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lo-55 · 4 years ago

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Tilt The Hourglass ch. 6

Maul adjusted the small holster against his hip and pulled his cloak tighter around him.

He never would have pegged Fett as being a tailor, but the mando had pulled out a thread and scissors and hemmed the cloak to fit Maul. It fell until halfway down his thighs, where he had pants and boots now. They hadn’t had the time to get Maul a full flight suit or any armor, but he was clothed at last and his long sleeves even connected to finger-less gloves.

The dark cloak was pulled tight over his head. On his right hip was a small blaster, and in his new boot was a vibro-knife each. They weren’t lightsabers, but they would do.

He felt wrong to not have his ‘saber against his hip, especially when they boarded the ship. He could sense them as soon as he stepped on board. The bright light’s of two Jedi, two lights he knew well. Kenobi and Jinn.

He’d recognized Kenobi as soon as he’d seen him, hovering near the ship and looking like a convict about to be executed.

As soon as he saw him he knew he had to get on board that ship, with or without Jango.

This was Kenobi. Tiny, although a head taller than Maul himself, he was barely old enough to be out of their silly little temple. Maul needed to see him again.

Maul didn’t know what he was going to do when he saw him. He didn’t know if he was going to stab him or demand answers that Kenobi certainly wouldn’t have.

Like what had happened. Two years ago, a bit more now, Maul had died and woken again. Decades in the future Kenobi had cut him down and ended a rivalry that spanned a lifetime. Why? Maul hadn’t been able to find information on it. Not that he could risk looking very hard without tipping off his master, mind.

Still.

He still had a scar on his hand, one triangle and one square pointed into his palm. One sith holocron and one jedi. Their voices still echoed faintly in his memory.

Soon, he needed to take another trip to Malachor. Perhaps this time he could take Young Kenobi with him. The boy wasn't a sith. He didn’t have even the sliver of possibility for it that Ezra had possessed.

Maul had done his best to make Kenobi Fall, and each time he had failed. Even in the end, Kenobi hadn’t hated him. He’d offered him only kindness.

There was a reason that Maul had tried to get him to help him stop the rise of the Empire. The two of them were equally the best and worst examples of their respective orders. Between the both of them they could have kept Sidious from becoming emperor. True, Skywalker would have had to die, but Kenobi had lost his master, his lover, and Maul didn’t even know how many others. He would have survived losing his Padawan, if it was for the ‘greater good’ or whatever jedi preached.

He was a good person. Disgustingly so.

Malachor was a graveyard for Jedi as much as Sith. Maul could use that to convince him if he really had to.

Jango gestured to him to follow along.

Maul didn’t like deferring to anyone, but he would play along for now. It was better than Sidious.

If Maul had ever met someone worse than him he could not recall.

The pair boarded the ship just in time to see a young human being assaulted by a hutt, the creature’s fat fingers curled around his throat.

It took Maul a total of two seconds to realize who it was, and by that time Jango had already closed the distance between them and pulled his blaster. Jango levelled it at the hutt’s head.

“Let the boy go,” he ordered, his voice level. The Force was muffled through beskar, helmet’s especially, but Maul had spent time enough with Mandalorian’s that even with Jango’s helmet firmly in place he could still feel the anger that rippled through him.

Mando’s and their children.

“Hah? Why would I do that? We do not tolerate spies here! This is offworld terf, and we will-”

“Drop. The. Boy.”

The hutt eyed the blaster wearily before he tossed the body.

Right at Maul.

Maul caught him on instinct. The weight of Kenobi almost knocked him down, but Maul held firm. Had Kenobi always been so much taller than him?

Maul kept a weary eye on the hutt, and Jango, ready to draw his blaster and fire. He could take four of whiphids before they got within arms length, and Jango could take the rest in that same time.

The hutt cussed them out and made his leave, with the whiphids following along behind him.

Maul looked down and froze when he found burning blue eyes staring back up at him.

Young Kenobi was… not what he’d expected.

He was tiny, for one thing. Baby faced, with all the puppy fat of youth that Maul, even younger than him, had mostly lost by now. He was thin and gangly the way humans’ were when they were getting ready for a growth spurt, and his hair had never been so red in the future. The last time Maul had seen it it had been almost entirely white. Had he always had freckles?

Maul didn’t know what he’d expected to find in his rival, but what he found was a kid.

This was not the padawan that had cut Maul down. This was not the knight that had hunted him half across the galaxy. This was not the hermit that had held his dying body by fire light.

This was just-

Obi Wan.

Blue eyes rolled back in his head and Kenobi dropped in his arms.

Maul looked up to find Jango with his visor tilted towards the pair. He felt bemused. Maul frowned at him and swung Kenobi over his shoulder’s in a firemen’s carry.

“Shut up,” he snapped at the mandalorian.

“I didn’t say a thing.”

“You didn’t have to. You have a very expressive visor.”

Jango snorted at Maul’s blunt accusation.

“Perhaps I do. Let’s see if Clat’Ha has a place we can bunk down and check on your little friend there.”

“He is not my friend!”

Jango ignored him entirely and picked his way across the floor to the inside of the ship. There were panels missing and wires spilled out across the metal floors like the guts of a massive beast.

Maul mentally categorized all of the easy access points, vents, weapons, and potential ambush zones.

Finally they found Jango’s friend, the human woman in charge of the Arconan Mining Company. She took one look at Kenobi, still limp over Maul’s shoulders with a ring of bruises blossoming around his throat, and marched them into a small closet that served as a medical bay. Apparently mining was a dangerous occupation. Who knew?

Maul let her take Kenobi from him and lay the boy down on a hard cot before she found a bacta spray and some bandages. A medical droid floated near by and glued a cut on Kenobi’s brow shut.

“Are you alright?” Jango touched his shoulder. Maul twitched, but didn’t break the hold. He glanced up at the blank visor.

“Fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Worry emanate from Jango, amplified by their contact.

“It’s not always easy seeing other’s get hurt. Especially ade. Children.”

Maul squinted up at him. “People get hurt a lot around me,” he said slowly, like Jango was a particularly foolish child. “In case you forgot. I would have shot the hutt dead. Or hit him under his right arm. The third lung located there is close enough to the surface that the right pressure would rupture it and he would choke to death on his own blood. At least that young. An older hutt would be harder without a blaster. They’re very annoying.”

Clat’Ha stared at him over Kenobi’s body before she looked to Maul’s new ‘care taker’.

“...Jango what the fuck are you teaching this kid?”

Before Jango could even defend himself Maul wrinkled his nose at her.

“He’s barely had me two days.”

Maul hadn’t even learned that on Orsis. He’d learned that during his rise as a crime boss for the shadow collective, when he’d been forced to kill a few hutt’s to properly send a message.They would obey him or they would die. Maybe he should start building his criminal empire again.

There was an idea.

One for later. He needed resources he didn’t have yet, and Jango was as Mandalorian as they came. They wouldn't let a kid go easily. They would protect younglings with their lives if they had to.

In retrospect, Maul should have advised Kilindi and Daleen to seek them out. But Sidious might have ripped that information from his mind, so perhaps it was for the best that he didn’t.

Wherever they were he knew they were okay. Kilindi was resilient and Daleen was intelligent. Maul had faith in them.

That didn’t mean he didn’t worry about them, or miss them. They were his.

“Three,” Jango corrected mildly. “You were unconscious for the first one.”

“Ah, yeah.”

Somehow that only seemed to alarm Clat’Ha more.

What a strange woman.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Maul couldn't tell if he hated or loved this ship.

The ship itself was a hot mess, a wreck waiting to happen and it was probably older than everyone on it combined. It was dark in places where the wires needed replacing, and the whole thing was divided between two mining companies.

The entire thing was saturated with animosity and hostility, and Maul drank it in. He pulled the distrust and anger out of the air and wrapped it up in a little ball inside his chest for later. It was a technique he’d figured out himself years ago. How to skim off the top emotionally. Theoretically it could be used to take an enemies fighting spirit and enhance an allies, but Maul had never really tried to do that.

He preferred to enhance himself, and he was an assassin and a warlord more than a general. He fought on his own or in small groups in dark spaces, not in open fields with legions under his command.

His little trick on Mandalore was an exception.

Maul was even able to drink up the negative emotions that Jinn released into the Force. Irritation, worry, things that Maul hadn’t noticed when he had faced the man before. It was probably because the crew had misplaced a little jedi and everyone was in a tizzy.

Maul could have ended the confusion, but where was the fun in that?

Instead he sat with Kenobi.

The boy had somehow managed to develope a fever and Jango had insisted that he be watched at all times. He’d woken up while Clat’Ha was with him, and Maul was fetching lunch with Jango. Every Time they saw the hutt’s on board Maul had to physically stop himself from trying to kill the slugs.

Jango seemed to be able to tell how he felt, even though he was about as close to a Force Null as a man could be, and went out of his way to try and keep him from interacting with them. Outside of food runs it wasn’t hard. They were here for the Arconan Mineral Harvest Company, or whatever they were called, and that meant that they stuck to their side of the ship.

The jedi master, Jinn, was the same.

Maul couldn’t help but note that the ‘ever compassionate’ jedi didn’t show up to help Kenobi until his fever lowered the boys mental shields enough that his distress saturated the air in the room.

When Jinn walked in, Maul stayed perfectly still and watched him go to Kenobi. He lay a hand on the boys brows and did… Something.

Some jedi thing. Maul watched the fever start to fade and Kenobi’s eyes finally flickered open.

Blue. Fuzzy and somewhat delirious.

"H-how?" Kenobi’s voice was hoarse and rough. Maul had the distinct feeling that he was intruding on something here. Strangely, he didn’t care.

"Don't try to speak," Jinn said quietly, "You've had a bad fever, but I've taken care of it. Your wounds turned out to be worse than initially assumed."

Maul nearly gagged on the raw hope that floated off of Kenobi in response. "Is it really you?" he asked.

Qui Gon smiled, the first time Maul had seen such an expression on his face.

"Yes, it's really me."

“Did you come to look for me?” Obi-Wan asked hopefully. Maul nearly snorted. Well of course. This was his master, wasn’t it? Jedi always came for eachother. They were fools like that.

(a quiet voiced asked if he would not have gone after Kilindi and Daleen if he could have. If he was not himself intending on going to find Savage.)

Qui-Gon shook his head. “I‘m on my way to Bandomeer as well. I‘m on a mission for the Galactic Senate. Our missions have nothing to do with each other.”

“Still, we‘re together,” Obi-Wan insisted. His voice trembled with faint hope. “You could show me –”

But Qui-Gon shook his head.

“No, Obi-Wan, that‘s not why I‘m here. Our destinies lie along different paths. Now is the time for you to get to know the people that you will serve. You must forget about me. You must serve the Jedi in ways other than as a Knight. There is honor in that, too.”

He did not say it cruelly, but it was clear that Qui-Gon‘s words struck Obi-Wan like a blow. He tried to hide it, but his eyes were sad and his shoulders hunched.

Meanwhile, Maul was reeling.

Jinn was not Kenobi’s master? Was that why he didn’t have that silly little braid? And, more important, what did he mean Kenobi wouldn’t be a knight? That couldn't be possible! Kenobi was the best of their order, he was the first jedi to beat a sith in combat in centuries, and, at the risk of sounding arrogant, Maul was one of the best trained sith in generations. Sidious, and even his master had never gone out and tested themselves against actual Jedi the way Maul had. Even before his dual with Jinn he’d already begun his head count. He had more true combat experience than the both of them, and it infuriated him in ways he couldn't even begin to describe that he still lost to Sidious.

How could Kenobi not be a knight? It didn’t make sense.

Was this how it had happened before? Or had Maul and Jango’s presence somehow changed Kenobi’s padawanship?

Maul hadn’t done much to change the events of the world besides try to stop the massacre at Galidraan. Besides that he had only been at Orsis, and then Mustafar.

Maul, barely more than a shadow pressed into the corner of the wall, watched numbly while an arconan shyly made his way into the room and introduced himself to Kenobi. Apparently word travelled fast on the ship, and the arconan miner’s had decided that Obi Wan was as much a hero as Maul and Jango for stranding up to the Hutts.

Not that Kenobi had done much besides get strangled and struck. He even said as much.

“Well, sit down and introduce yourself,” Obi-Wan said at last, waving the Arconan closer.. “In this

place, I need all the friends I can get.”

“It seems you are in luck, then,” Jinn said with a mild nod towards Maul. Kenobi’s head whipped around, apparently seeing Maul for the first time. Yellow eyes met blue evenly. He would not look away from this boy. Kenobi looked away first, to the arconan.

“Our name is Si Treemba,” the Arconan said, perching on a chair. The room was getting crowded. “We know yours is Obi-Wan Kenobi. We would be honored to be your friend.”

When attention turned to him again, he said simply, “Maul.”

Maul could see the question on Kenobi’s lips, but he didn’t get to ask it. The door to sickbay slid open. Clat‘Ha strode in with an impatient expression, and Jango at her side. He made quite the impression. Jinn’s shoulders tightened and his hand drifted closer to the lightsaber at his hip. .

“Good, you‘re here,” she said to Si Treemba, who scrambled to his feet.

Clat’Ha turned to Jinn grimly. “We have a problem,” she said crisply. “Someone has been tampering with our equipment. Young Si Treemba here discovered it on a routine inspection. We have three Arconan tunneling machines in stock, and all three have been sabotaged.”

“How so?” Qui-Gon asked.

Si Treemba stepped forward. “The thermocoms that monitor the tunnelers‘ hull temperature have been removed, sir. And the coring couplers have been rigged so that they will not disengage.”

Maul didn’t know mining equipment well, but he recognized most of the words. Thermocoms were used on certain stealth ships entering high density atmosphere’s to avoid blowing up when coming in quick and fast. If the ships overheated they would blow. He imagined that the drills did the same thing.

Then a hutt arrived, and the whole situation turned into a not-so-passive-aggresive show down between Jinn, the Hutts, Clat’Ha and Jango.

Maul watched it with growing irritation. All their problems would be solved if someone would just kill the hutt. He was guilty and everyone knew it.

But the jedi wouldn’t do such a thing.

Maul rolled his eyes when all that came of the argument was hot tempers and bland accusations of specism. Clat’Ha ran off to find her miner’s, with Jango in tow. He shot Maul a look that clearly said ‘stay out of trouble’. One Maul promptly ignored.

Qui-Gon shook his head sadly.

“There is a strong hatred between those two. Neither of them will listen.”

Listen to what? Maul rolled his eyes under his hood. The hutt was crooked and after power and the human was probably little better. A touch more concerned about her people maybe, and she hadn’t tried to get Jango to shoot him in the head, even if it would have been easier.

Joy. Morals.

“I don‘t understand,” Obi-Wan said. “Why did you let the Hutt go? He may be innocent of the crime of which he has been accused. But I‘m sure he‘s guilty of others.”

“Yes, he‘s guilty,” Qui-Gon agreed. “But Clat‘Ha has her defender. As Jedi, we are bound only to defend those who have no other means of defense.”

It was all Maul could do not to laugh outright. He had seen jedi become generals. What would Jinn have done if he saw their precious defenders of peace fight a war and send men to die on their behalf.

“Still, one of Jemba‘s crew has to have sabotaged those tunnelers. Why doesn‘t he try to find out who did it?” Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon answered, “Because if one of Jemba‘s men did do it, it will make him look bad before the miners‘ guild. He might be ordered off Bandomeer permanently. He knows that, so he won‘t point any fingers at his own.”

“Ah,” Si Treemba said. “And Clat‘Ha must feel the same. If anyone learned that one of her workers tried to frame Jemba, the miners‘ guild would be furious.”

“But it shouldn‘t be to hard to find out who really sabotaged the tunnelers,” Obi-Wan pointed out excitedly. His eyes were bright with a spark of determination in them.

Qui-Gon cocked an eyebrow. “This is not your affair,” he warned. “If you went looking for those thermocoms, all you would find is trouble. You must stay out of it. And stay away from the Offworld side of the ship. You‘re not fully recovered yet, Obi-Wan.”

Qui Gon left the trio in the infirmary.

“...so we’re going, right?” Maul asked without being prompted. He looked at Obi Wan, who did look a bit sheepish.

“We’ll need to search anywhere a thermocom could be.”

“They’re small,” Si Treemba said helpfully, and held up his hands to display their size.

“It won’t be too hard to search most of the ship, but the hutts will make it hard when we get closer to them. Best leave those ones to me, little jedi,” Maul advised.

“But, I hardly know you. I couldn't ask you to do such a thing.”

“You’re not asking, and I’m not giving you a choice. Shut up and start looking on this side of the ship, before your master finds out what you’re doing and scolds you.“

Kenobi’s gaze became downcast. “He is not my master. I am not his apprentice, nor am I duty bound to obey him.”

Maul started to grin. He’d never expected such a rebellious streak from him. Maybe there was hope for the little jedi yet, when he was still this young.

“Then fuck him. Let’s go to work.”

Kenobi gaped at him while Maul stood and, with practiced ease, pulled a vent free and vanished inside of it.

#Darth Maul #darth maul time travel #time travel #Star Wars #star wars the prequel trilogy #star wars time travel #obi wan kenobi #qui gon jinn #jango fett #si treemba

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lajulie24 · 6 years ago

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The end

You didn’t think I was going to let the last official Scoundress Saturday go without any fic, did you? This turned out a bit silly, but I thought we could have a little fun with post-ROTJ Han and Leia. Also, to be clear, I still have plans for many other Han and Leia fics in the works (some of which were started or continued thanks to Scoundress Saturday), so this is far from the end of writing or posting. Thanks, all, for the wonderful support that has made writing these things each week so much fun.

Leia strode into the apartment, a bit later than her estimate, but well within the time Han had figured into his calculations for dinner.

“Would’ve been earlier,” she said, after kissing him and accepting a glass of Corellian red, “but I had to lose some old friends.”

Old friends used to mean Imperials or bounty hunters; now it meant the paparazzi, who had evidently decided that Leia and Han were much more interesting than they actually were. No less relentless, but at least they were slightly less likely to try to kill you. Unless it would make a good story, Han thought wryly.

“’S okay,” Han said. “Almost ready. How’s your day?” He finished cutting a selection of cured meats and cheeses, offering the plate to Leia.

“Fine,” Leia said, tearing off a hunk of bread and adding a slice of cheese to it. “Met with the Bothan delegation. Your good and close friend Borsk was not there,” she noted at Han’s raised eyebrow.

“Ah, so actually had a prayer of gettin’ something done,” Han said. Borsk Fey’yla, though a valuable asset to the Rebellion, was proving to be something of a perpetual stumbling block as the New Republic worked to move the galaxy from war to governance.

Leia laughed, taking another sip of wine. “A prayer, yes. Actually, it wasn’t that bad. How about you?”

Just then, the timer for the meat rang, and Han went to take it out of the oven. “Oh, y’know. The usual. Oh, yeah,” he said, placing the pan on the counter and then turning to her with a deadly serious look, “almost forgot. It’s over. We’re splitting up.”

“Again?” Leia asked mildly. “Too bad. What’d you do this time?”

“Oh, no, this time I’m leaving you,” he said smugly.

Leia sighed and took another sip of wine. “Well, I guess I can’t hide my baby bump from you forever. You have one really good Crathulian meal—” She shook her head. “Whose love child am I having now?”

“Wedge’s,” Han said. “Apparently I am real pissed off.”

“I can’t imagine Luke is very happy about it either,” she said. “Do you think that will make dinner awkward? Where the hells are they, anyway?”

“Eh,” Han shrugged as he tested the temperature of the meat. “You know the kid. He’s on Jedi time. Just Force-comm him.”

Leia made a face. “He hates it when I do that to remind him he’s late,” she reminded Han. “And then he gets all bitchy with me in my head.”

Luke and Wedge showed up without a reminder just after the meat had finished resting, and after a lively dinner—including ample banter about Leia’s and Wedge’s paparazzi-imagined affair—they settled down in the living room for what promised to be some intriguing after-dinner entertainment.

One of Leia’s secret pleasures was watching the collection of holofilm biopics and television series purporting to portray her friends in the Rebellion—The Courtship of Princess Leia, The Life Day Special, Jedi Ewok Princess, the Last Jedi—and she’d recently converted not only Han but also Wedge and, begrudgingly, Luke to this particular pastime. Their latest viewing party had been a rewatch of Jedi Ewok Princess, which had some of the worst production values they had ever seen (“I think they just bought a few houseplants and called it Endor,” Wedge had noted incredulously) as well as some entertaining dialogue.

Tonight’s selection was a rare feature, a bootleg copy of which was obtained not by the former smuggler in the group, but by Luke. Well, technically, by R2D2, but with Luke’s help.

“You owe me,” Luke said gravely as he handed over the disc. “Big time. Do you even know how many porn versions of your relationship are out there?”

Leia turned to Han. “Eight? Nine?”

“Nine,” Han said with confidence.

“Thirteen,” Luke corrected. “And Artoo downloaded them all when he was looking for this show.” He shuddered slightly.

“Huh, some new ones,” Han said. “Maybe they got a new guy to play me. That other guy was way too short.”

“Don’t think that was the dimension they were casting for,” Leia said dryly.

Wedge, who had started laughing quietly at this exchange a few minutes ago, fell over on the couch, no longer able to hold it in. “Just start it,” he said. “I wanna see how bad it is.”

The new show was called Days of our Rebellion, and it was a limited holoseries purporting to tell “the true stories of the lives and loves of the heroes of the Rebel Alliance.” It was supposed to have come out six months ago already, but apparently the network airing it was still skittish about releasing something that could cast the current political leadership in an unfavorable light, likely based on the memory of Palpatine’s frequent crackdowns on such things. But never estimate the power of an astromech droid to help them snag their very own copy of the series.

“Okay, this looks promising,” Wedge said as the opening credits began. “Obviously not a houseplants in Endor production situation here.”

The Luke was an up-and-coming actor who had recently been cast in a superhero movie, and he actually sort of looked like Luke. “Or Luke’s younger brother,” Han joked, as Luke elbowed him in the ribs.

“Aw, my baby daddy made the credits,” Leia said, as the actor playing Wedge showed up on screen. Wedge had gotten written out of The Courtship of Princess Leia with the exception of some generic fight scenes, and wasn’t even named in some of the other holos.

Leia’s double was an actress who had played a Padmé Amidala-like senator in another miniseries. “Oh, she’s good,” said Wedge.

They kept showing the Han actor in wide-angle shots, and when they finally showed him in a close-up both Leia and Luke gasped.

“That’s not—“ Han said.

“Go back and freeze-frame,” Leia directed, and when Han did, Luke was the one who collapsed with laughter this time.

“Oh my goddess that’s Porn Han. They cast Porn Han!” Leia exclaimed.

“Naw, they wouldn’t—“ Han began to insist.

“They did,” Leia said again.

“You’re right, he is way too short. He doesn’t really look like you, except that he’s wearing your outfit,” Wedge pointed out. “And there’s a Wookiee with him. Did they get real Wookiee actors?”

“Yeah,” Han confirmed. “Wouldn’t give ‘em the rights if they didn’t.”

The first episode opened on Yavin, but spent all of five minutes there before moving to a familiar-looking winter landscape.

“We’re going to Hoth already?” Luke asked.

The designers had managed to make a pretty convincing set that really did remind Han of Hoth, He shivered a little to think of it.

Porn Han and Not-Senator-Amidala were having an argument in the hallway, as personnel squeezed past them on their way somewhere else.

“Ha, look at all those people just walking by while we argue,” Han said, laughing.

“I know,” Leia said. “Right in the hallway! ‘Don’t mind us, we’re just going to have incredible amounts of sexual tension while you try to go about your daily lives,’” she continued.

Luke and Wedge exchanged a look. Oblivious to the end, these two.

“Releasing tension, huh. I think that’s what Porn Han is for,“ Wedge quipped.

#scoundressaturdays #han x leia #hanleia #star wars #myfic #han solo #leia organa #luke skywalker #wedge antilles #luke x wedge #the gffa paparazzi

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pacificwanderer · 6 years ago

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Question! So I’ve noticed that you and a lot of others have been saying stuff about the months leading up to TLJ. I wasn’t into Star Wars at that time, so I was just wondering, what was it like? Was there a lot of content being released, was there a lot of crazy speculation and such? Was there a lot of reylo content in promos and pictures and such?

Hey Nonnie,

And for anyone who’s reading who remembers, this is going to be long, and I’m going to miss things (I’m certain I missed some gates) because I’m just going from memory and old posts from when I wasn’t as militant about tagging (hah), so feel free to chime in if you have any other memories. Also, this took forever to compile lol.

Unofficially, we had shots from Ireland (2016) and second-hand gossip from locals about Daisy, Mark, and Adam filming in Ireland (and lots of people screeching about how the only reason KR would be with those two would be so they could team up and murder them).

But then the conversation started to shift, and we got info that wasn’t from the reylo fandom regarding their “interesting relationship,” though we were always there, saying the exact same thing.

This podcast and breakdown in the comments from May 2016 really highlights when things started to shift for our space kids (and confirmed a lot about what people had been theorizing/writing meta about, etc). We weren’t pulling things out of our asses and we were not wrong for seeing what we were seeing. It’s also a really great snapshot of what the discussion on Tumblr was like back then. Lots of great minds and fun times, as far as I am concerned.

“But I mean like, right now, Rey’s story is kinda weird too. It’s like I don’t know where my mum lives, I wish my mum and dad would come get me on Jakku, oh, I’ve got the force? Oh Luke Skywalker, he’s here? Wow. And then, so, at some point, Kylo Ren and Rey gotta have something more going down. I don’t know if it’s romance, if it’s complete hatred, if it’s you know, but, erm…I know, we can’t talk about it, there’s certain things we’ve heard – and it’s not romance, it’s not romance, but there’s certain things that we’ve heard recently about what’s going down and what Rey, how Rey feels –“

“Yeah, let’s just leave it at that.”

And then there was a very long wait for 2017, when things started to shift even more.

It was pretty much radio silence concerning Kylo Ren (officially) right up until the second trailer (the first only showed him for a split second). Boxartgate happened earlier in the year. (February) when the marketing started to come out for TLJ and Kylo wasn’t on any of it (nevermind that only his mask was on the TFA packaging, but when you’re grasping at straws for reasons why the “Skywalker of the trilogy” isn’t important... I guess you’ll take what you can get).The Reylo fandom guessed (correctly) that he was basically a walking spoiler (which other sections of the fandom guessed, incorrectly, that he was irrelevant to the story and that’s why he wasn’t showing up much N O P E).

SW Celebration happened in April 2016, and that trailer, combined with the super, SUPER amazing poster dropped:

Oh and Eric Maell’s super Reylo-tastic, officially licensed SWC poster that was available for sale at SWC (yeah, we all lost it here too). The whole thread is funny and read through to where Eric’s signature pops up on the poster.

And then we collectively lost our damn minds when the trailer dropped in October. If you’d like a trip, head into my archive and look for like October 2017 and you’ll get a pretty good idea of what that looked like lol.

It’s so damn good, I just watched it again and it STILL brings tears to my eyes. Avoid the comment section LOL.

And then came the: “It’S NOT KYLO’S HAND, IT’S HU//X’S FI//NN’S LU//KE’S ANYONE BUT KYLO REACHING OUT TO HER.” SNOKE ISn’T TALKING ABOUT KYLO. (handgate)

As if we, a collective group of Adam stans, WOULD EVER mistake his hand for another. GET GOOD, Anne.

HE’S NOT LOOKING AT REY. HE’S LOOKING AT.... fill in the blank. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA No. We know what he looks like when he looks at Rey.

Like, I didn’t spend 2 fucking years staring at screen shots like a maniac to NOT be able to see things for what they really are. I mean, the look he gives her when she pulls that saber from the ground on Starkiller? I WISH I could find a gif because it’s classic, “Holy shit, I think I’m in love, but I’m pretty sure she wants to murder me.” HAH Oh Enemies to Lovers, you’re such a riot.

But up until that point there was NOTHING. I’m pretty sure box gate happened somewhere in there, but then the marketing really started getting going and we got fed so fucking well it was almost too much because we’d had so little to go on up until that point that it was just like, “Is this real life? Am I making too much of this? Or are they really playing up the Kylo Ren/Rey angle in this marketing?”

October 31, 2017, we got this GREAT article from V where Adam interviewed Daisy.

AD Is there an aspect of working on Star Wars—it could be anything from the light saber battles, the travel, the catering, to getting to see me every day and do my hair—that was your favorite part?

DR I don’t know if I’ve ever properly thought about it. I love coming into the makeup trailer—everyone is there, you say good morning, and you get a little cuddle from people...I just really liked being part of something where you’re one of a whole. When filming, you’re always part of a thing. Becoming besties with you was the best thing.

AD That’s a lie, but we will make sure that’s printed.

DR [laughs]

The whole interview is really sweet and a really lovely read. Also, got some really adorable fanart of Rey doing Kylo’s hair around that time, which was super awesome.

There was some drama about Rian saying there’s “no romance in EPIX” which obviously wasn’t the case and he was misquoted anyways. Which is a good reminder not to freak the fuck out over everything, just because it seems like it’s going one way (or someone’s pushing their own thoughts and opinions onto paper in an interview). At any rate, Rian’s a big ole Romantic, so we know how it all goes in TLJ. (Romancegate)

This article talking about “the fallen son” and whether Kylo could be redeemed came out in Nov 2017 (which was LOL considering how much of the general fandom had convinced themselves this movie would be about Rey hunting down and murdering Kylo), which had this super quote from Rian:

“But I don’t think it’s very interesting if the whole story is just ‘Will Kylo get his comeuppance?’ He’s a more complicated character than that and I think he deserves a more complicated story than that. I don’t see the point of trying to get behind his mask and learn more about him if all we’re going to learn is ‘Yeah, he’s just an evil bad guy that needs to be killed.’” -Rian Johnson

This amazing character flowchart that was marketed in Korea to show the relationships in Star Wars (it’s official, and if you’re at all familiar with kdrama’s, you’ll probably understand why half of the fandom lost their shit lol).

This post/podcast from the starwarsconnection also has a pretty great breakdown of what was going on at the time and also shows some of the kid’s toys (specifically, the Reylo dolls that were sold as a set, though there are a FEW sets of Reylo figures, this one was specifically marketed to girls as a part of the Forces of Destiny series, which I really miss).

I’m sure there’s more, but basically the movie came out and the rest is history haha. This article talking about how horny TLJ is still makes me laugh.

1. Kylo Ren takes his shirt offLike I wasn’t going to start with this? Adam Driver as Kylo Ren gamely serves up the most Star Wars beefcake since Luke went sleeveless on Dagobah, and even Rey is rattled. She forgot to force-knock before barging in on the dude, and here’s Kylo Ren alone in his room, stripped to the waist, boasting sweaty pecs that look like he sliced Alderaan in half and glued the remainders to his chest. It’s a lot! Finally, even people who don’t subscribe to HBO can wonder, “Shit, am I attracted to Adam Driver?”

2. Kylo and Rey’s whole thingMany weirdos shipped these two characters after The Force Awakens, and now I kinda get it. Kylo and Rey never make out, but they still share The Last Jedi’s sexiest scenes as well as a telepathic connection fostered by sinister voyeur Snoke, the galaxy’s mightiest cuck. And how about that moment where Kylo kills his mentor — it’s always hot when a space goth murders a lazy magician — and then flips sides with Rey to kill off a straggling crew of ruby-red stormtroopers? If watching seven seasons of Buffy has taught me anything, it’s that there is no sex sign more unequivocal than teaming up with your sworn enemy to throw stage punches.

LOL. So yeah, have fun, don’t stress, and it’ll all be fine. Cheers!

#reylo #tlj marketing #reylo fandom history #long post #text #asks and answers #anonymous asks #ask pacificwanderer #this is kind of snarky lol #I don't mean that if you didn't see it and just came around to it during TLJ #that you're wrong #basically any snark is directed towards the people who thought #it was okay to be a dick to the fandom for no good reason #changing and growing is a part of life #targetting people online with hate over a kid's move #and working to not include them in greater fandom discussions #is gatekeeping and makes me very angry #man I gotta go get some work done lol #Anonymous

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freereignastarwarsstory · 7 years ago

Text

Chapter 8:Trials

Disclaimer: We (@zazabelle and @draksisreborn) own nothing but our OCs. Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilm and Disney. Please review and enjoy this latest installment.

Rating: T

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Cenden was stunned. The girl next to him remained speechless as well.

The open door seemed to swirl in darkness, a void of all light.

‘How? Neither of us reached out to form this. The doors just opened?’

“Cenden? Cenden?!” Soron barked, snapping the Jedi out of his daze, turning his attention from the frozen girl to his captain.

“What the heck is this?” Soron asked.

Cenden sighed, running his hand along the back of his neck.

“It’s… it’s a passageway deeper into the temple. But it's also where Jedi go for some of their trials.”

“Trials?” BX questioned.

“The trials for ze final tests to become a Jedi knight. In all honezty, you basically go into these really dark tunnels, and the Force messes with your mind causing you to see your greatest fears or desire, you must pass through these trials alone and survive your fear in order to prove yourself worthy of ze position of Jedi.” Cenden explained before turning to Vis. “Did you go in zhere? Did you pass the trials?”

The girl’s freckles snapped into a sudden shock of bright blue.

“No! I mean yes, but not like ‘officially’. They opened the door a few weeks before you guys got here… I… I thought I had already faced my greatest fear a long time ago, and I knew what the door was so I thought… I’d just stick my head inside the tunnel for a while to see what happened?” she laughed nervously as she crumpled in on herself a bit.

“...Vhat?” Cenden mumbled.

“Why would you do that?” Nek questioned, stepping in.

“I don’t know! Think of it from my position! The Force opened the door for me, but I’m all alone here in this giant temple, no one has ever known I was here, I’d have to face this ‘great danger’ down there by myself too where I could just DIE with no Jedi master to be worried or concerned for me, and my guide unable to help me! Wouldn’t you be a little hesitant to totally immerse yourself in some, not only creepy, but really broken tunnel trials where you know you’re going to possibly die?”

Nek shrugged, “Ya she’s got a point.”

“You can die in there?” the crew could hear Lerti mumble to herself.

“Well it opened for a reason.” Cenden pointed out.

“You got that right.” Vis huffed, crossing her arms in discomfort.

A few of the crew members gave her a puzzled look.

“Did you, see anything when you stuck your head in the tunnels?” Soron inquired.

Vis looked uncomfortable as her freckles faded into a dark maroon, her face twisting into what could’ve been described as sickly fear.

“I didn’t see anything.” She sighed, “It was what I felt was what scared me.”

She paced closer to the door’s opening.

“I know you haven’t known me for very long, but I didn’t expect this door to open again because this was how I got to know you guys before you even got here… When I stuck my head inside the tunnel, it was the first time in my life I couldn’t feel my guide. It was so quiet, so deathly quiet, and I had never been so alone in that one moment. I ran away from the door and later on my guide explained to me that these were the feelings and fears not only of myself, but of these people coming to the temple. The pilot, the engineer, the warrior, the strategist, the captain, and the temple guard. So it can’t be that I need to take the trials, I haven’t even gotten to have the whole ‘student-mentor-bonding-thing’ much less ready to become a Jedi. My guide wants me to go in but…”

Soron stepped up next to the girl.

“But Cenden’s right, it sounds like the Force wouldn’t just open this for no reason.”

“Nothing is without reason.” Vis mumbled almost to herself as if she was quoting something.

Lerti laughed suddenly breaking the solemn mood, “This is insane.”

“I know right!? It feels like a real adventure doesn’t it!?” Vis responded back. “I have to go in there! I have to prove myself.”

“Prove yourself to who?” Soron asked.

She thought for a moment.

“I have to prove myself to myself. That I’ll follow my guide where ever they take me. No matter what.”

“Wait! Shush!” Cenden suddenly burst out.

Everyone fell silent.

“Do you hear that?”

They listened; the twittering of birds, the hum of wind on the slick and cool rocks of the temple, the rain just barely sprinkling down. Vis’ face looked far off, as if she was straining her mind to pick up the sound Cenden could hear so clearly.

It was like a singing he couldn’t describe. A voice saying a million words at once. It was cold and alluring. It was coming deep from the throat of the from the tunnels.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He mumbled as he walked slowly over towards the mouth of the door.

Vis shivered and looked at the captain and the Jedi standing with her, staring into the darkness, then back at the darkness and the ends of her mouth twitched.

“We’re going in there together aren’t we?” Cenden hesitated.

Vis leaned past Soron to look at Cenden and shook her head, her hand slowly raising to point at Soron.

“He’s coming too.”

“What!?” Soron took a step away from the temple door.

“Ya. The Force says you, me, and the Jedi. I mean it’s pulling the three of us anyway.”

“You have GOT to be kidding me!” Cenden repeated.

“Ok, wait let’s just all step back and talk about this for a second because everything is moving very fast.” Soron commanded turning to the rest of the whole crew, before snapping and pointing at Vis. “Ok, you. You’re going to sit down for a second and explain what’s going on, why we’re here, and why you’re here. You…” he barked now pointing at Cenden, “You are going to translate if that one starts not making sense.” he again pointed at Vis, “And the rest of you are going to pay close attention to everything they say. Got it?”

“Got it!” Everyone responded back.

“Ok good. Now, explain.” Soron urged before before backing up and leaning against the wall.

Vis gasped.

“Oh my gosh! I’ll go get my journals! Wait here I’ll be right back!” she squealed, zipping past the crew before anyone could protest.

The crew waited a few minutes for the small girl to return from where ever she had run off to. Lerti scanned about, thinking more intently on a history she never knew existed. Nek shuffled closer to the shelves of holocrons, examining the glowing boxes yet not quite daring to reach out and touch one. Cholmon, who had for the most part just been watching and observing, found a spot to sit down. BX had resumed sorting the holocrons, but keeping his eyes on the temple tunnels. All the while Cenden and Soron talked quietly.

“...The girl was right though. She wasn’t ready to go into the trials room. The Force is strong with her, but she hasn’t received any of the necessary training for the Force to believe her ready to become a Jedi.” Cenden contemplated.

“Then why open it? And if we were suppose to go in with her, why open before we got here? Why do we even need to go in there? Why do I need to go in there?”

“Soron… I honestly don’t know what’s going on. That girl acted like we were suppose to know a lot more than we do… And the way she talks about the Force. It’s like she’s talking to a person.”

“Yes, she seems quite prepared for us, so what are we expected to do?”

Just then, a voice erupted from further down the halls.

“HEY GUYS! OVER HERE!” Vis shouted from down the rows of shelves.

At the end of the shelves you could see a small figure hopping up and down excitedly waving her arms through the air.

“COME ON! WE’VE GOT STUFF TO SHOW YOU!” she yelled before turning and sprinting down one of the shelf halls.

The crew looked around, not quite knowing how to respond other than a shrug and a turn to follow. As the group walked cautiously down the hallways of holocrons they could hear childish laughter and the patter of footsteps echoing in every direction, it was hard to tell where it was all coming from.

In a galaxy full of oppression and despair, how does one act around someone so free of all that strife? Someone so free of all of that pain? Do they know how lucky they are? Or is it pure ignorance that keeps them happy?

This was the summary of the crew’s thoughts as they walked towards where they’d last seen the child disappear.

“Oh! I almost forgot this one!” Vis’ voice suddenly appeared next to them as they turned to see her swiftly grabbed one of the holocrons off the shelves.

Her arms were filled to the brim with scrolls, books, and holocrons of every shape and size. Her face was alight with pure excitement, her freckles shifting out of neons of green, and yellow, and orange.

“Come on! This way!” She elated as she powered through the group, running towards the center of the library.

As they followed, the library quickly opened up into what looked to be a large seating area. Ancient tables were almost indistinguishable from the piles of rubble and debris lying about the center of the library. Many piles looked as if they’d been pushed and shifted over, but none of them cleaned up. Over in one corner, Nek spotted a pile of blankets and makeshift pillows stacked up into what looked to be a reading nook. In the center of the reading area stood a console of some kind, it’s octagonal shape seemed to have nothing more about it than a slightly cracked old screen and a few ports running along the edges.

Vis squated near the console, carefully placing down the selection of holocrons and books she’d collected on the floor before spinning to turn towards her audience.

“Ahem.” She cleared her throat, looking to make sure her guests were in attention, “For the past five years, I, Vis Alacritas, have lived in this temple and have been working closely alongside the Force to record, decipher, and understand prophecies yet to occur in our time through the teaching of the holocrons, books, and scrolls left here.” she paused for dramatic effect, “Now that I have this information, I’ve basically been waiting for something to happen. I’ve learned a lot, I have way more to go, but I believe the Force brought you all here to help with this mission.”

“What is the mission exactly?” Nek stepped in.

Vis smiled, crossing her hands behind her back.

“To help the Force carry out its purpose of course. Ya know, warn people of impending doom, saving the galaxy, all that good stuff.”

The crew was silent for a moment.

Vis’ smile swiftly swept from confident to uncomfortable.

“I mean! We wouldn’t probably be directly responsible for the whole ‘saving the galaxy’ thing. But ever since I’ve been here, my guide’s been showing me history and prophecies given to Jedi, Sith, and just Force sensitives in general. I’m pretty sure most of the writers of these things didn’t know what they were writing about, they were just given instruction and followed it. I mean…” She picked up one of the holocrons, “This one is mostly filled to the brim with proverbs and stuff, but when applied to the context in that book,” she pointed at another one of her picks, “The meaning completely changes. The Force picked out these particular books, and not all of the info in them is from the Force I’ve noticed. But the stuff they did write that was from them seems to all sort of connect into a weird series of warnings and signs to watch out for, important events that have happened and will occur and stuff. But they all seem to be leading up to something big.”

Everyone remained silent, taking in Vis’ words.

Suddenly, Cholmon chimed in, chuckling a bit.

“Well Soron, you said you wanted answers to the meaning of life and all that crap. Looks like the Force answered you.” By the end of his sentence he was actually laughing.

“Why are you laughing?” Vis chuckled along nervously.

“Because! I never thought in my entire life that Soron’s crazy vague mission would actually amount to something! I mean, seriously! He lured that Jedi onto our crew, convinced him to help us find a holocron, followed a star map to this random moon, and now! Here we are! Soron you crazy son-of-a-nerf herder.” Chol continued laughing out of pure joy, wiping a tear from his face.

Soron smiled, the crazy realization spreading across his face before in moments he was laughing along with Chol.

Vis’ face lit up at their joy, “You did it! WOO!!!”

Vis began jumping about. Soron and Chol, still laughing, cheered her on. Nek and Lerti joined in with their shouts, like a war cry finding new vigor. Like warriors filled with a new reason to fight. To those of them who could sense it, the Force pulsed about the crew members, a strange joy could also be felt in it. It was probably one of the underlying reasons for the crew’s joy, and those who could feel it could felt it.

Finally. Someone to listen, someone to act on the Force’s behalf. No light side, no dark side, just the Force and all that was to come. They’ve taken a step, now what?

The laughter died down and Vis collapsed in a smiley pile on the floor, clutching at one of the journals she had brought in her piles of holocrons and scrolls.

“I can’t believe this is really happening.” Vis breathed from down on the ground.

The sound of a metallic cough suddenly caught the crew’s attention. They turned to see BX standing at the back of the group, pointing over his shoulder.

“I don’t mean to interrupt your joy, but it seems the Jedi has wandered off.”

Everyone leaned in a bit to catch a glimpse of Cenden disappearing behind one of the bookshelves…

They stared in silence with a shrug before Vis suddenly gasped and shot off the floor, sprinting towards where Cenden had turned the corner as she screamed, “SHOOT WHERE’D I LEAVE MY LIGHTSABER!?”

The remaining crew gave each other a look before the realization came over them as well and they all took off in the same direction.

Cenden was walking off in the direction of the trials room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I ran at full speed, the Force had branched off while I wasn’t paying attention. Something was happening, Cenden was going into the tunnels now and there’d be no use trying to stop him. The path was clear and strong.

I reached out my hand along one of the shelves as I ran before I realized that’s where I’d left my lightsaber. Gripping the cold metal as it slid into my hand, I could hear the sound of the others not far behind.

I tried to steady my breathing as I ran, fear began to consume me as I sensed futures falling steadily into place. Sensing Cenden in my mind, it felt like the Force had consumed him. He knew that he was walking and, where, and why, but he wanted to go. Whatever was calling him, he was choosing to follow this path.

‘I guess that’s a good thing?’ I told myself as the sound of a crash erupted behind me.

I winced at the shouts of anger that followed.

‘Robot. Warrior. Engineer. All just fell. Unlikely that was an accident. And Chol doesn’t look particularly fast. Soron’s not going to stop, he’ll catch up with me in a moment. No hesitation. You can do this.’

I rounded the corner as I watched Cenden cross over into the dark nothingness of the tunnels.

I heard Soron’s running steps now close behind mine.

‘Here we go.’

“CENDEN WAIT!” Soron yelled.

At the same moment Soron and I jumped in after him as the doors began to slide shut.

I squeezed my eyes shut, I whispered into the darkness, “Please don’t leave me.”

The doors shut. It was dark and I felt like the tendrils of the paths snapped in the mouth of the sealed door. I was alone.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Cenden blinked in a strange sudden realization of where he was as Soron pulled at his shoulder.

“Cenden, what in the world!?” Soron bellowed in the darkness.

Cenden shook his head, taking a step away from Soron’s grip. Fear began to steadily overtake him, his mind, his heart, every part of him, coming to conclusions of where he was and what he’d just done. When he’d been standing there listening to the girl, he could sense the Force was with her words. The more she spoke the more he could feel a thread attached to the words she spoke. It started pulling at him, he knew where he needed to go next, and why he needed to be in here, his feelings clear… But now the thread was faint in the dark, he couldn’t quite tell where it branched off to. He remembered the feeling of this sort of place though it had been so very long ago, and now here he was again.

A pit further dropped in his stomach as his surroundings became more apparent. Soron was here.

‘A non-force sensitive standing in the middle one of the most dangerous Jedi trials to be faced. If the part of the trial was to show you your greatest fear and use your feel will to overcome this without the Forces help…��

“Soron where’s Vis?”

The two went quiet, at the edge of Soron’s range of hearing he could just barely hear panicked breaths echoing at the edges of the tunnel.

Cenden’s lightsaber half blazed to life, filling the tunnel with a brilliant yellow glow. Soron and Cenden turned towards the sealed door to see Vis, back turned to the two. Her breathing looked unsteady as she was visibly trying to calm herself. The girl’s fingers twitched on her hands and her freckles had turned to a purple so dark it was nearly black, but a few spots still buzzed with a bright blue hue.

She turned around slowly to face them.

“S-see?” she stuttered her eyes wide in their sockets, “The three of us are in the tunnels now. Together. Just like the Force said.”

The captain and the Jedi looked at each.

“What do we do now?” Soron asked.

Cenden turned towards the tunnels, raising his lightsaber above his head to see further along. The ancient halls were… broken, to say the least. Whatever had caused the collapse of the building hand caused the even further collapse of everything underground it seemed. The cave-like stone walls were buried and smashed by what looked to be walls and floors from the rooms and buildings above, some of the branching hallways looked impossibly sealed off and it was even hard to tell where the original floor was lay the debris. Even the air hung musty and heavy with mildew in the shadows.

“This isn’t right.” Cenden muttering as he lowered his lightsaber, “This isn’t a trial room, these are ruins behind a sealed door,” he glanced at Soron, “We need to get out of here.”

Cenden turned and walked towards the door that had sealed behind them.

“What are you doing?” Vis’ voice on the verge of defiance.

“I’m getting us out of here, I don’t know what I was thinking but this is a mistake.” Cenden aimed the blade of his lightsaber at the door.

“Hey! Wait!” Soron commanded as Cenden’s saber shot at the metal.

SSHHOOOM.

The three lept back in surprise as sparks exploded off the door, the saber bouncing off the metal in a bright flash. The trio was left staring at a large burn mark that had cut across the metal door.

“Whhhhoooaaaa what!?” Vis rushed to the burn mark, observing its smoking figure, “The saber should’ve slid right through the metal… Whatever the material of this metal is, it must be kyber crystal resistant.”

She reached out her hand for a moment before quickly drawing it away from the heat before it made contact, instead suddenly pulling something out of her pocket. The sparking-green glow of her damaged lightsaber suddenly sprang to life as Vis prepared to take a huge swing at the door.

“Whoa whoa whoa. Nope.” Cenden commanded as the switch on Vis’ lightsaber suddenly switched off and she nearly tumbled over swinging through empty air, “Not doing zhat.”

Vis yelled in protest as Cenden pulled the lightsaber out of her hands.

“I guess that means we’ll have to find another way out of here. Let’s move.” Soron instructed with a wave. Pulling his blaster off his back he turned the light on and started down the tunnels.

Vis looked from Cenden to Soron before shrugging and running after him. Cenden watched the two walk down the tunnel for a moment, glancing back at the burn mark left on the sealed door behind them. Clutching at his lightsaber, he took a breath and started down the only path left. The only path the Force had made for them to follow, stuck without any other option…

‘Just love pushing us around down you?’ Cenden thought to himself as the clouded feeling of the tunnel began to dampen at reality.

From here, you could hardly trust yourself, let alone two other people. One of those people being heavily armed and virtually no way to disarm him, peacefully that is. And who knew what the girl was capable of.

He caught up to them in a few well placed steps. The sound of water droplets echoed around the caverns, resonating off what looked to be broken casings of the “veins” Vis had caused to glow in the temple above. Working their way down one of the piles of rubble, they came to what seemed to be the first hallway of the trials room, a good 10 feet below where the original hallway had lay. In front of them stood…

“Three doorways.” Vis’ voice suddenly reverberated down each one.

“Think we’re each suppose to go down one? Because this one,” Soron shown the light on the third doorway piled under debris, “Looks pretty blocked to me.”

“We’re not supposed to do anything. We need to get out of here and fast.” Cenden argued, walking up to one of the doorways. “We’ll just pick one and go.”

“Wait. Can you still hear that sound? The singing or whatever?” Vis asked.

“How’d you know it was sing-…?”

“Lucky guess.”

Cenden sighed, “It’s… coming from the middle door I think.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

“Perfect! Then we’ll go down that one!” Vis started down the hall before Cenden stuck his arm out to block her path.

“The deeper we go into the temple, the more this place is going to mess with our heads. Seeing what happened to the crew in the forest is enough to convince me that whatever happened to Soron and the crew before will probably happen again. And I’m not one for following what the Force tell me to do anymore if I want to live.”

Vis blinked a few times, “...Did you ever follow it before?”

“FOR THE LOVE OF-!” Cenden yelled with fury, taking a step towards Vis.

Then, he froze.

They all did.

“...Oh no.” Vis whispered.

She could hear it, a whispering of emptiness in her head leaking out of her ears. Cenden felt the panic, the fear pooling slowly into his mind, drip by drip. Soron… Couldn’t… Move.

In the fog pouring out of their minds, shapes began to take form. No matter how they blinked or squeezed their eyes shut, the images remained in front of them. Ghosts of the past bounding towards them without a care in the world.

“NO. We are NOT doing zhis now!” Cenden’s lightsaber erupted into the darkness.

“rrrrRRRRRHHHHH.”

Growling vibrated around the cavern.

Cenden and Soron tried to break from the spell, flashing their lights down the tunnels open. Vis sucked in a scream. Down the middle tunnel, shadows with fangs stood waist high on two legs, in a pack crowded and hungry ready to advance. Their eyes reflected the light off in an eerie red gleam.

“Can I have my lightsaber back now?” Vis spoke.

The creatures howled and began a frenzied run down the tunnel.

“CAN YOU GUYS SEE THESE THINGS TOO!?” Soron yelled above the firing of his blaster.

The creatures made their way out of the tunnel, one leaping without warning at Cenden. His saber burst through the side of it.

“THESE AREN’T THE NIGHTMARES.” Cenden tossed the body aside, “These are real.”

Through the cloud on his mind, Cenden pulled at the Force. Vis’ lightsaber flew from his holster straight at the girl.

A thump was heard in the cacophony of blaster fire, “OW! Sorry, was supposed to catch that right!?”

The green-sparks flew into the fog. Cenden watched in horror as Vis sliced through the air at the creatures as if she was a primitive poking at the danger with a fiery torch. And still out of the corner of every eye, the figures of fear in the fog still stood, waiting to talk. Nightmares observing the massacre.

“How are we supposed to tell what’s real and WHAT’S NOT!?” Soron’s blaster fired again.

“IF IT’S ATTACKING YOU IT’S PROBABLY REAL!” Vis called from across the cavern with a yelled, “AW MAN. I think I just blinded one of these things! I’m sorry!”

“Don’t apologize to it!” Cenden called back as he sliced through two more creatures.

“Sorry!”

“Why are you apologizing to ME now!?”

“Both of you, shut it!” Soron yelled as he shot another of the beasts with his rifle. “We need to move or we’ll be overrun!”

Amidst the fight, dust began to tumble splits in the cave walls.

“Well what would you suggest?” Cenden yelled, stabbing another creature before shoving its body back. “We don’t exactly have any options!”

No sooner had Cenden spoke than the cave floor began to crack and splinter underneath Vis. Her eyes flew to Cenden as she tensed to jump before the ground gave way.

“VIS!” Soron yelled as he dived to catch her, “NO!”

His hand missed her’s by inches and she disappeared into the black abyss.

Cenden pulled at the Force like claws attempting desperately to grip and snag any piece of her he could manage but the fog pushed him away from her.

The ground cracked away even further.

“Soron! Get away from the edge!” Cenden called as more of the floor collapsed, taking some of the creatures with it. Soron began to stand but then fell to one knee, his breathing becoming quick and panicked.

“Not again.” He spat, hands gripping his head. “Get out of my head!” He howled.

“Soron, it's just the Force messing with you. You can fight it out.” Cenden said.

A snarl caught Cenden off guard, twisting his blade through the air a second before one of the creatures nearly lunged past him as it charged towards the captain. Soron, now barely conscious gripped at his head, his eyes squeezed shut. Cenden threw his saber out, bisecting the creature before turning back to Soron. Cenden knelt by the captain, placing a hand on his back as they both stared at the endless void the young girl had disappeared into.

The cave shook. Cenden looked around them, the cave seemed to only be further destabilizing, even the creatures had fled back to wherever they came from.

They needed to get to cover now. The entrances? The hole in the ground? We don’t know if Vis survived the fall let alone each of them…

Soron let out what sounded like a choked cry.

“Hey are you-” His sentence was cut off as Soron swung his arm around, knocking Cenden off his feet and back several feet. “What the-!”

“Get away from me you monster!” Soron howled, eyes filled with fury as he lunged towards the Jedi, claws extended.

Cenden quickly ducked beneath the wild swipe before pushing the Shistavanen away. Soron tumbled through the first doorway, out of sight of the Jedi.

The Jedi nearly fell to the ground as the ground beneath him convulsed. Boulders about the first doorway tumbled as Cenden threw himself backwards only to see above the gap in the floor, the rubble making up the ceiling had began their decent as well. He rolled. The ceiling crashed.

“Sithspit!” Cenden cursed before coughing violently to clear the dust from his lungs.

Cenden stood cautiously from the ground as the vapor of the debris cleared. To his left, the first doorway was completely blocked under the piles of rock that had previously been so carefully stacked into the wall of the tunnels. To his right, dunes of dirt and remains of rock had buried the third doorway even further AND the gap in existence the girl had fallen into. Behind him, he might be able to climb the piles that had stacked up around him and maybe attempt to pry the seal door open again… but in front of him lay perfectly clear the middle doorway. Through which, Cenden could still hear the slight sound of singing, high and quiet in the white noises that were quickly filling his eardrums.

He felt the pull of the Force in his chest.

Of course, it would make him make the choice.

Choices, choices, choices. Pathways. Futures.

His breathing became violent and heavy, his fist clenched tightly at his side.

“SITHPIT! SPIT! SPIT! AAHHH!” Cenden bellowed into the echoes of the tunnel, “YOU JUST LOVE TELLING ME VHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO DON’T YOU!? GO HERE! GO ZHERE! WELL GUESS WHAT!? I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE BECAUSE YOU LEAD US TO DEATH! WE FOLLOWED THE FORCE AND THE FUTURES AND VE’RE DEAD. ZHAT GIRL THAT SEEMED TO WORSHIP THE FORCE, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE SEEMED TO, IS PROBABLY DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU. AND ZHE CAPTAIN, WHO BELIEVED IN THE FORCE MORE THAT ANY NON-FORCE WIELDER I’VE EVER SEEN IS CRAZY! YOU SENTENCED US TO DEATH…!” His voice choked up, tears streaming down his face, “You sentenced us to death… All of us. They were all slaughtered by the hundreds… Why?”

The ringing in his ears drown out the world around him. In the blur of his tears, a shape formed in the darkness of the tunnel. A hooded figure in temple guardian attire stood before the Jedi. Cenden sucked in a breath.

“The Force didn’t sentence us to death…”

“No…” Cenden took a step back.

The figure looked up from beneath the hood.

“We did that ourselves.” The memory of a man reached out his dark hand towards Cenden, “I’m sorry, but there’s something you need to finish.”

“No… It’s not real. It’s not real.”

The man laughed, sadness of the edge of his voice, “No old friend… Cenden? Is that what you’re calling yourself now? Sadly, this is as real as it gets. But the Force didn’t sentence us to death. Please there’s something you need to see again, and something new.”

“You’re sick! Bringing him back like this! How could I follow this path any further? Look where it’s lead us, and to think I almost trusted it again. Leave me alone!” Cenden scoffed, turning towards the piles of ruin behind him to begin his struggle up the dirt.

“The Force didn’t bring you down here for no reason Cenden. Come see where this path ends, perhaps finishing it will bring peace.”

Cenden froze in his climb.

He couldn’t leave those two down here, if Vis wasn’t dead and Soron not… Whatever he is at the moment, then maybe there was a chance to save him. But to think of himself as a puppet to the Force any longer…

“You’re not a puppet Cenden, we are all made with choices to make.”

He yelled and pounded the dirt, sending up a cloud of dust around him before and turned and slid back down the pile, trudging towards the doorway to the figure standing before it.

“Choices as long as they’re the ones you want, right?” Cenden retorted before footsteps followed the ghost.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I felt as if I was falling for years.

A tumble and jumble of limbs flapping endlessly through the air along with the rocks and dirt cascading down with me.

I hit the ground.

“OOF…! Huuuurrhhh…”

My body crumpled in on itself and every bone threatened to snap under the strain of my propelled force. But more importantly at the moment, I couldn’t breathe. The air got squeezed right out of me on impact.

My body tried to squirm around to figure out where all the air went but every part of me refused to move, I could only manage to twitch. At the same time I couldn’t see anything in the darkness around me, but somehow even the pitch blackness looked to be swirling in a vortex.

I suddenly gasped for air as it felt like my head was splitting in half while I rolled over onto my back.

A sense in my legs suddenly came rushing through me.

‘Move.’ Some force whispered… Some force?

‘My guide!?’ I thought suddenly before the space around me shook and above, it looked like a storm of rocks and clouds was forming through the hole in the sky. ‘Uh oh!’

I pushed myself into a roll as piles of debris from the room above came careening in waterfalls into the space I had just been laying. Coughing the dust out of my mouth, I realized two things right away. One, if there had been any lick of light in here it was now twice as dark as it had been a moment ago, so I must’ve fallen through the floor… and now the hole I fell through was covered in landslide. Two, how had the place I had lived in for so long be so dangerous all the sudden. And three, I sensed my guide’s presence again! ...Oh wait, that’s three things… My head hurts.

I tried to roll over and stand up, but my ankle screamed in protest. I guess it didn’t matter if I could stand up anyhow. As I had searched my body over with my mind, that the one moment I had been able to sense the Force before the debris fell was all they were going to give me. I was alone.

‘I can’t do this. I’m nothing without the Force, I’m nothing without them to tell me what to do.’

“M-my guide? Please… Help me…”

No sooner had the words whispered passed my lips, did the darkness begin to come to life.

I shut my eyes and plugged my ears, ‘The trial… I’m not ready. I can’t do this without you. Not alone…’

“You’re not alone my darling.”

I gasped, my eyes fluttered open and a cry flew from my mouth.

“Mommy...?”

There she stood, a shape in the darkness, but it was her. I jumped up from the ground and ran to her. My ankle suddenly tore but before I hit the ground, warm arms were around me holding me from the fall. I looked up to see her face just barely visible in the dark.

My breathing became labored, tears fell from my eyes in droves. I wanted it to be real. I wanted her to be there. But somehow I could smell the scent of blood and smoke still emanating off of her; I didn’t care, I pulled myself into the body closer and closer, wracked with sobs.

“Mom… I’m suppose to be strong for you. I’m suppose to be strong with the Force… But I can’t. I’m afraid. I’m nothing without the Force, I can’t do anything without them. Please, stay with me. I don’t want to be alone.”

“Vis… You’re not alone.”

I choked on a laugh, “You already said that mom.”

This time, she laughed.

“Because you didn’t hear me the first time. You’re not alone now and you never will be.”

“But… But you’re not really here. Without my guide to tell me where to go… I’m really alone. I thought I didn’t need anyone or anything as long as I had the Force to guide me. I don’t need friends or family or anyone besides them… but I was wrong. I’m wrong. I still- I still need you. I want you to be here with me… I need you to hold me and tell it’s gonna be ok even if I know it won’t. I’m stuck down here and I failed the test. I’m going to d-die down here, and I never realized I wanted someone around to be here with me for that. Mommy… I still need you. Please.” I whispered the words softly in her embrace, like a secret between confidants.

This time I heard her take a sob of a breath. I looked up in surprise. The apparition of her shaking and tears streaming down her face.

“I want to be there with you too. I want to hold you and kiss you on the nose, and listen to your laughter and see you grow… I want to be there for you too…” She took a shaky breath as she combed her fingers through my hair, “But you’re not alone. Your guide will never leave you; I haven't left you Vis. But this was something you had to see. You’re not alone, and through the Force energy is neither created or destroyed, only transformed. You have a new family now. They will not replace the ones you had and loved, they in no way can parallel them, but they can be there for you, to help to figure out how to do things on your own, to fight for the Force and for yourself. They have sorrows and secrets of their own, and I know you can teach them what they need to know, about the Force, about me. The path is clear… Go, now. Follow the paths. There’s a future to be set into place, the adventure you’ve been waiting for…”

“Wait! Don’t go!”

“I’m not going anywhere Vis, but you are. Now, go, if you choose.”

With that, she vanished and the cold floor was all that was left beneath me.

Suddenly, I felt energy rush back through me. I gasped as if the breath of life had left and returned to my body. I also felt the strings of futures, old and new weave their web back through and around my mind. But I was still crying.

Trying to calm myself I sniffled as I stood before I heard a voice not far off echoed softly throughout the dark.

“Vis.”

I looked up to see a man with a crop of blonde hair standing in the dark.

Cenden.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Soron found himself no longer in the dank cave of the ancient temple. He saw the forests ringing around him; needle-like spires of stone rising even taller than the flora. His nose smelled the familiar scent of clean air, woodland, and...blood.

His eyes snapped up at the Shistavanen before him, and to the gaping wound dripping from the man’s chest.

“No.” He gasped, taking a step back. “Not again.”

“You did this to yourself Soron.” The older Shistavanen said. “You did this to them as well.” He gestured to two nearby bodies.

Bodies lay strewn across the forest floor. The bodies of Soron’s friends.

“You…” Soron began, fighting back hot tears. “YOU MONSTER!” He howled as he ran towards him, claws ready.

His opponent merely sidestepped and kicked Soron in the stomach, sending him tumbling forward. Soron only snarled and rushed at him again. His opponent once more sidestepped his wild charge and brought his own claws on Soron’s back, cutting deep into his shoulder and back.

“You can’t beat me, you know that.” The older combatant mocked as he looked down on his adversary.

Soron spat on the ground, crouching low once again. “I don’t care.”

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Cenden saw four figures emerge from the darkness. Small, hooded figures clad in coarse brown robes. Cenden shook his head in confusion. The figures flipped their hoods back in unison, revealing childlike faces.

The faces of younglings.

Cenden felt a momentary feeling of relief surge through him at the comforting sight. A moment later four blue blaster bolts exploded from the darkness, tearing a hole through their chests, each crumbling to the ground.

“NOOOO!” Cenden screamed in anguish.

However, the four younglings rose to their feet, eyes glazed over yet filled with anger.

“You let us die.” The rightmost youngling, a Twi'lek, said with an echoing voice.

“You let us die. You let us die.” The rest continued to chant, eyes boring holes into Cenden’s soul.

He turned to run, but found himself rooted in place. His finger instinctively activated his lightsaber, causing the ghostly younglings to reel back in horror. They receded into the darkness as another group took their place. This time it was several colonists, clad in only dirty rags. Behind them emerged stormtroopers, forcing them to their knees and aiming their blaster rifles at their backs.

“Please,” a human woman begged, tears cascading down her face. “Save us.”

Cenden strained with everything he had against the invisible bonds, but couldn’t move. Their cries tore through the air as the red bolts tore through them. Yet like the younglings before, they rose to their feet, wounds still sizzling and stormtroopers now gone.

“You let us die!” The woman shrieked, now a banshee leading the cries of the dead. “You let us die! You let us die!”

“I’m sorry.” Cenden broke down, body slumped and tears welling in his eyes. “I-I was”

“A coward.” A booming voice called. “Couldn’t you have saved them? Couldn’t you have done more? Couldn’t you have just died instead?”

Soon Cenden heard his own voice uttering the same words.

“The risks you took. The lives that were lost. And for what!?” Cenden saw himself standing in front of his own eyes, “For this husk that roams the galaxy before you now? What will you do now? Gain riches for yourself? Gain riches for others? For what purpose did you live? What use have you done with the efforts of the lost souls you’ve gathered in your heart?”

Cenden cried out as he fell to the ground, the beating of many hearts pressing up against his own.

“19 souls and that makes you 20. They made their choices. What choice do you have?” He heard himself say the last part loud and clear.

He took a breath and stood to face himself. He stared into the cold eyes of the man before him and saw the reflection of a much younger self in the glass, clad in guardian’s robes.

“I was not a coward.” The lips of the reflection moved along with his words, “There was nothing more that could’ve been done besides my own death, and what would that have solved now? They made their choice. Now I make mine.”

In the reflection, Cenden threw off the old personality, bits of the fabric still clung to his own skin, but before him now stood the perfect mirror image of his own self. His new self. The eyes were still clouded, but no longer in them did he see a young temple guard, he saw Cenden Sondron.

The fog parted.

Cenden fell to his knees while the visions about him faded away. As he stared at the ground, a foot suddenly came into view. He looked up to see the smiling face of his old friend.

“It really was good to see you again.” Cenden smiled.

The figure turned with a nod and strolled further into the darkness, “I’m sure we’ll meet again soon with the path I’m taking you on, but for now you have much to learn.”

With that the figure faded quickly into the distance before it vanished, and a smaller figure stood in his place.

Cenden breathed a sigh of relief.

“Vis.”

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Soron stumbled back, panting as he inspected his wounds. His energy was nearly gone, and his wounds were plentiful, his opponent in a similar shape. All the while his head felt like it was going to split apart. He couldn’t let the pain distract him, he had to win, he had to avenge them. It couldn’t end like this, not again. Not ever again.

“This can’t go on forever.” The older Shistavanen taunted.

Soron’s ear twitched. He had a plan this time. “Only one of us walks away from this.” Soron looked up, lips peeling back from his fangs. “And I’ll go down fighting.” He said as he made yet another seemingly blind charge.

His opponent smirked as he prepared the same maneuver as before. But this time, Soron turned on a dime, claws smashing into his opponent's stomach as the other’s blow sailed above his head. He fell to the ground, but Soron was quickly on top of him, pinning his opponent's arms under his legs as his hands gripped around his head.

“Please don’t do this Soron! I was only doing-” He began to plead.

“I don’t care. Your words are meaningless.” Soron snarled as he began to pull.

“Please! I-” The voice was cut short as Soron twisted, a crack reverberating through the small canyon.

Soron panted as he stumbled away from the body before he fell to the ground, clutching at his head. It was too much.

He curled up into a ball on the soft forest floor, needles from the trees poking at his ears and arms. It felt almost comforting to feel those sharp objects driving into his body, like a distraction from the needles in his mind.

‘If I am to die. At least I will have avenged them. At least I killed him.’

“Yes, yes. Good job you killed me. Again.”

Soron let out a frantic yell as he tried to raise his head from the ground. It couldn’t be. It’s impossible.

“Oh but it’s quite possible as most things are.” His father came walking into view above him. His head lolling a bit to the side, but his face in a state of obviously disinterest.

Soron’s hands pushed harder against his temples as he screamed.

“Please stop that. You’re the only one making him look like this. You’re the only one creating this memory. I could’ve tried to meeting with you anywhere, but it’s easier for ones like you to be in the memory that most frequently defines one’s on character. And even then…”

The pain escalated in his head like a bottle ready to pop.

“Who… Are… You…!?” Soron yelled as he spat out as many words as he could muster.

“Why is that always the first question people ask? I guess I have the answer, but questions are so much more useful. And you, my friend have a lot of questions, so let me raise a few more. Did you really not notice that the scenario that just played out already happened? Did you not notice that you thought the same thoughts as before? Did you not notice that killing your father helped nothing but yourself? Your friends are still dead, and the death of one more changed nothing. Soron… You want answers, but you have to be willing to change some things in here, you have to be able to see things from a larger perspective than this.”

The ground fell away, he howled in agony as his whole homeworld came into view. Space engulfed his vision and his body dangled in the open air, he felt like he was being lifted by the threads of his brain.

“I need people to help me, it’s been so long since I’ve had proper help. Someone who’ll listen and follow my instruction. That’ll question me and not take advantage of the gifts I give. I’m done for now with those who are sensitive, I want those who’ll listen. Now listen. I have a plan for all of you, a destiny if you want it.” His father’s face began to melt away, Soron couldn’t see them anymore, it was like talking to an invisible star, energy pulsating from all around.

He screamed and tried to pull away, he struggled for only a moment more before he took a breath, and clenched his teeth and watched.

The planet that had been near him morphed and changed until it appeared to be a mind filled with an ocean. He looked off now into the ever expanding space, and saw more of them appearing. Some red with desert, some green with earth, some blue with rain, some yellow with sun. The minds all connected. All of them perfectly linked. 66 of them.

He screamed as his mind felt like it burst and everything went dark.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

“CENDEN!”

I have no idea how or why I could see him so clearly in the dark, but I didn’t care. My legs acted on their own, speeding across the surprisingly even floor faster than a rogue speeder bike. Tears streamed down my face as I saw him turn and start running towards me as well.

My foot suddenly stopped moving.

“AHH!”

I screamed as I flew forward barely catching myself as I hit the floor.

I stumbled up swiveling about to see what stumbled into me before I bumped into something else from behind.

I jumped. Turning, I could see Cenden’s face in the dark, plain as day.

“Cenden!” I yelled in joy as i jumped into a hug.

I don’t think I remembered the last time I hugged a person that wasn’t a really saddening Force illusion. Might as well be a potential Jedi Master. He coughed and patted me on the back a bit before wiggling his arms in a signal to shake me off.

I released the prisoner, smiling up at him and his angry face. Strangely enough, he looked different. I hadn’t known him for very long, but the lines on his face looked a lot less creased and a lot more… Calm? I guess that would have to be the word.

“Glad to see you’re ok.” He observed.

“Well I mean physically I sorta hurt everywhere, and emotionally I ALSO hurt everywhere. BUT I’m not dead and that’s great! Where’s Soron?” As the words passed my lips, a stomach chilling thought occurred as I turned around towards the lump on the ground.

Cenden watched as I reached out into the dark, blindly feeling for where the lump had been. As I did so, I could feel something building in my mind like…

My fingers met the squish of cloth and flesh.

I screamed as everything came rushing in.

The floor, the ceiling, the life, all of it connected and breathing and swarming and and…

I took a breath as I felt the pull and push I the Force’s warm smile in my mind, swimming about, looking through my head, like a bug returning to its hive.

“I missed you so much. Don’t you ever leave me again.” I whispered to myself as I felt the life force of Cenden and Soron connect with my own through my guide.

My mind flashed back to my mother sitting in the darkness of the cave… I guess the Force hadn’t left me, had it?

Cenden walked over the kneeled next to me in the dark. I noticed his face was no longer illuminated by whatever had been making it glow.

“Oh my god, Soron.” I could hear Cenden mumbling in concern as he flipped the captain over from his crumbled position on the ground.

“He’s alive. But he had a lot of energy build up inside of him… He still does actually.”

“I warned him.Who knows what it did to him.”

I looked at Cenden.

“Let’s find out?”

I placed a hand in front of his face. I let the tendrils and threads of energy flowing off his mind begin to interweave into my own. I pulled. And pushed. And pulled!

...Nothing.

“Vhat are you doing?” Cenden exasperated.

“I’m um, trying to read his mind or something? Or at least try and move some of the energy along.” I sighed as the connection sagged.

“Well, zhat’s not how you would try and do either of zhose things.” He now placed his hand in front of Soron’s face.

“Don’t you have to ask Soron to read his mind first?” I questioned as I scooted closer.

He was quiet for a moment, “Thoughts are easier to hear when people are asleep, but a lot more jumbled.”

I felt the Force draw in around him. I sort of tried to “keep tuned” to feel what he was feeling. I could feel the Force surround the thoughts in Soron’s dormant mind as well as Cenden’s own. He seemed to be, rather than pulling and pushing like most things felt, almost unwinding his mind. Or perhap drilling deeper. Then he simply waved the connection away and felt for what was underneath, it was simultaneously terrifying and beautiful. But something felt, wrong.

The thoughts came rushing out.

A geyser and we were caught in the blast.

I screamed as images and thoughts burst into my brain. Pains, scents, sounds, but most importantly, the darkness above us opened up into space itself.

I looked over at Cenden only to catch a glimpse of my mother, a dark-skinned human, and a grizzled old Shivasten standing in front of Soron’s still unmoving body.

‘I’m having a vision… My guide. This is a vision.’

The figures stepped closer together as the slowly faded into a light of seven different colors… Why did I know that?

The light all shown in every direction it could, mingling with the light of the stars above. They we saw it. Planets fluttering about through space like petals off a tree.. Or sparks off of a fire. I could see four great fires igniting from two eclipses, one from a moon one from a planet, but with two eclipses comes two suns. Twin suns. Twin lights. Twin voids. And two shadows. All of these still clung to a tree, whose branches were alight but nothing burned, Only its petals that departed burned for a short while before scattering to stars. The tree’s roots stretched so deep that no rain water could penetrate it, only water from the deepest and longest river. And finally, I realized I’d stood and walked forward. I walked steadily among the tree’s branches, yes, this was where I needed to be. Where I wanted to be. The glowing veins of the tree all so perfectly interconnected and wove in such a way that made perfect sense in that it made no sense at all. Always with second meaning, always with more to be discovered. And more to be understood. A star unfurled from a constellation. I held it in my hands for a moment before the light filled my eyes.

I walked with Cenden and Soron for a while in the light, my guide swirling in waves about us in the most serene silence.

Then there were other colors, and sounds. So many sounds.

I felt something touch me, but it felt like a shock of lightning. Blinking, the blurry form of a Mandalorian came into view.

Looking back, I saw Cenden and Soron laying near the entrance of the trials room, the door open. I also looked down to see a polished white orb shimmering in my hands.

Lerti was saying something, and Nek was reaching for something, but I was too tired. So I nodded, hoping that would look like I knew what they said as I slowly descended to the ground, curling up with the circle close to face.

Then I closed my eyes to sleep.

—————————————————————————————-

Link to character designs: https://zazabelle.tumblr.com/post/163154250430/hello-everyone-over-the-course-of-this-summer-me

#Free Reign: A Star Wars Story #free reign #chapter 8 #star wars #star wars fanfiction #trials #zazabelle #draksisreborn #Chapter 8: Trials #fanfiction #this is the longest chapter

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stonefreeak · 7 years ago

Text

Another update! Here we go, y’all. The rescue in action! There remains references to the injuries described in the previous ficlet, but it’s not as graphic.

Warning: This deals with the aftermath of an explosion.

Vokara Che is drinking a glass of water when it happens.

The Force shrieks, tearing through her, and in her shock her grip on the glass slips. It crashes against the floor of the Halls of Healing, splintering into a million pieces and splashing water everywhere. She pays it no attention, still lost in the feeling that washed over her through the Force.

Coming back to herself, Vokara looks around the Halls; all the other healers have stopped just as she did, looking around as if searching for danger—which means Vokara was not the only one who felt it. That is interesting, but also horrifying in its implications. What in the core worlds happened?

“Master Che?” Alana Kee, a Zabraki Jedi Knight specialised in burn injuries, calls for Vokara’s attention, her voice shaking. “W-what was that? You must have felt it too, Master…”

“I did.” She stares at the broken glass at her feet, uncomprehending. Slowly, oh so slowly, understanding dawns. “Whatever it was, it must have been what Master Yoda asked us to be vigilant of this morning…” she trails off, horrified at the implications.

“Everyone! Grab the kits I had you pack this morning! We could get a call at any moment and time could be of the essence!”

There’s a mad scramble in the Halls, all healers not occupied with patients rush to get their field kits.

Vokara stares at the main comm, hoping it will ring and that it won’t.

Minutes pass, slow and excruciating due to the ringing coldness of the Force. And then—!

Beep! Beep! Beep!

She reaches out for the comm, her hand shaking almost imperceptibly, and answers, “Halls of Healing, Master Healer Vokara Che speaking.”

“Yoda, this is.” The grandmaster sounds stressed, the from the background she can hear the sounds of running. Her stomach turns, but she steels herself with a deep breath.

“Master Yoda. Is this about the Force crying out?” Her voice feels strained and sounds it, even to her own ears.

“Felt it, did you?”

“We all did.”

There’s a brief pause, the Grandmaster likely collecting his thoughts, slotting this new piece of information in with the others.

“An explosion at the Senate, there was. Commed for help, a trooper did. To the hanger, Master Che, you must come.”

An explosion. At the Senate.

“Is Master Kenobi…?” she trails off, unsure how to word her question.

“Know, we do not. Unable to move, the trooper was. Know Master Kenobi’s status, he did not. Injured, Master Kenobi could be.”

“We’ve already packed our field kits, I should be able to make it to the hangar with a few other healers in five minutes.”

“Good, that is. Hurry, we must.”

The comm ends. Vokara takes a short steadying breath, before she turns to the room at large, looking at her fellow healers.

“Kee, Malan, Brahaa, Mil, and Pulsarleap, with me. The rest of you, prepare beds and bacta tanks. There has been an explosion at the Senate, Master Kenobi could be injured, we do not know his status as of yet. There could also be other injured parties, so prepare as many as we can spare. Make haste!”

“Yes, Master Che!”

~~~~

Padmé hugs herself as she stares at the smoke rising from the senate office building. Many senators and their entourages have already left the premises to return to their apartments, unwilling to stay close to the possible danger. Padmé, however, finds herself unwilling to leave. She hasn’t seen any signs of Obi-Wan, and that… that can only mean bad news.

“My lady, we really should return to the apartments. You’ll be much safer there,” Motée says, standing close to Padmé, a source of warmth and strength.

“No, Motée. Not until I know more about what happened.” She shakes her head. “Besides, the attack wasn’t against me.”

Motée looks like she wishes to argue, but ultimately relents with a soft ‘yes, my lady’ and returns to keeping a close eye to their surroundings.

“Padmé!” Bail Organa calls out from across the plaza, his large frame easily recognisable.

Relief washes over her as he hurries over to her. “Oh Bail, I’m so glad to see you safe. I have such a horrible feeling…”

He grasps her hands gently in his own. “I’m so relieved to see that you’re unharmed. While I knew the affected section was rather far from yours... Well, you can never know where someone is in the building, can you?” He smiles weakly, likely worrying about the same thing Padmé is.

“Do… do you know anything about Obi-Wan, Bail?” It’s a long shot, but if he knows, then…

Sabé’s hand is warm in the small of her back, a light grounding pressure.

Bail shakes his head sadly. "Unfortunately not. We had a meeting scheduled at thirteenth hour, but... I don't know where he was to be before then. If he was in the Chancellor's offices when the bombs went off he should be fine, but... Well, his schedule is only available to him, so I can’t know for sure."

"Of course not.” Padmé concedes the point with a tilt of her head. If the senatorial schedules, the supreme chancellor's especially, weren't locked behind numerous firewalls to keep them safe, assassinations would be far easier to facilitate as bounty hunters or assassins could check in advance where their target is supposed to be.

There’s a brief pause. Padmé swallows and tries to gather her thoughts.

"Do you think..." she trails off, unsure how to finish her own sentence. Could Obi-Wan have been in the epicenter of the blast? What if he's in there right now, dead on the ground, as they stand here unknowing?

"Calm yourself, Padmé. Don't imagine the worst just yet, it's fully possible his guards simply smuggled him out a different route to keep him hidden and safe. We don't know that he's been hurt, so we should keep our hopes up."

Padmé chuckles, though it wavers and sounds rather shrill. "I would feel much better if the emergency response forces were here already and taking care of things, or at the very least the judicial forces." She shakes her head. "This is the Senate Office building and yet the response from the judicial forces and medical emergency teams has been unforgivably slow!"

As she says the words, the sound of a ship landing draws her attention. It's not one of the standard ships, in fact it—!

"A temple ship? What are the Jedi doing here? And how did they get here so quickly?" Bail sounds puzzled.

Padmé’s stomach drops to her feet and a lump forms in her throat.

“Wouldn’t the troopers guarding Obi-Wan have a comm-number to the Temple?” she rasps out and swallows thickly.

Bail stares at her, eyes wide, before he turns back to the smoking building.

“Oh no…”

~~~~

"Go first, you should, Master Koon. With you, Master Che take. Stay here, Master Fisto and I will. Talk to the Judicial forces, someone must," Master Yoda says just before the ship lands outside the building.

"Understood, Master Yoda," Master Koon says, and nods to Vokara. She nods in return before she turns to the other Jedi waiting.

"We'll be heading into a building that is currently on fire. Be alert, we do not know if there are more bombs waiting or not. A clone trooper called Waxer has informed us that there are huge slabs of debris we might have to move, so be prepared for anything. We do not know how many injured there are, so stay on your guard and search for survivors through the Force. Master Kenobi and the Senators may be our main priority, but we cannot be remiss with any other lives who might have been caught in the blast."

"Yes, Master Che," Master Mil says with a nod, the others around her nodding in agreement.

The ship doors open and Vokara and Koon step out into the light in tandem. The plaza is less crowded than she would have expected, but perhaps a lot of the senators have simple left. Unimportant at the moment. If they find any still inside, then it will be something to think about.

She nods at Koon, and with a short application of the Force they're off running. There's no time to waste—lives might depend on them getting there quickly.

~~~~

Padmé stares as a group of Jedi sprint toward the office building. They're too fast for her to make out many details, but she could swear it’s Master Koon of the High Council at the front of the group.

"Master Yoda!" Bails voice rings out. Padmé turns her attention to him, and then follows his line of sight.

Standing by the transport is Master Yoda and a green-skinned nautolan Jedi Padmé was sure she recognised, but whose name she can’t seem to place at the moment. Behind them, moving inside of the transport, are a few other Jedi she doesn’t recognise.

Bail walks up towards them at a fast pace; Padmé quickly follows but has to jog keep up with his large strides.

“Senator Organa, Senator Amidala. Good to see you well, it is,” Master Yoda says as a way of greeting.

“Master Yoda,” Padmé says slightly breathlessly, “What brings the Jedi to the Senate?” She glances back at her handmaidens, who’ve fallen back to allow some small privacy, while remaining close enough to protect her should anything occur.

“Called by a clone trooper, we were. Help with the aftermath of the explosion, we will. Healers, we have already sent in.”

Healers being on-site, Jedi healers at that, does ease Padmé’s worries somewhat. If there are injured people inside the building, they couldn’t be in better hands.

“We’ve remained behind to speak with the Coruscant emergency response teams and judicial forces once they arrive,” the Nautolan Jedi says and crosses his arms over his chest. “And one healer has remained to keep sick transport prepared for any injured people the search team come across.”

"That is comforting to hear, Master Fisto," Bail says with a nod.

Oh, yes, Fisto. Master Kit Fisto of the Jedi High Council, that's who the Nautolan Jedi is, now Padmé remembers. In fact, she's a bit embarrassed that she forgot in the first place, but she forgives herself considering the circumstances.

"However, Master Jedi, is there perhaps anything you could tell me about Chancellor Kenobi? I'm... quite worried, I'm sure you understand," Bail continues, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Tell you, we cannot. Have news for you, we do not. Remain silent on the topic, we must." Master Yoda's ears droop, and he looks older than Padmé has ever seen him before. Her stomach twists and she worries. That does not sound promising.

~~~~

"There is a fire in sector 23B-42H. All building occupants are requested to leave the building immediately," the mechanic voice drones on and on, as the Jedi move through the empty halls as fast as they can.

Stretching his senses out, Plo Koon finds some life forces ahead of them. They should be nearing the epicentre of the blast soon, which means they should soon come upon injured people—be it senators or administrative staff.

"Help! Please! Someone!" A voice, hoarse and strained, calls out. A survivor. One who likely has not had contact with anyone else yet. Boil likely did not find her during his investigation of the surroundings before meeting up with Waxer, then.

Rounding a corner, Plo skids to a halt. The destruction of the hallway is immense, and on the floor, covered in cuts and with pieces of plastisteel and durasteel embedded in their body is a female Chagrain.

"Help, someone please help me!" she calls out again, before she breaks down into sobs. He moves toward her, but Master Che is faster, with another Twi’lek hot on her heels.

He watches as they kneel down next to the injured woman, speaking to her in low voices, soothing. Then Master Che reaches out with one hand and gently touches the woman's forehead and she falls asleep.

“Knight Malan, take her back to the ship and have them prepare her for surgery and bacta immersion,” Master Che says to the Twi’lek at her side.

“Yes, Master Che,” Knight Malan says with a nod, her lekku twitching, before they both get back to their feet.

Master Che’s eyes meet Plo’s. “We keep going,” she says resolutely.

~~~~

"Do you hear something?" Ha'han-ash says, her head tilted to the side. There is... something, in the far away. A voice, she thinks, though indistinct.

"Do you mean besides the messaging system telling us to evacuate the building?" Senator Chuchi's face is strained, and her blue skin has taken on a grey hue—almost ashen—and sweat gleams on her face. Ha'han-ash presumes the pain of her injuries must be immense; the damage to her leg looks awful.

“I think… someone might be coming for us,” Ha’han-ash says, though it strains her voice terribly. Unless they get help soon, she fears… Well… The trooper who found them said his partner is calling for backup, so they should be found soon.

Someone must come soon. If they don't... Ha'han-ash would prefer not to think about it, but with the way Senator Chuchi looks and the way her own lungs feel—breathing is heavy, voice is strained, drawing breath hurts—she doesn't think they can go much longer without medical attention.

Boil, as the clone trooper had introduced himself, had told them that his partner was calling for help, so the Jedi should be coming. She has great faith in them, they will be here soon, and their skills with healing is greater than almost any others in the galaxy. They will be fine.

If they can just hold out long enough.

She closes her eyes and lets herself slump back against the wall, much like Chuchi already has, and tries to focus on keeping her breathing steady. She... she wishes that Boil had stayed, but she understands that he had to keep searching for the Chancellor—of course he did—but she simply would have felt more secure with him still here.

The ominous creaking of the roof above them and the crackle of fire from far away leaves her acutely aware of their situation.

Bombs. In Senator Biwa's office... Why in the core worlds would anyone want to assassinate him? He's of a mid-rim world of minimal influence in the senate at large. Of course, if Cyllian III really wished to get out of this whole dispute about the deal, then killing the senator would certainly be a working solution... for a time.

But... it doesn't make sense. It's a plausible explanation for sure, but why would they have set off the bombs on the same day as their own senator would be visiting Senator Biwa's offices?

Unless they didn't know... The senatorial schedules aren't open to the public. They're stored on Senate servers behind multiple firewalls... But...

She breaks off into harsh coughing that rattles her chest and leaves her heaving for breath. Her head spins and she presses one hand to her mouth, the other clenching in her dress.

She tries to keep calm, but panic is clawing at her with every laboured breath she takes. She might die here. Die here in an assassination attempt made towards someone else. Now. Now that she has finally reached an influential position. Now that she may finally start help burning out the rot at the heart of the Republic.

It cannot end like this. It cannot.

"I think... I think they're coming," Senator Chuchi suddenly whispers, her voice thin and shaky.

Ha'han-ash can't answer as another round of coughs tears through her.

Footsteps, low voices speaking—arguing—and relief washes over Ha'han-ash like a tidal wave from the great sea.

Help has arrived.

~~~~

Boil's plan was to find the General, and depending on his condition either bring him and the senators in succession to Waxer to keep them all in one place. But once he finally found the General...

He gnashes his teeth together and pushes down the nausea that's been present along with the dizziness ever since the blast.

He holds the General's hand in a grip as hard as he dares, and makes sure he can see Boil at all times—Boil's helmet now on the floor next to him.

Boil tried talking to him, but he too seems to have been deafened by the explosion so instead Boil just stays with him.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

When Boil gets his hand on this assassin he's gonna beat the fucker to death for this. People can say what they will about the clones, but he and his brother are fucking loyal, and this is his General—his General who can barely breathe because of the huge durasteel rod piercing his chest, who seems utterly confused, whose eyes are unfocused, and who might be both bleeding out and dying from lack of oxygen at the same time right in front of Boil.

He knows Waxer called the Temple for backup, but he can only hope that they arrive in time, because General Kenobi doesn't seem to have much longer—at least not without medical attention.

He'd like to keep an eye out for help, but he can't look away from General Kenobi's pale face, and the way it glistens from sweat in the dim light.

He'll never forgive himself if Kenobi dies under his watch. He promised Cody he'd look after him, and he's his General. And though Kenobi would never ever ask for it... Boil was made for him.

The General squeezes his hand suddenly, bringing Boil out of his thoughts. There's a weak smile on the General's lips and he looks almost... grateful.

Then his lips move, he's saying something. Boil looks at his lips intently, determined to not miss these words, because they might be the General's last...

"I'm glad... I'm not alone... In the end..."

Boil's heart breaks.

~~~~

Vokara presses on ahead. Trooper Waxer is in good hands with Kee and Aldan, the senators will be fine in Master Mil's capable hands, and she's ascertained the direction Trooper Boil went in to find Master Kenobi.

Oh by the Force let them be in time.

Master Koon is at her side as they navigate the destroyed rooms carefully. How far was Master Kenobi thrown by the blast? He's far removed from the others—or perhaps it only feels as such with how slow their progression is from fear of causing further structural instability.

Her heart pounds in her chest as she rounds the last corner.

She stops.

She stares.

She moves.

Master Kenobi may be impaled by a rod of durasteel, but they will not lose him. She is the Master Healer of the Jedi order, and she will not rest until she has ensured his survival.

The Force hums with approval. It is not attachment that drives her, nor is it the fear of loss, instead it is the bone-deep knowledge that they need Master Kenobi that moves her hands, sets her will, and helps her draw deeper on the Force then she normally would in a situation like this.

He must live until she can get him proper care.

Wrapping her hands in the healing Force, she places one on Master Kenobi’s forehead and the other on his chest. Diagnose and treat what you can in the field to stabilise the patient is the name of the game—a game Vokara Che will not lose.

~~~~

Padmé draws closer to Bail’s side, her handmaidens a cluster around them, as the crowd and holonet reporters swarm the plaza, trying to get close enough for an interview with them or the Jedi.

She’s grateful the Judicial forces arrived before the bloodsuckers did, or else there might truly be chaos. She watches the door to the senate office building, the way there paved clear by walls of officers, desperate for the rest of the Jedi to return.

Two already have, a healer and a knight, carrying an injured chagrain with the Force, together loading her up in the ship to take her to the Temple’s healers.

Padmé is… slightly surprised. She would have assumed that they would only bring Obi-Wan to the Temple healers, and let the rest be taken to a regular emergency medcenter, but… No, it appears like they will take all victims they can find.

To keep them safe? To be able to ask questions? To ensure they get the best possible medical care? All of the above?

She’s not sure, and she’s hardly in a position to ask—especially since a conversation out here in the open could so easily be overheard.

Her musings get interrupted by Master Yoda’s comm beeping. She looks at him out of the corner of her eye, trying to appear unaffected and as if she’s not planning to listen in on whatever will be said.

“Yoda, this is.”

“Master Yoda, we’ll be bringing two injured troopers, two injured senators, another two injured aides, as well as Master Kenobi out shortly.” Master Koon’s deep voice sounds worried, Padmé thinks. It’s hard, sometimes, to tell with Jedi. They’re just too good to appear unaffected.

There’s a brief pause.

“Please make sure the way to the transport is clear, Master Yoda, it is… quite urgent.”

Oh. Oh no. Oh by the Gods.

Padmé’s stomach turns as she watches Master Yoda and Master Fisto talk with the head of the judicial forces to ensure the way be kept clear—reporters and civilians on both sides screaming questions and taking holopictures.

Shadows appear in the door, and she swallows harshly.

First are two Jedi carrying a zabraki woman and a selonian man with the Force.

Next, two Jedi carrying senators Ha’han-ash and Chuchi in much the same way.

After that, two clone troopers, one being supported by the other.

Last…

Oh…

Padmé breath catches in her throat.

Oh, Obi-Wan.

If it wasn’t for the Twi’lek Jedi walking next to him—floating on a piece of rubble as he is—clearly speaking with him, she would have thought him dead.

Pale and ashen skin, bloodied tunic, and pierced through the chest.

The noise of the crowd grows larger and larger until it reaches and almost unbearable level. Padmé leans heavily against Sabé and blinks rapidly to keep her tears at bay.

When the transport leaves, Master Fisto, Master Koon and two more Jedi stay behind.

Finally Padmé allows her handmaidens to lead her back to her apartment. Only once she’s finally in the safety of the privacy of her home does she cry.

~~~~

Vokara Che stares at her hands, as she washes the blood off them. The dyed pink water flushes down the drain of the sink, and she keeps washing and washing until it turns clear. Her head is still ringing with the cry of the Force, despite hours having passed since it occurred. Exhaustion seems to settle in her bones, and as soon as her hands are clean, she leaves the bathroom to take a much needed nap in one of the designated sleep areas of the Halls of Healing.

For the moment, there is nothing more she can do. She’s done all she can, and now, all she can do is place her faith in the Force.

“Alana,” she says, as she passes the Zabraki Jedi, “If anything changes, wake me up. I’ll be in the blue sleeping area.”

“Yes, Master Che,” Alana says with a nod of her horned head, before she turns back to the datapad she was looking at.

Vokara casts one last glance at Master Kenobi, floating in the bacta tank as he is, before she leaves the room.

The walk to the blue sleeping room feels longer than ever, and Vokara doesn’t even bother to disrobe before she crawls on top of one of the beds—it’s just a nap, anyway.

The pillow is soft and of just her preferred model—it’s why she always goes to the blue room—but even that doesn’t help her stop her spinning thoughts.

When Master Yoda had come by during the morning, before heading to meet with the council, and asked her to keep the Halls ready for anything, she hadn’t expected something like this.

Two Jedi known for precognition sensing something common is rare, and worth preparing for as it will almost certainly come to fruition. And yet, Vokara had placed her hope in the small chance that Master Yoda and Master Kenobi were wrong.

Master Kenobi…

She presses a hand across her eyes.

‘Sleep, Vokrara. There’s nothing more you can do for him right now, it all comes down to the will of the Force,’ she thinks, slowing her breathing.

Sleep.

—

(Supreme Chancellor Obi-Wan Kenobi masterpost)

#Supreme Chancellor Obi Wan Kenobi #my writing #obi wan kenobi #yoda #vokara che #plo koon #clone trooper boil #padmé amidala #bail organa #whoop whoop #I'm so tired #watch me regret this in the morning #lol

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cthulhuofficial · 4 years ago

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Forgot to mention my other SW crack theory: I have a theory Disney is MCUing Star Wars right now, and collecting a bunch of Jedi that they'll eventually bring together for some purpose. Ahsoka, Omega, Grogu, Ezra, Cal Kestis, Hera and Kanaan's son (all Disney-owned and created properties with no baggage). Maybe they get together and fight Thrawn.

Too bad about the sequel trilogy having to be the destination... The sequel trilogy seems so poorly thought out with so few roots in any other SW history/cultures ("the first order is here!!!" And no explanation of any of the intervening time), and it also feels like anything BIG that would've happened in between should've been... Mentioned? Alluded to? Particularly a group of supposedly dead wizards who band together for something.

They could do it on the low, and it could be covered up by the first order, but nonetheless it seems like it should've been alluded to at some point, it's kinda doing fans of those characters dirty to have them die in some meaningless battle and then never be mentioned again.

Here's my crack theory about Omega on Bad Batch.

I knew immediately she was a female-ified clone, of course, and because the Kaminoans kept such a close eye on her, I also predicted she was their first Jedi/Force-using clone. Then she kept knowing things before they happened and she made that incredible blaster shot, and I thought it was interesting that they did not accelerate her growth the way they did the other four members of Batch 99 because this hearkens back to the Heir to the Empire trilogy, wherein they found that Jedi clones who were accele-grown went mad. That's all above board.

Here's the crack: Omega's character design is so evocative of Ahsoka Tano - the colors and markings on her clothing, the huge eyes, the forehead jewelry (yes, I know the Kaminoans also wear those, and Omega's looks like a Kaminoan's, but they didn't want to give it all away!!) - my theory is that the Kaminoans spliced Ahsoka DNA into the male clone DNA. That's really distasteful and prolly too dark for a kid's TV show, but that's why it's a crack theory.

#a #a watches stuff #/#//#///#star wars

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prepare4trouble · 8 years ago

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Star Wars Rebels fanfic - Catching up (1/1)

(Part of the Little by Little AU)

Zeb exited the ship and turned in the direction of the base supply depot. If he was lucky, AP-5 would be busy with something else, and not only would he be able to get the equipment he needed without having to endure a barrage of insults, he might be able to snag another packet of waffles while he was at it. He probably wasn’t going to be lucky, though. He rarely was.

He stopped himself a split second before he accidentally brought a foot down on one of the dokma that made up the swarm that had suddenly and inexplicably descended onto the base. Instead, he stepped carefully around it and trained his eyes on the ground to avoid the rest of the things.

As he walked, or rather, picked his way among them, he glared down at them with a mixture of confusion and frustration. It hadn’t been so bad a few days back; there had still been noticeably more, but they hadn’t begun to impact operations. Now, the population had exploded for no apparent reason, and he was having to think about what they were going to do if it just kept getting worse.

From a security point of view, it had the potential to be a major problem. If people couldn't freely move from one part of the base to another, that would slow reaction times in an emergency, and potentially put lives at risk. Even in non-emergency situations, it wasn’t useful to have the ground filled with moving obstacles just the right size to get underfoot.

He stepped around a cluster of four of the things, and over a fifth that was traveling slowly past them, then took a few more steps, taking care not to raise his eyes from the ground just before his feet, and almost walked straight into Kanan. He was saved from an actual impact by the Jedi’s quick reactions; Kanan dodged out of the way, expertly avoiding another group of dokma as he did.

Zeb cursed under his breath. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m so busy trying not to trip, that I forgot to look out for other people.”

Kanan nodded. His lips stretched into something that resembled a smile, but it faltered and disappeared almost instantly. “I know that feeling,” he said quietly.

Right. He would. In a way. Zeb glared down at the dokma again. “Yeah, well the little bogans need to clear out now, it’s getting beyond a joke. Someone should tell them this is our land. They can crowd out the whole planet over there in spider territory, but we need to be able to move around our own base without having to dance around them.”

“Technically,” Kanan said, “they were here first. We just came along and built a base on top of them. We can’t blame them for doing what they’ve always done.”

Typical Kanan response. Or, typical response from Kanan now. A year or so ago he’d have been leading the charge to get rid of the creatures.

“Yeah, well it’s ours now,” Zeb told him. He sighed and nudged one of the creature’s shells with a toe. “Where’ve you been anyway? Haven’t seen you all day.”

Kanan visibly hesitated, then shrugged. “I spent most of the afternoon with Sabine," he said. “She’s… trying to teach me something.”

“Teaching you?” Zeb grinned. “I bet that’s a change of pace, isn’t it? No offence, but I can’t imagine you as the student.”

Kanan shrugged. “I was a padawan once,” he said. “And I’ve learnt a lot these past months.”

That was true; when Zeb thought about where Kanan had been four months ago and compared it to now, the difference was incredible, but he had been his own teacher; there had been nobody around to tutor him. Ezra was lucky in that regard.

Well, ‘lucky’ might be the wrong word.

“So what’s she teaching you?” Zeb asked. The only thing he could imagine Sabine knew that Kanan didn’t, was how to paint and draw, and if she was trying to teach Kanan that...

“She found something. An alphabet that...” Kanan licked his lips and folded his arms. He looked thoughtful, as though he was trying to think of the right way to explain. “It’s a way of reading by touch,” he said. “It’s interesting, as an exercise, but practical applications? I’m not sure.”

Of course. Sabine had shown it to him once, the night after Ezra had told them. Half excited by her discovery, half embarrassed that she might have made a mistake by pinning her hopes on it, she had talked him through the basic information, explained how it worked, told him how she thought it might help. He tried to remember what she had called it. Something about tactics, or… no. The tactile alphabet, that was it. He didn’t know whether that was its real name, or simply the words she had used to describe it.

She had only spoken about giving the information to Ezra, she hadn’t even mentioned Kanan. It made sense though, he’d benefit from it just as much.

How a person was supposed to learn something like that, though, was beyond him. That night, she had shown him the printed version of the alphabet, then a few days later, a sheet of bumps she had gotten from who-knew-where. The patterns of the dots appeared completely arbitrary; though he figured there must have been some kind of a pattern to it, he couldn’t figure it out. Not that he had tried particularly hard.

“So she got you as well as Ezra,” he said.

Kanan hesitated again, then shook his head. “Not exactly. Ezra’s got a lot going on right now. Maybe he’ll try it later.”

Translation: the kid had thrown it back in her face. Zeb couldn't exactly blame him, the whole thing had looked incomprehensible, and Kanan was right, Ezra was dealing with enough already, the last thing he needed was to have to take on some kind of academic study as well. It wasn’t like he was a big reader anyway. Probably figured it’d be a lot of effort for no real gain.

“Yeah,” Zeb said. “Doesn’t look like an easy thing to learn anyway.” He raised a hand and wiggled his fingers demonstratively. For all the good that would do around Kanan. “I mean, for me it’d be impossible; you should try reading those tiny bumps with these things. I gave it a go, but I could feel two lines at once. Or one line, and the bottom and top of the two on either side. Either way, you’ve got the right sized fingers for it.”

Kanan flexed his own fingers, as though testing them out. He nodded, and Zeb wondered, just for a moment, whether he even remembered how Lasat hands looked.

“I might be able to learn it by sight, though,” Zeb said, then stopped abruptly, embarrassed as the ridiculousness of that statement struck him. There was no reason to be embarrassed, of course; he could see, of course he was going to do things by sight. Still, recent events had made him very aware that that was not a privilege that everybody shared. “Uh, but of course that’s not what it’s for, is it? I’ve got normal writing for…” He stopped again, not wanting to imply that the tactile alphabet wasn’t normal. But then, it wasn’t, was it? That was why none of them had even heard of it a week earlier. “I’m just going to stop talking now,” he said.

Kanan grinned, then let out a laugh that sounded genuine. He clasped Zeb on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. And there’s no reason you can’t learn it that way, if you want to. Sabine is. I mean, I assume she is.”

But Zeb did worry. He especially worried about saying something like that in front of Ezra; the kid’s emotional state was precarious enough as it was, without people he was supposed to be able to trust hurting him by accident.

“So what about you?” Kanan asked him. “What have you been doing today?”

Zeb glared down at the dokma again. “Dodging obstacles, mostly,” he said. “I’ve put a few teams on collection duty, Hera’s idea. We’re basically picking the things up, transporting them off the base and dumping them. It’s pointless, they’re only gonna come back again. But at least it feels like we’re going something about it.”

“They might not,” Kanan said. “It depends where you’re putting them, and if it’s the direction they came from or the one they’re heading in.”

“Heading in?” Zeb frowned, wondering if Kanan genuinely didn’t know what was happening. “They’re not heading in any direction, Kanan. They’re just wandering around aimlessly getting in everyone's way.”

“Ezra’s got a theory about them,” Kanan said. “If he’s right, they might not be a problem for too much longer.”

“Oh?”

Kanan took a few steps backward, avoiding dokma as he did, and leaned against a wall. There was no hesitancy in his steps, and he didn’t even reach behind him to check that he was in the right place before trusting the wall to be there to take his weight. Zeb watched, fascinated; not only could Kanan navigate the base without sight, he could do so backwards, and surrounded by trip hazards. Even after so many months, it was impressive.

“He thinks it’s some kind of a migration,” Kanan said. “They’re trying to get somewhere, but they’ve noticed the spiders don’t come onto the base and so decided to stick around for a while. He thinks eventually the drive to move on is going to win out and they’ll be on their way.”

“Huh.” Zeb mulled that over in his mind. As a theory, it was as good as any. “What made him come up with that?”

Kanan shrugged. “Ezra has a talent for making connections,” he said. “I asked him if he’d see what he could find out about our new houseguests. I wasn’t expecting much, to be honest; it was just supposed to be a distraction for him. He’s been having a difficult few days.”

Zeb felt an unexpected spike of protectiveness at that. “Why?” he asked, “Did something happen?”

Kanan frowned, looking thoughtful, then shook his head. “Nothing specific,” he said. “People… talk. Some of them talk to him.”

“Yeah,” Zeb muttered. People had been talking the previous day when he had overheard a conversation about the Force. The whole thing had left a bad taste in his mouth, and he wasn’t even the one that it had been directed at.

“Did it work?” he asked. “Did you distract him?”

“For a while.” Kanan sighed, and Zeb got the impression that that wasn’t the only thing that was bothering him. “By the way, it’s dark now, right?”

The question, such an unexpected change of subject, took Zeb by surprise. Before he realized what he was doing, and despite the fact that he already knew the answer, he found himself looking around to verify his response, double-checking as though it might have been a trick question.

Of course, there was no trick. It was strange to think that Kanan wouldn't know something that simple, or couldn’t be sure of it. It was such a basic thing; to know whether it was day or night. He wondered how losing that ability might mess with your sleeping patterns. That, combined with feeling down anyway, there was little wonder Kanan had retreated to his room for so many months.

“Yeah,” Zeb replied. “Pretty much dark. Why?”

“So, say… ten minutes ago, how dark was it then?”

Zeb frowned and shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not an easy thing to describe,” he said. Even putting aside the fact that he knew his Lasat eyes perceived things differently than Kanan’s human ones had, without visual references it was difficult to describe a level of light. “Not quite there, but almost. I think the sun had set, but it wasn’t fully dark yet. Twilight, you know? Why?”

Kanan shook his head. “No reason.”

Translation: he didn’t want to talk about it. Or he couldn't talk about it. Zeb could understand either reason. The most likely explanation was that it had something to do with Ezra; and with the condition currently stealing away his sight. It affected his night vision…

Zeb forced himself to stop thinking. If Kanan didn’t want to talk about it, he probably didn’t want people working it out instead. He wasn’t getting any of those ‘I don’t mind if you guess’ vibes that you sometimes found around a secret from him.

“Can you do me a favor?” Kanan asked.

“If I can.”

Kanan didn’t continue right away. He took a slow, deep breath, and folded his arms, the fingers of one hand tapping on his own arm. If his face hadn’t been partially covered, and if his eyes could see, Zeb imagined that he would be staring off into the distance; not because there was anything there worth looking at, but just to avoid looking at Zeb.

“I can’t be there for Ezra all the time,” he said, “and even if I could, I don’t think it’d be helpful. There are things he needs to learn to deal with that I can’t help him with.”

That made sense. Zeb remained where he was, waiting for a continuation.

“But if you notice anything. Like if you find he’s spending too much time hiding away, or anything like that, can you let me know? Just be on the lookout for odd behavior. Keep an eye on him when I can’t.”

Zeb resisted the temptation to make the obvious joke. He could do that with Kanan, but right now it didn’t feel right. Instead, he nodded. “Already doing that,” he said. He wasn’t sure how good a job he was doing, but he was doing it, and he didn’t need to be asked to look out for his family.

Kanan nodded too. “I figured as much.”

Actually, now he thought about it, on the topic of ‘looking out for his family’, he wondered how Kanan, too, might react to the thing he had overheard the previous day; the idea that the Force was responsible for what was happening to Ezra. There had been an implication there that it had also been responsible for Kanan’s blinding. It was nonsense, of course; all of it was, but just the idea of it made Zeb angry. He didn’t know whether he should mention it, or whether that might make things worse.

He usually found that the best thing to do in those situations was to say something else, and put off making a decision until he knew what might be best. “Hey, talking of odd behavior,” he ventured. “Two guys I barely know came up to me this morning with sketches of Chopper, asked me which one was best.”

Kanan frowned, confused either by the sudden change of subject, or by the strangeness of the request.

“I mean, they were both okay. Not up to Sabine’s standards, of course, but they were just rough sketches, you know? Like they’d just been done to get some ideas down.” It occurred to him as he spoke that drawings and art might be a sore subject. It was too late to back out now, and Kanan didn’t appear to be bothered, but Zeb added it to the mental list of things not to mention to Ezra.

“Sketches of Chopper?” Kanan repeated, sounding confused.

Zeb nodded. “Yeah. One of him just standing there, the other of him delivering a pretty brutal-looking electric shock to some guy. I said that one was best.” He grinned. “It captured his essence.”

Kanan smiled back at him. “You probably made the right choice. Any idea why they asked you?”

They hadn’t actually said, and he had gotten the impression that had been deliberate, but Zeb was smarter than people gave him credit for. “One of them mentioned having some of the sparks of electricity traveling down the sides of the ship,” he said. “Sounds crazy, I know, but I think they’re planning on painting it on one of the fighters.”

“Oh…kay. Interesting choice.”

“I might ask Sabine when I see her, see if she’d heard anything,” Zeb added.

Kanan nodded, then stood up straight, moving away from the wall that he had been leaning on, like he was about to leave. “Sabine could use a distraction,” he said. “Everybody’s a little on edge lately.”

It was tough to argue with that. Zeb sighed, and made a decision; it was better to tell Kanan about the rumours than leave it and let him and Ezra overhear it for themselves. “Hey, Kanan,” he said.

Kanan turned back to face him.

“People have been saying stuff. You know that, right?”

Kanan didn’t respond, he waited silently for Zeb to continue.

“Stuff about Ezra, behind his back. I know it’s probably be be expected, same thing happened when you…” he paused, did Kanan know about that? “Same thing happens every time anything big happens,” he amended.

Kanan nodded. “It does,” he said. “What have you heard?”

Zeb folded his arms — a human gesture that he had picked up somehow without noticing — and tried to think of the right way to explain. “There’s a rumor going around. I did my best to stamp it out, but I can only do so much by standing nearby trying to look threatening while people talk…”

He paused, leaving time for Kanan to make a joke about that. Nothing happened.

“Anyway, they’re talking about the Force making Ezra… you know. Like something’s gone wrong with it, and anybody who uses it ends up…”

“Blind,” Kanan finished for him.

Zeb sighed. Why was it so hard sometimes to say that word? Moreso recently, but it had never been easy. “Yeah,” he agreed.

Kanan half-turned away, as though staring into the distance again. He folded his arms, then went very still and said nothing. Zeb watched him warily, unsure how he was about to react.

“You okay?” he tried.

“Yes,” Kanan assured him. He leaned against the wall again, falling back and allowing it to catch him, then shook his head slowly from side to side. “That’s ridiculous,” he said.

Zeb continued to watch him. He didn’t appear to be angry or upset, he didn’t appear to be anything.

“The Force doesn’t work that way,” he said.

“I know that.”

Kanan nodded. “But I can see why they might come to that conclusion.” He took a breath and sighed deeply. “I should have anticipated this.”

“No reason why you should,” Zeb told him. Kanan had had more than enough on his mind the past couple of weeks, without trying to guess every little thought that might pop into the head of every idiot on the base.

“Whether I should or not,” Kanan said. “I need to decide what I’m going to do about it. And I need to speak to Ezra, that’s not something he should have to hear.”

Zeb shrugged. “In that case, is it something you want to be telling him about? You know the kid, it doesn’t matter where he hears it from, he’s going to end up wondering whether it’s true.”

Kanan appeared to consider that, then turned to face Zeb again. “You’re saying I should let him hear it from somewhere else?”

“No, not exactly,” he replied. He thought about it carefully, running scenarios in his head.

There may be a few idiots around, but for the most part everybody on the base was a decent person who would never deliberately do something to harm another person. Unless that other person happened to fight for the Empire, of course. Nobody was going to go running to Ezra with their theory, not without a good reason.

“Not telling him doesn’t guarantee he won’t hear it,” Zeb said. “But telling him guarantees that he will. Maybe it’d be better to try to contain it, stamp it out. The whole thing might just blow over without anybody noticing.”

Kanan considered that for a few moments. “Okay,” he said thoughtfully. “Can we contain it?”

Zeb shrugged. “We can try.”

For a moment, Kanan looked as though he wanted to argue, or at the very least add another point to the conversation. He didn’t. Instead, he nodded decisively. “Okay, we’ll try it your way,” he agreed.

Zeb grimaced. Like with so many things, they were working by trial and error, muddling through, trying their best, hoping not to do too much damage along the way. It was how things had always been, it just felt like the stakes were higher sometimes. He sighed. “Fancy a drink?” he asked. “I know I could use one.”

Kanan hesitated, like he wanted to agree but had something he thought he should be doing. Something Ezra-related, Zeb assumed. He wondered where the kid was. At the races, probably, it was where he spent most of his evenings.

Or, he had used to. Everything had changed recently, maybe that had too.

“Weren’t you on your way somewhere?” Kanan asked.

Zeb shrugged. “Just the supply depot, but I could see if I can I could find a bottle of something while I’m there.”

“Going to restock your stash?” Kanan asked him.

Zeb glanced at him sharply. “What do you mean?”

“Your secret stash of waffles,” Kanan clarified, with a completely straight face.

Zeb didn’t know how that had gotten out; whether it was just a rumor that had taken on a life of its own somehow, or whether someone actually knew about his personal supply. Either way, it was annoying. It made him feel like people were watching him all the time, trying to prove it true. He folded his arms defensively. “You mean the made-up one that I don’t have?”

Kanan smiled. “That’s the one,” he said. “Anyway, sure. A drink sounds good. I tried the first of the new batch from the improved still the other day, it’s not bad.”

“That’ll do,” Zeb said, grudgingly. “But I was hoping we’d be able to find a bottle of something real. You know the supplies we got from the shipment heading to the Imperial Fleet? I heard a rumor there was some Corellian whiskey among it.”

“That’s true,” Kanan said. “Unfortunately, most of it disappeared pretty quickly. You’ll have more chance of winning a bottle on the races than finding it at the bottom of a supply crate.”

Well, so much for that plan then. Zeb took a deep breath and released a sigh. “Figures. Well, if the still is all we have, the still will have to do. Maybe I will place a bet on the dokma while I’m there.” If he was lucky, he might be able to get his hands on a bottle of the good stuff after all.

#little by little #star wars rebels #swr fanfiction #kanan jarrus #zeb orrelios #dokma #comments are loved

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throwingideasatthewall · 4 years ago

Text

Clone Wars The Mandalore Plot

Season 2 Episode 12

- - 🖕 (I’m sorry that’s just for the morale (Moral) After last episode. .

Any way,

“15 Hundred,”

Five Leaders

One clearly more important,

The Galactic senate was closer.

Republic Senate

Leader

Duchess Saltine . Secretly building her own army . . .

Her business. . . . Separatist ...

She’s already separate ....

Also there’s a hologram so it must be true . Never mind Yoda’s all powerful gossip mill ever being wrong

Can’t have that - So they’re sending Obi-Wan and Anakin to snoop,

Or just Obi-Wan *Pffft*

Claims

Going to snoop - Going to get some tea for master Yoda- -

(I won’t do the standard valley girl- Gossip clichés)

Damn Aight!

Blue Eyes!

Blue Theme

Snar-king

Also is that bitter- ness-

Okay.

Big!

(Scale is nice)

Whelp, White

Big Doors.

Aight Whelp-

Skipped tour

Also, Painting Of Self ... Aight ... Glass . . It’s Glass. (Am I supposed to be getting something big and grand . . Or Holy? . It’s the same as any big building ... With glass

... Does Obi-Wan just have a thing for glass we never knew about ?

Emotions what am I supposed to feel?

Okay ... Recognized ... Also who is this guy? . He’s not really wearing the blue themed clothes of the guards ... and everyone else ... Prime Minister Alec ... Authority assumer . . Public servant

One authority assumer to the other..

Also, like there’s anything else ... Like he still a “peacekeeper” In his job description No?

They haven’t switched it to military yet (Quite) ... False ... IDK ... Yoda’s got holograms. ...

And the damn rumor mill. ... Can’t piss the guy off . . Republic ... Is this a trap? ...

The Dutchess Satine values peace more than her own life.

But no account ability.

Views

What?

....

Past?

Okay yeah he was out of order

But that immediate sharp response Was pretty damn harsh ...

Like dude sounded like he had stabbed his toe against the table —— This dude took it to murdered it’s family ... Why?

Dude ... Assuming a lot of authority . Over the tone .

Like whose family did Obi-Wan’s statement kill

Damn tox.. and sharp . . . Severe ... Are you certain? . . . Damn you want to check their bodies... . . . Ser- iously, You’re here to collect a statement ... (And maybe grab some tea for Yoda... ..

Yeah like dude escalated it to a whole new level ... But you are not helping ... Mandalorian armor ... Right

- How-

Dude seems ,truthful-

Also why is dude here getting the blight of Obi-wan’s rage.

Well

Not exactly formal..

‘Shining Jedi Knight’

What?

‘Again’

Should- I recognize this person

I Distinct

Also did they send someone with the baggage?

After all these years you’re more beautiful than ever

There was no emotion in that line

Flat

But then again maybe he’s moved on ... Is a knight

...

No Attach ment-

Accuses

Treachery

It’s not treachery it’s- leaving neutrality-

But yeah he is a gosp.

Also yeah we just switched towns from a unprofessional to professional (Narc Terms)

Okay

One dude

Why?

He had emotion ... For a moment ...

Aight

Okay..

Right...

—- Right

“Violence,”

Claiming authority over a whole lot of people ...

Dark ... Commandos

He couldn’t have possibly been one guy

Jedi .

Everyone-

People AUTHORITY

. trust worthy

. I know we sound defensive.

What?

No-

Okay, seriously, what is with the tone ...

Like yeah the dude was sharp ...

But not in a defensive way...

In a Whoa WTF Dude, Where Did that come from-

On the Whoa someone’s not in a good mood

Nothing defensive

Dutchess flips on a dime . But that’s on a snark to professional Scale ... Only person acting sus is that dude that has no reason to be here and we have no idea what he’s doing

And I’m kind of worried that’s because the authors forgot to act- ually put anyone acting sus

So just had dude say it

Like yeah it’s obviously him that caused the problem

She has a valid point

They are 100% snoops;

And if you didn’t want him here why did you allow him.

But mostly I’m on Obi-Wan who they continue to treat as a kicked puppy ...

Like no he was fine. till a few minutes ago

And is equally guilty (Particularly of the things he’s accusing him of)

And the tone suddenly changed To a smaller Quasi-one for him

He isn’t innocent

And I don’t know why this keeps happening to the Male characters

When an actual point is brought up against them

But like he was fine taking pot shots At Dude,

Now there’s suddenly accountability

The HECK, Writers,

Oh god,

This is turning Boomer - And the mandate dictating you learn the baggage of the past (Because dear frick If the past Fixed The Past, Absurd)

And not like the present would be non-tox enough not to start shit

...

There seems to be a clear imbalance between How the male characters are written and how the female characters are written

Note; I don’t give a fluff for gender Just that there’s a clear dip In quality emotion

When one it identifies as such Is on -screen . . .

We have three main female characters;

Padme; Who is characterized as a shrew (Fine you can cover to toxic Relation ships)

Ahsoka; A child who acts far beyond her age (Unchildlike Mature) And is held to unfair accountability by the narrative (And assuming Anakin is an adult This is only a problem with the female characters Barisse, Quickly Suffer- Ing Similar...

But not anyone else (The two other un-gender ed Padawans React Ing In Properly Ordered Fear (About)

Now Saltine Characterized Well Her actions pro-claim her A pretty fair Leader (If snippish) Which is fine if you want to write about (Tox Ic And enabling relationships) - The issue. - is the way - The male leads Are portrayed..

Look at this;

What emotion is it trying to portray?

Anger? Jealousy?

Heartbreak

Innocence.. Is the only valid answer I could Come up with..

When I call it,

- “ A kicked puppy dog look,”

I mean;

“Lowering the standards to animalistic To avoid accountability,”

It’s Cheating

If it was hurt, the irises Would Be Dilated Narrow-ed

Lip straight

This doesn’t portray any human emotion

It’s cheating

-Good thing- I won’t ever have to worry about holding Obi-Wan or any of the others accountable -With puppy dog- And it never happens with any of the female characters

Always 100% accountable

Even when they shouldn’t be. .

- Amidala, Saltine And Ahsoka are characterized as shrew, unreasonable (Kicker of puppies) And abomination

While our (main) male characters ... Nothing . The second consequence comes a knocking The puppy Dog eyes - - Come Out-

[Which is unfair To characters of any Ident-ification-

——

That’s enough about the character rants Back to the story

Aight

Seriously, What?

[I know that’s like being threatened by the army..”].

But, dude’s reaction was tame.. ...

Layout keeps changing . [Not a consistency issue, Just a confusion one,]

Okay - No Emotion - Forced

???

Prospere

Also that was a tonal change ...

Whoa ...

Where did these emotions suddenly come from??

Group Death watch

Great

Tox inside enabling ... Re-negades Hey plot relevan -ce

Violence — War

Tox

The very definition of tox

Great

Oh you’re going to solve it with violence..

Aight..

Work- Ing-

Criminals

On going invest-igation - Wide-spread Small

She clearly noted it was small..

Move-ment

Exact-ly

Hooligans

Vandalize

Aight, Adults,

Nothing More

Cus-tody

Con-cord -ia Dude stop being a doubting asshole .

Thank God cut away from this unhealthy-

Anyway, It cuts to what is assumed to be the moon.

Al right just a small camp

If the tox people want to quarantine themselves . . . O-kay . . . Well-

Jedi

Upset

You decide The people you Inter-act With (And tolerate presence of )

Support the Death Watch . Your small club ..... house Isn’t that much Of a concern to him . . . And clearly wasn’t serious . . Duchess Saltine. . . Peace -loving - - TOO subtle. . (She’s still an enabler)

So I wouldn’t get too wo- rried

And

“Promise,”

No he doesn’t . . . this seems pretty particularly a “screw you move”- Sit Ua- tion - How-

Yeah this is a pretty “screw you” situation

Take Over

Whelp.

That’s Am- bitious.

Once the senate

Mandalore

Look, that’s unlikely

Like she didn’t just explain yeah it’s nothing don’t worry about it . . .

Like unless you watch something go down right in front of you.

That’s it —

The “guy who caused the problem, is dead

You’ve been given advanced warning about a group

No reason to escalate

Military Pr esence

Unlike the usual assumed authority they are surrounded with,

This will

piss them off.

Most Dis tast ful

dude’s really assuming the worst but then again that’s the Dark side’s MO

Death Watch

This is really some conspiracy theory territory.

Urgh, this plan really sucks.

Death Watch

Well it’s small, they have armed guards...

Gonna go with no

Back here

Peace-keeper-

Sure

Front lines

Of conflict

Yeah, As in they caused it by assuming authority Inst- - A job he had no authority to do and basically covers all peaceful resolution - Insinuating all the rest of humanity is savages ready to tear themselves apart, and only this dude’s influence - stops the

You know- they could study peace instead. Write articles about it, Do Works. Like you don’t need to start a war... Or assume authority..

To enjoy peace

And to keep it

If it can be done with suffering, it could be done very easily without,

The work of a peacekeeper is to make sure conflict does not arise

No that’s extreme- Authority Assumption

If someone’s going to be a douche bag,

A peacekeeper (Accountable) As someone who doesn’t enable bad behavior (When it is enacted against them,)

And holds them selves Acco untable,

Desc-ription

And your’s is. . . . Seriously both these two have a pretty... negative view of the world. Both operating under a similar; Must control the world, Otherwise every-thing will fall apart- - Though Obi-wan Has A Point; In the fact that his Is a slightly more Per-son al- I must do my part to protect the world, While Salt -ine- “I must get others to pro tect Others They still draw (erroneous) blanks At the “Anyone needs saving from anyone” . . . . Thing-

Realism doesn’t mean terrible . . . (If anything it means having pride in your humanity and what it has accomplished). It’s the very model.. of a good thing. If you’re not toxic)

Ideals . . . “Abandon” - ?

Response

Political convenience . .. More specifically the convenience... of self-destructive.. tendencies

Whelp

What The Frick?

When did this happen?

Seriously leaving unwanton anything should’ve been a warning sign. ... How did no one notice the apparent- Un- Wanted - Addi-tion? - Okay

Well hope you have a good enable healers on staff.

Or maybe just healers..

Depending on the awareness - Okay

Smoke

Hool igans.

Yeah they could’ve

(And we’re probably- going to discover that they did through very complicated means.

Like seriously Obi-Wan jumping to con clusions-

Like five people got slightly inconvenienced

Are we sure it is in a smoke bomb?

Because that seems pretty likely

Considering we haven’t seen any damages so far.

And no one looks dead

Also I guess it’s time to act like a reasonable adult and let Saltine handle her own problems.

Off-world Er

So the Separ atists.

Are you sure of that

You’re the one that brought up that it couldn’t be “Deathwatch”

Stop bla-

Eat shit Obi-Wan

You were wrong

Okay, time to be an authority assumer and launch an attack on those assholes

(What?)

She’s overall peace

She was planning...on bringing those guys in anyway

Hit them. . Hard. This goes far beyond vandalism..

Then show the actual dead..

Because all we saw..

Was a smoke bomb and these guys coughing

That’s pretty damn -close to vandalism

Next to lighting firecrackers..

In the park. . .

Political statement against your government Oh No,

(Is that supposed to be threatening?)

Seriously all they did was throw a smoke bomb and heck off

You

Don’t act surprised.

Palace

Here

(Oh no they might throw another smoke bomb?)

You’re just gonna let him,

Like he has a point

[But still the intensity is way too high for what they’ve shown,]

Oh no, Smoke,

Inter-view

What the heck who gave him that authority?

Like; He’s just some random Senate peacekeeper

That’s...like

No,

Also yet no one needs medical attention so just stay right there

Dude couldn’t have possibly been injured in the attack

Or fled the scene

Or activated whatever it was with remote detonation

And also it’s up-to the apparently neutral peacekeeper instead of any local authority

Like your job is to dispense food and make sure everyone’s ok

And yeah their military and “peacekeeping” Sections are Com- bin Ed (And I’ll admit I don’t know much About assumed authority Lines)

But pretty sure that’s like a dude in military uniform (Out of Country) Yelling that he wants to question people. (Like you don’t have the authority to do that)

And is a pretty good way to get a rock chucked at your head.

Make sure everyone is okay,

Then what about selective immediate accountability thing going on here can happen (Appease Logic,) Scene

Dude’s the guards just freaking, bowed to him

I don’t think- Police National En-for cers - Are usually so kind

To extra- Ven Ous Forces In- ter Ven- Ing- - Like this was exactly what Saltine was talking about . . Overextension of authoritative power

(Not acco-untability just what’s happening)

What?

Was that the carrier?

Who?

You there

Dude, that’s a normal reaction to a military professional Claiming bullshit power,

Dude could’ve probably mistaken you for the terrorists..

Aight, Right,

Also an attack just happened,

(Yeah it’s a little delayed but he could’ve just gotten news)

Okay

Talk

Dude, the dude just saw an attack, saw an individual standing over the body of their leader (armed Jedi- Or Sith) I said person claiming to “stay there”, I’m not saying what he’s doing is right, But you’re having a damn unsympathetic- React-

Older Gentle- Men-

(You know I’m surprise no one blames Obi-Wan, After all, He’s the one that lead her out here,

Would’ve made sense for the carrier Guy, The one that was acting sus, to be the per-petrator

(And he would have the knowledge to frame Obi-Wan)

That would’ve been nice,

Hurt you

You didn’t

(Ergh)

Seriously your leader was just-

No one wanted to take her to a healer?

After?

(Like she didn’t want to get the smoke inhalation thing checked out either?)

Fair (But kinda of stupid)

Yeet

Frick

Movie, You- did not earn the tone to make that work

Seriously dude could be saying “I won’t work with a terrorist,” - Also wow a cult full of old people

Real . intimidating

Well time together of the guards hold a funeral for that guy (Standard Prac -tice) And go kick that moon base.

No- reas-

He died

Yeah, Sucked

But a) don’t make buildings that tall And b) he did that - Damn - Aight - Re- action - Why - Whelp

Ahh, No,

He was all splayed out

There’s nothing dignified about the position

... Emotions Seriously what am I supposed to feel.

Why is there holy music playing in the background?

Also no one wants to get a healer?

Like I know he fell But seriously,

Not even gonna try

(Like I know I’m harsh, But even I would try..

Do Some- thing What-

Why-

Also Obi-won is this the time?

Whelp.

Com-cord-ia

Seriously, and that’s not just do you know a coi-ncidence-

Our moon

But what did he actually say?

[Because if it’s ‘I thought he was a terrorist’, Then fair,]

Body

Escort

Seriously are we not covering what he said?

Like the story seems to be lam -basting him for being Con-cord -ian

But I assume innocence until proven guilty,

.. .

Progress

You can’t even speak their dia-lect

Yeah and I know (body language)

But

“Especially when you’ve just been involved in the death of a colleague,”

She’s got a point?

Seriously, ever since Obi-Wan got here there’s been nothing but destruction

I’m surprise she didn’t kick him right there right now and is like this is why we’re neutral

Like this could’ve been some good story tension. .

So what is the actual plot?

The guy who caused the incident

is dead

The group is extremely small And unable to prevent arrest,

Cord- Random Couple

“I didn’t kill him,”

Dude, seriously

If you were smart you’d leave

And let Duchess handle the problem which she was clearly doing

Before things went to very light shit - At arrival - i’d back away too . “I Know,”

How?

You know what also would’ve been a good conflict?

Duchess arriving in the middle of it..

Only hearing the man say “Don’t do it,” And seeing him fall off..

Obi-wan’s “Catch,” Gesture ...

Mistaken for Shov -ing - Duchess not seeing his face —— Showing the flaws of her assumed guilty - Mind Set-

And make for some good emotional tension - Instead-

Why I’m still talking to you

Despite having nothing to go on besides faith which seems beyond my general compr- ehensive philos- ophy -

(Con sist ent- characterization what’s that?

-Normally I don’t work on the rag on the chara- cterization because yeah adults can change what they do

(but I do think it- could be a bit more knowable - The changes seem to happen randomly - and with little sentiment connection - Or type Of Pre amble,

Don’t get me wrong - It does happen - Rarely - I just think it could be done with a bit more delicacy and consistency - And Care - What is that reaction - What?

Okay..

Alright, What?

Why?

Okay

That’s happen - Ing

First

Right

Okay..

Least they brought a guard..

Aight, Okay,

Con-cord

That’s- a different look

Not Gonna- Com pare-

Agricultural

Wait is that a different planet?

What?

Mining Base

Yeah let’s fuck with Mother Earth

/Con- cord

That can’t possibly go wrong - Forests

Oh, yeah

Dear Frick

Finally growing back-

So you stopped with that?

(No burning pollutants in the air?)

Okay, Well

A more well-established palace than hers.

Which just saw a door and then there was an even a smaller door

And glass..

Appar-ently has a thing for glass.

Whelp-

Okay-

Wait-

The highly industrialized mass of cities- is the Galactic palace

But the former mining facility is a beautiful orderly castle in the middle of a green field.

I think someone got the sets messed up...

Why?

[This is really messed up]

Also yeah there was some kind of terrorism and things got blown up...

That’s weird..

Council -

V-sla

Also one of your guys totally died-

Members

Wouldn’t-

[Okay, hear me out, I know I’m doing a lot of this;

What if this conversation happened before, In the castle;

To give us a list of suspects; And making sense; As she is the top ruler of everything

And then, we broke into these little bits

[Establish the characters

Then make them plot point,]

Also, this wasn’t the scene shown earlier, Was it?

Separatists

That would’ve been a good line earlier

...

Truth

This was the man who murdered

So wait, you did know about that?

So why were you acting like the Separatist claim was so out of the question?

Correct; Reaction “Yes ma’am, of course ma’am sorry about what happened,

We-”

Like Dude is acting pretty chill for one of his citizens screwing someone up

And it’s sus

“Bomb,”

So no one‘s dead?

Also wait ‘Memorial shrine,’”

The heck was that never brought up?

I thought it was just the outside of the castle

The dude screwed with a memorial ?

Why?

[The intensity in this is whack..!]

Hm.

He was apparently part of Death Watch Wait, when was that ever confirmed?

Do you speak?

A worrisome prospect

That’s, your reaction

Pardon

What..?

[The tone is way off.]

Not as in writing a child- like an adult or writing an adult -like a child

(Or Animal)

This is the “What’s the emotion?,”

There’s

Er-

[The tone is so damn-]

Whelp

Aight-

Random Grab!

Not Okay!

Words. (Circ um stance-)

Favor

What

Dinner

- - -

What? The lip-sync’s - Off?

I can’t -tell-

The tone is so - distorted -

Look Around Mining facilities-

Like Seriously -

Do you want-

Also, he could’ve asked for a damn tour

[No need to do this subterfuge.]

Seriously, Obi-Wan is lazy avoidant smart, Till it comes to instigate some shit

Un- necess- arily-

aight... .

Oper-ational

[Damn It]

Tox

Problems

Literally doing it

Right now

Could, just asked for the tour . .

Solutions

No-

Opposed

Well if you actually had some - character-ization

Weren’t

Tox*

|my brain’s starting to go numb

Why?

[Not the brain, The Plot.]

Whelp

Right

Also yeah, dinner after that

Different guy?

Dude- Completely different hairstyle?

Duchess

Condolence.

Retrieve

Seriously,

Just Emot- ion

Very properly

That - looks pretty different-

Where?

Okay?

Sh adows-

Okay cave carvings

Right

Aban- On -ed

I mean

It does

There’s stuff on it yeah

But they could take people for tours down here [The things samples on how it worked)

[People do stupid things]

Wow

OK so they have some helmets because it used to be a manufacturing plant

Makes Sense-

Maybe you shouldn’t screw with someone’s display?

What

One dude

Great, you have one Mandalore enthusiast

Or a role Actor-

Whelp-

Okay-

Mission

With a light saber

Yeah you start a talking

then you do the action [if necessary.]

...

Seriously it’s one guy,

Two?

Okay

...

Dude, Force them.

Obi-wan -

Obi-won sucks..

...

Mis- information

This dude’s a dick isn’t he?

Like, The tone has been damn off ...

But this dude is supposed to be the villain I think

(And it’s not the carrier apparently)

Watch

Death Watch.

Stands

Why do you care?

A person just died

And we’re focused on this?

Like, Ma’am - Is your reputation seriously, The biggest thing worry- ing you right now? —- Without any sardonics - Or any - self-awareness - The tone has been on the floor since we started,

Right

Okay seriously

that’s villain lighting

Engineer

How?

Also, Some guys manage to smoke down the outside of the palace.

This is turning into the intergalactic incident?

It Isn’t-

That’s a very interpersonal matter.

And also ‘oh yeah this is gone beyond anything that I can expect but I won’t question you person who was supposed to keep track of it?

Hmm

Literally..

Nothing about these characters have been established

Are Satine and that dude close?

What

[it is a Mess,]

Along

You

But Is

Se- paratists

Power-ful

Don’t Drink

Also wait what was that logic?

No-

Okay,

What?

Jedi

This one’s weak

[if it was any other Jedi these guys would be arrested

by then]

Harm- less

I mean even with it he was fecking useless..

So you’re going to call Saltine Now?

Love..

Whelp

“Hey Satine I got my ass kicked again,” (Why do they send him on missions?)

Time?

Okay,

Ice

Fair,

General

Good,

Right

He clearly saw that right?

Al -right

Okay, Now,

Fatal-

Why?

Good,

Took .... Dick . . Yet ...

Aight

Nice

...

Try Ing .. .

Whelp

Why?

Look.

Why?

Whelp

Obi-won is a weak bitch (Term)

Hate

Un-

Un think the dialogue is reversed here,

Saltine was the one that was heavily against Involved (Direct) Approach

And the hair stroking thing

just seems like something

Obi-won Would Do...

Killed

This is really backwards

Obi-Wan is the one that is directly involved

Sal-tine She’s very sit on the sidelines from what we seen..

It would make more ....

Ser-iously?

(What is going on with the chara- cter- ization- )

Ag-

Right-

I honestly thought that was Rex for a minute

Blue ...is a theme

Whelp

(The reenactors are getting pretty serious,)

(Then again she did punch out)

Jedi

There’s two-

Which is two more than general Kenobi can handle,

But he’s got Satine, so that’s all right?

Whelp

Screw-

Now More

Stand and fight

So just Satine.

Stand ...

You got your ass kick- ed

Satine should’ve gotten that line,

Frick

Whelp. ..

Heck..

[Recap; That twist was real fucking stupid, Obi-won gets beat up the fifth time the Remix, and does Satine get injured?

I don’t know

....

WTF!

When it’s not excusing it’s characters from some accountability by using cheap tactics,

It’s tone is a mess;

The emotions nowhere to be found

The chara-cterization “Off the wall”

* Not in a good way . I can’t honestly say a single thing I Le- ar n ed

About The Chara-cters

Satine? Apart from the narrative treating her like she’s completely unreasonable

Nothing,

I can’t say a single thing for this character

There’s seem to be an attempt of banter between her and Ken-obi

But it’s completely inconsistent

Honestly, it feels like the writers had an idea (Or a line Of dia- log ue- And just threw it in hap hazardly-”

Result-ing in some (border ling) reality breaking scenes

Where a character says something happened

Didn’t

Which could work

If the tone wasn’t an absolute MESS!

Also the villains

Suffer From Clovis Syn-drome

(Or a near variant)

Because nothing is set up - The tone isn’t even

It feels like we’re supposed to hate this guy Before anything bad happens (The same as with the carrier- Who Did Nothing)

Screw ing Up The Story

Which is “Obi-Wan screws up Every -Thing And Lives- -”

my thoughts on this episode; (In a more organized form,)

Is that;

“Obi-wan screws up everything,” (As is my alternative tone for this episode)

*title

Is a Confused

un- alt ere -d

Mess

Suffering; From

Lack of set- up, proper chara-cter-ization Proper Tone- Emotion- al De- vel op e ment, None Chop- ped, flow- ing Narra- Tive-

And borders, on not being able to be considered a story

[Resemb- Ling Much Of The “Blue shadow virus,”. arc, Except With -out The Abominations But More nonsense,

[Bring back a persistent writing issue, To refuse to develop anything correctly,]

Addition Al; A Quick Possible Re- Write Recap; (To wash the bad taste out of my mouth)

-Obi-wan arrives at the Palace

(Possibly Soft, Mournful Play Ing To Indicate Sadness, Loneli ness, Turn- Ing To Harsh -er -Tri- um ph an t (Pro fes -s Ional Music [Heavy Brass]

The Carrier Greets Ner Vous ly (Poss Ibly Try -ing To Ex-pose Dis -spell- The Rumor -s (This is his cover)

Poss- Noting

Obi-wan meets Sal-tine Not- Ic-eable Wrist Ful Nes s-

Saltine Is Con- Cern Ed

Snip- Ish

Believing it to be the Jedi Council.

Dis-liking the military involvement in her country/ Planet

Till Obi-wan clarifies that this is a social call. . Ordered To Re- new Their Neu- trality pledge- By Chan -cellor Palp atine, The rumors Back Hill, Gossip,

They go outside for Saltine To Give A Public State Ment- That Goes Off —- (Possibly in the middle of Satine and Obi-Wan hav-ing An Argue- Ment Over Per form a tive Action (Neutral Vs Active Phy- Sical)

That Occurs)

Obi-Wan is held in suspicion for being a military personal ( And the damages only beginning when he arrived)

Not to mention;

Him being in, the hallway, The only one they can place Where are the bomb was set Things Go Badly

(Possible circumstantial Evidence, -Fram -ing

Either way Obi-Wan is now awaiting some kind of trial

Which he makes it worse,

By refusing, To wait,

And trying to find the actual suspect..

He does

The “Incident” Happens,

And now it looks worse than ever;

Sateen cradling the dying Man-d- a-lorian

Who Invokes The Jedi To Blame

Satine Is Up- Set (~Angry)

Obi- won Eventually proves- The Existence Of Death Watch. But that point- It’s Al-ready Too Late, Bridges Burned In his pursuit for justice, Along with his relation ships . . . Saltine Taking The Evi dence Coldly Tell -ing Him “To Leave,”

Victory At the cost of everything dear,

[Leader Not Reveal ed Yet]

[Citi- Zens Pri- Med For Darth Sidious]

[Castle’s Blue, Fading To The Neutral Re- flec- tive White)

[Carrier Possibly Hint- Ed Gone Often]

[Senator Possib -Ly Engaged/ Husband, If You Want That Drama

Moral; About Mov- Ing On

[Ending scene possibly kept the same)

*To Foreshadow possible Anakin

But with a lot more weight-

[End]

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