#also if anyone wants to talk clone wars or Star Wars hit me up

[foxmybeloved]

Me 🤝🏽 Commander Fox

Going to Space Dutch Bros

[zeb-z]

all I want is a fic that centers around Kix after he wakes up from being frozen, where he joins the resistance as a medic. a fic where he considers how similar his time under General Organa is to his time under General Skywalker, and finds out the connection and loses his mind just a little. some sort of poetic cosmic coincidence. a fic where Kix wakes up in a time that isn’t his own and chooses all over again to help be a healer for a cause worth fighting for, except this time it’s truly his decision. where he helps Finn recover after the events of TFA and they find a common ground of having been just numbers meant to serve a sinister purpose without consideration to them as people. where he knows more about lightsaber safety and combat then anyone else there, and actually remembers some of the drills the Generals used to run and teaches Rey what he can. guiding her through what he knew Kenobi would do for meditation, remembering how the man had stressed it’s importance for balance as a force user.

all I want is a fic where he’s there to tell stories to Luke and Leia of their father that they’ve never been able to hear before, of the man they never saw him as. where he gets to see Ahsoka again, still alive and kicking it, and he can get the full story of what happened during order 66 - not the fall of the Republic, he’s heard that tale a million times before, but the fall of the 501st, of his brothers. where they commiserate and Kix is finally hit with what he’s been pushing off processing, just how much time he has missed, how far away what he used to know and used to love really is.

all I want is a fic that fixes the sequels and also has Kix as the main character, is that too much to ask?

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

"Infiltration" and "Extraction" Review

Those two episodes were genuinely some of the most terrifying we've seen in the Star Wars. It burned the safety net for me because no one outside Rex, Gregor, and Wolffe are safe. They could start dropping the Batch like flies at any point honestly. Unlike Clone Wars, the Batch don't have plot armor so the show can end their tale by killing them all off. And unlike Rebels, there is no family-friendly rating so yes, this show can be as dark as it wants if it chooses the Rogue One option. We don't know if the Batch will make it. It honestly gave me Game of Thrones vibes (like early GoT when it was good).

Before we get into spoilers, both episodes did great job capturing the danger that everyone was in. The atmosphere was tense and the music did a great job enhancing that. This is why I say the safety net is gone. Our heroes are being closed in from all sides and it's anyone's game now.

Alright, spoiler time

The clone assassins are legitimately terrifying. They were clones that willingly chose the Empire and were subjected to who knows what in order to become what they are now. Worse, Hemlock tried to do it to Crosshair. It's so evident that Crosshair's trauma didn't end on Barton IV, the clone assassin program did something to him. The way he is so scared of the clone assassin when he sees him just hit my feels. I hope he lets his family in whenever he's ready to talk. He's hurting still and he needs all the support he can get. Also, let's add almost drowning again and more brainwashing to Crosshair's list of bad things because he really is the show's punching bag.

Also, Crossdad nation supremacy. I loved his banter with Omega and him constantly looking out for her. He's so naturally protective I can't. This man loves her so so much. It's also so cute when Omega was copying him with the toothpicks. First, she copied Hunter, then she copied Phee, now she copies Crosshair. Can our little ray of sunshine get any cuter?

The interactions with Howzer were also really great. It makes sense why he doesn't trust Cross because he did get hurt at Cross' hands. However, seeing Crosshair interact with Omega changes his perspective. The two begin to understand each other and even have a small conversation about loyalty. I'm glad that Crosshair was willing to open up to Howzer. He's a changed man and he is healing. Crosshair later pushes Howzer out of the way to protect him. It all came full circle at the end when Howzer saved Crosshair from being murdered by Clone X.

Cross aside, the stuff with Rex with phenomenal. It's so cool to see him working with Riyo and even Avi Singh as they try to pass info along. Riyo talking about systems coming together foreshadows the rebellion that starts to bloom over the next several years. Even though the year is 18 BBY, the seeds of rebellion have already been planted; now, they need time to grow. Rex's cause is genuinely so tragic because you know it's only going to come crashing down on him. I think that the end of show will feature the end of the clone rebellion in that it will be destroyed. Rex will be forced to go into hiding like we see in Rebels. Those who survive will do the same (but since we only see Gregor and Wolffe, the chances are limited). Speaking of Wolffe, omg my boy is back! I had a feeling he's with the Empire, but seeing him in his full wolf pack armor and his choice to spare Rex gives me hope. He's not fully gone. The chip is loosing its power over him. Sooner or later, Wolffe will join Rex and his fight against the Empire.

The episode title "Infiltration" was also really clever because it wasn't about the Batch at all, it was about the clone assassin. In any other season, or another show, these two episodes might've been about the heroes infiltrating and extracting some important information or person/object. But no, it's about Clone X infiltrating the heroes and then Echo extracting the heroes before it's too late. That's such a chilling idea. Now, we know the heroes are mostly safe, but it doesn't make it any less tense. The way Clone X slips in so quietly is creepy. We aren't ready to hear about what they did to those clones on Tantiss because if it produces results this efficient, then yikes. I do have a theory on Clone X, but I'll save that for later.

And I think Echo is 100% gonna die. It's so sweet he gave Omega the upgraded bow, but my man is gonna bite it soon.

Overall, these episodes were tense, dark, and truly sinister. The Batch can never truly hide anymore, not even on Pabu. The clone assassins will not stop until Omega is captured and the Batch is presumably dead. Whatever safety and peace Hunter thought they could have is now gone. Whatever happens next, the Batch are truly in for the fight of their lives.

[jedi-princess-kestis]

Chapter 1

Pairing: Captain Rex/ F! Jedi OC. Commander Wolffe/ F! Jedi OC (platonic only)

Summery: Tragedy hits the Jedi Temple and Ahsoka Tano leaves the Order after being wrongly accused. This leads many in the Order to question what loyalty really means. For Calica Tarver, it makes her depend on her Master and her men all the more as she mourns the loss of her good friend and has to find her peace of mind to lead into battle once more.

Warnings: swearing, Star Wars canon war talk/ fighting, angst, fluff if you really look. I think that's it.

Other: So here is the "first" book of the "This Name We Chose" Series! I'm so excited for you to follow along on Rex and Calica's story. It starts off a bit angst, I promise there is a method to my madness and they will find their happy ending, but this story has been so long in the making and I'm really excited for you to see the worlds, characters, and lore I have worked on to add into the wonderful Star Wars Universe. (Also I used two prompts from the @summer-of-bad-batch challenge to add to this chapter. I used "it's just a scratch" and "forget I asked" in the story, so be on the lookout for those!) Thank you @lila-rose for being my best friend in this story, helping me brainstorm all my crazy ideas ♥️

If anyone wants to be added to a tag list please let me know

Word Count: 4.6K

Cool wind blowing through her thick black hair as she hung her legs through the balcony rings at the top of the spiral on the Troop Center. Life never stopped moving on the busy world, speeders and transports filling the sky in a constant sea of movement. City lights shone for as far as the eye could see. It was here that she called home now, this world made of metal. It was a far cry from the Jungle and mountain world she once knew, but now the Clone barracks and Jedi temple were her home.

She closed her dark purple eyes and let the wind blow over her face. It was freeing being up this high, alone with the nighttime air. Her cheeks were stained with tears, red from wiping them away every few minutes. The past few days had been unlike any other. She felt a tremendous loss in her heart and mind. Everything she once believed in now seemed wrong. The people she trusted for as long as she could remember now made her question everything she knew. A long sigh slipped past her lips as she ran the back of her hand over her cheeks once more to wipe off the tears off her soft sunkissed skin. She let her hands fall back to the railing and rested her right cheek onto her arms. Her eyes remained closed, listening to the city, the planet go on about its busy way. Life could be so cruel sometimes, especially now with the Galaxy in flames in a seemingly unending war that was tearing even the Jedi apart.

At age 20 Calica Tarver never thought she would see so much death and despair in her young life. She had been a Padawan of Plo Koon's since she was 14, but the past few years of her life has been less about being a Jedi and more about being a soldier. And now, even her own Order was untrusting of one of its very own, one of the best of them. Ahsoka Tano was close to Plo, and Calica has grown up watching the young girl turn into a young woman before her eyes. She grew close to the young Togruta as time went by, seeing her as a younger sister. But after the explosion and the investigation the young girl found innocent, left the Order after those she trusted hunted her down and tried to call her a murderer. Her own men had died, Clones she loved and fought beside. No one in the 501st believed their leader was capable of doing what had been done. In the end the real terrorist had stepped forward, and Ahsoka had been set free, but in turn left the Order to find her own path. To many it had set the Jedi Order ablaze with doubt, especially in those who were close to Ahsoka. And Calica was one of them.

With a sigh, Calica opened her dark purple eyes and looked out over the city. The wind picked up as a Star Destroyer flew overhead heading to dock. She watched it as it headed to the docking platform. Soon she would be back on one of those with her Master and her troopers. Men she saw as equals. Taking one last look into the night sky above her, the feeling of the wind on her skin filling her with a bit of freedom she pushed herself into a standing position and headed for the door at the end of the balcony. Waving her hand in front of the door it opened with a slight whoosh and she stepped inside. Taking the lift down to the base of the spiral she walked out into the dim lit hallway. It was well into the night, most troopers asleep at this point. She walked down the halls with silent steps, her dark brown robe blowing around her feet with each step. Calica held her head and shoulders regal like, moving with a grace about her. She moved farther into the barracks, moving past the mess hall where a few Clones were getting a late night meal after just coming back from the Destroyer. She felt a soft warm presence filling the air around her. Calica smiled softly to herself, and followed the warm river of calm down the halls. As she arounded a corner she smacked into the hard chest plate of armour.

"Ouph!" She groaned as she rubbed her head after smacking into the hard armour. A soft chuckle filled her ears and she knew right away who she ran into. Looking up to find the gray and white armour she felt a steady hand on her arm.

"You okay, Vod'ika?" Commander Wolffe asked as he gave her arm a light squeeze. They were both Commanders for the 104th. Calica handled more of the political and research side of the mission planning, learning about the people and the planet before Wolffe would then make up the battle plan and squads based on her Intel. They worked well together and Wolffe took her under his wing, acting as her big brother most days. "You smacked your head pretty hard on my armour, Little Wolf."

Calica looked up at the Clone Commander and gave him a shake of her head. Around most Wolffe seemed hard and unapproachable, but to Plo, his pack and her, he was a teddy bear. From the day they met, Wolffe and Calica became brother and sister and had always had each other's backs.

"I'm okay, Vod." She told him. As she looked down at his hand she noticed his holopad was out and glowing. "What are you doing up so late?"

"Last minute report I needed to get done."

"Oh I see."

"Why are you up at 1am in the morning?"

Was it really 1am in the morning? Calica ran a tired hand down her face. She could still feel the river of calming peace floating around the barracks and she reached out to it for a moment, letting it fill her mind and relax her. Taking a deep breath she looked back up at Wolffe.

"I couldn't sleep. So I went up to the spiral balcony." She said sheepishly. It wasn't forbidden for the Jedi to be at the barracks during the night, at times Generals came down here for late night planning before a mission. But most Jedi didn't wander the halls because they couldn't sleep. Wolffe placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her closer till his chin rested on top of her head. She wasn't short, but she stood a few inches below Wolffe's 6' frame. She tucked herself against him and let her arms wrap around his waist. His arms falling around her upper back as he sighed.

"Vod'ika, are you still hurting from what happened at the Temple? There was nothing you could do. She made her choice Little Wolf, even if it didn't seem fair, she made her choice." Calica knew he was right. Ahsoka made her choice after the Council let her down. And Calica knew that choice wasn't easy, that it came with a cost to both sides. Didn't mean it still didn't hurt to lose a friend and someone she called sister.

"I know, Wolffe. I know." She whispered into his armoured chest before letting out a shaken sigh. Pushing herself back, she stood up straight and closed her eyes for a second before looking up into his one brown and one white. She thought about when he lost his eyes. That day had been so hard on her and Plo. Wolffe had tried to protect his men, when he was struck down by Asajj Ventress losing his eye to her lightsaber. Calica has jumped in, standing over the fallen Commander's body protecting him from being killed. She fought hard against Ventress, winning in the end and getting Wolffe to safety but he had become harder on himself and his men after that day. He really was only soft around Plo and Herself, and a few of his men that really earned it. Since then Wolffe and Calica have become closer.

"Vod'ika?" His voice broke her from her thoughts as she looked back up into his eyes.

"Sorry?"

Wolffe sighed and placed a hand on her arm. "I asked how long were you up in your tower? Have you slept at all lately?"

Calica just shrugged. She honestly wasn't sure when the last time it was that she slept. Between the front lines and coming back to find the Temple in an uproar her mind has been racing in 20 different directions. She hung her head and reached back out into the Force, letting the light ripples of calm wash over her. She felt her mind relax as the warm mind touched her through the Force and she gave a silent thanks.

"Calica, Vod'ika, come on. I'll take you to my barracks. You need to sleep and I have to finish these reports for Plo'buir. I don't want to leave you alone right now." Too tired to fight Wolffe on it, she nodded her head and followed him down the halls of the Clone Barracks. They walked the halls in silence, their soft foot falls the only sound. As they walked they came to a hall where a lone woman was slowly walking down the hall, her hand outreached towards the doors as she went by. Her pale tan robe moved with each step, her white to blue hair hung in loose curls down her back. The warmth Calica has felt was coming from the Jedi before her.

"Do you know who that is? I've seen her in here before at night, walking the halls but never spoke to her before." Wolffe asked softly as to not disturb her. Calica nodded her head and looked from the woman to Wolffe.

"That's Master Asha Imber. She's not around much, her team is an elite special Ops, but when they are planet side, she comes here to use her powers on the men."

"Her powers?"

"Her kind are empaths. It's not a Force sensitivity, it's a thing they just do. They can feel all emotions and they can even push emotions onto others. It's a very powerful gift outside of the Force. We all can feel emotions with the Force, but for her, because of her species, it's more powerful for her."

"So what is she doing here?"

Calica waved her hand at the Jedi Master as she looked over at the two and gave them a soft smile before softly rapping on a door. A clone opened the door, his face tired, sunken in, and tear stains on his skin. They watched as he took one look at Master Imber and broke down. The tall Layothan woman wrapped him in her arms and gently rubbed his back, his breathing soon evening out as her blue eyes glowed in the dimly lit halls. The clone soon seemed to be asleep on his feet and the Jedi walked him into his room and laid him on the bunk and pulled the blanket up before placing a hand on his head and closing her eyes over him.

"She comes here to help soldiers find peace. To be able to sleep. That man is a shiny, he saw his first battle the other day and lost his batchmate. He's been having nightmares since he got back, according to Spark." She looked up at Wolffe to see a soft look on his face. "She does it for all the men. No matter how little or long they have been in the war. If she can, she pushes calming emotions onto them, helping them turn away bad dreams and feel safe and comfortable."

Waffle nodded his head towards the Jedi as she walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Her eyes, still looking as though they glowed, were somehow warm and kind. She gave the pair a nod before moving to the next room with her hand outreached, feeling for the next man that needed a sense of peace. Calica and Wolffe turned and went down the right corridor towards his barracks leaving the Jedi Master to her task. Wolffe opened the door once they reached the room and he placed a hand on her back, letting her walk through first. Calica had been here a handful of times, helping plan and prepare for battles, many times both falling asleep at his desk before the night was over. With a flop, she face planted onto the bunk, letting her worn body sink into the mattress. Wolffe chuckled behind her as he shut the door and sat down at his desk. Reaching into the top drawer of his desk he pulled out a ration bar and tossed it at her head. He was doing everything he could to make her smile, or comfortable in the least. The bar thunked off her head, falling to the floor and Calica turned to glare half-heartedly at him before using the Force to bring the bar to her hand.

"Lazy." He chirped before turning to pull up the reports Plo needed done for a meeting in the morning. Calica stuck out her tongue at him before ripping open the package and biting into the green color bar. It was one of the better tasting ones, not as blended as some of them. Wolffe kept a stash of the good ones in his room since they were harder to come by. She quickly downed the ration bar and threw the wrapper into the waste bin. Calica wrapped her rope around herself tighter before laying back down on her side, watching Wolffe type away on his holopad. Her eyes soon began to droop as she watched him type away and before she knew it her world went dark as sleep took over her.

It was early morning when a light rap on the door woke her from her slumber. Choosing to ignore the tapping she rolled over and pulled her robes tighter to her body. Calica heard Wolffe stir and the sound of his chair moving softly backwards on the floor. He moved silently, his footfalls not making a sound. She felt his eyes on her back before opening the door and giving a soft "shhhh" to whoever was waiting outside. After a few seconds the door slipped shut and muffled voices came from the hallways but she was too tired to care, letting sleep pull her back under.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wolffe was surprised to have someone come knocking at his door at 0500 in the morning. The briefing wasn't supposed to be until 0900. He didn't think Plo would be looking for Calica, he knew she sometimes crashed with Wolffe. He didn't figure any of the Jedi would be looking for her in all honesty. At least not at this hour. So when he opened his door and saw Rex standing outside of it, he was surprised. Pressing his finger to lips he quickly shushed his younger Vod before stepping out into the hallway. Rex glanced at the sleeping form on the bed before giving Wolffe a questioning look.

"Is everything okay Vod?" Wolffe asked after the door slipped shut.

"Just got back from the Temple with General Skywalker. Saw the light under the door so I thought I'd just in." Rex said in a hushed tone. He tapped his head towards the door that was closed behind Wolffe. "What's that about?" He couldn't make out who the sleeping form was and he never knew Wolffe to bring anyone back to the barracks. He watched as his Vod cast a glance at the door and rubbed a tired hand through his hair.

"Commander Tarver." He said with a wave of his hand towards the door. His other hand found purch on his hip as he glanced back at Rex. "The whole banthashit show at the Temple has her on edge. I don't think she's slept since we got back. I didn't want her alone." He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath before looking at Rex. The Captain gave his older brother a knowing look, one of understanding.

"Skywalker hasn't been the same the past few days either. I've been trying to be there for him as much as I can. He's the closest thing to a brother a natborn could be to me." Rex said as he leaned against the metal wall. Even through his armor he could feel the cool steel. "This whole thing has set everyone on edge. Loyalty means everything to the us Clones and over the years I've learned loyalty means just as much to the Jedi. For them to do what they did to Comma-, er, Ahsoka, it really punched a hole in the fabric of things at the Temple."

Woffle nodded his head before leaning back against the wall beside his brother. "Everything is just off right now. All we can do is be there for our leaders and support them." Glancing back to Rex he noticed how tired and worn the young Captain was. "How are you handling it all?"

Rex huffed a sigh as he let his head thunk back against the wall. His eyes were red rimmed, bags under them from lack of sleep. His skin a bit paler than normal. Anyone could see the Captain was tired. But there was more under that. He rolled his head to the side, looking into the eyes of his brother.

"I'll be honest, it hurts. Ahsoka became so important to the boys and me. To Skywalker. She is family." Mist filled his eyes as he spoke, becoming glossy as he ran the back of his gloved hand over them. "I understand why she left. But it feels like another death to the 501st. I'm not sure any of us are going to be able to shake this Wolffe. It's throwing more than just my unit off. Even General Kenobi seems harder than normal." He felt the heavy hand of his Vod fall to his shoulder and grasp it tightly. Rex wasn't normally one to show so much emotion, hell none of the Clones were. But when something really shakes them up, it was normal to find brothers holding brothers in the dead of night as they tried to pull themselves back together.

"You need to sleep Rex. Maybe find Kix, get some downers and sleep. I'm sure the Generals would understand if you missed a day. Jesse or Appo can fill in for you for once. The war can wait a moment." Woffle offered his counsel as he squeezed his shoulder. The hard, stoic commander put aside his training and duty for a moment to offer not only his Commander but his brother a moment to stop being soldiers but humans with emotions. Rex just nodded his head and placed his hand on Woffle's before pushing off the wall. He cast a glance towards the closed door wondering about the woman behind it. He had never met Calica Tarver, but heard Ahsoka talking about her over the years. Somehow their paths never crossed and yet his heart broke for the woman. He looked back into Wolffe's eyes before tipping his head at the Commander and walked down the hallway towards his barracks to try and find sleep that seemed to have avoided him for days now. Or maybe he had been avoiding it, knowing that once he laid down he would fall victim to his own mind that hadn't stopped racing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her arm was asleep.

That's the first thing she noticed when her senses came flooding back to her as she woke up. She had been sleeping with her right arm tucked under her head since she fell asleep. And at this point Calica had no clue when that had been. Rolling onto her back she stared at the gray ceiling of the barracks for a moment, rubbing her left hand over her arm trying to get the blood flow back to it. Wincing at the painful tingling in her arm she swung her legs over the side of the bunk and rolled her head side to side to pop her joints. Glancing to the now empty chair where Woffle has once been she realized his datapad was also missing.

Calica sighed and pushed herself up onto her feet and let her back pop back into place before taking a step towards the desk. There on Flimsi was a note waiting for her. Picking up the Flimsi, she looked down at the clear handwriting of Woffle. Plo and himself had decided to let her miss the briefing to sleep. He told her to meet up with him at the hanger once she woke up and they would grab food. Grabbing her twin bronze and silver lightsabers and clipping them to her belt, she made her way out of Woffle's room and down the long halls of the barracks. Her long raven hair fell loose from its braid, so as she walked her finger combed her hair, letting the thick waves fall down her back. Calica pulled herself together, cleaning up her face and putting in a regal air, she walked the halls like the Jedi she was. She passed Troopers as she went, giving them nods in return to the salutes they gave her. She respected these men and in return they respected her. She never saw them as anything less than equal.

Making her way down the twists and turns of the barracks Calica found herself at the front doors facing the Jedi Temple. The temple was already in repair, droids and workers fixing the walls that had been blown apart in the bombing. Just the sight of the charred walls made her stomach twist. Glancing away, she looked back down at the pathway below that led to where the speeders and transports were housed on the Clone Barracks trying to catch a glimpse of Woffle's armor in the sea of plastoid that moved about. As she walked heard some clones in either a heated or spirited and loud debate once she entered the hanger. Looking around to find the owners of the voices she saw Boost holding Comet in a headlock, Warthog and Sinker howling with laughter as the young clone thrashed around. He slammed his fists into the leg armor of Boost, trying to break free from the grip of his older Vod. Calica crossed her arms over her chest and leaned more on her right foot as she watched it unfold. Comet got a solid hit to Boost's stomach, making the older clone loosen his hold slightly, enough for Comet to break free, shoving him backwards into Sinker who growled at the contact. He took a swing at Comet who ducked in time, only for Warthog to take the blow. Soon all four clones were yelling and shouting, fists flying as they jumped each other.

"Oi! That's enough!" Calica shouted, clapping her hands together to get their attention. The four clones pulled themselves apart, slight shoves here and there as they stood tall.

"Commander!" Sinker said with a salute, trying to hold onto any scrap of dignity they had left.

"What the kirf is going on here?" She questioned, looking each one in the eyes.

"Well you see-"

"Comet decided that-"

"You shut up, you weren't-"

"I will punch you again-"

"That's not what happened-"

"Say that to my face you-!"

Calica threw her hands up in the air, using the Force to push the clones apart. "Enough! Forget I asked." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she shook her head. The four hung their heads, Boost kicking his foot out, Comet cleaning imaginary dirt from his chest.

"Sorry Commander." They all said in unisecent shyly.

"Do any of you know where Wolffe is?" Asked Calica as she looked around the hanger. Before any of them could speak a deep booming voice spoke up from behind.

"I'm right here." Wolffe's expression was hard, yet a hint of humor lingering in his eyes. "Someone had to file a report on a gun torrent that somehow malfunctioned early this morning while Boost and Comet were on guard duty." He continued, giving the two troopers a pointed look that made Calica chuckle softly. That's when she noticed the hint of a bacta patch poking out from under the collar of Comet's blacks and Boost with a small patch at his hairline above his left eyebrow.

"Maker above, what did you do, blow up with the torrent?" A roll of her eyes followed a dramatic sigh. Their cheeks turned a bright red, comet rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced at Boost.

"It's just a scratch Vod'ika." Comet spoke first.

"Don't worry over it. We're fine." Boost finished with a wave of his hand. Wolffe gave them a grunt, clearing not believing but didn't say anything. He laid a hand on Calica's shoulder, trying to turn her towards him and away from his brothers.

"One day, you two will be the death of me." She joked before Wolffe grabbed her arm, pulling her a few steps away from the men.

"You can yell at them later. I'm hungry and I want to go to Dexter." His grumpy voice called to her as he tugged her along. Claina laughed, really laughed for the first time since the bombing, and allowed Wolffe to pull her away from their group in search of the wonderfully greasy food that only Dexter's could offer. Getting into her speeder, Wolffe in the passenger seat, she flew them off to Dexter's. The wind whipped around them as she drove, Calica throwing her worries to it so she could enjoy this morning with her Vod.

"Did you sleep okay?" Wolffe's voice cut into her thoughts. Claica spared him a quick glance before looking back at the traffic.

"I slept well enough. Thanks Vod." Wolffe only hummed in response instead of pushing further. Silence filled the speeder again as she drove, a question pulling at her though until she finally gave in.

"Who came to the door last night?"

"Rex." Was his one worded answer.

"The Captain of the 501st?" It wasn't really a question, she knew of Rex through Wolffe and Ahsoka, but never had the chance to actually meet him. But Wolffe nodded his head regardless as he replied.

"The very one." Realizing she would want more information he pressed on. "This whole thing, losing his Commander, seeing his General lose his student… well, let's just say you and Rex are more alike than I thought."

Glancing at him quickly with a raised brow before looking back at the traffic, she quickly spoke up. "How do you mean?"

Wolffe turned so he was looking at her, even though she couldn't look him in the eyes as he spoke. "You both care for others without question. Even if it means becoming hurt in the end. It doesn't stop you… either of you."

His words hang heavily between them. They set on her heart like a stone, unsure if it weighed her down or brought her comfort. She knew others, some maybe more so than her, hurt from the happenings of the past few days. But she released the Captain came to his older brother's door last night looking for comfort, for words of encouragement or peace and Wolffe stood by him even as he stood by her in her time of pain. Pulling into the parking lot at Derek's, she shut off her speeder and laid a hand on Wolffe's arm before he stepped out of the vehicle.

"You care too, even if you don't truly want to admit you do."

Masterlist

[heyclickadee]

A couple of season three thoughts:

1. We don’t actually know what being clone x’d means. We talk about it as though a clone is completely wiped clean, total mind reset, but the Clone x we met in season two wasn’t really a blank cypher. He was more of a zealot. He had a personality, in fact he had a very strong personality, it was just a terrifying one, and the way he talks about being “elevated” a “believer” makes him seem a lot less like a drone and more like a fanatic. I think what’s happening is another step or two in chip augmentation beyond what we saw happen with Crosshair, so it goes beyond blind obedience and right into almost religious devotion. It’d mean the clone underneath is still there, but twisted around the programming in a terrifying way. I hope our boys find a way to help the X’d clones.

2. I still kind of want the new doggo to be what Rubies look like when they grow up. Partly because I really want to see the Durands come back.

3. One Tech lives possibility that we ought to consider is Tech coming back with a TBI. Aphasia, memory loss, Tech having to re-learn certain motor skills or even how to fly—that could happen. And it could happen through a weird Star Wars lens, of course, but it could happen. It could also be very interesting to watch. And if I see anyone saying that it would have been better if Tech had died if he does come back with a TBI (or a Star Wars metaphor for TBI) then I swear to God that it is ON SIGHT.

4. Angsty possibility: Omega hits a point in Tantiss when she does lose hope, and that’s what pushes Crosshair to start trying to help her with the escape. Not because he has any hope, but because he can’t stand to see her like that.

5. I still think Omega and Crosshair escape Tantiss as early as episode two, mmmaaaaaybe episode one, and that they get separated so that Crosshair reunites with at least Hunter and Wrecker (and Echo if Echo’s not off doing secret things) well before Omega does, but I also: one, hope that we get at least one episode of Omega and Crosshair free, together, and just trying to survive, and; two, I don’t think Omega’s going back to Tantiss after that. I think she gets caught and that she and Crosshair get separated, but I also think that we’re not going back to Tantiss again until the end of the season after the first few episodes, and that when the team does go back, it’ll be as a whole team, and it won’t necessarily be to rescue Omega.

6. The moment Crosshair finds out that the boys kept his armor is going to kill me. You know they could have sold it. They’ve been broke and struggling enough the whole show to have had justification in doing so, but they didn’t.

7. I kind of want to see an episode where everyone’s separated. No two or three together, everyone just on their own.

8. They’ve been dragging AZ around for two seasons. I mean, not literally, they left him on Kamino and then on Ord Mantell, but they’ve kept that little medical droid around on the show and made him accessible to the gang, and I would like to know why. Chekov’s AZ

9. Also chekov’s zillo beast, chekov’s Romar’s last words to Omega, etc.

10. I’m. Very excited for Hunter this season.

[grapenehifics]

20 Question Fic Writer Tag

Hell yeah I'll play. Thanks @palfriendpatine66 :D

How many works do you have on ao3?

AO3 says ten, but one of those is a series continuation of another one, so I count it as nine...although tomorrow that will go up by one, after the reveals for the Ghost Window challenge go out.

2.) What's your ao3 word count? 

Oh god. 690,376. I honestly think I was happier not knowing that fact about myself.

3.) What fandoms do you write for? 

I don't multitask well. I can write Star Wars fics or I can write Star Wars fics. I haven't even ventured outside the Clone Wars era yet.

4.) What are your top five fics by kudos?

Some Technical Difficulties - big gap - Solsbury Hill - An Uncivil War - medium-sized gap - An Unlikely Duo - another gap-ish - Down by the Seaside.

5.) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yep. I like it when authors reply to me when I leave a comment, so I try to pay it forward. Also sometimes we get into fun little side chats.

6.) What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

At the moment, not one single damn one of them. They have angst in them, but none of them end on angst. However as of about twenty-four hours from now, my answer will be, Ghost Window AU.

7.) What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Literally all of them. I'm happy to read angst, but when it comes to writing I am firmly in the happy endings camp.

8.) Do you get hate on fics?

I had some people tell me they were dropping out of Solsbury Hill because it wasn't getting to the Obikin fast enough, but I wouldn't call that hate. So, no.

(Side note, though: you don't have to tell authors that. Just delete your subscription quietly.)

But, I am also very ready to delete any and all negative comments. This is my fun side project; good vibes only.

9.) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

...pretty vanilla kind, honestly. Again, I read much more adventurously than I write. (Although, as recently as two years ago I would have said I don't write smut at all, so hit me up two years from now and maybe I'll be writing hardcore d/s, I don't know.)

10.) Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

By the strict definition, no. If you're talking 'dump Star Wars characters into settings of other movies', then hell yeah, that's kind of my jam right now. Down by the Seaside is Obikin Overboard. Next year I'm planning to publish Obikin Jurassic Park, Obikin Parent Trap, and Obikin Princess Diaries II. And I have a couple more on my to-do list.

11.) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Is this a thing I need to worry about?? Shit.

12.) Have you ever had a fic translated?

@kittonafoxgirl did a podfic of Some Technical Difficulties and it is still like one of the top five most rad things that has ever happened to me; does that count?

13.) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

No but @fulcrum843 are currently mulling something over...

I do get a lot of help with my writing though. @piecesofeden11 basically wrote all the DnD stuff in An Unlikely Duo. I talk stuff out on Tumblr with folks all the time before I actually sit down to write it (or during, lol).

14.) What's your all time favorite ship?

I have no plans to write anything other than Obikin, and there's so much new good fic that it takes up most of my reading time as well.

15.) What's a WIP you'd like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I wouldn't call it a WIP because there are no words on a page but I love the *idea* of a fic based on Jenn Barkley from Parks & Rec but have no idea what direction to take it and may never get to it. (If anyone wants to take this idea and run with it please do; it is very much up for grabs!)

16.) What are your writing strengths?

This is a weird thing to answer about myself but I hope I write with a sense of movement, propulsion, even a little suspense - as a reader I love to feel that I have to turn the page, I have to see what comes next, I don't want to put this fic/book down - and I try to work towards that goal in my own writing.

17.) What are your writing weaknesses?

Getting bogged down in details. It drives me crazy in movies when characters have these huge mansions but seemingly never go to work and somehow this has translated into me being incapable of just writing a smutty one-shot or whatever because what is everyone's job and how much is their mortgage payment and do they get paid on Fridays or Mondays and how many bedrooms does that apartment have.

18.) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

See answer above about over-complicating things: I came up with this whole system for An Uncivil War for whether I'm writing out the dialogue in a language other than Basic (I feel like we really only have enough information for me to be able to do this in Huttese and Mando'a, and even then only short conversations in certain subjects), or simply noting that a character is saying something in another language ("he said in Ryl" or whatever), or mixing Basic and a word/words in another language within the same sentence. It was important to me to capture that multilingualism, but it's also a lot of work, ngl.

19.) First fandom you wrote for?

Technically Johnlock but I never finished/published anything.

20.) Favorite fic you've ever written?

I love all my babies equally, she lied.

It's the Can't Stop the Suns series, which is An Uncivil War, Pick Up the Pieces (more than halfway completed), and Sometimes Fate Steps In (loosely outlined). Sometimes I'll just look over my notes and get giddy about how much good stuff I'm packing in there and how much *more* good stuff I haven't even gotten to yet. I'm throwing the kitchen sink of stuff I love at it. Even if the final version doesn't quite live up to the vision I see in my head (it rarely does), as long as I get close I'll be happy.

I tag @piecesofeden11, @underacalicosky, @fulcrum843, and, as usual, anyone else who feels up for it!

[squishviolet]

𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒

𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐒 :: [♰|http://aminoapps.com/p/pmz80gr]

http://aminoapps.com/p/p

⠀⠀⠀⠀

𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒

━━━━━━━━

𝐈. information 𝐈𝐈. requirements 𝐈𝐈𝐈. final notes

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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

─ ─────

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖨𝖭𝖳𝖱𝖮𝖣𝖴𝖢𝖳𝖨𝖮𝖭

Hello! My names is Violet/Vi You can call me whatever you prefer. I really don't mind. As you may see by the title. These are my roleplay rules and that also I do roleplays. I have been roleplaying for 9-10 years now and have garnered quite the experience in it and do enjoy roleplaying a lot. I hope we are compatible and can rp! Now let's begin!

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖫𝖨𝖳𝖤𝖱𝖠𝖢𝖸

Adv. Literate- Novella(3+ message boxes per reply). I might go down to advance literate from time to time but really depends on what I am given to work with. What I really hope is my partner which being you who is reading these rules to be at least advance literate and try to constantly hit the 'see all' mark or higher.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀GENRES

* Romance(sub-plot/genre mostly)

* Angst(yes fucking pls)

* Comedy

* Science-Fiction

* Drama

*Action

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀MUSES

• Really anyone, I haven’t roleplayed in quite some time now so I am down to rp anyone

• Most the time, I play ocs but for oc x canon all the time

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀FANDOMS

• Bridgerton

• Apex Legends

• Avatar(1 & 2/the way of the water)

• Star wars(Clone Wars/Bad Batch mostly)

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖯𝖠𝖨𝖱𝖨𝖭𝖦𝖲

Romantically: Bxg(me as the girl if it is for 1x1 only)

Platonically: bxb, gxg, bxg

I do Cc x cc and oc x cc(double ups most of the time) I barely almost close to never do oc x oc.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖳𝖨𝖬𝖤𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖤 | 𝖲𝖳𝖠𝖳𝖴𝖲

Eastern European timezones

──────────────

1x1 ⌯ open

2x2 ⌯ open

group ⌯ never do them

public ⌯ never do them

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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒

─ ─────

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖮𝖭𝖤.

No one-liners, semi-lit roleplaying — I have stated above that I am advance literate- Novella so I expect you to reach see all mark at all times at least. I am strictly against one liners and small paragraphs that barely, close to never give me enough material to write out my replies. It also makes me lose interest in our roleplay entirely because it makes me think that my efforts on the whole roleplay have gone to waste. I will leave the conversation completely when I see one liners and small paragraphs for your replies. I also don't want to see *action* and -action- roleplaying. I despise the use of asterisks for roleplaying entirely.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖳𝖶𝖮.

Mature themes — I allow mature themes being in the plot but there are some limitations. I will never allow r@pé, s*ic*de, weird fetishes like feet, piss and etc., p*doph*lia, z*oph*lia and every other deranged and inhumane thing. Like having a few of them as backstory elements for example alcoholism, abuse, r@pé and etc. but the act itself is a no-go unless I am willing to try out horror(which is probably never happening) and we include a few of these themes. Overall, am pretty okay with mature themes.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖳𝖧𝖱𝖤𝖤.

Talking ooc/Plot and roleplay contribution — I like talking ooc with my rp partners! I want my partner to share their ideas for scenarios, plot and just to discuss other things apart from roleplay. Just for us to interact and be friends and roleplay together! So don't be afraid to talk to me really. When talking to me ooc use //, \\ or ((, )) whichever ones you prefer using.

I also want you to contribute to the plot and roleplay as much as I do. Sometimes I do like to flesh out the whole plot when I know where I want the idea to go and how everything should be placed but sometimes having to carry the whole roleplay on my back while you do nothing is exhausting and makes me think you aren't enjoying yourself at all which will make me leave the roleplay entirely. Please contribute, let your own ideas run free!

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀FOUR.

Ocs in general — If we do an oc x canon double up rp which I do often do. I want your oc to have detailed enough info for me to understand the character. If not I will be rejecting your offer.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀FIVE.

Leaving the rp/Ghosting me/Changing the plot/Pm me

What I absolutely dislike and hate is people ghosting me and not informing me if they will be absent for a long period of time and not replying. I will be checking in once a week at least unless I, myself, am busy with life struggles. I will inform you on it whenever I can or remind me if I haven't replied to you and I will state my reasons.

I will give you 1-2 weeks to reply to the roleplay, maybe even a month, if I really love the roleplay and the plot and everything we have going on. I will stretch the time to replying to 3-4 weeks or more.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀SIX.

Being rude to me — I treat my partners with respect and kindness. Just having the average human decency. I will not tolerate rudeness towards me. It doesn't give you any right to be rude to me or anyone for that matter. You can hate the character but not the person. I will leave the roleplay when I see you being rude to me and I will also block you.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀SEVEN.

Be 18+ years old — I am 18 years old and roleplaying with anyone younger than me makes me uncomfortable because I do like to include mature themes into my rps for flavour on the plots I do. So anyone younger than maybe 17(I will allow 17-year-olds at best)will politely excuse from this page and go back into searching for a new partner because I ain't the one.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀EIGHT.

Character control/Mary - Gary sues — I hate having my characters decisions be made for me. It is my character and I know them best while you don't. So don't even think about controlling my character or I will point it out when you do. Minor character control with consent of me or you to get the story going is understandable.

Mary sues, Gary sues characters are boring and uninteresting. Having your oc just zoom past the whole fight without even a bat of an eye and 0 injuries and still with stamina to spare is unrealistic and just boring. Make your oc unique with bad traits, weaknesses. They can sometimes be in the wrong. They can't read mind and know the solution to every problem. It is impossible!

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀NINE.

Have Discord—

I’m trying to transfer my roleplays now to discord since Amino is having issues with sending notifications and it sometimes gets on my nerves with it but it isn’t required if you don’t have it. I’m sure we can work something out

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀TEN.

Smut/NSFW—

I am pretty fine with it, just that I hate it when it is over-done. I want smut to be placed properly in the rp, not be the sole purpose of the rp.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒

─ ─────

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝖢𝖮𝖭𝖢𝖫𝖴𝖲𝖨𝖮𝖭

[CI] If we are compatible after having read my rules. You may pm me but only of you read them. I want both of our experiences to be pleasant and to not waste out time and use it wisely so please for the the love of God read the rules. Otherwise, I hope we can roleplay in the upcoming future.

[cienie-isengardu]

@blue-mint-winter​ commented post:

Your welcome and I completely agree about TCW changing important characterizations, especially Anakin's. Also Barriss, I will never forgive that shit. They definitely did that. That's why my favourite eps were about Jar Jar LOL

I spent the whole day debating with myself should I go on and scream about the unfairness done to Barriss and Jedi as a whole or not since talking negative about TCW at times feels like opening can of worms, but my frustration with current star wars content already hit acceptable limits and is waaay past them so I decided to screw all consequences, it is time for a mini-rant. I hope you don’t mind me bringing that up as separate post (or if you don’t wish to be tagged in that post, lemme know :))

Okay. Where do I even start? Anyone who would sort posts through my blog will know that I love analyzing stuff and more often than not, I’m critical toward the Jedi Order (especially Order as the institution) and that through the years I have a lot of critical things to say about the new canon, with the emphasis on The Clone Wars.

TCW has literally been a thorn in my side for years and although the show had its good moments (storyline wise and artistic effects/music) that I want to acknowledge, the longer the show was run, the more it felt to me as the Triumph of Form over Substance. The creators needed to go from point A (post AotC/clone wars) to point B (RotS / Order 66) but as it was proved, they did not need to actually keep Legends (old canon) elements in the original form and things were used or discarded as they wanted. Some choices made more or less sense, some were turning our knowledge totally 180 degrees with various effects or fan reactions. Like I will never agree with chip in clone brains storyline (x)(x) nor implying domestic abuse toward Anakin and Padme (they were meant to be tragic, doomed lovers, not being in abusive relationship for Force’s sake) or erasing Prequels/Legends characterization of Anakin for the more common action macho idiotic one (something that creators themselves admitted to do, which is why Skywalker is more mix of Han & Luke because apparently some people aren’t capable of accepting introverted / emotional man as main hero? Riiight). At the same time, I’m willing to defend changes done to Mandalorians,  because the story has a great potential but sadly the show focused mainly at the pacifism vs. terrorism angle. Which I guess makes sense from U.S.-centric perspective, but for someone like me, whose country/nation actually lost its independence for over 123 years (1795 -1918) and then suffered through the Nazi occupation (1939-1945) and survived the communist regime (1945-1989) before finally feeling like free country again, then Death Watch, however brutal or incoherent at times, rings a different bell. It is not about nationalism itself but wanting to have your culture back despite all the damage done through the years of forced expulsion / displacement or warriors (those not fitting into New society) and be independent from Republic / Empire. And this hits me more closely as a Pole than terrorist narratives done to DW (and Bariss). 

But the thing that irritates me the most is how characters and their powers aren’t incoherent in a sensible way. They can use Force for great action and dueling, but Anakin can’t feel Obi-Wan’s presence when the man worked undercover (sorry if the show actually explained it for I do not remember it was ever addressed?).  Anakin at first was shown as a self-sacrificing type of person (e.g. Jedi Crash) but for some reasons sometimes doesn’t do anything to save clones from certain doom even if he could use Force to stop them from falling down into lava or whatever it was in Citadel? And it is not just him? Ahsoka killed clones infected by worms but didn’t kill Bariss because they were best friends or whatever? But she is the bestie with clones! She cares! She is after all the protagonist who acts smart and all while all adults suddenly lose their brains. Like Anakin, a Jedi General, does not study maps before an attack on an enemy position, but Ahsoka did and saved the day. What a hero! And whatever she will do, it is all right at the end of day. Bo-Katan willingly supported Pre Vizsla/DW who destroyed the whole village and killed an innocent girl (whose Ahsoka befriended) but does it matter? Nope. Because she is now besties with Bo-Katan, a beloved freedom fighter, a noble lady and all the jazz.Pre Vizsla? Anyone remember him? No? No wonder, a persona non grata who would drag Bo-Katan (and Ahsoka by extension) in bad light so the show and other current sources are literally erasing him from the Mandalorian storyline. Because it is better to not remember the past than face a consequence of characters (creators) choices. 

It feels like yeah, Jedi care if the episode needs it but don’t care if the show needs some shock value or feeling of danger. Mace cares for clone troopers and even offers droids a chance to surrender but isn’t somehow bothered when 12 year old Boba was put in prison for the worst ADULT criminals. Sure, it is very reasonable. Anakin cares for clones, unless the show needs a high death toll or jokes (throwing Rex off the dam without warning). Jedi will literally jeopardize an important mission just to give one of them a proper burial but will not give a shit about dying or dead clones. And so on.

I understand that the show was made for kids, but if we go into dark themes - and the show went into pretty dark stuff, mind you - then at least it should be addressed properly. Slick accused Jedi of keeping clones slaves yet it doesn’t matter. What a bad clone! Totally forgotten for the rest of the season. Bo-Katan’s past crimes don't matter since you can just erase Pre Vizsla from her narrative. Does the story need emotional impact? Create female characters (Satine, Steela, Tryla, Teckla Minnau) to kill off, so someone else (Obi-Wan, Ahsoka & Padme) could use it for either development or making political statements and either turn dead ones into some saints or forget them all. Or just kill off clones, there is so many of them anyway, who cares how competent soldiers they were or if you make them act idiotic. Jedi lead an army made of people with no legal right, but the clones *love so much them they have nightmares about order66* so everything is right. All makes sense, right?

This doesn’t just influence how fans see Anakin (turned into a typical action male lead) or how Ahsoka is literally everywhere now. The show, as I’m seeing it, did a great disservice to Jedi. And Barriss… Barriss is just the tip of the iceberg. The authors literally twisted every established clone wars storyline around a new character - Ahsoka Tano - so there was no real reason to use Barriss since they could simply introduce us to original Ahsoka’s friend. She already interacted with so many original Jedi characters but instead the team took one of the most known Legends!Jedi Healers and turned into terrorist? Killing innocent people to prove Jedi lost their ways? It really feels disrespectful, both to fans and Jedi.  

And you know what TCW did not show us? Jedi Force-healing their troopers. Something that Barriss did on various points in Legends sources. She literally worked in various Republic Mobile Surgical Units (Rimsoo) as was seen in Republic comics series & Medstar duology or helping at triage unit(s) and as Jedi healers would not abbadon the wounded during enemy attack. Like when fire spread around them and cut away from safe way to evacuate, her first worry was about the injured people (Republic #65)

I’m really supposed to believe a person with such a mindset and compassion would decide to kill innocent people to make a point about war? Really? REALLY? Even more since there was no focus on why a Jedi like her could break and do something like that in the first place? This wasn’t a development or fleshing out for character, it was just shifting the blame on someone so Ahsoka could get out of Order before RotS/Purge. Which is unfair to Barriss. 

Oh, and by the way, remember how Luminara was talking to Anakin to let it go and accept that his padawan may have died or something along the lines? The mentioned Republic #65 has Mace Windu personally searching for survivors and not leaving enemy lines without checking first if someone survives even when he was told that enemy may attack at any moment:

 This is a proper Jedi. There is a difference between accepting that you did not manage to save someone and not bothering to at least try to save. Which is just another reason why TCW Jedi strikes me more as arrogant, manipulative and uncaring than the flawed people presented in Legends. 

Good Force, it is really bad if I'm going out of my way to rant about respecting Jedi characters...

[kimageddon]

Star Wars Fics

I was challenged by @ashotofspotchka . So I did it.

The Prompt

Made this a Tech x Reader fic. I got inspired. And became a bit longer that intended.

I heard y'like Tech?? @eyecandyeoz @fallenrepublick (tag a fan!)

The Wedding

Well this was a right mess to be in. How had you even gotten into this situation? Oh of course… Cid. As much as you admired her, she was a tricky one. If not for her you would have never been invited to her salon, nor would you have met the most frustrating band of men you’d encountered. And their adorable little sister of course.

Had you not taken that job with them a few months ago, you would not have gotten to know them so well. Not been put in so many ridiculous situations and nearly losing your head. You wouldn’t have that new scar across your thigh… and you wouldn’t have grown to like them so much.

Damn it. Your mentor always told you not to get too attached to people, one never knew when they would find each other on opposite sides of the field so to speak. Casual acquaintances were one thing. Friendship was not a good idea. Anything more was downright dangerous. You told yourself it was alright to have a little affection for them. That it was alright to laugh and make jokes, to share a meal with them, to make them smile. That was alright… wasn’t it?

You let out a sigh wishing the ceremony would soon be over. Not that it wasn’t lovely. Of course it was. The venue was beautifully decorated, from the flowers to the guests, everything was stunning. A perfect picture of romance and love and devotion.

You usually detested weddings. There was one incident when you were young and… well it spoiled the idea of them to you. Though this was… actually rather nice. The group, you included, were tasked with providing security for the wedding as a favour to one of Cid’s associates. It was one of the more ridiculous missions… though even you had to admit, you cleaned up alright in a silken dress and heels. It had been a while since you’d had to go undercover and this was… well it was rather fun.

The downside of course had been seeing the boys in their suits. It wasn’t good for your heart. If they looked a picture of badass intimidation in full armour, then the five of them in suits were just perfect.

Hunter even had his hair swept back, though it took you a second to recognise him without the bandana. Wrecker had been a little grumbly about feeling unprotected but was very pleased when you told him he was very handsome. Crosshair had rolled his eyes at first, but gotten very offended when you snatched his toothpick from his lips. Echo had a moment when he was finally dressed. You’d been tying his bowtie when he’d let out a little huff and gave a small smile, saying he “felt human again.” Your heart broke at these words because even with his brothers he still felt… lesser. You had been quick to assure him that he was more human than anyone you knew and that the prosthetics meant nothing on that. Seeing him puff up with pride again was worth nearly getting shot last week.

Even Omega had a pretty dress on and flats tied to her ankles with ribbons. You and she had picked a dress to match Hunter’s suit specifically, she looked up to her big brother so very much, you often thought he was more like a father really, but kept these thoughts to yourself for now.

The last one to join you was the one that affected you the most of course. Tech stepped out onto the landing platform looking like a million credits and like he should have a hot woman on each arm. Like he could make any woman swoon with just a wink.

Hot damn.

Of course he would not do such a thing, and was just looking around, observing the surroundings for possible points of attack, vulnerability and in general taking in the surroundings. As you were also meant be doing. Internally you swore and after drinking in his obliviously gorgeous self, you’d returned to praising the way Omega had pinned her hair without needing your help.

Tech had of course been one of the members of the self-proclaimed ‘Bad Batch’ that you had found the most interesting. He always knew at least five facts about the planet or target or mission that the others didn’t. Always reading, always observing. His eyes behind his goggles were never still. One could think him cold if they didn’t look close enough. But he had a deep passion for knowledge, for technology… its no wonder he had chosen such a name. Practical. To the point. You liked that about him. You like quite a bit about him as you recently discovered. The way he could fix anything. The way his eyes lit up when he talked about learning new things. The way he was so damn efficient at his job, he knew the Havoc Marauder inside and out. The little smile when the two of you shared an inside joke. Or the way he rolled his eyes whenever one of his brothers exasperated him. The way he was always right there to help Omega over large stones or down the stairs of the ship. He was so thoughtful like that, despite not really talking about it.

Actually no. No, you didn't like that. It was just positive observations. That’s all. He was a colleague… maybe a friend. Maybe. There was nothing more to it, you told yourself. There wasn’t anything meant in the little brushes of your fingers when you two passed items between each other. Or passed in the hold of the ship. Or when you were squashed together when hiding from Imps. He didn’t think like that. Right?

Currently, you were standing on one side of the large room, waiting for the bride to arrive. On one side were you, Hunter and Crosshair, standing alongside the pews. On the other, was Omega, Echo, Wrecker and Tech. You wished Tech was on your side of the room, then he wouldn’t be in your vision at least. Not that it meant anything! You were allowed to admire the handsome technician of course, but that's all it was. He certainly wasn’t looking back at you every minute or so either. You were probably imagining it. You had to keep your eyes out for any breaches in security. Any guests acting strange. Certainly not staring at the drop-dead gorgeous clone in glasses across from you.

“Feeling alright, Feisty?” Hunter asked in a low whisper. You smirked at the nickname, apparently you had made an impression on them in the first mission when the client had gotten too mouthy. “Your heart rate is higher than usual.” He added, and you could hear definite amusement in his tone.

You pursed your lips together, trying not to smile from embarrassment. “I’m fine Hunter.” You replied out of the corner of your mouth. Another sweep of the venue with your eyes-- oh kriff Tech was looking your way. Your eyes met for just a second before you tore them away. You heard Hunter chuckle.

“You sure?” He muttered, folding his arms,

“Shut up, Hunter.” You retorted with a soft huff. He chuckled again and you felt your face grow hot. By the nine moons of Endor you wanted to run. It was then the music began and you steeled yourself. The ceremony was beginning.

It was lovely, really. Very sweet, lovely and romantic. The Togruta and his Twi’lek bride seemed very in love if the look on the groom's face was to be believed. He practically lit up like a beacon on seeing her. You had the brief thought... would anyone do that for you? Before immediately pushing it away. Those sorts of thoughts were dangerous. You were sure that it was going to be boring… but you couldn’t help but get a little distracted when they began to say their vows.

“...my darling. There is so much I want to say to you. So much I have felt and left unsaid, I am sure you know just how I feel just by the way I look at you.”

Your eyes instinctively flicked to the otherside of the room. You glimpsed his eyes on you and was immediately caught in the depths of his soft brown eyes. The gentle and kind look you had seen many times, but thought nothing of. He was just kind, that’s who he was. In this moment though-- you were sure there was… a little more to it.

“...It was not easy to let myself open up… to bring myself to acknowledge my feelings but in one moment I knew they were endless and unrelenting. I love you from the depth of my soul and I never want to be apart from you…”

Oh hells… these vows were so saccharine sweet that normally you would be gagging… but these ones hit a little too close to home. You couldn’t stop your eyes from being tugged toward the suited clone trooper opposite you, no matter how you forced them away, to scan the room for danger, they were always drawn back to him. Always him.

“...When I met you you were just so wild. Such a firecracker…!”

There was a laugh across the room and you almost jumped, reminding yourself you were in a crowd. Though none of them paid attention to you. Only one.

“...It was like seeing the sun for the first time, with you in my world colours were brighter, food was sweeter, I found myself longing for times when we could be together, even in the small moments…”

You recalled the times Tech and yourself had been together, doing maintenance, repairs, listening to the music through the entertainment channels. The little laughs, the simple things.

“...not everything was easy, and there has been so much danger…”

You remembered your last serious injury, the piece of twisted metal sticking out of your leg while you hauled ass back to the ship, firing behind you to cover the boys. The way Tech’s eyes had become as big as moons when you finally collapsed, and they saw how bad the injury was.

“... but I always trusted you to get me through anything. I love you, my darling. With all my heart, and soul and with every beat of my heart and breath in my body. I will be yours even after all the stars in the galaxy burn out.”

You had been unable to tear your gaze from Tech’s for the last minute or so and you could feel your face burn. It was only when the vows were done and the bride and groom kissed, their hands wrapped together in a red ribbon and the other guests clapped in support that you snapped out of your little reverie. You joined, half-heartedly in the applause but you felt… strange. You really wanted this mission to be over. Or a drink. Yeah, a drink would be good.

[stonefreeak]

My goodness people, I’m so sorry for the delay! I’ve been working on the structuring of my files to get a better overview of what remains of the project, to hopefully be able to speed writing up (even as work really means that my free-time is much more limited than it was once upon a time, lmao. Sometimes I miss December of 2016 when this whole thing started, 33k in a month of updates, amirite?)

it’s taken me so long I’m wondering if anyone even remember this plot point at this point, lmao

Also: belated happy midsummers to all my fellow Swedes!

Bail taps his finger against this desk and stairs unseeingly at the datapad in front of him.

He hadn't been sure if the information Aleena Yashi gave him, though she's worked as an assistant to multiple senators over the years, was true. But everything checks out. He briefly wondered why she would come to him about it, rather than Senator Lobos who she's currently working for... But perhaps it's because he's known to have a favourable view of the Jedi that she's done so. Perhaps it's because all of this information mostly pertains to the Jedi and the laws surrounding them, and she wanted a prominent Senator who she could trust not to hide the information away because they don't care for the Jedi.

Bail, a Core World Senator well known for his good relationship with the Jedi and friendship with the current Supreme Chancellor, must have seemed like the best option for her. He wonders who else would have been on her list, before she settled on him, but he chose not to ask when she visited him. Perhaps it's better if he doesn't know; it hardly matters now anyway.

He looks down at the datapad again and considers his options.

He should probably discuss her findings with her, and see what exactly her goal is. If he's to do something about this, then he wants her involved even as he gathers support from other senators.

He has no doubt that Padmé will agree to add her support to Bail to help sort this mess out, but considering that they've both been involved with the investigation they're conducting into Jedi missions being altered... Well, Bail wants more Senators involved this time. Just to ensure that it cannot be taken as some form of conspiracy in favour of the Jedi. As ridiculous as that notion seems, Bail is not blind to the way many Senators look at the Jedi, nor to the fact that many of them don't seem to believe that they're really capable of what they say they are.

Few people besides the Jedi truly believe in the Force, after all.

Few people could believe in something they cannot know for themselves when others supposedly have a direct connection to it. Bail is one of the few who does believe them, he's seen what the Jedi can do first-hand. There's nothing else that can account for that kind of power besides this Force they talk of. They and other groups out there, it’s not only the Jedi, after all.

Besides, he knows many of them personally, and while Bail may not understand or follow all of their beliefs or traditions, he also knows that they're not a bunch of charlatans faking it for power of money—though he knows some of his fellow senators believe that to be the case. Even senators on Coruscant, who've seen Jedi in real life, seem to believe them little more than myth.

Bail has been kept up to date on the investigation into the Jedi missions, though he’s not taking an active role in it right now, and he’s certain that he has been kept in the loop to give legitimacy to the investigation. Give it a proper paper trail, even if it’s done with the Senate’s highest level of security. A strictly need-to-know basis, and until it’s finished, no one else needs to know.

Of course, Bail asked Obi-Wan in private if he would be allowed to tell Breha. As his Queen and the leader of Bail’s planet, he found it important to clue her in on it. Besides, it’s another step of legitimacy. After all, if Breha takes an active stance on it, then so does Alderaan.

If anyone wants to accuse the investigation at a later date for being a sham… Well, they will need to accuse Alderaan of engaging in it in the first place. Bail isn’t stupid enough to think that it’s not one of the primary reasons Obi-Wan agreed with Bail’s request.

They’re friends, and Obi-Wan likes Breha, but this is not about being friends. This is about political allyship and keeping sensitive information on as tight a lock-down as they can until the time  to reveal it comes.

Besides, as worried as Bail has become with Miss Yashi’s information, it’s even worse when considered together with the altered Jedi missions and not in the least… Well, the war time propaganda. There's no point in shying away from what it is, and the ramifications it has.

Considering how most of the war time propaganda—Bail can acknowledge it for what it is, there truly is no point in trying to deny the facts—focuses almost exclusively on the clones and their efforts in the war, it's hardly strange that the general population neither know nor understand them.

Further considering the information that Bail has now confirmed to be real and accurate... He understands that the omission of the Jedi is entirely deliberate. If you want to discredit and undermine the Jedi, why would you ever speak of their accomplishments and sacrifices? You wouldn't, as that would bring public support to them.

Bail sighs and rolls his shoulders.

He needs to build a following, he cannot properly push this alone. But he also understands why Miss Yashi brought it to him alone, first. A Core World Senator is far harder to make "disappear" than a Twi'lek Senatorial aide, no matter how awful that is to say. Bail can't go missing, and any attempt on his life would have a bit more trouble hitting its mark.

That's not to say that it would be impossible for someone to assassinate him, which is of course why he'll make sure that Breha is entirely up to speed on everything.

All of it together... There is some form of conspiracy to discredit or perhaps even get rid of the Jedi; Bail is sure of it. But he cannot see to what end. What are they trying to achieve?

For what reason would anyone work to discredit the Jedi? What is the end goal to strive for? There’s no way for the politicians to dissolve the Jedi Order, they are not in that way under Senate control. They could, of course, remove all of their backing, forcing the Jedi to become free agents, certainly…

But for what purpose? It would leave the Republic without the Jedi as peacekeepers, for the Jedi would hardly remain to do diplomacy work for the Senate without its backing. After all, what would the point be? Without the Senate’s backing, the Jedi would have far less ability to do anything.

How could they negotiate treaties if the Senate won’t honour them?

They could, perhaps, be a neutral third party within discussions. But there’s no reason for anyone to listen to their input in such a case. It’s hard enough to get disagreeing parties to listen to external input when you come with powerful backing that could make you listen even if you refuse.

How could they function with no funding? They would need to work on commission, at which point only those who can afford their help can get it. That would be the opposite of an improvement.

To not even begin to talk about how few of them there are, how few of them there were even before the war. Their population is not even a hundredth of a percent of Alderaan’s population, and Alderaan is only a single planet within the tens of thousands of star systems that make up the Republic—nevermind the entire galaxy. There’s just not enough of them, and hasn’t that always been a problem even while they’re working under the Republic? Too few, spread too thin.

No, if the Jedi became free agents, their ability to affect change would be greatly diminished. Bail is quite certain they’d work on much smaller scales, still trying to do what they can for the galaxy, bit by bit. Working with smaller communities on planets and moons… If they even had the ability to find out about disputes that may need their help in the first place.

Losing the Jedi as peacekeepers isn’t a win for the Republic either, as the budget for the Jedi was already miniscule even before it started being diminished—as Miss Yashi’s discovery shows. It cannot be an attempt at cost saving, or an idea of improvement for the Republic. Needing to train their own diplomats and ensure that they have skilled enough guards… That would be more expensive and it would not be able to guarantee that these diplomats are neutral in conflicts.

The Jedi have no specific allegiances the way diplomats and even Senators have. Even the least corrupt Senator will still place their own planet and star system first. It is part of their role, after all.

So no, it cannot be something like that. Not unless the people slowly enacting this are horribly misguided and foolish. Not to mention, Bail knows most Senators would simply call for making away with the Jedi entirely, rather than this slow plan to undercut them.

No… There must be something else going on here, some other primary goal whoever is pulling these strings is looking out to do.

He’ll need to figure it out, no doubt, Bail concludes.

But beyond that, he also needs to build a base to help him bring this information he’s been given to the Senate’s attention. He is quite sure already who he should be looking towards first: Senator Ach’ki Mandai of Haa’ndu.

Who better to help him bring this to Senate attention than the Senator who ensured a Jedi now sits as the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic?

—

(Supreme Chancellor Obi-Wan Kenobi masterpost)

[phoenixyfriend]

I'd like to hear ur thoughts on a sex pollen au! ^_^

OKAY COOL I actually have been having many thoughts, most of which are pretty disjointed, and I’m tossing them under a cut. Thank you for giving me an excuse to share them.

This started with me going “I have a fucked up fic desire, I'm scared to look to see if it exists because if it does then it's probably not going to be done in a way I can stomach, let alone enjoy...”

But you know what, let’s talk about it.

So as a general rule, I can see the Anakin and Rex being like "Ah, you're hot, but one of us is in committed monogamy and the other is functionally a slave to the Republic, so we'll just high-five and move on with our goddamn lives because there's a war to fight."

The three kinds of fics I want to read with this in mind are like

Less fucked up: Padme urges Anakin to find release where and when he can, ends up with an arrangement to have sex with Rex whenever they're feeling wound up, which Padme is entirely open to happening (and on her end IDK one of the handmaidens), but there's a running undercurrent of 'is this really okay?' for Anakin because of the limited freedom the clones have and fraternization laws and all that fun stuff

More fucked up: Rex is quietly lusting after Anakin but doesn't actually ever acknowledge it out loud, partly because Padme exists and partly because wow fraternization laws, and Rex is vaguely under the impression that if he asked, Anakin would fuck him, but only out of guilt for the slave army situation, because what's Star Wars without a mess of ethical bullshit? Except then Rex gets hit by some sex pollen, and needs to get fucked to survive (or at least to not be in a whole lot of pain), and the only person he actually wants that way is Anakin, if only because everyone else in the area is either a brother or Ahsoka (who is baby), and like... obviously, Anakin's going to help however he can, but the ability to consent is muddled on both ends due to the coercion and reluctance etc.

Still fucked up: The same as number 2, but Anakin’s the one that gets hit with sex pollen.

I was prompted with that last one on discord and ended up SPIRALLING around "Anakin is hit by sex pollen, only sapient individuals in reach are clones (ethical violation), Ahsoka (BABY), and the natborn officers (they'd all refuse); Rex offers, both angst"

Various lovely angst options, including

Anakin initially tries to refuse by insisting he can't cheat on Padme, Kix (who is monitoring the health situation until someone gets their sexy on) just straight up calls her and says "Hi, your husband is going to be in extreme pain for several days unless he gets fucked and we don't have time to get back to Coruscant. It's not usually lethal but he's going to feel like he's on fire for all that time, partly because of a significant fever. Please give him permission to sleep with someone because this isn't actually safe to ignore." Padme is. Well aware of the clone situation and asks who's volunteering, then asks to speak with Rex directly to make sure HE wants this, and not that he's just volunteering because he feels like he has no choice. Eventually she's at least convinced that Rex is doing this as a "Help out my bro because he's in pain" thing, rather than a "help out my CO because that's what I'm for" thing, gives permission, but also says "And the Captain is coming to dinner when you're on leave." (Rex legit likes Anakin That Way in this scenario, but he can't TELL her that.) (Even though that's what she's LOOKING FOR.)

Anakin's "get out of ethical jail free" card has been stamped and voided, he cannot opt out of Destroying A Friendship By Hurting Someone, begs Rex to let down his mental shields so he can at least Know that Rex wants this, really, and that's enough to get us to a fade to black.

Anakin avoids Rex for days because he feels terrible, and Rex keeps wanting to apologize because he feels terrible, the clones are all confused, that's obviously all fun and games until Rex eavesdrops on Anakin demanding Kix tell him who else knows, did anyone tell the natborn officers

First assumption is obviously "he's ashamed of sleeping with a clone" but Rex isn't stupid enough to leave before he's eavesdropped to the end of the topic, but the actual reality is much worse, because it's a legitimate fear: Anakin's worried that if the natborn officers find out a clone slept with a Jedi because the Jedi "needed" it, someone'll take it as blanket permission to proposition the clones, and the clones... don't legally have the right to refuse, because they're not people.

Even if the clones do have the right to refuse (which Anakin is adamant they do, all of them, under his command and that of any Jedi), the natborn officers might twist a situation and leverage threats, etc, just because they want some fun.

Anakin's panicking, Rex is worrying, the clones are all Very Hush Hush about this. The Jedi Council was informed of the incident and Anakin's insisting that it not get reported anywhere beyond the clones involved and the Council reviewing it for the aforementioned ethical violations, because he does not want to become the precedent that people use to assault clones that way.

IDK probably this gets twisted into Palpatine trying to convince Anakin that it was Fine, Actually in a way that Anakin later confesses to Padme makes him feel uncomfortable and she's like "darling... that's fucked up, he shouldn't have said that and all your guilt comes from a place of caring for your friend right now, you need to talk to Rex and ask if he wants to be transferred if he's uncomfortable sharing a ship with a commander he slept with for reasons beyond your control, it's a bad situation all around and the Chancellor trying to alleviate your worries by telling you what he did was actually really bad, don't listen to him" and that snowballs into Anakin doubting everything Sheev tells him and IDK fix-it somewhere in there

Poly, yay

BUT THE TERRIBLE THOUGHT WAS MOSTLY ANAKIN WORRYING ABOUT NATBORN OFFICERS TRYING TO USE THE INCIDENT AS PRECEDENT FOR ORDERING CLONES TO GRANT THEM SEXUAL FAVORS

It’s likely that natborn officers were already coercing clones into sexual relations where the Jedi couldn’t keep control over the situation, but the thing is that if word got out that a Jedi did it, that a Jedi was treating a clone like that, that a Jedi implicitly approved...

[nevertheless-moving]

Suicidal Misunderstanding XX

Part I - - - - - - - - - - Part XVII - - - - Part XVIII - - - - Part XIX

Star Wars Time Travel AU #27

“I want you to understand that what we’re going to ask of you is entirely beyond the scope of duty and therefore completely voluntary. You are more than free to refuse participation, at any point, with absolutely no consequences.”

Deep within the Healing Halls best-kept medical secret, Eights quelled beneath the full might of the GAR’s highest and most lauded Generals. Yeah I’m sure whatever they ask I’m going to want to say no. Honestly, what kind of soldiers have they been working with?

“What can I do to help, sir? Sirs?”

“I know this might be shocking, but we have reason to believe the GAR is...compromised.”

“Sir?”

Eights thought furiously. This wasn’t about the healers who were hiding them, or the Jedi his battalion never received, or the decommissioning he had escaped. This was bigger.

The General Windu spoke calmly, “We suspect that you may have been trained or conditioned at some point without your knowledge to unquestioningly follow orders, orders that would usually be beyond what you would typically obey. With your permission, we’d like to try and activate that order in a restrained environment in order to gain more information, with the hope of finding a way to help the troops resist.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t understand. You’re just going to give me an order and ask me...not to obey it?”

General Koon nodded (General Koon! General Koon and General Windu were talking to him at the same time!). “In a manner of speaking, yes. But it’s possible that the order will do more than that. The only way we believe this could possibly work” Koon glanced to the man at his side. “And we...do believe this threat is real, is if you suffer from some form of brainwashing. Activating it might cause irreparable brain damage. Activating it might damage or kill the parts of you that make you you. Even if it doesn’t- the ideal scenario is we find something- an intentionally designed tumor perhaps- and surgically remove it. And brain surgery also has its own risks.”

Eights swallowed around a lump in his throat. 

“And this is something that could be going on with...my entire batch?”

General Kenobi winced. “The entire GAR I’m afraid. Every clone.”

The General of the 212th! Commander Cody’s General was here! Talking to him! Telling him existentially terrifying ultra classified intel!

The trooper stared up from bed in disbelief. If anyone besides three of most respected generals in the entire GAR (not including Buir Ti) was telling him this he would accuse them of bantha crap fear-mongering, if not outright treason. Instead he was just...outraged.

“What would the order make me...us...do?”

Windu took a deep breath. “Attack us. Try and kill the Jedi.”

“I would never.” Eights straightened up even further. “We would never betray the Jedi- it’s- never. We were made for the Jedi and even if we weren’t- you’re the only ones who treat us with an ounce of respect.”

“No one is questioning your loyalty,” the kind Mon Cal healer (whose name he had never asked for fear of getting her in trouble if this ward was ever discovered) said, obviously trying to sooth him. She spoke with heart-breaking earnestness. “The fact that you would never choose to obey such a command just makes the possibility of something forcing you to do so that much more horrifying.”

“How would something like that even get in our heads? The longnecks designed us to serve the Jedi, why... I’m sorry Generals. I didn’t mean to get out of line.”

“No need to apologize. You have every right to be angry about this intrusion, as well as any number of things,” General Kenobi reassured him, smiling sadly. “We don’t know to what extent the Kaminoans are involved with this plot. Not precisely.”

Eights nodded, clenching his one remaining fist. “I’ll do it. Whatever you need from me. I can’t let my brothers have something this big looming over them without any intel.” I’m not exactly front-lines material anymore anyway.

“Are you sure?” Mace Windu’s eyes seemed to stare into his soul. Eights stared right back.

“I am. When do we start?”

It didn’t take long to shave the soldier and connect a number of glowing vital readers to his skull. He was ushered into a chambered observation room with what appeared to be a sfaraday cage hastily built around it. 

“Alright, whenever you’re ready.” Bant (Master Eerin apparently, but she told him to call her Bant) said.

“I’m ready, sir.”

“Let’s start off small, see if we can learn anything without fully activating the order.”

General Kenobi took in a deep breath. He looked calm, but Jedi always did. The General took in another breath. Kriff, two deep breaths. That’s Jedi for freaking out, isn’t it? Right?

Fuck.

“Does Order 66 mean anything to you?” General Kenobi braced himself, staring intently at the trooper in his seat. 

Eights wracked his brain furiously. Sixty-Six...that was...

“It’s...a little familiar? Sorry sir, I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere but...I can’t recall.”

“That’s perfectly alright trooper, not to worry.”

A Twilek healer he didn’t recognize spoke into a micomphone from the other side of a transparisteel window. “His frontal lobe might be lighting up a little, but it’s nothing abnormal, and not enough to triangulate for anything intrusive.”

After several variations on the same question as well as a number of scans of different ‘levels,’ the questioning escalated to orders, as well an extremely uncomfortable mock fight that he would probably tell his grandchildren about, provided he survived today, and also was allowed to have grandchildren.

Still, Eights couldn’t quite recall ever learning an Order 66 and was starting to relax, thinking the whole thing was some sort of horrible separatist lie.

They left him alone for an uncertain amount of time before returning with-

“Quickdraw?!” Eights jumped up at the sight of his commanding officer arriving via hoverchair, nervously saluting with his left hand.”I didn’t know you were here!”

“Just got out of bacta. My spine’s not quite what it used to be after the blast,” the lieutenant responded wryly. “At ease, Eights.”

“Our apologies again for waking you prematurely,” General Koon said softly.

Quickdraw waved the General off. “I’m honored you did. For something as serious this- well I’d hardly forgive myself if I just slept through it.”

Quickdraw locked eyes with Eights. “I’m supposed to try giving you ‘the order’ now- General Kenobi suspects that as your superior officer, I might be authorized to trigger whatever the hell the longnecks put in our heads.”

Eights swallowed hard. “The longnecks, sir?”

“Who else?” Quickdraw asked in a tone drier than Jakku. He spun in the chair to face General Koon. “How are we doing this?”

After a brief discussion, the troopers ended up on opposite sides of a sound-proof transparisteel divider, an comm channel open between them. Eights plugged his ears and gave the order first. And giving Quickdraw an order was almost but not quite as weird as giving an order that would apparently make him try and kill Jedi.

Nothing happened and they swapped, this time with Quickdraw using a waxy covering to block his hearing.

His lieutenant stared at him straight through the clear divider and ordered him to execute Order 66. This time he finally remembered his training, and realized he was woefully outgunned. Oh well, he was a good soldier.

Eights stood up. The only visible change in his expression was a widening of his pupils. There was no malicious intent palpable in the force- he didn’t even look angry- just determined.

He lunged at the Jedi next to him, only to hit an invisible wall. He threw himself at the barrier desperately while the traitor backed out of the room and escaped. The wall finally dropped, but it was too late, he was locked in.

Sighing, he picked up the chair with his one good arm, slamming it repeatedly at the door frame. Good soldiers follow orders.

On the other side of the observation window, Quickdraw stumbled back horrified, reaching for his ears before hesitating. General Koon softly tapped his shoulder and indicated they should leave. 

“I’ve got a location.” Master Che said quietly as the lieutenant was ushered into an antechamber and the activated trooper continued to beat at the door. “It’s a small but clear patch lit up like the festival of lights- I don’t know why it didn’t turn up in scans but...I’m as confident as I can be. Worst case- it’s a small enough area that removing the grey matter shouldn’t...well it won’t kill him. It’s enough to go on for microscapel surgery.” General Koon nodded, then tilted forward, weight falling heavily in his palms on the counter before him.

Vokara rested a hand gently on his back “...I was hoping it wasn’t true as well.”

Master Koon flinched away. “I am sorry and glad to say you do not understand my feelings on the matter. I think...my apologies but I need some time to meditate.”

“Of course.”

Koon rushed out. After a moment Master Windu stepped in, radiating similar distress as Master Koon. Master Kenobi followed, looking grim but also happy. 

‘Oh I’m glad Koon isn’t around him right now,’ Healer Che thought wryly.

Perhaps sensing the mood, Obi-Wan sobered. 

“I’m sorry it’s just- I didn’t actually see the order get activated. Of course I believed it wasn’t a choice- and I’m obviously not glad that anyone’s will could be taken so easily-”

“You don’t have to explain anymore,” Mace offered quietly. “I can understand why seeing this would be something of a relief, all things considered.”

The Head Healer nodded in agreement before taking charge. “Kenobi, go in with Eerin and help her sedate him. I’ll prepare for surgery.”

“Wait- shouldn’t we try other permutations first? It’s possible that once activated, a clone might be able to order a superior officer-”

“And it’s also possible that if a lieutenant is activated, the entire army will turn,” Mace snapped. Obi-Wan bent his head, chastised. 

“Right. Yes. I’ll go- find Bant.”

An extremely long hour later, Master Che returned from surgery. Masters Mundi, Koth, and Yoda had left to and fulfill the other thousand and one duties of a council member not unravelling a Sith conspiracy at the heart of the Republic, while Master Aerdo had been dispatched to talk with Quickdraw as well as some of the other troopers in the hidden Medical bay. 

“It’s a chip,” Vokara said grimly. “Native biological material, but clearly a chip. Like you would find in a droid. Far more complex than any slave chip I’ve ever seen, and no explosive component. It would only turn up on a level five brain scan. I didn’t even think to run it before- it’s overly invasive and typically useless.”

The reduced meeting crumpled at the sight of the infinitesimally small object of control, carefully encased in a stasis slide and placed delicately on the conference table.

Proof of Obi-Wan’s future, a future that the group thought they already believed.

“We should get Master Nu,” Adi Gallia said quickly, “We’ll want our top researchers analyzing it as soon as possible.”

Koon nodded sharply. “Agreed.”

The Tholothian Master stood, “I’ll go at once- we should probably keep any mention of this off comms.”

As Master Gallia swept out of the room, Plo Koon wrenched his gaze from the stasis slide to face the healer. “Master Che, what is Eight’s status?”

“Unconscious and restrained, but he should wake up soon enough. It...might not be a bad idea to have another Jedi nearby when he does.”

Koon and Che left the room, taking the chip with them and conferring quietly.

Obi-Wan leaned forward, elbows on the table and face in his hands.

Master Windu exchanged a glance with Anakin. 

Finally Obi-Wan spoke, tentatively addressing Bant, “Could it be possible for someone...besides a clone to be chipped? If Palpatine had access to them as a child...”

Bant drew back, gaze flickering to Anakin. “I- we would have to study it more-”

Anakin interrupted, shifting in his seat. ”Master- what did I do?”

“It- it wasn’t you. It wasn’t you anymore that the person who fired on me was Cody.”

Bant exchanged a glance with Mace, before clearing her throat with a soft gurgle. “Perhaps we should leave the two of you alone to talk this through.”

The Mon Cala Healer stood and exited rapidly. Windu exchanged a glance with Skywalker before he left. “Talk through everything, understood?” Anakin nodded.

The door shut, leaving Master and Padawan alone. “I feel like I’m missing more than two and a half days,” Obi-Wan muttered wryly. “I don’t remember you three having a non-verbal communication system consisting of eye-contact alone before.”

Anakin chuckled once then immediately grew somber, picking at a loose thread in the sleeve of his robe. A thousand thoughts were swirling in his head, and he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“I- did I hurt you? Is that- is that why you stabbed me, you thought you were defending-”

“I did what?!” Obi-Wan paled, jumping up from his seat.

Anakin winced. “It’s nothing, that’s actually not important. I’m healed anyway so forget I mentioned it-”

Obi-Wan moaned, stumbling backwards over the fallen chair. “Of force- when you were trying to save me- I had a blade. I cut you down-” He tripped backwards, collapsing to the ground.

“Master!” Anakin lurched forwards, but the older Jedi scrambled back.

“I forgot my spray bottle in there,” Bant whispered outside the door. “Do you think it’s too late to go back for it?”

Mace peered subtly through the small window in the door. “Yes. They’re already on the ground. I think they’re both crying.”

“It’s been less than a minute!”

“Yes.”

“...We should go.”

“Yes.”

Unaware of their muffled audience, the two continued their conversation.

“Don’t- don’t touch me!” Obi-Wan gasped, back hitting a wall. “I don’t- I don’t deserve-”

The young knight reared back, falling from a crouch to his knees, “Is this...about the Tuskens again?

Obi-Wan blinked in confusion. “The Tuskens? What about Tuskens?”

“You don’t...remember?” The air grew cold and Anakin forced himself to continue, “What- what we talked about in the cave?”

“What we- I-” Obi-Wan thought furiously. “...Anakin. What did...what were you apologizing for in the cave? What- what did you think we were talking about?”

“Oh gods.” Anakin paled now, shuffling back.

“What are they doing now?” Bant asked the taller Master.

“They’re taking turns chasing each other back and forth on their hands and knees. They both look like they’re seconds away from passing out or throwing up.”

“I...is this a human thing?”

“No. What? Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know! Do you think this is how they usually talk to each other?”

“I think perhaps they don’t talk to each other, and that’s why they’re like this.”

“Right, right... I really want to hear what they’re saying.”

“Hm. I don’t.”

“Why are you also standing outside the door then?”

“I want to be ready to intervene if they start trying to kill each other.”

“FORCE”

“Quiet!”

“Sorry. Sorry. You think they fought then? In the...other timeline?”

“...It would explain Obi-Wan’s shatterpoint remnants better than anything else.”

“Not to mention the spice.”

“I thought we were politely ignoring the spice.”

“...and then I brought her back to the homestead for burial.” Anakin bowed his head, tears streaming against his will. “I thought...Master I know I can’t fix this but I’m sorry- I already stepped down from my position as General so I wouldn’t be in a position to kill anyone else- I need you to forgive me.”

“Oh Anakin.”

“What? What happened?” Bant asked urgently. 

The Master of the Order appeared unruffled in the force and human visible light, but the tips of his ears were heating up in infrared. She stood on her toes to see in.

“Oh- they’re hugging? Seriously? That’s what you’re embarrassed to see?”

“They’re clinging to each other like younglings. It’s undignified for a Jedi Master and Knight”

“Alright that’s it- we’re going. I really don’t think Anakin’s going to jump from crying and hugs to murder.”

Unaware of their newfound privacy, the two inside withdrew from their embrace, still sniffling slightly. 

“Thank you, Master,” Anakin said in a shaky tone. “I swear I won’t let you down, I’m going to do better.”

“I know, my padawan, I know. I’m going to be there to help you this time, I’m not going to leave you alone with- well I’m not going to leave you alone.”

Anakin smiled wetly at Obi-Wan’s careful avoidance of Chancellor Palpatine’s supposed Sith alter ego, refocusing on Obi-Wan and making intense eye contact.

“What did you think we were talking about?”

Obi-Wan looked down. “It doesn’t matter,” he whispered. “It- it never happened.”

“Ori’vod, please. You- you mentioned younglings. I did something else unforgivable didn’t I?”

Obi-Wan smiled but didn’t look up. “And i forgave you anyway. Even when I thought your apology was just a fantasy. But it wasn’t, it was real, and- and the people actually are unmurdered so...it’s not worth talking about it.”

Anakin bit the inside of his cheek, gut roiling. “You...really think I might have a chip in me?”

Obi-Wan’s eyes snapped up. “I...don’t know. I didn’t even know that Cody had a chip in him.”

“You just...were suddenly betrayed by everyone.” 

“Not...everyone. Most who refused to fall in line were executed, of course, but there were a few senators who stood with the Jedi, secretly.” 

A new wave of cold terror passed over Anakin. “What happened with the other senators?”

“Like I said to the council earlier, from what I heard they cheered Palpatine on. Thunderous applause.”

“That’s not what I mean- Padme, Was Padme alright?”

Obi-Wan buried his face in his hands, shuddering.

“Anakin- I don’t know what to tell you,” he said in muffled voice. “I don’t want to deceive you but- things were dark. If I tell you everything now, I’m afraid of what you’ll do.”

Anakin winced. “I don’t want you to be afraid of me. I’m not...evil. I just...I messed up, and I want to make things better.”

Obi-Wan sighed, and pulled Anakin so they were seated next to each other in a mirror of the false peace a few days earlier. Anakin leaned into his Master’s side, feeling the cold retreat. “You’re not evil Anakin, but what you did to the Tusken village wasn’t exactly a small thing. I- look- Ad’ika-”

Obi-Wan hesitantly placed an arm around Anakin’s shoulder and the cold retreated a bit more.

“If the council accepts my plan, we’re going to have time together over the next few weeks, to talk more about...everything. We’re going to end the war- save everyone. I know the cave wasn’t what either of us thought it was, but it still meant the galaxy to me. I love you, no matter what...and that conversation, what you said. Well, it gave me the strength to go on, to do what I needed to.” Obi-Wan froze. “Not my, um, self-inflected injuries- that’s- obviously that wasn’t your fault-”

“You thought you were hallucinating. I know.” Anakin smiled, feeling honestly amused at the absurdity situation for the first time. “I’m going to mock you for that for the rest of our lives, you know that, right?”

“I look forward to it.” Obi-Wan smiled.

A vise that had been clenched around Anakin’s heart since he broke down the door to their apartment finally relaxed. “You really weren’t trying to kill yourself,” he sighed happily.

“I was attempting to stay alive. Honestly concerned about dehydration. I wanted to stay in the daydream, but I knew I couldn’t. And part of that was because you gave me the strength to keep going. Sorry I did such a bad job honoring that but, well. You know. Thank you, Anakin. For saving me twice over.” Obi-Wan’s voice was utterly earnest, though it was a touch more embarrassed than he was used to after the single day of utter unrestraint. 

Anakin’s eyes welled up. “I’ve been- I hated that you would just leave like that, give up-”

“Never Anakin,” Obi-Wan vowed. “I will never give up on you, or this galaxy.”

He twisted so he could throw both arms around his padawan.

“I swear by everything I am I will keep going. It’s... in my nature but gods is it easier with you besides me.”

“Even though i’m a child murderer twice over and once removed?” Anakin joked weakly, clinging desperately to Obi-Wan’s presence.

Obi-Wan shuddered. “Too soon, Anakin. Too soon.”

Part XXI

[jessiebanethedragon]

White Sands Warm the Cold Sea (pt 9)

Summary: the reader, betrothed to a disgusting Coruscanti Lord flees her home world and lands herself in a plethora of trouble, a ship of clones, and one pirate captain whose cold exterior needs much more than the tropical seaside sun.

Chapter one

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter four

Chapter five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Warnings: Swearing, takes place in time periods where women have dowery's and suchlike. The readers' dad and betrothed are asses.

Chapter Nine: The Night at Sea

The second you attempt to reach behind to untie your corset, your arm spasms. The collision with the hull of the ship has left you shaken and battered and in no position to twist your body to undo the double knotted ties Seil, your handmaiden, would have tied. And your heart aches when you think of her.

You know that you shouldn’t sleep in the dirty clothes and the corset, but with the secure double knots there is no way to undo the ties yourself. And so you pull yourself into the hammock, landing face first, when your back muscles give out, into the netting tied to the wall. With a groan, you don’t even bother trying to move, and you pass out on the ship - having been through the ringer for what feels like a million times in one day.

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“Where is she?” Hunter grumbles when Tech returns to the group, looking up at the stars Hunter was using to calculate their ETA.

“Probably asleep in Echo’s hammock I'd guess.” Tech says plainly, and he watches as his sergeant’s face hardens.

“You need to learn how to follow orders.” He snaps, before going back to the map.

“Sarge,” Tech starts, “you’re displaying worrying symptoms.” He decides on. And under the hat he sees his eye twitch.

The barrage never ended, and the cannons never ceased. How much ammunition either side had left was impossible to guess. This creeping barrage was working. But only just. All they had to do was keep the separatists busy, the regs should be able to manage that at least. And rescue missions were the best kind of mission out there these days…

In the medical bay, Hunter shakes, the wookie child is long gone, and his vod have returned to keep their sergeant company while he heals. They’re angry, and resent him for the return-to-ship order from before. But the carnage that was left of Kashyyyk proved how right he was in securing the safety of Clone Force 99.

“Hunter, your hand.” Tech says looking at the cuts and mangled tissue.

“Kriffing door wouldn’t open.” He explains through drugged eyes. Thinking that the war is over. It has to be over. If not now, it has to be over soon. They can’t continue like this, there can’t be more missions like this. The war has got to be over soon.

Outside, the artillery starts firing again.

Hunter looks at Tech, watching the goggles reflect moonlight, and realises something that, in the chaos of the day, went unnoticed.

“Did Wrecker even lock the cell door?” He interrogates the shorter man in front of him.

“I don’t know.” Tech answers honestly with a shrug. “But even if he didn’t. You know he made the right call.” Hunter grunts in response.

“She’s a Aaray. A danger to us all” He says.

“We’ve been in worse predicaments.” Tech states. Watching as Hunter walks away from yet another conversation of theirs, and he wonders to himself, how long it will take for his captain to start screaming because of nightmares on this clear, calm, night at sea.

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Everything on your left side hurts. The hit from the ship has battered your skin, muscles, and bones. Sleep evades you because the only thing you can focus on is the pain. And when even laying down becomes too much, Gonk moves herself out of where she was curled on your back as you clumsy step out of the hammock, and begin to tread outside.

The three boys are asleep, and part of you chides yourself for being vulnerable in front of them. They could have thrown you in the birg - or worse. But a bigger part of yourself says that you can trust them. Probably more so than you’ve trusted anyone in your life. It’s a naive thought - and perhaps it’s built off of never having someone you can trust before, but a part deep inside of you jumps onto and clings to the idea of putting your faith in these men.

Maybe Crosshair was rough around the edges, and from what you can see, his glare stays with him while he sleeps. It makes you smile a little. And Wreckers exposed scars, they scare you, but the eye patch was so typical of the pirate stories you heard as a child, it’s like living in a fairy tale.

Someone clears their voice behind you.

It’s the Captain, or rather Hunter. Now only in his pants, and tunic, that's been bunched around his forearms in his sleep.

“Plotting something else perhaps?” He asks, crossing his arms in front of him.

“N-no,” you say, annoyed at how easily he makes you nervous. “I couldn’t sleep, I wanted fresh air, and they…” You pause, looking back at the crew. “They’re more manageable when they’re asleep.” The captain lets out a puff of air that's not in annoyance, and you take that as a small victory. And he watches when you crane your neck to look at the stars. He knows it’s because you feel awkward, but in another life, he would’ve found your curious eyes endearing.

“Am I missing something?” Crosshair asks, having woken on his own, and deciding to investigate the scuffle outside.

“Didn’t want the Aaray skulking around the ship.” Hunter answers, “nightmares?” he asks his brother, watching him shake his head no, and with that, one tension is lifted from the sergeants shoulders.

“Are you in pain?” Your voice comes out softly, and they both stare at you unabashedly. “I only mean, i just,” You go to explain. “From earlier the side of the…”

“Hull.” Hunter corrects on instinct, before chiding himself for doing so.

“The Hull, when you caught me…” You motion randomly with your hands as if that helps communicate to Crosshair what you mean, and he stares at you looking tired and vaguely annoyed.

“You’re in pain.” He tells you. And you’re a tad taken back because it hadn't shown on his face that he knew what you meant, let alone made the connection as to why you were awake and hence asked if he too, was hurting.

“I’m okay, I just wanted to…” you try to brush it off

“There’s no point in lying.” Crosshair interrupts, watching at Hunter’s features soften when he also takes in your appearance, leaning against the door, tense and radiating anxiety. He wonders if you’ve ever felt pain like this in your life. Living on a velvet cushion of upper class coruscant would call for little more than flimsiplast cuts. He watches you shrug off Crosshair's comment, intent on being the smallest problem you can possibly be. The man that Hunter was before would be reaching out for you, your messy hair, soft features, and innocence that he knows lesser men are itching to take advantage of.

“You should take that off.” Crosshair nods towards your dress and you gape at him.

“Crosshair!” Hunter barks on instinct, and not standing for the disrespect. He sees your face flush and your arms go around your waist protectively.

“Have I missed something?” A forth voice joins them outside of the bunks and Hunter inwardly groans. Now Tech is awake, what he hoped would’ve been a private nightly stroll has turned into some kind of situation report.

“Shockingly the Aaray is being uptight.” Crosshair moves to the opposite side of the doorway you’re leaning on.

“I don’t think it is fundamentally uptight to want to preserve my own modesty.” You say incredulously, and Hunter notes that you resort to your training as a lady when you become nervous. Just like his men resort to being soldiers when faced with problems.

“Crosshair!” Tech exclaims, glaring at his brother - he really needed lessons in things that are appropriate to say, and things that are not.

“I’m only asking you to take the corset off.” Crosshair says smirking, enjoying how flustered everyone is. And Hunter sees something flash in your eyes.

“Do you think you’re funny?” You snap, and the sniper stops smiling. “Is this a game to you? Clearly you have no concept of the ramifications on a woman should she ever do something like that. Or you have no concept of how dresses and corsets work - which wouldn't surprise me given your temperament.”

Hunter catches a small grin on his face, you’re alive tonight and he hates to admit that he likes it. The inference that Crosshair is too unintelligent to understand womens garments or that no women has let him close enough to understand them is both funny and potentially accurate.

“He does have a point.” Tech chimes in.

“Tech!” Hunter shouts, expecting better from him.

“I mean it might be adding pressure to areas already in pain.” He says quickly, his face as red as a zarrabak. And no one is surprised that he’s caught himself up in the conversation.

Behind all of you - Wrecker snores.

“I-I… can’t.” Your voice is small, and you’re looking at the floor, embarrassment pings in everyone's hearts when they realise that this is an important issue to you, and they’re talking about it like you’re not even present.

“We can give you private space if that's what you require.” Tech speaks up. And when you pause you can hear the waves crash in the night.

“Thank you.” You stammer out. This whole ordeal has become very embarrassing and as much as you want to deny the pain and tell the clones it’s nothing, you know both Crosshair and Tech will see right through whatever lie you construct.

“It’s, it’s just that…” You pause again. Maker if you tell them you can’t do it yourself you’re going to look as pathetic as you feel. “I would need assistance with the ties…” You mumble the last part to your bare feet that poke out under your dress. When you have the courage to look up again, all eyes are looking at Tech. The latter of the three simultaneously having decided he was most equipped for the job.

“Have at it, loverboy.” Crosshair jeers at his brother, and now both you and Tech are blushing madly.

“I’m surprised you're not jumping to the occasion.” Tech cracks back at him. And if you weren’t so self conscious in this moment you’d roll your eyes at how much they argue. Hunter remains deathly quiet.

“Unless she wants it cut off as i’m usually-” “Alright! Alright!” Tech cuts him off, and moves towards you while Crosshair snickers.

“Turn ‘round.” Hunter barks, and while you might think he’s telling you, he’s actually giving an order to Crosshair, as the trooper made no move to divert his eyes. And as Tech undoes just enough buttons to start loosening the corset he sees how taught the ties have become and yanks it towards him for leverage.

“Tech!” You squeal and gasp, trying to get away from him and he accidentally constricts you more. Sending pain shooting all over you as your injured body is put under more stress.

Hunter turns around at the sound of pain and sees both of you shaking, he knows you must be beyond embarrassed and Tech even more so. Your moss coloured dress is unbuttoned and the back pushed aside to reveal the cream corset. Hunter sighs, and pushes his brother aside.

You hear an ‘ow’ from Tech as well as what you suspect is Crosshair's hand connecting with the back of his shorter brother's head. As they walk away you shiver as you realize the captain is standing behind you.

“You’re fine.” He says plainly. Nimble fingers working at the knots quickly, you shake in the absurdity of it all, and the feeling of Hunter exhaling into your hair and neck as he works.

“This is so unbecoming.” You mumble to yourself in shame, jerking when you feel the tips of his hair brush against your skin.

“I recall you saying ‘fuck’ earlier.” Hunter scoffs at you, “I think you’re past unbecoming.” silently praising himself when one knot becomes free, whoever tied them must have known what they were doing because it feels more complicated than half the sail ties on the Muraduer. Then again, your activities of the day probably didn't help the situation.

“Captain, you’re basically undressing me.” You tell him, looking over your shoulder just in time to watch him still at your words. The part of his face you can see in this position is covered by the tattoo, but what the moon and stars manage to light up is stunning nevertheless.

“If you’re worried about modesty, I can’t see any more of your skin than I could before.” He reassures you, and you’re beginning to wonder what kind of man he really is. Hunter is so tender at this moment, so gentle. And yet you know what lies underneath.

Technically what he just told you is a lie, he can see the expanse of your back, and parts of your shoulders. But the way your brows creased in concern as you look back at him makes lying worth it as you relax a little bit. Trying to be annoyed at you for causing him grief, he goes back to the knots.

You gasp and clutch your chest as you feel him loosening the string as the last knot comes free. And you see the shock in Hunter's face when you whip around so he barely catches a glimpse of the slip that sits underneath the corset.

Maker, he thinks to himself, you’re so disheveled and scared by a simple act. He grits his teeth at the thought of how Nython would treat you, someone like you needed soft and gentle touches, words of affirmation. Hunter’s grinding his teeth together as he realizes the pride Nython would have in hurting someone as defenceless as yourself.

But then he thinks about how you held your own against his own crew today. And the captain of the Havoc Marauder thinks you’re not as defenceless as you look.

Tags: @the-mandalorian-clone-lover @peacefulwizardfox @rex-meshla @s1st37 @and-claudia @kamino-mermaid @thelambandthewolffe @starwarsmeninhelmets

@bronvin @myeternalsin @sweetsunflowerkisses @loverofclones @beizm @gunsmoke-blu

@logina6 @wondergal2001 @lafy-taffy @lafy-taffy @m-o-o-n-s-g-o-o-n-s

@starskenobiwan @lordellbell @kaetavlos @violetjedisylveon @​​vergol @Lackofhonor

[andrea-lyn]

The Recs (Less Travelled)

I’m excited to bring you the first installment of my ‘roads less travelled’ recs! I will be doing another round of this, probably once the Ted Lasso fic tag hits about 25 pages, and then I’ll also grab a couple more fandoms to collect in there! 

The Rules:

Each fandom/pairing was sorted on Archive of Our Own by completed works. Anything recced here was not in the first ten pages when sorted by kudos at the time of reccing. There may be some more well-known authors on this list, but the specific fics I’ve picked are ones that didn’t crack that top ten or just didn’t get much traction and I think deserve it, so hopefully I have also balanced it out with other under the radar (and still great!) works. As ever, I have a pinned post of my other recs (none have been duplicated from there), so you can also check those out! Under the cut you’ll find 10 recs in each fandom for:

Raven Cycle

Roswell New Mexico

The Old Guard

Inception

Star Trek (mainly Kirk/McCoy)

The Raven Cycle

savor all the little pieces by littlelionvanz

“Since when do you garden?”

Ronan snorted, “Since I grew up on a fucking farm, genius. Jesus who gave you permission to pursue higher education.”

the old grip of the familiar by littleseal

"There is a single black feather and a printed out picture of Gansey, Blue and Cheng standing in front of some fucking monument Ronan didn’t care enough to remember the name of. Gansey sent it to Ronan’s phone some time ago, but it sat in his messages until Adam picked it up and grinned at it so hard that, one afternoon later, Ronan cursed and kicked and glared his old printer back to life in order to print it out.

Fuck, he thinks, I’m in love with a hoarder."

Adam collects things. Ronan is in love with him.

No Sweeter Innocence Than Our Gentle Sin by gansey_is_our_king

Ronan Lynch has wanted to kiss Adam Parrish for a long time.

(alternately titled: four times that Ronan could have kissed Adam)

Cheers to Another Seven Years! by skyermirth

Adam left Henrietta for Harvard and never returned. Now, seven years has passed, and an unexpected work assignment has brought him back to a place and people he hardly recognizes.

Row, row, row your boat by emmerrr

“What. Why are you smiling at me,” he says suspiciously.

Adam shrugs. “You’re cute.”

“I’m not cute, I’m terrifying.”

“Terrifyingly cute,” Adam says.

and now the world is ours to take / and every single move is ours to make by thatlittleblackcat

"Adam was the scientist, Ronan was the data, and Orphan Girl was the key that explained the strange outliers that Ronan presented, his previously unexplainable actions."

//

Adam sorts out his feelings, Ronan helps him, Gansey is the number one dad friend, Blue is the number one mom friend and Henry tries to make Ronan smile. Otherwise known as the story of how Orphan Girl became Opal.

All These Things You Make Me Feel by SilverOpals394

It was late. Adam could feel the long day catching up to him as he left Boyd’s, all his energy exhausted. When he started his car, the tape deck whirred to life once more. He sighed and raised his hand to turn it off, but before he did a soft melody began to play.

AU in which the mixtape Ronan made for Adam only plays the murder squash song until Adam realizes he's in love with Ronan, too.

Ways to Communicate by Jalules

Blue Sargent reflects on an early memory (and gets busy with her boyfriends.)

(The two things are related, trust me.)

Hold Me Closer, I'm Safe in Your Arms by actuallyronanlynch

“You wanna tell me why I had to hear from Henry Cheng that my boyfriend was at the hospital?” Adam hissed, though his voice wasn’t as acidic as it could’ve been. Ronan took small victories where he could.

“You don’t have a cellphone,” Ronan pointed out flatly. “It’s not like I could’ve gotten a hold of you.”

arts and crafts and the inevitability of death by sunshineinthestorm

Adam comes to the public library in search of a study spot, not a boyfriend. 

But it must be his lucky day—because he ends up with a bit of both.

 Roswell New Mexico

a conversation between insignificant others by Bellakitse

“Hey…have you noticed that our boyfriends are madly in love with each other?"

“You noticed that too, huh,” she answers dryly, letting out a huff of reluctant amusement.

***

Forrest and Maria share a drink and a conversation and start a friendship.

Own Personal Hell by BeStillMySlashyHeart

Now that Isobel's getting the hang of her telekinesis, Michael decides to test out his telepathic abilities. It backfires. Badly. Now Michael's trapped inside his own mind and only one person can break him out.

Drop the Hammer by brightloveee

Max makes a new friend at the shooting range, who turns out to be even more bad-ass than he expected.

(Takes place mid-S1)

Boys Like You by forgadgetsandgizmos

Curly, dirty blond hair (the mere description ‘curly’ felt like an injustice) twisted in every direction off his head, a sharp contrast with the scruff darkening his strong jawline and scowl-ridden face.

Alex made a mental note to compliment Maria on her excellent taste in men.

—

Or, Alex has coffee with Maria's one-night stand, a man who he definitely does not have a crush on.

let's exchange the experience by lostin_space

Michael decides they need to quarantine.

OR

Michael floods Alex with love and care over and over and over.

This Is Hardcore by Anonymous

Michael makes a proposal. Alex accepts. Michael wonders what the hell he’s gotten himself into.

i don't know what to think (but i think of supernovas) by Milzilla

michael discovers that the console can talk. then, he discovers it can do far more than that.

iridescence on skin by Lire_Casander

In a world where (almost) everyone has a tattoo on their right wrist with one set of coordinates that point to the place where their soulmate is born, Alex thought he wouldn't be any different. He couldn't be more mistaken.

He has two.

The Real Thing by elliebird

Max checks on Michael the morning after Michael saves Max’s ass from Wyatt Long and his dumbass buddies. He sees more than he’s supposed to.

Written for a Tumblr anon who one of their friends walking in on them or anyone of them finding out about Michael and Alex in an interesting way 

Sundering by romancandles 

“You know it was just an Air Force balloon, right?” says Alex.

Michael smirks. “That’s what they want you to think,” he says, with a wink.

The Old Guard

Peer Reviewed by ishandahalf

[From:] Journal of Medieval Studies (jms.eds@jms.com)

[Subject:] Ad-hoc note from the editor

I have noticed an uncommon level of animosity in your responses to your reviewers (or rather, one reviewer in particular). I am writing to ask if you would please do your best to keep your interactions civil. In fairness, I have also sent a similar request to the reviewer you seem to have this friction with. I trust you will both try and remain more professional in the future.

Again, thank you for submitting your work to this journal.

Sincerely,

James Copley, PhD

Editor-in-Chief

Journal of Medieval Studies

An (accidental) academic epistolary romance as (inadvertently) documented via a (theoretically) rigorously blinded peer review process.[citation needed]

third for a word and the song keeps going Macremae

It was honestly shaping up to be a pretty uneventful year before the Vatican got on Nicky’s bad side.

Or: three times in 2008 that the team genuinely thought about killing Nicky if only to get him to shut up about the changes to the Catholic English Mass and his unrelenting opinions on them, and one time Nile did.

Apex Predators In Island Ecosystems (Freeman et al., in press) by Sixthlight

Palaeobotany PhD student Nile Freeman and her supervisor Joe al-Kaysani are invited to billionaire Stephen Merrick’s new project – a theme park full of cloned dinosaurs. What could possibly go wrong?

This Rough Magic by Marivan

When Joe came to Scotland to study the sea, he did not expect to also encounter a beautiful man claiming that A. he’s a selkie and B. they’re married because Joe picked up his scarf.

It sounds like a fairy tale and that’s a problem. Because Joe’s a scientist. And selkies don’t exist.

Wars for the broken by Yuliares

Five years into his exile, Booker is joined by a companion he never expected to meet. Together, they try to work on healing.

Sometimes they go down to the sewers just so she can scream and scream. “I like to hear it echo,” she explains. “Underwater, you can’t hear anything. Here, at least I can be heard.”

“I don’t feel like a warrior anymore,” she tells him, throwing bread crumbs at pigeons. “I feel broken.”

“You’re still a warrior,” he says roughly. “This is still fighting.”

a good (eighth) impression by deanniker

Over the next few months, Joe runs into Nicky every so often at the farmer’s market. Some weekends Nicky doesn’t make it, because of his work schedule - Joe doesn’t understand it because he doesn’t ask, though he does start to recognize when one of those missing weekends is coming up because Nicky will stock up on things with longer shelf-life. When they do run into each other, they make small talk and move through the stalls together.

Joe doesn’t mention it to Lykon when he stops by, because it is kind of weird, that Lykon’s ex-boyfriend texts Joe things like - If you’re here, the apples look particularly good this week and thank you for that recipe, I did not know what I was going to do with that much couscous

Or,

Joe wouldn't usually consider starting anything with his best friend's ex, but as long as they keep it casual, it shouldn't be weird... right?

get back to where you once belonged by tenderjock

Nile takes a sip of her cappuccino and closes her eyes.

(Booker and Nile get that coffee. Life happens, along the way.)

a house; a home by mehm

“Is this a kidnapping?” Joe asks as Nicky checks both their seat belts. “Like, I don’t mind. It’s just not quite what I expected for my birthday.”

In which Joe gets a birthday surprise, because that’s the stuff you have time for when you and the love of your life become mortal at the same time.

the ties that bind by damaskrose

“There’s a story I heard many times,” Andy begins, “in the Mediterranean. Threads of fate and three sisters. One to spin, one to measure, and one to cut.”

Clutter And Croutons by flawedamythyst

Joe and Nicky have an argument, and then Nicky talks to Nile about what it really means to be in a relationship for 900 years.

Inception

My Big Fat Slightly Annoying Wedding by jibrailis

Arthur and Eames elope for ~tax reasons. Certain people in their lives are not happy at the lack of a wedding.

Remember Sydney by pathera

When Eames shambles into the safe house outside of London, he finds a red light blinking on the phone.

For the inception_kink prompt:

Arthur is on a plane which is about to crash. No way anyone is going to survive. Instead of panicking he calmly calls the team's office and gets the answering machine. He hangs up before the plane crashes.

Give me Arthur's last message to the team.

 (TW: Character Death / Angst)

Of Such Deceitfulness and Suavity by delires

In which emotions manifest themselves in unusual ways.

YO, K2tog (it's like a code) by lazulisong

“Oh my God,” moans Arthur. “I’ve paid less for Somnacin. Good Somnacin.” A horrible thought strikes him. “How much is the yarn --”

“I want you to have an unguarded reaction,” Eames tells him, and pulls him up from the floor.

(They run an extraction on a knitter.)

hit the ground running by orphan_account

"I travelled halfway around the world for you. I dealt with the French for you."

Valley by wldnst

It's an old story: a knight, a prince, a kingdom in peril.

If This Is Rain Let It Fall On Me and Drown Me by Brangwen

We used to be so brave, Eames thought. Of the two of them, Arthur had always been the more fearless.

a gentle familiarity by jollypuppet

Two weeks later, Eames is on his doorstep with bad Italian takeout and a grin, and Arthur tells him he can sleep on the couch.

Your Crisis Cannot Be Completed As Dialed by sevenimpossiblethings

Arthur doesn't do snow, Ariadne is determined to be as Midwestern as possible, and blizzards make cell phone service unreliable.

Let’s Say I Do (I Do) by xsilverdreamsx

There were, perhaps some things worse that this, Arthur thinks, as he glares at the letter in his hand with his name printed clearly in bold ink, indicating his presence in two weeks for his esteemed marriage to one William H. Eames, III, at St. Catherine's Church in London, England.

Star Trek (predominantly Kirk/McCoy)

Show the World That Something Good Can Work by knune

Leonard McCoy is a doctor, not a personal assistant, and maybe that's why he can't stand working for Jim Kirk.

It's in the little things by winterover

Bones is bemused by a persistent secret admirer.

"Wedding" Away with It by pendrogon

One morning, Bones wakes up and he's single. By the same afternoon, he's married to Jim Kirk for Arbitrary Fic Reasons(TM).

How Long Will You Stay (For Your Whole Life) by withthepilot

Jim Kirk, deputy director of the Enterprise parks and recreation department, sees all of his hard work fall to pieces when budget specialist Leonard McCoy arrives from the state capital to cut Jim's budget and threaten the livelihoods of his colleagues. But thanks to a major parks project, Leonard finds a place in the department, as well as in Jim's life—and when all is said and done, Jim doesn't want him to leave.

All-Time Favorite by mardia

What to do when your best friend suddenly starts making new friends. 

Joy Ride by Cards_Slash

While running for their lives from an alien species Kirk had accidentally enraged, they come across a car. And well, if you were to come across a car while being chased by aliens that wanted you dead, and you possessed some lingering knowledge of how to drive a car similar to said car, you would have decided to drive it toward the nearest cliff too.

Also a gunfight.

Syncytia by epistolic

He’d signed up for Starfleet on an impulse, but Starfleet meant James Tiberius Kirk: the first – and second, and third, and fourth – big mistake of Leonard McCoy’s life.

Renovation by canistakahari

Jim has a whammy put on him by an alien death ray and he suddenly craves domesticity. He's crazy with longing to shop at space!Ikea and get potted bamboo and he starts looking into adopting AND HE HATES HIMSELF AND CANNOT CONTROL THE SHIT. Luckily, McCoy is drunk all the time and plays house.

17:08 by butterflycell

She'd watched the news holos with a sick feeling, searching for information that was completely obvious in its absence. Amidst the reports of the the Enterprise's miraculous recovery and the damages sustained, there had been next to nothing about the crew or her captain. Jim had been mentioned only in passing, his name shied away from as his first officer limited interaction to the bare essentials.

The Honey of Hybla by shrift

"Bones, prepare to be my date."

[eyrieofsynapses]

I wasn't planning to split my "hey, so you're gonna see some Star Wars stuff around soon, but I'm not properly rejoining the fandom" into two posts, but here we are. Mostly so that I don't subject all of you to a long explanation.

So: like I said over here, a couple good friends of mine convinced me to watch The Mandalorian, and it's all going downhill into the trash heaps of Star Wars from there. Once I've gotten to a couple other things--which might take some time--I may reblog some GIFs and possibly metas.

Here's the thing: Yes, I might put stuff up. No, I am not getting into the fandom proper again. And I do mean again--as in, I was in it around four or five years ago, quite a while before this blog existed. (You can look at my Ao3 for proof, but... uh... maybe don't. You know how it is with old fic.)

For the sake of clarity, and also because I kind of want to talk about it, I'm going to explain why.

For reference: I've seen all of the movies. I've also seen The Clone Wars up until the newest season. I watched all of Star Wars: Rebels, and that remains my favorite. (No, I've not seen The Bad Batch, so I don't know everything about what they did with Caleb.) I'm also fond of Rogue One despite my dislike of tragic endings. Aside from that, my knowledge extends to a scattered few books, comics, and a few other things. I have, only as of the last few days, finished The Mandalorian's second season; the rest of my knowledge is largely older.

As usual, my attention veered away and I hit my overload point. That's normal, by the way. But there's some other reasons.

First: Star Wars deals a lot with tragedy. I've increasingly found I don't much like too many sad endings, especially when they feel unnecessary. I like my characters whole and safe and happy at the end of the day, okay? Beat them up in between all you like, but... look, I like happy endings. That’s a me thing, by the way, not a flaw in Star Wars itself (mostly). If you like tragedy, go for it! I’m just not a fan.

Second: The Rise of Skywalker poisoned a lot for me. Between that and the way Disney's been beating the shit out of the MCU, I figured the newer Star Wars shows were rotten cash grabs and nothing more. It wasn't until my friends lured me into watching The Mandalorian that I realized otherwise. Somehow, despite Disney's hell-bent obsession with killing everything it touches, there's some good stuff coming out of Lucasfilm yet. (For now.) I am duly impressed.

Third, and most importantly: Whatever TRoS and co. didn't poison, the fandom often did. I've met a lot of awesome Star Wars people. I've also seen a lot of toxicity, especially online.

I cannot tell you how much "oh, this sucked because of A, B, C, and D, and this part is irredeemable, and I can't believe anyone could stand this bit--what do you mean you liked that? Fuck you!" stuff I've seen around. Mind you, I like constructive story critique. But much of the time it was just complaining, with zero positivity or genuine love. (It isn't just Star Wars, by the way; I see a massive amount of this in the DC fandom too. There’s others. It’s common in many large fandoms, I think.)

I get it, it's fair to rant about stuff you don't like. I do that too. I’m not going to say I won’t keep doing it here and there, because I’d be lying. Hell, I have a lot of bones to pick with Star Wars. I can and have torn TRoS apart. But it's one thing to do that, and another entirely to claim that you enjoy the thing while only ever hating on it. In particular, I'm sick of seeing people coming into spaces where people are enjoying the content, and then spoiling it rotten by only ever complaining. That was what really got to me: being in places where people were meant to be enjoying it, only to see endless complaints about everything bad.

That was the thing I really disliked about the fandom while I was in it--there was this constant cycle of people saying they enjoyed some piece of Star Wars media, then turning around and smacking it over and over without ever providing any positive feedback. I'm not here for that. I'm here to smack-talk TRoS, sure, but then talk about a) what went right, b) what could be done better, c) the context of the mistakes and the reason for them, and d) where Star Wars has avoided the same mistakes, because it turns out they've done a lot better elsewhere.

Look, I don't want to hear about every single flaw and nothing else. Media is flawed! That's part of it! Plot holes exist! Problems exist! I get pissed off about them too! I rant with my real-life friends about them all the time! But suspension of disbelief is a thing, and historical context is a thing, and recognizing the fact that writers are human and flawed too is a very important thing. If you've got a problem and you want to say it, say it, tag it, then move the hell on and don't press it on the people who want to enjoy that media for what it is. (Unless those people are being blatantly discriminatory and offensive, in which case, sure, call them out. But don't be an ass about it.)

For the record: I am absolutely down for calling Disney out on its racist/sexist/queerphobic/etc. bullshit. We need to do that, and we need to do it loudly. TRoS fucked up a lot with that, and it deserves to be called out.

But if we're going to do that, we also need to talk about where they went right. We need to talk about how supportive many of the actors were. We need to talk about how Rebels and Rogue One brought in characters of color and treated them right. We need to discuss the importance of Finn and Poe, both for being POC and where their implied romance worked despite its ultimate knock-down. We need to talk about why women like Leia, Rose, Ahsoka, Hera, Sabine, and Jyn--among many others--are good representation. We need to talk about how The Mandalorian and Andor are both led by men of color. We need to talk about the many wonderful platonic relationships in Star Wars. We need to celebrate the good, too.

...er, anyway. I'm gonna hop off the soapbox now.

Basically: I got lucky when I landed in the Leverage fandom and found out how positive a fan space can be, and I don't want to go back to only ever seeing people ragging on my favorite media. Past experience has taught me that the Star Wars fandom does a lot of that. I'm once-bit and twice-shy, so I'm not getting deep in on this. I'm not trawling tags, I'm not getting into arguments, I'm not interacting much at all. If somebody wants to have a positive and constructive conversation, I’m here for it. If I post and someone decides to start an argument for the sake of arguing, I'm blocking and moving on, and that is that.

Anyway. Upward and onward, and all of that. May the Force be with you.

[jyndor]

Rogue One Meta: Bookends

You know what I love about Rogue One? Well, a lot of things. The anti-fascist message, the characters, the found family trope, the soundtrack, how pretty the whole movie is... there is just too much to like about it. But one thing that really gets me going is how neatly the movie ties in its beginning with its ending.

Let’s do a recap.

So in the beginning, we skip the usual Star Wars crawl and get straight into the action: little Jyn runs to her parents, the family packs up what little they can grab, Lyra calls Saw to alert him to Krennic's approach, Galen asks Jyn to tell him that she understands that whatever he does it is all to protect her. She says she does (she doesn't, of course; she’s EIGHT) and they hug it out. Lyra takes Jyn off to go hide in their little bunker before she changes her mind, she gives Jyn the kyber necklace and then leaves Jyn to try to save Galen, etc etc. I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.

We all know that when Lyra tells Krennic that he will "never win" and is killed while shooting Krennic, Jyn sees it. We know that Jyn hides in the bunker for a long time, long after her lantern dies out, until Saw is able to rescue her.

We know this just as well as we know how the movie ends: Krennic finds Jyn on the top of the tower, she knows she is about to die so she tells him that she brings her parents' revenge, that he has lost and he snarls at her, monologues like a villain always has to do, aims his blaster and-

Cassian shoots him before he can pull the trigger. Jyn transmits the Death Star plans, Cassian stops her from wasting time on Krennic, they definitely don’t make out on the elevator, and then they go sit on the beach and cuddle while they wait for their deaths. It’s very cute and very sad.

We know that Jyn is Galen and Lyra's weapon, their revenge for the violence that Krennic did to them personally as well as for what the Empire has done to the galaxy. It's personal and political, as most things are. Rogue One makes this very clear - the personal is political (btw the radfem who coined that phrase can get fucked tyvm).

It’s actually always been how Star Wars works. We would care about Alderaan’s destruction, it’s a terrible thing, but we feel so much more connected to it because of Leia. The Empire oppresses every day people, but when we see Owen and Beru’s charred corpses (and Luke’s grief) we feel more about their deaths than if we didn’t just see them sitting down for a meal together with our protagonist. The Clone Wars is so effective because we care about the characters and see the war through their eyes. Politics is personal.

At the beginning, Galen is resigned to being taken by Krennic and working for the Empire against his will. It's why he sends Lyra and Jyn to safety, because he knows that they will be used as hostages to force him to complete the Death Star (and Lyra says as much). But Lyra obviously isn't willing to give her husband up without a fight (and she's also not willing to let the Empire get any closer to building a 9/11 times 100). It’s both political and personal.

Lyra’s heartbreaking act of resistance creates the narrative framework for who Jyn will become in the film but also for Cassian. In fact I would argue that Lyra's fridging sacrifice is just as important to the structure of Cassian's arc as it is to Jyn's. Don't buy it yet? Okay, look:

Lyra hits Krennic in the shoulder but it's just a graze, and she gets shot first so whether or not she's any good is irrelevant. Cassian is a soldier and a sniper. She also doesn't have the element of surprise on her side like Cassian does. She's a civilian, he's an officer who grew up in the rebellion.

But Cassian doesn't hit Krennic in the chest or the head, which he clearly could do. Perhaps it's because he doesn't have the time to fuss with his aim because he makes it up to the top of the tower just in time. Or maybe since he's really hurting, like Lyra, he doesn't have the focus that he'd need to kill the motherfucker.

Cassian hits Krennic in the shoulder just like Lyra (although I assume given how Krennic falls on his face it's not a graze).

Lyra walks so that Cassian can run.

None of them - not Jyn or Cassian, certainly not Galen or Lyra - gets to kill Krennic; none of them matters as much to Krennic as Krennic himself does. He's a textbook narcissist, so of course he is his own downfall in the end. It’s infinitely more satisfying to see him regain consciousness, look up at his creation and watch it aim at his head, and it would be to see Jyn or Cassian kill him. Cassian gets to tell Jyn what Lyra no doubt would have liked to tell Galen - "leave it" - and then walk away arm in arm without sparing Krennic another thought, and Jyn gets to finally outgrow this childhood phantom.

So much has been written about how Cassian Andor does not let Jyn Erso down. It's adorable, hilarious and also heartbreaking to see him in full Jyn Panic mode for most of the film. In the novel he's clearly attracted to her (he is a POV character so we get to read about Cassian's fixation on her need~ and how "neither pity nor pragmatism" explains why he's saves her on Jedha, and how when he looks at Galen, Cassian sees Jyn's eyes lmfao okay we get it she’s pretty). According to Chris Weitz and Gary Whitta (in the ign Rogue One commentary) they were originally more romantic but over time that dynamic got dialed back (and they said they're sure some of that got filmed so show me tHE ELEVATOR TAPES MOUSE).

But I don't think Lyra and Cassian mirroring each other has to mean Cassian loves Jyn in the same way that Lyra loves Galen. Love takes many different forms - even romantic love. What isn't up for debate is that Cassian is the only person in Jyn's whole life who does not leave her behind. No one who cares for her wants to leave her - not Galen, Lyra, or Saw; not the Pontas in the extended content, not even the rest of Rogue One - but Cassian seems to comes back from the dead for her.

Which is exactly what Krennic sarcastically says about Lyra when she comes running up to them.

In this case Galen doesn’t think Lyra is dead but he has no idea what she’s dealing with. He hopes she’s hiding away with Jyn, which is why he tells Krennic that she died, but he’s just giving them time to hide away. For Galen, Lyra might as well be dead because he doesn’t think he’s going to see her again. But when she comes “back from the dead” he feels horror because he knows it won’t end well, that she won’t just go quietly.

Jyn thinks that Cassian has left her just like everyone else. So when he comes back, it’s like a revelation for her. In the novel, Jyn thinks that Cassian looks "as beautiful as anyone" she has "ever known" and after she rushes over to transmit the plans, she smiles up at him "like a child." Hell, the minute she sees Krennic get shot, she thinks that “her nightmare is over.” Which makes me think about how eight year old Jyn never gets the chance to smile up at Lyra like that. In her eyes, Lyra doesn't really protect her from the man in white, and neither does Galen. Saw does but then he abandons her when he worries people will use her as a hostage against the Empire. Galen, Lyra and Saw do try to protect Jyn from the Empire, but the steps that her parents take (all three of them) are to hide her, or to leave her.

In Jyn's eyes, that isn't protection the way going on the offense is. That is also the thesis of her speech to the Council - appeasement and hiding away from evil does not stop evil from harming innocents, these are not ways in which people can resist occupation and oppression long term. It makes sense coming from a former insurgent; to her, nothing but direct action is going to make a difference. And she would know - after Saw leaves her, she does take part in some minor actions (according to the expanded lore) but mainly she’s in hiding, looking out for herself and coping with the trauma of being abandoned by all of her parents.

So the one person who not only gets her mission off the ground, but who also vanquishes this monster who has been haunting her since her childhood is Cassian. He ends what Lyra begins.

But Jyn doesn’t end what Galen started. She continues what he started, just like Bodhi (who basically functions as Galen’s adoptive son you will not convince me otherwise). I started this essay talking about beginnings and endings in the sense of a story’s structure, but Rogue One in the larger context of Star Wars is neither a beginner nor an ending - it is just one generation (that of the prequels) passing on the torch to the next generation (the original trilogy). In politics there are no beginnings or endings, there is just (hopefully) generational progress in struggles.

The whole movie can be summed up in one scene:

But just because it can be summed up that way doesn’t mean it should be. Of course, John Knoll got the idea for the movie based on the scroll in ANH so it makes sense that Rogue One’s characters ultimately are just a footnote for the rest of the galaxy. But for us, the audience, when Luke destroys the Death Star... well, now there is even more weight to that moment. Now we understand what got sacrificed to get those plans, who died and how and why. (That doesn’t mean we need to make a movie about these guys getting butchered by Darth Vader. You don’t need to explain everything.)

Like Leia and Alderaan, this family we meet makes it even more personal. Rogue One is just as much about family as it is about standing up to oppression. It's a Star War, those are like the main tenets of any Star War. Not to quote a meme and make it serious, but maybe the real Star War is the family we found along the way.