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saphronethaleph · 6 months ago

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“It’s like one of those logic puzzles,” Lando said, looking down at a Dejarik table that had been turned off an hour ago. “We know most of the ingredients we need, right?”

“We know most of the ingredients of one way to do it,” Leia amended. “Though I can’t use the Boussh disguise for both of them. I’d have enough trouble using it on one of them, though I think Jabba would be a bit easier to fool.”

“Relatively speaking,” the Socorran replied. “What do you think, Chewie? Jabba’s not kept on top of a crime ridden world like that for decades by being gullible.”

“That may be true, but he’s arrogant,” Chewbacca replied. “And, unlike with Luke, we at least know where Han is.”

“I get the point,” Lando admitted. “Problem is, none of us three are from Tatooine. Luke is, but… like I said, logic puzzle. The easiest way to rescue Han is to already have Luke – and the easiest way to rescue Luke is to already have Han.”

“Rescuing Luke, we could at least call on the resources of the Rebellion,” Leia offered. “Being able to actually kill Darth Vader would be an enormous blow to the Empire.”

Lando chuckled. “Yeah, sure, but – I hate to admit it, but Han’s better with the old girl than I ever was. If we were okay with Luke’s death, then an insane plan like attacking Darth Vader’s Super Star Destroyer would be a bit easier to stomach… if you want to get him out, Han’s touch with the Falcon can only help.”

Leia sighed.

“I have the feeling that doing Han is going to be easier,” she said. “I’ve got a few contacts I can call upon… and if we do manage to get Rebellion resources involved, then Jabba’s palace is a much softer target.”

“We’re going around in circles,” Chewbacca declared. “We need more information. Even knowing where Darth Vader was would help, because that way we’d be able to make better plans.”

He frowned. “Jabba’s strength comes from being a big fish in a small pond. But getting Han out means being inside the defences – and if he realizes what’s going on, he can use Han’s safety as a hostage.”

Lando nodded along.

“I actually wonder if we shouldn’t hope that Luke can rescue himself,” he said. “Or – if we are going to try and rescue Luke, we should abandon the idea of doing it with the Falcon directly. The YT-1300 might be common, but any light freighter of that class is going to stand out.”

Chewbacca looked curious.

“That sounds like you have a plan,” he said. “Care to share?”

“I most certainly do,” Lando answered. “That giant ship has to get supplies, right? Giant standard containers. I wonder how many old style battle droids we could fit in a giant container alongside the Falcon to provide a distraction – then jump out from inside the ship once we’ve retrieved Luke.”

“Now there’s a crazy idea,” Leia said, but she was looking contemplative. “That might work. Audacity can win the day when lesser plans simply don’t have a chance to-”

“Mistress Leia!” C-3P0 interrupted, hurrying down from the cockpit. “Mistress Leia! There’s something very strange on the holonews!”

Lando, Chewbacca and Leia exchanged curious glances, then Lando hit a switch and turned on a holoprojector.

“I didn’t know that was there,” the wookiee admitted, then they all stopped and stared at the news.

“Admiral Piett, this is most irregular!” Grand Admiral Tigellinus declared. “Your authority does not run to the Imperial Center Oversector – explain yourself at once!”

“My authority derives from Vader,” Piett replied, evenly, facing the viewscreen showing Tigellinus’s face.

The Grand Admiral was apparently not on board his capital ship, and the other displays around the Executor bridge were showing that the Empire’s Central Fleet was both out of position and unprepared for combat.

In the second part, at least, Piett fully knew how they felt.

“Vader’s authority also does not run here,” Tigellinus retorted. “Power down your weapons and shields immediately.”

“That request is out of order, Grand Admiral,” Piett replied. “I am under no obligation to stand down.”

Someone began speaking to Tigellinus, their voice a little too quiet for Piett to hear through the connection, and the Grand Admiral turned a rather entertaining shade.

“Admiral, you are violating my direct orders,” the Grand Admiral declared. “One of the ships of your fleet is making a full power burn for the surface of Imperial Center! They must stand down immediately or they will be destroyed!”

Piett’s gaze flicked to the displays, and it took all of a lifetime’s military politicking to avoid reacting visibly.

Tigellinus was very much telling the truth. One of the Star Destroyers of Battle Group Executor was burning for the surface at full power, and scattered fire from the defensive platforms was already striking home on it.

It wasn’t responding, though, and Piett had a sinking feeling that he was starting to understand what was going on.

It wasn’t that he necessarily disagreed with the idea of a coup d’etat, or at least that was what he would certainly say if Vader had asked him about the subject. Partly because denying Darth Vader was a good way of getting choked to death over a video call, but also partly because… something had changed in Vader in the last few months.

Since Bespin.

But he would very much have appreciated being told any of the details more than five minutes before the Executor had left hyperspace.

“The destroyer may have engine problems,” he said, instead. “It was undergoing refit and was mostly evacuated for that very reason.”

“That is not an engine problem!” the Grand Admiral snapped. “You are relieved of command and placed under arrest!”

Piett made a gesture, and the viewscreen deactivated.

“I suspect that conversation was going nowhere productive,” he said. “All batteries ready. I want a full ion cannon salvo on the first capital vessel of the Central Fleet to fire on our wayward destroyer.”

He folded his hands behind his back, and tried to seem like he knew what was going on.

Palpatine was not ready for the situation he had just found himself in.

In principle, assassination was always a risk for someone like him, and he had many means of protection.

He had a ferociously competent security service. He had his guards, armed and trained to a degree of furious perfection that was then hidden under ceremonial outfits. He had the mighty apparatus of Imperial power, grown for twenty-five years. He was the most powerful single individual in the galaxy, with the might of a thousand years of Sith learning and alchemy buttressing his own powerful hatred.

He also had flashbacks to the last time he had been utterly out of control of the situation, which was when he had been on board a crashing Confederacy capital ship.

And now there was a durasteel triangle sixteen hundred metres long, crashing down out of the Coruscant sky. Even as he watched it collided with the Imperial Palace shields, and the shields lost, collapsing with a CRAAACK like the sky splitting open, and the Emperor summoned the Force to himself – ready to do whatever it took to survive.

Whatever it took.

Then he noticed the bright red letters painted on the front of the Star Destroyer. Every single character a hundred and twenty metres high, spelling out a name.

AMIDALA.

Palpatine’s eye twitched, then the nose of the Star Destroyer made contact, and the next ten seconds was an incredible cacophony of rending metal and collapsing supports and energy as several reactors ruptured.

When the debris finally stopped and the smoke began to clear, the entire room was on a fifteen degree slant. The transparisteel windows had exploded inwards, and a horizontal rain of giant shrapnel had killed every one of the guards and functionaries in the room.

There were several fires going on, and it rather looked as though most of the palace complex was in the middle of collapsing.

Then two curved TIE/Advanced wings landed with a crash on the floor to his right, coming in through a hole in the roof, and Palpatine’s gaze snapped in that direction. He drew his lightsaber with a single quick motion, concealing it in his sleeve for now, and he saw two figures step off the pieces of curved metal.

One was entirely familiar. Darth Vader, his apprentice. His slave… but it was immediately clear that Vader was his slave no more.

Just from his posture, if it hadn’t also been apparent from the events of the last few minutes.

Vader was reminding him unpleasantly of Anakin, on the days when Palpatine had touched the wrong nerve.

But the other could only be Luke Skywalker. He looked different, now, to any time Palpatine had seen him before. Older, maybe. More touched by pain and loss, perhaps – but mawkishly certain of his convictions.

Like a teenaged queen he remembered. Or the same woman, as a twenty-something senator who had ruined far too many of his plans without even realizing whose plans they were.

“Ah, young Skywalker,” Palpatine said. “I see your father has brought you here to die.”

Vader ignited his lightsaber, and Luke drew his own as well – activating it with a flash of blue light.

It was Anakin’s old one, from Mustafar, and Palpatine could feel that the Force liked that.

He hated that, and that hate gave him strength.

Strength he was unpleasantly sure he was going to need.

For a moment, the Emperor dismissed Vader. He knew Vader, knew his weaknesses and his strengths.

A moment was all he could spare, but he needed to understand the younger Skywalker. The boy’s lightsaber was held in a form that looked almost like Soresu, or almost like Niman, but there was a touch of Djem So there as well.

Except that the weapon in Luke’s left hand was a blaster, with the flowing chrome lines of one from Palpatine’s own home world.

Luke glanced at Vader for a moment, then settled himself.

“I call for a vote of no confidence in Emperor Palpatine’s leadership,” the boy said, and Palpatine’s eye twitched violently.

Then everything was a blur of blue and red, of crackling lightning and the high pitched whine of a blaster.

“You know,” the Emperor said, most of a week later, as the latest bureaucrats left in a state of some confusion. “I expected that you’d be the one actually in charge, Father.”

Vader shook his head, implacably.

“I will upend the galaxy for you, my son,” he said. “Be your strong right arm. Your enforcer. Your teacher. I will place you on the throne of all eternity. But I will not do datawork.”

Luke smiled slightly.

“It’s not dramatic enough, is it?” he asked. “I looked up that quote, you know.”

Vader was silent for a long moment.

“It felt… appropriate,” he said.

“I’m sure it did, father,” Luke replied. “Now… I need to try writing my next letter to Mon Mothma. Somehow I am going to convince her to help me turn the position of Emperor into one with constitutional limitations.”

Anakin looked across at his son.

“I believe you might just do that,” he said.

“I must say, I didn’t expect this,” Obi-Wan mused, materializing in front of the throne.

“What didn’t you expect?” Luke asked.

“Well, take your pick,” Obi-Wan replied. “But if there’s one thing… it’s how you killed Palpatine. It seems that the Banite legacy of the Sith earths itself into the killer, meaning that the killer becomes the new leader of the Sith… a vessel for Palpatine, in other words.”

Vader gave Luke a concerned look.

“And?” Luke asked. “I don’t think I’m a vessel for Palpatine.”

“The connection requires a Khyber crystal,” Obi-Wan clarified. “And now I need to face that the galaxy was saved because you killed Palpatine with a blaster, of all things.”

Anakin started laughing, then coughing, then laughing again.

“Father?” Luke asked, concerned.

“Who’s uncivilized now, Obi-Wan?” Anakin asked, holding on to the side of the throne so he wouldn’t collapse.

#star wars #anakin skywalker #luke skywalker #darth vader #palpatine #darth sidious #Two Skywalker Plan #In Return of the Jedi the first step of Luke and Leia's plan #was to give Jabba the droid holding their only lightsaber #This is an equivalent level of nonsense

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lonewolflupe · 5 months ago

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Echo Of Your Mind (One-Shot)

Help, I'm officially an Echo girlie now. Thanks to @nahoney22 for helping me cross that line with her one-shot That Floral Dress. I got inspired to write my own one-shot after reading hers, and finished it in two days (I may have neglected my sleeping scedule again). I should have focused on other things (like my job), but this gorgeous man doesn't leave my mind alone.

Besides this story being some appreciation for Echo, I dedicate this to all the anxious/introverted/super shy people out there. I feel you, I've been there (I still am), but I found my place in this galaxy. You'll find your place as well!

Summary: Your daily life in Ord Mantell City holds little purpose, and you try keeping away from the unsavoury types that roam the City's streets. But one day, a group of strangers piques your interest. You find yourself falling head over heels for one of them, despite your anxious and shy nature. Rating: Mature (or 16+ at least) Tags: anxiety, hurt/comfort, fluff, mutual pining, (eventual) romance, strangers to lovers, intimacy, sexual content (when becomes a story (mild) smut? help I'm new to this) Words: 7.829k (consisting of four parts) Pairing: Echo x Fem!Reader Read this one-shot here on AO3!

PART I | MORNING

19 BBY, Ord Mantell | Ord Mantell City

Ord Mantell City is a miserable place. To you, at least. You were born here, and are still residing here as an adult. You don't know anyone or any place else in the galaxy, for you've never been away from this forsaken planet.

Of course you have read about the war on the HoloNews, heard stories from seedy strangers roaming the city. But nothing of significance had happened on this planet, nothing that had affected your life. Now that Ord Mantell was under Imperial command, you find nothing much has changed. The place is still awful, and you prefer to remain near your home.

Sudden shouting from the upstairs neighbours disturb your thoughts. You sigh as you get up from the uncomfortable, worn out sofa in your living room, walking towards your front door. You grab a broom on the way and walk outside, taking in the sultry air that holds a grasp on the City.

Your porch is probably the cleanest of Ord Mantell City, since every time you need to clear your head, you find yourself sweeping it. Out of habit, you keep a lookout for any sinister individuals, ready to jolt back inside if you feel something is off.

Which has happened a lot, since Cid’s Parlor is located right across the alley. The bar isn't a crowded one, but most visitors provoke an unpleasant feeling inside you. There was a time during the war it got visited by elegant individuals in static robes occasionally, but times have changed.

The only usuals now are an Ithorian and a Weequay, lurking around the place on a daily basis. You had wondered if they didn't have anything better to do, places to be, only to realise this was Ord Mantell City; there wasn't anything better to do.

A shiver down your spine makes you look up. It is morning and the sun is up, but the narrow, dark alley is mostly lit by the neon signboards hanging from the adjacent buildings. They shed a light on a group of strangers as they come walking around the corner, into the alleyway.

Clumsily, you fidget with your residence’s keycard, nervous feelings taking over as you try to get back inside as quickly as possible. The front door whooshes open and you enter your home, making sure the door closes right behind you.

You take a moment to steady your breathing before walking towards the small, dirty window beside the front door. You clean it quite often, but the city's filth keeps finding its way back to it.

As you wipe some condensation from the inside of the window, you see the strangers halt right in front of Cid’s. You know you shouldn't keep lingering at the window like this; what if they spot you? But something about the strangers piques your interest, and you find it hard to pull away.

“This is the place,” you hear one of them remark in a determined way, before another responds cynically with: “Charming.”

The group consists of four adults, wearing mostly dark, battle-worn armour, their faces hidden behind intimidating helmets. In between them, there is a young, energetic girl with short, blonde hair. You raise a brow as you watch them descend the stairs into the bar, not averting your gaze until they disappear from your view.

With your mind racing, you find yourself strolling back to the sofa, sitting down when you reach it. You have never seen anything like these strangers at Cid's before, and you wonder what the Trandoshan is up to now.

Although obviously customised, their armour did remind you of the attire worn by clones, the former Republic's soldiers. You have never seen any with your own eyes before, but you remember seeing pictures and holovids on the HoloNet.

As your thoughts wander, you finally find something to do, distracting you from what you just witnessed. You continue your daily activities and leave the strangers to Cid.

---

During the following days and weeks, you get occasional glimpses of the strangers. They seem to have some business going on with Cid, because you can't imagine them revisiting the bar for its atmosphere. You even get some glimpses of the adults without their helmets, which only confuses you more. You thought they were clones, but they look nothing alike?

Since you have a lot of time alone with your thoughts, you find them on your mind more often. Who are they, where did they come from, did they fight in the war? Are they really clones, were they soldiers, and what are they now, perhaps bounty hunters? But what is the young girl doing with them? She looked happy and enthusiastic. What is a kid like her doing with such companions?

---

One of those days, you find yourself walking through the alley with some groceries in your arms. You hold everything together clumsily, admitting you're probably carrying too much in one go. When you finally make it to your front door, you reach for your keycard in your right pocket - only to find out it isn't there.

You scold yourself softly as you fidget through your pockets, hoping you just put it in a different one. Your groceries start sliding away, a piece of fruit falling on your porch and rolling away into the alleyway.

“Let me help you with that,” you suddenly hear a voice behind you. Eyes wide open, you look up in shock, previously unaware of the fact you weren't alone. You look right into the face of one of Cid's newest associates. Your breath gets caught in the back of your throat as you stand frozen to the ground.

The male walks up to you, the fallen piece of fruit in his hand. He puts it back with the other groceries, before taking the load out of your arms. When you don't move or reply, he takes a step back. “I'm sorry if I startled you,” he says whilst averting his gaze from you for a brief moment.

You look up at his face. It somewhat reminds you of what you've seen from clones on the HoloNet, but it isn't an exact copy. Pale skin, sunken cheeks, dark rims below his eyes. On the top of his head, you see numerous cybernetic implants, and bend around the back of his head is a metal headpiece. He definitely doesn't look like a typical clone.

When you look back into his eyes, you can see them filled with kindness, concern even. You regain yourself, as you don't want to come over as rude. “I-I’m sorry,” you stammer, your eyes darting back and forth as you don't know where to focus them, “I'm not really used to..”

“Clones?” he finishes your sentence, as you clearly didn't know what term to use. A comforting smile appears on his face, and you feel a bit more at ease instantly. “Well, social interaction in general,” you blurt out, immediately followed by a blush on your cheeks. He chuckles amused, as you shuffle on your feet awkwardly.

You suddenly realise you were in the middle of a keycard crisis, and you continue your search. It proves way more effective without any groceries blocking your arms, and it doesn't take you long before you find it - in a different pocket than usual, of course. You put the card in the slot and the front door whooshes open.

With a cautious smile on your face, you gesture to the clone to enter your very humble abode. He enters, and once inside, you pass him to show him a spot in your kitchen to put down the groceries. He manages without any more falling food, which you find rather impressive, given the fact how you had struggled with them earlier.

When he retracts his arms once the groceries are on the kitchen's counter, you notice one of them is partly machine. You freeze again, and the clone catches you staring at his mechanical limb. “Comes in handy sometimes,” he says jokingly, as he reaches out the scomp at the end of his socket-arm to show it to you.

You cannot help but laugh at his remark, lifting some of the tension. He smiles at you genuinely, pleased he was able to put you at ease. “Name's Echo, by the way,” he finally says. You give him your name in return. “Nice to meet you. I already thought I'd seen you before,” he says, as he looks at the window beside the front door.

You swallow as the blush on your cheeks reappears. You could slap yourself in the face; how did you think none of these trained men would notice you observing them, day in, day out?

“I, er- This isn't exactly the most safe neighbourhood around, you know, so I tend to keep an eye out,” you stammer, turning around to aimlessly rearrange your groceries. Echo chuckles, turning towards you again. “You don't have to defend your actions. It's your window, use it however you like,” he says, tilting his head slightly whilst observing you.

He thinks your shyness and awkwardness are endearing. In this vast, wild galaxy, sliding from the war into the Empire's cruelties, he rarely encounters innocence anymore. He notices you still hold yours, and he finds it soothing.

“Since you caught me.. ‘Using my window’,” you finally start saying, slowly as you consider your words carefully, “How can Ord Mantell City possibly be of any interest to you and your friends?” You regret asking immediately after your words are out, but Echo doesn't seem to mind.

“We just need to work some jobs to pay the bills, so to speak,” he replies casually, shrugging as if it isn't anything out of the ordinary for them. Of course you wonder what jobs and what bills he's talking about, but you would never dare to ask; your previous question was already quite bold for your standards.

So you don't inquire any further, but you gather all your courage to heed a warning. “Just.. Be careful around Cid. She's not the most.. Reliable individual around,” you say softly, afraid someone outside your home will hear it if you speak out louder.

Echo's lips curl into a smile, as he puts his hand on your arm for a brief moment. “Thanks for the heads-up, I'll keep it in mind,” he says, grateful for your concern. You finally find the heart to look up into his eyes, and you find yourself losing in them instantly. They are soft and kind, with a glister of confidence and certainty. But you cannot help noticing the pain, the hurt and the fatigue behind those eyes.

You don't know anything about this man except for his name, but the mixture of emotions in his eyes, the invisible scars you feel he is hiding, the unspoken reason why he's clearly on the run, it gives you the urge to comfort this man. A feeling deep down inside you, which you haven't felt before.

Of course you don't, because it would make you even more uncomfortable than before. You abruptly break your eye contact and turn around again, scolding yourself for your very own behaviour, but you can't help it; this is who you are.

Since you turned around, you cannot notice, but Echo's smile widens. You actually told him quite a lot by the words you didn't speak, by the way you did behave and how you just looked into his eyes.

Although he wouldn't mind staying for a bit longer, because he appreciates some quiet time away from the Batch and he finds it pleasantly soothing being around you, he realises you need some space, and he doesn't want to intrude on you any further. “Sorry for bothering you in your home, I'll be on my way,” he finally says, nodding at you in a respectful way once you've turned towards him again.

He walks over to the front door and pushes the entry button, and the door whooshes open. You rush after him, afraid he'll just disappear out of your life like that, but as always, you are lost for words. He walks across the alley, and just before he makes it to the stairs to descend into Cid's, you find your words.

“You- You aren't a bother,” you say shyly, as you hope he doesn't notice the blush on your cheeks from across the alley. He turns around, with a warming smile on his face, which makes you melt. You had no idea who these men, these clones were, but you definitely didn't think them to be the gentle kind.

“See you around then,” he says to you at last, making a very small salute with his scomp, before turning around again and disappearing down the stairs. You get back inside your home, and when the door closes behind you, you lean your back against it and let out a heavy sigh.

Who would have guessed any of Cid's visitors would awake such feelings inside you?

…

PART II | AFTERNOON

19 BBY, Ord Mantell | Ord Mantell City

It's been a while since you've seen Cid's latest associates, so you start to assume they moved on to find a new job, somewhere across the galaxy. An aching feeling inside you yearns for something you seem to have missed out on, something that could have been.

You sigh out loud as you lean back on your sofa. Your days were already long and lonely, but now it seems like they are even more meaningless. You wish you had the courage to get out into the galaxy, to be someone.

You suddenly hear sounds coming from the alleyway out front, and something tells you it's not your upstairs neighbours. With optimism you feel is misplaced, you dart over to the small window beside your door. You've been cleaning it on a daily basis since that one day, making sure you can get any glimpse possible whenever you peer outside.

Your heart skips a beat when you realise what - or who - made the sounds outside; it's Cid's associates. And Echo is still one of them. You pull away from your window to catch your breath, as a warm feeling starts emerging inside you again. He is safe, and he is in town again. You couldn't hope for anything more at this moment.

If only you had the courage to go outside. If he had been on his own, you might have dared to step outside, to walk up to him, but not with his friends around. So you stay put, awaiting a better moment patiently. You've become quite good at that.

---

It is only the next day when you catch him on his own. As you walk casually past your window (you weren't lurking around to catch any glimpse of him at all), you spot him as he comes walking out of Cid's and into the alleyway.

When he reaches the top of the stairs, he halts and starts rubbing his closed eyelids, his head slightly hanging. It looks like he is having a hard time, and your urge to comfort him reappears. You swallow as you gather all your courage.

This is your moment. If you loiter now, you might never get another chance again - let alone the courage. As you put aside all your thoughts and try listening to your heart for once, you push the entry button and your front door whooshes open.

Echo looks up at you, and a smile appears on his tired face as he is pleasantly surprised to see you. He utters your name softly, and a blush appears on your face; he had remembered your name.

“Would you- Would you like to come in for a caf?” you stammer, shifting on your feet as you await his answer. You don't have to wait long. “I would love a caf,” he replies, before crossing the alley, walking up your porch and entering your home. You can't help noticing he was taking big steps, almost running to your door, as if he couldn't wait to reach you.

Inside, you move aside a chair at your small table, inviting him to sit down. He does so gladly, and you walk towards the kitchen's counter to make a fresh pot of caf. Your mind races as you wait for it to finish, but Echo waits for you patiently, not in a hurry at all.

When the pot is finally ready, you pour two mugs and join him at the table. “I, er- I was afraid you weren't coming back to Ord Mantell,” you admit softly, whilst handing him one of the mugs. His fingertips touch yours for a very brief moment when he takes the mug from you; was that intentional? A warm feeling emerges in your head, and you're sure you're blushing - again.

“I appreciate your concern,” he starts, as he holds up the mug of fresh caf under his nose, inhaling deeply. He closes his eyes for a moment as he is appreciating the scent; he was clearly in need of it. He opens his eyes again, as they focus on you. “But you, er- You shouldn't worry about us,” he says with a wry smile on his face.

Seeing the expression on his face makes you do the exact opposite of his words; you start worrying. And now that you look at him, you notice he looks overworked and exhausted; he looks worn. You put down your mug, hitting the table harder than you anticipated, as you were putting all your emotions in that small movement. It startles you, and he chuckles in amusement.

“Really, there's nothing to worry about. We've been around and we know our way through the galaxy,” he reassures you, both his eyebrows raised as he slightly leans forward, towards you. Your heart skips another beat when you look at his gentle face.

Suddenly, his expression shifts to a confused one. “Why do you care so much?” he asks, shaking his head in his confusion, not sure why a stranger would worry about his well-being. But if he was being honest with himself, you didn't feel like a stranger anymore.

You swallow, your eyes darting back and forth again, searching for the right words. Your fingers fidget around the rim of your mug nervously. “You seem like a.. Like a good person. I don't see those around here often,” you finally falter, before looking him straight in the eyes.

The planet around you seems to die down when you lose yourself into his golden-brown eyes. They are the prettiest eyes you've ever seen, but then again, you've never stared into someone's eyes like this before. But you can't imagine eyes being prettier than his.

He puts his hand on yours, stopping the fidgeting, as your nerves make place for something else. Your heartbeat rises and your breathing becomes heavy. “Echo, I..” you stammer, but you don't finish your sentence. You have a hard time handling your feelings, not used to this kind of intimacy.

You jump out of your seat, accidentally knocking the chair over in the process. The noise of it hitting the floor startles you, and you do not notice Echo getting up as well. He gently touches your shoulder with his hand, and when you turn to him in surprise, he is standing right in front of you.

You've never been this close to him before. You see his eyes glisten comfortingly, his nostrils moving as he breathes, his Adam’s apple going up and down as he swallows.

Without thinking, you slowly shift your hand towards his cheek. Before you reach his skin though, he moves his head towards your hand, pushing his cheek against it, as he longs for your touch. Letting out a content sigh, he closes his eyes for a moment, and you see his eyebrows twitch in delight.

Now he finally feels your touch. You notice his chest heaving faster than before, and you realise that - maybe - he longs for you as much as you for him. You lick your lips and leave some space between them, making your heavy breathing more audible. It makes Echo open his eyes, as he yearns to touch those lips.

This time, he reaches his hand towards your face, and he gently caresses your cheekbone. His fingertips slide softly through your hair to the back of your head, and when he reaches it, he gently pulls you closer.

It feels like an eternity to reach each other, and your mind is racing. But all your thoughts are quieted down when your lips finally touch. You gasp as your breathing stops for a moment, your eyelids closing instantly as your eyes roll back.

Echo puts his mechanical arm around your waist, and with the utmost care, as not to hurt you with it, he pulls you closer. Your lips are pressed together, moving passionately against each other as you both finally give in to your longing.

You feel his breath on your skin and you let out a deep sigh, brushing his tender lips. He thinks yours are the softest, and he can't get enough of tasting them. As he indulges in you, you cannot help yourself by letting out a soft moan of pleasure.

He tightens his grasp around your waist when he hears your expression of content. He thought being apart from you was driving him insane these last few weeks, but now that he is finally close to you, he feels like he is losing it. Your innocence, your genuine and comforting soul, your beautiful appearance, your soft skin and your perfect lips..

Abruptly, he pulls away from you. He is afraid he will lose himself in you, going too far, ruining this perfect afternoon. He knows you'll need a little space after this, and he doesn't want to push you - although you might have complied if he'd asked for more.

Your eyes shoot open as you look at him confused; did you do something wrong? But his expression is all soft and loving, and you instantly melt by his sight. He leans forward to you again, but instead of kissing you, he gently puts his forehead against yours.

Not aware of the meaning - or even the existence - of a Keldabe kiss, you return the gesture anyway, as you think it's sweet. But to Echo, it means the galaxy.

After a long moment, the two of you pull away slowly. You wish it could have lasted forever, and Echo would have liked to hold you for a bit longer, but it had to end at one point. You look up at him, a loving smile on your face. He gently strokes your cheek with his thumb.

“Thank you, cyar'ika*,” he whispers, as he gently places a kiss on your forehead. You haven't heard that word before, and don't know what it means, but you're too caught up in the moment to spoil it by asking.

*cyar’ika = darling/sweetheart

At that moment, Echo's comm device starts beeping. He answers it without hesitation. “Echo, where are you? We need you to break a tie. Wrecker and I think Cid's next job sounds exciting, but Hunter and Tech.. Not so much.”

You see Echo's eyes soften as he responds to the girl. You'd like to hear more about his companions, but it seems like you have to wait until next time. You really hope there will be a next time.

Echo puts his comm device away before turning towards you, ready to apologise for his departure. But you beat him to it. “It's okay, go to them. Just- Just don't forget to come by whenever you're back in the City,” you tell him, as you put your flat hands on his chest armour. He puts his hand and scomp on top of your hands, as you swallow away the lump in your throat; you're well aware his coming back isn't a certainty at all.

He feels your worries, and although he knows he shouldn't be making any promises he can't keep, he wants to ease your mind. “I'll come find you,” he says determined, as he gently nods towards you. You smile back in return, gently placing a kiss on his cheek before you walk him to the front door.

Just before he reaches the door, you grab his hand. “Please, Echo.. Be careful out there,” you whisper, as he steps over your doorstep. He stretches his arm, keeping hold of your hand for as long as possible. “I'll do my best,” he replies, before letting go of your grasp.

You stand in your doorway, watching him cross the alley again, disappearing into Cid's. And after that, you keep standing in your doorway a little longer, hoping to catch another glimpse of him.

…

PART III | EVENING

c. 19/18 BBY, Ord Mantell | Ord Mantell City

As the sun slides away, looming shadows fill the alleyway. The neon signboards on the adjacent buildings cast their flashing lights about. The alley is empty, abandoned, apart from an occasional straying stranger.

You're lying on your sofa, your back aching from the uncomfortable hardness of it, but you don't have the will to move. Your thoughts wander as you gaze up towards the ceiling, thinking, hoping you will see him again.

As always, it's been a while. Echo has visited you a few times after that perfect afternoon, but his visits had been short; barely enough time to check on each other. You yearn to spend some more time together, maybe pick up where the two of you have left off.

But you know he is working a job with his squad, as you haven't seen them in a while. You put away your desires and hope he is doing alright. He told you not to worry, but you do worry a lot; you cannot help it.

---

You have almost dozed off when you hear excited voices coming from outside, immediately shaking you fully awake. Your body stiff, you manage to get up, and you stumble towards the window. Echo. A hopeful smile appears on your face as you finally see him and his squad again.

You still haven't mustered the courage to run outside to meet him as long as his friends are around, but you've grown a tad bolder; you push the entry button and your front door whooshes open.

As your heart races in your chest, a feverish feeling washing over you, you wait against the wall between the door and the window, out of sight. You're hoping he notices the open door and sees it as an invitation.

“Go, we'll manage Cid,” you hear a low voice from across the alley, a slight tone of amusement in the voice. Your heart skips a beat when you hear the sound of someone stepping closer and closer to your front door..

When Echo finally makes it to your doorstep, you spin in front of him and land in his arms, wrapping your arms around his neck. He is caught off guard for a moment, not used to you being this kind of initiative. But he doesn't mind; he wraps his arms around your waist to pull you closer, before kissing you tenderly.

When you finally pull apart, you look up to him, your eyes full of concern. “I-I was afraid something had happened,” you confess softly, almost in a whisper. He gently strokes your cheek before wiping a strand of your hair behind your ear. “I told you not to worry,” he replies, a bit stern, but his eyes soft.

You cannot help but scoff as you cross your arms, raising one eyebrow. “And you never worry about anyone?” you shoot at him teasingly. His expression softens. “All the time,” he says softly, before pulling you close again, continuing the kissing.

---

After your warm welcoming, you manage to get him some well deserved caf. As always, he doesn't give you any details about their latest job, because he knows your worries will multiply if you know what he's up to. And he doesn't want to drag you into the ugliness of the current state of the galaxy, as you're still as innocent as the first day he met you. And he loves you for it.

“So, er- how long will you stay this time?” you finally stammer, afraid he'll walk out again and he'll be off for another few weeks. Of course you meant to ask how long he and his squad would be staying on Ord Mantell in general, but he takes the leap.

“We're not gonna make new plans until the morning, so I'll have all night, if you'd like,” he replies, his soft smile sliding into a faint smirk as you see a sparkle in his eyes. You swallow; you really like his answer, but your nerves are playing up again, not sure what the evening will bring. And as always, you're lost for words.

Is it you, or is it getting hot in here? You're sure your head has turned red by now, and you need to cool down. You excuse yourself to him as you stand up, making sure to not knock over your chair this time, and walk towards your bedroom.

You open the door to the adjacent room, but something inside you decides to leave it open. You take off your thick shirt and slide into something more breathable.

When you turn around, Echo is leaning against the doorpost, his arms crossed and his foot bend around the other. You didn't turn on any lights when you entered your bedroom, so you cannot see the expression on his face. The only light comes from the room behind him, shedding a highlight around the contours of his body.

You freeze to the floor as you stare at each other in silence. Echo finally straightens himself, getting clear of the doorpost, and starts walking over to you slowly. Your heart skips a beat; you feel slightly vulnerable in your own bedroom, not sure how long he'd been standing there, watching you. But although you don't know how to go on from here, you definitely want it to continue.

When he reaches you, he starts caressing your cheek. You look up to his face, your eyes wide as they glisten, your lips apart in full anticipation. Before he reaches for them, you find your words. “I.. I’d like you to stay for the night,” you whisper shyly, yet honestly. There's nothing you want more at this moment.

“Then I'll stay,” he replies tenderly, a gentle smile on his face before he leans towards you, pressing his lips on yours. You close your eyes as you indulge into his kiss, forgetting everything around you.

After some passionate kissing, Echo slowly shifts his lips to your cheek, sliding down to your neck. You feel his warm breath on your skin, making something awaken inside you. His lips reach the spot between your neck and shoulder, starting with soft, tender kisses, but slowly evolving into something more confident, something more eager and desirous.

He is still very tender with you. Although he doesn't bite, you feel his teeth against your skin, the tip of his tongue dancing on you as he tastes you. A moan of pleasure escapes your throat, and you feel a shiver going through Echo's body.

He gently leads you backwards, towards your bed. You comply willingly, and when you reach it, you sit down whilst you guide him down as well, your hand grasped around the rim of his chest plate, below his neck. He kneels down before you, and you gaze into each other’s eyes for a moment before continuing.

“Are you.. Are you alright with this?” he asks softly, concern in his voice. But there is nothing he should be worrying about right now. You nod determined, a smile appearing on your face. “Yes, very much,” you finally muster, before you land another kiss on his lips. You feel his lips curl into a smile below yours.

You start fidgeting with his armour, but taking it off proves quite difficult, since you haven't interacted with anything like it before. He chuckles softly before aiding you in your conquest. When the pieces start coming off, and you start taking off his black jumpsuit, you pull away in shock and disbelief when you notice what you revealed.

“What did they do to you?” you blurt out, as your eyes wander his body, where you find mechanical ‘adjustment’ after adjustment. He swallows, slightly pulling away from you. He was so caught up in the moment, caught up in you, that he didn't think about this. Didn't think you would be taken aback by him.

“It's.. It's in the past,” he mumbles, averting his gaze from yours. A moment of silence, before he softly adds: “You can leave those on, if it disturbs you.” He reaches back for his blacks, but you stop him by grasping his hand. You cup your other hand below his chin, and gently guide his gaze back towards yours. “No, I'd like to have you like you are,” you say in a sweet way, and your words make him melt.

Taking your clothes off happens in a heartbeat, compared to Echo’s attire. Both your chests are heaving and your breathing is heavy with anticipation. As Echo slowly reaches up to you, you let yourself fall backwards onto the sheets, your arms stretched above your head. He slowly crawls on top of you, admiring your beauty, wondering how you’re able to still retain your innocence as you lay naked below him.

When you're finally face to face, you wrap one arm around his neck, careful not to hit his mechanical spine too hard. Your other hand starts caressing his metal sternum, as you take in every detail of his body. Your hand slides towards his face, where you touch the metal headpiece around the back of his head.

“Is this.. Is this detachable?” you ask softly, cautiously, as you don't want Echo thinking you like him any less with him wearing it. He smiles, and takes it off. It reveals his ears, and you can't help smiling in the most affectionate way; he has the cutest ears.

This time, it's Echo who's blushing. You let your fingertips wander the rim of his ear, and you find out he's a tad ticklish around there. He twitches his brows as he tries to regain himself. You chuckle, before you let your hand slide behind the back of his head and pull him close.

Your lips touch again, and you start kissing tenderly. The tips of your tongues touch, as they shyly meet halfway. Echo groans as you softly start biting his lower lip. You cannot help it, but the sound arouses you. You gasp and slowly part your legs, and finally wrap them around his pelvis.

He gladly accepts the invitation, looking at your face when he slowly enters you at last. Your eyes are closed, your head slightly tilted backwards. You bite your lower lip, your eyebrows wrinkled as it hurts, but he continues as gently as possible. Once he's fully inside, you let out a sigh as the tension from your face disappears.

The hurt turns into pleasure as he slowly moves his pelvis against yours. He is still looking at your face, making sure you're alright, that he's not hurting you anymore. When he finds a pleasing rhythm, you let out a moan, which would have startled yourself if you hadn't been this caught up in the moment. A shiver runs down Echo's body, which you feel inside.

You open your eyes with a gasp, and you look up at his face. His golden-brown eyes are admiring you, and his lips are curled into a smile. You feel the blush reappear on your cheeks, but you don't worry about it too much; Echo is used to it by now.

Without thinking too much about it, you sit upright as much as your intertwined bodies allow. A bit awkwardly, you try to swap positions. Echo helps you out once he realises what your intentions are. He is slightly surprised, since this is clearly your first time, but you want to take the lead now. But he isn't complaining.

Echo lays down on his back as you position yourself on top of him. You taste his lips again, before straightening your back. You guide him back inside you and start moving your pelvis up and down, starting slow but increasing the pace as you gain a bit of confidence in what you're doing. You close your eyes as you focus on the moment.

Echo looks up at you in both admiration and adoration. He positions his hand and scomp on either side of your moving hips. He is careful with the metal part of his right arm, because he doesn't want to distract you. Slowly, his hand and scomp slide upwards, reaching higher, until they reach your breasts.

He keeps his hand and scomp at the sides of your breasts, caressing your warm skin with his thumb. He doesn't feel the need to go further, as he doesn't want to objectify you, he doesn't want to take your innocence away. But he is touching sensitive skin and you let out another moan, your eyebrows wrinkling again, this time out of pleasure.

He's never seen your face this expressive before, and it feeds his excitement. He wants to get closer to you, and in a sudden, abrupt movement, he sits up straight, supporting his body with his socket-arm. You open your eyes in surprise and find his face just centimetres from yours. Your noses brush, your lips almost touching.

You continue your movements, and you notice the angle you find yourselves in is even more pleasing than before. Echo wraps his arm around your waist, pulling you close, your breasts against his chest. You put your hands on his back as you continue, your fingers sinking into his pale skin.

Your gazes keep locked as you quicken your pace, feeling your pleasure is reaching its climax. And Echo's too; he groans through clenched teeth, tightening his grip around your waist. You feel the muscles in his lower abdomen tighten. You moan from the tingling sensation you experience down below, and as you softly whisper his name in ecstasy, he releases all his tensions.

Still holding you, Echo falls backwards on your bed, taking you with him. When he lands on his back, you roll off him, to his right side. Your chests are heaving and you both are panting from your fusion, your intimacy. Your heads turn towards each other, and you both smile when your gazes meet again.

You start caressing his metal arm beside you. You would have liked to hold his hand, but it doesn't matter; this is Echo, and you love all of him.

…

PART IV | NIGHT

c. 19/18 BBY, Ord Mantell | Ord Mantell City

The evening has elapsed into the night, but your sense of time is gone. After your intimate get-together, Echo is still laying on his back on your bed, and you wish he could stay forever. You are curled around him, your leg arched around his pelvis, your head on his shoulder, your arm on his chest as you softly caress his skin and his cyborg parts you encounter on the way.

Eyes closed, he has his cheek pressed against the top of your head, his socket-arm wrapped around your upper body as he only focuses on your gentle touching and gentle breathing. He groans softly in content as you trace your fingertips over his skin.

“Why, er- why are you guys on the run?” you ask suddenly, in a soft and cautious way. The question has been on your mind for what seems like forever, and now that you've been this intimate with Echo, you finally have the courage to ask him.

He swallows as he slightly turns his head away from yours, his eyes opening and his gaze on the ceiling. “I really don't want to drag you into it,” he finally answers with a sigh. You heave yourself up slightly, your body still against his, but being able to look at his face.

“Echo, I'm worrying about you anyway. So I think it's only fair to me to know what I'm worrying about,” you shoot at him, and you're surprised by your own boldness. Echo looks at you, a smile appearing on his face as he thinks the same. “You're right, cyar’ika*.”

*cyar’ika = darling/sweetheart

“We're on the run from the Empire. We were soldiers of the Republic, but when the Imperials took control, well.. Let's just say we didn't part on good terms,” he finally tells you, a wry smile on his face. You're silent for a moment. As the war and the political takeover have had no impact on your personal life, you try to imagine how it must be for Echo, for his squad.

“What was the war like?” you ask in a whisper, so soft he almost missed it. Your head is still turned towards his face, but your gaze slides away. He looks back at you, and with his hand, he cups your chin, caressing your skin with his thumb.

“It was- it was both dreadful and.. And familiar, I guess,” he starts slowly, searching for the right explanation, being mindful to spare you from any details about the suffering and the losses. He wets his lips before continuing.

“We clones were created as soldiers for war, so there wasn't anything else for us. We were all brothers, fighting side by side, under the command of the Jedi. There was.. A lot of death and devastation, but we knew what our purpose was. We had each other.”

He pauses for a moment, his eyes blank as his gaze is unfocused. You want to comfort him, as it's clear to you he hasn't processed all the events during and after the war very well. But you lay still, as you feel there's more for him to tell. You don't want to interrupt him, distract him from finally speaking out his feelings, pouring his heart out.

His gaze returns to yours, as his hand shifts away from under your chin, and he wipes a lock of your hair behind your ear. He smiles for a very brief moment before continuing. “When the war ended, we lost our purpose, I guess. The war was awful, but at least we knew who we were, what we had to do. But when it ended and the Empire emerged, none of us really knew what was happening.”

You notice he's lost in thoughts again. He is thinking about Crosshair, now doing the bidding of the Empire. How they had to leave him, their brother, behind back on Kamino. How the squad had saved himself prior to those events, from the torture of his mind back at Skako Minor. How the Skakoans had experimented on him after the explosion at the Citadel. How he hadn't been around when Fives had needed him the most, how he had held 99 in his arms after his death. How he hadn't been able to save Hevy, Cutup and Droidbait, which seems an eternity ago now.

When you see tears forming in his eyes, you finally decide it's the right time to comfort him. You lean towards him, put your right hand on his jaw, and place the most tender, loving kiss on his forehead. You feel his grip around you tighten as he pulls you close. You wrap your arms around his neck and start cradling him, as silent tears run down his cheeks.

---

The night progresses with a lot more talking and comforting. Tonight, you have learned more about Echo and his squad than all the previous times you two met up combined. As Echo continues his experiences and confessions, you notice he's opening up to you, finally sharing details.

Although his stories are devastating and you had never imagined all this could happen to one person in only a couple of years, you love listening to his voice, as your naked bodies lay pressed against each other in a loving embrace. Your head is positioned on his chest, as it slowly rises and falls with every breath he takes.

You wish he could stay forever, just the two of you in your humble abode, but you know he can't leave his squad behind. The Empire will keep looking for them, for Omega. And you know what that means; they can't stay on Ord Mantell forever. You knew this beforehand, before you got yourselves close with one another, but the thought is still devastating to you.

But after all of Echo's stories and explanations, you understand. You finally have a better view of the galaxy beyond Ord Mantell, the advantages and the flaws of the Clone Wars, and how the Empire currently reigns with terror and oppression. Something is rotting in this galaxy, but there are still people out there trying to fight it, to fight for the good, for the well-being of the galaxy's citizens.

---

When the morning breaks, you know by the gut-wrenching feeling inside you it's time for Echo to go. He has to meet up with his squad to discuss their next step, to prepare their next mission, and you know he can't let them down. He won't let them down.

You slide into something comfortable and watch him get back into his blacks and armour. The easiness of his movements tells you he's done it a hundred times. A smile appears on your face, but there is sadness in it as well; you hate to see him leave.

At your front door, you both take the time to prolong the moment, to delay his inevitable departure. Your lips melt together in a passionate kiss one last time. You hug each other tightly, before moving apart reluctantly. You look each other in the eyes, taking everything in one last time, to never forget the moments you shared together.

“Thank you, cyar’ika*,” Echo whispers, before he presses his forehead to yours. You swallow, and after you both pull away, you finally ask: “What does that mean?” An affectionate smile appears on his face, his eyes somewhat sad but incredibly thankful for what you've given him. “That you mean the galaxy to me.”

*cyar’ika = darling/sweetheart

…

Epilogue

You don't know if you will see him again after this, but he has given you something. He ignited a spark inside you, as you now are fully aware there is more in this galaxy, more than just Ord Mantell City. He has given you the courage to free yourself from this place, even if that means diving into the unknown. But you are ready now.

Echo taglist: @covert1ntrovert

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