kiss, one that conveyed all the emotions the two of you had yet to speak out loud before he pulled you from the bed, guiding you to the fresher where he wiped you clean of his release before gently reminding you to pee while he got snacks.

“Gotta build our strength back up for round two,” he said, twinkle in his golden eyes.

“Cuddles?” He’d asked when you returned from the fresher, two big bowls of snacks already sitting on his bunk, one salty and one sweet. You nodded, needing to be close to him as he turned on a crappy holodrama on the tv and didn’t watch a lick of it because he was too busy asking questions in between shoving food in his mouth.

“How do birds fly?”

“Why are fish?”

“Do you think Blanche’s pubes are streaked with blonde too?” (That one had you fucking dying)

And that’s how you were, curled up with Kami’s arm around your shoulders, dressed in only his fatigue’s shirt when the door flew open again. Kami moved faster than you’d expected, throwing the food off the bed and pointing his blaster at the door, all while covering your body with his own.

“Please relax, I simply wish to speak with my assistant,” came Shaak Ti’s soft voice from the door.

“How did you know I’d be here?” You asked her, head poking out from behind Kami’s shoulder as he placed the blaster on the table by the bed.

“Your thoughts are not exactly quiet, child, and I’d heard our dear pilot Kamikaze had arrived back to base shortly after I’d sent you home. I’m simply here to apologize for the tiff you and I had this morning and to apologize for Bric’s behavior, he shouldn’t have spoken to you like that and I should not have let him.” She spoke softly, almost like she was talking to a wounded animal and in retrospect that’s how your pride felt.

Kami’s body was still in front of yours, but his posture was much more relaxed with one arm thrown over his propped up knee and the blankets pooling around his hips as he regarded the Jedi General.

“I appreciate that, General.” You told her, accepting her apology as she turned for the door.

“I think it is safe to assume that you will not be working tomorrow?” She turned in the doorway to ask, lilt of amusement in her tone and Kami burst into a full grin at that.

“No, General. I’ve got some ideas to keep her occupied tomorrow,” he promised and Shaak Ti closed the door behind her with a gentle laugh.

Tags: @ahoeformando

Masterlist | Taglist

[bedlamsbard]

All right, reactions to Mando 2.05, “The Jedi”, in...semi-coherent form. Spoilers, obvs. I hated this episode, so keep scrolling now if you don’t want to see negativity.  This is not in any kind of order except stream-of-conscious.

again, I reiterate, spoilers.

again, I reiterate, this is REALLY negative.

Rosario Dawson...yikes.

how...did Bo-Katan know that Ahsoka was on Corvus? are they in contact? since when? Ahsoka seems to have been on Corvus for long enough to be a nuisance to the Magistrate (Morgan Elsbeth), but normally Ahsoka is very efficient and she just...really does not seem to be here? I did not get the impression she was planning on sticking around for any period of time.

(the same could be true for Frog Lady and Bo-Katan on Trask several episodes back. that wasn’t a convert, that was three Mandalorians hanging around the port in cloaks. I guess they could be doing that on the regular, but? would the Empire not then be more worried about being attacked by Mandalorians?)

there was only ever a very, very slim chance that I was going to be happy with any translation of Ahsoka from animation to live action.  I am on record as thinking that animation is the medium for Star Wars and that live action is always going to be a weaker medium than animation and that a lot of things that can be done in animation just cannot be translated to live action in any meaningful form.  I knew Ahsoka’s fighting style couldn’t translate to live action convincingly (here’s what I said about the mo-capped duel in TCW); it never occurred to me that they couldn’t pull off TOGRUTA given that Shaak Ti, you know, exists, and also there are so many excellent Ahsoka cosplayers.

(Consider KM Creations’ excellent silicone lekku (S7), which have beautiful movement; the cosplayer behind that is CallMeSnips and her epilogue prototype is from SWCC is in there somewhere.  I think Rei Kennex’s are latex (you can tell they don’t have much movement) but at least they’re the right length.  I think Ahsoka94′s are also latex (again with the movement); this is her Mortis vision grown-up Ahsoka.)

AND YES, THE LEKKU/MONTRALS WERE A DEAL-BREAKER FOR ME.

I feel very “you have made your bed and now you have to die in it” about that -- apparently the reasoning is for stunts and movement, but for me here’s the thing: her lekku length wasn’t optional.  This is not the equivalent of changing a hair style, which some people seem to think (believe me, I have read so many hot takes); this is like...I’m trying to think of a good comparison.  Like putting Peter Mayhew or Joonas Suotamo in a wig because Chewie’s head was too hard for the actor to see out of, or giving them normal human hands because they can’t grip with the Wookiee hands.

Also your main character wears a helmet at all times that (if it’s anything like my Mandalorian helmet) is pretty poor visibility and full body armor and THIS was your breaking point for stunts?

Ahsoka’s lekku and montrals grow as she ages. These are about S7 length; as @reena-jenkins put it, THEY DE-AGED HER HEAD.  Ahsoka fans coming in know this.  PEOPLE SAW THE REBELS EPILOGUE.

I wonder how many of the people being self-righteous about being totally fine about Ahsoka’s lekku are the same people who claim that Katee Sackhoff is too young to play Bo-Katan.

this also puts them in a weird position in regards to the inevitable merchandise: do they go with normal Ahsoka from TCW and Rebels, the one everyone is familiar with, or do they go with these stunted lekku?

(I can’t believe they’re going to make Her Universe sell merch with this Ahsoka on it. it’s not going to happen but I wish HU was going to be petty enough to not sell any nu!Ahsoka merch.)

Here is some nice art of how Ahsoka’s lekku and montral should have looked.

hoo boy were those prosthetics also just Bad.

“but the stunts” buddy I’m sure Pedro Pascal and his various stunt doubles aren’t having a great time in full armor with almost no visibility either

if you’re going to put the character in, do it right

YOU CAN’T CHEAT

look, I am really, really aural -- the best example I can give is that even though intellectually I know that Matt Lanter and Hayden Christensen both play Anakin Skywalker, I literally cannot parse them as both being the same Anakin Skywalker and for that reason TCW and the PT don’t exist for the same continuity for me.  (This also goes for Ewan McGregor and James Arnold Taylor, Natalie Portman and Cat Taber, and Samuel L. Jackson and TC Carson. I can kinda cope with the multiple Palpatine VAs. Yes, the decision to use Hayden and Sam in Ahsoka’s vision in “Shattered,” even blending into Matt’s voice from Hayden’s, threw me so badly I couldn’t take the vision seriously.)  Ashley Eckstein has a very distinctive voice, and moreover has been the only person to ever voice Ahsoka up to this point (even in the Ahsoka novel audiobook). Barring a MIRACLE I was never going to be able to parse another actress’s voice as Ahsoka’s, solely because of how my brain works.

I could probably have parsed someone else’s face because animated Ahsoka is pretty stylized but the voice thing is a huge problem for me because of how aural I am.

(I say this but when Squadrons did a more live action-style Hera -- knowing they mo-capped Vanessa Marshall I think they used Vanessa’s face for Hera’s, which is also what it looks like on the revised art and face sculpt for the Black Series Hera -- I kind of had a meltdown about it (for...weird reasons). And that was the same VA.)

(The timeskip between TCW and Rogue One, then Rebels, probably saved Saw Gerrera for me here, but he was also never a main character.)

can you believe that Sam Witwer’s Maul got more live action respect than Ashley Eckstein’s Ahsoka

I love Sam’s Maul but wow

this is particularly jarring because Dave Filoni and Ashley Eckstein always seemed like they were friends? I realize that this gets skewed by how little of their actual lives we see online, but that is the vibe that I’ve gotten from interviews and social media posts.

can you believe that TROS gave more respect to Ashley Eckstein’s Ahsoka than Dave Filoni’s Mando episode did (here is her statement on TROS.)

back in March, when the Dawson casting rumors first dropped (or leaked, as the case may be), Ashley posted a statement about it saying that she was not involved in The Mandalorian. she has over the years been very vocal about desperately wanting to play live-action Ahsoka, who is a character solely associated with her up until today, and honestly this just breaks my heart.

I am not the massive Ashley Eckstein fan that many Ahsoka fans are, but I have never heard anything bad about her (I saw her at my hotel at SWCC while I was waiting for my roommate to arrive! that’s the closest I’ve ever gotten to her, a distance of about six feet), and I really desperately hope that someone told her about this beforehand and she didn’t find out from watching the episode.

Also, while I’m here talking about Ashley Eckstein, the characterization here was extremely off, in that specific way that happens when a writer/director is working with their absolute favorite character, DAVE FILONI. I do trust Ashley to course-correct Dave on Ahsoka (in the same way we’ve heard about Sam Witwer pushing back on people about Maul), and that...was not happening here.  (I think Katee Sachoff said something similar to this about Bo-Katan in her interview last week, as well.)

how did you get Bo-Katan so right and Ahsoka so wrong

look, Dave Filoni is truly living up to George Lucas’s legacy in that he can story tell pretty well but he’s not actually that great at nitty-gritty of writing and directing. (none of the really good TCW episodes are his.)

this episode made me think of A Friend in Need (which he directed) which is not, like, a BAD episode but quite notoriously includes the Bo-Katan ass-slap and also Ahsoka beheading four Mandalorians at once.

it also includes a helpless village of oppressed and exploited Asian-coded civilians who are there mostly as background scenery so the bad guys can be bad and the heroes can feel righteous

I’ll come back to that one

the level of violence in this episode was...weird. honestly, too high? in a way that probably would not have registered if it was anyone but Ahsoka. look, I am an animated shows person. I know TCW and Rebels inside and out. I know that neither one is particularly shy about killing off faceless bad guys (though if you watch Rebels S1 compared to Rebels S4 they really dial back the amount of fatal violence the main characters commit in the last season, lol).  But this felt off for Ahsoka in a way I can’t really articulate.

why is Ahsoka attacking a random Mandalorian (her allies are Mandalorians!) who is walking through the woods WITH A BABY? WITHOUT WARNING?

part of that is just her movement -- when they animated her for TCW back in 2008, they made a deliberate decision to give her mannerisms and movement and a fighting style that a human can’t do because she isn’t human and animation can do that. which means that they hobbled themselves when they came to translating her to live action because uh a human can’t do that.

something about her lightsaber blades looked really, really wrong and I can’t put my finger on what. it’s like they just used the illuminated blades of the stunt sabers but didn’t do the extra CGI that the films do? I don’t know.

Ahsoka did a LOT of dramatic posing and what WAS that?

Dave can’t direct live action, that’s what that was

since when can you canonically convey that much information mind to mind

are Ahsoka and Grogu a dyad in the Force (I know the answer is no but also: what? what was happening?)

the only people we’ve seen who can do that sort of thing are Quinlan Vos and Cal Kestis, who both have the rare talent for telemetry, and even that’s not mind to mind communication, that’s touching a thing and going “YIKES”

you are telling me that Ahsoka Tano, whom six months ago we saw take on Darth Maul, a whole barrage of Mandalorian warriors, and her entire clone trooper battalion and walk away without a scratch, had to work up a sweat fighting one woman with a spear

you do know that we all saw TCW and Rebels right

and here’s the problem! this episode makes zero sense if you HAVE seen TCW and Rebels because (1) she doesn’t look right (2) she doesn’t fight right (3) timelines? we’ve never heard of them? (4) is Thrawn back? did you find the Chimaera? (you all do remember that Ezra and Thrawn aren’t out there alone and are in fact with a 40,000 man crewed star destroyer right) (5) did you NOT find them? (6) are you even looking? (7) this is supposed to be AFTER the Rebels epilogue unless you’ve decided to take advantage of that specific ending scene not being super specifically dated and if it’s before IT MAKES IT EVEN WORSE! because I desperately hate that epilogue and its implications EVEN AS IT IS! (8) why would you call this episode “The Jedi” when since 2013 Ahsoka’s whole thing has been not being a Jedi

to be fair I’m pretty sure S7 tried very hard to course correct that but unfortunately, they could not because the rest of canon exists

are you still trying to deny me grown Ahsoka and Rex when we know you got Temuera back for a five second shot of Boba

to be fair I would have the same aural problems with Temuera voicing Rex because that’s Dee Bradley Baker as far as I’m concerned (I reiterate that this is because of how my brain process character and sound, not anythign else)

if you haven’t seen TCW and Rebels this is a random Jedi wandering around for no specific reason namedropping a completely random person who has no prior significance unless it’s going to turn up later

this entire show has consisted of namedropping random people and things with no prior significance within the show itself and it remains entirely unclear whether they’re ever going to have significance within the show itself

look, I can buy Ahsoka not wanting to train the kid both for her stated reasons and for some implied stuff from earlier on in canon (the kids in the Ahsoka novel, the babies from Future of the Force), even what happened with Ezra, and obviously she has Plans and cannot haul a baby around with her when that baby is going to be a baby for an indeterminate amount of time

which honestly is something that ought to come up because even if Ahsoka wanted to train the kid by the time she grew old and died he might, if we were very lucky, have advanced to being essentially a pre-teen and then would be on his own again? this is also true for Din.

lol sure go cast yourself out into the Force, I’m sure there’s absolutely not a single darksider still wandering around the galaxy who might perk up at “ooh, free apprentice!”

I’m literally starting to think that this show takes place in an alternate universe where Luke and Leia either don’t exist or died at some point in the OT

me, baffled, last season: you’re telling me Cara Dune, Alderaanian, had never heard of the Jedi? was she not keeping up with whatever Leia Organa was doing? was the Rebel Alliance actually big enough that PEOPLE IN IT HADN’T HEARD OF LUKE SKYWALKER?

what...is Luke doing right now. isn’t he training Leia?

WHAT HAS AHSOKA BEEN DOING FOR TEN YEARS are we seriously supposed to believe she peaced out of the Rebel Alliance after Malachor and whatever the hell they’re going to make that out to be (honestly at this point I’m betting on “they will never touch it”)

does or does Ahsoka not know that Luke exists

hoo boy can you just see them trying to cast a younger Luke, or do you think they’d CGI de-age Mark Hamill?

oh yeah let’s go through this again in a season with someone else playing young Luke, let’s, I’m not emotionally invested in that so I’m prepared to be entertained

hasn’t Sebastian Stan been floated (even if just on Twitter) for young Luke?

why are these not-imperials on this planet. what are they doing here. what’s the point.

 why is the planet...being burned? I was half-expecting, like, normal deforestation (in terms of logging for lumber) but I’m also a bit ??? about this.

since when is beskar resistant to lightsabers, I thought cortosis was the only thing that was? whatever, it’s new canon, they can do whatever they want. (ETA: apparently that’s been true for a while; I am more a Jedi person than a Mandalorian one as far as the EU goes and my Mandalorian lore is my weakest point.)

dear god were these fight scenes bad

I did spot Morai and I appreciated the tookas

okay, I am taking the next thing out of bullet points because I was really, really upset by it, and as an Asian-American woman it affects me directly.

I was really, really shaken by the use of village of (space) Asian people who were portrayed solely as background victims to be tortured and exploited.  Star Wars has a long history of Orientalism, and some of it I can look away from and some of I can’t.  Mando especially has a very bad track record with its treatment of Asian characters (Fennec Shand), and in recent years the rest of Star Wars live action has also been pretty bad about it; I will never forget how shaken and upset I was by Paige Tico’s death at the beginning of TLJ, and Rose’s sidelining in TROS was a lot to deal with. There has also been some pretty appalling anti-Asian racism from the Mandalorian fandom that I have seen in regards towards casting rumors about Sabine (which brought me to the point of tears as recently as yesterday).

I had been braced for Rosario Dawson Ahsoka because it’s been rumored for so long, if never officially confirmed by Lucasfilm, and after they pulled the original VA for Leia from Resistance a few years ago (without ever making an official statement but it was after she made really dismissive statements during the Kavanaugh hearings) I was still really hoping they’d pull Dawson for the transphobic assault allegations, or that the rumors were false, or...something.  I was not expecting the way that they treated the Asian civilian population here.  I kept hoping that there was going to be something, and it’s like they kept almost going there with Governor Wing (you want to make either his name or his position clear in the actual episode, maybe?) but then kept pulling back, which just made the whole population victims that had to be rescued by outsiders. And exploited, and tortured, and abused in general.

And yes, I’m aware the Magistrate/Morgan Elsbeth is an Asian-American woman.  That doesn’t make it better?  Since Ahsoka presumably kills her offscreen?

(Also Diana Lee Inosanto is a stunt performer and a fight choreographer, why is that fight scene so wooden, damn.)

okay back to bullet points to wrap up

I realize I haven’t said much about Din and the kid and that’s because they didn’t...do...much? I guess if you’re actually invested in them “YAY HE HAS FEELINGS” is a major thing but I’m not

I have flashes of being invested in Din, but the problem is that I never know what the hell this show is doing because it’s all over the place.  We are 5/8 of the way into season 2 and I have no idea what it’s trying to do: they keep setting stuff up and then not doing anything with it. I can make vague predictions based on what’s set up and based on my knowledge of canon, but this show is so weirdly set up and paced that I can never tell if they’re something for A Reason, for the lulz, or for the Aesthetic.

I feel extremely vindicated by the revelation a few weeks ago that Din grew up in a cult but I also straight-up feel like I spent the past year being gaslighted about what Mandalorians were, and that’s...not a great feeling. Do I think that the show is going to do anything with that? Fuck, I don’t know. I hope so. I know what I’d do as a writer. But I can’t predict anything they’re doing and that makes me really uneasy.

jeez, at least when George Lucas was making Star Wars you knew he was doing it to entertain himself and tell a specific story rather than constantly having to go back and wonder what story lines got compromised for a project down the road.

like, is this why they did mo-cap Ahsoka in S7, to brace us for live action Ahsoka here? I know they had already filmed Mando S2 before S1 came out. WHY THEY DIDN’T THEY REUSE LAUREN MARY KIM AS AHSOKA’S STUNT DOUBLE THEN? it’s not like she hasn’t stunted in Mando before?

if this was supposed to be a backdoor pilot to a Rebels sequel...I will flip a table

I enjoyed the Bad Batch eps in TCW S7 but knowing that there’s going to be a Bad Batch show I’m now wondering if they’re only in S7 to backdoor pilot that show

how far back does this go? did they put the Legacy of Mandalore story line in Rebels S4 solely to set up for this? especially considering that that’s the one thing in S4 that actually has saga weight and then they immediately got rid of everything it accomplished to set up for this?

I presume that this is the reason they refused to release the turnaround for Ahsoka’s epilogue look two years ago. apparently it doesn’t matter given they changed her entire epilogue color scheme and also her lekku and personality.

Look -- at the end of the day, there was only about a 2% chance I was ever going to like this episode, but I was holding out for it nevertheless. I do get surprised from time to time! I liked the Bo-Katan episode! This was, however, a hot mess. And yes: a lot of the things that bother me are not going to bother other people. (I haven’t seen anyone comment on the Asian villagers, for example.)

[kaminobiwan]

in sickness and health

pairing: obi-wan kenobi x jedi!reader

summary: Confined to a day in bed, Obi-Wan is enlisted to keep you company. Featuring mild spoonfeeding I make no apologies

a/n: First off, THANK YOU FOR 300 FOLLOWERS! WOW oh my goodness that happened so fast. I’m still working through the prompts from my 175/200 follower celebration (of which this is a part of), and I can’t wait to figure out a way to celebrate this milestone as well! I’m so grateful to all of the support and love I’ve gotten so far; your kindness and readership means the world to me, and I’m so glad to share my stories with you :-) Without any further ado, here is the return of Padawan!Obi....and if you’d like to join his fanclub, might I direct you to my co-president @highlycommendable lovely dove

Before I forget, taglist masterlist all that shite. Enjoy my bubs

On his way back to the dormitories after an early morning meditation session, Obi-Wan hears arguing.

Though it’s not uncommon to hear discord in the wing of the temple where the Padawans make their residence, it isn’t the usual ruckus of Quin and Kit wrestling, or Shaak Ti demanding to know who had taken her Akul-tooth headdress again.

This time, it’s the voice of a Master filling the halls, berating his student with fond persistence.

“Padawan, my word is final.” Obi-Wan turns the corner as Plo Koon raises a talon at a figure huddled in blankets in the doorway. “You are too ill to travel.”

“But I’m almost better! And Shaak’s told me so much about the Togruta, and I want to see how big of an Akul she’s killed!” He recognizes the protests coming from your distinct yet muddled voice, and his vision confirms his guess as you come into sight, fabric draping across your body like a spirit. “I promise I’m fine, Master, please!”

Despite his mouth being completely covered by his breathing mask, Obi-Wan can almost detect the makings of a smile across the Jedi’s features. “The healers were adamant, my student. You’re to rest one more day. Perhaps, instead of stories of Akul, you can detail our sightings of the neebray mantas to your peers. I assure you, they are much bigger than any Akul you hope to see.” Abruptly, he turns to Obi-Wan in a way that makes him think the Master had sensed his presence long before he’d approached. “Padawan Kenobi, if you’re not terribly occupied, I have a favor to ask of you.”

Obi-Wan comes to a stop in front of the pair of you, your eyes dragging to his frame after shooting a disgruntled glance at your Master. “Master Koon?”

“I’m set to depart for Shili within the hour, and unfortunately, this one,” he gestures a robe-covered hand towards you, “is recovering from a mild case of Balmorra Flu and will be unable to accompany me. I would appreciate it immensely if you’d monitor my student to ensure that she does, in fact, fulfill her last day of bed rest.” Obi-Wan notices as you bristle at the notion of being babysat like a child, but says nothing as Plo continues. “The healers have been kind enough to deliver medicine and food. You’d need only to stay within the room.” Before Obi-Wan can reply that he’d have to seek the approval of his own Master, Koon finishes for him. “I’d be happy to request an excuse from the rest of your duties, but if I’m being quite honest, I’m aware that most of your training for the day has already been completed.”

Obi-Wan schools his own features in haste from revealing how impressed he is. Though, he really shouldn’t be surprised. Plo Koon was legendary amongst the younger generations for both his intuition and skill with a lightsaber. Still, he pauses.

“There’s no cause for worry, young one, she’s not contagious any longer. The sickness is in its last stages.” The Kel Dor assures him, somewhat humorously, but that’s not why Obi-Wan is hesitating.

He’s nervous — he’s never spent much time alone with you. It’s not that you’re unlikable, or intimidating — okay, maybe you are a little — but actually, you’re quite popular with the rest of his crèchemates. He’s only had the opportunity to spend time with you in the midst of his other friends, and the times you have had conversations by yourselves, he gets an uncomfortable twist in his stomach that he’s not sure he likes.

But Obi-Wan is a good Padawan. Trying to be, at least. And Master Koon is close friends with Qui-Gon.

“Certainly, Master.” He gives a slight bow at the middle of his waist. “I would gladly be of service.”

The Jedi nods at him gracefully, and bids a soft farewell to you as he departs the conversation and the dormitory wing. You mutter a goodbye of your own moments after, followed by what Obi-Wan thinks is a variation of be safe. Then, you turn haughtily into your bedroom, retreating with your nose high in the air. He follows with a smirk of amusement.

“Sorry you’ve been sidelined.” He offers, as you face plant dramatically onto the bed. You bounce head-first into the pillows, and he can feel the irritation radiating off of you. “I know it that goes.”

You lift your body enough to place your chin in your hands, and regard him with a softening quirk. “It’s okay. I was just excited to get out on a mission again after my last one got cut short. This wretched flu.”

You flop onto your back, but Obi-Wan can sense your resentment quickly fading as you pull up the sheets to your chest. He notes that you already seem to be complying with your Master’s orders, grateful at the thought of not having to force you into bed. Another thought passes through his head, reminding him of the specific name Plo Koon had mentioned earlier.

“Balmorra flu? Weren’t you on Dantooine?”

“We were. Unfortunately, the illness is not limited to the planet for which it is named. But how it made its way to Dantooine, the middle of nowhere, I’ve no idea.” You sniff harshly. “It’s a shame, too. I wanted to take some time to admire the grasslands, but Master Koon wanted to get us back to the temple before I got worse.” The pout on your face morphs into a far-off look, and while you’re daydreaming, he takes the time to admire you. “It was majestic, Obi-Wan, the rolling plains, the rivers — you’d have loved it, I think.”

To himself, he smiles warmly. Here you are, sinuses stuffed to the brim and wallowing in the discomfort of sickness, yet you still found it within yourself to think of him. He can see why you’d been spoken so highly of by the others before he’d had the courage to befriend you.

You had a good heart.

“I know what you mean.” He presents you with a new tissue as you toss a used one into the wastebasket by your bed, and you watch him speak intently. “Once, on a mission to Alderaan, my Master told me he’d save time to hike one of the mountains if we finished early. A meditation retreat, of sorts. We did, but just as we were prepared to go, I came down with nerf-pox. A youngling sneezed on me in the middle of the assignment.” Disdain paints his appearance, and you cough out a laugh at him behind your fist as you reach for something off your bedside table, where a steaming bowl and cup of water sits.

“To the experiences that disease took from us,” you raise the cup in the air as if you’re making a toast, and although he’s not holding one of his own, he mimes the action with a grin. “Here’s to hoping we’ll get to do them someday.”

As you raise the drink to your mouth, Obi-Wan can’t help but notice the way it trembles in your hand. Eyes narrowing, he takes in the slight shake of your arm. “You’re quite weak,” he moves closer to take the cup from you and set it back on the table. “I think I should feed you.”

Your eyebrows knit in defiance, but he’s already holding the bowl of soup, stirring the spoon in its depths. Immediately, his nose wrinkles in distaste.

“This smells horrible.”

You sigh in agreement, leaning your head back against the pillows. “Rootleaf stew. Master Yoda’s personal recipe.” As he lifts the utensil to your still-moving mouth, you add, “Thankfully, it doesn’t taste as bad as it stinks.”

He snickers quietly as you drink the liquid down with a small noise of disgust. Your face seems to relax after a minute, however, and he hopes the warm broth is soothing your throat. He offers you a bit more, but this time, you stare straight at him as your lips close around the spoon, and his wrist falters when you peer at him from beneath your lashes.

Soup dribbles down your chin and neck as you squeal in surprise, the heat of it making you jerk back. Obi-Wan drops the bowl onto the table as he frantically snatches up tissues to offer you between panicked apologies, not trusting himself to dab the droplets on your skin away himself.

“Sorry! I’m so sorry, I —” he stammers as you clean up what you can, blinking at him in amused surprise. You don’t look angry at him, but stars, does he feel bad. “Ah, I didn’t mean to. So much for helping you.” From the shoulders up, he burns bright with remorse, but you shake your head amusedly with bright eyes.

“It’s okay. I probably would have done the same to myself. You were right, I am too weak to carry anything.”

Sheepishly, Obi-Wan picks up the stew again, but places it in his lap for a moment as he waits for his body to stop freaking out, for lack of a better term. It’s good timing, too, because you promptly break into a hacking fit, coughing violently as he winces in his seat. After you blow your nose loudly, you seem to notice his expression, because you suddenly turn self-consciously away from him.

“I’m sorry, too. I can’t imagine I’m a pretty sight to see as of right now.”

He disagrees. Surprisingly, your physical state hasn’t been too affected. And even in spite of your slightly ruffled exterior, you’re still exuding the same liveliness that he can’t help but find attractive. In his mindlessness, Obi-Wan’s mouth acts before his brain as he responds. “I think you’re always pretty.”

You both freeze, eyes meeting in shocked gazes as he attempts to backtrack. “I — I mean, you’re a pretty sight to see —” Nope, that’s worse, kill me, Maker, kill me now —

“Obi — it’s okay,” you cut him off from embarrassing himself further, though your own voice is shrill. “I appreciate the compliment.”

His face flushes again, this time at the nickname more than his stupidity. He stares resolutely into the swirling broth as he fiddles with the spoon, and deafening silence fills the air between you as you both look anywhere but each other. Soon enough, though, you’re brave enough to break the quiet. With an even braver comment of your own.

“You know, you’re not too bad-looking either,” he peers at you cautiously, and your eyes are kind, offering comfort. He breathes out a long sigh, but manages a weak smile in return.

“Thanks,” he mumbles, and you nod at him easily. He’s jealous of the way you’re expressive, yet so effortlessly at ease in any scenario — someday, he swears, he’ll nail down his composure. He’ll be in complete control of his every emotion and have the coolest demeanor of all the Jedi.

Just, not today.

Obi-Wan forces himself to steel the muscles in his arms as he brings another spoonful of soup to your waiting mouth, and exhales in relief when he successfully avoids causing another mess. Unfortunately, it seems that you’re intent on making one, because as soon as you swallow, you’ve got another remark that you deliver all too casually for Obi-Wan’s liking.

“In fact, I’d say you’re the prettiest Padawan in the Order.”

He spills the entire bowl across your sheets.

[more-pokeimagines]

Stone Cold Body [07] - Chapter 6

A/N: First of all, I want to apologize for abandoning this fic for a while. I just couldn’t motivate myself to continue it since I felt like most people weren't interested in this series but I finally managed to finish the new chapter. I revamped the plot a bit and removed some filler scenes, so I hope it won’t take me too long to get the next chapter done. Anyway, have fun reading! Feedback is always appreciated. <3

Warnings: mentions of violence

Taglist: @piershoesz, @alovestruck-fool, @shaak-ti-s, @spair-m

Past

Bede was exhausted. He had spent the entire weekend with his sister’s future husband, showing him around the kingdom and taking him to a hunting trip to the deep forests at the borders of Galar. Although the young man probably wouldn’t become king himself, Lewin I. had advised his son to introduce Carlina’s fiancé to every important person in the North, including the Duke of Hammerlocke who had invited them to join their hunting party. Now, he was on his way back to the castle while Carlina and her fiancé had decided to stay at the Duke’s palace for a little while longer to spend some more time with each other.

The young prince sighed. He knew that Carlina didn't love her fiancé but he hoped that he would make her happy nevertheless. She was the purest soul he had ever known and deserved nothing but the best. At least for once, Bede and his father agreed.

Star, his dapple-gray mare, nickered, almost as if she wanted to express her approval of his thoughts, and he leaned forward to ruffle her mane. “I know you’re tired. When we get back home I make sure to find some nice green apples for you, alright?”

He always did that; talking to his horse like it could actually understand him, no matter how often others made fun of him because of that. To him, Star had always been a part of his family, his best friend; the one who patiently listened to him when he needed to pour his heart out to someone. Aside from Carlina, the mare was the only one who actually cared about him. Sure, his mother had always tried her best to shield him from his father’s wrath, especially in his early childhood, but not even she could convince him to carry out his strict educational methods.

Bede shook his head, trying to get rid of the unpleasant memories that crept up on him in the back of his mind. He didn’t want to think about these things now; it only reminded him of all the bad things that had happened in the past and the unbearable weight he would carry on his shoulders as soon as he became king. He had spent so much time wondering if he could be equal to the task, hoping that he wouldn’t disappoint everyone who lived in the kingdom, but at the same time, he knew that he didn’t have a choice anyway. He was the firstborn, the heir to the throne, and there was nothing he could do to escape his fate. Sooner or later, the well-being of an entire kingdom would be in his hands.

Star nickered again but this time, it sounded like she disagreed with him. He knew that he was imagining things but it was oddly comforting to interact with her. “It’s so hard to figure out how to be a good king,” he said and patted her withers. Then, a lot more quietly, he added, “I just don’t want to be like my father.”

He went silent after that. In less than an hour he would be back at the castle where he needed to report every single detail about the trip to the king, including everything Carlina had said about her fiancé. Bede was tired of being his father’s spy but since he knew that King Lewin only wanted the best for his daughter – just like Bede himself – he didn’t mind it too much this time.

It was only then when Bede realized the unnatural silence that surrounded him. The birds had stopped chirping, and there was no wind that was breezing through the leaves. Even the sound of Star’s hoofbeats had almost lapsed into silence.

All of that supported only one conclusion: there was some kind of magic in play, and Bede knew the sorcerers and their rightful anger all too well to hope that they weren’t here to hurt him. In the end, he was still part of the royal family, and they would take every opportunity to take revenge.

Star let out a piercing whicker and reared up when two people stormed out of the forest. They were both wearing dark cloaks; the hoods were pulled down so far that Bede couldn’t see their faces. One of them – a young man, judging by his figure – grabbed the reins, trying to hold Star back. The mare rolled her eyes and whickered again as she started to buck.

Bede was being flung forward, barely holding onto Star’s back. The next second, the other sorcerer grabbed his lag, effectively pulling him off the saddle and tackling him to the ground. Bede’s head dashed against a rock, and then, everything went dark.

*

When Bede woke up, the first thing he noticed was the terrible pain that pulsated through his skull. He reached up and felt his temple, realizing that there was dried blood on his skin. Every bone in his body hurt. For a second, he wondered if it felt like that to be trampled down by a hard of cows but his head hurt way too much to think about things like that for longer than a moment.

Bede slowly sat up and let his eyes wander, inspecting his surroundings, although it was so dark that he could barely see anything. But after a while, his eyes had adjusted to the darkness well enough to realize that he was sitting in some sort of cell, maybe in an underground dungeon because there was no window, only masonry from which droplets water were dripping to the ground in a steady rhythm. Right in front of him, he could see a cross-bared prison door, reaching from the floor all the way up to the ceiling. If he hadn’t already suspected it, he would’ve realized that someone had locked him in by now. And somehow, he knew who was behind all of it.

Although he could only remember the attack and the following fall vaguely, there was no doubt about the fact that the sorcerers had taken the opportunity to kidnap him. He just didn’t know why. If they thought that his father would stop persecuting them just because they had the prince in their grip… well, they surely would be met with disappointment. There was no way King Lewin would give up the witch hunt, not even if they used his son as some kind of leverage.

It would be a whole different story if they had kidnapped Carlina instead, Bede thought with a hint of bitterness. If the sorcerers had threatened her, the king wouldn’t have hesitated to send an army to get her back. Bede knew that he was far more important for the kingdom than his sister but he wasn’t under the illusion that his father loved him enough to do everything in his power to free him. Especially now that Carlina had a fiancé who would be the heir to the throne in case of the prince’s death, his father wouldn’t risk starting a war and losing his supporters during the course of the battles just for the sake of getting his son back.

With a quiet sigh, Bede shook his head, trying to get rid of the hurtful thoughts. Surely, it didn’t matter whether his father tried to get him back or not; he wouldn’t be able to find him down here anyway, so it was probably better to come to terms with the facts – he would never get out of here. At least not when the sorcerers didn’t want him to.

It was only then when he realized that he wasn’t alone. A few meters away from his cell, he could see a woman, dressed in a simple skirt and blouse, a dark cloak around her shoulders. The hood was hiding her face but not enough to hide her self-satisfied smile as well.

“So, we meet again, little Princeling,” she said softly, slowly approaching the cell. “I must admit that I always assumed it would be harder to capture you. But you were an easy target.”

“You,” Bede replied through gritted teeth. He didn’t need to see her face to recognize her; her voice was enough to know that this was the same woman who had approached him at the ball where she had pretended to be Princess Amelié’s lady-in-waiting. He had almost forgotten her and her preposterous threats but now that he came face to face with her again, he wished he would’ve believed her words back then. Maybe it would’ve given him some sort of advance right now, maybe he could’ve figured out her plans over the past few months. But no, he had pretended that nothing of it had happened and now, he had to pay for his arrogance.

The woman nodded, her smile growing a bit wider, almost as if she could read his mind. “I’m sure you are wondering why I brought you to this place.”

“To kill me, of course,” Bede said matter-of-factly.

“Oh, dearie, no.” The woman clicked her tongue. “I only want to have a little conversation with you. I’m sure that is not too much to ask, or is it, Your Highness?”

Coming from her mouth, the title sounded almost like an insult but Bede only cocked his head and looked at her. Over the years, he had learned how to hide his emotions; a talent that would come in handy now. “Well,” he said, his expression completely blank. “Then talk. I am listening.”

“First of all, you need to listen to my story. If you don’t know what my family had to go through because of your father you won’t understand why I’m asking for your help. So, are you willing to listen to me?”

“You are asking for what?” This time, Bede had trouble with hiding his emotions. Her words had completely taken him aback, and for a few seconds, he could only stare at her as he tried to understand what she was talking about. When she saw the confused expression on his face, she smiled once again. “I’m asking for your help, my dear.”

*

She had left him alone to think after she had finished her story. “My name is Brigid,” she had said. “The girl the king killed at the stake a few months ago… she was my sister. Belia. She was the purest soul I ever met, and now she is dead because your father is so consumed with his prejudices and hatred that he can’t see the truth anymore. But my sister isn’t the only one he took from me.”

And then, she had told him everything about her life; what King Lewin did to her and her people, what he did to her family. And with every word she had said, Bede could feel how the world his parents built around him was starting to crumble into a million pieces.

But he still had trouble with comprehending her words. If the things she said were true, it would mean that he had lived a lie since he had been born. It would mean that nothing his parents had told him was true; that they had lied to him right from the start.

He buried his face in his hands as he tried to bring order into the chaos of his mind. Could he trust Brigid? Or was she just trying to drive a wedge between him and his family to convince him to help her?

He wasn’t so sure anymore.

Everything she had told him had sounded insane and absolutely impossible but on the other hand, he knew what his father was capable of. King Lewin didn’t stop at nothing; he would do anything to preserve his power but then again, what if Brigid had been lying? Bede couldn’t burst the bonds with his family just because a woman he barely knew told him wild stories about her past and the kingdom. Growing up, he had learned that sorcerers were known to be manipulative and dishonest, and his father never missed an opportunity to tell him that they couldn’t be trusted, no matter the circumstances. So, why was he still confused?

The answer to that was actually pretty simple: he didn’t know who he could trust. On the one hand, he knew that his father wasn’t the most honest man, and Bede wouldn’t be surprised if he kept the truth from his family for all these years but on the other hand, he had no proof that Brigid didn’t lie to him as well. He had no reason to believe her. It probably wasn’t too far-fetched to assume that she only tried to use him against his family, so it definitely would be wise to ignore the incredible story she had told him. After all, there was nothing she could do to give evidence of her words.

Bede groaned. He already started to feel dizzy from thinking things over again and again, and he was still going round in circles. No matter what he decided to believe – he would end up with betraying someone. The only question that remained was who he would betray: a woman he barely knew or his family.

Keeping things in perspective, the decision was quite simple. Bede had no reason to doubt his parents or the things they had taught him about the sorcerers and the history of the country. The only thing that stopped him from choosing a side was his own insecurity – and fear. Although he would never say it out loud, Bede had to admit that he was afraid of the consequences he would face after making his decision. If he sided with the sorceress, he would definitely lose everything he had, starting with his title and claim to the throne through to the right to be a member of the royal family. But if he decided to stay loyal to his family, he risked incurring Brigid’s wrath and probably would end up dead. So, in the end, he would be the victim, no matter which side he chose.

Bede let out a deep sigh, and after a few moments of collecting his thoughts once again, he closed his eyes and finally made a decision.

*

Brigid returned two days later. In the meantime, two other sorcerers, an elderly man and a girl, had provided Bede with water and a few bites of food but Bede had been so nervous all the time that he barely got anything down. He had spent the majority of the time musing if he had chosen the wrong side but, in the end, he had managed to convince himself that he was doing the right thing.

With that in mind, he could wait for Brigid calmly. His face showed no emotion when she approached his cell, her lips curled into a smile that showed her confidence in her plan, her eyes filled with hope and excitement.

“Hello, my dear,” she said softly and reached out to curl her fingers around the bars of the cell door. Glacially, he returned her smile. “Good evening.”

“Have you thought about the things I’ve said?”

Bede nodded and crossed his arms in front of his chest, keeping his eyes glued on Brigid who returned his gaze expectantly. “Can I count on your help, then?”

His smile faded, making room for the emotionless expression he had practiced during his upbringing as crown prince of Galar. “No,” he replied slowly. “I will not help you to betray my own family.”

For a few seconds, there was something like utter disbelief in her eyes but soon enough, she had regained her composure and took a step back from the cell door, her hands shaking ever so slightly as she took them from the bars. “After everything I’ve told you,” she whispered, “you still believe them?”

“Of course I do. They are my family and I love them. You, on the other hand, are a stranger to me, so why should I believe you? I have no possibility to find out whether you tell the truth or not.”

“Oh dear.” A hint of pity flashed over her face. “You have chosen the wrong side.”

“So be it.”

Brigid sighed but when she looked at him again, the expression in her eyes was no longer hopeful. Instead, they were filled with burning anger. “It would’ve been nice to work together with you but in the end, I don’t need you to realize my plan,” she said. “They will regret what they have done to me and my family. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“You must be insane when you think that I will be intimidated by your empty words,” Bede spoke condescendingly and fixed her gaze on her as she clenched her fists. “You and your kind can only lie and betray and hope that nobody notices how reprobated and selfish you are.”

“Your arrogance will do you no good, little Princeling,” the sorceress replied and laughed when he raised his eyebrows at the involuntary nickname she had given him, “one day, you will get what you deserve. And I hope I will be there to see it.”

Masterlist / Next

[tatooinetraders]

Falling

Obi Wan Kenobi x Jedi!Reader

word count: 2294

summary: obi wan is worried about breaking the jedi code, but he breaks the reader’s heart along the way. angst, but a happy ending :) inspired by falling by why don’t we

author’s note: this is also my first star wars fic, so enjoy! if you want to be tagged in future fics, let me know!  also mostly unedited, so what’s new?

Falling in love was never a part of the plan, but sometimes the force works in mysterious ways. Unfortunately, Obi Wan was bound to the ways of the Jedi and y/n was caught in between her heart and her head. 

It all started when the Council sent the two out on a mission to Kamino to check on the clone army production and talk to Shaak Ti in person. They were in a small starship to stay out of the Seperatist scanners as they flew through the galaxy. The conversation started as they went into hyperspace.

“Master Kenobi, don’t take this the wrong way, but why did the council pick the both of us for this mission? Why not send General Skywalker with you, or even Commander Cody?” y/n said as Obi Wan turned to face her in the co-pilot chair. “I am sure that he wouldn’t mind seeing his home.”

“Well, I am glad that we were chosen for this. It sounds simple, and honestly, a little time away from the battleground is amazing. It also doesn’t hurt that I have a skilled General and Master Jedi to travel with,” y/n blushed and turned her chair forward to try and hide the emotion that had reddened her cheeks. “And to answer your second question, Anakin is currently travelling with Padme and we really can’t afford to take Commander Cody out of the war right now.”

“I am glad that you think that I am adept, but I think the only thing that we will be needing on this mission is your master negotiation skills.”

“Don’t overstate my wordsmith abilities. It is no match for your incredible actions on the battlefield. The council probably wants you to make an appearance to inspire the clones. If I were one of them, I would be praying to serve under you.”

And with that, y/n was stuck in the sand; unable to free her mind from his compliments. To Obi Wan, he was just saying the truth and didn’t think much about what he said. It is not because he did not mean what he said, but he believed that their relationship was strictly professional. Y/n did not realize that this moment would be when she fell off the ledge.  

The next few months separated the pair, but every night since their trip to Kamino they tried to contact each other through datapads, comlinks, and the occasional hologram. They both convinced the council it was to discuss strategy, but they really could not go long without each other. They seemed to understand each other in a way that nobody else could. Obi Wan and Anakin had an unbreakable bond, but it was something different with y/n. This was attachment. This was something that he was not allowed to feel. This was something that y/n was not allowed to feel. But here they were, harboring affection for each other behind the back of the Jedi. He told himself that this was no different than his relationship with any other member on the council, but he knew deep down that this was something else and he could not bear to admit it. 

After both generals successfully won their battles, they returned to Coruscant to meet with the Jedi Council and the Senate to report. Y/n arrived first and when she got word of Kenobi’s arrival, she dropped what she was doing and rushed to catch him before he met with the council. Obi smiled immediately when he saw y/n approaching him. 

“Y/n! Maker, it has been too long since I have seen you in person. I was starting to think that it was normal to be light blue and transparent,” Obi Wan stated while resisting the urge to embrace y/n in his arms.

“The sound of your voice is so much clearer when it is not coming through a transmission,” y/n laughed back.

“You know that you love it either way.”

“Yeah right.”

“Just admit that you love the sound of my voice,” Obi Wan pressed.

“Nope, I absolutely do not love the sound of your voice. I love you” y/n said back with a silly smile, but that is when the laughter stopped. Y/n finally said what was on her mind and it seemed to make the galaxy stop. 

Obi Wan heard those three words and shut down. He realized where he was standing: The Jedi Temple. He was in the one place that would disapprove of those eight letters. He felt so conflicted at that moment. His heart was telling him to say it back, but his head was telling him that it was wrong. He was usually so great with words, but now, he could not even think. Y/n stood there, searching Obi Wan’s eyes for some kind of response. She did not mean to do something wrong, but she still meant what she said, even if it was in response to Obi Wan’s classic quips. She would not take it back for anything. The silence was killing her. She prayed to herself, Oh maker, please just say something, anything. Suddenly Obi Wan came back to reality and shook his head.

“I-I am sorry. I just don’t know how to respond. You know I can’t say it back,” Obi Wan said, avoiding eye contact. Y/n then cut him off and closed the space between them.

“Why can’t you say it back if that’s how you feel. The force is flowing through us and it doesn’t lie. I would not ask this of you if it was not something that I thought you capable of. In case you forgot, I am a Jedi too. I am at as much of a risk at even contemplating what I admitted just minutes ago. Don’t you understand that I am not going to let the code dictate how I feel about you?”

Tears were rolling down y/n’s face. Faint footsteps were heard echoing from another part of the temple. It broke the silence that would have been too much to bear. Every emotion felt stronger and y/n cursed the force for heightening them. 

“Y/n, you understand better than anyone that sometimes I do not agree with the council, but the code is something that I live by. You can’t ask me to disregard everything that I stand for just for you.” Obi Wan finally looked into y/n’s eyes and pulled her hands into his.

“Don’t just do it for me. Do it for yourself.” 

There they were, staring into each other’s eyes. Both sets were filled with pain and even Obi Wan’s eyes were welling up with tears. It felt like an eternity and the only thing y/n could hear was the blood pumping through her veins. How could she stand here, staring into the eyes of the man she loved, feeling so lost and alone? She always felt safe and comfortable in Obi Wan presence, even now in this state of passionate confusion, she could not deny that her hands felt comfortable in his. Why could he not feel the same?

Obi Wan finally responded with a shake of his head, “I must go. This is not the time or the place.” And with that Obi Wan took off down the hallway, pulling his hood up as he went.

“Kriff you, Kenobi.” y/n said just loud enough for him to hear as he marched down the hallway. 

From that moment on, they distanced themselves from each other. Y/n did it to protect herself and keep her emotions in check. Even though she did not always agree with the Jedi, she agreed with the ideals and swore to follow them. Obi Wan did it for the same reasons, but he also did it because he did not want to admit what he was feeling. How could he feel this way when his entire upbringing was against it? He thought that if he revealed his love that he would be breaking the code. What he did not know that everything that he had done to spend time with y/n in the past revealed how he truly felt. Nothing could hide the fact that he loved her too. Anakin and Ahsoka harassed him about it on the daily. If they accepted it, why couldn’t he? 

~

Three long and lonely weeks after their fight, Obi Wan and y/n were forced to work things out. They were going to be leaving on an undercover mission soon and if they did not trust each other with their lives, it could result in a catastrophe. He journeyed out to find y/n conversing with the younglings that had just returned from creating their lightsabers. The children laughed and smiled as they proudly showed them off. Obi Wan had never seen this side of her before; it was always the confident general that inspired everyone around her and incited fear into her enemies, but this time it was different. She had been vulnerable in front of Obi Wan all those weeks ago, but something about this interaction with the younglings had changed him. He finally realized that attachment was not so bad. These children had proven that. It was at this moment that Obi Wan realized that he must admit his love. If y/n brought light to everyone around her, he wanted to be a part of that light. Y/n looked up and saw Obi Wan observing from a distance and realized that it was time to prepare for their departure. She finished talking with the younglings and then they ran off. Y/n stood up and brushed herself off as Kenobi approached.

“I am not looking forward to these mission preparations, but let’s just get on with it, Kenobi” y/n stated, still upset from earlier this month.

“Listen, y/n, I know you don’t want to go on this mission with me, or let alone be around me, but I have something that I need to say,” Obi Wan had y/n’s full attention now. “I l-”

Suddenly Anakin arrived and alerted the pair “Master Kenobi. Master y/n.”

“Yes, Anakin,” Obi Wan sighed.

“Master Yoda wants me to inform you that it is time for you guys to depart.”

“Thank you, Anakin. We will be on our way.”

Y/n stood there confused, but happy for them to get on their way and avoid this whole conversation. She was not ready to open up with Obi Wan after the way she was hurt the last time she conversed with him. She started to walk towards the ship, but Obi Wan grabbed her forearm to stop her from leaving.

“Y/n, please,” Obi Wan pleaded, “just let me finish.”

“You heard Anakin, it is time to go.” 

“No, this needs to be said before we go. Y/n, I love you. I know this goes against everything that I believe in because of the Jedi, but I can’t deny my emotions any longer. I know that we are not supposed to have attachments, but I feel stronger because of it. I see the way you interact with those around you. I have loved you since the day I met you. I love the way you use your emotions to guide you. You are brave, courageous, and someone that I strive to be.”

“Obi, I just, I don’t know what to say.” Y/n was shocked, but smiled happily. This is something that she wanted to hear for so long, but could not believe that it would actually happen. Obi Wan’s hands traveled to y/n’s shoulders. They were staring at each other intently, breathing in sync. The tension of the confession pulled them close. Obi Wan was the first to cut the tension with light sarcasm.  

“Don’t say anything then,” Obi Wan breathed out as he leaned in y/n. When their lips connected, they forgot that they were standing on the hanger, exposed. The force flowed through their bodies and they felt connected. This moment was something that each of them had been longing for. Soon they both remembered where they were standing and pulled apart. Luckily, nobody had passed by, but the two would always remember to stay hidden in the future.

A shared smile appeared on their lips as they walked towards their ship. This time the silence between them was comfortable, nothing like weeks ago. They both boarded the ship when Obi Wan decided to answer a question that had been asked long ago.

“Hey, y/n, do you remember when we went on our first solo mission together and you asked why the council would send the both of us?”

“Yeah, I still can’t figure it out, but I am glad that they did.”

“Well,” Obi Wan said sheepishly, “it is because I asked them if you could go with me. They asked me who I wanted to go with me since my usual companions were busy elsewhere, and I chose you. I never really knew why I was drawn to you, but the force influenced me.”

“I guess we have the force to thank for setting us up,” y/n laughed. “And if the force set us up then the Jedi are just going to have to deal with us. I mean, I don’t think that they will ever find out, but the force will be with us.”

Obi Wan nodded and let out a small chuckle. Each Jedi buckled into their seats and prepared to leave. As the generals flew off, their hands found each other. Silently, they both thanked the force for catching them as they fell, falling into love.

[pro-fangirls-unsocial-life]

The Duty of a Captain - Part Two

A/N: Hello Everyone! So this is the first fic that I have written like this. Posting chapters once I’m finished with them. I usually try and write the whole thing and then post each chapter on a schedule, but I was just so excited to tell Doc’s story that I thought I’d try this! If you want to be tagged whenever I post a new chapter of Doc’s story, please message me and let me know! Oh! Ad the italics are Docs thoughts (sorry if thats not clear, Im still a learner lol).

Length: ~2600 words (damn I did not mean to make it that long. I thought maybe 1000 lol)

Warnings: mentions of death, blood, abuse, pong krell, angst

Previous

It had taken more time than usual to get all of the field equipment back to the Jedi cruiser Tolerance. With so many men being lost, there were not as many hands to get the usual post battle procedures done and General Krell was not happy with the delay.

 Doc had been called back to the cruiser before the rest of his men down on the surface to deliver the mission report to the Jedi council alongside the Besalisk Jedi. He had finished the troop requisitions and mission report hours ago and had begun helping the others load up equipment when he got the transmission.

 Now, as he held onto the handle of the gunship that had been sent to pick him up, he held his breath. He had never spoken to the Jedi council before, but he had heard stories. He remembered hearing his captain talking about how intimidating it was. How even from across the galaxy, they could feel the slightest thing. How the combined power of all of those Jedi masters was a force to be reckoned with. At least, that is what the general had told his former captain.

He was afraid to face that much power. If the other Jedi were anything like his general, he wanted the meeting with them to go by as fast as possible.

 He imagined what they might be like. He envisioned powerful warriors, all huge and intimidating like his general. With merciless eyes and a scowl that sent fear through the bodies of anyone who dared to look upon it. He imagined their lightsabers never being too far away from their hands, ready to be ignited and run through something or someone at a moment’s notice.

 Doc was pulled from his thoughts when the voice of the pilot came through his comms and he felt the ship being maneuvered into the main hanger. “We’re here sir.” The doors opened as the ship was set down, revealing Krell waiting in the hanger with his arms crossed behind his back.

 “Thanks for the lift Short-stuff,” Doc said as he stepped out onto the metal floor of the hanger.

 “Anytime sir.” The doors to the ship closed behind Doc as he began walking away, his hands reaching up to take off his helmet. “Oh, and sir?”

 Doc briefly stopped and looked up toward the cockpit, his hands halting on the sides of his head as the man stared back at him.

 “Good luck.”

 Doc finished pulling off his helmet, a small smile gracing his features as he gave the pilot a quick nod.

 “CT-5770, start moving! I have a mission report to give and will not be blamed for you making me late.”

 Doc spun around, quickly making his way to follow the general out of the hanger. “Yes, sir. My apologies, sir.”

 Krell dismissively waved his hand, not bothering to look behind him at Doc as he spoke. “Am I correct in assuming that you are ill equipped for this situation?”

 Doc furrowed his brow, thinking through what he had already done. He had already turned in the mission report, and the casualty and damage reports. What more could he do to be prepared? “Excuse me, sir,” he asked, confusion lightly lacing his voice.

 “Feeble minded clones,” Krell muttered under his breath. He stopped and spun around, looming over the captain. “You have never given a mission report to any Jedi before? Correct?”

 Doc swallowed and stood straighter, coming to attention. “Yes, sir. That is correct, but all troops are trained on Kamino to be knowledgeable about—”

 “Enough. I do not care about the laboratory that bred you or what you claim to know. Since you have never done it, let me give you some rules that I expect you to follow exactly. Is that understood?”

 “Of course, sir.”

 “Good.” Krell turned back around and kept walking toward the bridge. “You are to stand behind me at all times unless told otherwise. Understood?”

 “Yes, sir.”

 “You will remain silent and will only speak when spoken to directly by myself or the council.”

 “Yes, sir.”

 “When you are asked a question, you stick to the description of the battle that I give. The council does not have time to listen to your view of the smaller picture. Is that clear?”

 Doc hesitated for a moment. “Why would the battle descriptions be different?”

 The door to the bridge whooshed open and Krell walked up to the command table. “Do I make myself clear CT-5770,” Krell snapped over his shoulder.

 “Yes, sir,” Doc said, the hesitation still apparent in his voice.

 Krell threw a cold look over his shoulder as he stepped back, waiting for the transmission to begin. “Good.”

 Doc felt a shiver run down his back as he came to attention behind Krell. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves, afraid that the Jedi council would be able to sense his fear of them. Or worse, that Krell would be able to sense his unease about his presence alone.

 “Incoming transmission from Coruscant, sir.”

 “Put it through.”

 Nine blue figures suddenly appeared on the table and Doc’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise before he catches himself and returns to a neutral face.

 They don’t look anything like Doc had imagined them. All of them are wearing soft looking robes with their hands resting gently in front of them. Their lightsabers are tucked away, either out on a hip, or hidden within the fabrics they wear, far away from the hands that might wield them.

 They do not dress like warriors, not wearing any armor. Those that do only wear basic arm and leg guards.

 None of them look particularly threatening, especially considering that one is not even as tall as Doc’s knee.

 They all share the peaceful demeanor and kind eyes that one would find in the company of an old friend.

 “This can’t be right,” he thinks to himself. “This has to be some kind of trick to get me to slip up. Jedi aren’t kind.”

 Krell does a small bow. “Shall we wait for the other three members of the council to arrive, Master Yoda?”

 Doc once again has to keep himself from making a face when the small creature directly across from Krell speaks.

 “Masters Shaak Ti, Kenobi, and Billaba, busy they are with other matters. Hear your report without them, we will.”

 “That’s Grand Master Yoda? The head of the Jedi Council? The Jedi who leveled nearly one thousand battle droids by himself?”

 “Very well,” Krell said. “The mission was a success. The planet Castell is now under Republic control and a treaty has been drafted for the mining resources that the planet possesses. They have also agreed to a Republic base being built there should we desire it.”

 The Jedi to the left of Master Yoda shifts. “Yes, however this battle did take longer than expected. This has set our timeline for the entire system back.”

 “I am aware, Master Windu.”

 “And, many casualties your battalion has suffered,” Yoda said gravely.

 “Yes,” Krell considered. “There were some… unforeseen circumstances that could not be avoided.”

 “Liar.”

 “Hmm. A new captain you have gained I see,” Yoda said as he gestured to Doc.

 Doc stiffened, the fear he had before returning to him.

 “Yes,” Krell said. “The previous captain was killed on this campaign.”

 “Hmm.” Yoda brought his hand up to his chin as he looked over Doc. “Step forward Captain.”

 Doc swallowed and stepped forward, his body never leaving attention as he stared directly in front of him.

 All the eyes of the council were on him. He could feel them looking over him, taking in everything that they could see of his fear filled body.

 “What is your name trooper?”

 “My designation is CT-5770, sir,” he replied stiffly, not turning his eyes away from directly in front of him to look at the Jedi who had addressed him.

 “Your name son,” came a different voice. It was soft and gentle, like the person it came from actually cared.

 Doc faltered slightly, turning toward the voice to face the Kel-Dor Jedi. “It’s- It’s uhh, Doc, sir,” he said cautiously before turning back to attention.

 “Please, at ease be Captain.”

 Doc looked back at Krell and was met with a neutral face, giving him no indication to stay at attention. Looking back at Yoda, he awkwardly shuffled into a stiff parade rest.

 “Captain Doc,”

 Doc’s eyebrows shot up at the sound of his name being said by someone other than his brothers before he quickly forced them back down, hoping that none of the Jedi noticed. All of them did.

 “Agree with Master Krell’s description of the battle, do you?”

 “No.”

 “Yes, sir,” he said without hesitation, his fear of disobeying Krell’s rules pulsing in the back of his mind.

 The council hesitated for a moment, all of the members on it exchanging quick glances before looking back at Doc.

 “I sense much fear in you Captain,” the Kel-Dor Jedi said lightly.

 Doc sucked in a breath, trying to quiet his mind.

 The Kel-Dor leans forward, pointing at Doc. “You mustn’t be afraid to tell us information that we may not be pleased to hear.”

 “Yes,” Yoda says. “Tell us the truth you must, so that better prepared we can be for future battles.”

 Doc swallows, looking between the three Jedi who look at him with questioning faces.

 “I do not fear telling you the truth Master Jedi,” he lies as he looks at each member of the council.

 “So then Captain, tell us,” Windu says. “Do you agree with Master Krell’s description of the battle?”

 Doc hesitates for a moment, looking back at Krell and seeing hard eyes staring back at him. He takes a deep breath, turning his attention back toward Master Windu.

 “Well… I…” He quickly looks down, before bringing his head back up high.

 The members of the council lean forward, urging him to finish his thought.

 “I do think that there were ways we could have avoided so many casualties had we tried… different strategies.”

 The Jedi all look at each other, nodding. “Then discuss that with your general, you will,” Yoda says.

 He looks at Krell, whose expression Doc cannot see. “A discussion with your new captain, you will have. Then reassess the information you give in reports, you will. A discussion with you, I will have at a later date. Talk about what you and your captain agreed on, we will.”

 Krell’s voice cuts through the tight tension that has taken over the bridge as the deck officers take turns staring at the meeting. “Yes, master.”

 “Very good.” Master Windu looks around at all of the Jedi, who give him a soft nod. “Your next assignment will be transmitted to you within a few days. In that time, you are to travel to Kamino to pick up your new troopers.”

 “Understood.”

 Windu nodded at Krell and then Doc. “May the Force be with you.”

 One by one, the blue images of the Jedi faded out until only Yoda remained. “Much fear there is in you young one,” he said as he pointed at Doc. “Know not what it is you fear, but learn to control it, you must. Yes.”

 Doc looks at the ground before looking back at Yoda, nodding his head. “I will try sir.”

 “You will. Of that, certain I am.” He gives one final smile to Doc, and then his image disappears.

 Doc steps back from the table and instantly spins around toward his general, frantically trying to apologize. “Sir, I am so sorry. I didn’t know that they would—”

 Doc yelps as a huge arm hits him hard across the face, sending him tumbling backwards onto the ground. His helmet clatters as it hits the ground and is sent flying across the floor.

 He can feel his left eye pulsing as blood rushes to the area that was hit. He looks up to see his general towering over him with rage filling his eyes and a snarl covering his face.

 “Sir, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to—”

 “You will stand at attention when you speak to me clone!” Krell’s voice booms out across the silent bridge.

 Every pair of eyes stares at him in fear, while breath is held in anticipation.

 Doc begins pushing himself off of the floor, sucking in a sharp breath. “Yes, sir,” he says meekly.

 He comes back to attention, looking up at the furious Jedi, before Krell’s left arm comes up to backhand Doc once again, sending him to the floor.

 “How dare you embarrass me in front of the council!”

 Doc begins standing up once again, trying to come to attention. “I’m sorry sir! I didn’t mean to—”

 He feels Krell’s fist on his face again before he can fully get up and is sent to the floor once again.

 “Consider this a warning clone,” Krell says, his voice a menacing growl. “You will learn your place. Understood?”

 Doc brings his hand to his lip as he slowly gets up. He pulls it away to see blood on his glove before pulling his hand down to come to attention. He looks up at Krell defiantly, his left eye already beginning to swell and obstruct his vision. “Yes, sir.”

 Krell looks around at the troopers on the bridge that have been staring at them with wide eyes. “Understood?”

 As quick as lightning, they all snap to attention before saying in unison, “Sir, yes sir!”

 With that, Krell turned and began storming out of the bridge, stopping just before he got to the door. He turned around walking back up to Doc and getting in his space. “I still expect those reports to be filled out on time, Captain.”

 “Of course, sir,” Doc says, keeping his voice level.

 He watches Krell leave before looking around at the shocked and terrified faces of his brothers. He sighs, bringing his hand back up to his bleeding lip. “It’s alright,” he says softly, trying to comfort them. “Everyone just try to get back to your work so that this day might end a bit better than it began.”

 He looks around, seeing all of the fear on his brothers faces as they silently turn back to their duties. None of them are much older than him. Maybe three of the men he can see are the same age as him, but the rest are all younger.

 He sighs, trying not to think about how terrified they must be. He needs to be strong for them like his brothers were for him when he first began the never-ending nightmare of serving in the 904th.

 “Lieutenant,” he says.

 “Yes, sir?”

 “I am going to go to the med bay. Could you have someone go to the captain’s quarters and bring the data pad here? I am going to work on the bridge once I am done.”

 “Of course, sir.”

 Doc gives a small smile. “Thank you.” He lowers his voice. “Have someone notify me once the General has returned to his quarters for the night cycle. Once it has been cleared with me, begin phase one of the geode protocol. Can you do that?”

 The lieutenant pulls back, his eyes lighting up slightly at the mention of the secret order. “Of course, sir.”

 Doc puts his hand on the trooper’s shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. “Thank you.” He began to walk out of the bridge, stopping to turn back toward the lieutenant. “Comm me if anything is needed. Got it?”

 “Yes, sir.”

 With that, Doc began his walk toward the medbay, his lip dripping blood onto his plain white armor the entire time.

[banesoka]

Untitled Pirate AU Fanfic

Part One

Cad Bane leaned against the steering wheel of the ship, looking out to the calm blue sea.  The wind pulled at the brim of his hat, the taste of salt and fresh air filling his lungs.  His pirate ship, Sleight of Hand, was one of the fastest and most feared of the Caribbean seas. Two other ships in his fleet, Xanadu Blood and The Justifier, followed close by.  He took quick glances back at the two other ships, as always admiring the beautiful woodwork along the bowstrips.

Sabine Wren, one of the youngest members of his crew but had lots of potential, walked up to him.  She pulled back her hair, the ends crudely cut by her knife, lips chapped and eyes bright.

“Just finished checking the tackle, Captain.”

He nodded in reply, then pulled out his spyglass and looked out to the horizon.  Only a few moments later he pulled it back.

“Port of Kiros is in sight at last.”

“Aye sir.”  She beamed with excitement.  They had been anticipating their attack on the Port for many weeks now.  Kiros was known as one of the wealthiest nations, having profited off their numerous sugar plantations.  The Port housed their largest plantation and housed the great Duchess Shaak Ti.  Rumors had also circulated around the ports that a young princess had recently settled in to live on the island as well.  Perfect place to raid.  Plenty of loot and treasure was waiting for them and they itched to get their hands on it.

Bane handed Sabine his spyglass, much to her delight.

“Tell me what you see, Wren.”

She took it and peered through at the land not far off.

“Two cannon towers on either side of the bay.  And two…no, three…three schooners.”

“This will be easy.  We’ll wait until nightfall.  Take them by surprise.  Go tell the crew.”

“Aye sir!”

Meanwhile, at the Port Kiros plantation, Princess Ahsoka and her aunt Shaak Ti had just finished a luxurious dinner and were relaxing in the parlor.  Ahsoka was looking out the window which provided a beautiful view of the city and the sea beyond.  She could smell the salt from her and it made her think of the trip she took her from her old home, back from the old Kiros land where she had been born and raised the first sixteen years of her life.  The plantation house was grand and beautiful and had everything a princess could ever want.  In the past two weeks she had been given so much by her aunt.

But something was missing from it.  Something nagged at the back of her mind like an itch she couldn’t scratch, no matter how she felt she should be happy here.  She just could not figure out what she did not have.

A servant brought them fresh drinks on a silver tray.  Aunt Shaak Ti quietly thanked them as they sipped their drinks.

“How have your lessons been going?” she asked her niece.

“I enjoy them.  I had no idea there were so many things to read about.”  She spent a few hours a day in the library, nose deep in a book, studying whatever topic her tutor had decided to teach for the day.  She tended to enjoy studying navigation, mechanical philosophy, and astronomy the most.

“I figured you would.  When you want more books let me know and I’ll have them brought here for you.”  Shaak Ti smiled a little.

“You have already been more around than my mama and papa.”  Ahsoka looked down at her drink.  “Sorry…I shouldn't speak ill of the dead.”

“It's no problem at all, Ahsoka.  I know how lonely you must get here sometimes.  But I've arranged for your lessons in advanced fencing and swordsmanship, so that will keep you occupied.”

That made Ahsoka brighten up.  She had been training in fencing for many years now and it was her favorite activity.  Not only did it make long dull afternoons go by quickly but she loved the use of balance and coordination that came with it.  Too bad her father had never approved of her handling a sword.

“Thank you Auntie.  I have been ready for them for a while now.”

Shaak Ti began to speak as she usually did about how the sugar plantation was doing as well as politics that always seemed to drive her mad.  And Ahsoka did as she always would and looked out the window again, letting the sea carry away her imagination, wondering what was out there.  She had heard many stories spoken by the people of Port Kiros.  Stories about mermaids that sang you to sleep while dragging you to the sandy floor.  Of giant monsters that climbed down from the stormclouds.  And of course of the terrible pirates roaming the waters, some that took no prisoners and would even eat sailors if given the chance.

When Shaak Ti finally left for the evening, Ahsoka did what she did almost every night and snuck out her window upstairs.  In her big cumbersome pink princess dress, she climbed the trick and mortar to the top of the mansion. The fact that Togrutans were traditionally bare foot helped her greatly, and she had never liked shoes much anyway.  As a child she climbed every tree she could find  She climbed to her favorite spot. The highest spire with a single pole flying the Tano family crest. She let the cool night air blow between her head tails and under her skirt. She came up here every night to just think or not think and just read the stars.

After a while sitting there staring up at the stars Ahsoka thought something strange in the sea. It looked like a shadow. And it was growing closer. Growing up near the sea taught her that this meant a ship was approaching. She tried to tell herself is was just a merchant or a late night fisherman. But the ship was too big and she got a bad feeling about it.

Suddenly one of the ships shot a cannon at the tower, then another ship shit at one of the schooners.

She covered her mouth in horror and alarm.

“Pirates," she said to herself. She had read stories about them but had never seen any before. They terrified her.

She heard the bell in the tower begin clanging before another cannon took it out. She tried to climb as fast as she could back inside but moving fast caused her to loosed some of her concentration. She accidentally grabbed a loose bring and fell. But tonight she was lucky and slid against a cloth over hand and into a cart full of soft hay.

The screams of the townsfolk began to ring through the night.  A few buildings were already in flames from the explosions.  Ahsoka climbed out of the cart without a scratch on her. Her dress wasn't even ripped. She looked around as she straightened her tiara and found she was on the lower streets outside the castle walls.  That meant she would have to walk all the way around the castle to get back in. Cannons continued firing and she saw fire begin to spread across the beach over the schooners. Soldiers were being killed left and right, their screams echoing. She saw the largest pirate ship, black as the night, land at the bay and pirates began heading for the beach in swarms.

There was no time to run around the castle and her elaborate dress would only draw their attention. She could only resort to hiding.

"Find the duchess and the princess!" she heard a voice shout. The accent sounded foreign but Ahsoka guessed maybe it was Duros mixed with something else. "Don't harm either of them. Kill everyone else." The Pirates laughed and stormed into the mansion. From Ahsoka's hiding place she could see them cut down the guards. One of their swords fell and landed right next to her.

She scooped it up. She couldn't stand to see people dying especially if it was to protect her. Anger in her stirred at the pirates’ cruelty, their bloodlust of killing innocent people without a care.  And her anger drove her to pick up the sword and approach the man who had spoken.  Her small Togrutan fangs began to glisten in the moonlight.

As she crept up behind him, she could only see him as only a shadow at first.  He was leading his crew into the mansion to take all the loot they could carry and he stood at the top of the steps leading to the main entrance.  His pirates hooted and hollered as they stormed inside.  As Ahsoka got closer she could make out more of his features. A large wide brimmed hat, glowing Duros eyes, a scarred weathered face, a large leather coat, and bloodstained black boots.

She lashed at him with her sword trying to remember all her training at once.

He turned around and blocked her attack. He grinned wildly at her. "Well if it isn't the little princess."

"Leave this place and go far away!”  she meant it to sound demanding and intimidating but it came out like a kid asking her parent for a cookie.

He laughed. "Cute little thing." He sliced at her dress, tearing part of the front off.

”I am the future queen of Kiros! You will not speak to me like that!”

"You're no queen anymore. Now you're the honored guest on Sleight of Hand." He parried her blow and struck her sword, twisting it out of her hand with a devilish grin.

Despite her efforts to hide her fear, Ahsoka’s chest heaved and her eyes got big.  He was much taller than her and any second he could stab her or slice off her head.  She looked around at all the dead scattered around the front of the mansion lying in pools of blood.  Most were guards but there were also servants and their families and even a few other nobles who lived with them in the mansion.  She knew all of them by name. They were more like family than her dead parents.  With a deep breath Ahsoka looked back up at the Duros pirate.

"If I go with you…will you stop the killing?” she asked.

He didn’t move but his gaze was locked on her every move.

"I would consider it,” he finally answered.

"Fine then.”  Ahsoka turned and tried to run.  Maybe she could grab another weapon in time.

He ran after her and grabbed her by the back of her dress.

“Noble effort, little lady, but did you really think that would work?” He dragged her back to where two of his crew members stood by. "Bind her and take her to the ship, then make sure she doesn't escape.”

"Aye captain." One of them grabbed her arms and the other bound her wrists tightly.

"No!! Let me go!”  Ahsoka struggled and kicked at them. One of them took a sharp kick to the groin and doubled over in pain. The other grabbed her ankles and began tying them together. The first one snarled at her and grabbed her chin.

"Feisty little brat aren't you? Well we'll fix that." He pulled out a boot polish rag and stuffed it in her mouth, then wrapped rope around her head forming a gag.

She slowly stopped fighting them realizing there was no point.  Tears flooded her eyes as they carried her to the ship, past the burning town and the villagers who ran for safety before they were slaughtered.  When she was on board another pirate who seemed to be the first mate took one look at her before saying, “Take her to the captain's quarters.”

[fireflyfish]

After the end - anything you want to share n Vaderkin, and how he feels about Obi-Wan, Padme, the empire, palpatine, what he did to the jedi...Also, did AtE Anakin ever have a crush on Obi-Wan, or was it only ever Padme for him?

I would like to say that I am thrilled with the reception this little fic has received. I started it mostly for myself and my Fem! Obi-Wan feels and the fact that anyone likes it, let alone wants to know about it just fills me with a lot of happy, squeaky glee. So thank you! ^_^

So... Vaderkin’s thoughts on...

Obi-Wan: He is torn because the part of him that we would recognize as Anakin (generally wants to do the right thing, understands killing innocents is bad, loves his children and wants what’s best for them) misses her intensely. Like talking about her in his sleep intensely.

When Anakin made his Faustian deal with Sidious, he didn’t really think much further than “If I do this, it will save Padme”. Life after saving Padme has not been the happily ever after he thought it was going to be and on top of that, he had always assumed that Obi-Wan would be there. She is his former master, his best friend, his partner! Of course she would be there! Of course she would betray the Order and come be with him.

So the fact that she’s not there and more importantly, she’s not there to support him is unbalancing for him. He wants her back. Obi-Wan belongs with Anakin. He’s going to do everything he can to get her back but he’s also not summoned the might of the Empire to hunt her down because he also kind of understands why she ran. He might not ever admit that to himself but he hasn’t tried as hard as he might have in canon to find Obi-Wan because finding her means bad things and he doesn’t want to hurt her anymore than he already has.

The Vader Aspect (murder is my hobby, what is my bidding my master? Ooo! Happy days! I get to kill Separatists!) wants to find Obi-Wan and hurt her. She left him. She abandoned him. She ran away. She belongs to him and she had no right to run away. How dare Obi-Wan leave him behind? She will regret abandoning him.

Vader is much more clear about what he wants from Obi-Wan.

Padme: He loves her. As much as a Sith Lord can love anything. He loves her very, very much. He had to, right? He did all of this for her, right? He murdered Mace Windu and Shaak Ti and everyone in the Jedi Temple for her. He. Loves. Her. Padme is his angel. The light of his life. HE. LOVES. HER. He did ALL of this for her and she had better appreciate it. He gave up Obi-Wan for Padme. She is his beautiful wife and now that she doesn’t have to worry about being a Senator she can spend all her time with Anakin and their children and everything is perfect and wonderful, RIGHT????

Sadly I can’t tell you anything else because that would be spoilers but Vaderkin is insistent that everyone knows that he loves Padme. So so much. He fell to the Dark Side for her and not for his own hunger for power and glory because he didn’t want that. He just wanted to save Padme’s life.

The Empire: Eh. It’s a better organized version of the Republic. He still can’t tell people what to do and there are still too many restraints on his power but it’s slowly but surely bringing peace to the galaxy and he doesn’t mind being a High General now or being called Lord Skywalker. He feels like he’s finally getting the respect that he was denied by the Jedi Council. But now he’s been thrown in the deep end of the political pool with some very skilled sharks and he’s a little concerned he’s not clever enough to deal with all of them.

But he would be if he could find Obi-Wan, because she always knew what to do when it came to politics. And Padme is not a part of that world anymore. Period. End of story.

Palpatine: He is not as nice a master as Obi-Wan was. That surprised him. Also, he doesn’t like Palpatine’s interest in Luke and Leia and his insistence that Anakin should spend more time away from them. He doesn’t mind doing things as Vader when the call arises but he doesn’t trust Palpatine very much. Obi-Wan and Padme managed to get through to him that Palpatine isn’t to be trusted and Vaderkin suspects that Palpatine isn’t sharing all of his vast Sith knowledge with him.

But he thinks Palpatine is doing a pretty good job running the Empire and he’s okay with being the poster boy for the New Galactic Order.

He is convinced he could take Palpatine in a fight if it came down to that.

Order 66/Operation Knightfall: The Jedi, minus Obi-Wan, were traitors who deserved what they got. He does not feel guilty. No he does not see the stabbed and mutilated bodies of the murdered when he visits Palpatine in the newly re-done Imperial Palace that was the old Jedi Temple. He does not hear them screaming. He does not smell the smoke and stench of death. None of these things bother him. Nope. He’s not seeing that. No way no how.

He does not know that Order 66 was activated against Ahsoka. Palpatine keeps most of the information pertaining to Obi-Wan and Ahsoka on a tight lockdown. He doesn’t know where Rex is and he doesn’t care who is leading the 212 as long that battalion is never on his ship or in his fleet.

Did AtE Anakin ever have a crush on Obi-Wan or was only ever Padme it for him?

He had complicated feelings about Obi-Wan. Yes. He thought she was beautiful woman. But he has loved Padme since the moment he met her because she is an angel and a queen and so petite and feminine! Padme is perfect and she loves him and he loves her and they are married!

Seriously, he would never, ever entertain those kinds of thoughts about Obi-Wan because... she’s Obi-Wan and there’s no way Obi-Wan has thoughts like that. Right? >_> Especially about him because if she did he would have known about it because they were so close and there was no way she could hid something like that from him. Right? Obi-Wan? You aren’t secretly in love with someone else right? LIKE BAIL KARKING ORGANA OR THAT KRIFFING QUINLAN VOS, RIGHT???

But he was furiously angry any time Obi-Wan did what Obi-Wan does, which is attempt to flirt her way out of a deadly situation before resorting to chopping limbs off like hungry man at an all you can eat Alaskan King crab shack. That was a terrible analogy. Anyway! Obi-Wan was very much like Anakin’s “work wife” and Padme was the wife he came home to. And that worked for a very long time until it didn’t.

I write fan fiction and I’m totally down with you visiting my inbox to ask my questions about my fics which are listed in the tags.

[fireflyfish]

May I Present Master Jinn?

Previously on Tano and Kenobi...

Ahsoka Tano stood before the Jedi Order and pleaded her case. In spite of suspicion and doubt cast on her by none other that Masters Ki-Adi-Mundi and Sifo Dyas, Grand Master Yoda managed to convince the Council to accept Ahsoka back into the fold. Finally, Ahsoka Tano has become a Jedi Knight and now it’s time for the real work to get started...

First | Previous | Next | AO3

The Jedi Council broke up for lunch after meeting with Ahsoka as some gave her suspicious looks but a few came over to personally welcome her.

“I am always happy to see a fellow Togruta join our Order,” Shaak Ti smiled, reaching out to touch Ahsoka’s shoulder.

Ahsoka nodded her thanks in return. “It’s good to be back, Master Ti,” she said, surprised at such a warm welcome. “I was gone for far too long.”

“Grief can cloud our judgement,” Shaak Ti agreed, squeezing her shoulder before she took her leave.

Yoda hummed thoughtfully as he stood at Ahsoka’s side. “Wise and kind, Master Ti is. Know her, do you?”

Ahsoka’s expression was wry and amused as she glanced down at Yoda. “Yes. I looked up to her when I was a padawan.”

Chuckling to himself, Yoda gestured for Ahsoka to follow him out of the Council Room. “Come, come! Test your navigation skills, I will. Find the great hall and lunch, we shall.”

“Knight Tano!” a voice filtered through a rebreather called out, and Ahsoka froze, her heart clenched tight in her chest.

Master Plo!

Turning around, Ahsoka tried to control her emotions, to tamp down on her overwhelming joy at seeing one of her favorite Jedi alive again. It had been difficult to hold back the tears before the meeting but now that he was walking towards her, now that she was older and taller than the last time she saw him, all the years apart hit her at once and it took all her control to stay standing.

“Master Plo Koon,” Ahsoka said, bowing and hoping she didn’t sound as emotional as she felt. “My master spoke very highly of you.”

“How unfortunate I was never able to meet this… Master Skywalker,” Plo Koon said, running his finger under his chin. “Forgive me for asking a personal question but, have we met before? I sensed a connection that has surprised me.”

Ahsoka swallowed and shook her head. “No. I don’t believe we have.”

Well, not yet anyway, Master Plo.

“How strange,” the Kel Dor Jedi murmured, glancing down at Master Yoda, whose ears perked cheerfully. “The Force was quite insistent. I suppose I must meditate on this further.”

“A good idea, that is, Master Plo,” Yoda commented, clicking his staff on the floor for emphasis. “Your guidance, I sense Knight Tano will need.”

“Of course,” Master Plo nodded to the Grand Master. “If I can be of help in anyway, please do not hesitate to ask, Knight Tano.”

“Th-thank you, Master Plo,” Ahsoka managed to get out without bursting into tears or throwing her arms around the Jedi Master. She watched him depart and then turned back to Yoda. “To the dining hall?”

Yoda chuckled as Ahsoka knelt down and let him clamber up onto her back. “For the ride, thank you. Discuss your path forward we should.”

Ahsoka nodded. “Yes. But I also wanted to ask about Obi-Wan. Is he really going to be sent to Bandomeer if no one takes him as a padawan?”

“Surprised are you?” Yoda replied, his taloned claws gently pressing into Ahsoka’s shoulder. “Know this tradition, you should.”

The Grand Master had a point. Although the Clone Wars had caused the Order to promote almost any initiate that managed to make it through the third level of training, she could still remember her early years when they had gossiped with the younglings about who had been picked and who had grown too old to be chosen. She remembered watching one young Twi’lek boy who was caught crying in the corner of a hallway when he was informed he wasn’t going to move on to an apprenticeship and could either stay in the Temple as a mechanic or could return home to his family that he did not know.

She never found out what happened to that child.

“I know the traditions but maybe they need to be reconsidered,” Ahsoka offered, her voice light and hopeful. “Thirteen seems too young to write off a sentient. And Obi-Wan is so talented! I know if he just had the right master he would flourish under their teachings.”

Yoda canted his head to the side. “Agreed, we are. Powerful in the Force, Obi-Wan is. A great Jedi, he might be. But emotional, rash and reckless, he is. Fear and anger, many sense in him.”

“He’s thirteen!” Ahsoka protested, wincing at her too sharp voice. It wouldn’t do to get on Yoda’s bad side after he had just vouched for her in front of the Council. She couldn’t do this the Skywalker way. She had to negotiate, to reason with the Grand Master and the Order itself. “I’m sorry. I spoke too… harshly. But maybe the fear everyone is sensing is his fear of being cast out of his home?”

“Perhaps,” Yoda mused, pointing to the right. “Another time, we will discuss Obi-Wan. To the right, our meal is.”

This isn’t over, Master Yoda. Not by a long shot. Ahsoka let out a sigh and turned around. “Yes, Master.”

“Lose faith, do not,” Yoda said, patting Ahsoka’s shoulder. “Revealed in time, Obi-Wan’s master will be. Know this, I do.”

“Did you have someone in mind?” she asked, curious and hoping to prod the ancient master in the right direction. “Perhaps a diplomat or someone similar?”

Yoda laughed out loud at this, the swells of humor nearly knocking him off Ahsoka’s shoulder as they stepped into the dining hall. He leapt down from his perch and clacked his way to the line, greeting all Jedi alike with a twinkle in his eyes. He beckoned for Ahsoka to follow after him and she did so, shaking her head, bemused.

After lunch, Ahsoka was whisked away by a padawan working for the Quarter Master’s office. She was officially given the room she was already sleeping in, assigned a personal communicator, a identification code as well as an appointment to return and get fitted for her robes.

After she was done with that bit of housekeeping, another padawan, dressed in healer robes appeared in the doorway and Ahsoka was bundled off to the Halls of Healing for a physical and a series of booster hypos. She was scheduled for a follow-up visit as well as a visit to the dentist, which sent Ahsoka in a fit of laughter, puzzling the poor healer who couldn’t understand why she hadn’t had the time to maintain proper dental hygiene when on the run from the Empire.

Once freed from the clutches of the well-meaning healers, Ahsoka stepped out into the Temple and looked around for a chrono. She had promised Obi-Wan that she was going to catch up with him during his last hour of saber practice and she did not want to be late. Master Obi-Wan was never late and Ahsoka couldn’t help feeling like she had to live up to him, to make sure she didn’t change the young initiate’s destiny too much.

Besides, as much as she loved Anakin, he was notoriously tardy and she got a little tired of having to stare at the ground while another master lectured them both on the importance of being on time.

Of course, Anakin would have retorted that he was on time when it mattered.

“I thought there was a chrono around here somewhere,” Ahsoka muttered to herself as she peered around a corner, searching in vain. “Kriff it! I could have sworn there was one in this hallway.”

She spied a tall, broad, imposing figure walking down the hallway with the sedate pace of a master. Half of his brown hair was pulled up into a tail and the rest left to fall around his wide shoulders like a cape. Ahsoka hurried after him in the vain hopes he knew where the nearest chrono was and if he could point her in the direction of the Northern Solar room.

“Excuse me!” she called out, wondering how someone who seemed to move at a glacial pace could cover so much ground. And Ahsoka thought she was tall.

I think he might even be taller than Skyguy!

The Jedi Master in question turned around, a curious expression on his face as he folded his arms over his chest. “Yes? Can I help you, young one?”

Ahsoka came to a stop, chuckling and waving off the Jedi’s comment, because she most certainly didn't feel young anymore. “Hello! I don't suppose you know what time it is or how to get to the Northern Solar room? I've been out in the field for a while and with all the renovations I'm completely lost.”

The master reached into his robe and pulled a small chrono and read off the time. “It is 1530 hours and if you're searching for the Northern Solar room you’ll need to turn back around, take a left and go all the way to the end of the hall and take turbolifts on the right to the fifth level from this one.”

Ahsoka mentally walked through the instructions and then nodded. “I think I got it. Thank you for your help.”

“You're welcome,” the master smiled, kind and inviting. “I don't believe we've met. I'm Qui-Gon Jinn. You said you've been out in the field for a long time?”

Ahsoka’s eyes nearly bugged out her head and she managed to cover her shock and delight with a wide grin. “Yes. I was. But I can't believe it! You're Master Jinn? My master told me all about you!”

Qui-Gon Jinn in the flesh! Here was the answer to Obi-Wan’s prayers and all she had to do was gently nudge the two together.

Fantastic! Maybe I could invite him to our training session.

Qui-Gon seemed politely amused by Ahsoka’s statement. “Oh really? And who might your master be?”

“Master Skywalker but he… passed away,” Ahsoka replied, wondering when and if that would ever be any easier to say. It still felt raw and wrong even in the midst of a happy meeting. “But he was a fan of yours.”

“How unfortunate I never got the chance to meet him in person,” Qui-Gon murmured, his voice low and resonate like a summer thunderstorm. “I am sorry for your loss Knight… ?”

“Ahsoka Tano,” she said, bowing to Qui-Gon. “And thank you. Even though it happened years ago it still… it still hurts.”

“Yes, well, that is why we must be mindful of our attachments,” Qui-Gon commented, folding his hands into his sleeves and Ahsoka realized just where Master Obi-Wan had acquired that particular habit. “A Jedi must always keep their mind on the present moment and the living Force, lest our sorrow and grief drag us down a darker path.”

Ahsoka nodded in agreement. “Yes, of course. I'll have to remember that. Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure, Knight Tano and now if you will excuse me, I must be off,” Qui-Gin seemed to gather himself up and turned towards the other end of the hallway. “I have an appointment in the Senate building and I mustn't be late.”

“Oh! My apologies Master Jinn,” Ahsoka took a step back and watched the towering man head towards the end of the hall before she remembered. “Oh! Master Jinn? If it's too much trouble, could you… oh.”

Master Jinn had already turned the corner and moved out of earshot, the fastest-moving glacier Ahsoka had ever seen. She let out a sigh and shook her head, glad that Master Obi-Wan hadn’t developed that habit from his master, before she turned around and headed off back the way she came.

Obi-Wan and her first real teaching awaited.

Obi-Wan hated Soresu practice.

No, that wasn’t true. He didn’t hate Soresu practice so much as he was exhausted, his legs ached, his feet throbbed in his boots and he had run out of electrolyte mix a half hour ago. One or two of the forms made his feet cramp up and Master Drallig seemed driven by the Sith Hells themselves to stay and make sure Obi-Wan put in the time he owed him from yesterday.

“Again, Kenobi,” Drallig called out, his faintly nasal voice somehow reaching over the din of the other class of initiates. “This time keep your stance lower and make your movements faster.”

“Yes, Master,” Obi-Wan huffed, moving back to the head of the golden line that was engraved on the floor of the training salon. He looked up as the chrono chimed for the next hour and he glanced over at the entrance to the hall, hoping against hope that Master Ahsoka would be there to save him from another hour of “Faster and more intense”.

The shadowed doorway was empty.

She’s probably just lost. She’s really only been here for two days and it took you three to memorize where they moved the Exoflora and Fauna lab to. And besides, she is a knight and you are an initiate and oh thank the Force!

“Master Ahsoka!” Obi-Wan called out, rushing through the rest of his form before giving Master Drallig a half-bow and darting over to her. “You’re here!”

“Of course I’m here!” Ahsoka laughed, wrapping an arm around him as he walked her over to a row of benches where his towel and empty drink cannister sat as well as a carefully-wrapped training saber he had hidden in his sleeves on his way to class. “And I stopped to get you something to drink, since I stumbled across the commissary.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes grew round as he happily took the ice cold bottle of Pantoran berry-flavored supplement drink and twisted the cap off. “Thank you, Master Ahsoka! I… I ran out only just now.”

Shaking her head, Ahsoka patted the bench next to her. “Did you tell Master Drallig about our arrangement?”

Obi-Wan nodded, guzzling a third of the supplement drink down with relish. “Yes. He didn’t like it and said he would stay and ‘supervise’.”

He made air quotes with his fingers and set the bottle down, beaming up at her. “Can we start now?”

“Did you finish your Soresu?” Ahsoka asked, her brows raised in an expression that made it clear that just because she was going to teach him jar’kai did not mean he was going to get out of his other lessons.

Obi-Wan grinned. “I have one more movement and then I’m done. Here! Hold this!”

He grabbed the concealed training saber, shoved it into Ahsoka’s hands and then hurried back onto the floor, prepared to make this last movement of Soresu picture-perfect.

Maybe if I can pick up jar’kai quickly, maybe Master Ahsoka will… I mean, she is a knight and even though she’s a Shadow, her cover did get blown, maybe she could… it is possible. And I think there is a connection there? Is this what a connection feels like?

“Focus, Kenobi!” Master Drallig called from across the room, his arms on his hips as he watched.

Obi-Wan nodded and took a deep breath, focusing his concentration on the Force and trusting that his muscles and bones already knew the steps. He worked on moving with strength, precision and flowing one movement into the other until the whole thing became a dance, the saber sizzling and hissing around him as he spun and lunged through each part. He was one with the blade, could feel the crystal inside humming with joy as he worked. He ticked off each step in the back of his mind with a mechanical satisfaction and then with a twisting kick he landed, the blade in a reverse grip and the blue white plasma hovering just above the arm of his tunic but not close enough to singe.

Ahsoka burst into applause. “Obi-Wan, you were amazing!”

Pride blossomed in his heart and Obi-Wan popped up out of his stance with a grin so big he thought it might split his lips. He bowed to Master Drallig, who smirked in what might have been an approving manner and waved him off to train with Ahsoka.

“I'm all done with Soresu, Master Ahsoka,” Obi-Wan announced, running back over to her. “Can we start jar’kai now?”

“Sure,” Ahsoka smiled, handing over his drink cannister and patting the spot next to her on the bench. “But why don’t you take a little break? You’ve been going for how long now?”

Obi-Wan gulped down another third of his drink, breaking only to inhale a huge lungful of air. “Three and a half hours but I don’t mind! I have been looking forward to your lesson.”

Chuckling softly, Ahsoka shook her head. “Well I’m not going to enjoy it if you pass out in the middle of it. Sit down, Obi-Wan. I’m not going anywhere.”

Resigned to taking a break, Obi-Wan collapsed onto the bench next to Ahsoka. “Did your Master teach you jar’kai when you were a padawan?”

Ahsoka glanced down at Obi-Wan before she turned her gaze elsewhere, a distant, if pleasant expression on her face. “Not at first. At the time he took me on, I was mostly using a reverse grip and he hated it.”

Shocked, Obi-Wan’s mouth dropped open. He couldn’t imagine how devastated Master Ahsoka must have felt. There were times when a harsh word from Master Yoda would make him want to curl up into a ball and pray for the Force to take him away. But to have your master actually tell you they hate your fighting style? To your face?

What a nightmare!

“What did you do?” Obi-Wan asked, taking another sip of his drink. “Did you change it?”

“I tried to,” Ahsoka nodded, drawn back into the room they were sitting in. “But eventually my master realized that I wasn’t going to change and he suggest I study jar’kai and supplement my right hand with a shoto.”

Obi-Wan was stunned silent, marveling at the fact that a master could change their mind, that they could change at all and that a padawan could have that kind of say in their relationship. He had been taught that good padawans dutifully follow their master and always do as instructed. If your master taught you Ataru, that was what you were going to learn. If your master did not see the need in teaching you certain skills, you would simply not learn them. The idea that the relationship between a master and padawan could go both ways, could be collaborative had never occurred to Obi-Wan before.

“What was he like?”

“Who? My master?”

Obi-Wan nodded, his gaze focused on the bottle in his hands. “Yes… I should have liked to meet him, I think.”

Ahsoka let out a soft, muted sound, like a sigh but with more feeling. “He… Master Skywalker was… He was very young, when he took me on. In a lot of ways he was like a big brother, strong, smart, and very brave and kind. He was so very kind. But he… he had a temper. I know he worked hard to control it but it was hard for him.”

Ahsoka looked down at the top of Obi-Wan’s head and remembered their earlier talk about Bandomeer and frowned. She reached out to put a hand on the young boy’s back, between his shoulder blades. “And he hated to see injustice go unpunished. He taught me that it was more important to do what is right, than to blindly follow orders. He… he wasn’t very popular with the Council.”

Obi-Wan looked up at Ahsoka. “Now I really wish I could have met him. I am sorry he’s gone, Master Ahsoka. He sounds wonderful. You must miss him very much.”

“Yeah…,” Ahsoka sighed, pulling Obi-Wan a little closer. “I do. But I’m here now and he would want me to take care of you. So c’mon, Obi-Wan! It’s time to for your first jar’kai lesson to start.”

“Yes, Master Ahsoka!” Obi-Wan leapt off the bench and ran onto the training floor, Ahsoka happily following him.