#Ringo Vinda

[lifeofclonewars]

Also I wish they elaborated more on Tup going missing for 5 days (!! that is quite literally a full week with the wacky gffa calendar) on Ringo Vinda. And the fact that he made it back. While in the middle of a campaign. With Trench on planet. What did this man go through and why don't people talk about it more in fics?

[derickbatista31]

Commander Doom

[sw5w]

He is Too Old

STAR WARS EPISODE I: The Phantom Menace 01:33:25

[canichangemyblogname]

A Mandalorian who speaks Mando'a with a Keldabe accent and Basic with a Ringo Vindan accent vs a Mandalorian who speaks Mando'a with a Concord Dawn accent and Basic with a Coruscanti accent

Oooh. Interesting scenarios.

Keldabe accent suggests that they grew up on Mandalore. *before* 42 BBY (when the city was devastated in a civil war). This would suggest a couple things about them: 1.) their home was devastated in the war, 2.) they likely would have moved with the big shift to Sundari (and the move to the pacifistic ideology). But Keldabe was the sphere of influence for the traditionalist factions, no? So, they would have likely been raised more traditional? Would this have created resentment toward the pacifists for 'destroying' their home and way of life, leading them down the path of Death Watch? Or would they have forsaken that ideology with the big cultural shift? If it weren't for the Ringo Vindan accent, I'd say they'd probably have lived in Sundari as a New Mandalorian. A Ringo Vindan accent is a very particular character design choice. What were they doing on Ringo Vinda? The closest trade route to Mandalore is the Hydian way and I don't think the planets are close enough to have an influence on each other. This *could* suggest the person is maybe a trader or itinerant worker, but I think it would more-so suggest an alliance with the CIS (which would back up the Death Watch path theory).

Mando'a with a Concord Dawn accent suggests they learned Mando'a on Concord Dawn. That would suggest more of a connection to the Jango Fetts of the Mandalorian world and, maybe later, the Mandalorian Protectors. It has always been known as a homeworld for elite warriors, so they'd likely fall into this category. During the clone wars, this being a "warrior" *could* lead to favoring Death Watch in the war, but I feel they'd elect to be independent. I think this individual could be more likely favor an itinerant lifestyle than the person in the previous scenario. However, having a Courscanti accent suggests that they maybe learned basic in an academy in Sundari (like the one Korkie went to) or that they frequented Coruscant or even went to school on Coruscant. That would suggest the child of politicians or affluent individuals. You'd have to spend a good chunk of time on Coruscant to pick up the accent, more time than a trader or such would spend on the planet. So, maybe a New Mandalorian or a member of Satine's cabinet or an imperial sympathizer (depending on the era). I could theoretically see someone raised as an elite warrior forsaking that ideology after seeing what it did to their planet in some great war.

Very interesting hypotheticals. What do you think?

[firefly-fez]

my other headcanon about kix is he befriended a togruta woman who works as a medic on a free clinic in the lower level of coruscant. she’s fiercely dedicated to her craft but deeply conflicted bc she frequently has to turn her own people away due to a lack of medical supplies compatible with togruta biology. the supplies were always difficult to ome by, but due to the war, it’s become even harder to access non-human medical supplies as priority supply is always given to the GAR. she meets kix after losing a patient for this very reason and snaps, nearly chewing his head off about it. (he’s immediately smitten) however, unbeknown to the woman, this is just after ahsoka left the jedi order, so kix conveniently has access to a surplus of togruta-compatible medical supplies he has absolutely no idea what to do with. he works with the woman to smuggle them to her medical station, and between the two of them they make a pretty good team. kix, needing the expertise of another medic, takes her with him when he investigates the inhibitor chips, and they both end up frozen in carbonite. when they’re defrosted, they start a new life together, and kix finally confesses his feelings. they have a half-togruta, half-human baby together, a little boy with facial markings in the shape of jaig eyes. he names him after rex, of course, and rex happily lives out his retirement babysitting little junior from time to time.

[writingmonet]

The Psychology of Fives: the impact of Echo's ghost, Rex, Tup & legacy (part 2)

You can find part one here if you didn't read it yet. I'm tired and (no) I didn't rewatch Umbara or the Chip's Arc (do you wanna me cry????), so leet's go memory.

Tup or why Fives may have dependant issues

Tup is a young clone who first appears in the Umbara Arc. While he and Fives aren't especially close in Umbara Arc (they are but as Fives and Jesse are as well), they do seems to have developed a special bond since, when we saw them again on Ringo Vinda, they're constantly at each other's side.

I'm gonna be honest, on my first watch of Umbara Arc I didn't pay attention to Tup that much, mainly because of a clone named Dogma. It's not Tup's fault! It's merely due tot he fact that Umbara Arc presents the challenges of bringing back clones we already knew more or less (Rex, Fives, Hardcase, Jesse and Kix) in the middle of a complex arc (Clones against Jedi, against orders) and with others complex clones (Dogma). So yeah, in the middle of this Tup was more of a secondary character for me and he isn't that developed in the two arcs he's in (but I'll talk about this later).

Back to our sheep, I mean clones. Fives, so used to having Echo at his side, doesn't seem to proceed effectively without someone at his side. Without a close friend. Tup seems to have been this other friend he seems to have been in dire need. Tup is the his way to restart again, to make sure he won't lose a brother if he can avoid it.

While I talk about Tup, this is also largely applicable to all his others clone friends. Fives is extremely protective of each of them and he advocate for their interests everytime he thinks the orders are against their well-being or security. Fives seems to depend a lot on people close to him and he doesn't seem to handle well when things go out of his way.

When Tup's chip activate, Fives do his duty by arresting him and he insist on following him. He can't lose Tup. He can't lose again a best friend. He lost his batch, he lost his twin, now he won't lose his best friend. Now, Fives doesn't display all the character traits of a protector. Or rather he can be a protector (especially toward siblings like Echo and Tup) but he cannot be too much of it since he's a soldier. Due to this, he knows that he's doom to lose siblings and has to dealt with the pain and grief born from it.

A consequence of this grief is that Fives, all during of Umbara Arc, show signs of intense emotions (justifiable considering the whole arc but that I also attribute to the loss of all his Squad). He goes mad rather easily, and he goes mad at Rex when the latter refuses to follow his plan. He decides to execute his plan because he knows it's the best plan they have, and he go search for more volunteers: two brothers against the lives of thousands of them. That's really a cost that Fives is ready to pay.

Side-note: this trait of Fives having difficulty remaining quiet especially when he doesn't find the situation right is definitely a core trait of his on my rewatch of the deleted scene of ARC Troopers where he has difficulty not expressing what he thinks out loud at Rex, who noticed it. It's interesting to notice that he's already taking Hevy-traits when Echos' alive but goes even deeper into it after his twin's death.

Unfortunately for him, in his plan, Hardcase dies and, then, Tup dies and Fives, mad with grief, just doesn't get it. It's so strange that he starts to investigate immediately out of grief. There's something fishy and he will prove it out of loyalty and devotion for his brothers.

That lead me to a point: if Fives had a single doubt about Echo's survival, he would have jump to save him. No questions ask. Unfortunately, Fives will die before he is able (in a few week's time if I'm correct?) too.

Because Fives' life is marked by grief, he refuses - he cannot not go dig into Tup's mysterious death. Losing a brother on a battlefield is something. Losing a brother under foggy circumstances is another, one that Fives will not (cannot) accept.

Now, we all know what happens to Fives, and his ultimate death. I only want to use this to make the transition with the importance of Rex in Fives' life, whom he trusted until the very end, dying in his arms, hoping that his nightmares (of killing the Jedis, of seeing again, again and again, the death of his batchmates) would end.

Fives was reunited with Tup and (almost) all his Domino brothers. Fives had to survive without Echo. Now, in the cruellest joke that could have been made (and thanks Dave Filoni for the tears shed) Echo would have to live without him.

Why is Rex so important in Fives (and Echo by extension) life?

If we look at all the clones from the Clone Wars, since episode one, not much are still alives and not much has been developed about them (another subject of debate). But Rex is, beyond the shadow of a doubt one of the few clones we have known, was developped and still alive.

Rex is also, without doubt, Fives (and Echo) the most important person in their life. It's him who integrates them in the 501st. It's in front of him that Fives & Echo are named ARC-Troopers. It's Rex who serves as this older brother the fandom has established him.

After Echo's death, it's Rex who remains for Fives to hold on to, as someone who knew Echo as well as Fives (perhaps the only one? Jesse and Kix knew Echo but less deeply maybe?). I do believe that one of the reasons why Fives and Rex are so close is because of Echo. Many have drawn parallels between Echo & Rex (rule-followers, fiercely loyal) and Fives & Cody.

As Rex states: you [Fives & Echo] both have really stepped up. Reminds me of me, actually.

Being close to Rex is also for Fives a way of being close to some remaining - some echoes, of Echo. Fives have a mad respect for Rex, to the point that when he disobeys orders, he still wants to know if the man will be against or on his side. Due to the CW structure, however, we do not know enough about Fives' other relations but I don't believe that he demonstrated such a deep respect toward anyone, except Anakin maybe, since their General is always with them on the front of battles. I have little doubt that Rex is an anchor in Fives' life, like Tup is, especially after Echo's disappearance.

Unfortunately, for all the blind trust and immense respect Fives had toward Rex, the latter only half-believed him during the whole chip arc.

A side note: Fives & Anakin seemed to have been close friends. It is stated that Fives death profoundly impacted Anakin. This may be the reason why Anakin followed Rex to rescue Echo. He had known Echo, he had known Fives and if he could save one of his men he always would give it a try, especially the twin of one of his best soldier.

Echo's pursue of Fives legacy

The most ironic thing is that Echo is found after Fives' death and we, unfortunately (and scandalizing!) have no idea of his reaction to the announcement of Fives' death.

This is frustrating and, I repeat, one of the biggest issues I have with the Clone Wars is the lack of development of the clones + inter-personnal relations (but this is another essay, that will be linked with Hevy).

Thankfully, we do have some indices of how Echo may have reacted, with his goal to save most of his brothers from the Empire and to get them out of the inhibitor chip influence. Which is exactly what Fives wanted.

Echo - and Rex, are here to pursue Fives' legacy and last goal shortly before his death. According to Jennifer Corbett, the director of TBB, Echo and Rex had long and multiple conversations about Fives. Why were we robbed of at least one of these scenes is a mystery I'm unable to answer.

Echo, who wasn't here for Umbara (which he may have profoundly changed) nor for Ringo Vinga, who has lost everything, guilt-eaten by what he has done at the hands of the Sepperatist leave his second family (The Bad Batch - quite fitting considering how Hevy saw themselves as a band of bad batchers) to return with Rex to make sure that Fives' death wasn't in vain.

Echo chooses a dead man's ideals over those of living ones, and TBB knows that it is a good thing to do but isn't interested in saving the clones that they never have perceived as family, unlike Echo. It doesn't mean Echo doesn't care for them! It only means that, in the great scheme of things, Fives will always remain the person he would choose above all like Fives did with Echo's memory (his deep attachment to his clone brothers & his mindset to never lose a brother in every avoidable way again).

Okay, I'm tired. But now I know I have an essay to write about Hevy at the weekend. Again, if anyone wants to express his opinions, I'll gladly discuss it.

As a treat, our favourite pair of twins while they were still happy:

(also the amount of non-verbal interaction between those two all the episodes they're together? If you never pay attention, go rewatch the episodes there's like a TON OF IT)

Anyway, PEAK TWIN and I'll die on this hill.

[sand-boxed]

my dealer: got some straight gas 😜 this strain is called "the battle of ringo vinda" 🔥😳 youll be zonked out of your gourd 💯 

me: yeah whatever. i dont feel shit

5 min later: dude i swear i just saw tup shoot general tiplar

my buddy fives pacing: the chancellor is lying to us

[goosewriting]

“Have we met?”

summary: what if Fives had been stopped before removing his inhibitor chip on Kamino and was instead sent back after reconditioning, thereby forgetting you? 

relationship: Fives x gn!reader

warnings: hmmm angst :^), mentions of characters’ deaths, implied brainwashing?, dw there’ll be comfort at the end

word count: 2.2k 

A/N: in my book Fives is alive, no matter what. here’s one take lol mainly because i found some prompts and this idea refused to leave my brain

prompt used (source): we have just met and yet it feels like i have known you for a lifetime

Navigation: Part 1 (you're here!) | Part 2

(english is not my first language. constructive criticism and grammar corrections are very appreciated!)

— — —

→ PART 1: When he came back to you

When you heard the news about what Tup had done on Ringo Vinda, you couldn’t believe it. You were told that Fives went with him to Kamino to get checked. Something about a parasite or a virus; that was all the explanation you were given. But if you were being honest with yourself, no one seemed entirely convinced, including some of the Generals, and Rex. 

Fives was currently being held on Kamino for a couple more rotations to keep an eye on him, but was meant to come back to the Resolute soon enough. 

You sit in your room, thinking about how the whole deal smells a little fishy to you. You’d just have to ask Fives in person once he comes back. The fact that he isn’t responding to any of your messages isn’t helping, however. 

A long time ago, you had joined the GAR as a mechanic and worked (and studied) yourself up to mechanical engineer. Since with your new position came your own little workshop to tinker in, you had modified your and Fives’ comm devices to send encrypted messages to each other. They were coupled to the long range transmissions of the ship itself, so your messages didn’t get delivered immediately, so as to not raise any suspicion if someone were to check the log. But that’s how you would communicate with him when he was away. 

Usually it didn't take more than a few rotations for Fives to answer. Even when he was on the most secretive of missions as an ARC trooper, he’d still send you one of your code words to let you know he was okay. Now it’s been longer than ever before since you sent him your last message that went unanswered. 

You can’t help but stand up and start pacing back and forth in your room, trying to push back the feelings of worry. Rex told you Fives is supposed to come back today, but you still haven’t heard anything fromeither. The one thing the captain did tell you, though, was about Tup sadly passing away on Kamino. Those news really didn’t do much to help you feel reassured about Fives’ state.

You’re so engrossed in your thoughts and gradually worsening “what if” scenarios going through your head, that you almost jump out of your skin when your comm beeps on your desk. You hurry to pick it up and see there's a new message, but it’s from Rex. He says Fives’ ship has just landed.

At that, you all but sprint out of your quarters and run all the way to the hangar. It takes you a couple of minutes to get there, holding onto the edges of the wall to cut your curves. In one hall, you almost trip and fall, but catch yourself just in time to keep going. When you reach the hangar doors, out of breath and panting heavily, you press the button for them to open. You quickly make your way to one of the landing platforms, where you can already see Rex and Jesse talking to Fives.

You can't help the tears running down your cheeks, tears of happiness and relief, seeing that your boyfriend made it back in one piece. Feeling like a huge weight just got lifted off your heart, you take a deep breath and make your way to the group. 

As you’re approaching Fives from behind, you can only see Rex and Jesse's faces, and they’re looking… distressed? incredulous? confused? Rex spots you first, and calls out to you to wait, but you’re already hugging Fives from behind.

“Fives!” you greet him, squeezing the living lights out of him. Then again, with all that armour, you wonder if he can feel it at all. “I was so worried! Are you okay? You never answered my messages–”

You circle around Fives to face him, and you notice several things: first, he’s not hugging you back. Second, he looks bewildered at your presence. And third…

“Oh, uhm, hi there,” he says with a polite smile, his arms slightly raised so he doesn’t touch you. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who… Have we met?”

You let go of the clone, taking a step back. Squinting at him, you search his face for any sign of mischief or that he’s teasing you; it really isn’t a tasteful joke, but you’d forgive him. You tremble slightly when you realise that he’s 100% serious. 

You feel Rex’s hand on your shoulder, and you turn to him with a questioning look.

“It seems that Fives has, uhm…” he starts, unable to look you in the eyes. You quickly glance over to Jesse, who looks just as shocked as you. 

“He doesn’t remember you,” Jesse finishes Rex’ sentence.

You can’t help but let out an unamused chuckle at that.

“That’s insane,” you retort, turning back around to Fives. “You’re joking, right? Please tell me you’re not serious.”

“I’m really sorry, uhm…” he scratches his neck sheepishly. “I never got your name…?”

You search his eyes again, but there’s nothing there that you recognise. With a shaky breath, your heart now pounding against your ribcage for all the wrong reasons, you turn back to the captain.

“What did they do to him, Rex?” you ask, your voice cracking. 

“Let’s just go inside first and catch up, okay?” Rex places an arm around your trembling shoulders and leads you towards the exit of the hangar. Jesse stays with Fives and brings him to the barracks.

Rex takes you to his captain’s office, where he sits you down on the small couch and prepares some tea. Once he’s done, he places a cup in front of you on the table, and takes a seat across from you in his office chair.

You thank him and reach out to the cup, but as you lift it, you realise how your hands are shaking, causing it to clatter against the saucer, so you set the tea back down, bringing your hands to your lap and interlacing your fingers instead in an attempt to calm them down. 

“Do you know… what happened?” you ask carefully. Rex heaves a sigh.

“Not really. It’s like Fives’ memory has been… wiped,” he explains, scratching his chin deep in thought. 

“That’s…” you start, but can’t find the words. “You’re saying it like it was deliberate. You don’t think it was a parasite?”

He doesn’t answer.

“...Do you think it was the Kaminoans?” you ask, your voice low, as if there was someone eavesdropping. “Why would they do such a thing?”

“I’m not sure,” he answers. “As a cadet back on Kamino I saw it maybe once or twice that a clone would be taken away, and then they reappeared with no memory of something small that had happened recently. They would do it because the clone in question showed an ‘inappropriate emotional response’, so they had to ‘fix it’.” He gestures the quotation marks in the air with his hands. “After all, to many we’re just a product or a tool, and as such we’re expected to function in a certain manner.”

“You know that a lot of people don’t think that, right?” you interject, and he smiles.

“I know. But that’s how we came to be.” His smile fades, his brow furrowing. “But Kaminoans are good at what they do, and all in all always treated us well. I’ve never seen or heard of a clone forgetting entirely about someone else because of a treatment.”

You both sit in silence for a moment. 

“Do you think it can be recovered somehow?” you ask, your chest tightening at the thought of Fives losing all the memories he had with you. What if he never felt the same again? What if… he was incapable of loving you again? What if he didn’t want to love you again?

Rex can see where your mind is going, so he stands up and makes his way to you, sitting on the couch as well, placing a reassuring hand on your knee. He knows that recovering memories after a thorough wipe is nearly impossible, but he can’t tell you that.

“I’ll see what I can find out,” he settles on. With a small smile, he adds, “For now, why don’t you go introduce yourself to him? I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to make your acquaintance.”

“Right,” you reply and sigh. Let’s treat this like… like he hit his head and has amnesia, you tell yourself. After I spend time with him and show him all our holopics and videos together, surely he’ll remember me. Deep in your heart, you know that’s just a lie you’re telling yourself to feel better, but you’d rather lie to yourself than face the truth right now. A truth that wasn’t limited to Fives’ sudden state, but gave place to so many more questions about clones, Kaminoans and what they did out there; questions you had no energy in pursuing any time soon. 

Changing the subject, you make some small talk with Rex while you drink your tea. Once the cup is empty, you leave the captain’s office and shoot Jesse a quick message asking if he knows where Fives is. The reply comes almost instantaneously, telling you the whole squad is in the mess hall. You take a quick look at the time, and sure enough, it’s time for dinner. Only then do you feel the grumbling of your stomach, reminding you that in all your worry about your favourite clone, you haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. 

You quickly make your way to the hall. The smell of today’s menu fills your nose and the clattering of plates and cutlery, as well as indistinct chatting of clones and staff alike, reaches your ears. After getting your food, you make your way to the 501st’s usual table. You notice that Fives is sitting at the edge of the group, so that a sitting space is free between him and Kix. That’s where you usually sit. Your heart can’t help but skip a beat; maybe he does remember? Or is it just muscle memory that can’t be erased away that easily? 

Taking in a deep breath, you approach the group and clear your throat. It catches Fives’ attention, who turns around to you.

“Hey handsome,” you smile at him. “Is that seat taken?” You nod towards the empty space. 

“Oh, it’s you,” he says, clearly surprised by your presence. Again. “Yeah, I mean–” He clears his throat. “It isn’t taken. Feel free to join us.”

You thank him and take a seat, greeting the others, who say their ‘hello’s back to you. Fives eyes them curiously, then looks back to you.

“Say, I never caught your name,” he remarks for the second time today, taking a bite of his food. 

You can’t help a sad smile as you look up at Jesse, who’s sitting in front of you. It occurs to you that that’s where Echo used to sit, and for a second you wonder if Fives has forgotten about him too. 

Jesse mirrors your smile with a slight shrug of his shoulders, and you turn to Fives, telling him your name.

“Oh, so that’s you!” he mentions, and you tilt your head at him in confusion. “The guys have been asking me about you ever since I arrived. I don’t know how I could have forgotten about someone I apparently hang out with so much?” 

“Right?” you retort under your breath, taking a mouthful of the rather bland food.

The conversation they were having earlier restarts, and Kix tells them about some patients he had today, Jesse talks about some improvements to their weapon system they could do, and so on. You’re not really paying much attention anymore, fidgeting with your fork once you finish eating. 

One by one, the clones excuse themselves to retire for the night or go back to their shift. In the end, it’s just you and Fives left at the table. You have one elbow propped up on the table, your head in your hand, looking at him.

“Doesn’t it bother you?” you ask suddenly. 

“What does?” he retorts, studying your face. You don’t answer immediately, weighing the words in your head. 

“Not remembering someone who clearly knows who you are,” you finally say, tears starting to gather in the corner of your eyes. 

That’s when you see his façade drop. He curls his hand on the table into a fist and bites the inside of his cheeks, trying to play it off with an awkward chuckle. 

He doesn’t reply at first, just looking at you like he’s trying to draw the answers from your eyes, an answer that is there, but he can’t read for some reason. 

“I don’t understand,” he finally replies, and it’s barely more than a whisper. “We have just met and yet it feels like I’ve known you for a lifetime.”

You can feel your heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

“Oh Fives, what have they done to you…” Your hand reaches up to cup his cheek, but his own shoots up first to press against his temple, just behind his tattoo, and he winces in pain, backing away from your touch. 

“I– I have to go,” he utters and stands up, quickly making his way out of the mess hall.

You’re left there, alone. Hurt. Hopeless.

~~~~~

🐥 taglist: [link to join in my pinned post!] @dybynyght, @galaxtic-writings, @kalea-bane, @soka-writes-things, @padawancat97

[manofbeskar]

oc spotlight 13 — fynn kabakoff

fynn is a mandalorian mercenary with a droid companion named bd-4. in 19 BBY, she was on ringo vinda and rescued jedi master taryn zaberi from order 66, believing she would be paid for the assist. finding out taryn did not have the credits to pay her, she intended to drop the jedi off at the nearest system but circumstances led to them having to stick together. as the jedi killer landa vel, inquisitor sixth sister, and imperial admiral lyra ada chase them down, fynn finds that she has to protect this jedi at all costs.

the tattoo under her eye is solus, mando'a for "one" as she believes mandalorians are stronger together. more of a traditional mandalorian, she views jedi as the enemy—initially reluctant to help taryn because of this, she eventually grows attached to her jedi friend and becomes deathly loyal to her.

[lifeofclonewars]

Hmm just thinking about Rex and Fives and Echo again...

Rex is their ori'vod but also their dad and I wanna cry. Like literally it's just tragedy after tragedy with the three of them. They meet Rex when two of their batchmates have died and lose Hevy hours later. Rex adopts them and brings them to the 501st and mentors them and is such a proud older brother of how they're doing. So much so he recommends them for ARC training.

And they pass! And then not too long later, Echo dies. And Rex and Fives stick together through some pretty tough stuff, with the grief from both of them losing Echo on top of it. It’s a shame that canon literally only shows us Umbara and Ringo Vinda when it’s heavily implied that Fives is around for more than just those 2 campaigns. I just--

The chip arc hurts because of all they’ve gone through. So much. And then Rex loses Fives too only to regain Echo. But so many things have changed. They’re not the same people they used to be. But Rex is still Echo’s dad-brother and will always be there for him, no matter what that ends up looking like. Even with the grief of losing Fives there now. Even with the end of the war looming. They’ve still got each other to rely on after all this time, after all these experiences

[derickbatista31]

Commander Doom

[arcsimper5]

Taking Notes

Vampire!Tup incoming!

Dedicating this little bit of spice to @amorfista because Tup is beautiful.

Title: Taking Notes Words: 1721 Pairing: F!Vampire Reader x New Vampire!Tup Rating: R (minors DNI, smut!) Warnings: P in V, unprotected s3x, blood, vampiric feeding, graphic seksual content, master/servant dynamic (if you squint), please let me know if I missed any!

Summary: Tup wakes up needy on his first morning as a newly turned Vampire. You're more than happy to help him out.

“Mesh’la… I need you…”

Breathy words whispered into your ear sent a thrill through you as consciousness slipped back to you, firm hands roaming your body drawing soft moans from your lips.

“Mmmm, morning to you too, Tup.” you cooed, drinking in the sight of his honey brown eyes, pupils blown with lust. He gazed at you like you were his entire universe, plump lips slightly parted as he sucked in a breath.

“Cyare… I’m so hungry,” he panted, hands moving between your thighs, forcing them apart, “let me feed, please?”

A soft chuckle escaped you, body moving to lay on your back of its own accord. The bond you’d created with Tup was strong, his desires flowing through your blood like wildfire in your veins.

You’d known you were going to turn him the moment you laid eyes on him, his passionate nature matched so well with your own.

His very soul called to your own, two halves of a whole, yearning to be united in living death.

Once his episode on Ringo-Vinda had happened, the timetable moved forward, but as he shifted his body to slot against yours, sun-kissed skin sliding across yours so deliciously, you had no regrets.

“You’re going to feel hungry for a while, sweet-thing,” you soothed him, arching against him when his hands moved up to your nipples, teasing the nubs as he rolled his hips against yours, “it’s only natural.”

“But it hurts,” he whined gently, sympathy panging in your chest, “I need you…”

His hands cupped the swell of your breasts, thumbing over the nipples now as his mouth fell to your sternum, kissing and licking a trail up towards your neck, his cock hard between your thighs, leaking precum. He couldn’t hold back a guttural moan as he thrust against you, so close to your core.

“Tup,” you gasped, pressing a hand into his shoulder, lifting him off of you a little so you could meet his needy gaze with your own, the intensity thrumming between you, “it’s our bond. You need more than to feed, my love. We need to connect, to be with each other.”

“Y-Yes, please!” he begged, bucking against you again, his cock so close to your core.

Usually, you wouldn’t indulge this kind of behaviour from a freshly turned mate, but irritation didn’t even form in your mind, Tup’s needy whines and whimpers shooting straight to your core. You’d been wet before you’d even woken up, his touches setting your body alight with desire.

“My poor, sweet Tup,” you breathed, offering a soft smile as he continued to whimper against you, his tongue sweeping over his lips as he pressed his weight against you, desperate to get to your neck, “tell me, how did it feel last night? Your first feed?”

Tup tried to fight your strength, unable to break the firm pressure of your hand on his chest, holding him back. His hands continued to fondle your chest, deft fingers pinching and pulling at your nipples, wanting only the please.

With another deep moan, his eyes fluttered closed, memories of last night flowing between you.

Images of his cock sliding deep inside you as you fed on him played simultaneously for you both as he opened his mind to you, allowing you complete and utter access to his thoughts. The pain, the pleasure, the utter euphoria he’d felt as you drank from him, tonguing over the wound before you offered your bleeding wrist to him, pressing it against his lips. 

He’d bucked deep into you, hitting that sensitive, perfect spot he’d come to know so well as he’d drunk, his body seizing and shuddering as it changed, heart slowing and skin cooling, hands coming up to clutch at your arm, feasting on your very essence as he fucked you to his own completion.

“It was pleasure, mine and yours,” he gasped as the images began to flicker away, his amber eyes refocusing on yours, “it was perfection, it was… I gave myself to you, and I… I love you, I will love you, forever, my lady.”

His voice was trembling with more than just memory now, the desperate hunger he was feeling waking another vulnerability in him. You could almost feel the pain flooding through him, every fibre of his being begging him to sink his teeth into your neck, to drink his fill.

“I need you, I need to drink,” he rasped, eyes widening in fear and need, almost overshadowing the constant lust.

Satisfied with his answer, knowing he wasn’t regretting this, you nodded, opening your mouth to reply as you lessened the pressure on his chest.

But no words came, only a guttural moan of pleasure as he felt the hand give in to him, surging forward. In one swift motion, he sheathed his cock inside your tight heat and sank his freshly formed fangs into your neck, pleasure ricocheting through your body.

“O-Oh, Tup, Tup, yes!” 

You forced his name out between your moans, hands finding their way to his thick curls, tugging the hairband holding them up away and threading your fingers through them.

He sucked in time with his thrusts, constant, needy moans vibrating against your neck as he drank and fucked, rolling himself against you.

Pulling him closer, you arched into him, his cock filling you so deliciously, the drag of his thick flesh against your inner walls driving you wild.

Without a word, his hands moved to your waist, lifting you up easily and changing your position so you were settled on his lap. His cock never left you, and his mouth never separated from your neck, his hunger still present and gnawing.

It felt utterly amazing, the power growing within him with every swallow he made, drinking your life, your power.

He was perfect, fingers trailing up your back, holding you against him even as you whimpered and writhed and bucked, desperate for more.

The beginnings of a haze tugged at your consciousness, exhaustion sweeping through you. He was drinking you dry, too eager, too hungry for you.

“T-Tup, you, you need to stop, my love,” you urged him softly, knowing how utterly consumed he was with his first proper drink, how good it felt. Tugging at his hair, you let out a sigh of mixed relief and disappointment when his tongue lathed over the small wounds on your skin, sealing them.

When he pulled away, his eyes were glowing a beautiful yellow, pupils still blown, lips stained with your blood and swollen. He looked positively gorgeous, your pleasure still growing as he gasped for breath.

“I, I’m so sorry,” he started, silenced when you slammed your mouth against his, intertwining your tongues without hesitation. 

Letting out a moan at the taste of yourself in his mouth, you could do nothing but clutch at his shoulders and gasp into his mouth as he rolled his hips once more, setting a punishing pace.

He bounced you on his cock, muttering praises and words of adoration into your mouth until he couldn’t take any more, his cock twitching inside you.

“Cyare, b-bite me, feed on me, p-please!”

You didn’t need any convincing. Baring your fangs, you kissed his pulse point before sinking them into the tender flesh, relishing in the way the skin gave way so easily for you.

The sweet taste of him flooded your mouth while his cry of ecstasy filled your ears, two more deep thrusts inside you until he spilled himself, hands clutching at your hips.

And yet, he still did not stop seeking your pleasure, continuing to ride out his orgasm as one hand slipped between your bodies, seeking your clit.

The feeling of his fingertip drawing perfect circles on your swollen bud, along with the warmth now filling you, leaking between your thighs with every thrust, and the pleasure of drinking your love created a maelstrom of utter decadence in your body, swelling until it burst in a glorious orgasm, more powerful than any you’d experienced before.

Tup cried out again as you convulsed around him, your moans muffled against his neck as you drank what you needed, tonguing the wound for a few, precious moments before you pulled away once more, licking the last traces of him from your lips.

“K-Kriff, th-that was, incredible,” he gasped, collapsing against you. His forehead pressed against your shoulder as he held you close, relishing the feeling of your closeness. His softening flesh remained inside you, your bodies still connected on a primal level, the spent muscle twitching still as he came down from his high. “Is, is it always like that?”

“With you? Yes,” you replied without missing a beat, letting your body slump against his in return. Fingertips danced back up to his hair, playing with the curls and tugging lightly, whimpering moans drawn out into the heavy, sex-scented air of your bedroom. “Though I’ve never had it be that… intense,” you admitted, feeling more than seeing Tup’s grin against your skin.

“That good, huh?” he teased, earning himself a soft nip on the shoulder. He shuddered in response, biting back a moan and a plea for you to drink from him again. Guilt flashed across his mind suddenly, memories of him feeding a little too vigorously swirling between you.

“I’m sorry I got carried away,” he murmured, eyes averted. He was genuinely ashamed, no small measure of fear in his voice, “I never meant to hurt you, I…”

Shushing him with a lift of your head and a press of your lips to his, the apologies melted into sighs of pleasure, his tongue tangling lazily with yours.

“It is a lesson learned,” you whispered against his lips, shivering in delight when his cock began to harden inside you once more, his deft fingers tracing your spine as you kissed, every inch he touched electrified with desire, “and besides, I have a lifetime to teach you how to behave.”

Tup hummed in response, the wicked glint you’d fallen in love with so hard at first returning to his eyes, the colour shifting back to his normal, gorgeous chestnut brown.

“Is that so?”

Whatever retort you had prepared was lost to another cry of pleasure as he rolled his hips yet again, his hardening cock pushing his spend deeper and deeper inside you.

“I’ll start taking notes.”

[disastertriowriting]

Disaster Lineage Appreciation Gift Exchange

Fanfics:

A shower a day keeps the self-loathing spirit away by egeria - Obi-Wan gets hurt on a mission and Anakin can't mentally handle it. Snuggles ensue.

A Talk Under the Veil of the Night by StarxRox - Fives was executed in front of his eyes. Anakin can't forget what happened. He has nightmares. He hopes that they are just nightmares. But they aren't. Also Obi-Wan is the inconspicuous casual disaster child everybody believes is perfect.

Acch-To Soul, Korriban Body by Sinvulkt (Wakare) - The hound - for it had no name but hound, beast, mutant - collapsed in the dark alley, its small paws folding underneath it. Its chest felt heavy, and its breath came ragged, pained. Blood sang loudly to its ears, as did the loud men that were after it. Its muzzle was still wet from the time they tried to drown it.

Acolyte by Courtesy Trefflin - The mission to Ringo Vinda spirals downward when Tup tries to kill Luminara and Ahsoka confronts, and is injured by, Dooku's unknown assassin, called the Acolyte. There is a conspiracy involving the clones, and Anakin will do anything to uncover it when it means protecting the only people he has had left since Obi-Wan's death many months ago. (Winter Soldier AU)

Crisis of Faith by Courtesy Trefflin (Tirana Sorki) - Qui-Gon's loss isn't the only thing Obi-Wan struggles with after the battle of Naboo. The entire Order worships him as the Sith killer now, but it means having standards he doesn't know he can reach. He can't forget his master. He used the Dark Side. And he has the Chosen One to train, a padawan who is nothing like what Jedi ought to be.

Do Not Stand at My Grave by ReadingBlueWolf - After saving Naboo, Obi-Wan, and Anakin are kidnapped in broad daylight by Dooku. Frustrated by the Council's lack of response (and the old coot insisting on being called "buir"), Obi-Wan pens a few letters to Qui-Gon about the situation.

Flight Path by Courtesy Trefflin (Amina Gila) - Sidious never let him fly, preferring to keep him chained, and even though Anakin was trapped as a dragon for decades, losing his humanity and memories for a time, he has not lost his love for flying. It’s taken months for him to recover, and now that he and his family are taking a trip to Alderaan, he has the perfect opportunity to test his wings again.

Freefall by InsertSthMeaningful - Rey’s Jedi training on Ahch-To entails many things, like swimming, running, lightsaber duelling – and scaling high cliffs. One day, however she falls, and Master Luke doesn’t catch her. Instead, the Force does.

I dream of water by IceyGemini - For a long time, Luke's dreams nightmares were about heat and fire. This one was different...

Mashaw Bros, Sunset Circus by DragonflyonBreak - Come to the circus and witness what you've never seen before.

Multiples - Leia in ANH by Courtesy Trefflin - On the bridge of the Death Star, moments before Alderaan's destruction, Darth Vader is caught off-guard when a shift in the Force causes four more versions of Leia Organa to appear. Leia, who is... his daughter, apparently, the daughter he never knew he had. And Vader will do anything for his family.

Multiples - Luke in TESB by Courtesy Trefflin (Tirana Sorki) - For months now, Vader has waited for the day when he can tell Luke that he's his father. If Luke will join him, they can make the galaxy a better place. That day has finally arrived, except moments before Vader can reveal the truth, the Force suddenly, and unexpectedly, drops four other versions of Luke in front of him as well.

Multiples - Obi-Wan in ROTS by Courtesy Trefflin - Anakin and Obi-Wan have just landed aboard the Invisible Hand to rescue Chancellor Palpatine when suddenly, four other versions of Obi-Wan appear with them. One Obi-Wan is hard enough sometimes, but five? That is a whole other story. It doesn't help that they're not terribly fond of each other... or that the eldest are hiding things about the future.

Of Lineages and Hope by MiaSirtnev - Obi-Wan Kenobi never had a daughter but did have a very special Grandpadawan in Ahsoka Tano. And in matters large and small, they will always be there for each other. Always.

Ready to Respond (Do Not React) by Kefalion - After the events on Cloud City, Luke has been working on his ability to meditate. In a dream, he reaches the right frame of mind and he speaks with Yoda who shares some wisdom.

Relief by hayam - In retrospect, Dooku probably should have gone to the healers the first time he felt that sore tickle in his throat. Or that slight bit of nausea. It would have saved a lot of trouble..

Skywalker Snared by Writer_Patriot - Verifying Dooku's live capture didn't go as planned. Anakin blames himself.

Successor by Courtesy Trefflin (Tirana Sorki) - Traveling into Wild Space in search of ancient Jedi Temples and holocrons to learn from, in the hopes of rebuilding the Jedi Order, Rey stumbles onto something else entirely: the ancient world of Mortis, except... it's now inhabited by Force ghosts?

Swimming Lessons by Kittona writes (kittona) - Ahsoka plots to get her master to take a vacation; they're going to go to the beach. Sun, sand, relaxation, and most importantly, swimming. There's only one problem, Anakin didn't tell her he never learned to swim

The Time Where Anakin Became Yoda's New Padawan by StarxRox - Basically just another time travel story.

With Me As I Go by Courtesy Trefflin - When Qui-Gon died, becoming one with the Force, he could only watch. Watch as everyone in the lineage mourned him, and as the galaxy fell. But he is not about to let his master die. Or, the five times Qui-Gon tried and failed to help his family, and the one time he succeeded.

Fanart:

Just a Little Family Nap by lulek(szalik)

[firefly-fez]

okay no but i want an echo and ahsoka reunion so badly. it’s been years of war and tragedy since they’ve last seen each other but it would be a reminder - to both of them - that rex is not the only surviving friend they have from the old days in the 501st. just look at it from echo’s perspective. the 501st had completely changed by the time he came back from skako minor. they’d lived through so many hellish missions without him. umbara, kiros, ringo vinda, fives. he never put the handprint back on his armour after the citadel. do you ever think about that? how he survived against all odds to come back to the news that the only surviving batchmate who was there to witness the habit that earned him his name, was dead.

When Rex put that handprint on his armour on the Rishi moon, it’s when he told Echo he was a shiny. He kept it there, painting it on, as a reminder of the mission that made him a soldier - a reminder that he wasn’t a shiny anymore, a reminder of Cutup, Hevy and Droidbait, his fallen batchmates. After the citadel, after fives, when he gets his new armour, he hovers his hand over the chest plate and he just can’t do it. Everything is gone. He’s not that man anymore. SO many of his brothers are dead, and when he joins the bad batch, leaving Rex, there’s no one around to notice the handprint is missing, not really, So he leaves it off, he lets that part of him die with his fallen brothers.

I can imagine Ahsoka, particularly in her younger years, would entertain herself on long hyperspace flights or camp-outs by asking the clones why they chose their name. She wasn’t there, she isn’t one of the people who picked it out. By the time Echo was assigned to the 501st, he’d dropped the habit. But he told her about it, because she was small and scared and bored and kind and a friend. As a young padawan, Ahsoka relied on her men to help her navigate the parts of war her jedi training left her unprepared to face, and after he told her the story, she’d always get Echo to repeat the next stage of orders to her to keep her mind focused on the mission.

When they reunite after order 66, it’s almost hard for him to tell whether she’s just playing dumb to keep her cover intact or if she genuinely doesn’t remember him. He hasn’t seen her since the citadel, after all, and...he does look pretty different. He’s not sure if she recognises him. She does, of course. When she inevitably reveals her jedi nature to the rest of the crew, and they dive head-first into some crusade against the empire together, it feels just like old times. They both thought they’d lost this, but it’s still here, surviving. She asks him to repeat the orders to her, keep track of the stages of the plan just like he used to. He confesses he almost thought she didn’t recognise him, and she’s practically offended at the thought. But she senses the insecurity, the grief, the loss, behind it. She jokes around with him, to ease the burden. They’re both knee-deep in some foul-smelling staining spillage leaking out from the ruined hardware around them. So she smiles and says well, how could you expect anyone to recognise you, and she dips her hand in the sludge and puts it to his chest...without the handprint. And he can’t help but laugh.

Because there is someone left to remember the handprint is missing. There is someone who recognises him, other than Rex, someone who knows why he chose his name. Most importantly, someone who survived because of Fives’ sacrifice.

And it’s not a reminder of loss anymore. It’s a statement that he’s known. That he is remembered. Whatever else he lost after the Citadel, however different he may be, physically, spiritually, emotionally, there is an imprint of everything that survived, still there, carried on his chest, in his heart. An imprint of everything that survived, of everyone who carried the fight this far, a promise of those who keep up the fight.

A reminder that he is known, that he is remembered - and that he, too, remembers.

[lonewolflupe]

aLoF ch13 | Fives Minutes From Falling Apart

Not only did I postpone writing this chapter for as long as I could, I was dreading the day to post it. Well, looks like today is the day after all, and I'm posting it anyway. I just want to tell you I cried whilst writing it, I cried whilst reading it, and I'm crying whilst posting it. I put all my emotions into this chapter and now I'm finally throwing it into the galaxy, help. I hope it doesn't disappoint. Alright see you next week, I'll be crying in a corner until then.

Summary: during a mission with the Lone Wolf Squad, Lupe's galaxy is shattered Rating: Teen and up (but please check the tags!) Tags: angst (major feelings of loss/despair/guilt), mention of death/description of funeral ceremony, emotional hurt/comfort, drinking Words: 4.485k Characters: Lupe (OC), Lone Wolf Squad, CT-7567 Captain Rex, Anakin Skywalker, Shaak Ti, CT-5597 Jesse, CT-6116 Medic Kix, ARC-5555 Fives (sort of), unidentified clone troopers; mentions of: CT-5385 Tup, CC-1010 Commander Fox aLoF masterlist | AO3 < Previous chapter | ficlet > / Next chapter >

19 BBY, Separatist Occupied Outpost

(After Ringo Vinda/During the Biochip Conspiracy, TCW S6E01-04)

“Take this, clankers!”

Fang's voice echoed through the corridor, but was overrun by the noise of blaster bolts, followed by the sound of crashing metal as the remains of the droids hit the floor. Lupe chuckled contently before she addressed them. “Alright boys, time to advance,” she shot at them, placing her hand on Twist's shoulder in the process.

The Lone Wolf Squad was on another mission, being tasked to rid a former Republic outpost of the Separatists that had occupied it. The squad had no intel on any Republic survivors or prisoners, and had to move quickly if they wanted to find out as long as any possible survivors were still alive.

Just as Lupe rounded a corner, she felt a disturbance in the Force. A darkness took a hold on her, a shadow emerging and consuming the light. Something was happening..

“Rex..” “Fives..” “This.. It's bigger than any of us, than anything I could have imagined. I never meant to.. I only wanted to do my duty.” “Brother. Fives. Stay with me, Fives! Fives!” “The mission.. The nightmares.. They're.. Finally.. Over.” “Fives? No, Fives. Come on, Fives, don't go! Stay with me. Stay with me. Fives! Fives! Don't go. No. Oh, no..”

The ominous feeling crushed her like a gluttonbug. A cramped feeling took her in its grasp, as if someone wrapped their fingers around her heart and started squeezing. Squeezing until blood came oozing out, until it stopped beating. The breath was knocked out of her lungs, and she gasped for air. Black flashes clouded her vision. She staggered, reaching for the wall in an attempt to steady herself, but she stumbled and fell to her knees.

“The General! Lupe, sir, are you hit?” Ragnar shouted out, jumping towards her to check on her, but there was no reaction. The other clones positioned themselves around her protectively, scanning the area to see where any shots might have come from, but there was nothing to find.

Ragnar kneeled in front of Lupe, carefully taking her face in his hands. As he guided her gaze towards him, her eyes found his visor. He was shocked when he saw them dark and empty; as if she wasn't there. “Lupe, talk to me,” he urged her somewhat demandingly, but with a caring tone to his voice. She parted her lips and started mouthing a word, a name, but there was no sound. A tear rolled down her cheek.

“Please, come back to me- to us,” Ragnar begged her in a whisper, before putting his helmet against her forehead. Moments after, he could feel her hands on top of his, as he still held her face between them. He pulled away, to look her in the eyes again. “Ragnar, something.. Something has happened. I-I-I felt it. It hurts.. It hurts so much..,” she stammered, searching for an explanation, a way to describe it to him.

“We'll find out. We're gonna rush those Separatists and we'll head back to Coruscant as soon as possible,” he tried to ease her, giving her a comforting nod, before helping her to her feet again. But she already knew something bad had happened, and heading back towards Coruscant would only make it more real, worsening her heart-wrenching pain.

---

Coruscant | GAR Barracks' Hangar

Lupe had no recollection of the remainder of their mission. The boys had dragged her along, perfectly able to carry on the mission after all the experience they had gained throughout the war. They hadn't encountered any survivors, but they had made sure the threat was dealt with - and any sensitive data available couldn’t fall into Separatist hands anymore.

Back on Coruscant, Claw was piloting the shuttle into the barracks’ hangar, and with every second, the invisible grasp around her heart and throat tightened. When Claw started the landing procedure, Lupe's gaze fell on Captain Rex in the hangar. All hope was gone.

His body language told her enough. Every bit of hope and confidence she still had, left her in a heartbeat. She didn't wait for the shuttle to hit the floor before pushing the entry button and jumping from the boarding walk. With effort to not collapse towards the ground again, she ran over to Rex. Her eyebrows were wrinkled in pain and despair, her eyes already watery from tears.

When she reached him, Rex averted his gaze; he didn't have the strength left to look her in the eyes. “Rex, where is he? Where's Fives?” she managed, her voice coarse as the lump in her throat made it nearly impossible to mutter any words. Rex closed his eyes for a brief moment. “They laid him in the medbay,” he whispered, barely loud enough to become audible.

She jolted past him, her eyes set on the way towards the medbay only; everything else just became a blur.

---

Coruscant | GAR Barracks' Medbay

She couldn't breathe. Her head was spinning. Her throat was sore. When the door opened, she could see Anakin and Master Shaak Ti standing beside the bed. A shroud covered the body that laid on top of it.

Something inside her just snapped. She didn't care about the Jedi Code anymore, about being secretive about her love for the clones, for this clone in particular. They could kick her from the Order if they wanted to, she couldn't care any less at this moment. Her galaxy was just taken from her, shattered in the relentless war, and she had no single shred of care to give anymore.

She staggered forward, ignoring both Jedi in the room, and when she made it to the bed, she reached for the shroud. Her brows were twitching and her hands shaking when she slowly lifted it, finally revealing Fives’ lifeless body. She knew; she had known from the moment she felt the disturbance. But now that she was standing at his side, her gaze on his body, she realised this was really happening. It wasn't some nightmare or vision anymore.

“No no no, Fives, please- Please,” she started, putting her trembling hands on his shoulders, gently shaking them in an effort to wake him up, becoming more forceful when he didn't. Anakin walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Lupe, he's- He's gone,” he whispered softly before swallowing. When it dawned on her, she let out a cry; a heart-wrenching cry, chilling to the bone, that even brought tears to Shaak Ti’s eyes.

Lupe sank onto her knees, grasping for Fives’ hand. She squeezed it tightly as she sat crying, sobbing uncontrollably as this loss dawned on her. There was no going back now, no caring and comforting moments, the teasing and the shenanigans. The intimacy and the love he had given her. Her galaxy was taken from her, and her spark died down.

In silence, Anakin gestured to Shaak Ti, and they left the room without uttering another word, granting Lupe some privacy. She lost her sense of time, but there came no end to her tears. They were the only tangible thing left of their bond.

---

A shiver ran down her spine when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She had no idea how long she had been sitting here, and she didn't even feel a presence entering the room. With effort, she managed to look up. Rex was standing at her side, his face filled with pain as he looked down at Fives’ body. He sank to his knees beside her, slightly hanging his head. “I-I'm sorry Lupe, sir, I tried to.. I..,” he started stammering, but he couldn't find the words.

Normally, she would try to comfort him, to ease his mind, because there was no way in the galaxy Rex could have been responsible for Fives’ death. But she didn't this time; she didn't have the will anymore. She looked at him with a hollow expression, as the tears finally stopped flowing. He averted his gaze again; looking at her was too painful.

He wanted to tell her what happened, what had occurred in those last few minutes before disaster struck. But he didn't have the courage; not now, at least. He had to figure it out for himself first, putting everything in place. He would share his findings with her later; there would be more than enough time.

Fortunately for Rex, Lupe was too empty to ask any questions at this moment. Her gaze slid from him towards Fives on top of the bed. His shaven head.. “I've seen this,” she muttered, a chilling coldness in her voice; she sounded detached. Rex raised a brow and looked at her confused. “This happened before. In my dreams. I- I told him about it,” she continued, not averting her gaze from Fives.

Another moment of silence, before she broke again. “I could have prevented this,” she whispered at last, before she collapsed her head into her hands, tears rolling down her cheeks again. Rex swallowed, and pulled her sobbing body into an embrace. He wanted to comfort her, letting her know it wasn't her fault, but words eluded him. So he just pulled her tight, letting her know she wasn't alone, that she was allowed to mourn. She cried what remained of her heart out on his shoulder.

---

Coruscant | GAR Barracks' Hangar

It took a few rotations before Fives’ body was released. The Supreme Chancellor’s personal medical personnel - she was so confused why this had been necessary - had conducted research on him, to figure out what had happened to him - and to Tup, apparently. Poor Tup, as if the death of one brother hadn't been enough for the 501st. Lupe didn't have the strength to inquire about their findings, as she tried to keep away the thoughts of them cutting open and prying inside Fives’ body.

It was Jesse who found her at her usual spot at the edge of the hangar. It was nighttime already, but the many lights of Coruscant prevented total darkness. Instead of inviting her to join them directly, he sat down beside her, where she was leaning her back against an abandoned crate. She was so lost in thoughts that she didn't look up, gazing unfocused into the distance.

Jesse looked at her sideways, not sure what to say. They were all devastated by their most recent losses, but Lupe seemed to take it the worst. “How, er- How are you holding up?” he asked eventually, scolding himself immediately for his stupid question. Lupe blinked, his words pulling her from her thoughts, back into reality. She looked at him, the whites of her eyes red from the crying, her gaze empty, her skin even paler than usual.

He swallowed. “Yeah, no need to answer that,” he added softly, before sliding his gaze to the view in front of him. “We just got his body back. We're preparing him now, and, er- we would like you to attend the ceremony. If that's alright with you, of course.”

Lupe swallowed, leaning forward as Jesse's words dawned on her. She had never attended such a ceremony; it was highly unusual for the troopers to invite outsiders, even as some of them had grown a strong bond with the clones. She wanted to feel honoured, but she couldn't feel anything other than loss, emptiness and guilt. So much guilt.

“Thank you,” she managed at last, although faint, ”I would like that.” She closed her eyes as she tried to picture Fives during the last time they had been together, but all she got was images of his lifeless body in the medbay, his shaven head. She shook her head, eyes opening wide. “Cremation, right?” she whispered, trying to avert her thoughts from the images that flashed in front of her.

Jesse nodded slowly. “Yeah, there's not enough space on Coruscant to bury all our fallen brothers,” he said slowly. Lupe's eyebrows twitched, the heart-wrenching remark weighing heavily on her already sore heart. She looked at him, took his hand and squeezed it in an attempt of comfort.

“I'm sorry. For all the horrors we Jedi put you through,” she managed despite the lump in her throat. Jesse looked up at her, a bit startled by her sudden touch, but he appreciated the gesture. “Heh, not all Jedi are that bad. You, sir, have been a highlight of our days. I can totally see why Fives is- was attracted to you. General, sir,” he replied, averting his gaze from hers as a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. For the first time in rotations, Lupe managed a smile on her face. “Thank you, Jesse.”

Lupe hadn't noticed earlier, but all the noise and activities in the hangar had died down. No more arriving or departing ships, no sounds of troopers running about. Jesse got up to his feet and offered her his hand, a caring smile on his face. “I think they're ready,” he said softly, before she took his hand to lift herself to her feet.

When she looked into the hangar, her breath caught in her throat, her heart skipping a beat. The hangar was filled to the brim with clone troopers, present to pay their last respects towards Fives. She noticed a lot of the 501st’s blue, but she could distinguish quite a few other colours. Her gaze slid over the crowd towards the edge of the hangar, where she noticed a pyrohover. On top lay his body. Fives.

Jesse carefully nudged her towards the scene. Reluctant at the first few steps, as she felt she was intruding on a private gathering, she managed to walk over. Jesse walked with her until she positioned herself at Rex’s side, before finding his own place with Torrent Company behind them. Rex shot her a comforting smile. “Glad you could make it, sir,” he whispered. Lupe's brows twitched, as she tried holding back the tears.

After Rex gave her a moment to regain herself, he leaned towards her. “Are you ready, sir?” he asked in a soft, low voice. Lupe took a deep breath with a shaky inhale, before replying with a tremble in her voice: “As ready as I'll ever be.”

Rex nodded and guided her towards the pyrohover. From his neck down, Fives was covered in a shroud. A deep sigh when she realised this was the last time she would lay eyes on him. She gently touched the ‘5’ tattoo on his temple, before leaning forward to press one last kiss on his motionless forehead. A tear rolled down her cheek and fell upon his cold skin.

“Thank you, my cyare*, for letting me be your shereshoy*,” she whispered, soft enough so no one could hear her intimate words; they were meant for Fives, and Fives alone. She pressed her forehead against his, taking a deep breath as she touched him for the very last time. Rex stood a few steps away, granting them this last time of privacy together.

*cyare = beloved, loved

*shereshoy = lust for life and much more - uniquely Mandalorian word, meaning the enjoyment of each day and the determination to seek and grab every possible experience, as well as surviving to see the next day - hanging onto life and relishing it

After delaying the moment for as long as possible, Lupe finally pulled away from Fives. Her eyes started watering instantly, as the moment felt so final. She took another deep breath, before turning towards Rex, as she didn't know how the ceremony would continue. He took it as an invitation to step forward again, and when he reached her, he pointed out which button to push.

Lupe nodded and turned towards the pyrohover’s control panel. She swallowed, her breathing uneven as she reached for the button. She pressed it, resulting in a clicking sound from the igniter, before hissing blue flames emerged from the pyrohover. She took a startled step back when the flames started to lick Fives’ body, started to consume what was left of him. This empty hull that used to contain her galaxy.

When Rex noticed Lupe slightly leaning forward, nearing the flames, he gently nudged her backwards. She snapped out of it, and with a muddled look on her face, she let Rex guide her to their former position. As she tried regaining herself at his side, her gaze slid back towards Fives, where it lingered for the remainder of the ceremony.

Rex cleared his throat and straightened himself, a serious look in his eyes as he stood at attention to address the present crowd. “Ner vode*,” he called out as loudly as possible, so his voice would carry far throughout the silent hangar. He continued: “We are gathered here to remember our fallen brother, Fives. Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum*.” After Rex finished the sentence, hundreds of voices of clones in the hangar chanted Fives’ name, a way to remember him. Tears flowed from Lupe's eyes as a shiver ran down her spine.

*Ner vode = my brothers/sisters/friends

*Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum = I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal

“Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la*,” Rex concluded his speech after the chanting, letting out a heavy sigh. He had recited these words so many times before, but it never got easier. Especially not this time. He relaxed his shoulders and watched over Lupe as she stood frozen at his side.

*Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la = Not gone, merely marching far away

At last, Rex gestured towards Jesse to move forward again. Lupe didn't notice their interaction, Jesse handing over something to Rex, as her gaze was still fixated on the flames in front of her. It was only when Rex returned to her, stepping closer and clearing his throat, she snapped out of her thoughts. “Sir, we thought- We thought you wanted to have these,” he whispered.

Confused, Lupe raised a brow. When she let her gaze slide down, seeing what Rex was carrying, she realised what he was offering her: the pauldrons of Fives’ ARC attire. She put her hand over her mouth, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to pull herself together. She took a deep breath before accepting them. “Rex, I- I-.. Thank you,” she stammered, as she pulled the pauldrons tenderly against her chest.

---

Most troopers in the hangar had scattered by now, going back to their nightly routines. Rex and the remaining core of Torrent Company lingered at the scene of the ceremony, where Lupe remained unmoved. Her mind was blank; she had no clue how to continue from here.

Rex and Jesse shared a look. Normally after the funeral ceremony of a close brother, they would remember and celebrate him at 79’s. But it didn't feel right, leaving Lupe out here, on her own with Fives’ remains smouldering on top of the pyrohover. Jesse shrugged, but Rex gave him a nod, both as approval and as encouragement.

At last, Jesse cleared his throat as he strolled towards Lupe. “General, sir, we, er- We always go pay 79’s a visit, after.. After the loss of a close brother. It's called a aay’han*, you see,” Jesse struggled through his words. Kix shot Jesse a frustrated look from behind Lupe, as Jesse was clearly oversharing and needed to get to the point.

*aay’han = bittersweet moment of mourning and joy; "remembering and celebration” (after the death of a family member)

“So, we thought, since you attended one of our ceremonies now, maybe you, er- You would like to accompany us?” he continued, shifting on his feet awkwardly. Kix emerged from behind Lupe, feeling the need to interfere. “Don’t feel obliged, sir. And if you need some more time here, we understand completely.” He gave her a quick, practical nod.

Her gaze slid from Jesse to Kix, a glassy look in her eyes. She finally turned towards Rex, wetting her lips before she spoke. “What.. What will happen to his remains?” she asked, her voice small and distant. Rex walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder before answering. “When the ashes have cooled down, they will be strewn into the wind. He'll still be here in the morning, don’t you worry,” he said to her slowly, a small smile on his face to comfort her.

She nodded to him, before turning towards Jesse and Kix again. “Then I'd like to come with you,” she said with a faint nod.

---

Coruscant | 79’s

Despite the lively colours of the bar's presentation, 79’s felt bleak without Fives. They sat at one of the booths, silently awaiting the first round of drinks they had ordered. It was becoming painfully clear to the clones how Torrent’s core kept dwindling, whilst Lupe sat fretting about the fact that everyone and everything around them kept continuing their businesses as if nothing had happened.

When the server droid finally served their drinks, they divided the glasses between themselves. “To Fives,” Rex started, raising his glass. The others joined him with their drinks. “For all the trouble he put us in,” Jesse continued, as Kix added: “And for getting us out again - most of the time.” They clinked their glasses and took a sip of their beer. Before putting the glass to her mouth, Lupe whispered: “Our dedication and our doom.”

She gulped down the alcohol at a dangerous speed, and Kix looked at her with concern. She was already calling the server droid over for another round, whilst the boys were still finishing their first drinks. Kix tried to catch Rex’s gaze, but the Captain didn't seem to pay any attention to his surroundings, as he was twirling around the beverage in his glass.

The rounds kept coming, and Lupe seemed to down every drink faster than the previous one. Where they would normally loosen up and continue their night with cheerful bantering as they remembered and celebrated their fallen brothers, this time, the mood stayed gloomy and oppressed. They were painfully aware of the fact the numbers of their close core were decreasing rapidly, the empty seats around them being a cruel reminder.

After a few more rounds, Lupe suddenly straightened herself in her seat. She pushed her half finished drink aside, resulting in Kix raising a brow. “Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me,” she started, her voice surprisingly elated, “I'm in need of a new tattoo.” She got out of the booth a bit clumsily, and as their gazes slid towards the back of 79’s, they noticed the tattooist was in that night.

With some effort, she walked away from them, setting her course towards the tattooist. “You go, girl- General, sir!” Jesse shouted after she got up, swinging his glass around and spilling some of his drink in the process. Rex chuckled at the sight. But the mood shifted back quickly; now that Lupe was out of hearing range, there were a few unspoken matters to be discussed.

Kix swallowed before looking back at Rex. “Did you- Did you tell her about anything?” he asked in a whisper, only just loud enough to get over the surrounding noises. His last interaction with Fives was still fresh on his mind; his cry for help, his distrust, his fear. Kix swallowed again; had there been a way he could have done more for Fives, preventing anything that had happened next?

Rex slowly shook his head. “Haven't had the courage yet. Besides, I need to figure things out for myself first, process everything. I'm not even sure if I know what happened.” He finished the remainder of his drink in one big gulp. “I'll tell her when I put everything into place. Maybe she'll know what to do with it.”

Kix nodded in understanding, before clearing his throat. “Was, er- was Fox at the ceremony?” he asked cautiously, knowing it was a bit of a sensitive subject. Jesse clenched his fist, but Rex sighed and let his shoulders hang. “Haven't seen him, but again, that hangar was packed,” he replied with a wry smile on his face. Jesse huffed, showing his aversion. “I'm glad he didn't show his face. I don't think I could have restrained myself from hitting it,” he shot through gritted teeth.

Rex tried to ease him by putting his hand on Jesse's tensed arm. “Easy, Jesse. I understand that you feel this way towards him, but Fox did everything he should have done back in that.. dreadful situation. Besides, if I know Fox, he's taking this the hardest on himself.”

A moment of silence, before Kix sighed and opened his mouth. “I'm worrying about her. I know it's still early and fresh, but she's- she's not coping well.” Rex shot a glance towards the back of 79’s, where the tattooist was located. “I'll talk to General Skywalker and her Lone Wolves. I think we should all keep an extra eye out for her,” he said softly, his eyes on Lupe in the tattooist’s chair as his thoughts started to wander.

Kix nodded in agreement, but something was fretting him. “Good idea, sir, but.. There's not really a lot of us left. To check on her, y’know,” he said at last, his eyes sliding over the empty seats around their booth. Rex took in the words, but didn't reply; his thoughts were on all the brothers he had lost, the ones he couldn't save. “Yeah, who will be next..,” Jesse said with a sigh, before finishing his drink.

…

Epilogue

Lupe had walked over to the tattooist, located at the back of 79’s that evening. Her stride was determined, although a bit unsteady due to the alcohol in her system. She had a clear picture of what she wanted. When she reached the tattooist, she described her request, but it wasn't anything complex. To most it was just a number, but to her, it was so much more. A reminder of her galaxy, her shereshoy; her lust for life, the enjoyment of her day, the determination of surviving to see the next one.

Fives was gone, but he would always be a part of her. She knew things would get harder from now on; she had to pull herself together now, since he wasn't there anymore to pick her up when she was down.

The ‘5’ the tattooist was currently inking on her upper right arm would be a reminder of him, that she was still carrying him around with her. A reminder that he was always close, a symbol of comfort when she ever needed it.

Besides, she would find solace in the clones she had befriended; his brothers. Even though she didn't know how long the war would last, she knew they would be around, and there would always be clones to fall back on. There wasn't a force in the galaxy that could change that bond.

She found comfort in that thought.

Well, at least I can add a tattoo to Lupe's character sheet *continues sobbing*

[kark-trooper-echo]

Do you know if the one trooper from the 501st named Ringo is named after Ringo Starr of The Beatles? Are the clones undercover Beatles fans??? I need to know 😌

Not Ringo Starr. More like Ringo planet.

Ringo's first mission as a shiny took him to Ringo Vinda as part of a small intel gathering force. It was the first planet he had seen other than Kamino, and he was fascinated by every part of it.