#crosshair x vader

[blxkstar]

The Republic has been reorganized into the first Galactic Empire.

You will now be living under a new authority. This is a playlist for living under the empire's reign. Please check it out!

"I will start my operations here, and pull the rebels apart piece by piece. They will be the architects of their own destruction." - Grand Admiral Thrawn

"Long live the Empire"

[phant0msworld]

Guys give me request I’m so down to write but I have block😭

I will write anything

[knightprincess]

Always (Crosshair x Jedi Reader) Part 29

Warning: Major character(s) death. Tissues advised 

Words: 2.2K A/N: Just the epilogue to go after this. May the force be with you x 

"Are you sure about this?" questioned Rex, looking to (Y/N) as they landed on Dathomir once again. The former Jedi Knight, known galaxy wide as the Princess, looked to the captain, uncertainty in her own eyes. She knew Vader was on her home world, finally curiosity had gotten the better of him. Finally she had gotten his attention. Rex knew better than most, how much (Y/N) had hope her best friend and his former General was okay, he'd somehow escaped the massacre and gone into hiding. Something he'd hoped for too. Although he had also forced himself to acknowledge the alternative. Anakin Skywalker was dead as the imperial files suggested.

"I have to know. I just hope my instincts are wrong this time" voiced (Y/N), noticing the look the pair of Rex and Echo shared. Both could hear the pain lacing through her voice. Both could hear the dread, fear and uncertainty ringing in her voice, despite her best attempts to hide them. "If anything goes wrong, run and rejoin with the others" added the former Jedi Knight, closing her eyes and swallowing the lump beginning to form in her throat. Stepping from the Ghost Marauder shortly after, her lightsaber at the ready, as she expected trouble. After all it was unwise for one to face a Sith Lord and not expect trouble or a trap.

Echo followed along behind, her words stinging in a way few others had before. Her order wasn't as it appeared to be. It was her subtly saying, if something went wrong she would give them the time to escape, even if that cost her own life. Something the Arc Trooper found himself uncomfortable with. She expected the worst to happen but didn't say why. Even Rex seemed uncomfortable with the idea, although his attention was temporarily on his communicator, where Hunter's smokey voice uttered some incoherent words.

"I've been waiting for you" came a mechanical voice. The owner of which seemed to be hiding within the ruins of the nearby temple, as proven by (Y/N)'s attention being directed towards it. Ignoring the forgotten battlefield the trio found themselves in the middle of, even now years after the Night Sister massacre, droid parts still scattered the baron lands, a few scorched and dead trees dotted here and there.

"What happened here?" quested Echo, noticing both B1 and 2 battle droids scattered, some had been mangled, while others had a strikes similar to the ones Omega's bow would cause, blasted upon them. Dotted among the droids were bodies, the fallen Night Sister's whom hadn't been spared the courtesy of a proper burial. The forgotten battlefield also serving as a cemetery.

"Grievous, attack and destroyed the clans during the last year of the war. Like the Jedi, what remain of the sisters are scattered across the galaxy. The brothers did what they could to honor them, but they mainly protect Merrin now" replied (Y/N), recalling when she'd asked the same question to Maul upon returning home again. She'd always believed the Night Sisters were invincible. After all they had the power to raise the dead if they felt threatened. "The emperor's orders" whispered (Y/N), yet another reason why she'd never support the Empire. Another reason she was determined to help bring it down.

As if waiting for the best moment for a dramatic entrance. An intimidating figure appeared from the shadows of the old temple, accompanied by deep, mechanical breathing. His black cape blowing behind him, as he slowly advanced towards them. (Y/N) didn't move, instead become more determined, even if her previous serious expression and turned into one of sadness. As if she'd just realize something. Echo and Rex took up defensive stances, ready to fight should they need to, both of them aiming their guns towards the unknown mechanical figure.

"It can't be" whispered (Y/N), not igniting her lightsaber. She was determined this wouldn't end in a duel, although she suspected that was likely what would happen anyway. "Rex, Echo, troopers west side" spoke the princess, upon attuning her senses once more, quickly realizing the trap, and refusing to allow Rex and Echo to go down with her. Instead she sent them to the troopers, giving them there best chance at surviving at the same time. "What happened to you, Anakin?" shakingly questioned the former Jedi Knight, still in disbelief the Sith Lord before her, the fist of the Empire, was none other than her former best friend, the chosen one.

"Anakin Skywalker was weak" responded the Sith Lord with malice in his mechanical voice, the eyes of his mask making it appear as if they were empty voids into an endless abyss. "I killed him" effortlessly added Darth Vader, looking to the woman whom had asked so many questions before, the woman whom he suspected already knew the truth but had denied it. Vader soon stepped towards the Princess, his masters orders in the forefront of his mind. Retrieve and return her to empire. Although the Sith apprentice was beginning to see that was going to be a far more difficult task than original thought. It was clear the Princess wasn't going anywhere willingly.

"My master has been looking for you since your escape. He will be pleased with your return" uttered the mechanical voice, deep and unbroken. The words direct, bringing (Y/N) from her trance of sadness as all her memories over powered her. She soon shook her head, pushing the overwhelming feelings away, concentrating on the Sith Lord before her, the man to have once been her best friend.

"I wont return to the Empire. I refuse to be another porn in the Emperor's game. I wont turn my back on the people who need me" voiced (Y/N) with anger and hatred stinging her voice. She hated the Emperor for taking almost everything she cared for and loved away, she hated the empire for what it was and what it stood for. For reminding her of the people she lost when the republic and order fell at the end of the war.

"Then you will die" uttered the mechanical voice, that drowned out the softness Anakin once had.

"So be it" replied (Y/N) with absolute as she ignited her own lightsaber. Noticing the Havoc Marauder land nearby, something that only served to ignite her determination even more. She had to protect her small squad and Rex. She had to protect Omega. She had to protect her family and lover.

Within a split second, their lightsabers clashed. Vader's red one smashing against her own one with hatred but also restraint. Where as (Y/N)'s blue duel bladed one serving to protect her from the strike and also make it more difficult for Vader to catch her off guard. There duel reminiscent of the one Obi-wan had once spoke of all those years ago on Naboo. The duel that had cost his master's life and brought the Sith's return to light. Although this time the roles were somewhat reversed, she the Jedi Knight had the duel bladed lightsaber, where as the now Sith Lord held a singleton.

Out of nowhere blaster bolts effortless flew past (Y/N). They would have hit Vader had he not moved to deflect them, he seemed just as taken back by the fire as she did. Although the former Jedi Knight had the advantage of knowing whom had fired them, although his position was anyone's guess. From the corner of her eye, (Y/N) noticed Hunter running after Omega, whom was heading in her direction. Vader too noticing the pair, quickly he deflected Hunter's blaster bolts and Omega's shots, redirecting them at Crosshair's position.

"Cross!" yelled (Y/N), feeling her heart drop, as fear of losing him for good clenched at her from the inside out. Vader's soon redirected some of the bolts back at Hunter and Omega, a few of them in her direction, as if attempting to force her to choose between whom got her attention. Him or the pair of clones. Relief soon washed over (Y/N), upon hearing Crosshair respond to Tech with a snide comment. With that (Y/N) launched at Vader again, determined to protect those she had left, no matter that cost of doing so.

"Run Omega" called (Y/N), calling for her apprentice to run, even when the young girl was attempting to fight at her side. Although the former Jedi Knight appreciated what Omega was trying to do, she was also well aware the younger clone didn't have the skills needed to fight against a Sith Lord. This was one of the occasions where (Y/N) hoped Omega would act with her head instead of heart. "Hunter, get her out of here" yelled (Y/N), her determination reignited to ensure Omega's survival, something she appeared to share with the others there.

Once again blaster bolts took Vader's attention off of (Y/N), although this time coming from Echo, who made no effort to hide. Crosshair had since come down from his perch, helping Tech and Wrecker nearby, while Rex redirected his attention to ensuring Omega's was safely stowed away aboard one of the ships. Tech soon joined in the effort at Hunter's order, the Sargent turning back in a effort to retrieve (Y/N) too, refusing to leave another behind. Refusing to allow his family to be broken again.

"(Y/N)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Screamed Crosshair, his screams gut-wrenching as his heart sank and began to crack and break. Without a second thought he ran towards her. As did Hunter. Both of them had bared witness to (Y/N)'s lightsaber being destroyed, they'd both helplessly watched as she'd been struck down by Vader. In the confusion, Echo had been struck by enemy fire, leaving Wrecker to hold the front on his own. As if a sign of mercy, Vader called off the troopers under his command, he'd been about to walk away when both Crosshair and Hunter began firing upon him again, just like before the Sith Lord effortlessly deflected each bolt.

"Crosshair, get to (Y/N). I'll handle him" ordered the Sargent, knowing none of them would be focusing right now, least of all Crosshair. Whom had just had his heart torn from his chest and shredded before him. Despite Hunter's best efforts, he wasn't a match for the Sith Lord, something the enhanced clone was well aware of. "Get out of here!" yelled the protective clone, knowing Echo was injured. He knew Crosshair wouldn't leave (Y/N) and he wasn't about to leave Crosshair again. "GO TECH"

Mere moments after those words left Hunter's lips, he'd been struck by the blaster bolts being deflected back at him. Crosshair once again calling out for another he loved, his voice even more broken than before. In his arms was his beloved (Y/N), she hadn't responded to him, she'd only lay motionless in his arms, seemingly peaceful. Vader on the other hand left, ignoring Crosshair as if he wasn't even there, walking away after if he hadn't just shattered someone's world and ripped away a reason for living.

Slowly Crosshair dragged (Y/N) with him, tired and heartbroken. Slowly he made his way over to Hunter, his brother still alive, although fading quickly. Maul had appeared now, helping by pulling Hunter just a little closer, his own heart breaking to see his daughter had fallen. Gently Maul took her hand, willing to her to wake up, even when he knew she was already gone. The Marauder reappeared shortly after, Omega being the first off the ship with tears in her eyes, Rex and Tech following behind trying their hardest to keep it together, as Wrecker appeared carrying Echo.

"Hunter" softly called Omega, running to his side. "No, not you too. I can't lose you please, we can get you back to the ship. We can get you help" cried Omega, her vision going blurry from the tears flooding her cheeks. She'd already been forced to say goodbye to Echo, (Y/N) she hadn't gotten the chance to. She didn't want to lose Hunter, not now, not ever. Maul placed a hand on her shoulder, offering comfort in a similar way to how he did with (Y/N) as a child. Omega soon reached out for Hunter's hand, as Crosshair wrapped (Y/N) in his own arms. Rex doing a similar thing with Echo, his brother whom had gone through hell and back.

"They're at peace now" whispered Maul, as Hunter's struggle to survive come to an end. "Bury them together" added the former Sith Lord, turning his attention to his only child. Seeing how peaceful she looked despite the large gash going from her shoulder to hip. She looked as if she was sleeping, finally free from all her pain and torment, finally her nightmare was over. "Remember this young apprentice, they'll always be with you, in here. One day we'll all see them again" whispered the grieving father, placing a hand over Omega's heart as he spoke. Making an effort to wipe away her tears and offer her some sort of comfort.

"Why did you leave me Cyar'ika" tearfully spoke Crosshair, his beloved weapon discarded at his side, his heart broken as he felt his world shatter. Whenever he'd thought about the future, (Y/N) had always been apart of it. Now she'd been ripped away, his reason for fighting was gone. What else did he have left to fight for now. His brothers wouldn't trust him again, Omega likely hated him at this point. Echo the brother to have fought for him had joined his Runi in peaceful death. Tech and Wrecker would be lost without Hunter, as would Omega, although she could fall back on Rex and now Maul. All Crosshair felt he had left now was the need for revenge. He wanted vengeance, the Empire had now taken everything from him. What more could he lose.

Masterlist 

[huntershoe]

Back to you

Hunter x Jedi!reader

Spoilers for the bad batch season 3 :)

Summary: After a long time, you're finally reunited with your family and your lover.

Warning: Canon violence, Mention of mental and physical torture, slight depressing state, hurt/comfort. Fluff!

A/N: Let me know if anyone would like part two. I was planning on making it spicy ;}

Word count: 2.4k

Part two

It's been months since you got a distress signal from one of your fellow surviving Jedi. Months since you managed to rescue your Jedi friend but sacrifice your own freedom. Months since you've seen your family and your lover.

The last thing you remember from when you were still with the batch was when you were all on Pabu, helping the people restore the beautiful ocean city while you were waiting to get any word from Echo as he helped Rex.

When the only thing missing was Crosshair.

You got the distress signal the same day Echo said he would visit. You knew you couldn't wait for your friend to visit, so with a tight hug, a long and loving kiss and a promise to return safely and quickly, you set the course for your Jedi friend.

Unfortunately, your plan wasn't Vader proof and you ended up captured, switching your place with your friend who managed to escape. You waited for your end, silently apologizing to Hunter and your family, but it never came. Instead, Darth Vader decided you would make a great addition to the imperial inquisitors, so they tried to break you, in every possible way.

For months, they tortured you mentally and physically, leaving you crying and barely alive at the end of every day. But you never broke, no matter what they did to you, you didn't break. There were times when it came close, but thinking of your batch and Hunter gave you strength to fight on.

So when the first opportunity to escape came, you took it. Doing everything in you capacity, even if it meant you'd have to tap into the dark side of the force. Your body had been weakened in the past months, your skin now covered in scars but that didn't stop you and you managed to escape, hijacking an imperial ship and running.

It seemed that even the force was on your side once you coincidentally run into Echo, Rex and the newly forming Clone resistance. But all your happiness disappeared once Echo informed you of the loss they suffered almost immediately you were gone. All those months, just the idea of coming back to your family and how everything would be perfect once again. Everything fell apart and you felt like you were once again in that cold prison cell, waiting for the inquisitors to torture you again. You were falling into the dark abyss, ashamed to even show yourself to Hunter and Wrecker.

It wasn't until Echo came looking for you, four days later. His body radiating happy energy as he practically jumped on you, hugging you and telling you that both Omega and Crosshair managed to escape and were now safely with Hunter and Wrecker on Pabu.

That made you hyperactive, filling you with energy and will to live and both you and Echo were in the ship only few hours later, crossing the galaxy to get back to your family once again.

Three days later you finally made it to Pabu, docking the ship at the top of the city. But while waiting for the ship to touch the ground in a matter of those seconds, your mind betrayed you. Suddenly all you wanted to do was to hide in the corner and dissappear, all those happy thoughts dissappeard, instead being replaced with dark and hateful thoughts. You imagined how Hunter must hate you now that you only returned once everything was alright again. How you dissappeard when they needed you the most. Maybe he's even blaming you for everything bad that happened to his family. Or maybe Omega's the one who hates you now, maybe she thinks that you betrayed them, leaving your family to help someone else.

Your whole body was shaking and you felt like you would faint and when the ramp finally began to descend and the sun shined on your face, Echo had to gently grab you because you swayed like a fragile flower in the wind.

Both you and Echo managed to take a few steps down the ramp before you heard a loud yell. Omega screamed yours and Echo's name, sprinting full speed at you, making you react the same. You yelled her name and she jumped in your arms as you quickly prepared to catch her, hugging her close to you as you began crying, peppering her face with kisses and petting her hair. You managed to crouch with Omega in front of you as you grabbed her cheeks and looked at her more closely, checking for any injuries as she cried telling you how much she missed you.

But as soon as Omegas eyes fell on your face her expression fell as well.

"What happened to your face!" Big tears began rolling down her cheeks as she looked at you. Similar to your body, your face was now littered with both small and big scars, some more visible than the others.

It's been months since you've seen Omega, the young female clone that had unexpectedly entered your life and become like a daughter to you. And after so long, you didn't want your scars to be the first thing you talk about, it was too dark subject to address in the first moments of reunion. So you moved your hands up to her hair, trying to change the subject to something happier.

"Look at your hair! It's grown so much!" You laughed through your tears as you played with the little girl's hair.

"I know, now you can finally braid my hair!" The young girl knew what your were trying to do and played along giggling as she mirrored your hands movements and played with your hair.

You were just about to respond when you both got interrupted by someone whispering your name. Your head snapped behind Omega, falling on a frozen figure, Hunter.

Your body went rigid, completely frozen in time when your eyes meet with his golden ones. Omegas eyes followed yours and once she saw Hunter standing there silently watching, she hugged you one last time before slowly removing herself from you and running towards waiting Echo.

Now that Omega was no longer in front of you, you stood up slowly, your eyes never leaving his as he watched your every move like he couldn't believe you were really there.

Your hands began shaking again and you grabbed your sleeves to try and stop them but to no avail.

"Hunter?"

You whispered back to him, taking a small step towards him. He said nothing, but his body moved and he was by you in the next second, his hands enveloping your body as his own crashed against yours. He squeezed you almost as hard as he could, fearing that if he wouldn't, you would've disappeared again. Hunter buried his face in your neck, inhaling your scent as your hands slowly stopped shaking and you moved them up into his hair. Your forehead fell on his shoulder as you finally closed your eyes, taking in his warm presence. You both stood there for a long minute, not moving as you both tried to soak in each other's warmth.

You felt Hunter deeply inhale once again, his breath tickling your neck, before his lips pressed against the same spot and he kissed you. Repeating the movement kissing up your neck, slowly coming to your face as his hands moved up to your neck, and his thumbs landed on your cheeks as his eyes found yours again. Hunter breathed out your name again, his face so close to yours.

"I thought I lost you..." His normally smoky voice sounded broken, quiet, like he was worried he would scare you away if he'd talk any louder. His own hands began to shake slightly as he gently turned your face around, his eyes jumping from scar to scar.

"Hunter, I'm so sorry. I tried to get back to you, I really did but they-" You tried explaining yourself as his eyes found yours again.

"When your ship returned I thought to myself at least I got one of my girls back...but then only General Prima came out and she could barely look me in the eyes to tell me what happened..." Hunter let out a sigh as his thumb traced the scar across your lips.

"...I thought I lost you and I couldn't bare to even think of what they're doing to you...I tried get you back every day, you and Omega..." He went on slowly and quietly, his other thumb tracing the scar across your eye.

"I'm so sorry Hunter-" You tried to apologise again but he interrupted you again with his thumb on your lips.

"Just...just promise me to never leave me again...I...I can't live without you." Hunter whispered as one tear left his eye and you moved your hand to his cheek, brushing it away as he leaned into your touch.

"I promise Hunter, never again." You nodded your head as you promised him, your own tears escaping you again and you moved your head, leaning your forehead against his.

Hunter let out a gentle puff of air, making your lips tingle as the air hit them. His own lips ghosting over yours as he whispered. "Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum ner ka'ra."

A small smile appeared on your lips and you gently nodded. "Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum ner ashi dul."

You responded and finally moved, pressing your lips against his into a long and loving kiss.

Hunter's hands moved back down to your waist and he pulled you closer again as his kiss turned more desperate.

Your own hands moved around his neck as you pulled yourself impossibly closer, a small sound escaping you as Hunters hand squeezed your hip and he took the chance to deepen the kiss. His tongue prodded against your lips as he entered your mouth in almost like urgent matter.

You let him take the reins and followed his tempo, enjoying the feeling of his arms around you again.

"Okay, you can continue doing that later! Now it's my turn!" You heard Wrecker before another set of arms snaked around you and Hunter, squeezing you even further and lifting you in the air. Both you and Hunter gasped, breaking the kiss to look at the gentle giant as he hugged you, leaning his head on your shoulders. You chuckled, grinning and squeezing one arm out and moving it to gently pat Wreckers head. "I missed you too Wrecker." Even Hunter managed a chuckle as he heard his brother sniffle quietly.

"We're never splitting ever again." Wrecker decided as he slowly put them down and brushed the tears from his eyes away. "Agreed." You nod, grabbing the giant clone's hand and squeezing it.

"What, no hug for me?" Crosshair's sly snake like voice asked as he came closer and crossed his arms in front of his chest an amused frown on his face. Your head turned in his direction and a wide smile grew on your lips and you gently let go of Wrecker and moved around Hunter, letting your hands to drag across his chest as you stepped closer to his youngest brother. "Crosshair!" You grinned and quickly moved closer to him, enveloping him into a big hug. Your movement surprised him greatly as he was expecting a glare and a witty remark instead you hugged him.

His arms were awkwardly waiting at his sides, debating if he should hug you back or push you away. Alas, you were the only one that hugged him so far and he'd be lying to himself if he'd say he didn't need a hug. So he let his arms slowly sneak around your body and he hugged you back, silently laying his head on top of yours.

"I'm glad you're back with us again." You whispered just loud enough for him to hear and you felt his breath hitch.

He slowly let go of you and stepped back a little, watching the scars across your face.

"Come on, you have to meet Batcher!" Omega gasped, grabbing your hand out of nowhere and pulling you towards what looked to be a  excited Lurca hound, running around and chasing Moon-yos. You chuckled at the enthusiasm of the little girl and looked back behind you to your lover and the rest of your family, only to see Hunter slightly glaring at Crosshair and Echo rolling his eyes and pushing the former Sergeant, encouraging him to move, while Wrecker only laughed and followed closely.

Omega managed to introduce you to the lively hound, telling you how she helped her and how they bonded over the time as they managed to survive the empire. Batcher seemed to be the perfect energetic pet for Omega as they began playing together, almost forgetting everyone else that was watching them.

You felt a warm hand on the small of your back and a moment later a warm body pressed against your side as Hunter lowered his head to whisper in your ear. "Come on, you must be starving." He pressed a delicate kiss to your forehead as you turned your head to look at him. "A little, yeah." You confirmed and Hunter motioned with his head to his brothers, before gently pushing you towards the house reserved for the batch.

Hunter whistled, making Omegas and Batchers heads turn, motioning them to follow too.

The shining sun had slowly began to descend as they sat down around the table after they put on some food. They snacked on the delicious fruits, talking about everything, just like they did in the old days, while they watched Omega and Batcher play.

The moment felt perfect, besides the one empty chair, remaining everyone that they will never be complete again. Everything else felt normal, Crosshair's witty remarks, Wrecker's compliments to the food, Echo trying to talk about another one of his missions and Hunter silently trying to listen to everyone as his hand slowly fell on your thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze to reassure you and himself that this moment is in fact real.

Translation:

Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum - Mandalorian way of saying "I love you"

Ner ka'ra - My star

Ner ashi dul - My other half

[vodika-vibes]

if you don't mind, could I have topaz with crosshair in the summer please? ❤️

Enjoy The Show

Summary: Crosshair doesn't get to spend much time together with his kitten, what with the Empire hounding his every step, and having to go on missions for the Rebellion. But every now and then he makes it his mission to spend time with you.

Pairing: TBB Crosshair x F!Reader

Word Count: 548

Prompt: Topaz - Affectionate Love

Warnings: None

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: So, this is based in the AU that I'm half building where the situation in TBB is switched. So, Crosshair's chip never activated but the others did. Crosshair was forced to join the Rebellion in a desperate attempt to protect Omega.

The summer air is thick with humidity and the crowds of people moving around Crosshair hum with an excitement that feels inappropriate with the state of the galaxy.

His Kitten tells him that people need things to celebrate, or else they would fall into despair, and he knows that she’s probably right. She usually is about these things.

And while Crosshair would, usually, never dare to step foot on Naboo —it’s common knowledge that Vader watches this planet like a hawk— today is different.

Today is Queen’s Day.

And no one cares about one silver haired clone…or, more importantly, the woman he’s here to meet up with. 

Crosshair drops some credits at a food stall, ordering two pita sandwiches, and then follows the crowd of people for a time, before he veers off towards the lake. 

And…there. Sitting on the dock, her feet dipped in the water, her head tilted backwards to focus her gaze on the darkening sky. “Am I late?” Crosshair asks as he steps on the dock.

Her head tilts backwards, and she beams at him, “Not at all. I got here early.” Crosshair walks over to her and sits on the dock next to her, close enough that he’s pressed against her side.

“Not too early, I hope?”

“Hm.” Her smile is warm and fond, and Crosshair feels a surge of affection, “I spent the majority of the day with my family, Cross. No need to fret.” She takes the sandwich that he offered her, and then leans her head against his shoulder, “I’m glad you could make it.”

“As if I would miss a date with you.”

She laughs softly, and rubs her cheek against his shoulder. Crosshair flashes her a small smile and hooks his arm around her waist, pulling her into a tight side hug.

There are a lot of things that need to be said. Offers that need to be made. It’s only a matter of time before people start to realize that she’s the Rebellion’s inside person on Naboo, and Crosshair wants her safe before anyone figures it out.

But those are all conversations for later.

“Are we going to be able to see the fireworks from here?” Crosshair asks.

She nods, “Yeah, I think it’s the best location. No one comes here to watch them, they’d rather climb up to the roofs of the buildings.” She makes a face, “So it’s quiet. Private.”

“You just wanted to get me alone.” Crosshair teases.

She tilts her head to look at him, her smile soft and warm, “Well. You’re not wrong.”

Crosshair keeps his gaze locked with her as the first of the fireworks shoots up to the sky. Red and blue blossom across the dark sky, taking the form of intricate blossoms.

But he can’t tear his gaze off of her. 

Off the way she looks under the moonlight.

Off the way the fireworks reflect in her gaze.

Crosshair’s hand comes up to cup to her face, and he leans in to press his lips, gently, against hers.

He feels her sigh into the kiss, and he feels her relax against him as she allows him to control the intensity of the kiss, and Crosshair is pretty sure that he’s never loved anyone as much as he loves her.

[zahmaddog]

Part 3: Truth & Intimacy

Part 1: Making Friends on Pabu

Part 2: The Warning

Warnings: Actual smut this time (below the 2nd cut mid-way through); hand job; minors GTFO; romance; fluffy AF; slow slow burn, comfort; soft-hearted and gentle Crosshair; did I say fluff? Crosshair x fem!reader | Word Count: 1996

Third time writing fan fiction and first time writing some smut. It's not like crazy smutty, but like enough that I'll definitely throw a warning on there. I'm just diving into this whole Tumblr world full-speed ahead. This chapter is pretty short, in case someone wanted to skip the smut at the end and continue with the plot when the next chapter drops. I hope you enjoy.

The silence screamed aboard your ship. Whisking away into hyperspace, you and Crosshair sat side-by-side without words. You closed your eyes tight and tried to focus long enough to clear your head, but the thoughts wouldn’t stop. They’ll double-check the coordinates. The Empire will return to Pabu regardless. How can you get rid of the holocron safely? Who is Lord Vader? Crosshair broke the silence.

“I can hear your thoughts from here,” he calmly confessed. Opening your eyes, you looked at him with an expression of defeat. 

“I’ve made a bit of a mess,” you sighed. “I have this incredible ability to create life threatening situations unintentionally.” 

“You owe me —-” Crosshair started.

“I owe you my life,” you interjected. 

“Let’s start with an explanation,” Crosshair imposed. 

Not knowing where to begin, you stand up from the cockpit and walk to the back of your ship to retrieve your bag. Crosshair spun his captain’s chair around and put a toothpick between his lips. 

You unzip the backpack and pull out the holocron —- which was no longer glowing.

“I took this from my old boss’ warehouse. It was filled with trash we collected off targets…Sometimes they’d have items worth selling for extra credits. Nobody wanted this and it intrigued me.” “What is it?” Crosshair leaned forward in his chair to look closer. You tossed him the pyramid to study it. “It’s Jedi,” you began. “Now that they’re mostly all gone, I figured it was worthless. I didn’t think the Inquisitors were Jedi, but that thing lit up bright red when that Inquisitor on Pabu touched it.”

Crosshair narrowed his eyes, “What are you implying?” “I have a new theory that the Empire is run by Jedi or —- force wielders as that Inquisitor said to you. I used to think Inquisitors were only using Jedi technology, like the lightsaber. In a sense, they’re the scariest bounty hunters in the galaxy with that weaponry.” You pointed to the pyramid and began, “But that artifact responded to their touch —- to the force. It lit up. If they wield the force, aren’t they Jedi?” 

You paused for a moment, thinking through the layers of events. Crosshair continued to study the pyramid’s sides in silence.

“We should warn Hunter and Wrecker that the Empire might return to Pabu to look for it,” you said to Crosshair, taking the pyramid back into your hands.

“Already did,” Crosshair confirmed. He inhaled deeply, “What’s our next move?”

“Our next move?” You lashed out slightly. Feeling overwhelmed, you took a breath and put your hand over your eyes. “I’m sorry — ”

“You don’t want me here?” Crosshair asked.

The ship hummed with the frequencies of hyperspace. 

“Why’d you come find me?” You softly countered.

The ship continued to be the only audible voice for a lengthened moment. It appeared that you and Crosshair had finally reached a sort of impasse, fueled by the feelings both of you wouldn't admit. You both waited for the other to confess first. You bit the bullet and began,

“I — want to protect you,” you admitted. You looked to Crosshair for his confession.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” he said just above a whisper. 

He stepped over to you and tested the waters of physical affection by running his hand down your arm and grasping your hand. You turned into him and reached your arms around his neck, pulling him close. He matched your embrace, his hands running across your waist and back. He held you until you felt yourself calm down.

Releasing your grip just enough to look up into his eyes, your gaze traced down from his cheekbones to his lips and toothpick. You reached up to grasp the toothpick and lightly tried to pull it out. Crosshair bit down on it and raised his eyebrows to silently question your actions. He moved one hand from your back to your head, lightly gripping your hair and skull, then his mechanical hand taking his toothpick. His nose traced yours to your lips, where he froze. 

“This doesn’t change that I’m still upset with you,” he admitted. 

Crosshair moved in to kiss you. The passion burned as the previously untapped gates of unexpressed affections burst open. You traced your tongue across his bottom lip as the kiss deepened, he welcomed you with a matched intensity. Crosshair pulled back from the kiss, much sooner than you were ready for. Your lips trailed after him before you opened your eyes to see him lost in a soft smile. 

—-

To save fuel, you landed your ship in a cave on a cold moon. You hadn’t told Crosshair that credits and chaincodes weren’t a problem for you, but you were still conservative with resources as finding safe places to fuel up would be a challenge. 

You poured yourself and Crosshair a drink, then sat back at the table ready to hash out ideas on escaping your predicament. 

“So, it’s not like we can just sell this thing,” you noted while tossing the pyramid-shaped artifact into the air. “And, I’m unfortunately marked for having possession of it.”

“Why was the Empire interested in arresting you for having it? Why couldn’t they just take it?” Crosshair questioned as he took out a toothpick to ponder with.

“Perhaps it’s because I know too much…” you started, then hesitated forward, “Or it’s because I’m a deserter.”

“You? A deserter? Not only did you do bounty jobs for the Empire, but you were… Imperial?” Crosshair’s narrowed, focused glare zeroed in on you.

You shamefully nodded. “Crosshair, I’m a Tarkin,” you testified.

His gaze grew more intense; you forgot how intimidating this man could be, especially when caught off-guard. He reached carefully for his words.

“As in, you’re related to Admiral Tarkin?” Crosshair entreated.

“Have you had the pleasure of knowing my Uncle?” you gawked out of contempt.

Crosshair leaned back into the bench and sighed. 

“I once worked in a unit as a specialty sniper and commander, which was overseen by Admiral Tarkin,” Crosshair admitted. “And I had a few run-ins with him prior as well.”

“You were imperial?” you gasped. “I’m sorry I never asked more about your past,” you apologized.

“It’s not something I like to think about,” Crosshair shrugged.

“So, technically, you’re a deserter too,” you soothed.

“I am now.” Crosshair concluded. “So, the Empire is not only after you for this Jedi-artifact, but is after you for treason.”

“Treason, family betrayal, or creating a mockery of the Tarkin name,” you bantered and paused in thought: “Crosshair, they’ll crucify me.” 

The conversation froze under the magnitude of realizations. Crosshair shifted his toothpick back and forth between the sides of his mouth, lost in thought.

“Thanks again for saving me earlier from the Inquisitor,” you broke the silence, “I want you to know, if I am captured later, don’t risk anything more for me. I dug my own grave by turning my back on them.”

Crosshair filled with empathy and experience, reached across the table and took your hand. “We’re doing this together.” Hunter’s voice played in his mind from when he once had said something similar outside of Tantis. Crosshair repeated Hunter’s words out loud, “Don’t you dare think about Plan 99.”

“Plan 99?” you questioned.

“During our time with the republic, we organized nearly a hundred different plans to infiltrate bases, destroy droids, and more. Plan 99 is to sacrifice yourself for the greater good; but only when there is no other alternative…” He hesitated to say more, “It’s only been used once.” “Tech,” you muttered.

“Tech,” Crosshair nodded in return. 

You stood up from your side of the table and squeezed in close to Crosshair on the bench, wrapping him into the comfort you could offer. He leaned into you and closed his eyes.

“So partner,” you smirked to lift the room’s atmosphere, “I suppose we could hit the underworld of Coruscant and tap into the black markets to dispose of this.”

“Maker, you are so reckless.” Crosshair muttered without bothering to open his eyes or shift in position.

—--------

Descending into the haze of Coruscant, you relayed a chaincode into the transponder and was directed to a platform to land.

“Why was that so easy?” Crosshair glanced over to you.

“I’m prepared at least half the time,” you assured him. You glanced down at your dirty shirt and pants, then ruffled your hand through your hair. “I’m due to freshen up too. A disguise wouldn’t be a bad thing —,” you eyed Crosshair’s Pabu-living beach outfit up and down, “for the both of us,” you continued.

“You have clothes for me?” He side-eyed you.

“I’m full of surprises,” you relayed as you landed your cruiser and killed the engines. “Come on,” you stood up and headed to the back of your ship.

“I still can’t believe you gunned down an Inquisitor in sandals,” you laughed while opening your closet in the back of the ship. “Sorry, this isn’t much.”

You threw him a basic black top and dress trousers. 

“They’ll do,” he grunted. 

—-smut below the cut—---

Disappearing into the lavatory, you turned the water on in the shower, allowing it to heat and steam the room. As the water recycled and filtered, you threw your freshly stripped shirt at Crosshair and paused looking around the door frame.

“Want to join me?” You called to him. Crosshair’s heart seemed to skip a beat, but he retained his composure.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” He scoffed a little. 

“Obviously,” you said from the shower. “Is it working?”

Crosshair, tired and frustrated with the overarching situation, exhaled, knowing he would regret it if he didn’t join you. He wandered into the bathroom, stripped himself of his shirt and trousers, opened the shower curtain, to find you wet and naked. 

“Yeah, it’s working,” he smirked. “Do we really have time… for this? For us?” He stepped inside, closing the curtain behind him, with his eyes focused on you.

“No one knows we are here,” you mused as you wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him into the water stream. The water droplets tracing down his jaw line and dripping onto his chiseled chest. His hands wandered from your head, to your waist, then thighs as his nose traced yours until your lips met, beginning a gentle kiss. 

Tracing your lips across his cheek, you drag your lower lip down his neck, and suck slightly on his collar bone. He faintly moans and grips your upper thigh tighter. Your hair and hands still soapy from the shampoo you applied earlier, you smoothly maneuver your hand across his chest and down his abs, pausing at his hip bone. 

“What are you waiting for?” He breathed. 

“Is this okay?” You peppered. Taking your hand in his, he pushed you further down his waistline, guiding you towards his sex. With his length in your hand, you return to kiss him deeply. Crosshair’s breathing grew heavier as you fell into a rhythm of movement; his lips and tongue dancing with yours. Enjoying his intimate noises and expressions, you expand your hand and mouth’s wanderings. Nearly losing balance from pleasure, Crosshair caught himself on the shower wall with one arm and continued to hold you close with the other. 

“Did you—,” you began.

“Yeah,” he inhaled deeply. “I’m sorry if I didn’t last—”

“I’m flattered,” you smiled.

You softly ran your nails over his hip bones and up his chest into another warm embrace. His limbs shuddered as he collapsed more into you, still holding himself up with the shower wall. You reached behind him and poured some shampoo into your palm, returning back to him and massaging his neck and skull. Crosshair rests his forehead against yours and looks deeply into your eyes; his expression, almost sad. You pause your massage efforts.

“Are you okay?” you whisper.

“I never knew I could be so loved,” he confided. 

“Get used to it,” you returned to caress him further.

—-- Part 4: Not Alone

----- Tag list: @tentakelspektakel

[yoitsjay]

Two Sides

Pairings: crosshair x inquisitor gn reader

Summary: swayed to the path of the dark during the fall of the jedi, you feel isolated and alone. But you find yourself stationed on an Ice planet, as is your old fling crosshair. And after rekindling what you lost, you both find your light again.

Warnings: cannon violence, bit of angst

After the fall of the jedi, a new batch of force sensitives were hunted, children to be used for experiments, or to be trained to become sith filled with hate… You were filled with hate after your friends and family were slaughtered in front of your eyes on coruscant. You were only supposed to be there for a general's meeting to discuss the end of the war… But after the clones turned on you, you remembered slaughtering thousands of clones, rage all but consuming you.

They had killed your padawan, who was just a child thrust into this war that they didn’t deserve to be apart of… And then you ran into anakin, but he had blood on his robes just as you had blood on yours. He saw something in your eyes, and instead of attacking you he extended his hand to you.

“Join me”

he said, telling you how in this new empire you could feel free to be you, and embrace the anger you’ve suppressed for years. And you did just that, turning your back on the jedi, following anakin as he slaughtered the rest of the jedi on coruscant.

You split up after that but when Vader showed up at one of the planets you were hiding on, you knew it was time to embrace the hate, and the anger… and that made you one of the first inquisitors under Darth Vader's watch.

Currently you were stationed on an imperial base located on a snowy tundra, having command of your own little batch of clones which you already despised, you were tasked in aiding the imps with guarding a supply drop, amongst other things like protecting the delicate work inside.

You had your helmet fastened over your head, lightsaber resting on the clip you had on your back armor plate, easy to reach just in case anything were to happen. You were just staring forward, that was until you heard an interesting voice commanding some stormtroopers, more like arguing.

You turned your head in the direction of the arguing, spotting a taller man, taller than you, however he had an interesting familiarity about him… until you realized that this man who was arguing with storm troopers was the same man you had an… interesting night with quite a few years ago.

You started walking forward, your looming and otherwize terrifying masked appearance making the storm troopers straighten up right away. “Crosshair?” you called out, your sweet dulcet- yet crackly modified voice escaping through your helmet, catching the tall man’s ears. He quickly turned around to face you just as you removed your helmet, shaking your hair out of the loose braid that you had it in, offering him a gentle smile. You could still be kind at times… especially when it came to this man.

“Y/n… wow it's been…” Crosshair trailed off as you nodded, gripping your helmet in your hands as you looked at the troopers. “You three, you're excused. find duties elsewhere.” You ordered, your tone suddenly shifting to a harsher one, watching as the troopers sped off. You turned to crosshair again, seeing the spark in his eyes and the slight smirk on his lips.

“I think you’ve earned a break, hm? Come, we have much to discuss…”

That day was one that led to many others, despite you both working for the empire your conversations lead to a spark igniting in your core, the kind of spark that would lead back into the darkest of places. and it seemed to be doing the same for crosshair as well, as after a mission went awry where he was extremely injured, he ended up killing his commanding officer in response.

After that he got arrested before you could do anything, but you fled the empire after that and you began searching for any leads… which is when you found the bad batch again… and after confessing to all you’ve done, they still took you in.

It took some work, but all that hate and anger you kept holed up in your heart you released, and your kyber crystal faded to white as you reconstructed your weapon, your tool.

Your priority was saving crosshair… and then omega when she got taken too. But after months of searching and nothing coming up you started losing hope of ever finding the man you… you loved.

funny how the universe worked though, because after receiving coordinates from Omega and actually going to see her, you saw Crosshair again for the first time in months since he killed that officer. You ran to him, practically jumping into his arms as you kissed him, and it took a minute but he reciprocated, tightening his arms around you tightly as he did so.

You realized that the light side was never the jedi, and the power that came with them, but the attachments in friends and family, the bond that was created. and as long as you knew how to deal with the anger and pain of losing someone, you wouldn’t stray from the light again… Not with Crosshair by your side.

[mcrdvcks]

Down Bad - Chapter 8

Chapter Summary: Finally having enough, Amina goes to a remote planet to get some help and find insight about her connection with Darth Vader.

Word Count: 17.2k+

Pairing: Hunter x fem!Jedi Original Character

Notes: i had no idea that this chapter was over 17k words until now but here we are. this covers episodes 6-11 (and 12, but i don't write crosshair's episodes), but most of it is from amina's perspective so we don't actually see the events of those episodes, and you'll understand why when you read it. happy reading! :)

(translations are at the end of chapter)

Series Masterlist - Chapter 7 → Chapter 9

AO3 Link For Chapter

Amina turned the comm over in her hand as she sat outside the Marauder late at night while everyone else slept. With a deep sigh, she pressed the button, and after a few moments, Obi-Wan appeared.

"Obi-Wan," Amina greeted, her voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid that someone might overhear their conversation.

Obi-Wan's expression softened at the sight of her. "Amina," he replied warmly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "It's good to see you. Is everything alright?"

Amina hesitated, her fingers nervously tapping against the smooth surface of the comm device. "I... I'm not sure," she admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I... I… do you know of any sort of Force bond or something that causes you to… see people? Like they’re right in front of you but only you can see them and talk to them.”

Obi-Wan's brow furrowed in concern as he listened to Amina's question. “No, I don’t believe I’ve heard of such thing. It’s… certainly different.”

Amina nodded, her fingers tightening around the comm device. "Yeah, it's... it's strange," she murmured, her gaze dropping to the ground as she struggled to find the right words to explain her situation.

Obi-Wan studied her for a moment, his expression filled with empathy. "Amina, is there something specific you're concerned about? Something you're not telling me?" he asked gently, his voice laced with concern.

Amina hesitated, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts and emotions. “Um…”

“Who’s the bond with, Amina?”

She gulped, “it’s with Anakin. Or Vader I guess.”

Obi-Wan's expression softened even further, his eyes filled with understanding. "Anakin... I see," he murmured, his voice gentle as he processed Amina's revelation. "This... complicates things."

Amina nodded, her throat tight with emotion. "I know," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the ship's engines. "I don't understand why this is happening, Obi-Wan. Why can I see him? Why me?"

“I wish I had the answers, Amina," he said softly, his voice filled with empathy. "But the Force works in mysterious ways. There may be a reason for this... connection."

Amina swallowed back the lump forming in her throat, her mind racing with questions and doubts. "What should I do, Obi-Wan?" she asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "I don't know how to handle this. It's... overwhelming."

Obi-Wan's gaze was steady, his expression reassuring. "First and foremost, Amina, you must trust yourself," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Secondly, I may be able to give you the coordinates of where Master Yoda is hiding out, maybe he can help you more than I can.”

Amina nodded, her heart fluttering with a mix of relief and apprehension at the thought of seeking out Master Yoda. "Thank you, Obi-Wan," she murmured gratefully, her voice tinged with emotion. "I... I'll consider it."

Obi-Wan gave her a small nod, his eyes filled with understanding. "Take care of yourself, Amina," he said softly, his voice gentle as he reached out to end the transmission.

As the hologram of Obi-Wan flickered out of existence, Amina was left alone in the quiet darkness of the night, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty. She tucked the comm device back into her pocket, her mind racing with questions and doubts.

---

The group walked out of Cid’s office as Amina watched Hunter walk up next to her. She turned to face him, “I thought about what you said, and I think you’re right.”

“What am I right about?” He asked, leaning against the bar’s counter.

“Getting help. I commed Obi-Wan and he said he didn’t know anything about this force connection, but there is someone else who can help me. At least, I hope he can help me.”

Amina's words hung in the air between them, the weight of her decision palpable as Hunter absorbed her revelation. He straightened up from where he had been leaning against the bar's counter, his expression a mixture of concern and curiosity.

“Who?” he asked, his voice low with a hint of urgency. He knew how important it was for Amina to find answers about this mysterious force connection she had been experiencing, and he wanted to do everything he could to support her.

“Master Yoda.” she answered, taking a sip of her water.

“He’s… alive?”

“Yep. And probably won’t be too happy to see me, considering the whole in hiding thing.”

"You really think he'll help?" Hunter asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he watched Amina carefully.

Amina nodded, her expression determined despite the lingering doubt in her eyes. "I have to believe he will," she replied firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Besides, what other choice do I have?" She looked at the chrono on the wall, “Rex should be here in a few to take me to Alderaan where Bail is going to let me borrow a ship.”

“Cid wants us to bring a shipment to Vanguard Axis.” Hunter replied.

Amina scoffed, “sounds like fun. Don’t run into any trouble.”

Hunter chuckled softly, a playful glint in his eyes as he leaned in closer to Amina. "I’m pretty sure you’re taking all the trouble with you.”

Amina shrugged with a small smirk, “I bring a certain flavor to life. You’re lucky to have me around.”

"Am I interrupting something?" Tech asked, his tone casual but his eyes betraying a hint of amusement as he glanced between Amina and Hunter.

Amina turned her head quickly to Tech, clearing her throat. “U- uh… no. Do you happen to know anything about the Dagobah system?”

Tech raised an eyebrow at Amina's sudden change in demeanor, his curiosity piqued by her question about the Dagobah system. He glanced at Hunter, who shrugged in response, equally puzzled by Amina's sudden interest in the remote swamp planet.

"Dagobah?" Tech repeated, his brow furrowing in thought as he accessed the databanks on his datapad. "It's a remote, uninhabited planet located in the Outer Rim Territories. Not much is known about it, other than the fact that it's covered in dense jungles and swamps."

Amina groaned; Yoda couldn’t have picked a better place to hide out on? With sunshine and clouds and no dirty water? She stood up from the stool and grabbed her backpack, as the rest of the guys grabbed their things as they all walked to the hanger, them going to the Marauder, and Amina to wait for Rex.

She leaned against the hanger wall, waiting for Rex to arrive as Omega waved at her from the ship. She waved back with a smile before glancing over at Hunter, who was already staring at her, his expression unreadable. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, a flush creeping into her cheeks as she tried to ignore the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

“You ready to go, General?” Rex said, slightly startling her.

“Um… yeah. I’m ready.” She said, following Rex as Hunter watched her figure slowly walk away before turning around and walking to the stairs of the ship. Amina turned around and looked at Hunter, his back turned to her as Wrecker pulled a crate on the ship.

Amina stopped momentarily, watching Hunter from a distance, Rex already walking ahead of her. She turned away and caught up to Rex.

They walked down the small streets to the hanger Rex as parked at, which wasn’t too far from the one the Marauder was parked at.

A small green light up ball rolled in front of her as she crouched down to grab it. A young Twi’lek girl ran up in front of her. “My ball!” The girl exclaimed, taking it from Amina’s hand.

Amina gave the girl a small smile as two Twi’lek’s came in front of her, “sorry, she runs off a lot.” The woman said, picking up her daughter.

“It’s no problem.” Amina replied, standing up. The young girl showed her ball to her dad as he grabbed her from her mother’s arms. The man kissed his wife’s cheek as the wife did the same to him.

Amina suddenly felt like she was intruding and quickened her pace to catch up to Rex.

“I missed you,” Anakin said, bringing an arm around Padme’s waist and the other around her shoulders, kissing her deeply.

Padmé leaned into Anakin's embrace, her heart fluttering with warmth as she returned his kiss. She wrapped her arms around him, savoring the feeling of being close to him after so long apart. "I missed you too," she murmured against his lips, her voice soft with emotion.

Amina stood outside the door to Padme’s apartment, groaning quietly. Every time. Every time they come back from the war Anakin has a make out session with Padme and totally forgets she’s standing outside.

She put her head through the small opening of the door, not able to open the door fully since Anakin was standing right behind the door.

The two finally broke apart as Padmé slowly opened her eyes and looked to the side, “Amina!” She exclaimed, “Ani, you couldn’t even let your sister in?”

“I think he was more concerned about making out with you.” Amina replied.

Padmé laughed softly, shaking her head. "Well, you know how he gets," she said, giving Anakin a playful nudge.

Anakin grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Can you blame me?" he replied, his eyes sparkling with affection as he glanced between Padmé and Amina.

Amina rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Just try to remember you have a sister waiting outside next time, okay?"

Anakin laughed, pulling Amina into a quick hug. "I'll try, but no promises," he said, winking at her.

What was it like to be in love?

To go against the rules set for you even if it means losing your reputation, but it wouldn’t matter because you had someone by your side?

To do anything to save your love, that you would even think about turning to the dark side because you loved them so much, you couldn’t imagine your life without them?

They entered the hanger as Rex made his way onto the ship as she slowly followed, her gaze on the ground beneath her, many paces behind.

As she stood in front of Rex’s large ship, she couldn’t help but wonder what love felt like. What it felt like to want to be with someone no matter the consequences, no matter the rules, no matter if he was a Sergeant and she was a General-

Kark.

She stood still in front of Rex’s large ship as she dropped her bag at the foot of the ramp and turned around, running to where the Marauder hopefully still was.

Amina entered the hanger in a sprint, a large sense of relief coming over her seeing the Marauder in its spot and Hunter walking up the stairs. “Wait!” She yelled, as Hunter quickly turned around at the sound of her voice.

Amina's voice echoed through the hangar, cutting through the air with a sense of urgency that caught Hunter off guard. He turned around just in time to see her sprinting towards him, her expression a mixture of determination and relief as she closed the distance between them.

"Hold on!" Amina called out as she reached the foot of the ramp, her chest heaving with exertion as she skidded to a halt in front of Hunter. He watched her with a mixture of surprise and concern, his brow furrowing in confusion as he tried to make sense of the situation.

"What's going on?" Hunter asked, his voice tinged with concern as he reached out to steady Amina, who was breathing heavily from her sprint across the hangar. She met his gaze with a sense of urgency, her eyes pleading for his attention as she struggled to catch her breath.

"I... I need to talk to you," Amina replied between gasps for air, her voice strained with effort as she fought to compose herself. “Well, maybe not talk- or, maybe talk- talk after? Or t- ” She cut herself off with a shake of her head.

In a quick movement, Amina put her hand on the back of Hunter’s neck as she pressed her lips to his.

Hunter's mind went blank as he felt Amina's lips against his own, the warmth of her touch sending a shiver down his spine. He instinctively leaned into her, his left arm dropping his helmet as his hands came up to cup her face as he deepened the kiss, his heart pounding in his chest as he savored the taste of her lips against his.

Amina's heart raced in her chest as she felt Hunter respond to her kiss, his touch gentle but firm as he pulled her closer. She melted into his embrace, her senses overwhelmed by the rush of emotions coursing through her veins as she surrendered herself to the moment.

Their kiss was electric, a spark igniting between them as they lost themselves in each other's arms. Hunter's lips moved against Amina's with a hunger that mirrored her own, his hands trailing down her back as he pulled her impossibly closer.

For a blissful moment, nothing else mattered. The world fell away around them as they clung to each other, their bodies pressed together in a passionate embrace that left them both breathless and wanting more.

But just as quickly as it had begun, the moment was shattered by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. Amina and Hunter broke apart reluctantly, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as they turned to see Echo standing in the doorway of the hangar, a curious expression on his face as he took in the scene before him.

Amina's cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment as she met Echo's gaze, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled to compose herself. Hunter's expression was unreadable as he watched Echo carefully, his hands clenched into fists at his sides as he braced himself for whatever reaction might come next.

"Am I interrupting something?" Echo asked, his tone casual but his eyes betraying a hint of amusement as he glanced between Amina and Hunter.

Amina cleared her throat, her voice slightly shaky as she stepped away from Hunter's embrace. "Uh, no, not at all," she replied quickly, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment as she attempted to regain her composure.

Hunter nodded in agreement, though there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes as he glanced at Amina. "Yeah, we were just... finishing up here," he added, his tone slightly strained as he fought to keep his emotions in check.

Echo raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical as he glanced between Amina and Hunter. "Right," he said slowly, though there was a playful glint in his eyes as he turned to leave the hangar. "Well, don't let me stop you."

As Echo walked around them onto the ship, Amina let out a shaky breath, her heart still racing in her chest as she turned to face Hunter. He was watching her with a mixture of concern and uncertainty, his expression guarded as he searched her face for any sign of regret.

"I'm sorry," Amina murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she met Hunter's gaze with a mixture of guilt and longing. "I shouldn't have... I mean, we shouldn't have..."

Hunter reached out to gently brush a stray lock of hair from Amina's face, his touch light but reassuring as he met her gaze with a soft smile. "Don't apologize," he said gently, his voice filled with warmth as he took her hand in his own. "I wanted to kiss you just as much as you wanted to kiss me."

Amina's heart skipped a beat at Hunter's words, her breath catching in her throat as she searched his eyes for any sign of insincerity. But all she found was honesty and affection, his gaze unwavering as he reached up to gently caress her cheek.

“Well, thank the Force, because that might be one of the most impulsive things I’ve ever done.”

Hunter chuckled softly, the tension between them easing as he met Amina's gaze with a warm smile. "It was definitely unexpected," he admitted with a playful glint in his eyes. "But I wouldn't change it for anything."

Amina smiled back, her heart swelling with gratitude as she squeezed Hunter's hand gently. "Me neither," she replied softly, her voice filled with sincerity as she leaned in closer to him. "I'm glad I kissed you, Hunter. I'm glad I took that chance."

Hunter's smile widened at Amina's words, his heart soaring as he felt a sense of relief wash over him. In that moment, surrounded by the chaos of the hangar, he felt more alive than he had in a long time. And it was all thanks to Amina.

"Me too," he whispered, his voice barely above a breath as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss against Amina's forehead. "I'm glad you did too, Amina. I'm glad you took that chance."

She sighed, before stepping away, “well, I better go back to Rex. I kinda of just… ran away from him and the ship when I came up with the idea.”

He gave her a small smile before bending down to pick up his helmet, “be safe, alright?”

Amina gave him a two-fingered salute, “no promises.” She looked around before walking back up a few stairs and gave him a peck, “for luck.” She smirked.

Hunter leaned in and did the same thing to her, “for luck,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned back slightly, his eyes still locked with hers.

Amina returned his smile, her cheeks flushing with a mixture of embarrassment and anticipation as she felt a surge of affection for the clone trooper standing before her. "For luck," she echoed softly, her voice filled with warmth as she reached up to gently brush her fingers against Hunter's tattooed cheek.

Their moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind, and Amina reluctantly stepped back, breaking the intimate connection between them. She turned to see Rex standing at the foot of the ramp, a concerned expression on his face as he glanced between Amina and Hunter.

"Everything alright?" Rex asked, his voice tinged with concern as he took in the scene before him. Amina nodded, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment as she cleared her throat and attempted to regain her composure.

"Yeah, everything's fine," she replied quickly, her voice slightly breathless as she glanced at Hunter, who was watching her with a mixture of concern and uncertainty. "Just... catching up with Hunter before I leave."

Rex raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical as he glanced between Amina and Hunter. "Right," he said slowly, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone as he turned to leave the hangar. "Well, don't let me stop you."

Amina walked back down the ship’s ramp, “I guess I’ll comm you when I get to Alderaan. I don’t know if I’ll have any connection on Dagobah.”

"Take care of yourself, General," Hunter called out as Amina reached the bottom of the ramp. His voice was filled with warmth and sincerity, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips as he met her gaze.

Amina returned Hunter's smile, her heart swelling with gratitude for his unwavering support. "You too, Sergeant," she replied softly, her voice tinged with emotion as she turned to face Rex, who was waiting patiently by the ship's entrance.

Rex nodded in acknowledgement as Amina approached, his expression serious but supportive as he gestured for her to follow him. "Let's get going," he said briskly, his tone businesslike as he led the way towards the waiting transport that would take them to Alderaan.

---

Amina landed the ship in swampy waters as she opened the hatch to look around. It had only been around 7 months since the Empire formed, and this seemed like an awful place to live for the rest of your life.

Amina stepped out of the ship and onto the swampy ground, the thick mist swirling around her as she surveyed her surroundings. The air was heavy with humidity, and the smell of decay hung in the air, making her nose wrinkle in disgust.

She glanced around, searching for any sign of life amidst the dense vegetation that surrounded her. The trees loomed overhead like ancient sentinels, their gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal fingers towards the sky. The ground beneath her feet was slick with mud, making each step treacherous as she ventured further into the swamp.

"Master Yoda?" Amina called out, her voice echoing through the mist as she strained to listen for any response. But the only sound that greeted her was the chorus of insects buzzing in the air, their incessant hum adding to the eerie atmosphere of the swamp.

Amina pressed on, her determination unwavering as she pushed through the dense undergrowth, her senses on high alert as she searched for any sign of the Jedi Master.

“Master? It’s me, Amina. I need your help- your expertise with something. Master Yoda, are you here?" Amina called out again, her voice echoing through the mist as she scanned the surrounding swamp for any sign of movement. But there was still no response, and Amina couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at her insides.

Suddenly, a rustling sound caught Amina's attention, and she whirled around to see a small figure emerging from the dense foliage. Her heart leaped in her chest as she caught sight of the familiar green robes and wizened face of Master Yoda, his eyes twinkling with wisdom as he regarded her.

"Amina Skywalker, it is," Yoda greeted her, his voice like a gentle breeze as he approached her with slow, measured steps. "Come seeking guidance, you have."

Amina nodded, relief flooding through her at the sight of her old mentor. "Yes, Master Yoda," she replied earnestly, her voice tinged with urgency. “I have this… connection with Anakin and- ”

“Your brother, dead he is.” Yoda interjected, walking towards her with his cane. “Replaced by Darth Vader.”

As Amina stood in the swampy terrain of Dagobah, facing the diminutive figure of Master Yoda, her heart clenched at his words. "He's not dead. He's just... lost," she insisted, her voice trembling with emotion as she met Yoda's wise gaze. "I can feel it. There's still good in him. I know it."

Yoda regarded Amina with a mixture of curiosity and concern, his wrinkled face betraying no hint of emotion as he studied her carefully. "Feel it, you do?" he asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper as he leaned on his gnarled cane.

Amina nodded fervently, her eyes shining with determination as she met Yoda's gaze. "Yes, Master Yoda," she replied earnestly, her voice filled with conviction. "I can sense the conflict within him, the struggle between the light and the dark.”

She looked around before kneeling down in front of him, “weird things have been happening. Sometimes, he will just appear in front of me clear as day. I can talk to him too, and he can even interact with my environment. But no one else can see him.”

Yoda regarded Amina with a mixture of curiosity and concern, his ancient eyes peering into her very soul as he listened intently to her words. He could sense the turmoil within her, the conflict that raged within her heart as she grappled with the truth of her brother's fall to the dark side.

"Troubled, you are," Yoda observed quietly, his voice like a soft whisper in the stillness of the swamp. "Disturbed, your mind is. Fear, anger, uncertainty... cloud your thoughts, they do."

Amina bowed her head, her chest tight with emotion as she struggled to contain the torrent of feelings that threatened to overwhelm her. "I don't know what to do, Master Yoda," she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I believe there’s still good in him, but at the same time, I need to know how to break this connection we somehow formed.”

Yoda stroked his chin thoughtfully, his gaze drifting into the mist-shrouded depths of the swamp as if seeking answers in the ethereal currents of the Force. "Break the connection, you cannot," he said finally, his tone grave. "For it is not a bond formed of mere flesh and blood, but of the very essence of the Force itself."

Amina's brow furrowed in confusion. "But how can that be?" she asked, her voice tinged with frustration. "I've never heard of such a thing before. Anakin and I are not twins, nor are we bound by any mystical rites or rituals."

Yoda nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving Amina's troubled face. "Indeed, a mystery it is," he admitted. "But one thing is certain: the Force has woven a connection between you and your brother, whether by fate or design. And it is a bond that cannot be easily severed."

“But Master- ” she started angrily as Yoda hit her knee with his cane, causing her to sit down on the ground.

“Emotional, you are. Reckless and stubborn.”

Amina winced at the rebuke, but she knew deep down that Yoda was right. Her emotions had always been a driving force within her, sometimes clouding her judgment and leading her down paths she later regretted. But this time, it was different. This time, it was about her brother, her family.

"Master Yoda, I know you're right, but I can't just stand by and do nothing," Amina pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. "Anakin needs me, and I can't turn my back on him, no matter what."

“If dark side you fall to, lost will the galaxy be. Further darkness it will descend into.”

Amina frowned, tilting her head to the side, “I don’t understand.”

Yoda regarded her with a steady gaze, his expression inscrutable. "Lied to you, we did.”

Amina's brow furrowed in confusion at Yoda's unexpected admission. "Lied?" she echoed, her voice tinged with disbelief. "What do you mean, Master Yoda? About what?"

"The truth about your potential," Yoda replied cryptically, his eyes piercing through her with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. "Hidden, it has been, from your sight."

Amina's brow furrowed in bewilderment. "My potential?" she echoed, her mind racing with a flurry of questions. "What do you mean, Master Yoda? What have I been lied to about?"

Yoda let out a deep sigh, his ancient features etched with sorrow as he regarded Amina with a mixture of sympathy and regret. "Powerful, you are, Amina Skywalker," he began, his voice low and measured. "Strong in the Force, like your brother before you."

Amina's eyes widened in disbelief, her mind reeling at the implications of Yoda's words. "But that's impossible," she protested weakly, shaking her head in denial. "I'm not like Anakin. I don't have his strength or his abilities. I'm just... me."

Yoda nodded slowly, his expression grave. "Believe it, you must," he insisted, his voice tinged with urgency. "For the Force flows through you, as it does through all living beings.”

Amina's head spun with the weight of Yoda's words, her heart pounding in her chest as she struggled to comprehend the truth of her own existence. "But why was this hidden from me?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion. "Why did no one ever tell me?"

Yoda's gaze softened, his eyes filled with compassion as he reached out a withered hand to touch Amina's shoulder. "Fear, perhaps," he mused quietly. "Fear of what you might become, if your true power were unleashed. Fear of the darkness that lurks within us all."

Amina looked down at her hands, holding the japor snippet on her wrist. "Because you didn’t want Palpatine to know the same way he knew about Anakin," she mused aloud, her voice tinged with bitterness and regret.

Yoda nodded slowly, his wise eyes gazing into the distance as if seeing beyond the physical realm. "Correct, you are," he affirmed, his voice a soft murmur in the stillness of the swamp. "Secrets, the Jedi kept. Safe, you must be."

Amina clenched her jaw, her emotions roiling beneath the surface as she grappled with the weight of Yoda's revelation. "But hiding the truth didn't protect us, did it?" she remarked bitterly, her voice thick with resentment. "It only made us vulnerable, easy prey for Palpatine's machinations."

Yoda placed a reassuring hand on Amina's shoulder, his touch gentle yet firm. "Learn from the past, we must," he advised solemnly. "Mistakes, we have made. But redemption, there is always."

“But did anyone else know? Like Obi-Wan or my master? Or was it supposed to stay hidden from me forever?”

As Amina looked up at Master Yoda, her eyes searching for answers, she couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that gnawed at her heart. The revelation that her true potential had been kept hidden from her, buried beneath layers of secrecy and deception, left her feeling raw and vulnerable.

Yoda met her gaze with a solemn expression, his wise eyes reflecting the weight of centuries of Jedi wisdom. "Obi-Wan knew," he confessed quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "But your master, Be Pa'dor, she did not.”

Sensing Amina's inner turmoil, Yoda placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, his touch grounding her in the present moment. "Hide, you must. Found by Sidious and Vader, you cannot be.”

Amina stood up quickly, her mind racing. All this time she had been lied to, what was she supposed to do with this knowledge? “Thank you, Master.” She mumbled, walking back to her ship not sparing another glance back at Yoda.

---

She walked into the castle on Alderaan, where Bail and his wife Breha lived. Amina walked over to Breha, “where’s Bail?”

Breha smiled warmly at Amina as she entered the castle, her gaze softening with affection. "He's on Coruscant today," she replied, her voice tinged with warmth. "Although, he did tell me that you could keep the ship if you'd like."

Amina nodded, a grateful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Thank you, Breha," she said sincerely, her voice filled with appreciation. "I'll make sure to take good care of it."

Breha walked over to her, placing a hand on Amina’s elbow, “would you like to see Leia?”

Amina turned her head over to Breha, her lips parted, “you’d… you’d let me see her?”

“Well of course, you are her aunt. And a close friend of Padme’s.”

Breha's words hung in the air, echoing in Amina's mind as she processed the unexpected invitation to see Leia. Her heart fluttered with a mixture of excitement and apprehension at the prospect of meeting her niece for the first time since she was born.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Amina nodded eagerly, her lips curving into a grateful smile. "Yes, I would love to see Leia," she replied earnestly, her voice laced with emotion. "Thank you, Breha."

Breha returned Amina's smile, her eyes shimmering with warmth and understanding. "Follow me," she said gently, leading Amina through the corridors of the castle towards Leia's nursery.

As they walked, Amina's thoughts raced with a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn't help but wonder what Leia would be like, whether she would have any resemblance to her mother, Padmé.

Breha pushed open the door to Leia's nursery, revealing a cozy room bathed in soft light and filled with the gentle cooing of a baby. Amina's heart skipped a beat as she caught sight of Leia lying in her crib, her tiny form swaddled in blankets as she gazed up at them with wide, curious eyes.

Amina's breath caught in her throat as she stepped closer to the crib, her eyes fixed on Leia with a mixture of awe and wonder. "She's beautiful," she whispered, her voice barely above a hush as she reached out a trembling hand to gently stroke Leia's cheek.

Breha watched Amina with a soft smile, her eyes brimming with maternal pride as she observed the tender moment between aunt and niece. "She's a precious gift," she said softly, her voice filled with love. "Just like her mother."

Amina's heart clenched at the mention of Padmé, her eyes misting with unshed tears as she thought of her beloved sister. "I wish she could see her," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "Padmé would have been so proud."

Breha placed a comforting hand on Amina's shoulder, her touch warm and reassuring. "She knows," she said gently, her voice a soothing balm to Amina's wounded soul. "And wherever she is, I'm sure she's watching over Leia with love."

Amina nodded, her gaze still fixed on Leia as she marveled at the miracle of new life before her. She had grown since she held her when she was just born. “She has Padme’s eyes.”

Breha smiled as Leia lifted her tiny hand and wrapped it around one of Amina’s fingers. “You can pick her up if you’d like.”

Before Amina could respond, Breha reached into the crib and took Leia out, unwrapping the blankets from her body.

Taking a deep breath, Amina reached out and gingerly took Leia into her arms, marveling at the warmth and weight of the tiny bundle. Leia stirred slightly, her dark eyes blinking up at Amina with a mixture of curiosity and innocence.

Amina couldn't help but smile as she gazed down at Leia, her heart melting at the sight of the precious baby in her arms. "Hey there, little one," she whispered softly, her voice filled with warmth and affection. "I'm your aunt Amina."

Leia cooed in response, her tiny fingers reaching out to grasp Amina's hand with surprising strength. Amina chuckled softly, feeling a rush of joy and wonder wash over her as she cradled Leia close to her chest.

Breha watched the tender exchange with a smile, her heart swelling with pride at the sight of Amina bonding with her niece. "She seems to like you," she remarked with a teasing twinkle in her eye.

Amina chuckled, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she glanced up at Breha. "I hope so," she replied sheepishly, her voice tinged with amusement. "I don't think I've ever been this nervous before."

Breha reached out and gently squeezed Amina's shoulder, her touch reassuring. "You're doing just fine," she said warmly, her voice filled with encouragement. "Leia is lucky to have you as her aunt."

---

She spent a few days on Alderaan before making her way back to Ord Mantell. The Bad Batch was finishing up a mission with the help of Rex on Coruscant, so she stayed on her small ship.

Amina held her comm tightly in her hand, still trying to will herself to make the call to Obi-Wan. How could he keep it from her? He was one of her closest friends, a father and a brother to her, yet lied to her since he knew her.

Taking a deep breath, Amina finally mustered up the courage to press the call button, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for Obi-Wan to answer. After what felt like an eternity, his holographic image flickered to life before her, his familiar features etched with concern as he regarded her with a furrowed brow.

"Amina," Obi-Wan greeted her, his voice filled with warmth and sincerity. "Is everything alright? Did you speak to Master Yoda?"

Amina clenched her jaw, struggling to maintain her composure as she met Obi-Wan's gaze head-on. "No, everything is not alright," she replied evenly, her tone tinged with barely contained anger. "We need to talk."

Obi-Wan's expression softened, his blue eyes filled with understanding as he sensed the turmoil within Amina. "Of course," he said gently, his voice a soothing balm to her frayed nerves. "What's on your mind?"

Amina took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation ahead. "Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.

Obi-Wan's brow furrowed in confusion, his gaze flickering with a hint of guilt as he searched for the right words to say. "I... I thought it was for the best," he admitted reluctantly, his voice tinged with regret.

Amina scoffed, her frustration bubbling to the surface as she struggled to contain her anger. "For the best?" she exclaimed incredulously, her voice rising with each word. "You think keeping such a crucial piece of information from me was the right thing to do? How could you, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan's expression softened, his eyes filled with remorse. "I understand that you're upset, Amina," he said gently, his voice laced with sincerity. "But please, try to see it from my perspective. Master Yoda told me to keep a secret, from you, from Anakin, and Be. Not even Master Qui-Gonn knew.”

Amina shook her head, her eyes blazing with righteous indignation as she scoffed at his hologram. "I’ve been lied to my whole life. This whole thing about mine and Anakin’s force connection isn’t really that much of a surprise, is it? Since I’m actually more powerful with the force than I thought.”

“If you go down this train of thought, you will find yourself- ”

“I’ve spent most of my life with the Jedi, and now I find out that the way I was treated was all a lie. You all were just terrified that I might be like Anakin, even when we were young," Amina vented, her voice laced with frustration and hurt.

Obi-Wan sighed, his holographic image flickering slightly as he leaned forward, his expression pained. "Amina, please try to understand," he implored, his voice soft but earnest. "We did what we thought was best to protect you, to keep you safe from the dangers of the dark side."

Amina scoffed bitterly, her arms folded across her chest as she glared at the hologram of her former mentor. "Protect me? By keeping me in the dark? By treating me like I was some fragile thing that needed to be sheltered from the truth?" she retorted, her voice rising with each word. "I'm not a child anymore, Obi-Wan. I deserve to know the truth."

Obi-Wan's features softened, his eyes filled with remorse as he regarded Amina with a mixture of regret and empathy. "You're right, Amina. I should have been honest with you from the beginning," he admitted, his voice tinged with sorrow. "But please believe me when I say that everything I did, I did out of care for you."

Amina scoffed again, her anger getting the best of her as she smashed her comm in her fist, throwing the broken pieces at the dashboard.

As Amina's comm shattered against the dashboard of her ship, she slumped back in her seat, her chest heaving with a mixture of anger and frustration. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she struggled to contain the torrent of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.

The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the soft hum of the ship's engines and the ragged sound of Amina's breathing. She closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down, to push aside the anger and hurt that consumed her.

But try as she might, she couldn't shake the sense of betrayal that gnawed at her heart. Obi-Wan, her mentor, her friend, had kept the truth from her, had lied to her for years. And for what? To protect her? To shield her from the dangers of the dark side?

A bitter laugh escaped Amina's lips as she shook her head in disbelief. "Some protection," she muttered bitterly, her voice thick with sarcasm. "Hiding the truth, keeping me in the dark... How is that supposed to protect me?"

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs. She felt adrift, lost in a sea of uncertainty and doubt, with no one to turn to for guidance or support.

After a few hours of sitting in silence, Amina decided to exit the ship and walk to a nearby pub. She needed to clear her head, to find some semblance of peace amidst the turmoil of her thoughts. As she stepped out into the bustling streets of Ord Mantell, she pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, seeking refuge from the prying eyes of passersby.

The pub was dimly lit, the air heavy with the scent of alcohol and sweat as Amina made her way to an empty seat at the counter.

“You look like you could use a drink, hun.”

Amina hummed and nodded as a shot glass with bright blue liquid slid in front of her. She grabbed the shot glass before realizing this must be some sort of alcohol. “Hey, actually, I just want water- and, you’re on the other side of the bar.”

She sighed, swirling around the blue liquid. She had never drank before, never wanted to and never thought about it.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted the glass to her lips and downed the contents in one swift motion. The liquid burned as it slid down her throat, leaving a bitter aftertaste in its wake. She grimaced, setting the empty glass back on the counter.

As the initial shock wore off, Amina leaned back against the counter, her head swimming with a heady mix of sensations. The alcohol had hit her hard and fast, leaving her feeling light-headed and strangely euphoric. It was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, if only for a moment, and she found herself succumbing to the intoxicating allure of oblivion.

But the taste was awful.

The bartender came back around as Amina leaned forward, “do you… uh, have anything that’s easier to drink, but still strong?”

The bartender, a burly man with a grizzled beard and a no-nonsense demeanor, eyed Amina warily before nodding slowly. "I think I've got just the thing for you," he replied gruffly, reaching for a bottle behind the counter.

He poured a clear liquid into a glass and slid it across the counter towards Amina. "Here you go," he said gruffly, his voice tinged with a hint of skepticism. "But be careful, it's stronger than it looks."

Amina nodded, taking the glass in her hand and raising it to her lips. She took a cautious sip, savoring the smooth, slightly sweet taste of the drink as it slid down her throat. It was much easier to handle than the previous one, yet still packed a powerful punch that left her feeling pleasantly buzzed.

"Thanks," she murmured, offering the bartender a grateful smile as she set the glass back down on the counter.

---

“Anakin and Obi-Wan will go to Karthi, Amina you are to return back to Coruscant.” Mace said.

“But Master Windu- ”

“Dismissed.” Mace cut Amina off, the transmission ending.

Amina stood there in front of the holotable, as Obi-Wan turned towards Cody giving orders and Anakin glanced over at Amina.

“Lucky- ”

Amina angrily walked away, passing by the clones and Ahsoka.

“Oh, master- ” Ahsoka started, but Amina continued on her way.

She turned a corner and walked into the hangar, walking towards her ship, “Amina!” Anakin yelled after her, running to catch up to her as he grabbed her wrist. "Ami-" he started, but she cut him off with a sharp glare, her eyes flashing with anger.

"It's not fair," Amina snapped, her voice tinged with bitterness. "Why am I always being sidelined, Anakin?"

Anakin's brow furrowed with concern as he released her wrist, his expression pained as he struggled to find the right words to say. "Well, I-"

"It's never you, or Obi-Wan, or Plo Koon, or even my master, but it's always me!"

Anakin let go of her wrist, “Amina, the war- ”

Amina continued, her voice rising with each word. “Has lasted only 3 months, I know. But I just don’t understand why I’m always called back to Coruscant to do nothing while my own Battalion gets to go fight!”

Anakin sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration as he struggled to find a way to reassure his sister. "Amina, it's not about sidelining you," he insisted, his voice earnest as he met her gaze with unwavering sincerity. "It's about keeping you safe. You're too important to risk on the front lines."

Amina scoffed, her anger boiling over as she turned away from Anakin. "Too important?" she exclaimed incredulously, her voice rising with each word. "I’m not as important as you or Obi-Wan. If anything, it should be me on the frontlines and you and Obi-Wan during errands for the Council.”

Anakin’s own frustration and anger rose, “how could you say that? How could you say you’re not important?”

Amina whirled around, her eyes flashing with indignation. “Because I feel useless, Anakin! Every time I get sent back, it feels like they don’t trust me. Like I’m not capable of handling myself.”

Anakin clenched his jaw, trying to keep his own temper in check. “Amina, it’s not about capability. The Council has their reasons- ”

“Reasons they won’t share with me,” Amina interrupted, her voice breaking slightly. “I’m a Jedi Knight, just like you. I deserve to know why I’m being sidelined. I deserve to know why they treat me lesser than all the other Jedi. And I don’t want to hear about the Council, we both know exactly what you think about them.”

Amina turned around and made her way to her X-Wing, jumping into the pilot’s seat.

“At least talk to Padme when you get there. She may be able to help you understand things.” Anakin called out.

“Fine.” Amina replied forcefully, the hatch of the X-Wing closing.

---

Hunter and Tech walked around Ord Mantell as Omega and Wrecker stayed on the ship. They had just gotten back from the mission and when they landed, they saw a small new ship in the same hanger.

So now, the two of them walked around the city looking for Amina.

Tech adjusted his goggles, “she could be in any one of the numerous establishments in Ord Mantell. It is going to take a while to look inside every one.”

Hunter nodded in agreement, his brow furrowed with concern as he scanned the crowds for any sign of their missing companion. "We'll just have to keep looking," he replied determinedly, his voice steady despite the underlying sense of urgency.

He gestured with his head at one of the bars as they entered looking around. “It seems Amina is not in this one- ” Tech got cut off as a body wrapped their arms around Hunter’s waist.

Amina looked up at him, “did you know that blue tastes like clouds and rainbows?”

Hunter blinked in surprise as Amina wrapped her arms around his waist, her words slurring slightly as she looked up at him with a playful grin. He couldn't help but chuckle at her intoxicated antics, his heart warming at the sight of her carefree demeanor.

"Blue tastes like clouds and rainbows, huh?" he replied with a smirk, his tone teasing as he gently extricated himself from her grasp. "I'll have to take your word for it."

Amina pouted playfully, her cheeks flushed with alcohol as she swayed slightly on her feet. "You're no fun, Hunter," she protested half-heartedly, her words slurring together in a drunken slur. "I thought you'd appreciate my poetic insights."

Hunter chuckled softly, reaching out to steady Amina as she stumbled slightly. "I appreciate them, Amina," he assured her, his voice warm with affection. "But maybe you've had enough to drink for one night."

Amina pouted even more dramatically, her bottom lip jutting out in a mock expression of sadness. "But I'm having so much fun," she protested, her voice muffled as she buried her face in Hunter's chest.

The bartender came around, “you her boyfriend? She’s being kicked out. I’ve never seen a person drink 3 bottles of Sunfruit liquor and not vomit, pass out, or die. Kid’s got a gut of steel.”

“Do I get gold stars? I want a gold star. Or maybe I’ll jump into a star. Boom!” She said, making a blast motion with her hand.

As Hunter stood there, his arm still around Amina to steady her, he couldn't help but chuckle at her antics. "Gold stars, huh? I think you've earned a whole constellation," he replied with a grin, his tone playful as he glanced over at Tech.

Tech adjusted his goggles, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Indeed, Amina. Your resilience is quite impressive," he remarked dryly, his lips quirking up in a small smile.

Amina beamed at their words, her cheeks flushed with alcohol as she swayed slightly on her feet. "See, even Tech thinks I'm amazing," she declared triumphantly, her voice tinged with satisfaction.

The bartender raised an eyebrow skeptically, unimpressed by Amina's drunken bravado. "Amazing or not, you've had enough for tonight," he said firmly, gesturing towards the door with a jerk of his thumb. "Time to call it a night."

Amina pouted exaggeratedly, her bottom lip jutting out in a mock expression of disappointment. "But I was just getting started," she protested half-heartedly, her words slurring together as she stumbled towards the exit.

Hunter chuckled softly, gently guiding Amina towards the door with a firm but gentle hand. "Come on, Amina. Let's get you back to the ship before you decide to take on the entire galaxy," he teased, his voice warm with affection.

As they stepped out into the cool night air, Amina leaned heavily against Hunter for support, her steps unsteady as she clung to him like a lifeline. “Do you think I’m a bad person?" she asked, her words slurred as she walked with her arm still around Hunter’s waist.

He looked down at her as she continued, “don’t lie to me. Too much lying. Everything…” She trailed off, looking up at Hunter with wide eyes.

"No, Amina, you're not a bad person," Hunter replied gently, his voice soft but firm as he met her gaze with unwavering sincerity.

Tech glanced back at the two of them as Amina pulled out a small bottle of pink liquid from her poncho. She popped off the cork and took a long swig before Hunter grabbed the bottle out of her hand.

"Amina, I think you've had enough," Hunter said gently, his voice tinged with concern as he looked down at her.

Amina pouted, her lower lip jutting out in a playful pout. "But I like this one," she protested, her words slurred slightly as she reached out for the bottle.

He pulled the bottle out of her reach, “where is this coming from? I’ve never seen you drink at all, cyar’ika.” Hunter asked gently, his voice filled with genuine curiosity and a hint of worry as the Mando’a slipped from his lips.

“Accident. Wanted water got blue drink.” Amina shrugged. “Little green man lied to me forever and ever and ever and ever.”

"Amina," he said gently, his voice laced with reassurance as he reached out to steady her. "I know things are confusing right now, but you're not alone. We're here for you, all of us."

Amina blinked up at him, her gaze unfocused as she leaned heavily against him for support. "You're… you're too nice," she mumbled, her words slurring slightly as she tried to focus on his face. "Shouldn't… you shouldn't trust me."

Hunter shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips despite the seriousness of the situation. "Trust isn't given, Amina. It's earned," he replied earnestly, his voice filled with sincerity. "And you've earned our trust a hundred times over."

Amina's brow furrowed in confusion, her thoughts muddled by the effects of the alcohol. "But… but what if I'm not who you think I am?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "What if… what if I'm not good enough- oh! Look!” She pointed at a seemingly empty spot outside as they entered the open hanger. “Big black man with bad breathing.”

As Amina pointed out into the open hanger, her companions exchanged puzzled glances, unable to see anything out of the ordinary. Hunter furrowed his brow, his gaze scanning the area for any sign of movement.

"Are you sure, Amina?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern as he glanced back at her.

Amina nodded eagerly, her eyes wide with excitement as she gestured towards the empty space. "Yes, look! He's right there," she insisted, her tone filled with urgency.

Tech adjusted his goggles, his analytical mind working overtime as he scanned the area for any signs of life. "I'm not detecting any unusual readings," he reported, his voice calm and measured. "It's possible that Amina's senses are being affected by the alcohol."

Hunter frowned, torn between trusting Amina's instincts and heeding Tech's analysis. He glanced back at Amina, his expression softening with concern as he studied her flushed cheeks and glassy eyes.

"Maybe we should get you back to the ship," he suggested gently, his voice laced with reassurance. "You've had quite a bit to drink, and it's starting to affect your judgment."

But Amina shook her head stubbornly, her gaze fixed on the empty space in front of her. "No, you don't understand," she insisted, her voice tinged with frustration. "He's here, I can feel it."

Vader took a step forward, standing in front of her, “you’ve had too much to drink.”

Amina stuck out her tongue as she clung onto Hunter to keep herself upright, “boring. Why do you always get to have all the fun and I don’t? You’re a spoilsport. And you’re a terrible big brother.” She stuck her tongue out and raspberried at Darth Vader while holding her hand out and pointed her thumb down.

Tech looked over at Hunter and tilted his head, “it is entirely possible that she is hallucinating, as Anakin died during Order 66 according to official reports.”

Amina walked away from Hunter, her steps uncoordinated as she tried to make her way up the steps of the Marauder.

Hunter watched with a mixture of concern and amusement as Amina stumbled her way up the steps, her movements unsteady and her words slurred from the effects of the alcohol. He exchanged a worried glance with Tech, silently debating whether to follow her or give her some space.

Tech adjusted his goggles, his brow furrowed with concern as he watched Amina's clumsy ascent. "Perhaps we should accompany her," he suggested quietly, his voice tinged with apprehension. "She may need assistance getting back to her quarters."

Hunter nodded in agreement, his expression grave as he followed Amina up the steps of the ship. He couldn't shake the nagging feeling of unease that gnawed at his insides, a sense of foreboding that whispered of danger lurking in the shadows.

As they reached the top of the steps, Amina stumbled and nearly fell, her grip on the doorway slipping as she struggled to maintain her balance. Hunter reached out a hand to steady her, his heart pounding in his chest as he caught her before she could tumble backward.

"Easy there, Amina," he said gently, his voice filled with concern as he helped her regain her footing. "Let's get you inside where it's safe."

Amina blinked up at Hunter, her gaze unfocused as she leaned heavily against him for support. "I'm fine," she slurred, her words barely coherent as she tried to push him away. "Just need to lie down for a bit."

Hunter shook his head, his expression firm as he guided Amina towards the interior of the ship. "No arguments," he insisted, his voice leaving no room for debate. "You've had too much to drink, and I'm not letting you wander around in this state."

Wrecker and Omega sat in the cockpit as Hunter helped Amina sit down on the floor by her small pillow and blanket.

Wrecker glanced over his shoulder as Hunter settled Amina onto the floor of the ship, his brow furrowed with concern as he watched the scene unfold. "Is she gonna be okay?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry as he turned back to the controls.

Hunter nodded, his gaze focused on Amina as he knelt down beside her, his expression softening with concern. "She'll be fine," he reassured Wrecker, his voice calm and steady despite the underlying sense of unease. "Just needs to sleep it off."

Omega peered over Wrecker's shoulder, her eyes wide with concern as she took in the sight of Amina slumped against the wall of the ship. "Is she sick?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

Tech adjusted his goggles, his analytical mind already at work as he studied Amina's condition from a distance. "She is intoxicated," he remarked dryly, his tone matter-of-fact as he glanced back at the group. "Given her current state, it's best to let her rest."

As soon as Amina hit her pillow, she fell asleep, gripping it tightly. The rest of the squad exchanged concerned glances, their expressions reflecting a mixture of worry and relief. Hunter remained by Amina's side, his hand resting gently on her shoulder as he watched over her with a protective gaze.

Wrecker leaned back in his seat, his brow furrowed with concern as he glanced over at Hunter. "You think she's gonna be okay?" he asked quietly, his voice filled with genuine concern for their teammate.

Hunter nodded, his eyes never leaving Amina's sleeping form. "She just needs some rest," he replied softly, his voice tinged with reassurance. "She'll be fine once she sleeps off the effects of the alcohol."

Omega shifted in her seat, her eyes lingering on Amina's slumbering figure with a worried expression. "Do you think she'll remember anything in the morning?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tech adjusted his goggles, his analytical mind already calculating the potential effects of Amina's intoxication. "It's hard to say," he remarked thoughtfully, his tone measured and precise. "Alcohol can affect memory retention, but it's possible that she'll have some recollection of tonight's events."

---

“…Master Fisto will accompany Plo Koon to Isin. Dismissed.” Mace said, as the hologram transmission ended.

Amina ran to catch up to him, “Master Windu, what about me?”

Mace Windu turned to face her; his expression impassive but his eyes reflecting a hint of concern. “Amina, your presence is required on Coruscant. The Council needs you there.”

Amina frowned, frustration bubbling up inside her. “But why? I can help on the front lines, just like the others. Why am I always sent back?”

Windu sighed, his tone remaining calm but firm. “The Council has made its decision, Amina. We believe it is in the best interest of the Order.”

“But I deserve to know why,” Amina insisted, her voice tinged with desperation. “Why am I always being sidelined?”

Windu's expression softened slightly, a rare occurrence for the stoic Jedi Master. “There are reasons, Amina. Reasons that we cannot disclose at this time. But know that we have your best interests at heart.”

Amina clenched her fists, her frustration mounting. “I feel like I’m being treated like a child. I’m a Jedi Knight, just like Anakin. I should be out there, fighting alongside all the other Jedi.”

Windu placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his gaze steady. “You are a valuable member of the Order, Amina. Your time will come. Trust in the Force.”

Amina sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “Yes, Master,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Windu gave her a nod of understanding before turning to leave. “May the Force be with you, Amina.”

---

Amina woke up and slowly sat up, holding her head feeling only slightly dizzy. She blinked her eyes as she found Vader standing in front of her, his arms crossed.

She looked around the ship and saw no one around as she turned back to Vader, “hello dear brother. May I ask why you decided to show up again in my head?”

Vader regarded her with a steely gaze, his expression unreadable as he towered over her with an air of authority. "You summoned me," he replied cryptically, his voice deep and resonant as he spoke. "Your thoughts called out to me across the void."

She laughed, “like I’d ever summon you. If you were Anakin, then, yeah, maybe I would. But your not Anakin anymore. So, like I’ve said a million kriffing times, get out of my head.”

Vader's mask betrayed no emotion as he regarded Amina with an inscrutable gaze, the darkness of his presence seeming to envelop her in its suffocating embrace. "You cannot deny our connection, Amina," he intoned, his voice low and commanding. "The Force binds us together, now and forever."

Amina clenched her jaw, her fists tightening at her sides as she fought against the tendrils of fear that threatened to overwhelm her. "I am not afraid of you," she declared defiantly, her voice ringing with a steely resolve. "You may have been my brother once, but you're nothing but a shadow now. And shadows hold no power over me."

Vader's mask seemed to loom closer, his presence pressing in on Amina from all sides. She stood up, walking away from him as she walked into the doorway of the Marauder, seeing Hunter sitting at the bottom of the ramp. She hurried down the ramp towards him, the memory of Vader's looming presence still fresh in her mind.

Hunter glanced up as Amina approached, his expression softening with concern as he took in her troubled demeanor. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked gently, his voice filled with genuine concern.

Amina nodded, her gaze flickering towards the empty space where Vader had stood just moments before. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied unconvincingly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Hunter studied her for a moment, his brow furrowed with concern as he reached out to gently touch her arm. "You don't seem fine," he observed quietly, his voice filled with warmth and understanding.

Amina sighed, her shoulders slumping as she leaned against the doorway of the ship. "I just... I saw him again," she admitted reluctantly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Hunter's expression softened with sympathy as he listened to her confession, his hand tightening slightly on her arm in a silent gesture of support. "Vader?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with concern.

Amina nodded, her gaze dropping to the ground as she struggled to put her feelings into words. "Yeah," she murmured, her voice barely audible. She nudged him with her shoulder, “I’m sorry about yesterday. I feel… embarrassed. And I’m never embarrassed. But, after speaking with Master Yoda and Obi-Wan, I guess I was feeling kinda of lost.”

Hunter's expression softened as he listened to Amina's words, his heart aching at the vulnerability she displayed. He reached out to gently squeeze her shoulder, offering her a reassuring smile.

"You don't need to apologize, Amina," he said softly, his voice warm with understanding. "We all have our moments of uncertainty. And it's okay to feel lost sometimes."

Amina glanced up at him, her eyes searching his face for any hint of judgment or reproach. Instead, she found only empathy and kindness reflected in his gaze, a silent reassurance that she wasn't alone in her struggles.

"Thank you, Hunter," she murmured, her voice tinged with gratitude as she leaned into his touch. "I just... I've been feeling so lost lately. Like I don't know who I am anymore."

Hunter's brow furrowed with concern as he listened to her words, his heart aching at the pain and confusion she must be feeling. He brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, his touch gentle and reassuring.

"You're not alone, Amina," he reassured her, his voice soft but firm. "We're all here for you, no matter what. And together, we'll figure it out."

Amina's lips twitched into a small smile, her eyes shining with gratitude as she looked up at him. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Hunter's heart swelled with warmth at her words, a sense of protectiveness washing over him as he gazed down at her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a comforting embrace.

Amina placed her head on his armored shoulder looking up at him, “you called my cyar’ika yesterday. What does it mean?”

Hunter chuckled, “it’s Mando’a.”

“And?” Amina asked.

"It's a secret," he replied playfully, his tone light with a hint of mischief. He nudged her gently with his shoulder, the familiar warmth of their camaraderie easing the tension that lingered in the air.

Amina raised an eyebrow, a playful glint dancing in her eyes as she leaned in closer to him. "Oh, come on, Hunter," she protested teasingly, her voice filled with mock indignation. "You can't leave me hanging like that. I need to know!"

“You speak Huttese, I’m sure you can give me a nickname in that language.”

Amina laughed, “there are no good words in Huttese. Unless you want me to call you slimeball, scum, or idiot.”

Hunter chuckled at Amina's response, shaking his head in amusement. "I think I'll pass on those options," he replied with a grin, his tone playful as he nudged her gently. "But thanks for the offer."

Amina grinned back at him, the warmth of their banter easing the lingering tension that still hung in the air. "Peetch goola," she said cheekily, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Anytime you need a creative insult, just let me know."

Hunter chuckled, his smile widening at Amina's playful demeanor. "I'll keep that in mind," he replied, his voice light with amusement. "But I think I'll stick to calling you cyar'ika for now."

Amina rolled her eyes playfully, her grin widening at the familiar term of endearment. "Fine, cyar'ika it is," she conceded with a mock sigh, her tone teasing as she nudged him gently with her shoulder. “But… I could just go ask Tech wherever he may be.” She slowly stood up, “I’m sure he’d be more than happy to tell me what it mea- ”

Hunter grabbed her arm pulling her back down to her seated position, their knees touching each others. “No need for that.”

Amina stuck out her bottom lip, “no fair. How do I know you’re not insulting me?”

“I would never do that.” he said, brushing his thumb over her bottom lip.

Hunter's touch sent a shiver down Amina's spine, her breath catching in her throat as she met his gaze. There was something about the warmth of his hand against her skin that made her heart race, a fluttering sensation stirring deep within her chest.

She swallowed nervously, her lips parting slightly as she searched for the right words to say. "I know," she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur as she leaned into his touch. "I trust you, Hunter."

His thumb brushed over her bottom lip again, sending a jolt of electricity coursing through her veins. Amina's breath hitched at the intimate gesture, her heart pounding in her chest as she fought to keep her composure.

Hunter's gaze softened, his eyes flickering with warmth and affection as he leaned in closer to her. "I would never do anything to hurt you, Amina," he murmured, his voice low and husky as he brushed his lips against hers.

Amina's breath caught in her throat as Hunter's lips met hers, sending a surge of heat coursing through her body. She melted into the kiss, her hands reaching up to cup his face as she lost herself in the moment.

She pulled away, her hand still on his cheek, brushing over his half-tattooed skin, “did you get better at this, or did I get worse? Or maybe you watched something on the Holonet?” she cheekily asked.

Hunter chuckled at Amina's cheeky remark, his heart swelling with affection at her playful demeanor. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, his touch gentle and tender as he met her gaze with a warm smile.

"I think it's a combination of both," he replied teasingly, his voice light with amusement. "But I have to admit, you're a pretty quick learner."

Amina grinned back at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she leaned in closer. "Well, I wouldn’t say that. I mean, I’ve never… kissed anyone other than you. So, if you say I’m good at it, maybe I have a natural talent.”

“Well, to be fair, you are also the only one I’ve ever kissed.”

Amina’s cheeks flushed, “so you were watching something on the Holonet. Did you practice on your hand?”

Hunter's cheeks tinged with a faint blush at Amina's playful question, his gaze dropping slightly as he cleared his throat. "Uh, well... I may have picked up a few pointers," he admitted sheepishly, his voice tinged with embarrassment.

Amina's grin widened at his response, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes as she leaned in closer. "Oh, really?" she teased, her voice laced with amusement. "And here I thought you were just a natural."

Hunter chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck as he glanced around the empty hanger bay. "Well, you know, practice makes perfect," he replied awkwardly, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Amina's laughter filled the air, light and infectious as she reached out to gently nudge him with her elbow. "I guess we'll just have to keep practicing, then," she teased, her tone playful as she met his gaze with a warm smile.

As Amina's laughter filled the air, Hunter couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth wash over him. Despite the lingering tension and uncertainty that hung in the air, her playful demeanor never failed to bring a smile to his lips.

He met her gaze with a playful glint in his eyes, his heart swelling with affection at the easy camaraderie they shared. "I guess we will," he replied, his tone light with amusement as he leaned in closer to her. "Practice makes perfect, after all."

Amina grinned back at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she leaned in closer, her breath warm against his skin. "I'll hold you to that," she teased, her voice tinged with playful anticipation as she closed the distance between them.

Their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss, a gentle brush of warmth and intimacy that sent a shiver down Hunter's spine. He melted into the kiss, his hand reaching up to cup Amina's cheek as he savored the sweetness of her lips against his own.

She moved closer to him, her right leg moving to hang over his right one as her hands moved to cup his jaw, with his other arm moving to the small of her back, pulling her closer.

Amina's heart pounded in her chest as she savored the sweetness of Hunter's lips against hers, her fingers tracing the contours of his jawline with a feather-light touch. She felt a surge of electricity coursing through her veins, igniting a fire within her that she had never known before.

Hunter's touch sent shivers down Amina's spine, his hand gentle yet possessive as it cupped her cheek. She leaned into his touch, her breath mingling with his as they shared the intimate closeness of their embrace.

“Whoa.” Wrecker exclaimed, as him, Tech and Omega walked back into the hanger, seeing Amina and Hunter on the steps of the Marauder. Wrecker put his hands in front of Omega’s eyes, “close your eyes kid.”

Omega swatted Wrecker’s hand away as Tech adjusted his goggles. Amina and Hunter momentarily stayed in a paused position, with her hands cupping his lower face, and his hand resting on her lower back.

Tech adjusted his goggles, his analytical mind processing the situation with characteristic efficiency. His expression remained unreadable behind his visor, “this was an expected development. I am surprised however, that it took you this long.”

Amina and Hunter exchanged a sheepish glance, their cheeks tinted with a faint blush as they reluctantly pulled away from each other. Amina cleared her throat, her voice slightly hoarse as she tried to regain her composure. "Uh, yeah... sorry about that," she mumbled, her gaze flickering towards the ground as she avoided eye contact.

Hunter scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, his heart still racing from the intensity of their brief embrace. "Yeah, sorry," he echoed, his voice tinged with embarrassment as he glanced back at his teammates. "We, uh, got a little carried away."

Wrecker raised an eyebrow skeptically, his expression a mixture of amusement and disbelief as he surveyed the scene before him. "Carried away is an understatement," he remarked dryly, his voice laced with humor as he nudged Omega with his elbow. "Looks like we've got a couple of lovebirds in the squad."

“Lovebirds?” Omega questioned. “What does that mean?”

Wrecker let out a laugh, “you’ll learn when your older kid.”

Omega crossed her arms, “I saw them kissing you know. I’m not a baby.”

Tech looked up from his datapad, “I believe you are using an incorrect term. The term you are looking for is ‘passionate kiss’.”

Amina’s jaw dropped as she sat there with a loss of words. “Um…”

“Woah.” Wrecker said, “I’ve never seen Amina not say anything back.” He hit Tech’s shoulder, “this has never happened before!”

Tech nodded, “you are correct. I will note this date and time.”

---

The team had been given a mission by Cid to go mine ipsium. But Amina decided she wasn’t coming along. She thought it best to talk to Obi-Wan in person, rather than over comms after her… slight outburst when she confronted him about the lie him and Yoda were keeping from her.

She walked to the hillside where Obi-Wan was living on Tatooine, climbing up the hill. “Master?” Amina called out.

Obi-Wan emerged from his humble dwelling, his expression grave as he regarded Amina with a mixture of concern and sadness. "Amina," he greeted her softly, his voice tinged with regret. "I've been expecting you."

Amina's jaw clenched at the sight of Obi-Wan, her heart heavy with the weight of her unresolved emotions. "We need to talk," she said firmly, her tone brooking no argument as she met his gaze with a steely resolve.

She walked further into the cave, sitting down on a crate in front of the small fire.

Obi-Wan took a seat opposite her, his expression grave as he regarded Amina with a mixture of concern and sadness. "I know why you're here," he began quietly, his voice heavy with regret. "And I understand your anger. But there are things you must know, Amina, things that I have kept from you for far too long."

Amina's jaw clenched at Obi-Wan's words, her heart heavy with the weight of her unresolved emotions. "You lied to me," she accused him, her tone sharp with accusation. "You and Master Yoda, you both kept the truth from me. About myself.”

Obi-Wan's gaze softened with sympathy as he listened to Amina's accusations, his heart aching at the pain and betrayal she must be feeling. "I'm sorry, Amina," he murmured, his voice tinged with regret. "But there are reasons why we had to keep the truth from you. Reasons that go beyond simple deception."

Amina nodded slowly, “I have the right to be angry. I’ve been lied to ever since I was a child.”

Obi-Wan's heart ached at the pain and betrayal etched on Amina's face, his own guilt gnawing at him from within. He reached out a hand towards her, his voice gentle as he spoke. "I understand your anger, Amina," he said softly, his tone filled with remorse. "But please, allow me to explain. There are things you must know, things that have been kept from you for your own safety."

Amina's gaze softened slightly at Obi-Wan's words, her heart torn between anger and a lingering sense of curiosity. She nodded slowly, her voice barely above a whisper as she spoke. "I just don’t understand. How could I have that high of a midichlorian count? Anakin’s not even my real brother.”

“I’m afraid I do not know the answer to that question, Amina. Your birth parents are unknown, as you well know. But whoever they were, either they were also strong with the force, or it was pure luck that you were born with the way you were.”

Amina looked at his hand on hers, “but… what even is my midichlorian count? Why would the Council have wanted me to be sidelined?”

Obi-Wan sighed, his gaze flickering with a hint of sadness as he regarded Amina with empathy. "Your midichlorian count is exceptionally high, Amina," he explained gently, his voice tinged with regret. "Higher than even Master Yoda’s.” She waited for him to continue, “I believe it was around 19,000.”

Amina’s eyes widened slightly; 19,000 midichlorians. That was only a thousand less than Anakin’s count.

Amina's brow furrowed in confusion, her mind reeling with the implications of Obi-Wan's words. "But why would that make the Council want to sideline me?" she asked, her voice tinged with frustration. "Surely having a high midichlorian count would be an asset, not a liability."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, his expression grave as he met Amina's gaze with a solemn intensity. "Normally, yes," he admitted reluctantly, his voice tinged with regret. "But when you both started your padawan training, and small cracks began to show with Anakin, they decided to keep it a secret.” He tugged her hand closer to him, “Amina, I want you to know that I didn’t think it was right, but I, like everyone else, was blind to the Council’s own faults. But it’s too late to go back and change everything that has happened.”

Amina sighed heavily, the weight of her unanswered questions pressing down on her shoulders. "So, what am I supposed to do now?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Obi-Wan regarded her with a sympathetic gaze, his heart aching at the pain and confusion etched on her face. "For now, all we can do is focus on the present," he replied softly, his tone reassuring. "You have a gift, Amina, one that can be used for good. But it's up to you to decide how you want to use it."

“And what if…” she let out a deep breath, “what if I don’t want to?”

Amina's question hung in the air, heavy with uncertainty and doubt. She sat there, her gaze fixed on Obi-Wan as she awaited his response, her heart pounding in her chest with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

Obi-Wan regarded her with a sympathetic gaze, his mind racing as he searched for the right words to say. He could see the turmoil etched on Amina's face, the weight of her unanswered questions pressing down on her shoulders like a heavy burden.

"It's okay, Amina," he said softly, his voice gentle and reassuring as he reached out to gently squeeze her hand. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. It's okay to be unsure, to feel lost. What's important is that you take the time to figure out what you want, what feels right for you."

Amina nodded slowly, her gaze dropping to the ground as she struggled to process Obi-Wan's words. She had always been taught that being a Jedi was her destiny, her purpose in life. But now, faced with the reality of her own doubts and uncertainties, she couldn't help but wonder if there was more to her path than she had ever realized.

“When you and Qui-Gon brought me and Anakin to Coruscant to become a Jedi, I thought I was going to be trained to keep the peace. To help people other there who couldn’t protect themselves,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “But for the past few years all I’ve been is a soldier.” She looked over at Obi-Wan, “I don’t know if I want to be a soldier anymore.”

"It's okay to be unsure, Amina," he reassured her softly, his voice filled with understanding. "We all have doubts, moments of uncertainty. But what's important is that you listen to your heart and follow your own path. No one can tell you what to do, or who to be. Only you can decide that for yourself."

Amina nodded, her gaze trained on the crackling fire in front of her. She clasped her hands together as Obi-Wan looked over at her. “Maybe your journey has already begun.”

Amina looked over at him, a furrow in her brow, “what do you mean?”

Obi-Wan gave her a half-smile, “you haven’t touched your japor snippet since you’ve been here. Meaning, you’re less anxious. Something has changed for you.”

She looked down at the bracelet on her wrist, where the snippet lay. She hadn’t noticed that she hadn’t gripped it or traced the engravings in a long while.

“You’ve met someone.” He commented, a small grunt escaping him as he stood up from the crate.

Amina's heart skipped a beat at Obi-Wan's observation, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she glanced down at the ground. She hadn't realized that her growing feelings for Hunter had been so obvious, but apparently, even the wise old Jedi Master could see right through her.

"I... um, yeah," she stammered awkwardly, her voice barely above a whisper as she struggled to find the right words. "I guess you could say that."

He walked back over holding 2 ration bars, handing one to her. “It’s alright. There’s no point in following the Jedi rules anymore. They didn’t get us very far, did they?”

As Obi-Wan handed Amina a ration bar, she accepted it with a grateful nod, her mind swirling with a mixture of emotions. She tore open the packaging and took a bite, the familiar taste of the nutrient-rich bar doing little to soothe the turmoil within her.

“You’re not… mad?”

He shook his head, “no, I’m not mad. I realize now that if I was a better master to Anakin, he would’ve come to me for help with his nightmares about Padme. But he didn’t.”

Amina regarded Obi-Wan with a mixture of surprise and understanding, her heart heavy with empathy for the guilt that weighed heavily on his shoulders. "You did the best you could," she said softly, her voice filled with compassion. "None of us could have foreseen what happened to Anakin, or the choices he made."

Obi-Wan nodded solemnly, his gaze dropping to the ground as he wrestled with his own inner demons. "Perhaps," he murmured quietly, his voice tinged with regret. "But that doesn't change the fact that I failed him. I failed both him and you."

“You didn’t fail us. Palpatine manipulated Anakin. I couldn’t save him… and neither could Padme.” She said, taking a bite of her ration bar.

Obi-Wan nodded, before briefly shaking his head, “anyways. Tell me about this someone you’ve met.”

Amina's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she glanced down at the ground, a sheepish smile tugging at her lips. "Well," she began hesitantly, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "You’ve met him once before.” She looked over at him, “Hunter, part of Clone Force 99.”

He rubbed his beard, “ah, yes. The squad that helped Rex and Anakin rescue Echo on Skako Minor.”

Amina nodded, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips as she thought back to their first meeting. "Yeah, they're... something else," she remarked fondly, her voice filled with warmth and affection. "But Hunter, he's different. He's... special."

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow at Amina's words, his curiosity piqued by her cryptic tone. "Special in what way?" he asked gently, his voice laced with intrigue.

Amina's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she struggled to put her feelings into words. "I don't know, exactly," she admitted reluctantly, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "It's just... there's something about him. Something that draws me to him."

Obi-Wan regarded Amina with a knowing smile, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he leaned back against the crate. "Ah, I see," he remarked teasingly, his tone playful. "So, you've found yourself a crush, have you?"

Amina's cheeks flushed even darker at Obi-Wan's teasing remark, her embarrassment palpable as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "It's not like that," she protested weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I don't know what it is."

---

After a few days of staying with Obi-Wan on Tatooine, the guys came over to pick up Amina, after finishing up two missions.

The ship landed a far distance away from the cave as Amina walked over to where the Marauder just landed.

As Amina approached the Marauder, she could see the familiar figures of Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and Omega waiting for her. She quickened her pace, a smile spreading across her face as she greeted her squadmates.

"Hey, guys," she called out, her voice filled with warmth and affection. "Did you miss me?"

Hunter grinned at her, his eyes sparkling with amusement, "of course we did," he replied teasingly, his tone light with affection. He walked forward to embrace her when Omega ran in front of him, hugging Amina’s waist.

Amina laughed, wrapping her arms around Omega and giving her a tight squeeze. "Hey there, kid," she said affectionately, pressing a kiss to the top of Omega's head before releasing her. "Did you behave while I was gone?"

"Of course," Omega replied with a mischievous grin, her eyes twinkling with playful innocence.

Amina chuckled at Omega's response, ruffling her hair affectionately before releasing her from the hug. As Amina turned back to Hunter, her smile widened as she reached out to give him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as he returned the embrace. Amina felt a sense of warmth and comfort wash over her as she buried her face in Hunter's shoulder, reveling in the familiar scent of his armor.

"It's good to see you, Hunter," she murmured softly, her voice filled with genuine affection.

Hunter squeezed her tighter, his voice warm with affection as he replied, "You too, cyar'ika."

They pulled away as Wrecker groaned loudly, “it’s so hot here! Can we go now?”

Amina shook her head before grinning, “I could use some air conditioning.” She ran onto the ship with Omega behind her as the rest followed in, with Tech sitting in the pilot’s seat.

He pulled off the ground and moved past the cave Obi-Wan stayed at when the ship started to sputter. Tech furrowed his brow behind his goggles, his fingers flying across the control panel as he tried to diagnose the problem. "We're losing power to the engines," he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration as he toggled switches and flipped through diagnostic readouts. "I don't understand what's causing it."

Wrecker grunted in annoyance, his massive frame shifting uneasily in his seat. "Well, figure it out, Tech!" he barked impatiently, his voice booming in the cockpit. "I don't want to be stuck in this desert any longer than we have to."

Omega shifted nervously in her seat, her eyes wide with apprehension as she glanced around the cockpit. "What's wrong with the ship, Tech?" she asked, her voice tinged with fear as she looked to him for reassurance.

Amina walked forward, “Tech you need to land it. I think I know why.” Tech quickly landed the ship as Amina pulled on her gloves, “were you guys watching the ship?”

“Yes.” Hunter replied.

“All parts of the ship?”

Tech and Hunter shared a glance, “no.” Tech replied.

Amina opened the ship, walking down the stairs as she went to the other side, looking at the torn wires. Tech followed first, along with the others. “Tuskens. They’re sneaky. Looks like they took a lot.”

Wrecker stood up straighter, “wait, but we were standing by the ship the whole time!”

Tech nodded, his expression grave as he surveyed the torn wires with a critical eye. "That's correct," he confirmed, his voice laced with concern. "We were all here, guarding the ship. There's no way the Tuskens could have snuck past us without us noticing."

Amina put her hands on her hips, “have any of you been to Tatooine before?” They all shook their heads, “then you’ve clearly underestimated them. They’re incredibly sneaky little sleemos.”

“We need the parts if we’re going to go anywhere.” Tech said, “perhaps we could track down where the Tuskens went.”

Amina shook her head, “not worth it. Some of us should just walk to Mos Espa. It’s- ” she turned around in a circle before pointing west, “5 or 6 clicks this way.”

Hunter furrowed his brow, his gaze flickering towards the horizon as he considered Amina's suggestion. "Walking all that way in this heat?" he muttered skeptically, his tone laced with concern. "It's not going to be easy."

She patted his armored chest, “relax. This is easy. I’ve walked way further in this heat when I was little. I can go to Mos Espa and buy us the parts we need.”

Omega jumped up, “can I come?”

Hunter looked down at her, sighing. “Fine. Me, Amina, and Omega will go to Mos Espa to get a capacitor. Tech, Wrecker, stay with the ship.”

Tech nodded in agreement, his expression serious as he turned his attention back to the damaged wiring. "We'll stay here and keep an eye on things," he replied, his voice filled with determination. "You three be careful out there."

Amina nodded, her gaze flickering towards the horizon as she mentally calculated the distance to Mos Espa. "Thanks, Tech," she said gratefully, her voice tinged with determination. "We'll be back before you know it."

With a final nod to Tech and Wrecker, Amina turned and began to lead the way towards Mos Espa, with Hunter and Omega following close behind. The sun beat down mercilessly on them as they trudged across the sandy terrain, the heat radiating off the ground in shimmering waves.

---

Omega panted, “maybe this was a bad idea.” she said, wiping sweat from her forehead.

Amina turned to face Omega, “do you need water?”

Omega shook her head, her breath coming out in short gasps as she tried to catch her breath in the scorching heat of Tatooine. "No, I'm okay," she replied weakly, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "I just... need to rest for a moment."

Amina raised an eyebrow, “stay here. Both of you.” Amina walked a little further ahead before brushing sand away from 2 black melons.

She walked back to them cracking one open and handing it to Omega. She took a sip of the water from the melon, coughing. “Ugh, it tastes awful.”

Amina cracked open the other one, taking a sip of it. “Yeah, it does. It takes some getting used to.”

Hunter took the melon from Omega’s hands, grimacing at the strong, retched taste. The two of them looked over at Amina, who drank it with no problem. Hunter raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "How can you stand to drink this stuff?" he asked incredulously, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Amina shrugged nonchalantly, wiping the residue from her lips with the back of her hand. "You get used to it," she replied casually, her voice laced with amusement. "Sometimes Watto wouldn’t pay you enough to buy water or food, or Jabba would raise water prices. You got used to drinking this.”

“Watto?” Omega asked slowly, taking another sip of the water from the melon, wincing at the taste.

“Our slave owner.” Amina said casually.

“Oh.” Omega responded.

Amina placed a hand on Omega’s shoulder, “it’s no problem. It was over 10 years ago. I hold no grudges anymore.” She tilted her head, “unless we see him, then I might curse him out in Huttese.” She took another sip from the black melon and stood up, “come on, let’s get going.”

As the trio trudged through the sweltering heat of Tatooine, the sun beat down mercilessly on them, casting long shadows across the sandy terrain. Amina led the way, her steps steady and determined as she forged a path through the endless expanse of desert.

After what felt like hours of walking, they finally reached the outskirts of Mos Espa, the bustling city looming before them like a mirage in the desert. Amina's heart swelled with relief as she caught sight of the familiar sights and sounds of civilization, her steps quickening with renewed energy.

"We made it," she exclaimed triumphantly, her voice ringing out across the desert as she gazed upon the city with a sense of awe and wonder. "Now all we have to do is find a vendor and buy the parts we need."

Omega nodded eagerly, her eyes shining with excitement as she surveyed the bustling streets of Mos Espa. "Let's split up and search for a vendor," she suggested, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "We'll cover more ground that way."

Hunter shook his head, “negative. I don’t think it would be wise to split up here.”

“I agree. People might try to buy us.” Amina said, “we’ll stick together and find a junk shop.”

After a few minutes of searching, Amina spotted a rundown junk shop nestled between two towering buildings, its sign barely hanging on by a thread. She motioned for Hunter and Omega to follow her as she made her way towards the entrance, her eyes scanning the assortment of salvaged parts and machinery on display.

As they stepped inside, the air was thick with the scent of grease and metal, the sound of clanking machinery filling the small space. A grizzled old Toydarian hovered behind the counter, his beady eyes narrowing as he appraised the newcomers.

"Hi chuba da naga?” he croaked, his voice raspy with age as he eyed them suspiciously.

Amina looked around the shop pointing at a capacitor, “kava che copah?”

He looked over at it, “jujumon.”

“What!” Amina exclaimed, looking at the capacitor.

Hunter leaned in, “what did he say?”

“He wants 100 credits for this junky capacitor.” Amina turned to the Toydarian, but before she could speak, he cut in.

“Make-cheesay.”

“Mi stuka mo gootu nooma na junkee Watto.” She responded. Amina looked around the shop before waving her hand in front of his face, “you will let us take the capacitor.”

Amina's words hung in the air as she waved her hand in front of the Toydarian's face, her gaze steady and unwavering. Hunter watched with a mixture of surprise and amusement, his lips quirking up in a smirk as he observed the exchange. The old shopkeeper blinked rapidly, his expression growing slack as he nodded in agreement.

"Of course, of course," he mumbled, his voice subdued as if under a spell. "You can take the capacitor. No charge."

With that, Amina retrieved the capacitor from the counter, tucking it securely into her satchel before leading the way out of the shop. The three of them made their way back onto the bustling streets of Mos Espa, the sounds of alien chatter and mechanical whirring filling the air around them.

“Do we really have to walk all the way back?” Omega asked, looking up at Amina.

“Well…” Amina looked around, before spotting a speeder. “Let’s see.” She walked over to the person by the speeder, waving her hand in front of his face, “you will let us take your speeder.”

The man blinked rapidly, his gaze unfocused for a moment before he nodded slowly. "Of course," he replied, his voice monotone as if in a daze. "You can take it."

Amina flashed him a grateful smile before turning back to Hunter and Omega. "Looks like we've got ourselves a ride," she said, her tone filled with satisfaction as she motioned for them to follow her.

Hunter raised an eyebrow in surprise, impressed by Amina's ability to influence the man. "Nice work," he commented, his voice tinged with admiration as they approached the speeder.

Amina shrugged modestly, a smirk playing on her lips. "Just a little Jedi trick I picked up," she replied casually, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Omega hopped onto the speeder, her eyes wide with excitement as she eagerly awaited the journey back to their ship. "This is so cool!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with childlike enthusiasm.

Amina got onto the speeder as Omega sat in front of her, with Hunter taking his spot behind Amina. “You might want to hold on.” Amina reached into her satchel and pulled out two pairs of goggles, giving one to Omega, “put this on. We don’t want sand in our eyes.”

Hunter put his helmet on as Amina revved up the speeder, “you ready, Omega?”

Omega eagerly nodded, her eyes shining behind the goggles as she tightened her grip on the speeder's handles. "Ready!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement and anticipation.

Amina grinned, her heart racing with adrenaline as she revved up the speeder's engine. With a burst of energy, they shot forward, the wind whipping at their clothes as they sped across the sandy expanse of Tatooine.

The journey back to their ship was exhilarating, the speeder cutting through the desert landscape with ease as they navigated the rough terrain. Amina expertly maneuvered the vehicle, weaving through obstacles and dodging sand dunes with precision.

As they approached the landing site, Amina slowed the speeder to a stop, bringing it to a smooth halt near the Marauder. Omega hopped off the speeder, her face flushed with excitement as she turned to Amina and Hunter.

"That was amazing!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with awe and wonder as she removed her goggles, her eyes shining with excitement.

Amina chuckled, a sense of pride swelling within her chest as she watched Omega's excitement. "Glad you enjoyed it," she replied warmly, reaching out to tousle Omega's hair affectionately. "You did great."

Hunter dismounted the speeder, his helmet still on as he surveyed their surroundings with a cautious eye. "We should get back to the ship," he said, his voice serious as he scanned the area for any signs of danger. "Tech and Wrecker will be waiting for us."

Amina nodded in agreement, her expression shifting to one of determination as she turned towards the Marauder. "Let's go," she said, her voice firm and resolute as she led the way back to their ship.

As they approached the Marauder, Tech and Wrecker emerged from the cockpit, their expressions filled with concern as they took in the sight of the damaged ship.

"What happened?" Tech asked, his brow furrowed in confusion as he surveyed the torn wires and damaged components.

Amina explained the situation, recounting their encounter with the Tuskens and their journey to Mos Espa to procure the necessary parts. Tech listened intently, his expression thoughtful as he processed the information.

"We managed to get the capacitor we needed," Amina continued, holding up the salvaged part for Tech to inspect.

Tech's eyes lit up with interest as he examined the capacitor, turning it over in his hands as he assessed its condition. "Looks like it's in decent shape," he remarked, his voice tinged with approval. "Should be able to integrate it into the ship's systems without too much trouble."

Wrecker grunted in agreement, his massive frame shifting uneasily as he glanced towards the damaged wiring. "About time we got this bucket of bolts back up and running," he grumbled, his voice echoing in the confined space of the cockpit.

Amina chuckled at Wrecker's comment, her gaze flickering towards Hunter as she caught his eye. "Well, let's not waste any more time," she said, her tone filled with determination. "Tech, can you start working on the repairs?"

Tech nodded in response as he walked outside, “I’ll get started on the repairs.”

Amina turned to Hunter, a playful glint in her eyes as she grinned at him. "Looks like we've got some time to kill while Tech works his magic," she teased, her voice laced with mischief. "Any ideas on how to pass the time?"

Hunter gave her a small smirk, putting his helmet down on one of the seats in the cockpit before grabbing her hand and taking her down the hallway. He opened the door to the small refresher, dragging her in as she turned to look at him locking the door. “Should I be worried?”

Hunter's smirk widened as he locked the door behind them, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he turned to face Amina. "Worried? Why would you be worried?" he asked innocently, his voice laced with amusement as he closed the distance between them.

Amina raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in her eyes as she took a step closer to him. "Oh, I don't know," she replied teasingly, her voice tinged with amusement. "Maybe because you just dragged me into a refresher and locked the door?"

Hunter chuckled softly, his gaze fixed on her as he reached out to gently cup her cheek. "I just thought we could use a little privacy," he murmured, his voice low and intimate as he leaned in closer to her.

Amina's breath caught in her throat as she felt the warmth of Hunter's breath against her skin, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked up at him. "Privacy, huh?" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper as she leaned in closer to him.

Their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss, the world falling away around them as they lost themselves in the heat of the moment. Hunter's arms wrapped around Amina's waist, pulling her close as he deepened the kiss, his lips moving hungrily against hers.

Amina melted into his embrace, her fingers tangling in his hair as she returned the kiss with equal fervor. The air between them crackled with electricity, desire coursing through their veins as they surrendered to the undeniable pull of attraction.

As they broke apart, gasping for breath, Hunter pressed his forehead against Amina's, his eyes dark with desire as he looked into hers. Amina spoke up, “wow, 4 days of no me and this is how you act? Maybe I should take getaways much more often.”

Hunter chuckled softly, his breath warm against her skin as he leaned in to place a gentle kiss on her lips. "I can't help it if I missed you," he murmured against her mouth, his voice filled with warmth and affection.

She laughed, “once again, it was only 4 days.” She raised her hand to trace the left side of his face, rubbing her thumb along his tattooed cheekbone.

Hunter grinned, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he captured Amina's hand in his, pressing a soft kiss to her palm. "Well, I promise to make up for lost time," he said playfully, his tone filled with mischief as he leaned in closer to her.

Amina's heart fluttered at his words, a warmth spreading through her chest as she looked up at him with a soft smile. "I'll hold you to that," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she brushed her lips against his in a tender kiss.

---

Huttese translations:

Hi chuba da naga? - What do you want?

Kava che copah? - How much for that item?

Jujumon - 100 basic

Make-cheesay. - I can't make exceptions

Mi stuka mo gootu nooma na junkee Watto. - I've seen better in Watto's junkyard.

tags: @callsign-denmark

[starrylothcat]

First of all, thank you to all my followers and mutuals. If you follow me for my writing or my unhinged reblogging, I appreciate all of you from the bottom of my heart! Sorry it took me a minute to put this together! This was a fun event to run, and big hugs to everyone who sent in their shout-outs. Please check out everything on this list, there's a lot of wonderful content from even more wonderful creators! (Linking and formatting on Tumblr is wonky so if I made any mistakes or links don't work, please let me know!) Masterlist under the cut!

⭐Fanfiction⭐

Glitch’s Masterlist - OC Masterlist by @techs-stitches

Masterlist of OC Glitch x Tech

In More Ways Than One (NSFW) The Bad Batch x F Reader by @madameminor

A night out with the Batch almost turns into a bar brawl, until your quick thinking sets up the perfect cover. Then your squad starts thinking it doesn't have to stay a cover. Sharing is caring, after all.

Fireworks - Hound x F Reader by @imarvelatthestars

Reader meets Hound after her massiff makes a run for it. Will romance blossom?

Dance With Me - Echo x Reader by @kaminocasey

You're cleaning the ship, listening to music, and Echo gets an idea.

Dominoes AO3 Link - by @meridiansdominoes

Domino squad wakes up to find themselves back on Kamino, hours from taking their final test... except they remember passing the final test, and they each remember dying afterwards, too.

Ghosts of Coruscan AO3 Link by numphet on AO3

Padmé Amidala, a former senator of the fallen Republic, barely survived the childbirth. After her recovery, she suffered from partial memory loss and was led to believe that the Emperor's mysterious enforcer, Darth Vader, killed her husband on Mustafar. Eight years later, she has joined the aspiring Rebel Alliance and volunteered to take part in a high-risk operation, only to be captured and thrown into an Imperial prison. To hide her true identity and protect her children from the Empire's wrath, she is forced to use a little too predictable alias.

Doc’s Febuwhump Series - The Bad Batch x OC by @staycalmandhugaclone

Fem Medic OC fic series with all the Batchers

Nightsky (NSFW) Echo x F Reader x Rex by @rain-on-kamino

Just back from a mission, The Bad Batch is unexpectedly visited by Rex. So you just have to wait a little longer to lay down with your love Echo. Or? Maybe this is the opportunity to try something new. Especially since the handsome captain obviously has a crush on you, too.

In Need (NSFW) Hunter x Jedi F Reader by @wanderer-six

While travelling with the Bad Batch, you find yourself overwhelmed by a certain need. Unable to deal with it, you try to wait it out in hopes it will pass. But you come to find that your arousal has been unintentionally torturing your poor sergeant.

Positions (NSFW) Cody x F Reader x Rex by @kaminocasey

Rex invites Cody out to 79s, only because they have bigger plans for you tonight.

Water and Rock (NSFW) Obi Wan x F Reader by @split-spectrum

When your former master Obi Wan joins you on a mission, it's clear things aren't the same as they once were. The trials you face together may break your bond, or turn it into something else entirely.

Hunter x F Reader by @freesia-writes with bonus spicy Hunter fanart by @verndusk and a smutty part 2 by @spicy-clones. Phew! Clone Matchmaking AU Masterlist by @tcwmatchmakingau

The Clone Wars have ended, and with their legal status secured, the clone troopers look to the future, to the things they never thought they would be able to have. Homes. Families. Love. But without the support systems and social structures available to natborns, many troopers have difficulty finding meaningful connections. Enter Right to Love Matchmaking Service: a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping clone troopers find the loves of their lives.

Sharp Edges (NSFW) Crosshair x Reader by @spicy-clones & @lightwise

What started off as self-indulgent Crosshair smut has evolved into a fully-developed fic, with plot, character development, twists and turns, angst, yearning, and plenty of delicious *spice*. ;)

⭐Artwork⭐

Wrecker and Reader Cuddles (plus Lula!) by @madbunnyarts

Bo Katan Comic by @projectorthus for @bokatanweek

Celebrating Anakin's Birthday by @stealingpotatoes

They Call Themselves...The Bad Batch by @shyranno

Alpha 17 and Captain Rex by @cobaltbeam

Sexy Tech Fanart by @raevulsix

Crosshair Back on The Marauder by @zaana

Awesome Graphics by @idontgetanysleep

Fixing TBB S2 Finale by @lightspringrain

[ilcuoreardendo-fic]

Welcome. Ask is on. Anon is on. My inbox is pretty much always open for thoughts or thots, comments, ramblings, etc.

I take fic requests, but I’m a very slow creator with constantly multiplying ideas of my own. So, feel free to ask/submit, but know that it might not happen (or might not happen very quickly...)

Like what you see here? Give me a follow. I usually follow back. And I don’t bite (without consent.)

Lins. She/Her. Taciturn, introverted, word lover. Annoyed atheist. Jaded feminist. Pramgatist.

Been in fandom since I was a wee teen in the late 90s.

I have a low tolerance for BS. (Like ship shaming, fandom policing and fandom purity culture - just to name a few things.)

I tag liberally, so if you have a problem with something (kink, ship, whatever), you can block the tag. Curate your experience.

I’m currently living in the Star Wars fandoms, bouncing between the Prequels, Clone Wars and the Bad Batch. (Love the entirety of TBB, but I definitely have a huge soft spot for Tech, Echo, Crosshair. Especially Echo, my cyber cinnamon roll.) But I moonlight in others.

In addition to Tumblr, you can find me at: Archive Of Our Own | ilcuoreardendo Dreamwidth | raptureofthemoon (largely just a backup space)

I'm all over the place and not consistent on any one project (and I’m slow AF when it comes to creating new fic lately). 

But here are a few things I’m working on (and a few highlights for flavor). I’ll try keeping this up to date.

The Bad Batch

Most of my images/edits and gifs: TBB Media

One Shots

The Fall (AO3) S2. Tech, in that moment. And the moments that come after.

A Hole in the Universe (Tumblr) S3. Crosshair mourning Tech.

Nights Like This (Tumblr) S3, Post Series Finale. Some nights, they can’t sleep.

One Shot Reader Fics

Staring Contest (Tumblr; Crosshair x Jedi!Reader)

From Here On Out (Tumblr; Echo x Reader; post series finale)

Series

Written in the Dust (AO3)  [In progress] A fix-it series branching off of Season 1. Echo’s past finds him. Echo x F!Jedi. Maybe...some other TBB x F!Jedi...we go where the wind takes us.)

A Place Called Home (Part 1 of Written in the Dust) Meaningful moments Echo shares with his new squad as he thinks about his past and finds his place in the present. (Complete)

Rescue on Bernilla [Working Title] (Upcoming; Echo/Female Character/Fives)

Series extras

Untitled (Upcoming; Crosshair/Female Character/Tech) Crosshair and Tech’s shore leave on Chandrila.

TBB Headcanony Stuff

Gifset: “Care to introduce your new friends, Caleb?”

Mood Boards

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Codywan

A Clone and His Jedi (AO3) [One-shot] Cody. Obi-Wan. A moment alone, waiting for rescue.

Star Wars Prequel Era (Samples)

QuiObi

And the Force Will Lead Them (AO3) [Complete; Zine fic] After Obi-Wan's actions on Naboo, he and Qui-Gon drifted from one another. A rare disease and a mysterious Jedi master draw them back together and lead them to discover the depth of their bond.

QuiObiKin

The Sacrifice (AO3) [Complete] It's been a year since Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan, Anakin Skywalker, fell to the dark side. It's been nine months since the gifts started showing up at the Temple, addressed to Obi-Wan.

Vaderwan

Acquisition (AO3) [In progress] Wherever he went, Vader seemed to follow. And it became much too frequent an occurrence to just be coincidence.

[bad4amficideas]

I wonder what a Pokemon x Star Wars crossover would be like.

I imagine that all the clones would have the same Pokémon standard, and then they would find another one (imagine Crosshair finding a Sobble, Wrecker a Pancham) but WHICH standard? Scavalier, Falinks, Pawniard, Durant?

maybe the Jedi too. Riolu?

Vader got an Iron Valiant... Padme got an Espeon.

Uxie-Mesprit-Axel are the OT Luke-Leia(Leia-Luke?)-Han.

Maybe 3 pokemon per person...

[theprincessandherloyalprotector]

“‘M okay,” I kiss his cheek, “goin’ to V.” I inform him before hopping to my dyad.

Crosshair leans against the wall with his sniper propped up, his focus on Ahsoka as she and Vader fight further down the hall.

He’s been cut a few times. His leg is the worst. At least he can still snipe and help cover Vader’s blind spots since the bitch liked to jump around so much.

Ahsoka kicks off the wall in a spin move, her foot colliding hard with Vader’s cheekbone. As Vader falls back a step, growling in pain, Cross lands another shot to her arm.

Even still, she keeps going, deflecting his next shot right back at him, forcing him to duck.

Vader recovers and slices downward with his height advantage, forcing Ahsoka to raise both sabers in an x in hopes to block his pure strength and fury.

[shadestepping]

NGL my brain went there too, the Clone X’s had trackers so why wouldn’t Crosshair and Omega? Hemlocke clearly likes to keep a close eye on his assets.

The only counter to this is, they would have had a much easier time finding them in the first place and they haven’t, so it’s not likely. What IS likely though is 1.) having a psychotic force-sensitives who can track anything (Vader and the Inquisitors), which is what I think Ventress was referring to when she warned them she “had her ways” (of finding them without coordinates), or 2.) Tech I mean Clone-X3 finding them because he’s just that resourceful.

Just my observations and working theories atm.

Also @rachaelkelleher how dare you hide this in the replies, “2 hags trading smack over wine” I AM WHEEZING

I love our boys but they need to WAKE UP and realise if Ventress can find them without co-ordinates, so can the Empire

[chelseaslibrary]

Tag System

Star Wars /

Obi-Wan Kenobi - ☀️

Anakin Skywalker - 🫶🏻

Captain Rex - 👩🏼‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏼

Commander Cody - 💋

ARC Trooper Fives - 5️⃣

Tech - 🤓

Wrecker - 👊🏽

Hunter - 🔪

Echo - 🦿

Crosshair - 🎯

Darth Vader - 😅

Zeb - 😈

Luke Skywalker - 🥺

Han Solo - 😮‍💨

Cassian Andor - 🤧

Din Djarin - 😶

Boba Fett - 🥴

Poe Dameron - 🧑🏽‍🚀

9-1-1 /

Evan ‘Buck’ Buckley -  🔥

Eddie Diaz - ⛑️

Bobby Nash - 👨🏻‍🚒

Howie Chimney’ Han - 🚒

Athena Grant - 🚨

9-1-1 Lone Star /

Owen Strand - 🧎🏻

Mateo Chavez - 💥

TK Strand - 💍

Judd Ryder - 🤠

Marvel /

Steven Grant - 🥹

Marc Spector - 🫠

Jake Lockley - 🥵

Frank Castle - 😛

Matt Murdock - 👨🏻‍🦯

Andrew Garfield Peter Parker - 🕷️

Loki - 👿

Tony Stark - 🤖

Eddie Brock - 👽

Bucky Barnes - 🦾

X-Men /

Charles Xavier - 🦽

Erik Lehnsherr - 💫

Peter Maximoff - 🏃🏼

Logan Howlett - 🫡

Narcos /

Javier Peña - 🧎🏽‍♂️

Steve Murphy - 🤨

Miscellaneous /

Daryl Dixon - 🏹

Danny Torrance - 😴

Spencer Reid - 👻

Aaron Hotchner - ❣️

Jack Barakat - 🎸

April Ludgate - 😑

Merlin - 🧙🏻‍♂️

Joel Miller - 😤

Ellie Williams - 🥰

Gregory House - 🩺

James Wilson - 🥼

Robert Chase - 💉

Alfie Solomons - 🧍🏻

Catcher Block - 🤩

James Potter - 🦁

[vodika-vibes]

We Could Be More pt. IV

Summary: Working for the Rebellion is both exactly what you thought it might be, and totally different. Mainly because you and Cross are more free agents than anything. Still, Maz sending you to Naboo feels more like a vacation than work.

Pairing: TBB Crosshair x F!Reader

Word Count: 2804

Warnings: Implications of Torture

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @ooostarwarsfandom501st

A/N: So, it took me a little while to get back to this story, but it's not dead! Go me! Anyway, I hope you all like it!

Part 1 | Part 2 (smut) | Part 3

Naboo is a beautiful planet. When not in Theeds, there are lush fields as far as the eye can see, and beautiful willows that dance in the wind. Even when the weather isn’t nice, the planet still looks like it belongs on the front of a postcard.

It’s infuriating, is what it is.

You rest your hands on the windowsill as you peer out the window at the city of Theeds.

It’s still early, but as the sun creeps across the buildings, you watch as Theeds comes to life. Windows get thrown open, curtains get pulled to the side, and children run out of their homes carrying school bags.

There’s a low groan from the bed as the sun creeps in the open window and dances across Crosshair’s bare chest, “Princess,” His voice is low and raspy from sleep, “Close the curtain,”

“You are lazy,”

“I,” Crosshair cracks open a single eye to look at you, “was working late and deserve my sleep.”

You laugh softly and pull the thin curtain closed, it does nothing to stop the sun from entering the room. Then you turn and head back to the bed so you’re able to sit next to him.

Crosshair eyes you for a moment then snakes his arm around your waist and pulls you back down to the bed so he’s able to bury his face in your neck, “There, much better.”

“You’re spoiled,” You huff as you squirm under him for a moment, to get more comfortable, and then wrap your arms around him to play with his hair. “Normal people are up and about at this time of the day, Cross.”

“Since when have we been normal, princess?”

You make a face at the top of his head but don’t reply. Instead, you busy yourself with playing with his short hair. Crosshair remains tense under your hands for a moment but slowly relaxes as he drifts back to sleep.

The pair of you have been on Naboo for three weeks, trying to complete the first of Maz’s deliveries.

Trying being the keyword, as something of a pickle has developed.

That pickle comes in the form of the Emperor’s Cyborg enforcer, Darth Vader. The women who are your contacts on Naboo were quick to stash the pair of you in a safe house, just until Vader leaves Naboo.

This has the rather annoying side effect of meaning that you and Cross can only operate after sundown. It also means that you can’t leave Naboo until Vader is gone.

Crosshair, after all, is very obviously a clone.

Your arms tighten around him slightly. The idea of Vader taking him from you, of rewriting him and making him someone else, someone loyal to the Empire, is enough to make you want to flee to Pabu.

Where he’ll have support.

He stirs in your arms, and you loosen your grip, your gaze darting to his face. He’s still asleep, his face peaceful and youthful in his slumber.

He needs a haircut, you think absently as you brush some of his hair back, I’ll mention it to him when he wakes up.

One of the more interesting developments since your confinement to this Nubian safehouse is the evolution of his nickname for you.

You’ve been ‘Kitten’ to Crosshair almost since the day you met. He wasn’t able to remember your name when you first met, and the nickname made you so angry that he kept using it just because it got under your skin.

Eventually, you got used to it. Even responded to it, though if anyone else called you Kitten they’d get up close and personal with your fists.

But, about a week ago, you woke up after a long night of negotiations, to breakfast in bed, and Crosshair calling you Princess. You tried to ask him about it, but he refused to comment on it, other than saying that Kitten didn’t suit you anymore.

You don’t miss the nickname. 

But you are still curious as to what caused the switch.

Absently you card your fingers through his curls, lightly dragging your fingers against the top of his head, and Crosshair releases a pleased-sounding groan. 

“You are just determined to not let me sleep,” He mumbles, his breath warm against your neck.

“You can sleep as long as you like, but I need to get up.” You reply to him.

His dark eyes scan your face, for long enough that your face starts to heat. Which, frankly, is embarrassing in and of itself. The man’s seen you in every state of undress there is, there’s no reason him looking at you should make you embarrassed.

“What?”

“You have a sunburn,” Crosshair murmurs, reaching up to lightly brush his fingers across your hairline, “Been sunbathing, princess?”

You press your hand over his, “I need to do something during the day,” You scan his face for a moment, “I really do need to get up, Cross.”

“In a bit,” 

“Cross—” His name gets cut off by a started yelp as his lips move to just under your jawline, and he bites down hard enough that you know a bruise is already forming. “What was that for?” You ask, once he’s pulled away and you’re able to press a hand against the bruise.

He flashes an unrepentant grin and releases you, “Just making sure that our contacts know what our relationship is like.”

“You’re a dick.”

“Next time, maybe you’ll let me sleep.”

“Next time, I’m dumping a barrel of ice over your head.” You counter snarkily as you roll out of bed and head to the fresher.

“Then I’ll just leave more marks on you for people to admire.” Crosshair replies as he wraps his arms around your pillow and buries himself into the soft material, “I’m going back to sleep.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll wake you for lunch.” You step into the fresher and close the door behind you, intent on showering and then going downstairs to make breakfast.

With luck, Vader will leave Naboo in the next couple of days and you and Cross can move on.

You’re both starting to get antsy.

You shower quickly, not wanting to wake Crosshair again and slip out of the bedroom to head down into the kitchen. You’re not going to make anything overly difficult, you’ve never been much of a breakfast person. 

Luckily, the kitchen is fully stocked, and you’re about to pull the bottle of fruit juice that you prefer first thing in the morning when the doorbell rings.

You pause, eye the front door, and then close the door to the fridge. Slowly, because you’re not expecting any company, you walk over to the front door and pull the door open, and your breath catches in your throat.

There, darkening your doorway, is none other than Darth Vader himself.

Standing nearly 7 feet tall, he towers over you, and with his armor, he fills the doorway, though he doesn’t try to force his way into the house. Of course, you also aren’t trying to slam the door in his face.

His impassive helmet stares down at you, and you avert your gaze. “Can I help you?” You ask, your voice quiet.

“You are a rebel,”

It’s not a question, it’s an accusation, and you have to squash your fear with an iron fist. 

“I beg your pardon?”

“We have gotten reports that you, and a male companion, have been working at night.”

“Well, I don’t know who’s telling you that, because I’m alone.” You reply, strongly.

“You’re lying.”

You sigh, “Okay, fine.” You shrug lazily, “There was a man. Several of them, actually. I’m young and attractive, I’m allowed to look for a good match, aren’t I?”

Vader pauses, “Reports indicate that the man is the same one every time.”

“Right, because that’s so easy to tell at night when there’s no lights?” You roll your eyes dramatically, “Question, is the Empire interested in every young woman’s sex life, or am I special?”

“You’re coming with me.”

“Why?”

“I do not need to give you a reason.”

You stare at him, send a silent prayer that Crosshair won’t do anything stupid, and then flash your most sarcastic smile, “Can I put on some shoes, or am I to walk barefoot?”

“Where are your shoes?”

“The closest, because I wasn’t raised in a barn.”

“You may get shoes.”

“You are the picture of charity.” You bite out, as you spin and head to the closet. Carefully, you pull out your sandals and make sure that Crosshair’s boots remain hidden, and then you turn back to Vader.

You drop your sandals in front of the stairs and kneel to strap them to your feet, glancing up at the top of the stairs where Crosshair is standing, a look of fury, mingled with fear, on his handsome face.

For a moment, just a moment, your gaze locks with his, and then you finish strapping your sandals to your feet and head to the door, “Am I to be handcuffed?”

“Are you a threat?”

“I’m fairly certain that your bicep is bigger than my thigh, so no.” You wince as he grabs your arm and you’re shoved at a group of Stormtroopers.

This is going to suck.

But, at least they don’t have Crosshair. So silver linings, you suppose.

Crosshair stares at the spot where his Princess had just been standing, fury nearly strangling him. Well, not just fury. There’s no small amount of terror there as well.

The very idea of Vader having her is enough to give him nightmares most nights.

The knowledge that Vader actually does have her sends ice down his spine.

He has to get her back.

He has to.

He can’t exist without her next to him.

Crosshair hurries back to the bedroom and pulls his blacks, and armor, on faster than he ever has before. He checks his sniper rifle and straps his pistol to his hip, and then he’s flying down the stairs.

He rips open the door and comes face to face with their contacts.

He looks at them, “Sorry, I don’t have time for this—” He tries to push through them, but surprisingly strong hands against his chest plate shove him back into the safe house, and the door is slammed behind the only blonde in the group.

Crosshair rips his helmet off, his teeth bared in a silent snarl.

“You need to calm down,” The defacto leader snaps.

“Vader took her—”

“We know!” She snaps, and then she closes her eyes and exhales, “We know. And, believe it or not, we’re here to help.”

“Why?”

The woman pauses and then she exhales slowly, “My name is Sabé, I was Padmé Amidala’s handmaiden since we were children. I know who Vader was before he became Vader.”

“Why does that—”

“He was Anakin Skywalker.”

Crosshair stops and stares at her, “You’re shitting me. Skywalker died. Just like every other Jedi.”

“No. He didn’t.”

“Okay,” Crosshair replies slowly, “Okay. So…that’s not ideal.”

“You’re going to need help to save your girl.”

“Do you have any suggestions?”

Sabé smiles, though there’s a hint of sadness behind her smile, “It’s going to take time. Your girl is going to be with the Imperials for a while.”

Crosshair’s hands curl into fists. He doesn’t want that. He wants to run and get her now, to wrap her in his arms and promise that no one is going to take her from him ever again.

He’s no Tech, but he’s smart enough to know when he’s in over his head.

“Will they take her from Naboo?” He asks.

“No. She’s going to remain here, in an Imperial detention facility.” Sabé replies, “I can’t promise that she’ll be safe in their care, but I can promise that we will get her back.”

Crosshair closes his eyes, “Do I have a choice?”

“Not any good ones, no.”

He sinks onto the couch and buries his face in his hands, “Fine.” He finally says, after a long moment of silence, “Fine. We’ll do it your way.”

Sabé lightly touches his shoulder, “It’s safer this way. I promise.”

You wince as you shift on the thin cot that has been yours since the day Vader tossed you in here. Everything hurts.

You’re covered in bruises, from your head down to your toes.

However, the most painful injury comes from the missing eye. A parting gift from Vader before he left you to the tender mercies of the Purge Troopers.

You’re beginning to think that Crosshair isn’t coming to get you.

Of course, he shouldn’t come here. He’s a clone, it’s so much more dangerous for him to come to a Detention facility than it is for you.

And maybe, if you repeat that enough times, you’ll believe it yourself.

You roll onto your side, your arm folding over your ribs, trying to shield them from any more pain, and you try to fall asleep.

Try being the keyword.

You jolt in surprise when, only a few minutes later, there’s a massive explosion from somewhere in the facility. Slowly, you sit up and cast your gaze towards the door.

There’s the sound of blaster fire and shouting. And then there’s more blaster fire. And then the hallway holding the cells falls silent.

Slowly you stand, and then you jump as your cell door slams open. A man, in very familiar armor, stands in the doorway.

“Cross—?” You whisper.

He rips his helmet off, revealing the sniper in question. His sharp gaze lingers on your bruises, and on the bandages wrapped around your head, “Princess,” His voice is a sigh, and you have to blink back tears.

“You came,”

“Did you think I wouldn’t?” He opens his arms for you, and you fly into his embrace, your arms wrapping firmly around his neck while his wrap around your waist.

“I don’t know.”

He exhales slowly and tightens his grip, “That’s alright, Princess. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“I want to leave Naboo,” You mumble against his neck.

“I know you do, Princess. In a little bit, I promise.” Crosshair releases you, takes your hands in his, and then pulls his helmet back on and leads you through the smoke-filled halls.

He passes you over to a man with a medical cross on his shoulder, and then he squeezes your shoulder and vanishes back into the crowd, heading back into the detention center.

In the end, the Empire is forced to back away from Naboo, the young Queen putting her foot down about the Imperial Army kidnapping her people and torturing them.

The Queen also barred Vader from ever returning to Naboo, claiming that the man who murdered former Queen Amidala has no place on the world that she called home. And, despite what Vader argued, Sabé and the rest of Padmé’s former handmaidens made sure that everyone knew that Darth Vader was actually Anakin Skywalker.

Of course, none of the political stuff really applied to you.

You spent two weeks recovering in the best hospital on Naboo, the second week spent getting fitted for a very nice-looking cybernetic eye. The eye is just as intricate, and delicate looking, as anything the Nubian people have ever made, and it almost looks like an art piece, when you’re finally able to see it.

Crosshair spends all of his time at your side, hovering like a particularly foul-tempered bodyguard until you’re finally released from the hospital. He doesn’t relax until the both of you are safely on the Signal once again. 

And, it’s only once the ship is back in orbit, that Crosshair hands control of the ship back to Peabody, and he drags you to your shared bedroom.

His hands come up to cup your cheeks, and he slowly presses his forehead against yours, “Never again.” Crosshair says quietly, his gaze serious, “I mean it, Princess. You don’t get to get captured again.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shakes his head, “I don’t blame you.”

You open your mouth to say something, only to hesitate. “I…thank you. For coming to get me.” Your love for him will remain a secret, for now. You wouldn’t want him to think that you only love him because he saved you, after all.

“I’ll always come for you, Princess. Always.” His lips lightly brush against yours, as if afraid of hurting you even more. “Maybe we should just go to Pabu,” He offers.

You shake your head immediately, “We still have other planets to visit, Crosshair.”

“I know, but—”

“The other planets won’t be like this. I know it.”

Crosshair stares at you for a moment, and then he sighs, “If this happens again—”

“We can return to Takodana and offer Maz our apologies.”

He watches you for a little longer, and then he smiles, “Alright. Deal.”

[zahmaddog]

Part 5: Family Matters

Warnings: Fluffy AF, Flirting, Slowest Burn, Blaster Fire, Explosions, Head Injuries, Light Romance (SFW), Crosshair opening up, Comfort, and some heavy Star Wars cameos. (Entire series NSFW.)

Crosshair x fem!reader | Word Count: 2885

Hi, fellow Crosshair lovers. I'm continuing to poke away at this narrative until it resolves. There will probably be about 7 parts. I took some liberties with this one and it's okay if nobody likes it. ;) Crosshair is soft in this, but also still harsh with quips and attitude. The reader is still a bounty hunting badass with dark humor.

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

Separated by two laser-shields and a hallway, you and Crosshair anxiously awaited the arrival of this “Lord Vader” character. The patrol guards really didn’t mind, or perhaps notice, the soft conversations between you and Crosshair. 

“You good?” you asked, your chin resting on your arms as you sat, curled in a ball against the wall. 

“Mmhmm,” he mumbled. You could hear him exhale, “Are you good?”

“Eh, I’m home,” you smirked a little in disbelief that you were back on an Imperial ship. 

Crosshair scoffed a little. He enjoyed your dark humor. You felt the pause in conversation as his emotions shifted.

“I understand the feeling,” he sighed. 

“You know, I still feel so hollow over it all,” you described.

“Hollow?” Crosshair prodded you to continue.

“I spent nearly every part of myself trying to keep my family together. But in the end, my differences with the Empire were enough to be forgotten. I’d take them all back in a second, but I’m never going to be enough for them,” you wearily confided. “It leaves me rather hollow.” 

“We can hope that one day they’ll wake up missing you,” Crosshair tried to comfort. “Being here, in these Imperial walls again, reminds me of how…” he trailed off. “Cross?” you looked across the hall to see him studying his mechanical hand.

“The Empire broke me too,” he confessed. 

“What happened?” you finally asked. You had been wanting to know the story of his hand for months now, but similar to yourself, Crosshair rarely divulged information that brought up painful emotions. You knew your compatibility had a trusting foundation because neither of you expected the other to leak all the secrets that made you, you. 

He continued to sit in silence. 

“You don’t have to tell me,” you assured him.

“I made a friend with a reg,” he started. “A reg?” you didn’t know the term. “A regular clone. Clone Force 99, we were never accepted as true clones by the regs, so we considered ourselves superior. Which genetically speaking, we are,” he continued, lightening up a little when mentioning his squad.

You nodded in following his explanation and watched his shoulders drop again as he continued his story.

“His name was Mayday,” he sighed. “There was an avalanche, and I risked everything to get him back to base. He saved me and I couldn’t save him in return.” He paused. “Then the Empire betrayed him; betrayed us.” He shrugged and breathed through the memory, “I killed an Imperial officer in response. If Mayday wasn’t important to the Empire, then I could never be,” he ended. 

You realized he wasn’t going to explain what happened to his hand, but that his heart had scars more painful to attend to.

“I haven’t told anyone about Mayday,” he said above a whisper.

“I’ll keep your secret,” you assured him.

—-

The Imperial prisoner meals were atrocious. The ground meat and organ stew they’d serve reminded you to never complain about a rations bar again. After about three rotations, your visitor arrived. 

The warbling of the interrogation droid and heavy footsteps of a dark entourage approached your cell. The only comfort you felt was when they passed Crosshair’s cell to enter yours first. 

The Imperial party was led by a tall individual, masked, caped, and audible breathing. Attached to his belt, you spied a hanging Jedi weapon. Your uncle stepped out from behind him and entered your cell first. 

“She was in possession of the holocron?” Vader pressed Tarkin. 

“Yes,” Tarkin respectfully replied. “We caught her and that clone trying to smuggle it off Coruscant.” 

“What clone?” Vader turned to Tarkin. Tarkin motioned behind them to Crosshair’s cell with a nod. Vader glanced at Crosshair standing at attention near the door of his cell, then turned his attention back to you. He stepped deeper into the cell and you were filled with a sense of doom. Vader lifted his hand to reveal the glowing holocron.

“Did the holocron reveal anything to you?” Vader interrogated. 

Confused by the question, you hesitated, “No.”

Vader raised his hand towards your face and you were flooded with a cold presence. You felt him in your mind, reading thoughts; asking questions; pulling memories. You shuddered, but couldn’t turn away. You realized this was the true power of what legends called the force. 

“Is she lying?” Tarkin prodded Vader. 

Releasing his gravitational-like hold, Vader turned to leave the cell. 

“Do not bother me with your family matters again,” Vader directed Tarkin. 

Vader exited your cell and paused at Crosshair’s for a short moment. Crosshair showed no fear as he stood tall, but was towered by Vader. Vader’s breathing echoed in the hallway and presence smothered any spark of a thought. This man was a walking contagion of fear.

Vader continued down the hallway and you were left again with Tarkin. He resealed your cell and began walking down the hallway with his personal guard. 

“Schedule these two traitors for execution,” Tarkin ordered. “Yes, sir,” the stormtrooper replied. 

Angry, you hit the wall of your cell with your fist. You knew there was only one more chance to escape, and that would be in transit from the cell to the execution room. 

Afraid to meet Crosshair’s line of sight, you forced yourself to look outside your cell into his. His eyes reflected his heartbreak and fear, until he caught your eye. His expression shifted to a brave and serious look, nodding in your direction. You swore to yourself you were going to save him, no matter the cost.

Your conviction kept you awake that night. Admiring Crosshair’s ability to drift into a careless slumber even on death row, you managed to relax a little. But, you knew the guard would return in the morning to escort you out of the detention cell, for what you planned or they planned would be the last time. That small moment would be your chance, but you knew they’d be well-guarded and prepared. 

In the morning, the guard arrived. One stormtrooper appeared at your door and another at Crosshair’s, disabling the laser array nearly simultaneously. You and Crosshair recognized this as their first mistake. Why would they free you at the same time? Rookie mistake.

Overwhelming them within a split second, you swept your stormtrooper’s leg with yours, taking him to the floor, then unleashed a powerful ax-kick across the soldier’s face, knocking him unconscious.

From across the hall, you heard Crosshair yell and literally throw the stormtrooper into the wall across from him, also knocking the trooper unconscious. You armed yourself with the blaster in your cell and lept free, sending blaster fire down the hallway to assist Crosshair as he stormed the remaining prison guard with his newly acquired blaster.

With a ricocheting shot, Crosshair took out the guards running the comms, but they had already sent an alert that you and he had escaped. 

“We made that look easy,” you yawned and stretched out. “And to think I stayed up all night worrying.”

“It’s about to get much busier down here,” Crosshair sighed as he reached for your shoulders and inspected your condition. He softly put his hand around your jaw and rested his lips on yours. He pulled away and looked into your eyes. 

“We’re not out of this yet,” he continued.

“What’s the plan?” you breathed. “They’ll be monitoring comms, cameras, elevators, escape pods, and ground all other ships,” he scanned the ceiling above the elevator door. You followed his gaze and understood what he was thinking. “So, we go up through the elevator shaft to not trigger the elevator?” you ask.

“Yes, but only go up a single floor. They’ll know we’re in there within seconds,” Crosshair sprinted to the lift and shot the corner of the panel above it. Tearing it from the wall, he created an entrance to the shaft. Crosshair boosted you up first, then you pulled him up. You shuffled through the few feet of paneling and dropped to the elevator shaft with Crosshair closely behind.

Hanging from metal paneling, you felt your fingers burn as your weight pinched them. You took your blaster, and shot the panel above. Climbing best you could, you reached the panel. Managing to get some footing between gaps and ledges, you and Crosshair pulled the panel from the wall.

Suddenly, the lift shuddered and began lowering.

“They’re coming!” Crosshair exclaimed. 

You swung your legs into the newly made gap and turned to pull Crosshair through. The lift passed your hiding space, missing Crosshair’s feet by a hair.

“Maker, that was too close,” you collapsed onto your back under your lack of breath with Crosshair mostly lying on top of you, also out of breath. The intimacy of the moment makes Crosshair blush a little. 

Pulling yourself through the gap, you and he remove the paneling on the opposite side, creating an escape. You dropped down to the floor above the detention level and immediately blasted the cameras spying from the corner.

You heard a pair of patrol guards around the corner. You and Crosshair hugged the wall with your backs like steadied predators. Once the patrol was in sight, you and Crosshair stunned them both.

“Want to play ‘dress up’ again?” you joked. “No,” Crosshair sighed. “But I will,” he mumbled as he took the helmet from the stormtrooper. “You’re far too small to fit in as a stormtrooper,” he said to you. “New plan. I wear this and you’re my prisoner.” “Kinky,” you replied, eyeing around the corner for stormtroopers.

“What?” he huffed back at you.

“We’ll do what we have to,” you nodded looking back at him.

Crosshair pulled on the white stormtrooper armor while you kept watch. You felt him at your back, taking your blaster. 

“I’ll need this if we’re going to pull this off,” he insisted. 

“Let’s go,” you began to walk with your hands behind your back. “We need to find a map. I’ve never been on a ship like this.”

“Agreed,” Crosshair nodded, digging the back of his blaster into your back and holding your hands close. 

The hallways were more desolate than anticipated. Hearing your footsteps echo down the Imperial chambers, you and Crosshair made your way through the ship, blindly. Heading up and down flights of stairs, in and out of hallways, you were beginning to tire. 

“Something isn’t right,” you acquiesced to address the building anxiety in your gut. “Where is everyone?”

Arriving at a closed door, Crosshair clicked the door’s button. It opened to reveal an in-ship spacewalk, the galaxy being the only source of illumination. You and he took a step inside and the door sealed behind you and Crosshair automatically.

The door parallel to your entrance opened. Your heart dropped as you saw Tarkin and his Lord Vader standing at the opposite end of the hallway. Crosshair pressed your blaster’s hilt into your hand in preparation for the standoff. 

“I didn’t think you’d have another escape in you,” Tarkin gloated.

“I was never what you expected,” you were losing your patience and felt your immature, reckless tendencies take over. Or perhaps it was out of the insomniatic stupor you developed over the last hour. Either way, you leaned into your hotheaded, daredevil attitude; embracing the power it gave you. Raising your blaster at your uncle, you pulled the trigger.

Vader ignited his lightsaber, blocking the blaster fire and sending it into the window, causing it to crack. The expected anticipation of getting sucked into space silenced all movement in the hallway between the four of you. 

“Leave them to me,” Vader shattered the silence and motioned Tarkin out of the room. Tarkin shot you a glare filled with hatred and exited the room, leaving you and Crosshair with a killer Jedi.

Vader raised his hand and you braced yourself for the cold feeling. Instead, you and Crosshair flew through the air, hitting the door with incredible impact. Crosshair, who was higher in the air due to his height, had hit the door jam with the back of his head. You slid down the door into a heap on the floor as Crosshair landed face down. 

“Crosshair!” you shook his shoulder, but he was out cold. 

Vader closed in, his red blade reflecting off every surface in the room. You pulled Crosshair’s head and shoulders onto your lap and tried to look as small as possible against the door out of fear. Vader unexpectedly opened the door behind you, causing you to fall through its threshold. 

“Save the clone, traitor” Vader raised his hand once more, forcing you and Crosshair through the doorway, then he sealed the door behind him. 

In shock of being spared, you were motionless for a moment that felt like eternity. You couldn’t breathe. The shattering of the glass in the hallway spurred your attention back to life. You looked through the small window just outside the sky bridge to see the glass scattered through local space. Vader was nowhere to be seen.

You stood up, shoved your blaster into your pants, and began to drag Crosshair down the hallway. Finding a comm station, you ignited the holomap and located the hangar. You heard troops headed your way again, so you dove under the desk and pulled Crosshair in close with you. You could hear him stirring in his helmet.

“Crosshair!” you whispered. “Are you okay?”

You helped him out of his helmet, where he tried to clear his throat with a covert cough. 

“How did we escape?” he looked at you in bewilderment. 

“I–I don’t know,” you stuttered.

“You don’t know?” Crosshair rubbed his forehead and ran his hand over where he had hit his head, he winced as he touched what would be an intense bruise.

“I can’t make any sense of it, but I — we should be dead,” you whispered as you peered out from under the desk and back to Crosshair. You looked into his eyes and checked for any odd pupil activity. “Follow my finger—,” you started as you raised your index finger in front of his face. Crosshair softly swatted your hand down. “I’m fine,” he mouthed.

“We need to move,” you motioned. 

Crosshair nodded and the both of you shuffled out from under the desk.  

“I located a hangar bay while dragging you to safety,” you tried to lighten the moment again with your darker humor. “It’s just through here and down a flight of stairs,” you pointed to an upcoming hallway. 

You and Crosshair begin to jog down the hallway to the flight of stairs. Clearing the corners, he and you make your way down the stairs and into the hangar. You rested behind some crates of Imperial junk, peering out to inspect the ships.

“I guess any ship will do,” Crosshair motioned with his head towards a shuttle. You nodded in agreement. Slipping around the hangar unseen, you made it to the shuttle undetected. The few stormtroopers on deck were distracted with comms and computers.

“I don’t like this,” you worried again. “This feels too easy, again.”

Deploying the ramp, you and Crosshair make your way into the shuttle. Crosshair slid into the pilot’s seat and fired up the engines. 

An alarm goes off in the hangar bay and troops begin to flood in opening fire on your shuttle.

“I knew this was too easy,” you sighed as you slid into the tail-gunner’s seat. You take aim at the fuel reserves in the back of the hangar and anticipated lift-off. Crosshair takes off and begins flying towards the space barrier exit. You pull the trigger, igniting the fuel in a fiery explosion. Stormtroopers fly and flail in every direction. 

Crosshair punches the throttle and the ship erupts from the hangar bay, just escaping the chain reaction of explosions you began.

—

Watching from above the bay, Tarkin nearly loses his balance as the floor rattles and shifts. He watches an Imperial shuttle escape the bay and blast into hyperspeed.

“Who was that?” Tarkin drawled to an officer standing nearby.

The officer, with his hand to his ear, relayed the incoming communication from the hangar. 

“Sir, it appears we had a visual on the two prisoners from Prison Block E escape on a stolen shuttle.”

“Escaped?” Tarkin echoed.

In a fury, he exited the command deck and entered the elevator alone.

—

Inviting himself into Darth Vader’s chambers, Tarkin openly interrogated the Sith.

“It appears my niece and the clone have escaped,” he emphasized. “I assumed that was impossible because I entrusted you to deal with them.” 

Vader remained silent in speech; his deep breathing echoing. 

Tarkin sighed and turned to leave, but not without a final remark. “Your affinity for the clones is an embarrassment to this establishment.” He paused, then continued, “Their loyalty is to a republic of the past.”

Vader reminisced silently in memories of the Clone Wars. He remembered Crosshair as the specialized clone who had defended his back from droid fire on Skako Minor years ago. Vader was not a merciful man, nor known to be fair, but he did reserve respect for those who earned it. In his mind, Crosshair and he were even. 

“The clones were loyal to me,” Vader mused. 

“And they are no longer,” Tarkin chided in disapproval as he turned and exited Vader’s chambers.

Part 6: Above Pabu (NSFW)

Part 7: if You Wanted To Be

-----

Tag list: @tentakelspektakel @cloneflo99