#hyperspace entity

[paulius11]

Confrontation With A Hyperspace Entity

[whereserpentswalk]

Earth is the only planet in the known universe with gods.

Every other sentient species in known space is completely atheistic. They have myths at times, monsters, heros, cryptids, wizards. But gods, demons, religion, those are a uniquely human concepts.

When humanity first learned about this quirk it seemed to be something from our evolution. Something about the human mind that caused us to create religions when other humans didn't. But every species we met, even rational ones, or ones who had concepts of myths or cyptids, thought our gods were certainly real.

Humans, because of earth's relationships to hyperspace, have little to no psychics. The first human psychic was confirmed in 2311, and even then she wasn't born anywhere near the sol system. So it's very hard for humans to detect gods. But when species that had strong psychics met us, they were able to tell we were communicating with something extraplanner when we prayed.

And psychics who could see extraplanner creatures were shocked when they entered human holy places. They saw entities commucating with us. Angels and saints watching over Christian churches. Spirits of the land and high gods in Shinto temples. Old gods and spirits at neopagan alters. Almost every religion on earth's gods seemed to exist to some extent.

And stranger, these gods have been detected before by other species, but not on freindly terms. Some saw their physical manifestations in hyperspace or in psychic dreams. Others were seen haunting or attacking people. Most alien races didn't encounter them until they went deep into space, or into extraplanner science, certainly having no contact with them as ancients. And because of this most alien species first encountered gods extremely hostility.

The first encounters some species had with gods haven't been when interacting with earthlings, but when they threatened them. A ship from the Arreken Empire in hyperspace that would have conquered earth before it had the technology to fight back if it found them, torn to shreds by an entity in hyperspace said to look like a red bearded human, a hammer is his hands and hyperstorms and red lightening behind him, they thought he was some sort of human supersoldier at the time, but humans didn't even know about hyperspace yet. A Rchititiik corporation mining fleet that attempted to claim Mars before humans got to it, terrified away by a being described as rotating rings with eyes and wings all over it, which spoke in countless tounges and burned a six pointed star into the flagship, thought to be a human spaceship but later confirmed to be unknown to the humans at the time. A small craft that abducted pre space age humans a long time ago, having their exit to the Sol System blocked by a creature described as a feathered serpent with a stone mace in his tail, being forced to put the humans back before they were allowed to leave.

Humans are not the only race to have encountered the gods. We are the only race the gods like.

[clu-ven]

Heyaa , I hope you're taking good care of yourself before answering any of the asks! Make sure to stay hydrated always 😄

I have a small request for the bad batch (mainly Hunter). How would they react to a reader that is the mom friend ? Bonus points if she has a REALLY short pixie cut (hair almost buzzed).

I'm usually the mom friend and I'm really curious regarding this , if you feel comfy enough writing about it , headcanons , maybe even small fics of it? 💛

THE BATCH BAD WITH A READER WHO'S THE 'MOM FRIEND'

quick note: eeeek thank you for the request anon! But I'll be honest, I had no idea what a 'mom friend' was before this so I hope I did it justice! Also, because I spent so much time trying to figure out the characteristics of a mom friend (Have I overthought this? why yes, yes I have), I didn't touch on the short hair aspect but I can always do headcanons specifically for that if you'd like!

word count: 3.1k

HUNTER

Hunter isn’t sure what to make of you at first. Before you came along, he assumed if someone was nice to the Batch, it was because they wanted something from them.

But not you. 

You genuinely care about them and their safety. It’s unlike anything Hunter has ever experienced and honestly, it’s a little unsettling at the beginning. He doesn’t understand why you put so much effort into befriending a bunch of defective clones.

He’s cagey but once some time passes and he realises you genuinely care and this isn’t some façade, Hunter relaxes and embraces your role as the mom friend.

Hunter’s actually kinda relieved to have you around now. He’s still unsure if he can look after Omega properly but having you there to confide in is a big help. 

And although Hunter will always try his best to act tough and unfazed by things, he appreciates your keen eye and how you can always spot whenever he’s feeling overwhelmed.

...and now, a quick drabble...

Hunter’s been staring at the datapad for twenty minutes, hand pinching the bridge of his nose as he sighs to himself. In the two seats in front of him, Tech and Echo loudly bicker about whether the last mission was a trap or simply bad timing, and in the seat adjacent to Hunter, Wrecker flings Omega up into the air before catching her again… a routine they’ve been doing ever since the Marauder went into hyperspace. 

The mixture of Tech and Echo’s squabbling, Wrecker’s booming laugh and Omega’s squeal everytime she’s hoisted into the air is a recipe for disaster for the Sergeant. 

Picking up some spare blankets you spontaneously bought on the last planet you visited, you call out to Hunter. His head snaps up, though the second he sees you, his expression softens. “Can you bring these to the bunks for me? You can just leave them at the end of each one” you ask sheepishly.

With a sharp nod, he stands and with a few strides, Hunter is in front of you and taking the blankets. Lowering your voice so just he can hear, you say “Take all the time you need, I’ll get them to calm down… eventually”. A flicker of shock spreads across his face, surprised that not only did you notice his agitated demeanour but that you knew exactly what was causing it. 

Opening his mouth, Hunter wants to thank you, to put his hand on your shoulder and tell you how much this means to him but Omega lets out another shriek and he tenses.

Giving him a reassuring smile, you walk past Hunter and to the others. As Hunter makes his way to a quieter part of the ship, he can hear you trying to change the topic of conversation with Echo and Tech, hoping that’ll put an end to their bickering before offering Wrecker and Omega some spare Mantell Mix you had in an attempt to distract them from their noisy game. 

With a smile on his face, Hunter crashes on to his bunk, blankets covering his head as he wonders how he got so lucky to meet you.

TECH

Much like Hunter, Tech is dubious of you at first. You’re so quick to help them, to listen to their problems and care for them. Before this, the only other entity that’s ever aided the Batch is the Republic and well, we all know how that turned out.

Don’t be surprised if he ends up interrogating you, asking you a barrage of questions regarding what you hope to get out of this.

Kindness isn’t something they’ve come across recently so Tech’s sceptical of you.

But once Tech sees how you act around not only them but everyone else, he starts to understand that you’re simply caring by nature and not trying to scam them.

Before you came along, Tech would usually stay up working until he fell asleep hunched over a table or else he would opt to not sleep at all.

But now with you here, he knows it’s only a matter of time before you come along and usher him off to bed. At first, Tech thought this was annoying and a hindrance to his work but he gets used to it pretty quickly, finding it comforting that you always make sure he gets some rest.

...and now, another quick drabble...

It’s another late night for Tech. He doesn’t mind it, preferring to work in near silence (besides some snoring coming from the other room).  Working on a few adjustments to his helmet, Tech’s eyes flick between his armour and datapad, taking the time to simultaneously catch up on what the Empire has been up to recently. He’s not sure what time it is but judging by the deep sleep everyone seems to be in, he’s presuming he has another few hours until anyone wakes up.

When he hears some movement from the other room, Tech freezes for a second before relaxing once you come into view, a steaming cup in your hands. “You should be asleep” you whisper, tiptoeing closer to him. 

“So should you” he replies without missing a beat, resuming his work on his helmet. You sigh, setting the cup down on the desk. Peering over at the warm liquid, Tech questions “Caf?”.

“Tea,” you correct him “you can take it to bed with you, it should help you sleep”.

Tech doesn’t move, giving you a look that reads ‘seriously?’. Putting your hands on your hips, you bluntly state “You need to rest”.

“So do you” he quickly replies. You sigh. Sometimes you forget how stubborn he can be. 

“Well, I’ve actually gotten some sleep,” you shrug “and Echo’s supposed to be watching the ship while we’re in hyperspeed but he’s fast asleep so I’ll take watch instead”.

“That’s unnecessary, I’ll watch the ship and you can go back to bed“ Tech proposes but you fold your arms, shaking your head.

“No, you need sleep” you try your best to sound stern but it’s hard to act mad at Tech, especially when he’s trying to help.

He goes to speak again but you sigh, giving him a pleading look as you say “Tech, please… if you don’t sleep now then you’ll be overtired tomorrow and you won’t be able to think straight on our next mission and kriff, if you can’t think straight on a mission then we’re all screwed”. 

Slowly, Tech rises from his seat “You have a point”.

Picking up the tea, he gives you a wearily smile, suddenly feeling self-conscious over his stubbornness. “Thank you… for looking out for us, you’re caring nature isn’t something we’re used to” Tech tries to make eye contact with you as he speaks but he finds it hard, his face becoming flustered with his small confession. 

Returning the smile, you reassure him “Don’t worry about it, now go get some rest, you deserve it”.

WRECKER

Even in a galaxy full of backstabbers and criminals, Wrecker likes to see the good in people so he trusts you and takes your kindness at face value.

He quickly becomes attached to you, relishing in your caring nature and becoming very protective of you. You’re a breath of fresh air to Wrecker so Maker help anyone who tries to mess you with.

Wrecker knows how rare it is to find someone so gentle and caring and now that you’re here, he doesn’t want to let you go. 

Despite Wrecker being much larger and stronger than you, you make him feel safe and protected.

Although, Wrecker can be mischievous sometimes. He has no problem dragging you into an argument if he knows he’s losing, knowing you’ll put a stop to the bickering completely and he won’t ‘officially’ lose the argument.

He may have threatened his brothers a few times with the dreaded “I’m telling”. You’re respected by all of the Batch so the thought of getting into your bad books is enough to make them shut up and leave Wrecker be for a while.

...yet another quick drabble...

Boarding the ship, Wrecker calls out your name, hand on his head as he enters. You immediately look in his direction, getting up from your seat and making your way over to him with a concerned look on your face.

Before you can even ask what’s wrong, Wrecker groans “I hit my head… again”. Reaching up to get a better look at his injury, you gently touch his jawline as you examine the side of his head. Thankfully there’s no open wound and hopefully the pain won’t last long. 

“Do you need some food?” you ask, making Wrecker’s demeanour perk up ”You go rest, I’ll get you some blankets and a cup of water and-“.

Hunter cuts you off, boarding the Marauder next “He’s fine, he can do that himself”. Although you know Hunter is only saying this to make sure you’re good hearted nature isn’t being taken advantage of, you roll your eyes. 

“No he can’t, he’s injured!” you declare, removing your hand from Wrecker’s jawline and instead opting to rub his back. “Yeah, Hunter, I’m injured!” Wrecker repeats, his tone mimicking yours.

Not wanting a fight to break out, you glance over to Wrecker, giving him an unimpressed look. After seeing your expression, he goes back to groaning and holding his head. It’s pretty obvious Wrecker’s exaggerating this injury but you decide to play along, knowing he just needs some attention.

“Oh c’mon, he didn’t even complain about his head until he saw the Marau-“ Hunter scoffs but Wrecker interjects with another low whine, turning his attention to you as he speaks over the Sergeant “I think it’s getting worse, all this talking is many my head throb”. 

With a soft smile, you reply “Why don’t you go lay down, hm? I’ll follow you in a second, just let me go get some snacks for you first”.

Although Wrecker tries to keep up his exaggeration, he can’t hide his smile. Giving you a nod, he turns to head towards the bunks, making sure to give Hunter a smug look as he passes. “Wha- please tell me you saw that” Hunter runs his hand down his face.

You let out a small laugh, making sure you speak loud enough for Wrecker to hear as you give Hunter a wink  “Hey be nice to your brother, he’s hurt enough as it is and he doesn’t need you making his headache worse”. Hunter rolls his eyes but doesn’t intervene anymore. 

Once you’ve collected all of your snacks, as well as getting some drinks ready and picking up a holomovie, you follow Wrecker into the bunks, excited for the relaxing night ahead.

ECHO

Echo can be kind of distant with you sometimes. It’s not that he doesn’t like your caring tendencies but he doesn’t want to depend on you, scared it might seem like he isn’t able to do things himself.

He wants to help the Batch too and before you came along, he was seen as the responsible and very tired parental figure of the group.

So while he’s hesitant to let you mother him, he’s always there to take care of the others with you. You two are the parents of the group and honestly, you’re the best duo for it.

Echo has some walls up, hesitant of the roles being swapped and him becoming the one being cared for… but with some time, those walls will start to drop.

But until then, he’ll be your teammate. The both of you working together to take care of and worry about the others. 

Seriously, it’s scary how similar you and Echo think sometimes. Whether that be packing extra supplies or remembering how each member likes to have their caf.

...you guessed it, it's quick drabble time...

It’s always hard when the batch gets split up, one half staying while the others go on a mission. What makes it harder is that you’re on the side that has been told to stay put. 

According to Cid, it’s an easy job that doesn’t require that many people and that you should be happy you get some time to relax while Hunter and Echo go on the mission. But your mind doesn’t see it like that.

While the other’s hang back at Cid’s parlour, you walk with the other two back to the ship so you can properly see them off. “Have you got extra bacta patches on board?” you quiz Echo while Hunter picks up his pace, deciding it’s best to leave the parents of the group discuss supplies.

“Yes, we do” Echo nods.

“And bandages?” you question, nervously nibbling at your bottom lip “Cid didn’t really give us a lot of information on this job so it’s best to be prepared for anything”.

With the Marauder close by, Echo stops and places his hand on your shoulder, making you stop too. “It’s going to be fine,”  he says, his voice calm and comforting “we’re transporting nerf nuggets, even I don’t think much can go wrong with that”.

You sigh, knowing Echo’s right but still feeling anxious “Ok but be-“.

“Careful?” He raises an eyebrow at you, a cheeky glint in his eye.

You roll your eyes, already well aware of how predictable you can be. “Yes but seriously, keep an-“

“Eye out for troopers” he finishes your sentence again, letting his hand drop from your shoulder as he begins to climb the steps up to the Marauder.

“Ugh, fine, point proven,” you shake your head before remembering “oh and keep your-“

“Comm on in case of emergencies” this time Echo doesn’t even glance back at you when he says it, only stopping to look at you once he’s safely inside the door to the ship, revealing his mischievous grin.

Before closing the doors, Echo bids you a proper goodbye “I’ll see-“

“You soon?” You quickly interject, making Echo’s grin grow wider. As the steps to the Marauder begin to disappear into the ship’s mechanics and the door loudly starts to close, Echo calls out over the noise “You took the words out of my mouth!”.

CROSSHAIR

Crosshair has convinced himself he doesn’t need your help, your compassion or your company. Yet no matter how many times he tries to push you away or rebuff your kindness, you continue to be there for him.

Basically, you’re a complete enigma to him.

Crosshair’s kinda like a stray cat, subtly curious of you but too wary to accept your affections. Instead, he likes to simply watch your interactions with the others, slowly warming up to the idea of you also caring for him in the same way.

The one thing you do that is guaranteed to always make him smile is scold the others. You don’t do it too often but sometimes it’s necessary, especially when they fight over petty things. 

Crosshair is always by your side then, arms folded as he enjoys the entertainment of it all. And if things start to calm down, he makes sure to say a comment or two just to rile the others back up again.

But if he’s in an argument and you walk in? He knows better than to continue, usually rolling his eyes before stalking off to spend some time alone.

...quick drabble time: Crosshair edition...

Despite the mission being a success, it ended in another argument. You luckily missed the start of this argument, so you aren’t sure who’s done what or who’s angry at who but from the glares Crosshair and Hunter keep giving each other, you can make a few assumptions. 

You just arrive to the argument when it ends, catching the tail end of it as Crosshair storms past you, muttering something about loyalty.

Once Crosshair is out of earshot, the rest of the batch let out a collective sigh, equally annoyed and disheartened by the argument. “Do I even want to know what this is about?” you ask and judging by the look on Echo’s face, no, you don’t. Taking a deep breath, you turn on your feet, now facing the direction Crosshair stormed off in “I’ll go speak to him”.

It doesn’t take you long to find him, sitting on top of one of the large crates the Batch has been tasked with collecting and transporting back to base. He doesn’t look up when you approach, keeping his attention on the dirt staining his gloves. Hopping up beside Crosshair, you wait for him to speak.

“If you’re here to make me apologise, you’re wasting your time” he hisses.

You shake your head “I’m not here to do that, I just thought I’d keep you company”.

“I don’t need your company,” he snaps back.

You don’t reply. Whenever Crosshair gets into one of his moods, you understand he pushes people away and so you don’t take what he says to heart.  

Trying to shift the topic of conversation, you put your hand into your pocket. “Y’know the last time we were in Coruscant, I went to this place called Dex’s Diner. I heard some Regs talking about it so I thought I’d check it out,” you start, causing Crosshair to roll his eyes “the food was fine, nothing too fancy”.

“And why should I care about this?” he asks, raising his head so you can see his bored expression. While he’s still in one of his moods, you notice his tone isn’t as harsh, your sudden story somewhat disarming him.

“Well, on the tables they had a bunch of napkins and those little holders for straws, oh and they had these brightly coloured sauces ,” you ramble on “but they also had this bowl on each table and you’ll never guess what they were full of…”. 

Pulling your hand out of your pocket, you open your palm to reveal a bunch of toothpicks. Crosshair gazes down at your hand, his expression remaining neutral.

“I know they’re just toothpicks,” you shrug, unsure whether you should feel embarrassed or relieved by his lack of reaction “but when I saw them, I got excited because they made me think of you. And then I started wondering if you had enough toothpicks so I figured I should take some just in case you don’t”.

With your other hand, you pick out a toothpick and delicately place it on his leg, a satisfied smile on your face. You drop the other toothpicks into your pocket, jumping down from the crate “Anyways, I’ll leave you be now, just thought you might appreciate a toothpick”.

Crosshair stays silent as he watches you leave, waiting a few seconds to make sure you really are gone before taking the toothpick and putting it between his lips. With your words ringing in his head, a small smile begins to tug at his lips. 

He rolls the toothpick along his mouth, hoping that’ll hide his expression.  Sitting back on the crate, he closes his eyes, focusing all of his attention at what you said...

“they made me think of you”

[the-far-bright-center]

'I had a mother who loved me'

(aka, the Jedi Order is NOT Anakin's family)

This is a topic that I've seen discussed elsewhere and I felt compelled to add my own thoughts. I've seen some takes I vehemently disagree with, especially regarding Shmi and Little Ani in TPM, and Anakin's 'decision' to leave with Qui-Gon. It's crazy how some people will blame little Ani for 'wanting' to be a Jedi, yet apparently Luke in ANH is allowed to want this, even though Luke likewise barely knows anything about what being a Jedi entails, and even though it's much more risky (and, frankly, far more unrealistic) to dream of becoming a Jedi in the Dark Times era?? As if a nine-year-old slave-boy wanting to take part in his new-found freedom by learning to be something he associates with heroism means he somehow 'should have known' he wasn’t going to be a ‘good fit’ for the Order. My argument is that there was nothing wrong with Anakin, and there was in fact no legitimate reason for him or ANYONE ELSE to believe he'd not be good at using the Force to help others (which is what the Jedi are supposed to do), especially when he had literally just done so in the pod-race. The whole reason Qui-Gon noticed Anakin was because of how strong in the Force he already was, even untrained. Qui-Gon has faith in him, it's just the Jedi Council that doubts him. Because, unlike Qui-Gon who perceives Anakin's positive qualities and potential, Yoda and the Jedi Council are afraid of him. Because Anakin is basically an 'unknown' (read: uncontrollable) entity suddenly in their midst.

While the Prequels film-canon stands on its own in this regard, we can also look to the novelizations for even more emphasis on this topic. In the TPM novelization, several things are noteable: first of all, even before Qui-Gon arrives, Anakin has had prophetic dreams about becoming a Jedi. And since Shmi is aware that Ani's dreams and visions do often come to pass, when Qui-Gon appears and offers to take him away to be trained, why wouldn't she think that maybe this was somehow Force (or Fate) ordained? And that therefore it was the right thing to do to let him go? And the second thing, is while it's also clear that Little Ani (like Luke!) has a romanticised view of what being a Jedi might be like, his actual motivation for becoming a Jedi is not simply because he 'selfishly' wants to embark on some fun adventure without his mom. On the contrary, every. single. time. little Ani thinks about the possibility of becoming a Jedi or leaving Tatooine, it's directly in relation to eventually returning to FREE his mother and the rest of the slaves:

He was several things in the course of his dreams. Once he was a Jedi Knight, fighting against things so dark and insubstantial he could not identify them. Once he was a pilot of a star cruiser, taking the ship into hyperspace, spanning whole star systems on his voyage. Once he was a great and feared commander of an army, and he came back to Tatooine with ships and troops at his command to free the planet’s slaves. His mother was waiting for him, smiling, arms outstretched.

and

He gazed skyward, his mother's hand resting lightly on his arm, and thought about what it would be like to be out there, flying battle cruisers and fighters, traveling to far worlds and strange places. He didn't care what Wald said, he wouldn't be a slave all his life. Just as he wouldn't always be a boy. He would find a way to leave Tatooine. He would find a way to take his mother with him. His dreams whirled through his head as he watched the stars, a kaleidoscope of bright images. He imagined how it would be. He saw it clearly in his mind, and it made him smile.

Anakin wants to escape slavery and train as a Jedi so he can come back and continue helping his friends and family on Tatooine. So he can return to free the slaves. Little does he know that he won't be allowed to do that... :'(

It's important to note as well that at this point, Anakin *also* has no idea that, as a Jedi, he won't be allowed to get married and have a family. Even though he is already naively imagining himself someday marrying Padme. So he doesn't know that not only will he not be permitted to return for his mother as he'd always hoped, but he will also technically not be allowed to even have a family of his own even when he's old enough to do so.

And what of Shmi's thoughts on Anakin becoming a Jedi? At the start of the AotC novelization, she is trying to be happy with the thought of it, but ONLY because she believes he must be living his best life as a Jedi. She has no idea that he had to go through rejection first before being accepted into the Order. The AotC novelization shows that as Shmi is being held captive and tortured by the Tusken Raiders, she tries to comfort herself by holding onto her imagination of what Anakin's time as Jedi is like:

All those times staring up at the night sky, she had thought of him, had imagined him soaring across the galaxy, rescuing the downtrodden, saving planets from ravaging monsters and evil tyrants. But she had always expected to see [Ani] again, had always expected him to walk onto the moisture farm one day, that impish smile of his, the one that could light up a room, greeting her as if they had never been apart.

Heartbreakingly, as Shmi is being brutalised to death, she clings to the hope that her beloved Ani's life is now better than it was before, and that it was worth saying farewell to him all those years ago, even while simultaneously desperately longing to see him again.

As an aside, it aggravates me to no end that *cough* certain parts of this fandom perpetuate the idea that Shmi is just some blank, wholly selfless entity with no wants or desires of her own. That she's the ‘perfect’ example of a Jedi with no 'attachments' (aka an Old Order Jedi), and that somehow Anakin is a just a 'failure' compared to her. Yes, it could be argued that Shmi is shown to be a better or truer 'Jedi' than most of the other Jedi in the story (aside from Luke in RotJ), but guess what that would mean in that case? (Hint: it has to do with love and family.) Because first and foremost, Shmi is a MOTHER who is trying to do the best for her son, even though a piece of her heart is always missing while he is gone. The AotC novelization shows repeatedly that she tries to assure herself that she did the right thing by letting Ani go, but the human mother side of herself also cries out for him and misses him desperately. She might have let him go in TPM, but in AoTC she wants to see him again. In fact, she believes strongly that she will see him again (because she loves him and he’s her hero because she’s his mom and she trusts he will eventually come back to find her), which is the only thing keeping her holding on until he arrives. How can Shmi be a perfect example of an Old Order Jedi when the motivating factor for even her most selfless actions is her personal FAMILIAL attachment to and unconditional LOVE for Anakin?? Also, how insulting is it to claim that Anakin is a 'failure' in comparison to his 'wonderful, perfect mother', and then proceed to place all the blame on him for being said 'failure'....when he was shown on-screen to be doing just fine in taking after his mother prior to his time in the Jedi Order????

As another poster noted elsewhere, Shmi Skywalker is the only person responsible for the truly good person Anakin Skywalker was.

This is the heart of the entire saga. Anakin's True Self is good because of his mother. Because of how she raised him (to be selfless and to want to help others) and because of the unconditional LOVE she had for him. It was the Jedi Order that failed to provide that for Anakin, and Sidious who manipulated the situation to his advantage.

(And if Shmi was the only person who truly solidified Anakin's inner goodness, then Qui-Gon was the only Jedi who was presented as being equipped to bring out the best in Anakin when Shmi wasn't around. The only one who was prepared to act as an openly warm and compassionate parental figure to Anakin, the only one who could have properly mentored Anakin and helped him navigate both his Force powers as well as the Jedi Code, and the only one who was shown to be willing to stand up to the Council on Anakin's behalf. The tragedy is not that Qui-Gon found Anakin or even that he offered to take him to train in the Force. Rather, the tragedy is that Qui-Gon is slain in the Duel of the Fates, which leaves Anakin without a true protector and advocate in the Order, and allows Sidious an 'in'.)

So the idea that the Jedi Order is Anakin's ‘replacement family' is simply not true—certainly not in the way the story actually pans out. It's telling that, in the original Prequels-era EU, Anakin ran away from the Jedi Temple multiple times. That is NOT the behaviour of a happy child. (It is, however, typical behaviour for children who are struggling in institutionalised care.)

And indeed, the very first paragraph of the AotC novelization opens with Anakin dreaming that he is part of a warm, loving family:

His mind absorbed the scene before him, so quiet and calm and...normal. It was the life he had always wanted, a gathering of family and friends—he knew that they were just that, though the only one he recognized was his dear mother. This was the way it was supposed to be. The warmth and the love, the laughter and the quiet times. This was how he had always dreamed it would be, how he had always prayed it would be. The warm, inviting smiles. The pleasant conversation. The gentle pats on the shoulders. But most of all there was the smile of his beloved mother, so happy now, no more a slave. When she looked at him, he saw all of that and more, saw how proud she was him, how joyful her life had become.

Why would Anakin be dreaming longingly of being part of an openly loving, happy family if he already had that at the Jedi Temple? (Tellingly, he notes that this seems like something normal, as if he's aware that it ought to be commonplace despite the fact that it's currently missing from his own life.)

And later on, when he's visiting Padme's parents' house for dinner, he sees this exact type of scene he's been longing for play out right in front of him, and he wishes that his mother could be there to enjoy it, too:

Anakin took a good helping of several different dishes. The food was all unfamiliar, but the smells told him that he wouldn’t be disappointed. He sat quietly as he ate, listening with half an ear to the chatter all about him. He was thinking of his mom again, of how he wished he could bring her here, a free woman, to live the life she so deserved.

Note that Anakin is thinking about his mother, and putting her first in his mind. He can barely enjoy the meal while he believes his mother could be out there, suffering.

Later on as he and Padme are heading to Tatooine to search for Shmi, they bond over the fact that both their mothers told them the same nursery rhyme ('home again to rest'). It means a lot to Anakin that he can bond with Padme over this similar childhood memory. (No doubt something he would not have had in common with his peers in the Temple, since their only childhood memories would have been within the Jedi Order, rather than in a true home. And certainly not with a mother.)

Finally, we get to the RotS novelization. Yes, THAT one. The one in which we see that Anakin was perfectly willing to walk away from the Order the minute he returned from the war and discovered Padme was pregnant. Willing to walk away to start their FAMILY together. But then his nightmares began, and he reluctantly stayed just a little longer, thinking the Jedi (whom he originally joined with the express intent of wanting to help his loved ones) could offer him some solution to the horror his nightmares were showing him:

If not for his dreams, he’d withdraw from the Order today. Now. ...Let the scandal come; it wouldn’t destroy their lives. Not their real lives. It would destroy only the lives they’d had before each other: those separate years that now meant nothing at all.

To drive the point home, we also have the pivotal scene where Obi-Wan—speaking on the Council's behalf—tries to convince Anakin to spy on the Chancellor. Their exchange says it all:

"He's my friend, Obi-Wan." "I know." "If he asked me to spy on you, do you think I would do it? You know how kind he's been to me. You now how he's looked after me, how he's done everything he could to help me. He's like family." "The Jedi are your family." "No. No, the Jedi are your family. The only one you've ever known. I had a mother who loved me."

Anakin's story breaks my heart because all he wants—all he has ever wanted—is a family. Not to just to 'have' one in a vague sense, but to be PART OF ONE. He wants this, because even when he was slave living an unfree life, at least he had his mother. At least he could feel his mother's love, and could openly demonstrate his love to her in return. For Anakin Skywalker, being a Jedi was never the goal in and of itself. In his mind, it was always primarily a means to save those he loved. To save his family. This is simultaneously the most tragic and the most beautiful thing about his character. It is both his fall AND his redemption.

And those who insist on ignoring Anakin’s deep-seated longing for a family and want to act as though he should just be content with the Jedi Order instead are willfully missing the entire point of his story.

[techni-kolor]

Meursault’s Origins

Hello everyone! (Or the approx 4 and a half people who will view this!) 

I was wondering recently why Meursault’s appearance in the anime/manga looked so damn familiar and it FINALLY clicked tonight! And I decided to share my likely insane revelation. Hint: It involves someone we already know.

My theory is that Meursault is an experiment that was based on Arthur Rimbaud’s ability “Illuminations” and then later perfected after the war had finished. From what we know about the Great War in the BSD Universe it involved a fair amount of ability users! From spies-- Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Verlaine, to medics-- Yosano Akiko, Mori Ougai, to soliders-- Fukuchi Ochi, Fukuzawa Yukichi, even experimental life forms designed to turn the tide of a war-- Nakahara Chuuya. Basically the whole war became a clash of abilities so strong and volatile that it nearly tore the whole world apart. And who do we know who is fantastic at containing volatile entities/abilities and served in the war on the side of France? Mr. Randou himself. 

Exhibit A: The location of the prison itself. France is the known origin country of Arthur Rimbaud. He served the DGSS in it’s field operations division for many years there and remained loyal to them until losing his memories. I always found it odd that Meursault was in Western Europe since most of the major conflict arcs take place locally in Japan but this could explain the significance. Meursault itself is also a French word which could be another tie or simply a clue to its precise location. 

Exhibit B + C: We know that Illuminations is capable of containing extremely powerful abilities within its hyperspace AND capable of restraining Dazai when needed. Rimbaud literally retrieved an entity who defies the laws of physics in the form of Arahabaki and was also easily able to work around the possibility of nullification when battling Dazai in the Fifteen Arc by simply encasing him within a sub-sub space of his ability.  

Exhibit D: French researcher Pan and the existence of Black No. AKA Paul Verlaine. We already know that experimentation was happening in France at the hands of a citizen and that when the DGSS became aware they halted it. However, we know that the information gathered by these trials was not destroyed as it falls into the hands of the Japanese Government a short time later leading to ...

(Suribachi City built in the aftermath of Arahabki emerging due to war time experiments.) 

We don’t know exactly why the information was never destroyed. Unless there was reason to keep it under government power rather than riding the world of unethical, immoral instructions on human lab rats. Something like using it in further experiments themselves? 

Exhibit E: This is likely painfully obvious but it just looks similar! The yellow, glowing, floating squares evoke the same imagery. Which I admit could be a coincidence and why the cells are rounded rather than squares in the anime ... but the yellow, shimmering look is interesting. 

Now ... why would such a thing be needed? And why would such a thing exist specifically in times of war? Well I thought about and decided that maybe Meursault has a darker history than we imagined. I wonder if Mersault was designed to house prisoners of war. A prison that could entrap any ability user for an indefinite period of time sounds rather helpful when the enemy has strong Gifteds, right? Imagine Mori’s troops without Yosano Akiko or Japan losing Fukuchi Ochi’s Mirror Lion ability for combat? It could easily turn the tide of the war if enough ability users were removed from the battle field. It’s only once the war is over that it is converted to a maximum security prison 

And maybe all the other sneaky experiments contained within its walls are halted ,,, dense water anyone? It would suck to be waterboarded with as an enemy spy or to surround important locations where you do not want enemy forces marching into. Interesting technology at the very least and quite possibly the result of another gravity manipulator? Someone else we know? Such as Paul Verlaine, another French spy who was involved in experiments himself? It’s all very intriguing, my friends! 

[witchofthesouls]

It's always fun to think about crossover AUs and how one can twist and tweek the the lore of one setting to fit the lore of the one it's being crossed over with.

Transformers and Star Wars are a particularly interesting pairing in my eyes, since a lot of the more fantastical aspects of Transformers lore can easily fit into Star Wars with only minor tweaking.

Like, here's one idea in particular I had pertaining to 'The Force' goes something like this.

The Extradimensiol being known as "The One" is a living conduit of the 'Cosmic Force', and at the dawn of time, the creation of the universe, created Unicron to be its counterpart, a conduit of the 'Living Force', but when Uni-boy was pulled to the Dark Side, The One took what little light remained from Unicron, and created his brother, Primus (who I would imagine as being more of a "Grey" entity that just leans towards the light). The rest is similar to the Aligned continuities bit of history, Primus and Unicron battle for countless centuries, mentally Primus creates the Thirteen Primes (who I'd imagine as being of similar levels of power, perhaps slightly more so, as the Father, Son, and Daughter of Mortis), Unicron is defeated, knocked tf out and sent flying somewhere into uncharted space, then Primus becomes Cybertron. Where would Cybertron be in the Star Wars galaxy? Well, I was thinking perhaps somewhere in the unknown, because in this AU, maybe the reason that the Hyperspace lanes in the Unknown Regions are so fucky is because it was the site of the grand final battle of Primus and the Primes against the Chaos Bringer, and where Primus chose to rest and where he'd set up his vigil for Unicron's return.

As for the rest of Cybertron's history? Well, depending on where they’d be technologically at the time, perhaps the transformers fought against the forces of the Rakatan Infinite Empire back when they more or less ruled the galaxy, the savage, Dark Side-aligned Rakata standing juxtaposed to the Cybertronians very own God of Light whom they strode across everyday.

Now, I think it's safe to say that the Transformers would be capable of being force sensitive. I don't think they'd ALL be force (mainly that because of how advance their tech would be with how ancient they are as a species already making a force to be reckoned with), like maybe here, the Point-one percenters are those rare few capable of wielding the Force. And that's not even getting into the potential if we included Cybertron's colonies here.

Like, maybe the Eukarian Fateweavers, and Camien City Speakers would special organizations of Force-wielding Transformers, the City Speakers having been tutored in the ways of the Force by Caminus (the titan) himself, and the Fateweavers being descendents of a particularly close sect of Onyx Prime's disciples.

Gods, this is so fun to think about!

It is fascinating, especially with the rich lore on the spiritual and religious aspects and sects that can mesh well.

I mean, who's to say that sigma abilities are part of the Force? Then, there are the extra layers of the cultural shifts and biological differences between each city state.

Those of Carcer have descended from a sect of warrior-diplomats of Liege Maximo that vowed to remain as his wardens. Generation after generation refining certain invaluable techniques and discarding others to withstand the Prime's influential tongue should he ever escape.

Camiens may have similarities to the Old Mandalorians with the immense overlap of forge symbolism and heavy spiritualism (because I'm way too in love with the concept that Camiens are the descendents of a melting pot between warring tribes and Seekerkin culture). I mean, the Way of the Flame is a heavy call to how Solus is a blacksmith and a war diety herself, especially since the High Priestess wields a war hammer, too. Forge and reforging.

What happened to scientists of Navitas to create the racing-obsessed Velocritron?

Did Devisiun create a unique communication language based on their nearly split-spark population?

A lot to delve into here!

[searsage]

not me with more fic ideas..

So like anyone watch that short in love deatg and robots s1? The one with the space jump gone wrong?!

Now imagen if it's Robin and she wakes from hypersleep to find their ship's jump through hyperspace malfunctioned, and instead her crew ends up on a base in the middle of an ocean world on a planet in the outskirts of the solar system, and surprise surprise her ex Ryley is there to greet her!

He informs her that significant time has passed since they were adrift in space and there was really no point in returning to earth as there was nothing left for her there, offering instead she stay there with him.

Now this all seems great as the two instantly click and their love sacrificed for seperate career persuits seems to instantly rekindle unfortunately….

When an accident happens Robin finds out that her exs bleeds magenta blood instead of blue, and how their paradise of an ocean world only stretches but so far..

Small things, things that would easily be overlooked by someone or something with out an intimate grasp on human culture.

Of course this incitea conflict as the facade of a dream begins to crumble as Robin begins to question everything even Ryley's identity.

To her horror her Ryley eventually relents and admits.. He is not Ryley, but simply the best alternative there was, and requests she accepts this as reality, as in truth her crew in stasis had parished and there was no way for her to return home either way..

But Robin insists on his imposter to lift the veil.

-jeheheehee

If you've watched the short then you should know the truth and the angst.

I love the idea of a bunch of human's shio adrift in soace destined for death get discovered by some lonely superior entity, which one hundred percent has the 'oh dear' moment and just kind of sticks around becuse they accidentally crashed into their nest.

And then it gets attached and decides they are dying anyways why not have them go in bliss.

[aloe-vega]

Think of the universe for a moment as having three additional directions (alterward, paraward, and otherward) all at right angles to the ones you know (length, breadth, width, and time). This is a tremendous oversimplification, but it may help.

Paraward, we find a sheath of histories which are either eternally separate from our own anchored time or which diverge and return to it so far in the past, or so far in the future, as to be - functionally - eternally separate from it in terms of the noospheres of the Great Houses. The physical laws of these universes are identical to ours, but all else is different. We call these paraward space-time entities 'parallel worlds'. Alterward, we find those histories which divert, at critical or innocuous moments alike, from ours. Here are the worlds where a toe goes unstubbed, or a vital battle is lost, where the five hundred and eleventh hair on a sloth in the forest has gone gray in one world, and white in another. Many (perhaps most of these) rejoin the main anchored universe as their micro-changes fall away into quantum uncertainty. When the million sloths are dead and decomposing, what effect will the colour of one hair have had? A few (the mathematics contains several high order infinities, so the number itself may be high) do not appear to rejoin, either eternally leading outside the 'time-space' horizon approachable by a normal time-ship, or curving back in closed loops longer than our normal ships can reach, beyond the futures we can access. We call these alterward space-time entities 'alternate worlds'. Perhaps paraward is just a way of talking about extreme alternates, and alterward is just a way of talking about probability bundle universes. But then there is Otherward. Otherward is Outside. To Otherward the laws themselves are different, the biodata is constituted from other principles. These are universes held on separate 'branes' in hyperspace, outside the sheath that contains the paraward and alterward components of our universe. These are beyond the reach of our time-ships, who go mad in the horrors of the void between.

-- The Brakespeare Voyage (2013), Simon Bucher-Jones and Jonathan Dennis

[annoyinglyhardsong]

Codywan? Headcanons with a sick partner.

Author Note: This is my substitute for Day 4 prompts. I was getting a horrid end of summer cold when I was trying to come up with something and write it for Day 4 and I just needed some chicken soup for the soul while at work and this is what came of it. It was easier for me to think of them as separate entities when writing up to try and make sure they were as in character as possible. As always likes, reblogs, and comments are all welcome!

Tags/Warnings: SFW, mostly fluff?, mentions of illness but in a treatable way, characters being cute and doting.

Work is under the cut!

Obi-Wan

Obi-Wan would be the most doting partner if you were sick. 

He would be a workaholic still if you were in hyperspace but he would still be so sweet and want to spend time around you and make sure that you were okay and well taken care of even if he had to bring work with him to do in between your fever naps. 

He would absolutely have a type of tea for every ailment you could have, and if it was a common cold he would have a monstrosity of a concoction to try and alleviate your symptoms. 

If you were planet side he would insist on lots of showers and baths to relieve congestion, and of course he would join you as long as you were okay with it. If not he would simply keep you company and continue to make sure your needs were tended to. 

This man knows comfort foods as well. He may be awful at keeping himself fed but he is going to pull out all of the stops to make sure you have plants of soup, or broth and any other comfort foods he can get his hands on. He’s not above raiding the temple kitchens or trying to find a way to cook for you. 

If he has to be pulled away for a council meeting or other duties. He makes sure that your medicine has been taken, you have liquids to keep hydrated, and wraps you in as many blankets as he possibly can.

He totally also brings blankets from his room as well for when he’s gone for long periods of time because you mentioned once you enjoy the way he smells and it’s stuck with him ever since, so he hopes that this comforts you as well. 

If you ever thought he wasn’t clingy and didn’t worry about you this experience throws all of that out the window. He is glued to your side 24/7. King of cuddles. If you want to nap he makes sure that you’re firmly snuggled against him with one of his arms thrown around you while the other taps away at a datapad finishing reports or actually relaxing for once. 

If you protest that he shouldn’t be there because he’ll get sick he just smiles and tuts at you and says, “Nonsense, I have an excellent immune system.”

He in fact, does not, and gets sick a few weeks after you do.  

Cody

Cody is confused af the first time you’re sick around him. 

Vomit and headaches he can deal with he sees those with the men and the General all the time. But this? 

He has no idea other than it’s something that nat-borns have to deal with every now and then. 

You comm him you have to cancel date night and let him know that you aren’t feeling well and won’t be able to meet him and he immediately responds asking if you’re hurt or injured. 

When you explain that you have a cold, he gets less concerned because he knows you’re not in imminent danger but wants to help you feel better in some way. 

He ends up sending a comm to his medic asking what he should do for a nat-born cold, and sends one to Obi-Wan as well wondering if there’s anything from his General’s experience that would make you feel better. 

After a quick trip to the nearest grocery store/pharmacy and your favorite restaurant for take out, he lets you know that if you feel bad enough to not be able to leave and go on date night that he’s going to bring date night to you. 

You’re silently groaning thinking he’s going to pull a stunt worthy of Waxer and Boil and are pleasantly surprised when he shows up at your place with a bag of your favorite take out, and another one or two full of anything and everything you could possibly need to feel better. 

This man was thorough. He got all of the cough syrups, cough drops, 7 different types of tea (Obi-Wan’s recommendations), tissues, liquids with electrolytes to make sure you aren’t dehydrating. He got it all. 

After you’ve eaten he’s not going to waste any time wrapping you up in blankets and cuddling you in bed. Especially if you’re feverish. 

He’s pulling on a pair of shorts and letting you soak in as much of his body heat as you can, since he’s practically a furnace. 

And if you fully settle in for the night he will gladly be your human blanket/pillow to ensure that you stay nice and toasty. Even if you start sweating he doesn’t complain. 

If you’re sore and achy he offers tons of massages and makes sure to loosen any knots or tense muscles that he finds along the way. 

[pandorias-box]

@hoopa-is-hoopa

Hoopa has "hot take"

Hoopa rings better then silly hyperspace holes

:p

Do they not function in fundamentally the same way? Except one is controlled by a specific Pokémon at will, while the other is both a cosmological phenomena and one that can be accessed by numerous Ultra Beasts and other extradimensional entities.

These connectors to other worlds are highly intriguing, and I believe your “hot take�� may stem from a personal bias, considering that you yourself may in fact be a Hoopa.

[paulius11]

Confrontation With A Hyperspace Entity

[remesrobotics]

Psalm

GSN.000 - 詩篇 (しへん) / サーム  “Enjoy your game, and have a nice day!”

Good Point - Gentle Bad Point - Cowardly Like - Board game Dislike - Hot weather

5’1” (154.94 cm)

Note: Psalm is a 'sona and effectively the narrator muse for this blog. Any non-directed/general answers can be assumed to be coming from her (IE me)

From the edge of public awareness comes a collection of unusual ‘robots’ from outside of conventional reality that call themselves the God’s Servant Numbers, or GSNs. These metaphysical entities take on robot-esque forms in order to live amongst robots and humans, and rarely get involved with the habitual robot drama in the world. In general, they are only moved to combat in order to protect the defenseless against violent robots who are beyond reason… and to this end, most of them are terrifyingly powerful.

That can’t be said for Psalm; the ‘human’ element of the lot and a laughably weak non-combat robot who nevertheless serves as a focal point and interdimensional doorway for the others to exist on the physical plane.

She appears as a somewhat out of shape humanoid robot dressed in baggy human clothes, with a ‘mask’ over a shadowy face with only her eyes visible. She wears a baseball cap emblazoned with a large, jeweled cross, and dotted with various pins, usually a combination of crystals, birds, bugs, and eldritch/biblically inspired angels.

While she appears to have a ponytail of curly brown hair, it is not hers and is simply a wig fastened inside her cap.

Her ‘mask’ is her actual mouth; it splits vertically into insectoid mandibles, with pointy teeth. It not only represents her association with the ‘abyss’ (as a more literal locust), but also evokes the imagery of a keyhole, indicating her status as an interdimensional doorway.

What other doorways she can open is best left to speculation, but there is a strong implication that Truly Terrible things could be unleashed upon the world if she were to ever be damaged to the point of not being able to maintain the locks.

Generally stays out of trouble and simply acts as a bystander and civilian. Doesn’t hold a job, but does a bit of random volunteer work on the side to help people. Helps anyone equally, and shows no judgment to any robot so long as they remain civil. Gets along fairly well with most DWNs.

Possesses only one special ability; the “Quantum Cross.” It is a projected, crystalline hard-light shield. Shape akin to a wedge-top heater shield, with a cross covering the whole front, it’s transparent with glowing ‘wireframe’ edges and faint silvery reflectivity. It’s about a foot taller than she is, and wide enough to cover her and one other person.

The shield itself functions like Arthur’s armor in Project X Zone, where it can only take one hit before breaking, but of A N Y magnitude. This includes extended-duration beams, as the shield will continuously absorb the energy and only dissipate once the attack itself has ended. However, the magnitude of the attack it absorbs increases the recharge time before she can use it again.

When it breaks, it releases a hyperspace shockwave that temporarily incorporealizes both her and anyone immediately behind the shield with her, essentially granting the physical equivalent of invulnerability frames.

Due to her frail nature and situational ability, she will prioritize avoidance, and usually has a ring or bracelet of Hymn around to call any of the other GSNs to her as defense. This is about the only time they will take ‘orders’ from her.

[whereserpentswalk]

People don't realize how lonely it is to be part of an interstellar civilization. Space is massive, most people just think there's a lot of things in it, and there are, but there's way more nothing than there are things. Millions of worlds have sentient life, but in a galaxy the size of the milky way millions is actually a very small number. Sure there might be countess sentient spices but you're not close to any of them.

Ftl makes things better, but it's not like things are much better in hyperspace. You always end up having to take weird routes because there are some parts where nothing can exist. And in the parts where matter can exist, you aren't alone. People should remember that hyperspace is also where things like the fae live, and there's a reason humans developed instincts like the uncanny valley just to avoid thing, even if some of them are nice.

Than in standard space most of it is just empty. If you don't live in one of the few built up systems like Sol or Razah or Tetumon, you're mostly exploring pretty empty space. There's just way more systems and planets than any humanoid race is going to want to colonize. Most planets are empty, of either all life or sentient life, and most sentient things you find are more likely to be completely alien entities, like cosmic whales, or angel outposts, or machine colonies, or dark towers. Just there mysterious things humanoids can't really dead with well.

It's weird, when you do find humanoids outside of the few built up systems it's always weirdly freindly. In a homeworld of an advanced species like earth, two nations on the same planet might go to war. But when you're out there on your own, and you see a few other people of any humanoid race, you're going to greet them as freinds and fellow travelers.

And of course, the few inhabited places out in the dark parts of space always will seem like beacons of light. Most colonized planets outside a major system are really just one or two cities and their satellite towns, because there's not enough people to create anything else out there, but those cities always do feel like these oases of civilization, and places where any humanoid race or civilization will be welcome, even if out of necessity. They also tend to be a lot more politically idenpented from their founding nations, as well as giving a lot more rights to their citizens, because they need to to stay alive, and they're far easier to overthrow. The same goes for the spaceports, especially the city sized ones you'll see along trade routes, light-years from any system.

To find one is to find a small peice of the world that has other people, where you can eat, and talk to people, and listen to music. For those who are born there they are in small worlds, surrounded by darkness. And there are also those who flee there, those lone cities tend to be a lot more tolerant, and a lot more meritocratic than the great terrestrial empires. There are some who lead there, and whose ideas are accepted there who would never lead in terrestrial empire. And there are those who go to them for they have nowhere else to go, those who wouldn't be tolerated in the towns and suburbs of the terrestrial empires, who live in those space stations and lonely cities, knowing the rest of the universe is dark for them.

[jediknightjameslunagazer23]

STAR WARS: HYPERFORCE ALLIANCE!!

Foreword:

Alright, finally, after teasing it with the crossover fanart I did for @dreamstormdragon 's Hyperforce Reignition OC The Reaper a while back, I've finally completed part one of the duel between Jedi Knight Lunagazer Vs The Reaper!

I originally intended it to be one whole story, kind of similar in vein to a double premiere TV show episode of Star Wars: TCW, but felt it was best to split it into two parts, that and also I had to change a few things so as to not contradict Storm's Reignition AU where I could.

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this first chapter of what will be an ongoing series I'll post from time to time! If so, I'd appreciate feedback.

For event reference, this story occurs sometime after @dreamstormdragon 's Hyperforce Reignition Chapter 24 and just before Chapter 25, so I'd recommend checking them out either before or after reading this as a quick shout out to her, it's an amazing AU that inspired this and got me into SRMTHFG so show her some love!

Archive 1: The Moonlit Duel over the Shuggazoom Bridge!! Part 1

Lost in the unknown! During a routine patrol mission inspecting the sector leading close to the Unknown Regions, Jedi Knight JAMES LUNAGAZER and Padawan KIRA KALVERIA were suddenly attacked by a mysterious entity which sent them into a dangerous trip through Hyperspace to an uncharted galaxy beyond!

Following a daring escape from their captivity, their ship was damaged, and they were forced to crash land on a mysterious planet! Stranded with no way back and their communications disabled for the time being, the Jedi duo choose to make their way through this unfamiliar world, hoping to find help or a way to head off-world back to the Jedi Praxeum!

However, before they could reach the city, the two Jedi suddenly found two robotic monkeys under siege from a force seemingly made out of inky ooze and skeleton-like bodies, not ones to stand by while others were in danger, the two Jedi are entrenched in battle to save the monkeys and hope to find answers to their current predicament…

On the outskirts of a suspension bridge, the skirmish continued to rage as an indigo fire burned away at the gooey substance of the skeleton soldier, dissolving into a puddle as the blade quickly withdrew from out of their chest and flourished in the user's hand before moving onto the next soldier on the chopping block in a fluid motion, barely missing a beat as the young man sighed, trying to catch his breath and adjusting his glasses to ensure they didn't fall off.

“Kriff… there just doesn't seem to be an end to these… whatever the heck, these guys are called!"

But before he could process any further, another voice cut through his thoughts, this one feminine, but sounded much younger around early teens, she wore Jedi robes similar to him, except unlike the young man's blue with white trims, they were green with yellowish gold patterns, accented by two shoulder pads.

The girl's eyes shone emerald contrasting the man's azure eyes, these pairs were brimming with high energy and mischief above her freckles as she spoke out.

“Getting outta shape already big bro? Come on! You need to be loud and full of more stylish stamina like me!”

As the cheeky quip was given, a pair of emerald blades forming a long-staff at each end slashed up another skull-faced soldier, sending some of its bones flying along with the inky substance and landing right on the young man’s head.

“Hey! Watch it, Kira! You’re being too reckless! It wouldn't kill you to exercise civilised manners along with caution.”

As the young man chided Kira, he noticed a soldier trying to strike from behind, so he quickly outstretched his left hand, and with an unseen psychic power, pulled her out harm’s way before cutting down the threat with a throw of his cross guarded two handed hilt lightsaber.

Soon after he retrieved the hilt with the force as the weapon shut down, then placing it back on his belt, he turned to address Kira.

“Much like just now, but at least there seems to be a lull in that army’s attack, I’d take this chance to rest or heal with a bacta stim, but stay on guard.”

“Yeah, yeah, Big Bro…I get it… Still, thanks for the save, James. I seriously appreciate that, I’ll work on my rear guard.”

At this, the older Jedi couldn't help but crack a comforting smile as he’d finished healing his minor injuries, he knew Kira’s heart was always in the right place, (save for a few of her mischievous antics.)

“I know you will Kira, and there will certainly be a few more opportunities if we can fix our ship and figure out what planet we’re on or contact the Jedi Academy for help… and possibly even have some spare robes, as I think these ones have been through the smoke or rather… the ink of it!”

Despite his rather dry and obviously bad attempt at puns, Lunagazer wasn't exactly wrong, his bluish-grey jedi robes had taken the worst of it, with worn scratches in the fabric coming close to tearing, not counting the soot and ink splotches gained from the messy fighting, but it was better than the worst case scenario.

Kira on the other hand wasn't too bothered by her contrasting green robes getting dirty, as she’d often come back from training or playing with other Jedi padawans or younglings dirty from rough activities, it was part of her adventurous nature, but she simply just rolled her eyes at James’ poor attempt at humour.

“And this is why you’re never gonna win at any stand-up comedy acts or outdo my own brand of snark, you’re practically like a Kenobi without a high ground of civilised humour!”

James frowned a little at that comparison, but soon turned his attention back to healing, and making sure that no civilians were caught in the crossfire, even though they weren't from this planet, they still had a duty as Jedi to help those in need, and as Grand Master Skywalker urged, get to know the people and cultures of those worlds they helped.

(Though right now in this case, it’s more us that need the help of the people of this world, given the ship isn't exactly in the best of flying moods right now… Huh, it seems like one of those monkey looking droids is walking over to us, maybe they can help us out of this particular dilemma.)

He then turned his attention to a pair of robotic-looking Monkeys, one was red with black eyes, and seemed to be using magnets to attack with, while the other was green with two buzz-saws for weapons, James and Kira had saw them battling those monsters and seeing them in trouble, they decided to intervene and saved them, although the red monkey didn't seem very appreciative, he couldn't deny they had saved him and his companion.

“So then mister-strange boy and girl with the laser-swords, what exactly are you supposed to be? And why did you step in? Because if you’re with the bag of bones and looking to back-stab us… we won't go easy.”

At this, the red monkey, eyeing them with suspicion drew his magnets preparing to fight, however James then quickly raised his hands in the air, signalling that he did not wish to fight, and motioned Kira to do the same, however before any further action could be taken the green monkey spoke.

“Hey, Hey Sparx, I don't think these guys mean to harm us, I mean if they were wouldn't they have attacked civilians alongside the formless like that one Reaper nut job? Besides I think they were cool kicking those formless butt with those weapons! And anyone who saves us surely must be a friend! By the way… Where did you two get those!? Can you show me how to make one of those so I can upgrade my buzz-saws!?”

At this, James felt taken aback by the green monkey’s sudden chippery barrage of questions about the lightsaber, he was even practically having his hand shaken about so much he thought his arm was going to melt into jelly!

“Wh-Whoaaaaaaa– slooooooow dooooooown there a minuteeeeee!! One question at a time, and You’re gonna pull off my armmmmmm–!”

Kira on the other hand was feeling very, very flattered, she was practically blushing so much her freckles were lighting up as she brought her hands up to her cheeks giggling with glee and bouncing about, all the while, Sparx was staring dumb founded at what the situation was turning into.

“Awww~ Please! No need to compliment me! I was just kicking butt, doing my best to help save you two and the civilians! Plus, I think you're a cutie and a giant sweetheart, little green monkey!”

“Otto… I swear… sometimes I worry that your inability to read the mood as soon as anything mechanical comes up makes you less cautious around strange…rs…”

Suddenly everyone stopped what they were doing, (much to the relief of James’ arm!), both humans and monkeys staring blankly in confusion at each other for a brief moment before…

“AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! YOU TWO CAN TALK/UNDERSTAND US!?!?”

The whole thing quickly escalated into a barrage of confused screams and questions, as both parties were failing to communicate actual sentences, eventually James stood up, raising his voice as loud as he could.

“EVERYONE BE QUIEEEEEEEEEEET!!”

At this, the voices died down, startled by James’ sudden shout causing him to immediately blush sheepishly, but quickly coughed to clear his throat before addressing the situation.

“Sorry about that, but let's try to be rational about this. First off I should ask, who are you two monkeys? What is this planet? And just what were those guys attacking you back there?”

“R-Right… well, you DID save our butts, so I suppose I can let you in, my model number's SPRX-77, but I'd prefer to be called “Sparx” thanks, this green buddy of mine's called Otto, we are the members of a group the “Hyperforce” that fights bad guys we call the formless, mindless drones serving the dark entity that threatens all of Shuggazoom that's our world by the way, the vile and cruel Skeleton King, there's five of us robot monkeys, but we've got a kid who's our leader and fights in the same manner as you two, minus the laser-swords and telekinetic psychic powers via the Power Primate, now what about you?”

Kira was quick to pipe in before James could get a sentence out, dashing over to Sparx with bright stars in her eyes eagerly staring into his soul.

“Hyperforce!? What an awesome name! Is it like hyperspace where you travel to other worlds and help those in trouble!? Could we sign up to fight with you!?! I mean we practically wiped the floor with those formless blobs, so I'd say we're capable!!”

“Kira! Don't get ahead of yourself! Besides… we have other responsibilities to all parts of the galaxy we're from, we can't just abandon it to interfere with what others can handle.”

Upon hearing this, Kira moved back, deflating at practically being shot down immediately, but she knew James was right.

“Sorry about her, she's my apprentice, but unlike most other Jedi who wish to safeguard peace and justice in our galaxy, she craves action and excitement… not that it matters as trouble often seems to find us, my name is Jedi Knight James Lunagazer, Kira and I were travelling the galaxy on the edge of the Unknown Regions when we were suddenly attacked by a mysterious entity and we were sent through Hyperspace and ended up crash landing here.

“Wait… Hyperspace? You have hyperspace too!? And wait… Jedi!? Like those wizards wielding laser swords from those Star Wars movies that Chiro told us about!? You mean you’re actually the real deal and not made-up?!?”

Otto butted in so suddenly that the confusion was barely registerable to James and Kira at first, before Sparx quickly stepped in pulling Otto back a bit.

“Slow down there, Otto, you’re getting ahead of things.”

“Wait… movies!? That’s… hold up, what’s a movie?”

James sweatdropped at Kira, and then quickly summed up for her what a movie was, unlike in Shuggazoom their galaxy had different terms, such as holograms or the holo-net, but they seemed to be similar in concept from what James gathered.

“So then… those stories actually happened… and Shuggazoom is actually connected with your galaxy via this “Unknown Regions” section of your space, maaaaan… Chiro would prolly lose his mind if he were hearing this right now! But moreover, how is it that you two can understand and speak to us without the need of a translator?”

Kira and James looked over at each other, puzzled by Sparx's question before Kira came up with a possible answer, well, as probable of an answer she could come up with.

“I guess… it must be our power of the force granting us some-kinda telepathy helping us to gather your words based on your emotions, but to be honest… I'm not really sure of it myself if I'm being honest… it almost feels like… it's got some kinda connection with you monkeys, maybe much like how some force users could communicate with animals and their minds, perhaps something similar is happening thanks to this… Power Primate thingy you've mentioned.”

Now Otto and Sparx were even more curious, but before they could continue the discussion any further, the two Jedi suddenly sensed a disturbance in the force glancing over at each other before turning to Sparx and Otto again.

“Something's coming… we'd best prepare for battle!”

Sparx looked baffled by James’ sudden response, before remembering what Chiro had shown him and the Monkeys, he decided to trust his gut instinct and readied himself, however James and Kira suddenly felt overcome with a shiver…

(What…what is this feeling…? It feels so… oppressive, full of suffering, hatred, malice and…)

“Fear…”

As the thoughts spilled over into words, a dark figure appeared before the Jedi/Monkey duo's eyes, the man had jet-black colours, skeleton ribs covering his chest looking very similar to the formless but had purple gems to break the pattern, including long flowing purple hair, that once the wind picked up, almost seemed to whip about like a sharp tail, poised to spear its prey.

Sparx and Otto tensed up at the sight, horrified as they knew exactly who this mysterious man was, they knew they couldn't take him on alone by themselves even with the help of these two Jedi as while they did do well against the formless, that wasn't exactly a good measurement of their strength, they needed the whole team, NOW, and so Otto immediately sent out an emergency transmission to HQ.

“Jedi-Kids… get outta here. This Reaper guy's one opponent we can't fight against by ourselves, trust me, we've fought him before… it nearly ended horribly, right now we hatta to survive until back-up arrives to force him to retreat!”

Neither James or Kira had responded to Sparx's command at first, they were paralysed with overwhelming dread at such a presence.

“Hm, so you're the two psychic-laser sword wielding warriors Sensei told me about, must say… I was expecting two powerful warriors, but I didn't expect a mere four-eyes boy dressed in blue, nor a green pipsqueak who's barely even a refined fighter swinging those blades as if they were flailing baseball bats, just pathetic! Even more than those monkeys who couldn't even put up a fight against me!”

James recovered, narrowing his eyes, ignoring the insult but deep down he was fighting the urge to charge in and rip the dark figure's mask off for insulting both him and Kira along with the monkeys, but he understood that given he and his apprentice were unfamiliar with the Reaper, it would be foolish to blindly attack head-on, Kira however… completely fell for the taunt.

“PATHETIC!?! Why you little–!! YOU'RE JUST SOME DARK SAVAGE WHO THINKS HE'S ABOVE EVERYTHING! And for insulting these monkeys… I'M GONNA RIP YOU TO SHREDS!!!!”

With that, she recklessly charged forward! Throwing all sense of caution to the wind and blinded by her wounded pride at being called a pipsqueak, she swung fast, her emerald blades ready to strike and end the threat in a single blow!

“Wait! KIRA NO! COME BACK!/STOP KID!!!”

James and Sparx both shouted out warnings but it was too late! The dark figure simply side-stepped the attack as if he were a fleeting shadow, catching Kira off-balance, he then sent a blinding punch to her gut, forcing her into the air as she screamed in pain landing hard on the concrete falling into a dazed state.

(S-So fast…!! he countered her speed as if she were a slow Bantha…! Sparx is right… This man is not to be underestimated… but… I sense that he's not here for the monkeys… It's me and Kira, so then even though I'm certain I can't beat him straight, I'll act as bait to give Otto and Sparx time to help Kira and hopefully escape, I won’t let her end up like her father!!)

“As demonstrated on your apprentice four-eyes boy, my powers of the skull are nothing compared to your wizardry tricks, now… back down and surrender quietly, otherwise it will be nothing but a boring one-sided thrashing, much like with those monkeys and their precious chosen one.”

The Reaper spoke with such cockiness, that it made Otto hiss with fury as he hurried over to Kira, meanwhile while James’ blood was boiling, especially after the Reaper hurt his sister, but he remained steadfast and calm issuing a challenge to this figure bravely.

“Sparx, get Kira away from here, I'll handle this.”

“WHAT!? Kiddo! Did you not hear what I just said!? YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM! Didn't you see him pummell your apprentice!? What chance have you got alone!?”

“You're right… I likely don't have a chance… but I can sense that he doesn't want you or Otto, he wants me, so even though the odds are stacked against me… I will do what I must so you can get Kira away, I don't want to lose her like I did her father!”

Sparx and Otto blinked, confused for a second by what James had meant, but seeing the resolve in his eyes, Sparx reluctantly relented, realising he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

“Very well… BUT. Promise you’ll survive for her. I don't wanna have to be delivering awful news when she wakes up, and the Hyperforce will come through, I swear it.”

James nodded grimly, turning his attention back to the Reaper before igniting his crossguard saber and positioning himself in form IV Ataru stance, hands gripping tightly around the burning Indigo hilt as he responded back to Sparx who went on over to Kira.

“Don’t worry… I don't plan on dying that easily without so much as a hard fight...”

Seeing that James wasn't going to back away the Reaper let out a disappointed sigh, and then drew out his scythe, its purple hue blade shining like a crescent moon, he readied his stance and then the two warriors, dashing forwards at blinding speed clashed, or rather…

James was more trying to play defensively as he had never fought a scythe wielding opponent before, so the range threw him completely for a loop, and he had no choice but to execute several dodge tactics instead of intercepting with his blade!

“Is this all you've got? You disappoint me, Four-eyes, Sensei seems to hold your potential in such high esteem. Perhaps he was mistaken?”

James grunted and tried to land another blow with a strong thrust, but it was immediately repelled when the Reaper's scythe knocked his lightsaber out of his hand, leaving him temporarily defenceless!!

(Kriff!! Not good…!)

“Hmph, just as calculated, I'll spare your misery and end it now boy.”

“Oh I wouldn't be so cocky about that… skull-faced scum.”

Thinking quick on his feet, James slid out with a burst of force speed, ducking under the scythe as he followed the motion up with a major force push, sending the Reaper flying off-balance and disorienting him long enough for him to retrieve his saber and continue the duel.

“Care to re-evaluate your opinion of me now?”

“Hmph… not bad for a four-eyed brat… but your insults could use more refinement.”

“And perhaps you should quit wasting your breath trying to be almighty with a lack of spine for concealing your face!”

This for a flickering instant, seemed to make the Reaper slightly scowl, even though James couldn't see it behind the mask, his force sensing abilities made that more than clear.

(Looks like I struck a sore nerve with words there… now if only I could do the same physically with this guy…)

With that, the fighting resumed with occasional clashing sounds echoing around the bridge as they zipped around in blurs so fast the average eye could barely keep track of.

Meanwhile, far on the outskirts of Shuggazoom, four figures, one a regular human boy aged around 14 wearing white with an orange scarf, and three other robot monkeys similar to Sparx and Otto were hurrying to the bridge where they had lost contact with them prior.

“So… you guys really believe there’s a boy and girl with laser-swords helping Sparx and Otto fend off the formless and the Reaper?”

The question came from the yellow monkey, whose voice was feminine but tough, with her fists being all she needed to do the talking on the battlefield.

“Honestly, I still can't wrap my head around it scientifically, I mean… Otto has come up with even more ridiculous things before, but this… I just can't believe it, what are the odds of there being an actual Jedi from this Star Wars movie being real?”

As the blue monkey continued to speculate, the boy was looking over to the black monkey who, throughout the whole trip, seemed to be lost in thought.

“Anaturi? Something the matter? You haven't said a word for a while now.”

“My apologies Chiro, I was lost within my thoughts, I sensed something in the Power Primate that felt familiar… but I can't seem to understand why, I suspect it may have something to do with our unexpected quests Sparx and Otto spoke of, at any rate we cannot afford to theorise right now, our teammates are waiting for us.”

On that, Chiro, and the other two monkeys nodded vigorously in agreement and sped up their pace, hoping to near the battle sooner rather than later.

“Yeah, and hopefully… we’ll get some payback on that Reaper-Jerkface for wiping the floor with us!”

Back at the suspension bridge, James was in the process of attempting to use a series of nearby debris from the battle and launching them like a missiles, hoping to delay the Reaper or knock the scythe out of his grasp, but the Reaper simply cut through the objects as if it were mere butter to a hot knife.

By this point the battle had moved away from the incapacitated Kira and the Monkeys over to the middle portion of the bridge, with the Reaper pushing James on the backfoot the whole time, as his scythe left several trails of cracked concrete underneath, with Lunagazer's lightsaber being unable to connect a solid hit other than the occasional sparking tap emitted via contact with the scythe.

At one point James barely blocked a strong blow and was sent flying back, quickly he dug his lightsaber into the pavement, slowing his reverse motion and leaving a trail of molten ash in the ground as he struggled to catch his breath.

(Urgh…! That long ranged weapon is just too wide in reach for me to safely close the distance! If it weren't for my long hilt and dual-phased blade extending the length, I'd be headless now…! I need to separate him from the scythe, but how–)

Meanwhile Sparx was keeping watch, becoming agitated as Otto was working on trying to awaken Kira and treat her injury as with the way the Reaper sent her flying it had fractured her right arm when she hit the ground hard.

“The fight’s going nowhere fast for that Kid… I’d better get up there and intervene!”

“Wait Sparx! You can't just leave me and the girl! Formless might attack while she’s still unconscious and I might not be able to respond fast enough with treating her wound! Have a bit more faith in that guy, he might pull through somehow.”

At this, Sparx begrudgingly relented as Kira slowly began to regain some of her awareness as her vision refocused onto Otto's concerned face, which slowly melted into relief but still cautious in case the Reaper were to summon reinforcements to attack them while James was busy.

“Mmrrgh… wh-wha…? What happened…? OWWWW!! M-My arm!! It feels all shattered and crooked!”

Otto quickly stopped Kira, carefully pulling her up slowly as he made sure not to worsen her injury, all the while wincing at her sudden loud shriek of pain.

“Whoa, whoa… easy there sweet-heart, you've fractured your arm upon impact with the hard ground, I've managed to somewhat treat it with first aid, but it's no Gibson's medical magic, you'll have to let him treat it properly when we get outta this, so no moving that arm.”

“I-I see… Thank you mister uh… Sparx? Was it?”

Otto gave a soft look, understanding that given she’d just regained consciousness, her head wouldn't be at 100% yet, all while Sparx gave an annoyed look at being mistaken for Otto.

“Otto, Now then, let’s help you outta here! Your Brother’s busy holding off the jerk who knocked you down for us, we'll get him out afterwards.”

At this, Kira’s face went pale, and she attempted to rush over to help, only for a hand to grab her arm as her eyes met Sparx's face.

“Hey! What are you thinking!? DON'T be an idiot! You’ve just fractured one of your arms! If you go over there charging head-first like before, you’ll only be hurting yourself and your brother more!”

Sparx roared as he held Kira back the best he could. However, Kira was too stubborn and eventually broke free of Sparx's grasp, dashing head-long towards her brother!

“Ugh!! Otto, Let’s hurry before she gets herself–”

But before he could finish his sentence, Sparx was struck from behind by more formless, which Otto promptly cut down soon after.

“Let’s quickly get rid of these guys Sparx!”

Standing back to back, the two monkeys got to work mowing down the herd, hoping that they would stop Kira in time!

(Chiro… Anaturi… WHERE IN SHUGGAZOOM ARE YOU GUYS AT!?)

Back with Lunagazer whilst he was struggling to strategise, he had to quickly duck and slash to avoid yet another deadly swing, however this time it was a blade of purple energy that cut through the air and cracked one of the suspension bridge pillars, much to Lunagazer's shock and awe!

(H-How…!? How is he able to summon ranged attacks of that magnitude!? Could it be Nightsister Magick? No… it's too powerful for that, this is something else entirely… if I had been a few inches closer, that would have seriously injured me more than that pillar…!)

Suddenly as rubble started falling to the ground from the pillar straining to stay upright from the attack an idea struck James’ head!

(Well, it's risky… And I'd be draining a lot of my spiritual stamina with that power since I haven't perfected its stability in long range, but if I use it in small bursts at the right time, I could close in and finish it with this gambit!)

“Hmph, just as I thought, just a one-sided thrashing like all the rest, you should have given up and turned tail while you still could, four-eyes boy, now it's the end for you!”

As the Reaper let out a dash of speed, James simply outstretched his hand, giving himself over to the force as he moved, he gathered every single molecule of air and quickly transformed them into sparks that eventually turned to a small ball of fire before launching the projectile with all his might, this momentarily caught the Reaper by surprise as he had to stop and defend mid attack, only for the fireball to dissipate halfway.

“Kriff! It failed to hit… in that case… try out some more of this Skull Mask!!”

As the fight continued, Kira slowly started to get closer to the duel, but more formless appeared blocking her path forward, hissing and growling she reignited her saber staff but only using one end due to injured right and skated around as if it were a ice ballerina show cutting down as many as she could, all while being careful.

“Come on… GET OUTTA OF MY WAY!!”

Eventually, James managed to back the Reaper near a pillar, but it had cost much of his spiritual stamina, and the fight still didn't seem to be going anywhere as the Reaper remained unscathed, save for his cape which had been scorched by the Pyro-Kinesis.

“Ha! Was that all? Just a bunch of fireballs? You really are noth–”

“Heh… did you really think that I was particularly just aiming for you alone?”

At James’ sudden odd smirk, the Reaper looked confused for a brief moment before looking up too little too late.

“NRGH!!”

In the middle of all that gloating the Reaper didn't realise those fireballs were driving him backwards with one of them striking the very pillar that was cracked, and now he was in the right place for rubble to fall on top of him!

Seizing this opportunity, James swung with the speed and fury of Ataru-style combat, as the Reaper tried to bring the scythe down on him, a blinding gold flash erupted blocking the blow and allowing Lunagazer to launch an almighty kick to his arm knocking out of the scythe from the Reaper's grasp, and in that same motion everything seemed to slow–!!!

“Your cocky attitude betrays you so badly, it’s almost pitiful, you assumed you’d win before we started, but in reality you're nothing but a poor excuse of a death god who uses condescending remarks to hide his insecurities, much like your mask… which I will shatter no matter what it takes!”

At this, Lunagazer swung his indigo blade in a blinding slash and struck the Reaper’s mask, unfortunately whilst it didn't land a fatal strike as the Reaper had ducked back, but it did make a noticeable crack in it.

However, in that same instant Reaper felt his left shoulder burn in a similar slashing sensation before James jumped away, the Reaper stumbled backwards, disoriented and shocked at having allowed himself to fall for James’ plan and being wounded for the very first time by someone that wasn't his Sensei or Skeleton King.

However, upon refocusing his vision, he soon noticed that James’ Lightsaber wasn't a Crossguard anymore, in fact… he was now wielding two blades!

One was the same Indigo colour as his main blade, and the other was a bright orange-yellow, he soon realised in being distracted by the falling rubble, it had given James the opening he needed to safely separate his lightsaber into dual-wield mode to both block and remove the scythe leaving the Reaper wide open to attack.

(D-Damn…!! I’ve completely underestimated this boy’s prowess for spontaneous improvised planning. He might actually prove to be more of a dangerous adversary than Hanamura if I don't take him seriously now… well… since he’s revealed his hidden weapon, I might as well reveal my own…)

Over on the far side, Otto and Sparx finally managed to deal with their formless horde and were rushing over to help Kira, through their ranged binoculars they saw James land those two hits on the Reaper and were amazed and shocked at the sight, Sparx the most in disbelief.

“Holy Shuggazoom above! Th-The blue Jedi Kid… managed to wound the Reaper creep?!? The same skull masked creep that we couldn't land any hits against last time!?”

“And his weapon can become two blades!? Looks like we might have a shot at beating the guy with that Lunagazer around! Now let’s help his sis Sparx!”

With their morale soaring high, they forgot their exhaustion and renewed their efforts to aid Kira, charging up their most powerful attacks!

“MAGNO-TINGLER BLAST!!”

“WHIRLING DESTRUCTO SAWS!!”

James brought one of his sabers to the Reaper’s chin, hoping to force him to surrender, unaware of the trap he was walking into.

“It's the end of the line for you, Reaper, surrender, and I'll honour it by sparing your life, I don't wish for things to escalate to the last resort.”

“How hypocritical… to think you have the advantage over me… you forget that when you corner a Reaper, you force it to fight with everything it has, and clearly you Jedi are so preachy about peace, it makes you unwise to lower your defences!”

Everything happened at once. Before James could get another word in, he suddenly sensed dangerous intent and quickly raised his sabers to guard!

“NRGH!!!”

But it wasn't fast enough, as he attempted to block, he felt something sharp cut into his left side as it pushed him backwards, blood began to form at where he was sliced stained dark-red against his pale blue uniform, thankfully the wound wasn't deep, but it still winded James who looked up at the Reaper, eyes widening in shock at what caused his wound.

“Wh-What the–!? You can't be–!!”

The Reaper stood up again, readying a stance as a purple crescent blade revealed itself, but not as a scythe…

“Surprised? You aren't the only one who specialises in the art of the sword, nor in the way of revealing a hidden weapon, Jedi.”

The Reaper's sword shone in his hands with a faint purple glow, almost mimicking Lunagazer's lightsabers but it was more serrated at the back of the blade, with the hilt looking almost spinal cord like, the two gazed at each other, sizing the other up as both sidestepped around, but James faltered a bit due to his wound but he didn't want to give in, not yet.

(So that's how it is… I walked right into that trap, with the way he inflicted that wound, Reaper's clearly more skilled at swordship than I am… if it weren't for that warning through the force nor had I not blocked or moved away a second slower, I’d be dead by now… but I can't afford to fall here!!)

With that, James quickly force pushed the Reaper backwards, allowing himself space to quickly treat his wound behind a support pillar, however there was a major problem.

(Damn… I'm running low on bacta stims! Seems I have no other choice but to use force heal… as much as I’ve forfeited my use of it since… then. I can't afford to fall here not until Sparx's friends arrive… and Kira’s safe…)

With that, James concentrated and a faint blue glow formed around his hand, slowly sealing his wound, wincing in pain as the skin slowly regenerated, for a brief moment however he began to see horrible images of the event caused him to leave the path of a healer out of trauma, but he did his hardest to block it out, shutting his eyes and refocusing.

(Come on, Lunagazer, this isn't like Kira’s Dad… Your wound isn't impossible to treat with this, plus you have to stay alert in the moment or you’re dead!)

As James was psyching himself through his troubled thoughts, the Reaper was continuing to search for him, now resorting to threats.

“Where did all your confidence go, Jedi? Are you that much of a coward that you’d abandon your sister to treat a minor wound? If so… then she can be next to die.”

At this once his wound was closed, James made his move! Recovering what little spiritual strength he could, he summoned it into his legs, and jumped high, coming down fast like a charging bullet as the Reaper focused on the wind direction and turned to strike at James as he came down!!

“NEVER! If it comes down to it, I’ll finish you before you lay your kriffing hands on her!!”

Snarling war-cries at each other, the two warriors entered the next phase of their fight, all the while… a figure similar in shape to Sparx and Otto stood far out high on top of the bridge out of sight, observing the Reaper and James in particular closely, their orange fur standing on end in twisted amusement and delight…

“Kehehe… yesssss… that blue-eyed boy is clearly the one… the emergence in the Power Primate I have not felt in a long time… not since that one old Jedi came to the Mystic Verons many years before! Ho-hoh! I have certainly got to get my hands on his power of the force! Then I could use him to overthrow Skeleton King and re-take my rightful place as leader!!”

With that… an ominous laugh filled the air as it reached the night sky, with the sounds of lightsaber on sword clashing choking the atmosphere in-between as Kira felt the disturbance in the force as she made haste to the duel.

“Big bro… I-I have to hurry…! You’re in grave danger!!!”

TO BE CONTINUED....

[swedebeast]

I have now finished watching Babylon 5, and this is my first complete rewatch of the show since I first saw it on Swedish television - Kanal 5 - in 1998. And 25 years later, I find it to still be one of the best science fiction television shows every made.

It was a great experience to watch the final two seasons (the ones I had not seen in 25 years) and recall old memories of the show. Specific scenes, specific lines, some I have more context for when they quote literary works or “current” events that I was not aware of in the 1990′s - but also realizing certain memories and being able to place them as being FROM this specific show. It was also fun to realize that basically all my memories I had that I knew were vivid and clear were accurate, but also equally fun was it to see details I had forgotten. Sometimes completely forgotten, or do “oh shit, I remember that!” when it came up.

Also it is interesting to now be aware of possible sources of inspiration for the elements of Babylon 5.

The homeworld of the Shadows was Zha’ha’dum, which featured a massive casm and an ancient alien entity long thought gone, surviving in hiding at the bottom. Khaza Dum was the Dwarven name for Moria in Lord of the Rings, an abandoned city of Dwarves which was destroyed by an ancient entity that was thought to be long gone and hid in the dark.

Hyperspace is a space of alternate space where ships travel faster than light to reach different locations in space, which enhances psychic ability. The War from Warhammer 40,000 is an alternate dimension which is used to travel faster than light between different locations and it is mirrors the presence of psykers in real-space and it is filled with psychic energy.

In the final episode (not wanting to give away spoilers in a 25 year old show but hey), in which post-apocalyptic monks lament that Rome does not recognize their chapter that saves and copies old books to preserve knowledge and science - and is in the works to create a working power generator running on gasoline. In A Canticle of Leibowitz, we have an isolated order of catholic monks in California that traces their ancestry to “Bookleggers” and work to make copies of books and preserve scientific knowledge from before WW3, and it features a chapter of the monks having re-created a power generator (which they operate while chanting “Anima Lux!”)

If these are coincidences or deliberate references or homages, I cannot say. But it was fun to watch this show not just being more aware of these tropes, but to see the tropes with a new point of reference. When all is said and done, I can truly recommend Babylon 5. The first season suffers a bit from what sci fi shows of that age suffers - it is a bit horny and a bit cringe - but it does not subtract from the great story, themes, and excitement of the show.

Do yourself a favour and give it a watch.

[samlamwambam]

Viewing Response 10: Cowboy Bebop

In “The Past Tense and The Future Perfect: The Postmodern Play of Watanabe Shinichiro and The Possibility of the Coming Community,” Will Bridges highlights how the characters in Cowboy Bebop are able to find and community through shared identities in a group that seems like outcasts. “From its onset, Cowboy Bebop revels in the lithe liberation of a world in which the anchors of identity (national, racial, geopolitical, gender, etc.) on Earth exert little gravitational pull” (Bridges 780). 

One way the characters in Cowboy Bebop function as collective subjects to regain their capacity to act and struggle with the borders in the text is through their collective hope that they are able to save the human race from the virus, Monkey Business. In episode 4, Gateway Shuffle, the characters struggle to deal with the enemy group who wishes to turn all humans into monkeys as a way to protect the environment. In this scenario, one group is attacking another not because of national pride or racial bias, but for the sake of the environment which they share. Furthermore, the main battle between our protagonists and antagonists occurs in hyperspace, which is controlled by the space government. By having one entity retain control of the rings that allow beings to pass in and out of hyperspace, it mimics a border and border patrol. However, by having this border set in space, the border is made alien.

@theuncannyprofessoro