#Vamien Chronicles

[scionprotector]

I love this kiss so very much. <3

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Vamien stumbled his way out of the fight with Arcann. With the ship exploding around them, he was far more concerned with making certain everyone was off the ship safely than his own well-being. He assured them he could get off the spaceship, and followed their cues telling him where to go. They didn’t question that he was slow going; considering the ship was in flames, it would make sense that he would be delayed. 

Collapsing into the seat of the spaceship, he was almost seeing double. The Force willed him forward, instinct driving him to pilot the ship properly. When Senya informed him that she’d made it out, but so had Arcann, he almost snapped at her to bring him back - that he needed to finish the job. But he could hear it in her tone, that she believed what she was saying. Arcann had changed, Arcann was able to be saved. Vamien had not had reason to doubt her, so he let her go. Even if he was to shoot Arcann, there was no way he was shooting down Senya. 

Koth shouted at him via the comms, but Vamien had made his decision by that point. Not to mention slumping harder into the seat, no matter how hard he tried to keep himself upright. As the rest of them bickered, Vamien almost laughed at Lana’s comment. A very trying day, indeed.

The alliance found out quickly, for as soon as he’d landed the ship and made his way to the war room, the cheers of victory were mixed with gasps of shock. But word didn’t quite reach those of Vamien’s inner circle, until he made his way down the steps.

Theron was the first to react - of course it would be Theron. He’d promised to be careful... he’d failed in that regard, hadn’t he?

“...I tried to be careful,” he said softly, almost immediately stumbling against him as soon as he got close.

Theron brought a hand up, running through his hair as his arm wrapped around him to draw Vamien into a tight embrace, mindful of Vamien’s injury. Now was not the time to care what others knew about them, not when Vamien had lost far more than anyone had known.

And having Vamien’s saber-wielding arm missing from beneath the elbow definitely warranted a re-prioritization of emotions.

“Let’s get you to Oggurobb.” 

Medication helped a great deal in regaining Vamien’s alertness once more, and as Oggurobb worked, the others debriefed him on what had taken place since his defeat of Arcann. 

“I wonder if he wanted someone to mirror him,” Vamien deadpanned. Theron just shook his head, while Lana frowned in distaste.

“We will find the best prosthetic we can, Comm---”

“No. I’ll wear what we can get. Whatever works, is what I will use. I don’t want it to look real. I want to end this, once and for all. Understood?”

Lana hesitated, but nodded. “I’ll get to it, then.” She motioned the group out, and Oggurobb slipped away to begin designing the best prosthetic he’d ever made. Theron slipped beside him, and took Vamien’s remaining hand inbetween his, squeezing it lightly. 

“I’m glad you made it. Even...”

“I know.” Vamien was making it a habit of interrupting people, it seemed. Sighing, he shifted so he could lean himself against Theron’s side, settling his head against his shoulder. The fight had been the hardest he’d ever had, despite the energies Satele and Marr had put into the saber. But despite the difficulty of it, despite Arcann recognizing some newfound strength, he didn’t feel stronger. The saber never felt right. “I should’ve practiced with it more. I might’ve been able to block it better.” Thank the Force for the shield he’d found. He didn’t know what he would’ve done without it.

Turning his head, Theron pressed his lips against Vamien’s forehead. “Maybe. But for now, you rest. We rest. And then you can train as much as you like with your ol’ reliable.”

Vamien smiled softly at the use of ‘we’. “You won’t...?”

“I’m not going anywhere.” The words were precisely what Vamien needed to hear, and he sighed heavily as he shut his eyes. He would come to terms with the loss of his limb later. For now, he was safe... and maybe, just maybe, he could get the rest that Theron asked of him.

[scionprotector]

I can’t with these two. They’re so damn cute!

Man, they must spend SO much time on hair product.

[scionprotector]

....Crap. Vamien is getting on really well with Torian in my head.

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Vamien as a SWTOR Companion

If your OC was an NPC

This character concept has been sitting in my head for a good, long while, thanks to a conversation with @lordryen! Time it got fleshed out!

Would they be recruitable? 

Yes. You would recruit him instead of Rusk on Hoth. He would be temporarily lost at the end of Chapter 2 (with the Emperor fight, as he would fall to the Emperor as well); however, he will be regained in Chapter 3. That would take place in a fight on Voss, where the Emperor was controlling him into spreading the Nightmare lands corruption to the rest of Voss (aka, the Fulminiss arc - wasted opportunity to make this one of the corrupted peers of the JK!). Vamien becomes a companion to the JK, should the JK want them to be (accepted/rejected).

Would they be a class specific character? (ie. Imperial Agent only. Republic character only)

Vamien would be a Jedi-Knight companion, and later recruitable for all characters during KOTFE.

Where would you recruit them from?

He’s been friends with the JK for a long while, possibly even trained with him during their youth. They reunite in Tython during the events of Chapter 2, as a padawan to one of the Jedi Masters (probably Warren Sedoru). Instead of Rusk, you would pick up Vamien on Hoth, who has been working with Leeha in finding the vessel. Where Leeha has been putting her trust in the Meedee's, Vamien has been following the lead of the White Maws, who seem to have discovered something on their own.

During KOTFE, Vamien is left behind to defend the ship when Arcann invades Asylum. Before Senya steps in to fight Vaylin, he loses his hand in the fight and is whisked back to the Gravestone for medical care. He's next seen in Chapter 9, on Odessen, with a mechanical hand in place, using the Force to move things around.

What would be their original recruitment outfit?

Are they romancable? Why/why not?

Yes, to a degree. He's not romancable to anyone during the JK storyline but he is during KOTFE - specifically to male JK's.

If the Outlander doesn't romance either him or Torian, they will end up together by the end of KOTET (any and all romances aside, a recruited Vamien saves Torian before his capture by Vaylin, because there's no way Vamien would let Torian go on that mission by himself).

Do they know any other in game characters? (ie. trained under Satele Shan during the civil war. Knew Talos before he went to Hoth)

Vamien knows the JK prior to the chapters. He's familiar with Satele Shan, although has not worked/trained with her directly. He's semi-familiar with Theron Shan, having dealt with SIS on a few ocassions.

What weapon(s) would they have?

A almond/blue lightsaber, that later becomes turquoise during KOTFE (post Chapter 8).

Are they better as a tank, healer or DPS?

Tank, DPS, healer, in that order.

What would they say if you sent them away/changed them out?

"May the Force guide you."

"As you will it."

What do they say when they heal you? What do they say when they are attacking?

(Attacking) "I'll draw their attention!"

(Healing) "May the Force mend you."

What’s their idle chatter like? Do they talk a lot (when you arrive on each planet) or do they suddenly say something in some strange places?

Vamien would speak of the Force-readings of the planet. Good, bad, or otherwise. He wouldn't complain about the weather, no matter the planet though, grateful to be alive to visit places.

If they are recruitable in vanilla story, where are they during KOTFE/TET? What are/were they doing?

Leading up to KOTFE, Vamien has been working with Theron as a rogue of the Republic and the Jedi Order (not the Sixth Line. He didn't join the Jedi at Ossus, and felt that Theron would be a good person to follow). So when Lana/Koth/HK/T-7 goes to save the Outlander, Vamien is with that crew (sent by Theron, since he could not make it).

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how they smile & nonverbal greetings for vamien?

The smile varies, but Vamien lately has been doing a quirky one-sided smile quite a bit... I wonder who he gets it from:

As for nonverbal greetings, it depends almost entirely on who it is. Most of the time, it’s a polite nod of the head. With Theron, it tends to be a slight squeeze of his arm (with his good hand). 

Vamien is not very physical, but he’s learning. 

[scionprotector]

I have NO regrets about my decision. I just wish there were better cybernetic hands. But it’s so awesome, having headcanons about how he like, curls his ‘fingers’ and is reminded when he hears metal on metal.

Thankfully, he’s not the punching type. XD

[scionprotector]

"This isn’t exactly what I had in mind."

((Takes place before KOTET))

Vamien was having difficulties. A great deal of them, really. A return to his old saber was a comfort, but the fact of the matter was that no prosthetic they could manipulate to fit him could hold the thin hilt of the lightsaber. Sometimes, merely drawing the weapon sent it to the floor - an act that severed one of the mechanical prosthetics they had been trying.

It was starting to drain him, and those in his inner circle could tell. Theron tried to remain positive, but it was difficult when Vamien was starting to sink deeper and deeper into a spiral that he’d not felt since his first recovery from the Emperor. When Lana had asked him for the lightsaber, he had barely hesitated in handing it over. She was better off trying to lead this Alliance than he was - at least she could defend it properly.

It was Oggurobb that promised something, asking him to come to the lab to try it out. What Vamien did not anticipate was the sight of new armor, laying on a table. Nor was he anticipating the sight of Sana-Rae and Lana. His brows dipped slightly, motioning towards it. “Doctor?” 

“We have been putting too much weight on the mechanical, and not enough on your own innate ability, Commander. Tell me, when you reach for your lightsaber, do you reach for it with your hand, or with the Force?”

Brows darted upright at that. “Surely you’re not suggesting I summon myself a hand, Doctor.”

“Not in the slightest. But with some slight modifications…” Oggurobb motioned for Vamien to put on the chest piece, which started to thrum slightly as it settled into place over his shoulders. Sana-Rae came forward and slipped a brace over his saber arm, settling it over what had once been his forearm. Vamien allowed them to work, but when Lana came forth with his saber, extending it out to him, he initially looked at it in confusion. When Vamien stepped forward to reach out and grab it, she shook her head, taking a step back.

“No. Not with your hand.”

Comprehension took a moment, and he tilted his head slightly. His arm extended, the saber took but a moment to launch itself towards him, nestling comfortably within the grip of his new mechanical hand.

And stayed there.

The crystal was bright, turquoise now, a color he’d never seen from a saber before. Belatedly, he realized that it matched the color in the armor piece he sported. He swung the hilt, lightly at first, then a stronger swing. A few sparks few, and a faint glow of smoke seemed to come from the base of it, but the light never flickered, and the hilt didn’t fall.

“What did you do?” He asked, the awe in his tone obvious.

“We did very little. It is what you have always done instinctively - use the Force to summon your talents. This simply allows you to channel it properly. Even if your hand loses a grip, the hilt will not fall, so long as you held it properly to begin with.” Oggurobb continued, explaining the technical aspect of what he did, and how Sana-Rae and Lana contributed… but Vamien, admittedly, had tuned him out, staring down at the saber in his mechanical hand. Visually, it was jarring… but it still felt right. There was no concern about him dropping it, because it felt solid in his grip somehow. 

His eyes flicked upward, emotion clear in his expression. “Thank you. All of you.” He was about to continue when a streak of red caught the corner of his eye, and he immediately swung to block it.

The bright turquiose beam hummed, sparks flew, but it held firmly in place as Vamien came face-to-face with Lana, who began to nod in satisfaction. “Welcome back, Commander.” 

A surge of confidence came rushing back, and he spun the saber around his hand, finding that it remained perfectly in his grip. A look of determination spread across his face, and he nodded in satisfaction. “Let’s finish this.”

[scionprotector]

Is it bad that I wanna lob Vamien’s hand off in the Arcann fight? >.>

[scionprotector]

OC’s Cuddle Tag

Rules: For each of your OCs, rate how cuddleable they are on a scale of 1-10.

Tagged by: I stole it. Like the smuggler my main is *cough*

I’m tagging…. @exeunt-legacy @storyknitter @mando-ad @greyias

Vayllaa

4/10 - Do not recommend. She’s charming and usually smiling, but don’t surprise her with physical contact. She’s warming up to it though, and she loves cuddles from Theron. Which is convenient for him, because she’s quite warm! But she doesn’t need to be curled up against him to fall asleep. It’s just nicer that way.

Breanna

9/10 - If you’re not careful, Breanna will jump on your back for a piggyback ride while walking around Odessen. She’s also prone to shoulder bumps, arms slung over people’s shoulders, or even the occasional shoulder massage if someone looks particularly tense (in increasing level of familiarity). She’s all about physical contact, so she’s gotta have one of her boys in bed with her come the sleeping hour (both is preferred, though). She has a hard time sleeping when they’re not around.

Jiriata

3/10, initially - Would rather you didn’t, thanks. But when she discovers how very warm Vector is, she’s all about it. When they’re apart, she has a very hard time sleeping, actually, because he’s such a comforting presence. When she hooks up with Theron, it’s initially just for convenience - he’s much cooler to the touch than Vector is, but warmer than her (For the record, I haven’t decided yet if she stays with Theron after Vector comes back. I’m on the fence about it).

Raexya

1/10 - No. Quinn sleeps on his side of the bed, and she sleeps on her side.

Vamien

7/10 - He’s completely not used to it, at first. Jedi are so insular, that physical contact is not something they often participate in. With Doc and Kira being his initial sources of physical contact (not romantically, just the idea of camaraderie), Vamien started to warm up to the idea. By the time he got to Theron, he realized how much he enjoyed being the big spoon at night... but sometimes he lets Theron be the big spoon, instead.

[scionprotector]

Aw, he’s so pleased to see his boy again. More smiling from the protag, please!

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He had failed.

The entire mission on Ziost had been a disaster from the start, but surely none of them could have anticipated this. 

As the planet transformed before his eyes, he could feel its death. Nausea rose up in him, but he stood transfixed, staring out at the planet he had been on just moments before. 

The emperor had told him that he would be letting him live. He should have waited longer, let more people evacuate.

“No one could have anticipated this,” came the fairly unfamiliar voice of the tall Sith behind him. Vamien didn’t acknowledge, far too taken aback by it all to voice anything aloud. “The Emperor is cunning; he planned for this. Planned for your guilt, as well. You must not let it happen. You have managed to get under his skin. You must do your best to remain there.”

It was odd, taking words of comfort from a Sith. But if there was anything he had learned from all this, it was that Scourge respected his ability, if not his actual message. They still held the same goal, after all. The Emperor was not dead. 

Yet.

His fingers curled into a fist, as his guilt became leaden in his gut. The next time, he would not fail.

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This might be the prettiest picture I have of Vamien, yet. My handsome boy. He’s really coming to terms with this whole Alliance leadership right around the Mandalorian chapter.

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Oof. Still kinda startling to see.

Bah. I forgot to switch him back to his other armor for this chapter. D’oh!

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His mind knew it was a dream, and yet he could not tell his heart such a thing. Fighting the memories of his past, making it to his friends and companions that had served and fought alongside him for so long... only stand before them rather than at their side...

When Valkorian asked if following the Jedi way was worth it, Vamien was honest. “If it means losing them, no, it doesn’t.” 

The laughter was dark, and Vamien couldn’t hold back the shiver that ran down his spine. It was painfully familiar, despite the new voice behind it. He’d heard this man before. He had him controlling his actions for months.

He felt himself crumbling, and while he spoke with bravado, it must have been obvious to Valkorian that Vamien was not truly in his normal mindset. “The Republic you serve does not deserve your loyalty. Look at what happens when you fail them.”

What happened next was nauseating: taking down Republic soldiers that came to attack him, demanding to know why he had failed them. Fellow Jedi - some he had taught, attacking him at mere sight. It was likely meaningless, but he tried to save what civilians he could... maybe, somewhere, it wasn’t entirely a nightmare...

Yet something else was wrong. One thing throughout it all rang true - he was dying. His lungs ached, his body froze as he gasped for air. He thought when the time came, he would be at peace with it... but there was so much left to do. He couldn’t die, not when the Republic - no, when his friends needed him.

At one point, just before the carpet to the Senate Tower, he dropped onto one knee, gasping for breath. He wondered if it was really worth it. He’d been fighting for so long, and had anything truly changed? It just hurt... surely it wouldn’t be so terrible to just... stop fighting for once?

When Master Satele dropped onto the carpet, he looked at her in desperation, but saw no sympathy in her gaze. Despite her composed demeanor, she had never looked at him coldly, murderously. And he knew then. He had to keep fighting. He could not let down so many people. 

The fight with Master Satele was hard, about what he anticipated. Breathless, worn, and pained, he nearly winced when Valkorian returned... but he spoke of empowerment. Of ruling over himself, not listening to authority.

Standing over Satele’s body was not the time to mention that. He felt his resolve returning to him, lashing out against Valkorian as his strength started to return.

And then a piece of a ship landed atop him.

He made his way to Valkorian, finding himself with his mind more at ease, even if his body wasn’t. When he dropped to the floor, it was sheer will that had him rising once more, sheer fortitude that got him through the fight with the Monolith. 

And then another jump. Vamien always wondered why he never remembered his dreams. If they were like this, he wanted little to do with them.

This time, they stood before the Eternal Throne, and Vamien was stunned when the woman sensed him. But if he thought he had been in pain before, he was wrong. Vaylin took her saber and ran it through him, making him drop to his knees.

“...I’m dying...” There was no peace, there was only dread. He’d failed.

“We are bring reborn.”

The dream gave way to light, and an all too familiar voice rang through.

Lana Beniko sounded like an angel.

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“Theron, hold on. Before you go---”

“No, I’m not fine. No, I’m not asking you to fix me. We don’t have time for this, go.”

They were going to take longer to argue about it than it would take for Vamien to take care of it. He wasn’t much of a healer, but he’d learned a thing or two. As Theron walked off, he lowered his head and brought his hands up in a steepled motion.

He didn’t notice the stiffening of Theron’s shoulders, nor the slight shake of his head. “And they call me stubborn,” he muttered to himself, wandering off to see what hadn’t been destroyed by the self-destruct sequence.

Vamien peered upwards at Theron’s withdrawing presence, and he knew. He just knew. 

The fear, the anxiety. It was everything the Jedi Code warned against. He was getting attached. Quickly. And he wasn’t entirely certain he wanted to untangle himself from it.