#and MERRIN being the one to find out about it??

[incorrectpizza]

Hey OP about the Jedi Survivor bingo. How does it feel to be a prophet?

Never, in a million years, did I imagine I'd get so many squares checked off! I'll be posting a completed Bingo card once I finish playing through the game.

I will say, I did "cheat" just a bit and include a few things that were heavily implied in marketing. But most of them were 100% my brain just having Thoughts and Feelings right before launch.

[yuri-is-online]

I could have sworn I had a proper ask for this, but Tumblr seems to have eaten it. Anyway I'll do my best to give which ones I have and explain my reasoning. I will continue referring to Yutu as Yutu in my writing so if you don't like these names there is no need to stick to them.

notes: this is part of my fyuuture kid au, information about which can be found on my masterlist under the series section.

Heartslabyul

Riddle! Yutu's real name is March. This is a reference both to the march hare in Alice in Wonderland and the phrase "in like a lion out like a lamb" as it reminds me of Riddle's temper.

Trey! Yutu is a triplet, and I wanted to give them baking themed names? Yutu's real name is Bran, Yutres's is Clementine, and Yushi's is Hazel. I like to think Clementine goes by Clem and has that stereotypical hatred of her full name because it means she's in trouble.

Cater! Yutu... was really hard to come up with a good name for. I kind of like Rain though? It's *unique* but it's very pretty and I could see Cater wanting a name that was a bit more hippy and alt than normal.

Ace! Yutu had Elias submitted as his real name by a requestor and I don't hate it? It's a pretty normal name and does sound like something he'd come up with thinking it would remind Yuu of their world. The other name I would offer is Jack, because well. Jack of Hearts, but that might end up being Ace's brother's name and I cannot see him naming his son after his brother or that other Jack we know...

Similarly Deuce! Yutu had the name Johan submitted in the same ask and it actually has a very similar meaning to Elias (god is gracious v lord is my god) and again. I could see Deuce wanting to honor a name from Yuu's world with their first kid. The other name I would offer is Damien, as his name is Deuce and his mother is named Dilla, so the D names seem to be a theme.

Savanaclaw

Leona! Yutu... I wrote down the name Kutaka for him. Scar has two possible real names listed on his wiki page and I became attached to the headcannon this reddit user put forward I found while researching them. The name Kutaka comes from the phrase "to want" and if he was born than Leona wanted him. Simple as that.

Forgive me but I wrote down Akiba for Ruggie! Yutu's real name. Supposedly it means "savings" in Swahili and as... unromantic and practical of a meaning that might be I could see Ruggie naming his kid that in the hopes of promoting fiscal responsibility in his future.

Jack! Yutu's real name is Ashe. It's a type of tree, and a type of grey. Jack's name is believed to be taken from the author of "Call of the Wild" but I didn't find any names there or in related works I liked. So woodsy name it was.

Octavinelle

Azul! Yutu's real name is Archimedes. I took it from a minor character in the Little Mermaid tv show who is Ariel's friend who is also obsessed with the human world, but I like the idea of him having the same name as an important historical figure in our world. Also Yuu could call him Archie and he could hate it.

Jade! Yutu's real name is Merrin. Fannon has Jade call Yuu his pearl a lot, and Merrin can mean pearl of the sea. I like the imagery of Jade naming his child after his precious partner.

Floyd! Yutu's real name is Jasper. It's an orange red stone, and shrimps are also orange red. The octotrio all have names related to color in some way, but Jade and Floyd can also be referencing gemstones so I like the idea that they'd reach for similar names for their own kids.

Scarabia

Kalim! Yutu's real name is Mazin. The name means "rain clouds" but those are a blessing in the desert. Not to mention that rain is what Oasis Maker does!

Jamil! Yutu's real name is Sohail. The name seems to mean "star" or "trouble free." Najma also can mean "star" and Jamil wants for a life that is trouble free. It feels like a name he'd like.

Pomefiore

Vil! Yutu's real name is Laurie for no other reason that his unique magic deals with painting and I like Little Women. Also it feels like a fun name and I can see Vil cooing over it.

Rook! Yutu's real name is Oliver. If he were to have a sibling their name would be Roland. This is not foreshadowing for his post.

Epel! Yutu's real name is Jyri. It means farming man and I wanted a cute sounding name.

Ignihyde

I had a real hard time deciding Yutu Shroud's name. I sort of like Orpheus if we're being honest here... sure that's the name of a tragic hero and not how Idia would want his relationship to go, but it's a pretty name.

Diasomnia

The Draconia's have a clear naming pattern so Malleus! Yutu's real name is Malleyu because of course Malleus wishes to name his son after his beloved spouse. In the bad timeline, as part of forgetting who Mal is, Yuu gives Yutu a different name. I had written down Cadmus, the name means "from the east" and references a man who turns into a snake.

Lilia does not have a clear idea where his name comes from and he named his first kid Silver; I think he'd defer to Yuu for names. What is the point of having a kid with a vampire fae general if you can't name him Alucard?

Silver! Yutu's real name is Lance 1) because it is a type of weapon so Silver will approve 2) as a shortened form of Lancelot, who was a knight raised by fairies.

Sebek! Yutu's name is malleus I sort of like the idea of Yuu insisting he be named Thor. It fits in just well enough with the Zigvolt naming structure (both Sebek and Baur seem to be named after gods) and Yuu gets to use something from their world.

Extra

I think we said this already but Rollo! Yutu's real name is Jehan, after his brother. Jehan is the name of Frollo's brother in the book version of Hunchback.

[jessicas-pi]

📓📓📓

So originally I was gonna do 3, but this one got REALLY long, sooo....

May I present the Jedi Get Hitched AU?

I posted about it once before here (and it got FANART!!!!) but other than that I haven't said much of anything else, soooo... here's more! and it's ENORMOUSLY self-indulgent.

The basic premise of the AU is that the clone wars end happily except the clones don't have rights but the Jedi find a loophole that will make them recognized as sentient citizens if one of them marries a Jedi, cue Aayla kicking open the door to the jedi council with bly in tow like I VOLUNTEER

ANYWAY. bly and aayla get married (they both freak out about it and Fox and Quinlan respectively have to give them pep talks before the wedding.) All seems well... and then Anakin saunters into the Jedi Council room one day and brings up that now that they're getting married (it was a one time thing, skywalker--) NOW THAT THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED, maybe they should consider that perhaps it would lower political tensions if a Jedi married, like, a senator or a planetary ruler or something. and the council is all like 🙄 skywalker we know this is just about you and senator amidala and he's like what??? haha no, i was talking about obi-wan and duchess satine. but while we're on the topic, i could definitely marry senator amidala too. she just adopted those twins and i could help raise them. they're force-sensitive, what a crazy coincidence amiright?? and plo and shaak are just lowkey planning their wedding and subsequent adoption of All Their Sons and mace. mace wants a break. please.

fast forward in time. Several more jedi have gotten married. Mace has retired from the council, citing "an excess of tomfoolery and nuptials" as his reason. Anakin married Padme, Obi-Wan married Satine and they officially adopted Korkie as their son, and Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress got married. Vostress is also currently running a jedi-nightsister exchange student program...

...which is how Merrin, 16 and slightly awkward but eager to learn more, ends up in the Jedi Temple, with a few other Nightsisters, though they're all a few years younger than her. Cal is assigned to give them the tour.

"Welcome to the Jedi Temple!" he says, holding one hand out to her and the other hand waving around them, indicating basically the whole jedi temple. it's supposed to be just a gesture, but then Merrin puts her hand in his. Completely seriously. Cal is like "...okay" and they hold hands for the rest of the tour.

Five years later, there is a second jedi-nightsister wedding.

Jocasta is delighted at the number of records being set within her lifetime.

(Jocasta is also officiating all the weddings, btw.)

A couple years after Mace resigns from the council, he decides to plan a shatterpoint lineage family vacation. So Mace, Depa, Grey (who is an unofficial part of their family), Caleb, and Caleb's brand-new Padawan, 11-year-old Ezra (who is pretty young to be a padawan, but he was following caleb around all the time anyway so caleb figured he might as well just make the apprenticeship official), all pack up... and go to Ryloth.

Caleb, who twenty-five at this point, promptly gets his first crush.

Mace Regrets This Vacation. He's actually started seeing marriage Shatterpoints. Depa and Grey, meanwhile, think it's really really funny that Caleb gets flustered around Hera, and Ezra has made more than a few insinuations about political alliances via marriage. Depa warns him that Caleb will get his revenge, but Ezra dismisses it. (Said revenge does come about, several years later, in the form of Caleb asking if Madame Nu needs to prepare to officiate the second Jedi-Mandalorian marriage in recorded history. Ezra kicks him in the shin. smh padawans these days just have NO respect for their masters.)

Ezra highly encourages Caleb to marry Hera.

It does not take much convincing.

[goosewriting]

hi! saw that you are taking requests, can you do a cal kestis one where him and reader go to some nice planet after a mission and reader asks Cal to dance under the stars. then reader remarks about the planet or view being beautiful, and cal says something like "but you are more so" and then they both get shy for a bit and one of them confesses, ending with a sweet kiss?

thank you love your work sm ♥️

Constant

summary: after a mission, Cal and reader get separated from the rest and have a sweet moment together.

relationship: Cal Kestis x gn!reader

warnings: none, fluff!

word count: 4k

A/N: it has been a while since i’ve written Cal and it shows omg i feel so rusty. also i may have gone a bit off topic with the intro/setting sdfsdf i really hope this works for you anon, thank you sm for requesting :D 

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

— — —

Despite the mission ending successfully, you got found by an angry squad of troopers, and in your escape, you got separated from the team. Cere and Greez made a hasty escape on the Mantis; Merrin disappeared from sight in a green cloud, so you knew she was hidden somewhere, and she’d be fine. You and Cal however had to run through the maze that was the village, hearing the many boots behind you. Luckily you encountered a ship with a hyperdrive, so while in your mind you apologised to the owners for “borrowing” their ship (they’re not getting it back), you made quick work of hijacking it, kickstarting the engines and making a swift exit into the atmosphere, then jumping into hyperspace.

It wasn’t usual for the crew to have to steal a transport, but when you did, all of you knew the drill: access the computer, scramble the signal, and send out an encrypted message to the Mantis so the others knew you were safe. 

After you mentally tick off every item in the to-do list, you let yourself fall into the co-pilot seat with a sigh.  Next to you, Cal checks the scanner one last time, and is about to punch in some coordinates into the navigation system, but his hand stops mid-air.

“So, where are we going exactly?” he asks.

“We need to lay low,” you think aloud and take the holopad out of your backpack, bringing up a galactic map of the region you’re currently in. You scroll back and forth for a minute, until you find a suitable goal. Stretching your arm over to Cal so he can see your screen, you point to the pin you just set. The little ship is decently shaken by the speed, so Cal gently places his hand over yours to stabilise the device to be able to read the tag. Even though you’re both wearing gloves, and physical contact isn’t exactly rare between the two of you, you can still feel the slight prickle of heat on your cheeks. You mentally curse at yourself for being this affected by such small gestures. Your thoughts are quickly interrupted however as Cal lets go of your hand, fully leaning back into the seat with a huff.

“Is there really no other choice?” he asks.

“All things considered, it’s a good one,” you offer. “We need to land to properly dismantle the transponder before the ship gets reported as stolen.”

“Right,” he sighs and punches in the coordinates. The computer shows a loading bar quickly reaching the end as it finishes calculating when to leave hyperspace. It’s actually in just a couple of minutes.

You lean back into the seat as well, placing the holopad on your lap. You turn your face to Cal with a silly grin.

“Besides, I hear they have wonderful weather this time of year.”

The Jedi doesn’t answer but you can hear his light huff as he playfully rolls his eyes. BD, sitting on the seat behind Cal’s, beeps amusedly as well.

You smile to yourself, your eyes lingering on Cal’s profile perhaps a second too long. He seems to feel you looking, and just as he turns his face to you, you quickly look the other way. Before you can give in to the embarrassment of having been caught staring, the computer signals it’s time to drop from hyperspace.

Cal’s focus goes back to the front, and he places his hand on the lever, pulling it down. Adjusting your position on your seat, you can’t help but crane your neck a little as the flurry of lights in front of you comes to a halt, replaced by the image of a green planet: Takodana. As you approach the surface, you take in the sights, the mountains, the lakes. Everything looks so… lush, and alive. It's a nice change of pace after the multitude of arid, dusty planets you seem to have been limited to lately. You swear you still have sand in your boots from a mission weeks ago. 

Picking your holopad back up, you zoom into the map, giving Cal instructions on what route to take and what altitude to maintain. There’s a clearing in the forest that seems big enough to fit the ship, so you decide to land there. Once the engines are turned off, you three get to work: Cal walks out the short ramp to start working on the transponder to fry it, while BD stays in the cockpit to wipe the travel logs. You check the small cargo hold, opening all storage containers, looking for anything useful, be it rations, equipment or medical supplies.

After a while, you find that there are some tools and miscellaneous things that could be useful. Those you put in one of the bigger storage boxes and leave it near the door so it’s easy to reach; the rest you just put away again where it was. Giving yourself a nod of approval, you stand up and dust off your legs, as you’ve been kneeling on the metallic floor which apparently did not get mopped very often. You exit the ship, walking around to the other side, where you see that Cal has removed a panel from the outer hull to essentially start taking the ship apart to access the parts he needs. Several ship modules now lie freely on the soft grass, and Cal’s upper body is hidden from sight as he’s leaning far into the machinery. You hear him grunt and curse under his breath as he struggles with particularly stubborn bolt.

“Can I help?” you ask as you approach him.

He evidently did not hear nor feel you coming, as he was too focused, so your presence takes him by surprise. You see him flinch at being startled, his head hitting on something to which he flinches again, now from the sharp pain on his temple, and he crawls out completely, a hand shooting up to where you could see a reddening spot on his skin. You can’t help the little snort that escapes you at his antics, and he looks at you in mock offence that you are amused at his expense.

“You good?” you ask, taking a step closer towards him. Your hand instinctively reaches up to his face, gingerly brushing away his own so you can check for any injury. 

“Yeah, just didn’t hear you…” he mumbles, not pulling away from you, and letting you inspect his face closely. 

“I thought Jedis could feel someone’s presence,” you tease him, and only then do you realise how close your faces are. Cal doesn’t give you any snark back, instead he just holds your gaze. With a sudden strong gust of wind, the late afternoon sun manages to peer through the thick tree canopies, and you’re like hypnotised. The warm sunlight catches on his copper eyelashes, and you catch a glimpse of the specks of gold that swim in his ocean eyes. If they’re green or blue, you never quite settled on, as they seemed to change depending on the light. This is by far one of the more beautiful versions you’ve had the pleasure to see, though. 

His eyes are just as focused on yours, and for a split second, they dart down a bit, then back up to hold your gaze again, and your breath hitches. Did he just–?

BD’s beeping breaks the spell, and you take a step back from him, clearing your throat. 

“Yeah, no. Uhm, you might get a bruise but uh, other than that you’re fine,” you give him your diagnosis, fidgeting with your sleeve. “Sorry again for startling you.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

You stand there in silence for a second, rather awkwardly, when BD beeps again, a little more insistent this time. 

“Huh? Yeah,” Cal turns to the droid. “I’m almost done here. You’re gonna fit into the opening far better than me though, mind giving me a hand?”

BD agrees, quickly hopping over to where the hull still stays open and exposed. As the two get back to work, you take out your holopad again, looking at the other pins you had marked on the map earlier.

“While you work on the transponder, I’m going into the ‘city’–” You use your free hand to gesture quotation marks in the air. “–to get us some food.”

“It won’t take long though,” Cal says, peeking back out from the ship. “If you wait for a bit we can go together.”

You tilt your head at him with an apologetic smile.

“No offence, but we’ve seen your face and name plastered on multiple wanted notices across several systems now,” you point out. Cal opens his mouth to retort something, but you don’t let him. “I’m still unknown, all in all. There’s going to be bounty hunters, mercenaries and who knows what else that might recognise you.”

Cal hesitates for a moment, biting the inside of his cheek, until he has to admit to himself that you’re right. Especially with a ship currently out of commission and as such unable to make another quick escape, you really want to make an effort to stay hidden until you can meet with the rest of the Mantis crew again. He sighs deeply, making it evident that he’s not really entirely on board. 

“Just… be careful?” he pleads.

You pat the blaster on your thigh holster twice and give him a winner smile.

“When am I not?”

Before he can reply (and you’re sure he has a carefully curated list of shenanigans of yours spanning over several years), you turn on your heels to grab your things and head out into the forest. Using your holopad, you navigate through the thick vegetation. You take a little detour to check out the lake though, and find an overhang at the cliffs which is decently hidden, but has a wonderful view of the water and the mountains on the other side. You take in the sight for a few moments, then continue your trek to your goal, the Takodana castle. Also known as Maz’s castle, since it’s run by the so-called queen of the pirates, Maz Kanata. You’ve heard stories about her exploits, and while you don’t necessarily have any emotional attachment or feeling of belonging to pirates and certain groups of outlaws, you do appreciate what she’s done here, making a place for people to take a respite. As long as things are kept civil, anyone is welcome. 

The clearing you chose to park the ship at was a really good decision; despite being quite far away from a castle, as it took you nearly an hour to get here, you notice that the closer you got, the more movement there is. And the less people know you’re here, the better. As you walk up to the entrance of the tavern in the central hall of the castle, you wish you had worn some sort of cloak or hooded cape. You’re pretty sure no one has any means to recognise you, but you can’t help feeling a little exposed. 

Taking a focusing breath, you push the heavy entrance door open, and enter the space. Some faces turn to look at you, but most customers ignore you, keeping their focus on their conversations and games. 

You beeline towards the bar, and the bartender gives you a hard once-over, raising a brow as you take a seat on a stool. You order food and drinks to go, placing some credits on the slightly greasy surface. He merely grunts in response, taking your payment and disappearing into the kitchen.

While you wait, you take a moment to look around. You see all sorts of people and creatures. Most of them seem relaxed, just trying to have a good time before they continue their journey to wherever they’re headed next. There’s some more… suspicious individuals in the darker corners of the establishment, hiding their faces under hats, masks or large hoods pulled down to their noses. You take mental note of a Nautolan to your left, who hasn’t let you out of her sights ever since you came in. She doesn’t look particularly suspicious, but the contrast of ther white outfit against the deep green skin caught your attention. From under the wide brim of her hat, her staring is starting to make you a little uneasy, but before you can glare back, a kitchen worker comes out from the back, handing you two bags of greasy food which to be quite honest, smells better than expected. 

You thank them with a smile, stuffing everything into your backpack, then take your leave. It’s a shame you won’t make it back in time for Cal to have his food while it’s warm, but beggars can’t be choosers, you suppose. 

The trek back is uneventful, but you take a different route than the one from before, just in case. Every now and then you look over your shoulder, listening carefully to check if anyone is following you. But other than your somewhat laboured breathing, the buzzing of insects and a raspy bird call somewhere above you, you hear nothing. 

By the time you’re back at the ship, the sun is starting to set, and you find that Cal has set up a makeshift camping site next to the now reassembled ship, consisting of a tarp hanging from one of the wings and held down on the ground by carefully laid out rocks of appropriate size and weight. It creates a canopy of sorts, under which the Jedi is sitting on one of the storage boxes you left within reach behind the cockpit. Two more boxes serve as improvised seating around a lantern set to a dim, warm light that projects Cal’s shadow onto the greenish-beige tarp. 

This time, he feels your presence before he sees you, so even though you approach without making a sound, his head is already turned in your direction by the time you see him. You meet his gaze and greet him with a smile. Making your way to where he’s sitting, you set your backpack on the ground, kneeling down to get everything out.

“Room service has arrived,” you announce, handing him the now cold food. “Wish we had a microwave though.”

He chuckles, taking his portion from your hands, opening the packaging rather eagerly. 

“Lighting a fire would also work, but that would make the whole ‘stay hidden’ thing redundant.”

“Yeah,” you sigh as you sit down across from him. “Oh well. Let’s dig in.”

“You could have had your food while it was hot though,” he remarks and takes a bite. He hums in pleasant surprise; it’s not too shabby. 

“I could have,” you respond, inspecting the food in your hands, looking for the best angle to bite into. “But I wanted to eat with you.”

He just looks at you for a moment while he chews.

“Why?” he asks after he swallows.

“Because it gives me a sense of–” domesticity, is what you want to say, but you stop yourself just in time, trying to find an alternate answer while willing the heat creeping onto your cheeks to go away. “A sense of normalcy. Across species, planets and time, sharing meals with your loved ones has always been a constant.”

You hope he doesn’t take the “loved ones” too literally. Then again, there’s no denying that you do feel rather strongly towards him. 

“And given what we do,” you continue. “I appreciate little moments like these even more, I suppose.”

Cal gives you a look that you can’t quite read, so to stop yourself from saying anything else, you take a big bite of your food, your gaze falling to the ground. He seems to be thinking over your words, his eyes drifting to the side.

“I do too, by the way,” he says after a few moments of silence.

“Hm?”

“Appreciate these moments, I mean,” he clarifies. “Up until now, I never found the words to describe it, but the way you put it, that’s exactly it. The crew, you and the guys. Despite everything that’s going on right now, you’re my constant as well. And the little moments of normalcy we get, as you said, I cling onto them too.”

You shoot him a genuine smile. It warms your heart to know he feels the same about the little patchwork family you find yourself in. People you trust your life with, and people you can’t imagine a life without. Especially without Cal. 

You both continue eating in silence, surrounded by nothing but the gentle breeze blowing against the tarp, swaying it slightly, and the sounds of the forest. 

“Did you contact Cere yet?” you ask after a while, remembering that you aren’t here on vacation, but you actually have to properly regroup with your crew soon. 

“I did. And yes; I used the encryption you showed me,” he adds with a chuckle before you can ask. “They’re currently waiting for an opening to pick up Merrin, and after that they’re headed here.”

“Any idea on how long that might take?”

He hums to signal he’s unsure, while crumpling up the foil wrapper now that he’s done eating and throwing it into a trash bag. 

“Not sure, could be anything between a couple of hours and a rotation. Two at most, I think.”

“Huh.” You tilt your head at his response, and realise that for a relatively short but still undetermined amount of time, you’ll be stuck here. Alone. With Cal. Your heart quickens ever so slightly, and you clear your throat as you also throw away the waste. 

Standing up, you clasp your hands together with a clap.

“Let’s make the most of it then, shall we? C’mon,” you gesture for him to follow you. 

“Where are we going?” he asks, giving you a suspicious look, but he can’t stop the boyish smile spreading on his face either way. 

“Just follow me.” 

You bend down to turn off the lantern, and in an instant you’re both surrounded by darkness. It takes a couple of seconds for your eyes to get used to it, and in a sudden moment of confidence, you take his hand in yours. He doesn’t say anything nor does he pull back, letting you guide him through the forest to that one spot at the cliff you had found earlier. 

“I hope you know where you’re going,” he says with a chuckle.

“Oh please, when have my orientation skills ever let us down.”

“Well,” he starts.” There was that one time on Kashyyyk. And in the Zeffo underground. Oh and let’s not forget about–”

“Alright, alright. I get it,” you laugh. He still hasn’t let go of your hand, so you use your free one to push away a branch to pass through a thick bush. “But trust me this time, you’ll like it.”

“I trust you,” he replies, so truthfully and genuinely, without a second of hesitation nor a drop of sass. It almost makes you stop in your tracks, but you continue walking, and you wonder if he can feel the way your heart is beating against your ribcage through the Force. 

Just a moment later, you arrive at your goal. Letting go of his hand, you turn to face him, stretching your arms out to the sides.

“Ta-da,” you announce in a sing-song voice. “I think it’s better in the daylight when you can see the landscape, but–”

“Look,” he interrupts, grabbing you by the shoulders and turning you back around to face the open space in front of you. “It’s not bad at all like this either.”

You can’t help the light gasp escaping your lips at the sight: there’s a short trail of lights along the shore on the other side of the lake, their reflections dancing in the water, but the rest of the forest is dark, allowing the starred sky to fully shine. There are no clouds obscuring the view, and the moons hang low in the sky, covering everything in a silvery hue. The stars seem to sparkle up above, and your eyes are mesmerised by them.

“It’s beautiful,” you whisper.

Cal hums in response, and your heart almost jumps out of your chest both in surprise and anticipation at how close he is to you. Standing behind you, Cal essentially speaks into your ear and it sends a tingle down your spine.

“But you are more so.”

Your brain all but short circuits at those words, and you react only when you feel him gently turning you around to face him. Your hands shoot up to his biceps while he hesitantly places his on your waist. Is this really happening? 

You open your mouth to say something but nothing comes out. you're once again completely lost in Cal’s eyes, now reflecting the map of stars in them, the usual blue turned a dark petrol in such little light, deep and rich and threatening to drown you. A threat you’ll gladly accept as a promise.

“I, uh,” Cal swallows hard, trying to gauge your reaction in the dark. “I hope I'm not crossing a line here.” 

“You are,” you reply, and for a split second you can see the panic wash over his face. “But I want you to.”

“Okay,” he says with a shaky breath, one hand coming up to gently stroke over your jaw with his knuckles. He looks away with a light scoff at himself. “I don’t actually know where to go from here.”

Your hands slowly inch upwards until you're holding Cal’s face, and he leans into the touch, momentarily closing his eyes, relishing the moment. 

“Wherever it is, let’s go together,” you say, and he smiles at you, which you mirror. 

He starts swaying you softly from side to side, and you chuckle, but follow his movements. For a few moments, you two dance under the stars to the symphony of the forest.

“I was so worried earlier today when you left alone,” he admits after a while, coming to a stop. “Not because I don’t think you can’t take care of yourself – I know how capable you are first hand. But the thought of something happening to you… I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“I feel the same, Cal. You’re so important to me. In this mess of a galaxy, you are my constant.”

Instead of replying, he finally closes the already small gap separating you, and captures your lips with his in a short but sweet peck. He pulls back just barely to tilt his head to the side slightly, kissing you again, his arms now properly snaking around your lower back to pull you closer. 

After breaking the kiss, you pepper some more all across his face wherever you can reach, just for good measure, ending with one to the tip of his nose, exaggerating the ‘mwah!’ sound. His chuckle is more akin to a giggle, and the sound is heavenly. He leans in again, this time to touch his forehead to yours.

For a moment longer, you just stand there in each other’s embrace, breathing in one another. Then Cal breaks the silence. 

“We should do this more often.”

You pull back to look at him.

“Which part?”

“Spending time together, just the two of us,” he says, holding both your hands in his as he sits down and pulls you down with him, and you lean your head on his shoulder.

"Hmm, I agree."

“Let’s message the Mantis again and tell them to take their time.”

You laugh, playfully pushing your body into his, and he laughs as well. 

And as you both look at the stars, you know in your heart that things will be okay. Everything will work out just fine. The Empire, Jedis, inquisitors. Right now, nothing of that matters. All you need is here beside you, and as long as you have Cal, you know you can take on whatever the universe has in tow for you next.

~~~~~

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@DyByNyght, @galaxtic-writings, @kalea-bane, @soka-writes-things, @Padawancat97, @Riddikulus-Obsessions, @optimisticprime3, @starilicious, @ivelostmyabilitytoeven, @alternatescififandomelover, @lovelyygirl8, @Cathyket, @wildefire

[breakfastteatime]

Well, instead of fixing the political landscape of the US and the rest of the world, how about I let everyone take a sneak peek at a fic I'm working on?

This is unedited, untitled and very very very unfinished...

***

Cere stares at Cal.

Cal stares at Cere.

BD, Merrin and Greez stare at both of them.

No one speaks. A faint wind blows across the clearing, carrying the scent of sea salt.

BD twitches. Merrin grabs him before he can do or beep anything. Greez seems to be holding his breath.

A lightsaber ignites, a soft buzz in the dawn light. Cere moves first.

Cal blocks. 

Cere's jabs are short, sharp and accurate. Cal moves fast, single-blade meeting Cere's every time.

BD cheers Cal on. Merrin marvels at Cere's form. She’s so much more refined than Cal, not a single movement wasted. Greez covers his eyes with his hands, then covers those hands with his other hands. He cracks his fingers and peers through.

Cere pushes Cal hard, forcing him to tighten his forms, rely more on real Jedi techniques and less on improvised flashiness. Probably because Cere has his second blade and gave him strict orders not to attempt to pull it from her hand. That, she told him, is a cheap trick and not one he should ever rely on. She is wise. And devious. Merrin admires her greatly.

Cere is holding back; not because Cal cannot match her (although Merrin would absolutely bet against him), but because there is a lesson to be learned here. One perhaps Merrin needs to learn too. Flair is arrogance. A Jedi should not show off. They must set their sights on their target and deal with it as succinctly as possible.

A Nightsister can do the same, but only so when she does indulge, her enemies are all the more stunned by her power and prowess.

Honestly (and Merrin will never share this with anyone), she thinks the Jedi needed to cut loose once in a while.

The fight continues. Cere never falters, her relentless lunges and jabs seeking every gap in Cal's defence. He has the endurance to withstand Cere's prolonged offence, but he doesn't have her experience, and when she does eventually break his guard and land a blow, Cal seems delighted to have held out as long as he did. 

He is a very strange person.

"Can we please have breakfast now?" Greez pleads.

“Of course,” Cere says, looking bright and light on her toes. She pats Cal on the shoulder, returns her borrowed lightsaber, and tells him to put some bacta on the burn, and heads aboard the ship. “We need to finalise the supply list.”

BD’s list of demands is lengthy. Cal nods. “Yeah, that’s what we’ll do first, and I’ll get you the best oil I can find.”

“It’s not all about what you want, BD!” Greez hollers.

Merrin wishes she understood BD. She’d love to understand all that beeping and why it’s making Cal laugh like that.

After breakfast, they head into the nearby town armed with destinations to visit and lists from Cere. Merrin can’t wait. She’s never been anywhere like this, Built into the cliff, the people here have two main trades – fishing and mining, and the mining is largely done at the behest of the Empire. Merrin suspects Cal wants to shut the mines down. She also knows Cere won’t let him. The planet’s entire economy relies on those mines just as much as they need the fishing for food. Personally, Merrin can barely wrap her head around galactic economics, but she knows enough to understand they can’t make things worse for ordinary people. They see it time and time again; planets apparently thriving under the Empire, the people completely unaware of the suffering being endured elsewhere in the galaxy. Merrin cannot understand it. For all the cravenness they see, sometimes she simply has to accept that the Empire is very good at controlling their own narrative and nothing they do will convince people the Empire isn’t the best thing that ever happened.

Sometimes, she truly misses the simplicity of her life on Dathomir.

She also misses the warmth. She’s wearing several layers and it’s still not enough. And then, when they reach the town, there are signs everywhere for an ice rink. Cal forgets his list and the shops Cere told him to go to.

“Merrin, we gotta go!” Cal’s eyes light up.

“What is an ice rink?” she asks.

“You skate! On ice! You’ll love it.”

“Stores and supplies first,” Cere says before Merrin can tell Cal ‘no’. “Potentially limb breaking activities later.”

They split up and go their separate ways with a promise to meet up at the ice rink later. Merrin moves through the streets, staring openly at what she sees. Shops carved into the cliffs, others bolted on and towering into the sky, all of them thrumming with people of all species and genders. Cere specifically chose a busy time of day for them to enter the town so no one would notice them. They’re just another batch of tourists come to marvel at the cliff city of Turrey, mid-rim gateway to the stars (according to all the posters she sees pasted on streetlights and mounted on store walls). She likes this world, likes its energy. The people here are hard-working, proud, honest. She can feel it, is empowered by it. Not that she’ll be wielding her magick for all to see while they’re here. Not unless the Empire decides to do something exceedingly heinous which, given that she has yet to come across a single stormtrooper, seems unlikely.

Once she’s gathered up the supplies on her list (various foodstuffs, some ingredients that will suffice for her potion craft, a local tea she thinks Cere might like), Merrin heads to the local café where they’d all agreed to meet. It’s built into a cave, huge glowing orbs hanging from the ceiling, soft bass music playing under the current of conversation and busy barista activity. Cere is there already, sipping caf and watching the world go by. Merrin orders herself a very elaborate juice, complete with ice, froth and a little umbrella, and joins her at the table.

“What do you think?” Cere says. “How does this world rank with all the others you’ve been to so far?”

Sipping her juice, wincing at the sharp sweetness, Merrin lakeers for a moment. Cliff city, chilly weather, sunny though… “If we can finish what we need to do without encountering a single stormtrooper, it will rank highly.”

Greez, Cal and BD join them a short while later, both laden down with supplies and caf. BD is the first to launch into a lengthy explanation about… something. Merrin still does not understand him. Cal translates.

“The people here kept telling me to ‘mind my droid’ as they tend to be unreliable and prone to malfunctions on this world,” he says. BD blurts out something else. “I know, buddy, you’re fine. No malfunctions detected.”

“Malfunction how?” Cere asks.

“Unreliable memories, a tendency to lie, that kind of thing,” Cal says. “It’s probably why most of the droids we came across in the stores we went in didn’t have vocalisers.”

“Eh, wouldn’t be the first world we’ve been on that doesn’t like or trust droids,” Greez says. “Anyway, enough about that. What’s next on the agenda, and please tell me it’s chilling out and having a good day.”

Cal immediately talks about the ice rink, raving about how it’s actually a large lake on top of the cliff outside the town hall and the river its connected to runs all the way through the mountain and down to the sea. He’s so excited, Merrin feels like she’s talking to someone much younger. She wonders for a moment if this was what he was like as a child, happy and excitable. If he is, no wonder he and BD get on so well.

“…heard anything I said, Merrin?”

She blinks, stirring her drink with the straw. “We will go to this ice lake rink you speak of. I would like to see you skate.”

BD giggles and tells Cal something that makes Cal roll his eyes and jab BD’s chassis. “I’d like to see you do any better!”

They go back and forth, teasing each other, although Merrin can only pick up one side of the conversation.

“We’ll drop everything off on the ship, then come back to watch Cal go flailing across the ice,” Greez says.

“Merrin too unless she’s too scared,” Cal says, sing-song, teasing. BD provides backing vocals. “We can race, see who can get from one side of the rink to the other the fastest.”

Merrin is never one to turn down a challenge.

When they head up to the top of the cliff later, Merrin is amazed at the sights. The town hall is as immense and sturdy as the ground it looks as though it has grown out of. Beyond, Merrin can see the entrances to the mines, the hovertrain lines busy with cargo and passenger vehicles.

“Don’t get any ideas about taking a ride on one of those,” Greez tells Cal. “One train rescue is enough for an entire lifetime.”

“You didn’t exactly rescue me from the train,” Cal says.

“Almost,” Greez says. “We almost rescued you from that train.”

“Wish you had.” Cal’s hand rubs his chest. “I wouldn’t have broken so many bones.”

“Wait, you broke bones?”

The ice rink stands at the heart of the town square, a space easily as large as the swamps of Dathomir. Cal pays for tickets and skate rental. He only pays for himself and Merrin, and he leads her into a small, benched area where people are changing in and out of skates.

“Here you go!” Cal hands her the skates.

Dubious, Merrin stares at the boots in her hand, boots with thin blades bolted to the soles. She stares at Cal, who has already switched his regular boots for these skates. "You have ice-skated before?" she asks.

"Nope! Not like this. I’m not sure I can count sliding down frozen rivers on Zeffo as skating."

BD beeps. Cal scoffs. "No, you haven't! It doesn't count if you're not the one actually touching the ice."

In response, BD hops down and onto the ice. Merrin watches him slip and slide in the ice rink, barely avoiding the skaters. People dressed in warm clothes zip by, some with skill and confidence, others poised like they're terrified they might fall through into the water below.

"I'll have some hot drinks waiting for you when you're finished," Greez says.

"You do not have so far to fall," Merrin says. "Would it not be better for you to go skating?"

He laughs so hard he nearly crashed into the people walking by. "No, no way. This is a young person's sport."

An elderly couple whizz by. Merrin raises an eyebrow.

"They're Human! Totally different." Greez waves her away. "Go on, go! Have fun!"

Merrin looks to Cere.

“Not a chance,” Cere says. “I’ve got the med kit on standby.”

Accepting she has lost this argument, Merrin removes her boots and tugs on the skates, lacing them as tight as she can stand. Cal waits for her on the lake edge, BD back in his usual place. Apparently, he also decided against skating.

“Ready?” Cal asks her, hand held out to her.

She takes it. “If I go down, you are coming with me.”

He laughs and slides onto the ice, tugging her along with him. She keeps her balance, as does he, and she watches the more confident skaters, how they keep their heads held up and move with confidence. She can do that. How hard can it even be?

She releases Cal’s hand and pushes off, movement steady and confident. Her speed picks up, the cold air whistling by. She moves past slower skaters, eyes locked on the path ahead. She can do it. She’s doing it!

A small child whizzes in front of her, oblivious to the oncoming danger. Merrin’s instinct is to teleport out of the way. She resists, instead accepting the inevitable crash. The child, however, is faster than expected, and launches into a twirling leap, trailing glee and pride in her wake. Merrin is impressed, and she skates on.

“You gonna try that?”

Cal’s sudden presence behind her nearly sends Merrin failing to the ice. She saves her balance just in time. Cal cackles. She turns (it is not graceful) and gives him a hefty shove. He slides backward, with more grace than she mustered.

It’s times like she is reminded why she did not like him when she first set eyes on him on Dathomir.

“Go,” she tells him. “Show off. I will practice here and beat you at our race.”

“Didja hear that, BD? Merrin’s still up for the race!”

BD does his own twirl across Cal’s shoulders.

“Let us know when you’re ready!” Cal calls as he glides away.

He even does a little spin.

“The child’s was better.”

He sticks out his tongue as he skates away with the confidence of a pro.

By the time Merrin feels ready to race Cal, the ice rink has quietened down. She meets him on the far end. “I will race you,” she says. “No powers.”

He nods. “No powers.”

“BD? No help from you either.”

Whatever BD says in response causes Cal to laugh. She ignores them both. “On three.”

“One – ”

Merrin crouches, ready for launch. “Two…”

“Three!”

Cal takes off, BD squealing. Merrin digs deep and pushes hard, ignoring the voice in her head reminding her she doesn’t know how to stop. Cal is far ahead, weaving around people with obnoxious ease.

If only she could teleport. Then he’d lose. But she already knows Cere and Greez (especially Greez) would prefer if they kept their heads down unless they really needed to –

The lake quakes. The mood changes from joy to confusion. Merrin slows without stopping. People slow to a stop, looking at each other.

From somewhere off to the side of the ice rink, a voice shouts. “Get off the ice!”

Another quake, worse this time. Several people are thrown off their feet.

The ice cracks with strange twangs and pops Merrin has never heard before.

Cries go out, people no longer skating smoothly and instead flailing, trying to keep from falling off the chunks of ice and into the water.

Merrin falls to her knees, her balance lost. A man ahead of her skids to a stop, turns back and holds out his hand. “Let me help,” he says.

Thanking him, Merrin accepts his help. “What’s happening?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. We need to get off the lake.”

They move, hopping from ice floe to ice floe. Merrin catches sight of Cal and BD, Cal on his knees and reaching into the water. Merrin doesn’t have time to see what he’s doing, not when she and the man have to jump over a chunk of ice that has rolled onto its side. Turning to look again, she sees Cal dive into the water. Pulling her hand free from the man’s, she tells him to keep going.

“What are you doing?” he asks.

“I have to help my friend,” Merrin says. “He’s in the water!”

A look of unfathomable terror goes across the man’s face. “It’s too late.”

He flees without another word.

Confused now, Merrin no longer holds back. She teleports to where she last saw Cal, a terrible chill emanating from the water.

A chill and something else.

Something worse.

A presence.

Large.

Angry.

Cal resurfaces, BD on his back and a child in his arms. It’s the same child who’d leapt and twirled across the ice wish such ease earlier, only now they are limp and unconscious. Cal looks, spots Merrin, and thrusts the child at her. “Hurry,” he says, eyes narrowed with a particular focus Merrin recognises so well now. “There’s something in the water.”

Merrin grabs the child. She isn’t moving. She might not be breathing. Knowing Cal and BD can take care of themselves, Merrin teleports herself and the girl off the lake and onto dry land. People stare in shock.

“Help me!” Merrin shouts at them. “The girl needs you!”

A cry goes out and a woman rushes forward. Merrin senses the bond between woman and girl. Mother and daughter. “She’s not breathing!” the mother cries.

Merrin leans over, begins compressions. She senses Cere and Greez approach, but she doesn’t look up, not until the child coughs and stirs. Her mother wails with relief, scooping the child up.

“Thank you,” she says to Merrin. “Thank you so much.”

She dashes off, heading for local emergency workers racing their way. Merrin doesn’t see any stormtroopers. She sees Greez, puffed up, proud, and carrying Merrin’s boots. The sight almost makes her laugh. He hands them over. “You’re gonna need ‘em. Hurry.”

Grabbing them, Merrin wastes no time changing into them. Cere has already moved beyond them, blaster in her hand, headed to the edge of the lake. The water churns, waves slapping the banks.

Neither Cal nor BD are anywhere in sight. Merrin can’t see anyone else in the water too. The rink has nearly emptied out, only a few stragglers hanging around to stand and stare. Something else rings in her mind. That energy she’d felt earlier. The world’s industrious energy. It’s gone, replaced by something new. Something strange.

Whatever it is, she doesn’t have time to dwell. The water’s currents change, all the water pulled into the centre of the lake.

“It’s coming,” Cere says. She looks to Merrin, devoid of emotion. “Be ready.”

“Greez, get these people out of here,” Merrin says.

While Greez does as he’s told, pushing back a crowd of onlookers, Merrin joins Cere. Cere’s hand tightens around her blaster, finger on the trigger as water explodes into the sky. Merrin watches, her mouth dropping open, as three things emerge from the spray.

Cal.

BD.

And a creature out of a nightmare.

Grey and black, covered in thick scales, it resembles a snake, albeit one double the size of the Mantis with teeth as long as the ship is tall. Unlike a snake, it possesses four legs, each one bearing claws that could eviscerate any organic matter with a single swipe. It could probably grab the Mantis and eat it in one bite, and that thought clangs around Merrin’s mind when she watches a blue blade ignite. Cal flips around and lands on the monster’s back, scoring a lengthy wound in its scaly hide. The creature roars, its pain screaming through the Force.

Merrin can feel it, an untamed mind pushing at her own, pressing a sense of calm, of stillness, even as it shakes Cal off. He plummets again, BD’s boosters flaring as he tries to catch up. They’re going to hit the water, and the creature is already turning to go after them.

Merrin wonders if she should be more worried about that, but it all seems a bit far away now. She should just stand here. Stand here and enjoy the sights. She likes this world. It’s so pretty, and the sea is so vast, the mines so deep. What a lovely place this must be to live in.

Cere’s hands rise. She grabs Cal and BD with the Force, slowing their fall, but not enough. They both hit the water, because Cere’s pushing back against the creature, stopping it from diving into the lake.

“Get Cal and BD!” Cere shouts at Merrin, voice straining. “Hurry!”

“If you insist,” Merrin says, although she’s really not sure it’s necessary. She teleports from ice floe to ice floe, keeping her balance, reaching the spot where Cal and BD sank. BD appears first, shaking his head. Cal appears a moment later, looking dazed and frozen.

“We are going,” Merrin announces, grabbing both and teleporting back across the lake. She doesn’t hear either complain about their sudden movement. She doesn’t really hear much of anything except a song in her head that tells her peace, Merrin, be at peace. She reaches another patch of ice, right beside dry land where Cere’s shouting…

Merrin thinks she’s shouting. She can’t hear the words.

Peace, Merrin. Peace.

Something tugs on her arm. She pushes it off. Overhead, the creature resumes its fall, its mouth open wide, teeth splayed, its throat a blackhole.

It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay.

She closes her eyes.

Hands, cold and wet, ram against her. She hits the ground hard, a heavy weight falling on top of her. Water smacks into her, so cold she gasps with the shock of it.

The peace shatters.

The quiet too.

Footsteps. Fast.

Hands, grabbing.

“Merrin? Merrin!”

She blinks, looks up, sees the worry in Cere’s gaze. Why? What’s happening? Merrin looks around, finds herself on the ground beside the lake.

“What happened?” she asks.

Cere’s expression tells Merrin that was not the right thing to say. Heart sinking, worry mounting, Merrin tries to get up.

The heavy weight pins her down.

Cere leaves her line of sight. BD’s nearby – Merrin can hear him. He sounds worried. Why? What’s happening? Merrin’s head goes for a loop, pain seeping in. The weight moves, and she’s free to sit up. She does so, bracing herself as the vertigo keeps everything spinning. She breathes through the worst of it, and sees Cere leaning over Cal, fingers checking for a pulse, calling his name.

More footsteps approach, and this time it’s Greez with some locals dressed like medics.

Merrin decides she’s too tired to figure anything out. There’s an alarm sounding out in her head, but whatever’s causing it is lost behind the encroaching darkness. She falls back, only for four arms to catch her.

The last thing she sees is Greez leaning over her.

The last thing she hears is him telling her to stay with him, stay with –

[theladyjojogrant]

Can’t stop thinking about Cal, Merrin, and Kata ending up on Pabu at some point and meeting the Batch. Just imagine…

Omega doing her “instant imprinting on questionable adult figures” thing on Merrin. Yes, the boys are very concerned that their sister is following a witch around. And yes, Merrin has way too much fun making them concerned on purpose

Merrin and Crosshair getting along very well. Too well. So well the sarcastic back-and-forth banter literally never stops

Shep giving Cal a new poncho

Omega and Wrecker starting to wear ponchos because Cal continually insists on how amazing they are

Omega going into instant Older Sister Mode™️ after meeting Kata and finding out about her dad. The Batch essentially become Kata’s second set of parents

Everyone assuming Kata is Cal and Merrin’s child and it happens so much they sorta just accept it

Omega and Cal (and Crosshair?) meditating on the beach

Omega begging Cal to teach her “Force stuff” and off-handedly mentioning yeah, she totally has a high M-count (Cal is extremely confused and even more confused when Omega casually mentions Ventress tested her)

BD-1 sitting on Omega’s shoulders 🥹

BD loving Crosshair and Crosshair always trying to shoo him away

Wrecker and Merrin challenging each other to arm wrestling competitions, eating competitions, any kind of competition

Hunter being the last one to accept Merrin isn’t just a creepy witch lady; meanwhile, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Omega are already her bffs

BD reminding the Batch of Tech and how much he would’ve loved the little droid

Kata getting to play and interact with kids her age

Hunter and Cal getting over their initial wariness of each other by bonding over the Clone Wars and the mutual people they knew

The Batch helping Cal perfect his blaster stance

Omega: “Can I try your lightsaber??” The Batch: “NO!!!”

[fonmythenmetz]

The reason skykestis hit me that hard is, I think, the whole “hope” motif. A Cal & skykestis essay ahead. Jedi fallen order & survivor spoilers, look out.

Cal’s a Jedi Padawan who barely survived the purge because of his master’s sacrifice; he’s been hiding on Bracca scrapping ships until found by Inquisitors and escaping with the help of a former Jedi Master Cere and her pilot Greez. Together they embarked on a mission to find the Jedi holocron containing locations of force-sensitive children in hopes to restart the Order - quietly, in shadows. Ever since, Cal’s been fueled by hope. It guided him, it was the source of his power: he reclaimed his old abilities and was rapidly gaining new strength. By the end of the Fallen Order he’d dealt with two Inquisitors and beat a former Jedi Master Taron Malicos, who, unlike Cere, did not sever his connection to the Force, but fell to the Dark side and was actively conquering Dathomir. (I bet Maul was on a business summit on Nar Shaddaa at the time, otherwise he wouldn’t have tolerated Malicos). Anyway, upon finding the holocron and realising the danger that its existence was for the force-sensitive children, Cal decided to destroy it. However, this victory only encouraged his devotion and love for the Order, which he never stopped missing.

In the years to come his self-imposed mission was to stop the Empire. I see little mention of it, but we know for a fact that by 10 BBY he’s become the most wanted man in the Empire. The bounty for his head was so large that he could never stay in one place, actively hunted by the imperials, mercenaries, and criminal syndicates alike. He worked with Saw Gerrera and became Saw’s “sword” (or rather “lightsaber”), making the resistance a force to be reckoned with. His team split up - Greez retired and opened a cantina on a remote world of Koboh, while Cere deceived Cal, saying that she’s retiring as well but instead she went to develop a secret network to help force-sensitives and those who sympathised with resistance - the “Hidden Path”. She used Cal rampaging around the galaxy as a distraction and a shield to help her quietly establish the Hidden Path. Cal knew nothing of it, though. He believed that he was the only one of them left fighting. But he could not quit - it would be a betrayal of his love for the Order and his hope of one day restoring it.

Throughout all these years and the second game he was actively discouraged to fight by his companions, who’d been telling him to stop, take a break, lay low, but it was something he could not do:

(Credit for the screenshots to the wonderful theRawTRex on YouTube).

I know Jedi Survivor for some reason wants to make it look like Cal’s just fighting to avenge his lost people, but, knowing the original Star Wars universe, I see it as not him being misguided and desperate, but rather guided by hope - so strong that he still finds strength in it after years on the very front line. And, of course, by the Force.

Again, none of what he did was futile, despite the Empire’s optimistic reports. I understand that it was him, together with Saw Gerrera’s military prowess, that made Rebellion a possibility, and he was the reason why by the start of the Force Unleashed in 17-18 BBY Vader and Emperor both were so concerned about the rebels that they even sent Galen Marek, aka Starkiller, to lure them all into a trap. They hoped to finally kill Cal, but by then he’d taken permanent residence on the hidden world of Tanalorr to hide a force-sensitive child, Kata, so no one could reach them. Cal and Saw’s reputation drew imperial forces and the Emperor’s attention, letting other Jedi like Eno Cordova, Rahm Kota, Shaak Ti, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and also rebels like Cere Junda, Merrin, Lothal cell with growing Ezra Bridger, survive. Unfortunately, it also made the Empire angrier and angrier, tightening the grip on the Senate, which is extensively addressed in A New Hope. But it was Cal and Saw’s doing that started the Rebellion. Galen Marek later completed it, gathering the Alliance leaders together, Ezra Bridger supported it, sacrificing himself to kill Grand Admiral Thrawn, all laying foundation for Luke and the others’ victory.

The end of Jedi Survivor is controversial. Throughout the game Cal’s strong in his belief and conviction. He’s a Jedi, despite being completely alone in doing so. But everyone he knows keeps telling him to accept the end of the Order as he knew it and start a new life. Everyone - except Bode, a new crew member. Cal instantly warms up to him. Of course, Bode ends up slowly talking back to him, too:

“Abandon your way, embrace a new, easier one.” Sound familiar? Yeah, Bode ends up being an imperial spy and a Dark Jedi, who kills Cal’s friends and sets Darth Vader after them all. This breaks Cal - in a way, and he surrenders. He goes to hide on Tanalorr with Merrin and the others. And he starts struggling with the Dark Side. He’s losing his way. He’s losing the Order - and himself - from his vision. In his heart he still longs for it sincerely, desperately, but what can he do when he lost so much and so many, and the remaining want him to surrender? He’s giving up the galaxy to the evil, betraying his very nature as a Jedi. The conflict tears him open. He becomes unbalanced. The hope in him dims. But it’s still there. His hope is the root of his conflict, but it is also the root of his strength, it is his very heart. Will he destroy it, passively living out his remaining days, waiting to die? Will it destroy him, twisting him to the Dark Side, making him destroy what’s left?

Or will he listen to it, as he did - always? Will he, a conflicted Jedi Master, try to teach force-sensitive Kata, and find his way through his teaching, hear again the will of the Force?

What if one day he dreams of a man in a black cape, holding a strange black-and white saber over a small green creature; of legions of imperial troops marching through peaceful towns; of twelve bacta tanks crammed in one room, with identical shapes inside, so heavy in the Dark Side, filled to the brim with the will to tear kill maim burn, and a programming typed on their screens: destroy Luke Skywalker!). What if, troubled by horrible anticipation, he returns - and where were burnt worlds exhausted by tyranny, finds a newborn republic…

And there, on a remote planet - a young man, struggling to build a temple with a tiny green apprentice?

For Cal Luke is not just “hope”, but hope realised, the embodiment of something you’d been fighting tooth and nail for - come to life. He is the proof that Cal’s way was right and righteous; he is the proof that every battle was worth it. He is a hope for an even brighter future. He is the purpose and the meaning. Post-ROTJ Luke is the Order, despite being just one scarred young man. He is balance and peace. He is home Cal’s been fighting so long for.

On the other hand there’s Luke, who’d recently completed fighting a war. He’d mourned his aunt and uncle who raised him, his Master Obi-Wan, his Master Yoda, his father; he’d been travelling around the galaxy first to stay alive, then to find traces of others who stayed alive - only to learn that he truly is the last of his kind. His whole world is now his temple (which he’s slowly building. It’s not like he’s got much money. Or experience building temples) - and Grogu (who’s still learning to talk but is always very eager to help, which is why Luke is doing twice the work to plan, build and simultaneously keep his little apprentice away from the rather dangerous construction site). They cannot take more students: it is too dangerous now. He feels loneliness - the same kind he saw killing Yoda - overtaking him. His only guests are mercenaries sent by Moff Gideon, or notorious Boba Fett making attempts at his life, who’s sent by Moff Gideon, or old imperial TIE fighters sent by Moff Gi- well, you get the idea. It is expected. But it also makes him feel, despite the welcoming, sincere whisper of the Force, that the huge galaxy wants him gone. It has forgotten the Jedi. He will persevere no matter what - for his Master, for his lineage, for Grogu, for the Order he’d never seen but loves so much, but it takes a toll on him. Leia, who finally visits him, notices with concern how he stopped smiling. She also tells him what he’s been noticing in the Force for a while: the situation in the galaxy is changing; imperials gather troops massively, they’re organised now, as if something encourages them, as if they think they have a chance against the young republic. They’re preparing to strike. That means - Luke will be going to war soon, again; leaving the small temple he’s built for Moff Gideon to rampage through, again; sending away his Grogu, again, - the boy’s father, who’s very busy with bounty hunting work, will not be happy, but Luke would rather let his whole planet burn than endanger Grogu even for a second and bring him to a battlefield. The future seems like a burden; he prays that they’ll not be crashed by it. Grogu is eavesdropping on his conversation with Leia. Luke lets him. When he exits, the boy attaches himself to Luke’s shirt and does not let go until falling asleep in the evening. As if to mock Luke, the Force, despite all terrible prospects, despite all the facts, seems light and merry.

The next morning at dawn Luke is outside. He’s already finished with his own training and meditation, and is doing some light yoga while waiting. It’s time for Boba Fett’s routine assault. Boba Fett is probably not aware that his assaults are addressed as “routine”, but the Force warns Luke well in advance so that he’s able to make his schedule work. He wonders what it will be this time - lasers, smoke bombs, or some aggressive creature? Strangely, Boba’s eleven minutes late. It’s not good: they should start on time to finish before Grogu’s morning meditation. Luke stretches his senses. Slave One is in the orbit; it bounces from side to side, as if playing tag with someone, then slips away. Instead, there’s another ship. There is something about it that makes Luke stand up, throw his robe on; it tingles the back of his neck, and there’s a knot in his throat that he cannot swallow; disoriented for a moment, he grabs his lightsaber, searching the sky until his eyes hurt. He commands C3PO not to share their coordinates with the approaching ship, then withdraws the command; then repeats it. But the ship does not need coordinates. Soon it emerges from the shining clouds, a sleek form, and starts towards the temple in a perfectly straight line.

[geekywritings]

“Home stopped being a place when you entered my life.”

(Quick info: I’m also taking writing prompts and suggestions for this handsome Jedi! ;) )

_______

How long have the two of you been traveling together? It must have been months. So many weeks of planning, fighting and surviving. Every day, Cal gave you new hope that all of this wasn’t in vain, that you stood at least some chance against the mighty Empire, that any of your actions actually mattered.

But as the war continued, you began to grow tired. No matter how big your victories, the Empire just seemed to grow stronger by the day. You had lost so many comrades and friends on the way already…

Looking up from the holo table, you stared at Cal, as he explained the next mission to your little group. Merrin was listening with a passive expression on her face, while Greeze looked openly skeptical. This was dangerous, but the red-haired Jedi seemed convinced that you were on the path to uncovering something grand. Something to help the rebellion in a new way.

“I don’t know, kid…”, Greeze started after Cal had finished. “It could be chasing nothing more than a legend…”

“Or it could be a real chance.”, the Jedi argued back and once again you found yourself admiring his optimism. Or perhaps it was desperation cloaked in hope. “We just have to try…”

“I agree.”, Merrin jumped to his aid. “It could be a safe haven for all of us. For Cere and her project. And for thousands of others.”

Suddenly all eyes were on you, as they awaited your opinion on the matter.

“It might be nothing more than a legend…”, you began. “But I trust you, Cal. So let’s see what we can find.”

What he promised was nothing less than a new home for those trying to escape the ruthless reign of the Empire. A place to start anew and build something untainted by war. If this mystical place was more than a rumor, of course.

Honestly, it sounded too good to be true to you. There had been only one home you had ever known: The Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Everything that came after that was just a hiding place, a temporary shelter, a location where you constantly had to watch your back or tongue.

The Mantis felt different, but it wasn’t home either. Not really.

The crew split up, each returning to their tasks. Greeze busied himself with dinner, while Merrin went to study some artifact she had recovered from her latest trip. You wandered back into your room, hoping to meditate a little, but couldn’t get into the right state of mind. Thoughts of this possible hidden haven kept spinning in your head, making you almost restless.

The whizz of the door opening had you looking up, surprised to find Cal entering.

“Hey… thanks for your support back there.”, he spoke, hand nervously going through his hair.

“I mean what I said, Cal. I trust you. Or I wouldn’t be here.”, you began. “Besides, at least half of your crazy ideas worked well enough so far, right?” A little humor to lighten the mood, and it worked, as both of your lips drew upward a little.

“But you also looked hesitant.”, the Jedi became serious again, moving to sit on your bed, while you stayed on the floor, eyes locked on his form. Curious green eyes stared back at you, waiting for you to speak.

“It’s not about the mission itself.”, you began, trying to sort your thoughts into cohesive sentences. “I.. I just find it hard to consider any place home again, after…” You left the rest unsaid, knowing full well that Cal would understand.

He nodded solemnly, reaching out a hand to place on your shoulder. “I know what you mean.”, he began slowly, as you tried your best to concentrate. His mere touch had your heart beating so damn loud, heat rushing through you. It had started weeks ago, and you still struggled to get these feelings under control.

You couldn’t be falling in love. Especially not with Cal Kestis. A fellow Jedi survivor. And a man dead-set on whatever mission he chose for himself. He would never love you back, you were certain, and you wanted to avoid the heartache.

Yet every time he reached for you, sought your company in private, you found yourself falling for him all over again.

“But even if it’s not a home for us, it could be for others.”

You nodded quietly. He was right. This wasn’t just about you. It was about so many others that deserved a better life. You were thinking about what to say, when Cal continued, voice low, but steady.

“Besides, home stopped being a place when you entered my life.”

Eyes widening, you stared at him with lips parting in surprise. What? What did he mean by that? You were sure your heartbeat could be heard all across the galaxy at this point, as you tried to wrangle your feelings into place.

The hand on your shoulder wandered higher, pushing some of your hair behind your ear, before coming to rest on your cheek. He was smiling now, his eyes full of gentleness and… was that affection? Longing? Love?

“Cal…”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

He was about to retreat his hand, but you were quick to place yours on top, holding him against your cheek.

“Do you mean this only as a friend, Cal? As a comrade on the battlefield?”

You had to know. Had to be certain before you laid your heart open to him. Seconds ticked by like small eternities before you heard him breathe one simple word: “No.”

He couldn’t prepare for what you did next. Heck, you yourself weren’t prepared for it. You just closed the distance between the two of you, pressing your lips to his.

Cal froze for a second, but before you could think he might not enjoy it, he was kissing you back, hand moving from your cheek to the back of your head, making sure to keep you close. Your own arms had sneaked around his neck, keeping him equally tight against you, as you gave in to the longing you had felt for so long.

“I love you…”, you breathed between kisses.

“And I love you, starlight.”, he said, slowly pulling away to look at you. “And for as long as we are together, it doesn’t matter where we are.”

It was true. He was your home as much as you were his. But that wouldn’t stop you from trying to find a shelter for others. You simply had to try.

[noddytheornithopod]

The Fireside Girl Whose Flames Grew so Large She Burned Herself, and the One She Loves

So I just realised something about Act Your Age and a certain aspect of it that always bugged me and was a major factor in my frustration with the episode.

"Boo!!!!!! Shut up!!!!!!! You've talked about this episode to death already!!!!!!"

I don't disagree. I'm pretty tired of it, myself. To the point where I see "AYA sucks" takes these days I just roll my eyes and move on, even if I agree. But what I am posting about is a new insight that just occurred to me. As much as I hate to admit it, Act Your Age might be a train wreck, but it's a train wreck I can't take my eyes off of. It's a disaster, but it continues to fascinate me with the implications it has, even if they drive me up the wall.

So basically, one of the big things that bothered me is that Isabella and Phineas' relationship regressed, but in the main series, they seemed to be getting closer as the seasons progressed. Pretty weird to have the main show suggest one thing, only for Act Your Age to go "actually Isabella gave up once high school came around and basically kept her distance from Phineas as much as she could" and Phineas being depressed and thinking he's not good enough for Isabella (which I'd argue was made worse by Isabella's actions I just referred to, but that's a story for another time).

I could go on about how this was a barely thought out way to throw in some cheap angst that is immediately swept under the rug despite opening huge cans of worms, but that's not what I'm here for. I'm here because I think I might finally understand how this seeming contradiction now works.

Isabella grew distant from Phineas in high school BECAUSE they got closer.

This is all pure conjecture. The show could prove me wrong some day, and other people might have completely different ideas, but this is what I'm thinking.

As I mentioned, with the show, Phineas and Isabella seem to be getting closer overtime. Isabella might be running into bigger challenges to confess her love (still not over how it took a literal zombie apocalypse to stop her when she decided to just straight up confess), but Phineas also grows more comfortable around Isabella, something she obviously loves, I mean he even seems to care about her in a unique way (again, Pharmacists, the moment he realised she wasn't with him, he grew OBSESSED with finding her, risking his and everyone else's safety just because he feels that guilty and worried about their separation).

I don't know what the revival will do with Phineas and Isabella, but I expect more of the same. Mostly the occasional gag, maybe a sweet moment here and there, Isabella maybe tries something here or there even if it can't be a full confession. But for the purposes of this theory, I'm assuming that would happen, and they would continue to really like each other.

So yes, they're closer friends than ever. The spark has lit a fire. There's a line I like in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor where the character Merrin talks about how fire will warm you and keep you company, but left unchecked it will burn everything, leaving only ash. I'm paraphrasing, but in the context of the game, it's referring to protagonist Cal Kestis' struggle of growing more obsessed and passionate over fighting the Empire. This obsession indeed grows and consumes him to a point where he ends up in a very dark place by the end of the game.

So basically, what I'm saying is, Phineas and Isabella might grow closer, but that closeness will bring out their feelings more. Phineas ultimately realises how he feels by high school, of course. That is one part of the fire that has grown. But Isabella? She's probably getting more and more mixed messaging. Despite Phineas' growing love and affection towards her, she still can't just spell out how she really feels, which is what Phineas needs to understand. She might have her courage growing, but we've seen the Mysterious Force in Phineas and Ferb - Phineas remaining oblivious to Isabella's true feelings for him is part of the show's status quo. She's literally doomed to fail. Also, if she's even closer, she's going to feel even more afraid to ruin what they have. As brave as she is, this one anxiety is her Achilles' heel, and she's even more afraid of failing. It's too much pressure.

The Fireside Girl is burning.

She can't handle all of this. So what does she do? Give up. Phineas is her best friend? Doesn't matter, it hurts too much to even be around him. Is it contradictory that she's afraid of destroying what they have, but she does this out of hurt anyway? You bet, humans are messy like that. Always thinking she just might be there only to find he has something else distracting him, or anytime she makes progress, cosmic forces set her back. This fire is raging, affecting not just her, but Phineas, too. Her choice to grow distant makes him miss her. Worst part, he doesn't even understand why it's like this.

In the end, there is only ash. The relationship they had burned to a sliver of what it used to be. The saddest part is, I can't help but think Phineas would try to amend what was wrong, but that clearly fails too, leading to how he probably just thinks Isabella is above him and he doesn't deserve her love (oh hey, that part actually became relevant after all). He too enters a despair over their relationship, just accepting that she's not around anymore despite having stronger feelings than ever for her. He even seems to have a harder time inventing. The last of the fire goes out.

Lucky for them, a phoenix rises from those ashes. In Act Your Age, they finally talk (albeit briefly and in a very rushed scene that sweeps so much under the rug), and they can truly be open with each other again. A new fire is born, one that they can hopefully keep under control.

So what can we gleam from this? I feel like Phineas and Isabella actually could've had a real chance to get together earlier, but as things grew stronger between them, that made things more delicate, too. Not only did the circumstances of their ruthless status quo, but their own flaws ruined thins. Phineas' struggle to understand complex, hard to define emotions like love and his singular focus on what to do, not realising his love language is incomprehensible to Isabella... maybe his own love being incomprehensible to himself (see "I know cute when I see it on my cute tracker" lol). But more importantly, Isabella growing closer but still misreading what Phineas does, her own personal expectations AND fears being heightened by their closer bond, and expecting him to just get what she does. If they DID become closer, more time where he doesn't focus on her probably hurts even more.

In the end, Act Your Age had ideas, but they were afraid to commit to them. They somehow did both too much and too little. I actually think if they had a stronger vision, this episode could've been great, but it would also risk being too serious for Phineas and Ferb, and then people would be mad for DIFFERENT reasons. They didn't think it through, but well, some of us fans are just obsessive enough to pick up the pieces and try and make sense of it all. Because of our own burning fires of passion for this show, and for some of us, this relationship.

[stealingpotatoes]

you know what time of the day it is!

good mornin its askposting yay!!!! feat: last 4 jedi au, jedi survivor, and fix it au!!

@just-prime LMAO THAT'D BE SO FUNNY i love hcs abt things the skywalkers can and can't do bc they're genetically part force. BUT THATS SO FUNNY EVERYONE DISCOVERING IT they thought it was bad finding out vader was his dad now they find out he's A QUARTER THE LEGIT FORCE??

@sirathurheit GOOD FOR HIM!!!! thank u for the info!!

aww thank u!! and said in that post yesterday!! its a custom version of sergey kolesov's eliptical 45 brush!!

@quynhorlose the problem is if it's an average imperial prison, they're literally all Ken

if it's a new republic prison they'd actually be a mix (luke is barbie) and if it was inquisitorius then good luck getting any of them to stay still for the picture

Rex definitely gets his job back but it's gonna be a bit shortlived bc no war! now they don't need most the clones!! and anakin and a group of jedi and senators are now going to smack anyone who says these guys don't get human rights

@frontierghost THAT'D BE SO FUNNY LMAOOOO just dropping that on poor soka

@gettingcomfyinyourwalls i'm fairly sure you don't get to choose the colour (unless you're playing the Jedi games) and you can only get red if you corrupt the kyber ): but it'd be really funny if luke got his green and kept trying to find out how to change it to blue like his old one

------ MILD JEDI SURVIVOR SPOILS BELOW !!!

@imperial-spy imp-- ahh!! im suspicious of your username now!! ok being fr I AM LOVING IT SO MUCH!!!! the only spoiler i knew was that merrical kiss and i THINK get together. oh yeah and i found out through several asks n stuff that cal got a gun and i have now both seen the merrical kiss AND gotten cal's gun (which is so useful. i'm a gunsaber truther now)!!

i'm about 13 hours in now!!! just finished jedha part 2 and got merrin back (i hope we kiss again. tho if she wants to share a bed, all cal has is a shitty cot) excited to see what happens next!!!!!! and praying nothing too traumatic happens to my boy bc if anyone on the mantis dies or even gets hurt too bad i'm going fucking darkside

[foxykatie425]

You know, as much as I’d love Star Wars to bring Cal and Merrin into live action, I struggle to picture how they could do that without it being super deus ex machina.

Like one of Ashoka’s biggest problems as a series was its reliance on the audience being familiar with Star Wars Rebels, an ANIMATED series that didn’t necessarily have the same target audience as Ahsoka. And I don’t mean that in a derogatory way, I love Star Wars Rebels, but the simple fact is there are more people watching the live action shows than the animated shows.

So how could you possibly expect the majority of your audience for a live action tv show to be familiar characters from a video game series?? How do you effectively introduce these characters to an audience that hasn’t seen them before without having entirely too much exposition that would totally kill the pacing?

If they can find a way to do that well, then great, although we also run into the problem of spoilers. Because we’ve still got one more Jedi game coming, and that’s probably not gonna come out for another 3-4 years, if we’re lucky! I have to imagine that game is gonna be set sometime before A New Hope because they need to establish a reason why these characters are not major players in the OT and to a lesser extent Rebels. (Right now they can still go to and from Tanalorr, my theory is they’re gonna get stuck there somehow but that’s a discussion for another day.) If we’re keeping our live action shows in the post-ROTJ timeline, and Cal and Merrin get brought in, then you’ve spoiled the end of the third game. So realistically they just can’t bring them into live action until after that third game comes out. (Also I’ve heard Respawn is super protective of Cal as a character, which you know, who can blame them?)

This is simply my opinion based on my own speculation. I’d love to hear what other people think about this, but at the end of the day, as much as I’d love to see live action Cal and Merrin, I only want it if it’s done RIGHT! 🙃🤔

[eveenstar]

Hey, I found your blog looking for Dagan Gera stuff after finishing Jedi Survivor. Saw you were taking requests and figured I’d send in one myself because I love your writing and Dagan absolutely needs more love.

Would it be ok if I requested a Dagan x Female!Current Jedi!Reader based off your relationship head canons you did? Where the reader is separated from Cal and ends up with Dagan.

It saddens me to search the Dagan Gera tag and see the same 4/5 fanfics every time! He definitely needs more love and I'm here to give it to him ♡

Hope I didn't disappoint!!

¨”°⍣~•★ 𝐥'𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐝𝐮 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 | dagan gera x f!jedi!reader ★•~⍣°”¨

not even the moon could tear my eyes away from you.

Cal, Cal...Cal. There was so much noise, so much pain and confusion. The last thing you saw was a smoke bomb being thrown your way and the flash of Cal's blue saber trying to shield you off of your attackers. A pair of big, rough hands dragged you away, and somewhere amidst the fighting, you lost your consciousness.

"we stay together now, no more running off,"

"who said anything about running off? in fact, I am a very responsible jedi,"

"I'm convinced you and Merrin must be sisters."

The colours of the monochromatic room were the first to greet your eyes. The lights flickered for a moment, burning your eyes as they tried to adjust to the change. Your head was pounding.

You didn't recognize this room, it looked ancient but somewhat...modern. The walls were shiny white, with golden stripes. The symbol of the Jedi Order was painted onto the floor, in all its old glory. The High Republic, the peak of the order....

In alarm, you scurried up to your feet, reaching for your lightsaber, but your hands tapped the empty belt.

"Looking for this?" The door slided open, a pair of boots stomped in. Dagan waved your lightsaber in his hands.

"Give it to me." You hissed, holding out your hand. Dagan tutted and shook his head.

"Cal has yet to come for you." Dagan announced. He waited for you to say something, to react, maybe even try and attack him. You didn't. "Does he not care for you?"

"Is that what I am now?" You crossed your arms. "Bait?"

Dagan tilted his head, then narrowed his gaze. One, two... He shook his head, a small grin twitched in his lips.

"Yes." He said simply. "No."

You raised an eyebrow, confused. You could feel Dagan's presence and it was cold, angry and...something else, you couldn't quite put your finger on it. The Jedi that stood before you was a relic of the past, of times now forgotten, and underneath all that darkness and hunger for revenge was a confused and hurt man.

"Are you going to keep me here?" You asked, not once taking your eyes off of him. You found that Dagan could only hold your gaze for no longer than a few seconds.

"Yes." Replied Dagan.

"For how long?" You sat back down, leaning against the cold wall. You hoped Cal would return soon, you didn't know what to expect from Rayvis and the Fallen Jedi, and you didn't want to find out.

The silence lingered and stretched for uncomfortably long seconds. You looked away to the window beside you, watching the clouds outside. It was so beautiful, you thought. In your years with Cal, you had seen so much of the galaxy, in its worst and best.

Now you wondered if you would ever see that again.

Lost in your thoughts, you failed to notice Dagan leaving. The door glided closed, and the faint sound of a beep was caught by your ears. Locked in and guarded outside. You didn't have your lightsaber or your blaster with you, and the room was deprived of anything else.

You would have to wait.

And that wait dragged on weeks and weeks on end. During that time, you had gotten to know Dagan better than you ever thought possible. It was hard not to, as the fallen Jedi had made it a habit to come to your "cell" to talk - it had started with simple questions;

"How did you meet Cal?"

"Did he train you?"

"Who are the members of his crew?"

But you would budge one second. You would never betray Cal like that, he was like a brother to you. Your family. Just as Merrin, Greez and Cere were. In your unwillingness to share and determination, Dagan found himself complimenting you for it, telling you how that was a strong trait to have, how Cal was lucky to have you (he gritted his teeth at the 'compliment', he should be the one to have y-) and... at first, you resisted. You insulted at each and little thing you could sense and knew about him.

But Dagan always found himself back to you. The questions slowly began to turn around to only you. Simple things such as your homeworld, your favorite planet, how you built your lightsaber...and despite all odds, you found yourself replying to him. Every time.

You tried to make him open up, to speak to you like a normal person. But all you got was a scoff and an eye roll, completely dismissing you. Accepting defeat, you told Dagan of the state of the galaxy, of the rise of the Empire and the fall of the Jedi Order, how you were just a child when it happened, how your master died to save you. Only did you stop when your voice failed you, when the tears freely strolled down your face and your shoulders trembled.

Dagan, who had been listening to you, his emotions shifting between anger and disappointment, was caught off guard by your tears. He didn't like seeing you cry, but it brought you closer to him and further away from Kestis. He couldn't let that opportunity slip past his fingers.

His arm wrapped around you, bringing you closer to his body and resting his chin atop your head. "Shh, shh," Dagan kissed your forehead, letting you cry against his chest, hoping that would ease your troubled mind....and bring you to him.

Dagan was right in the end.

As the days passed, no signs of Cal Kestis or his friends, Dagan made it his mission to turn your mind to him. He was only showing you the truth. The cold and hard truth. There was no hope for the galaxy! The Jedi are gone! But Dagan has a plan, he assures you, Tanalorr is the future for the both of you, and the new order that Dagan intends to nourish.

And you? You slowly fall into his webs. You allow this fallen Jedi, knight of the Jedi Order of old, to enter your mind and body with his words, his touches, and his kisses. You want it to feel wrong, it should be wrong, but it feels so right, especially when he's mapping your body with his touches, holding you close to him as if the galaxy depended on it.

Dagan would let you accompany him once he was sure your loyalty lays with him and only him. Soon enough, you would turn into his trusted advisor and lover. He would compare you to Santari Khri, but remind you how much better than her you were.

"You won't betray me." Dagan would tell you, his cold hand on your chin, tilting your head upwards to look at him. "I know it. I feel it."

In the privacy of his chambers, he'd kiss your lips, and his kiss would feel like a storm. Passionate, aggressive, as if he was trying to possess you in every sense of the word. His body was but a means to worship yours, and Dagan found himself falling into the warmth of your love.

With you by his side, Dagan was more confident than ever. You had to keep him under control, or he would leave destruction and death in his wake, more than he already has. He would not stand for anyone getting in the way of Tanalorr and his mission to reshape the galaxy.

Rayvis teases Dagan. You soften the fallen Knight. You are a weakness to him, as he is yours. He may try to hide it as best as he can, but everyone can see it as clear as day - the longing of his eyes, the blue that softens whenever you enter a room or look at him.

Dagan will deny it, no matter how obvious it is. You once walk in on him Force-choking one of the raiders, who had been unlucky enough to be in earshot of Dagan while talking about his weakness, you.

"Dagan!" You stood, horrified at the scene. "Put him down!"

Dagan peered over his shoulder to look at you. The anger of his eyes faltered for a second.

"Leave." The raider was slammed against the wall, hands grasping at the invisible pressure on his throat. "Now. You shouldn't see this." The humming of his red blade was another proof of how far Dagan was willing to go.

He didn't listen to you. Not this time. The raider laid dead at his feet, and Dagan sheathed his lightsaber back onto his belt. He wrapped his arm around you, taking your lips in his again, and you found yourself complying, as you had many times before.

But something was heaving on his mind. Cal Kestis. He was intent on getting you back, as if you weren't as safe as you could be under Dagan's protection. You didn't want your friend to fall to his blade, but you knew what Dagan was capable of.

"He will try to take you from me. I won't lose you." Dagan whispered by your ear at night, his chest pressing onto your back. "I won't lose you the way I lost Tanalorr."

"You won't." You assured him, taking his hand and kissing his knuckles, his fingers, his palm. "I promise you."

Dagan nuzzled his face in your neck, "You are so beautiful. So very beautiful." He murmured against your skin. "Not even the moon could tear my eyes away from you."

You smiled, feeling his hold on your waist tighten. You had grown used to his Force presence, as it comforted you so many times before. It now felt warm and cozy, like a blanket being placed around you. Maybe a shield? No matter how you put it, it always made you feel like there was nothing that could stand in your way.

Dagan was right. The galaxy needed a new beginning, and you two were the right people for it. You trusted Dagan to settle things right.

Cal was an afterthought.

[antianakin]

We're gonna revisit that Caretaker Luke AU again because it brings me a certain amount of joy to think about it when I'm in a bitter mood and I just finished Jedi: Survivor, so I'm incorporating that.

Cal and Merrin DO manage to create a refuge for people persecuted by the Empire on Tanalorr and it never gets found or destroyed, so there's this little community of Force Sensitive people and Jedi survivors (and others) already built by the time the Empire falls.

So when Anakin survives and Luke commits to being Rehab for Sith for the rest of his life in order to keep the New Republic from executing Anakin or locking him up for life, there's somewhere else for Jedi and Force Sensitive people to go.

But no one will even tell Luke the NAME of the planet, much less how to get there. Because it's a known fact that if Luke knows it, so will Anakin. And nobody in their right mind would ever trust Anakin with the location of Force Sensitive children or Jedi survivors, that would be madness and stupidity. So for as long as Luke chooses to protect Anakin, he's completely isolated and cut off from all other Jedi that exist, all of their knowledge and history and training.

And even Leia can't know about it or go get training because she refuses to cut Luke out of her life. So Leia is isolated, too. And so is Han. And so is Ahsoka, because let's be completely honest, Ahsoka would 100% forgive Anakin completely in this scenario and refuse to leave him behind all over again.

Anakin hates this. Anakin's instinct is to hunt down the Hidden Path and find this planet to force them to let Luke be a part of their community or kill them all because, well, it's Anakin and someone he cares about is upset, we all know how he reacts to that. Anakin throws this idea on the table at breakfast one day and Luke has to spend several weeks talking Anakin out of committing yet another Jedi genocide, just this time in Luke's name instead of Padme's.

There is no redemption available for Anakin aside from just leaving the Jedi completely alone for the rest of his life. He can give them the gift of his absence and that is it. Same with the rest of the galaxy, honestly. The best thing he can do for the people he's hurt is get out of their way and disappear forever. Luke forgives him. Ahsoka forgives him. Obi-Wan's ghost probably forgives him.

The Jedi on Tanalorr try their very best to pretend he doesn't exist, but when the news breaks that Anakin's finally died and they're finally free and safe from the Sith, there's an obvious uptick in the general happiness among the refugees of Tanalorr. There aren't any celebrations as such, but some people decide to cook a favorite dish to share among everyone, the children are given some time off of lessons so they can go out and play, and there's just a sense of merriment that wafts through the Temple when the last Sith rejoins the Force.

[jessicas-pi]

I'm Back On My Incorrect Quote Nonsense: More Medieval AU

Ahsoka: Go big or go home! Rex: Please, for once in your life just go home. I'm begging you. Go. Home. Ahsoka: I'm going big!

---

Ezra: I can't believe there's a cat somewhere in the palace. Amazing feeling. Love cats. And he's here, in the palace! Somewhere! And I may encounter him! What a treat.

---

Caleb: *Laughs* Aw, you had a crush on me? That’s embarrassing— Hera: We’re married. Caleb: Still.

---

Korkie: *Screams* Ahsoka: *Screams louder to assert dominance* Rex: Shouldn't we do something?! Anakin, observing: No, I want to see who wins this.

---

Ketsu: Sabine, I know you snuck out with Ezra last night. Sabine: If you tell Mother or Father, I swear I’ll murder you, and they’ll never find the body. Ketsu: Five bucks? Sabine: Fine.

---

Cal: So apparently the 'bad vibes' I’ve been feeling are actually severe psychological distress

---

Rex: And what did we learn, Princess? Ahsoka, bowing her head: Tackling someone isn’t the correct response to being asked a simple question.

---

Adenn, to Skira: I’d make fun of your height but there isn’t enough to make fun of.

---

Carthage: *Gets down on one knee* Sabine: Oh my gods, it’s finally happening. Carthage: *Falls over* Sabine: The poison is kicking in!

---

Barriss: About that love poem you sent me- Adenn, blushing: What are your thoughts? Barriss: The fourth sentence- Adenn: Yeah, that’s where I got really emotional and I- Barriss: It’s “you’re,” not “your.”

---

Ezra: Everyone has a toxic trait. Except Sabine, she’s perfect. Sabine: Wrong! My toxic trait is how badly I want to domesticate a large predatory animal. Ezra: You can't have that toxic trait. That's my toxic trait. Get your own.

---

Ahsoka: A murder attempt?? Rex: Yes. Lux: And a threatening message?? Rex: Yes. Ahsoka: Written on the wall?? Rex: Yes. Lux: In BLOOD?? Rex: Yes. Ahsoka and Lux, in unison: Cool. Rex: NO!

---

Omega: Being half asleep and feeling someone gently plant a kiss on your forehead is one of the purest kinds of love in the world. Cal: Unless you're home alone.

---

Caleb: Good night, Ezra. Hera: Sleep tight. Zeb: Don't let the bedbugs crawl up to your ear and whisper threatening things that make you question yourself. Caleb: Great, now Ezra's crying.

---

Qui-Gon: I hate to tell you this, but one of you was adopted. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka: Ahsoka: Was it Obi-Wan?

---

Omega: We all know you love her. Cal: I am not in love with Merrin! Omega, staring at Cal: I never said who... Cal: *realizes* Cal: Cal: mOVING ON—

[breakfastteatime]

Today's Fallen Order request is 'Gone' for @wrencatte

Greez won’t allow anybody off the ship.

“I wish to explore the town,” Merrin says.

“We need to restock,” Cere reminds him.

BD wants to find something new and exciting to scan.

“I’m hungry,” Cal says.

“No one is going anywhere until we find it!”

Greez’s lucky spoon has gone missing. Again.

“Maybe you should strap it to an arm so you never lose it,” Merrin says. “It will turn up, it always does. Now let me off this ship or I may find the spoon and curse it to never be found again.”

“You do that, and I’ll find a way to curse you,” Greez growls. He jabs a finger at Cal. “You! With the echoes! Find one that will tell you where my spoon has gone.”

“No way, Greez. The last time I did that I saw things that scarred me for life.”

“What things?” Merrin asks.

Cal shoots her a withering look. “What part of scarred for life is unclear?”

“Greez, we’ll all search for five minutes, and if we don’t find it, you will let us off this ship,” Cere says, ever the voice of reason.

Eyes wide, Cal stares at her. Is she going to mind trick Greez? She’s using that tone of voice.

Two of Greez’s hands find his hips. “Ten minutes.”

“Seven, and I’ll go no higher,” Cere counters.

“Seven. Starting now. Get looking. Droid, you take the vents.”

“Why would it be in the vents?” Cal asks, knowing perfectly well why it might be in the vents.

Greez narrows his eyes.

“Fine. BD will search the vents.”

Given that the last time the spoon went missing Merrin found it on the lower deck, Cal announces that’s where he and BD will start and dashes off to the back of the ship. The moment they’re alone, BD bursts into evil laughter.

“BD, you did not take it again, did you?”

And why would BD need to do that when they have a bogling on board who’s perfectly capable of doing so herself?

Groaning, Cal opens a nearby vent and shoves BD inside. “Grab it from her and bring it to me.”

BD returns three minutes later with the very battered spoon. Cal’s eyes widen in horror. “She’s been chewing on it?” He takes it from BD and nearly recoils. “I do not want to know what that smell is.” It’s bad enough to distract Cal from the hum of echoes – all of them happy memories of Greez cooking. If he can get to the refresher without being seen, maybe he can wash off the stink… but how to explain the teeth marks?

BD nobly offers to say he grabbed it too hard with his feet, damaging it. Rather that than revealing the bogling’s existence. It’s still way too much fun having Greez be clueless about their extra crewmate.

“You’re the best, BD.” Cal climbs to the upper deck and almost jumps out of his skin when Greez stands in the doorway.

“My spoon!” Greez declares. “Just in time, too. I gotta stir the curry.”

Cal stares dumbly at the spoon still clenched in his hand. Rookie mistake. He should’ve hidden it in his pants until he could clean it.

Greez grabs for it.

Cal pulls it out of his reach just in time. “I gotta wash it,” he says. “I, uh, I found it on the lower deck. It smells bad. You don’t want to poison us.”

“I know it stinks, I can smell it from here. Gimmie my spoon, Cal. I’m not going to use it.”

“Maybe leave it to clean all night,” Cal says. “Use another spoon.”

Greez stares at him. “You’re being weird. Have you done something to my spoon?”

BD says he may have damaged it. Greez doesn’t understand a word. “I just hope I didn’t damage it pulling it out of the deck where it was stuck.”

“Ah, a few new dents won’t hurt it. A lucky spoon should have some character.”

“Oh, okay then.” Cal hands it over.

Greez checks it over. “Perfect. Aside from the stink.”

“Wait, it’s not damaged?”

“You mean all these nicks and dents?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Have you never looked at my spoon before?”

“Yeah I…” Actually, no, he hasn’t, not in detail. And given the hum of Greez’s happy cooking memories bubbling away in his head, he’s never touched it before either. “No, I guess I haven’t.”

Greez leads him back into the galley, regaling him with how he made that dent, and how he caused that discolouration. Cal looks to Cere and Merrin, knowing they get the message: go, run, while you still can.

The women escape.

“Now that we’ve found it, I’m going to head out too,” Cal says.

“Sure, sure,” Greez says.

Cal heads for the hatch.

“One other thing.”

“Yeah?” Cal goes for innocent, honest, he’s a Jedi, he wouldn’t keep secrets or tell lies or –

“The next time we’re on Bogano, the bogling stays there.”

[voxmyriad]

Cal Kestis Week 2024, Day One—Lightsaber

It's Cal Kestis Week and I'm here with fic!

I haven't written fic in ages, but I can't let Cal Week go by without contributing!

Prompt: Touch | “You’re doing great!” | But First They Have To Catch You | Lightsaber

[Gen, no archive warnings apply, read on AO3 or here on Tumblr]

Considering how many enemies Cal has to face on a regular basis, he shouldn't need to practice at all. Or even have the time, for that matter. Every planet he visits, every mission he joins or takes on alone, there's always someone out there who objects to him, really violently. There are some days when Cal feels like he keeps his lightsaber lit more often than not.

But the Mantis never feels more empty than in hyperspace.

At first he spent a decent amount of time just watching it pass, but Cal has never been very good at sitting around. After a while something always tugs him up out of the pilot's seat (Greez's seat) and into the main cabin (never filled with the scents of Greez's cooking or the quiet murmur of Cere and Merrin's conversations). Something has him dialing the power down to training mode (no one left he could spar with) and reaching back, back through his memory. He finds Master Tapal's resonant voice, deep and calm, distantly impatient and amused by turns.

"Master, when can I learn to fight with two blades like you do?"

"Jar'Kai is not to be undertaken lightly, Cal."

"I'm not undertaking it lightly. Shouldn't I be as prepared as I can be?"

"You will be, when you have completed your training in the Forms. Now, begin again."

Begin again. Eyes closed, seeing the training room in the Albedo Brave, Cal moves around the small space in the Mantis. The orange blade reflects off glass and metal, the flickering light of a campfire lit to hold back the darkness. It isn't about learning, not now, but about control. Even the greatest lightsaber masters in the Temple had moved through these exercises.

As he steps through his memories, other voices return to him. Long before the war, before he'd accepted Jaro Tapal's offer and become his Padawan, Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker had led a demonstration for the Initiates. Form III, Soresu, against Form V, Shien. Sitting in a group between his friends Caleb and Reva, Cal had followed the flashing blades with rapt attention. It had seemed impossible that he could ever move that fast, but the masters were still able to talk while they sparred. They had even joked back and forth, as blue clashed on blue, as Skywalker had driven Kenobi back step after step and yet never quite got past his guard.

"Rather flashy, Anakin."

"Maybe I'm trying to distract you."

"Distract me, or impress your audience?"

"Can't it be both?"

They had been impressed. Master Skywalker had been wizard, bright enough in the Force to blind them, but so focused and determined. Cal knows he hadn't been the only one who had resolved in that moment to train as hard as he could so he'd be able to fight like that.

(He'd only learned later how efficient Soresu can be for deflecting a lot of blaster bolts at once, how useful Shien is when facing an angry lightsaber-wielding Inquisitor. Back then, in Cal's eager eyes, it had just been about how cool it looked.)

Every step, every movement, listening to his memories, Cal slowly completes the single-bladed katas in order, ending where he had begun. Then, following the rumbling voice in his memory, he lights his second blade and begins stepping through the form he had only observed, the footwork of Jar'Kai, copying Master Tapal's training as he'd never done in life.

"In Jar'Kai, you are the center of your weapon. You must never forget your center, Cal."

"I won't, Master."

(He's trying, he's trying. What does it mean when his center keeps moving? When he keeps being pushed off-center by enemies and allies alike?)

As he approaches the completion of that remembered kata, Cal arrives at the form he had never been taught, never observed in the Temple. With no pause or break in flow, he separates his blades, whirling in slow motion as he blocks and counters invisible enemies the way he had learned to fight with them. Been forced to train himself to fight with them. There are no comforting memories of former sparring bouts now, only snarling faces and hurled threats to accompany the humming blades.

"Jedi!" "Traitor!" "Kill him!" "Take him out!" "He can't counter all of us, can he?" "What's he doing?" "He's so fast!" "Am I the only one left?" "I don't want to die like this!"

(The sounds of death don't change, he's learned, whether they arrive via burning blaster bolt or cauterizing lightsaber blade. He knows the flavor of fear in the air, in the Force, the spike of it just before death arrives. He knows it better than he wants to. He can't forget it.)

The long hilt in his hands bears almost no resemblance now to the broken thing he'd clutched to himself on that ride down to Bracca's surface. In his travels, in following Cordova's path, his second trip to Ilum and everything afterward, he had kept coming across new components, new wraps, new materials for plating, and he'd always been curious. Hardly a day passes that Cal isn't working to improve it, but there are still a few pieces of Master Tapal inside. All of his teachers are carried with him, inside and out.

"What is a Jedi's lightsaber to him, Padawan?"

"His life, Master."

"Correct. His life, a limb, an extension of himself. But it is also a weapon, the weapon only of a Jedi, kept as a reminder that peace is our goal, drawn only when all else fails. To draw a lightsaber upon an enemy is to take on a heavy responsibility. It must never become the easy solution."

(How often has he begun a conflict by pulling out his lightsaber first?)

Finally, reluctantly, he opens his eyes in the present and takes in the silent ship, with BD-1 perched safely out of the way on the kitchen table and recording. That prompts a smile as, with a snap, the lightsaber blade disappears. BD-1 chirps and straightens up, the recording ending.

"Thanks, buddy," Cal murmurs, holding out a hand for the little droid to hop up onto his shoulder. "Let's see what's next."