#if stormtroopers burned down your family homestead

[ohgodmyeyes]

i know anakin doesn't like tatooine very much and his life there is objectively not-that-great ...

but i really really love the idea of him having something he misses to the point of it just breaking him

like his mom's bread, or some stuffed animal he had, or some little piece of art he made that he knows he's never going to see again ...

something that he has to stop himself from thinking about or being reminded of because it's just not worth all the tears he knows he'll end up shedding over something he can never truly have back

no wonder he "hates sand" huh

[spell-cleaver]

Day 4: Heat

(Also Day 7: Never Again)

@angstober​ 

The homestead was in exactly as awful a state as he’d expected. He’d been hoping otherwise, but he’d known it was just that: hope.

Flames still engulfed the building, staining the horizon the bile-yellow of fake dawn. Black smoke belched and groped down his throat, making him hack and cough, his eyes streaming. But he kept looking, kept searching.

There they were. They weren’t difficult to spot. He’d just not allowed himself to believe it.

Two skeletons. They could be anyone’s—they could be two stormtroopers’—but that too was wishful thinking, and too much of Luke’s galaxy had already changed today for him to believe that anything else could remain untouched. The flesh had been scoured away to the bone. His aunt’s loving face, his uncle’s worn one, had been consumed.

He stared at them. At his burning home. The detritus of nineteen years of life, nineteen years of love, consumed in an instant.

It seemed wrong.

Instinctively, he ran towards it, head already spinning from the fumes, and ducked inside the homestead. The larger skeleton—Uncle Owen—was shielding the smaller—Aunt Beru—and backing her into the doorway. Luke stumbled and felt his foot go into his aunt’s ribs; he shouted, thumped down the stairs in several jarring, shocking movements. His head slammed into the side of the bottom step. Something hot and red slurred the edge of his vision.

He could feel the smoke around him. The heat was closing in, sealing him inside like an airlock.

When he squinted, there was an off-white oblong in front of him. A skull that had bounced down with him, still dubiously attached to its scarred spin and scorched ribs. Luke stared at his aunt’s fleshless face, tears and blood pooling under his cheek. Bile dribbled out of his mouth to pool there as well. At least he didn’t throw up on his aunt, dishonouring her remains even further.

Why had he tried to come here? He should have taken their remains out of the violent, vibrant fire, dug a grave for them to lie in beside his grandmother, his grandfather. He should have shown them that respect. Instead… what?

What had he been trying to do? Recover what little was left of the life they had sacrificed everything to give him?

This was his fault. He shouldn’t have told Uncle Owen to get R2, no matter what C-3PO had said. He shouldn’t have left them alone this morning; if he’d have been there… if he’d have been there…

He should have dug two graves. Instead, their home would become three.

He tried to stand, to move, but the fire was all around him. It was on the rushes they threw on the ground to protect against the sand; it was on his clothes; it was on him. It ate his skin and flesh as hungrily as it had his family’s, and maybe that was how it should have been.

They were dead. Uncle Owen didn’t need him to stick around for the harvest anymore. He could stand up, cut through the distant, deafening buzz of overwhelming agony and escape back to Ben, to Mos Eisley, to Alderaan, but Alderaan suddenly seemed so far away. Had seemed that already.

That’s your uncle talking…

Uncle Owen needed Luke to talk for him now. He couldn’t do it himself.

He continued blinking, slowly, even as the smoke grew too thick to see even Aunt Beru’s gleaming forehead or jaw. He should stand. They had given him his life nineteen years ago, and they had fought in his absence to protect that life now. He should honour their sacrifice and run.

But he could not leave them here, graveless and exposed.

Flames adorning his skin like an over-punctual funeral shroud, he staggered to his feet and scooped up his aunt’s bones, cradling them to his chest as if they were engine parts, or a new-born. He staggered again, up the stairs, and kicked Uncle Owen’s remains by accident but he gathered them up as well. Bones clattered against bones; he didn’t know whose were whose, but it didn’t matter.

They’d been a team in life. They were together to the end.

He had no shovel to dig with and hardly any strength left to stand, but inconsolable grief let him tap into a source of fortitude he hadn’t known he possessed. His bare hands were enough to scrabble in the sand beside Grandma Shmi’s grave—still neat and clean, with cacti growing happily at its base, freshly watered last night—and the hole he made was small, but an armful of bones was far smaller than two human bodies. They spilled into the hole he had made as its walls caved in around them, burying them in the only way he could, anymore.

The fire on his skin had burned out, smothered by the falling and rolling and messing around in the sand. His skin glowed red under the caustic caress of the twin suns, his eyes sore and streaming still; his hands resembled paddles of meat more than hands. Nonetheless, he continued digging.

He needed a grave for him.

Whenever it was he fainted, it was before he was done. He watched his own body, curiously detached but still present, as breath fluttered in and out of fragile lips. But he did not—could not—move.

Someone else could.

Ben Kenobi ran like a sandstorm was chasing him. He looked to have been running for miles. He skidded to a halt when he saw Luke, a red assemblage of flesh in the sand, and his agonised cry was the worst thing he had ever heard.

“Not again,” he was muttering. “Not again, not again, never again—”

He knelt down next to Luke, and cupped his face, impossibly tender.

“You’re alive,” he whispered to him—promised him. Behind him, the flames of the homestead died down, as if by his sheer force of will. “You will live, Luke.”

He hoisted him into his arms, as shapeless as the pile of bones Luke had carried himself. He carried him back into the now cold and destitute homestead. Perhaps there would be something left. There would need to be, if Luke were to live. Luke would live.

“I couldn’t save your father, Luke,” Ben told his unconscious form as he laid him on his bed and ran to the half-melted kitchen. The Force bunched around them like fate. “But I can save you.”

Luke would wake heavily bandaged to a medbay in Mos Eisley. The news feed running in the corner of the room declared with great sorrow that Alderaan, the planet of beauty and adventure that Ben had promised him, had been destroyed.

[dalekofchaos]

If Vader raised Luke and Obi-Wan trained Leia

Let’s say sometime after Mustafar. Darth Vader in his meditation in his castle, Vader felt a presence he hasn’t felt since.....Padme. Since he felt his unborn child through the force. His child is alive. Sidious lied. The Jedi took his son from him. They will all pay. So here is what would happen if Vader sensed, found and raised Luke. 

Darth Vader would’ve killed Owen and Beru instantly and burned the Lars homestead

Obi-Wan would rush to face Vader. Vader would overpower Obi-Wan, mortally wound him and throw him into the burning homestead and use the force to crush the roof onto an unconscious Obi-Wan 

Darth Vader would hold a baby Luke in his hands and  for some reason Luke is not afraid, but drawn to this dark figure. 

Vader would simply say “Luke. Son...”

Vader takes Luke to his castle on Mustafar

Obi-Wan would crawl out of the remains of the Lars Homestead. Injured, but alive. Obi-Wan failed. He contacted Yoda and told him Vader found and took Luke. Yoda will simply tell him “There is another.” All he can do is call Bail for transport to Alderaan. He failed Luke, but he will not fail Leia. 

Bail and Breha would teach Leia about politics and Obi-Wan would train Leia to become a Jedi

Luke would spend his entire childhood to adulthood in the depths of Fortress Vader. Training and submerging himself in the dark side of the force. 

Vader would indoctrinate his son into hating the Jedi. Hating The Emperor and instructing his son that only together could they destroy The Emperor and the last of the Jedi.

By the events of Rogue One/A New Hope. Luke’s training would be complete. “You were weak when I found you. Now your hatred has become your strength. At last the dark side is your ally. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth Zhoun. Rise, my son.”  Source 1. Source 2

Luke would be Vader’s assassin. Carrying out assassinations in the name of the Empire. Killing the last of the Jedi. Enemies of The Empire. His identity is unknown to the Emperor and Rebellion, but his reputation would strike fear in the Rebel Alliance. He is simply known as “Vader’s Shadow.”

Palpatine feels a disturbance in the force, but for some reason, he cannot detect Luke. All he can sense is “a shadow”

Luke fully embraced the dark side and is consumed by it. When Master Shaak Ti tries to turn him away from his path, before killing her(What is this her 5th death????) Luke will say “My father’s fate is my own.”

Vader’s final test for his son would be to pit him against his old Padawan. Luke kills Maul with ease as he decapitates him. Luke uses Ahsoka’s need to save her friends against her and when she attempts to save them, Luke cuts Ahsoka down. 

Thrawn would request the aid of Vader, in his stead, Vader once again sends his son. Luke would kill Ezra and save Thrawn. “Lord Vader has need of you, Grand Admiral. Set up the TIE Defenders program in the Unknown Regions and return with a fleet of them.” Thrawn would call off the fleet and let Lord Zhoun deal with the Rebels. Luke would then slaughter the Rebels on Lothal

Sometime after securing Thrawn’s victory on Lothal, as a gift. Thrawn has given Vader and Luke their own personal TIE Defenders. 

Vader and Zhoun would slaughter Cal and Cere. The Holocron is theirs. 

The existence of Darth Zhoun would only be known to Vader, Admiral Piett and General Veers.(you’ll see why)

Leia had a decade of training. On Alderaan and on Dagobah. Yoda and Obi-Wan together completed Leia’s training. Leia is now a fully fledged Jedi Knight and is ready to lead the Rebellion and confront her father and brother.  art source

Yoda and Obi-Wan would tell Leia the truth. Darth Vader is her father and his secret assassin is her brother, Luke. Due to a decade of training, Leia would prove strong and wise enough to learn the truth of her family.

Also Leia would ask about her mother. “Tell me, what was my mother like, my real mother.” “Your mother was Padme Amidala, a senator, queen and a kind and beautiful..” “Strong, was your mother. Believed in peace and diplomacy did she.” “And my father? Was he always Vader?” “Your mother loved your father. Anakin Skywalker was a good man. But he was consumed to stop the people he loved from dying. His mother was killed by the Tusken Raiders on Tatooine and the Emperor seized the opportunity to turn your father to the dark side. One day, your father was plagued by nightmares of Padme dying in childbirth, The Emperor promised him the power to save your mother, but in doing so Anakin became twisted by the dark side and became Darth Vader.” 

Leia believes her family could be turned. Obi-Wan would object. He's more machine now than man. Twisted and evil.” When insisting that Luke could be saved. Obi-Wan would be remorseful. “I failed my duty to save Luke, I should have followed Vader and staged a rescue, but you needed to be trained, you were our only hope.” 

Leia would be contacted by Bail requesting aid on Scarif. Yoda gives his blessing for Leia to go. Saying Ready to reveal herself to the galaxy, she is. Obi-Wan would join her as he must confront Vader one last time.

Leia and Obi-Wan get there just in time and they save the Rogue One Crew. Jyn personally gives Leia the plans. Obi-Wan tells her. “What is it?” All Leia can tell her master is “Hope.”

Leia would transmit the plans to the Tantive IV where her father would be there to receive the plans.

Vader and Luke board the ship to slaughter the rebels. Before they can get the Death Star plans back. They are confronted by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Leia. 

Darth Vader and Obi-Wan would duel similar to how they did in ANH aboard the ship. Leia and Obi-Wan are in desperate need to escape

Leia is able to defensively take down her brother, Obi-Wan momentarily stuns Vader and they escape with the plans.

As The Tantive IV is boarded, Leia and Obi-Wan are able to evade detection and hide in the escape pods with C-3PO and R2-D2

In place of Leia captured by the Empire, it is Bail Organa. Bail gives the plans to his daughter and pleads with Leia to leave with Master Kenobi. 

Leia and the droids wander Tatooine for a long walk. All Leia can think is “so much sand. so much fucking sand.”

Leia would store the plans in R2. Just in case something happens.

Leia is guided by Obi-Wan. “We must find passage to save Bail.”

Leia and Obi-Wan finds Mos Eisley Cantina and there they meet Han and Chewie. Leia asks for passage to Alderaan for herself and her droids no questions asked. “Is it a fast ship?” “Fast ship? You’ve never heard of The Millennium Falcon? It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs! I've outrun Imperial starships, not the local bulk-cruisers, mind you.” All Leia can do is roll her eyes and takes Han’s word for it. Leia tells her “Once we get to Alderaan, my father Senator Organa will pay you handsomely. Say 15,000 credits?” Han just smiles that cocky Solo smile and says “you got yourself a deal princess”

Once Leia sees the Falcon. “You fly in that thing? You’re braver than I thought.” Han retorts “She'll make point five past lightspeed. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, Princess. I've made a lot of special modifications myself.”

Leia and Han bicker like an old married couple and Chewie just decided “that’s it I ship it” Obi-Wan would see the writing on the walls. “Oh, this is like watching me and Satine” 

Bail watches the destruction of Alderaan

Leia would convince Han to help her free her father. Han is hesitant, but Leia will insist “my father will be very grateful, I’m sure we can triple the rewar-” Han would say so quickly “DONE!”

Han and Leia are pretty much battle couple goals while taking down Stormtroopers and Imperial Officers in the detention center.

Leia saves her father and embraces him in a hug.

Vader and Obi-Wan duels and Obi-Wan sacrifices himself to save Leia and Bail

Bail is forever in Han’s debt. He saved his life and his daughter’s life. He will pay Han anything. Being indebted to a Hutt is no way to live a life. He pays Han what he’s owed, but asks if he can join the Rebellion after clearing the debt as the Rebellion is in dire need of good pilots. Chewie is all for it, but Han is having none of it, but looks at Leia and says “I’m not saying yes, Senator, but...maybe.” Bail sees that he’s looking at Leia and says “I see” and knows he fancies his daughter.

Leia would fly in her personal Jedi X-wing Starfighter(Just imagine a mix between Anakin’s Jedi Starfighter and an X-Wing) during the Battle Of Yavin IV Leia’s hypothetical ship would look like this(source) but realistically it would be colored blue and white

Han would make the save and Leia would destroy the Death Star(btw Han now will not shut up that he saved Leia, ya know in a way, princess I helped destroyed the Death Star. I saved you from Vader and gave you the confidence you needed to destroy the Death Star. Sometimes I amaze even myself. Leia rolls her eyes and smiles...and blushes. Bail notices this and is happy his daughter is in love but knows she will never admit it) 

Leia would be knocked out and captured by a Wampa. Leia defeats it.

Han would save Leia. “Don’t worry, your worship I’ll save you.” Leia now wishes for death, he would not stop bringing up saving her during the Death Star, but now she owes him twice. Is the force punishing her?

Darth Vader and Darth Zhoun are on the hunt for the Jedi Princess. 

Bail requests Leia and Han to bring Master Yoda back into the fight. 

When Han and Leia escape. Bail stays behind. Darth Vader kills him and Leia feels the loss of Bail and breaks down. 

Instead of bickering and bantering, Han comforts Leia. Leia embraces Han in a hug and a kiss. Leia lets him in.

Leia and Han make it to Dagobah. Leia is very patient with her old master, but Han thinks he should be bigger. “This is Yoda?” Leia confirms and Chewie says so as well an goes “and how would you know that???” “I fought in the Clone Wars, Han” “Well, what do you want, a medal???”

Chewie would embrace Yoda in a hug. Yoda would warmly greet his old friend. “Chewbacca, missed you I did.”

Leia and Han asks Yoda to return to aid the Rebel Alliance. He doesn't have to fight but advise the leaders as what they must do. Yoda is willing, but first he must complete Leia’s training. With this, Leia tells Han to go and pay off Jabba’s debt. and kisses Han goodbye. Han says “When you’re done, meet me on Bespin, I’m going to see an old friend.”

Meanwhile aboard the Executer, Vader and Luke set in motion the plan to destroy The Emperor. Everyone aboard The Executer, especially Admiral Piett and General Veers are loyal to Vader and his son. The Emperor lies in his throne in the safety of the Imperial city, while Lord Vader is a man of action who fights on the front lines with his soldiers. They will stand by Lord Vader and his son, soon more will follow. 

Vader’s call with The Emperor happens as same, but Palpatine says “We have a new enemy. There is a great disturbance in the force. The Rebel Princess who destroyed the Death Star.” “She is just a girl, Obi-Wan and her father can no longer help her. “I have a feeling she is the daughter of Anakin Skywalker.” “How is this possible?” “Search your feelings Lord Vader, you know it to be true.” “If she can be turned, she can be a powerful ally.” “Yes...can it be done Lord Vader? “She will join us or die.”

Vader internally is pissed, but also pleased. Vader tells his son. “A Twin Sister, you have a twin sister. If she can be turned, we will destroy The Emperor and rule the galaxy as a family.” “What if my sister doesn’t join us?” “Then she will die. 

Leia’s training is complete. Yoda dubs Leia the rank of Jedi Master. Leia senses Han is in danger. Yoda tells her to go. “Be here, I shall be. May the force be with you, Master Leia.”

Despite paying off his debt to Jabba, Vader still intends to test Han Solo into carbonite freezing him. And Jabba would be overjoyed to have Han as a decoration. 

Vader orders Luke to bring his sister in the fold or kill her. “As you wish, father.”

Leia is too late. She sees Han frozen in carbonite. 

Leia feels the presence of her brother. They duel and they evenly matched. One wrong move and the fight is over. Luke cuts Leia’s hand off and asks his sister to join him and his father. Leia defiantly refuses. “Vader killed my master and my true father, I’LL NEVER JOIN YOU!” “The Jedi betrayed our father. turned our mother against him and had us separated, luckily he found me and rescued me. With our combined strength, we can destroy the Emperor and bring order to the galaxy as a family.” Leia refuses and falls..

Thanks to Yoda guiding Lando and Chewie, they find her just in time.

Despite not having Leia, Vader and Luke has everything they need to pull a coup on The Emperor

Vader has his son. Admiral Piett. Grand Admiral Thrawn. The Death Squadron. Death Troopers. A legion of TIE Defenders and more and more are drawn to Vader. Vader and Zhoun make their attack on Coruscant. 

Darth Vader and Darth Zhoun face Palpatine. The Throne room is lit up with force lightning and crimson blades. The battle is powerful and raw, but ultimately Luke and Vader overpower The Emperor. There is nowhere where Palpatine can escape to. Not Exegol or anywhere. Vader decapitates his old master. 

Vader broadcasts to the galaxy. “The Emperor is dead. I am now your Emperor. Those who serve me and my son, you will achieve greatness as we bring order to the galaxy. Those who stay loyal to The Emperor, die.” There would be a small civil war, but eventually all those who stayed loyal to Palpatine would be rounded up and killed.

Leia rescues Han. Leia does not resort to allowing herself to be captured. Nor does Leia need to be forced to wear that slave outfit. Leia gives Jabba one chance to free Han. Jabba refuses and since a Jedi would be impossible to be enslaved, he plans to feed Leia to his pet Rancor. That would be Jabba’s undoing. Leia would use animal bond/beast control on the Rancor and successfully tames the beast. After Leia convinces the Rancor to help her, Leia unleashes the beast on Jabba and his men Source

Leia unfreezes Han, rescues Chewie, Lando and the droids. 

In addition to rescuing Han, Leia also rescues Oola and all the slaves in Jabba’s palace.

Leia and Han would fight Boba Fett. With Boba Fett at their mercy, Leia decides to save him. Leia thinking “he could be so much more.” Han makes the decision to save him.  Han and Boba Fett finally bury their rivalry and leave it in the past and shake hands. Boba would declare that Han’s bounty will no longer exists and he won’t chased by him and exits the story. This would work because it would show that Han has grown from the rogue who would shot a man dead without question in ANH to someone who is willing to find an alternate solution to his problems. It’d also give some layers to Boba Fett of being a man of honor.

Yoda dies, but tells her that she is the only hope in saving her brother and stopping Vader. 

With Vader as Emperor, he has no intentions with building a second Death Star. Instead he intends to wipe out the Rebellion from the face of the galaxy. 

Luke feels a pull to the light. After a life of darkness and evil, Luke feels remorse. He sees what his father as Emperor is doing is wrong and if he feels these feelings, it’s all over. 

The Rebellion plans to make one last ditch effort to end the Empire once and for all. A Coup. The battle on the ground would now take place in the Imperial City and the area surrounding the Imperial Palace. The dogfights between X-Wings and TIE Fighters would take place in the skies above instead of in space. The confrontation between Leia,  Luke and Vader and would take place in the Imperial Palace in The Emperor's Throne Room.

Leia would contact Luke in order to get close to the palace.

Leia feels the conflict within her brother. Luke is trying to keep her out. Eventually Leia gets in and pleads with her brother to help him destroy Vader. But Luke takes her before Vader

Vader taunts Leia that the Rebellion will die today, but they can all be saved if she gives in to the dark side and joins her family

Vader forces Luke and Leia to fight to the death. Only one can serve him. Leia refuses to join him, but Vader and Luke are not giving her a choice. 

Leia and Luke’s duel is a mix between Anakin/Obi-Wan and Vader/Luke in terms of how the fight would go. In the end. Neither Luke nor Leia can kill the other. They both deactivate their lightsabers and embrace in a hug. For the first time in a long time, Luke’s yellow eyes turn blue. This ignites the wrath of their father. 

Vader force chokes both his children with full intentions of killing them. The only thing that can save them? Leia remembers on what Obi-Wan spoke about her mother. “Our mother was Padme Amidala.” Vader is stunned and enraged by the mere mention of her name. All Vader can say is “Do. Not. Say. Her. Name.” 

Vader ignites his lightsaber preparing to kill. While Luke and Leia are ready to defend themselves. Luke lands a strike that is similar to Ahsoka’s where Vader’s face is visibly seen

With Vader down. Leia continues to speak about her mother. “She was kind and beautiful. You were deceived and betrayed by The Emperor. He turned you from the most compassionate Jedi Knight to ever live into a dark lord. You do not have to be this way. You are free. You and Luke are free. Padme loved you. Obi-Wan loved you. You are Anakin Skywalker, our father. Call off the fleet and let us bring peace to the galaxy as a family.”

Anakin concedes to his children. 

The war is over. The Empire has ended. Vader agrees to whatever punishment the Rebellion has for him. 

Leia is in charge of Luke. Leia helps Luke on his path of atonement. 

Vader is sentenced for execution. His final request. “Let me see my children one last time.” Leia and Luke are saddened, but Anakin assures his children he has made peace with his fate. His final request from his children is to take his mask off. “ Just for once, let me look on you with my own eyes.”

[manjehaal]

Ignite the Stars: Chapter 7

Read on A03

Something felt wrong.

It must be the intuition that had always whispered to him in the darkness. Or perhaps something more. The Force, as Laure had called it, held inside his blood and fueling the pounding heart that rumbled at his fear. Or maybe it was just a feeling. But it was a bad feeling. Something was clearly off.

He passed a hand over his finger, twisting at the silver ring that felt a bit too modern to be paired with his grimy and sweat-soaked robes. Neither his aunt or uncle had ever adorned jewelry, other than that wooden anklet that his aunt would wear on occasion. Some of the kids in school would wear small rocks in their earlobes and he could remember on occasion a few of the girls wearing necklaces made of japor snippets. But the bulky ring on his right ring finger was metallic. It reflected the blue of the lit sky. If the ring was made of silver, he wouldn’t know. Silver and gold were things meant for the rich. Not a farmer in an oversized rag.

If not for the timely moment when he glanced up and the warning from Artoo behind him, he may not have seen the harrowing image before him.

Adrien looked down at the sea of corpses, just a heap of Tattoine’s monsters. They had once been the Jawas, just a few hours earlier. But now, like a flashing warning sign, the once formidable monsters were nothing but empty vessels wrapped in their small cloaks.

They weren’t the monsters who beat him senseless, but the crafty ones. They sold spare parts and droids. And these seemed to be of the same tribe that had negotiated with his uncle just a day ago. It all felt wrong in his gut, at the significance of the Artoo unit treading behind him and the Jawas now dead. There was a connection between the two deeds that he didn’t want to acknowledge. If his mind went there, he felt sick.

“It was the Sandmonsters,” he said, as Laure came beside him, looking around at the bodies. She began inspecting, with a thoughtful expression passing as she ran a finger over the burnt material.

“No,” she said, moving to look at another burnt hole caused by blaster fire. “But we are meant to believe that. The tracks are side by side,” she said, pointing to the mark across the dunes. “Sand monsters ride single file to hide their number.”

Adrien felt dread overwhelm him as he looked closer at the fallen Jawas. “These are the same Jawas that sold my uncle Threepio and Artoo.”

“These blast points are two accurate for the Sandmonsters. Only imperial stormtroopers are this precise.”

Something didn’t add up. The fear emanating in his body told him enough, and he could see the answer clear as day, but he asked the question. “Why would imperial troopers slaughter Jawas?”

Laure didn’t answer, a frown sweeping across her face.

Adrien suddenly felt worse, as if somebody had punched him hard in the stomach. “If they traced the droids here, they may have learned who they sold them to.” His hands shook, pointing his gaze at the darkening night sky. If Imperial troops did this to the people who sold the droids, what would they do to the people who purchased them? “And that would lead them back…”

He couldn’t say it. He couldn’t even allow himself to think about it.

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There had always been two different ways Adrien would react to fear.

Most of the time, he had an instinct to take action, whether he was capable or not. He always wished to fight back rather than cower, even if it resulted in a loss. He had a tendency to end up in a state of fight-or-flight, and that's where he found himself, pressed to his speeder, moving at a speed that he hadn't even known was possible.

The other way he dealt with fear was to not deal with it at all. It wasn't quite hiding, not like when he was small, but it was a state of inactivity. It was him now, standing at the edge of his family's property, unable to process what he was seeing.

Laure had called after him, warning him of the dangers of running back on his own, even in the safety of his speeder, but he couldn’t listen. He couldn’t stop himself. He had to get back. He had to get back so that he could see his aunt and uncle safe. He needed the sight of his aunt's soft smile and his uncle’s commanding eyes. He wanted to be screamed at. Punished. Rebuked. Anything. Anything that could possibly put the breath back in his lungs.

  *   '*

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But he felt nothing as he stood by his homestead, stopping the speeder and staring blankly for a good moment. The billowing black smoke in his eyes tore him away from the sight before him. His home, underneath a cloud of black, heavy air, and a dead scent. Home was no longer home. He couldn’t breathe, but his legs were moving, and he was walking into the fog, letting the smoke burn his eyes.

He felt nauseous as he stood by the front opening, unable to recognize the two corpses that were now just skeletal, lifeless creatures in his walkway. He couldn’t make the connection. He couldn’t make it a concept. He just couldn’t believe it.

But then, at the sight of Laure approaching, with the two droids riding behind her, he felt it. The realization. The oh, hollowly climbing up his throat, bursting through his chest as he felt his knees sag into the sand. For a moment, the flames that were now ghostly on their bones raged inside his hands, as he slammed them into pits of sand, with teeth clenched to restrain the noise shooting from his lips. Tears stung on his cheeks, scraping at his chin, and ridiculing him.

But he swallowed it down, forcing himself to his feet as his gaze passed over the corpses, as rage built up in his chest. If the Empire was responsible for this. If the Empire was asking for him to rage against it, then he would, without doubt, be following Laure into the danger. He would run right toward the Empire, cataclysm ready,  and he would make them pay.

 *  .  . *       *    .        .        .   *    ..

.    *        .       .      .        .            *

   *.   *          .     *      *        *    .

Sabine had been wise enough to offer a warning, even before Marinette was old enough to fear it, that there may be a time when her resistance would be tested. Whether that be her morals, her loyalties, or her pain tolerance. Sabine had been clear that it would not be easy, but it would be important that she have the strength to resist.

“If you choose to accept what you have been given, if you choose to hold the power of creation, it is impossible for you to do so without being tested. Tests that may bend, or break, and may hurt. Tests that will beg the question of whether you are worthy or not to harness such power.”

Marinette blinked away her weariness. “Yes, Maman.”

“I tell you this because I know how difficult it can be. I want to prepare you.”

Sabine took her daughter's hand, leading her to the edge of the terrace where it overlooked the gardens. The wind was soft on her bare skin, sending ribbons of purple fabric floating behind her. It was feather-soft, like her upbringing, perhaps making the thought of anything less than, seem hard to imagine.

“Will I be tortured?”

“You will be their greatest threat,” she responded, cupping her daughter's face with fingers too calloused for royalty. “I hate to imagine it. But if you choose this path, I can’t promise safety. I can only promise this.”

“What?”

“That the Force will be with you.”

       *  *    .  *      .        .  *   .

 .        ..    *    .      *  .  ..  *

     *    *            .      *   *

It was easy to grasp faith without a chance to test it. Wide-eyed trust felt free when she was sixteen, but the gradual tension in her shoulders, and the unthinkable possibilities of her fate, were enough to rock her sturdy grasp on the whole thing.

The Force will be with me, she whispered, allowing her senses to breathe. She reached out with a shaky palm, feeling the cold wind of Mayura, and the impending pressure on her ribcage, poking at the bravery of her heart. Silencing the steady voice of her mother, urging her to resist the pain, encouraging her to trust.

She swallowed hard, knowing Lady Mayura was near, accompanied by several officers and a lethal IT-O interrogator droid. Her methods, and the methods of such droids, were things she had only heard of from fellow rebels. But many spared little detail, and most never lived to tell the story. She had always avoided their accounts anyway, living in a constant state of denial that she would ever be captured in the Empire’s claws.

She heaved another breath, whispering, “The Force is with me,” again, as the cell door slid open. Mayura already looked sadistic, with a pretty glint in her eye that broke the dullness of her usual stoic expression. With the confident click of the lady’s boots, Marinette could only interpret that glint as excitement.  

Her officers followed her, circling around the Princess as if they were to all take part in devouring their prey. But Mayura stood ahead of them, stepping closer to Marinette than comfort with her usual accusatory expression.  

“Now, Your Highness, we will discuss the location of your hidden rebel base.”

Marinette did not flinch under Mayura’s intense stare, but her eyes shifted to the two hovering droids that emerged behind her. They were black domes, humming dauntingly, extending several needle-like objects out of their vibrating cores. She tore her eyes away from them, trying to ignore it altogether. Giving in to her fear would not keep her safe. It would only make her weak.  

She shut her eyes, only flinching for a moment when she felt the needle prick her skin.

“There are two ways this can go, Princess,” one of the officers said proudly. “The easy way or the hard way.”

Truth serum, she mused, feeling the cold substance flow beneath her skin. She had heard from several reports that Kaminoan scientists had developed a foolproof serum back during the clone wars, and to the Emperor’s demands, the serum had been improved significantly. Marinette knew about the one-hundred percent success ratio. She was well aware that the Empire hardly walked away without breaking their prisoners. To the Empire, she would become just another statistic.

Marinette took a deep breath, leaning into the soft presence of the light. Despite the rigidness of her folded hands and rapid jittering of her knees, she could feel relief at the power beneath her skin. She knew well what her mother had taught her. She knew well that the Force was stronger than any truth serum. Even Mayura knew that.

Luckily for Marinette, Mayura didn’t know that she was powerful. She didn’t know that she didn’t fit in with the other statistics.

Of course, it wasn’t easy. She could feel her mind going cloudy and the lure to feed Mayura information. She almost looked softer with the veil of the serum, almost innocent, beneath her cold eyes. A part of Marinette wanted to give it to her. She wanted to help the Empire. The Empire didn’t quite feel evil at the moment. The serum didn’t feel bad. It felt nice. It felt like her truest self. To open up and speak. To rid herself from the lies that she was raised to tell.

The Force is with me, she said to herself, shifting where she sat. And she had people to protect.

“You have a lot of resistance, Princess,” Mayura commented, scrutinizing her. A new idea seemed to bleed into her eyes as she neared the Princess. “Very few people can hold on this long.”

Marinette forced a confident glare, trying not to worry about the suspicion in Mayura’s voice. It would do her no good to reveal herself as one of the last remaining Force-sensitives. But it would be far worse if she had held onto her Miraculous. For that she was grateful.

“You’re peculiar,” the woman said with a satisfied edge. “You’re not what I expected.”

Mayura shifted, throwing back her feathery cape and confiding in the officers around her. Marinette could feel the gears turning inside her brain, putting the pieces together.

“Leave us,” Mayura said darkly, keeping her eyes fixed on the girl as her companions and the IT-O filled out. The realization in her voice caused Marinette to flinch, allowing her eyes to peer open a bit.

Marinette wanted to challenge her. She wanted to taunt her by pretending that nothing Mayura did would hurt her. But the fear burning inside her stomach said otherwise. She felt like she might throw up when Mayura kneeled down to her level, cupping her face.

“I remember now. Master Sabine Cheng. Always a thorn in the Empire’s side. Always with another trick up her sleeve. We should have been more wary of her.”

Marinette smirked. “You got that right.”

“She had such wisdom, Cheng. She was one of the only Jedi who were smart enough to walk away from the Order before they turned dark.”

“Lies!” Marinette spit, exasperated by the false narrative. She had read the history books. She had heard the news. But her mother was Master Sabine Cheng of the Jedi Order and General of the Galactic Republic. She knew first hand what distortion the Empire had cooked up. Their blatant disregard for truth caused something to light up in the pit of her stomach and fill her with rage that she would let fester if her mother hadn't taught her to control it.

Mayura disregarded her outburst, letting a blue-tinted hand hover off Marinette's head. “It causes me to wonder what the Jedi might have done with those ancient jewels. If I remember correctly, Sabine possessed the dragon choker, did she not?”

Marinette just seethed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, you do, love. I can feel your certainty. But all of this makes me consider, do you know what happened to the most powerful jewels, the perfect balance of creation and destruction?”

“Again, I don’t know what you are talking about. Talk of these ancient jewels happens to elude me.”

Mayura reached forward, holding her palm like a claw above Marinette’s head, clenching her eyes. Marinette felt the dark power hover over her, and the startling bend of her mind at her touch. “My dear Princess, I should have done this much sooner. I could create so many monsters with the rage that you possess.”

Marinette choked on her breath, heaving at the chance to resist Mayura’s pull. But she couldn't breathe. She couldn’t think. The only thing that she could understand―

Pain.

She heaved.

More pain.

She felt like her body was curling in on itself. She couldn’t even feel it. She could only feel her mind turning, trembling somehow underneath the pull of Mayura’s fingertips. It felt as if she was attempting to remove the organ from her skull.

“Someday I will make a monster out of your fear. And don’t doubt me, Princess, that monster will destroy your puny rebellion before they see it coming.”

Marinette couldn’t hear her. She just clashed with the wall, clenching her fists at the tighter squeeze of Mayura’s grip on her mind.

Pain.

More pain.

Stop it, she wanted to scream. Stop it, she thought again as if Mayura may listen.

“No, dear. I won’t stop. Not until you answer these three questions for me.”

Marinette gasped, jolting forward as Mayura held her face, making sure to get her questions across clearly.

“First, you’re going to tell me where the rebel base is. Then, where did you send those plans? And finally, where can I find the Ladybug and the Cat miraculous?”

Marinette just grimaced.

“I’m being nice, Princess. I’m letting you prepare your answers.”

More pain came as Mayura closed her fist.

“You will get no answers,” Marinette muttered, clasping the edge of her seat as Mayura pushed further. Beads of sweat were heavy on her forehead, and her eyebrows twisted in a pained grimace, but she didn’t drop her determination, held sturdy by her teeth biting down on her lip. She shivered at Mayura’s touch again, but she remained determined. “You will get nothing from me.”

                              .  '  *   .  . '

                                .  * * -+-  

                               .    * .    '  *

                               * .  ' .  .

                          *   *  .   .

                                                    '   *

Laure stood beside him as their gaze fell on the funeral pyre, with the unrecognizable bodies of his Aunt and Uncle.

It still felt like a strange awful dream. But it was familiar, and it reminded Adrien of the nightmares he used to have when he was little.

Adrien found it difficult to look and turned away from the pyre, twisting the ring on his finger with a blank stare. He didn't want to address the burning flesh. He didn't want to address the destruction of his childhood home.

But he understood now that there was nothing for him on Tatooine, so going with Laure to make the Empire pay seemed like the only clear path.

"Adrien," she said softly, meeting him in the sand where he gripped his knees close to his chest. "Please know there is nothing you could have done if you were here. You would have died too. Don't ever blame yourself."

And even worse, the droids would be in the hands of the Empire, and the princess would be in even more danger.

Adrien didn't say anything for a while, not wanting to think about what Laure was saying. "I want to come with you to Alderaan," he said simply. "There's nothing here for me now."

"Alright," she said, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"I want to learn about the Force and become a Jedi Knight like my father."

There was nothing more for Laure to say, so she led Adrien to the speeder with the Gorilla following behind them both.

*    .  *       .   ,          *

          .       . .        *

*   .   .'    * ,      .       .  ,     *

  .     *     .'

  '     .     .  *        *  .'.

      .   ' '        .    .    '   .

.  *        ,   *               '      *

                            .

        *          .   *

Princess Marinette could feel the seething rage of Lady Mayura burning, like a wave of blisteringly hot air on her skin. Mayura was an expert at pain, and the Princess could still feel the ache of her steel grip, putting pressure on her now fragile brain.

But besides that ache, Marinette had a smirk on her face, because she had won, and Mayura knew nothing.

Mayura's rage brought delight to the princess.

But still, she was exhausted, sinking back into the corner of the cell, resting her heaving body on its borders. She reached toward her waist, momentarily forgetting the lack of her kwami, there to encourage her despite her exhaustion.

But it was okay. The force was with her. She would see Tikki again soon.

  *   '*

          *

               *

                      *

              *

                    *

“My Lord,” Mayura said, kneeling at his chamber, hands shaking under her long sleeves. The cold rush of Hawkmoth’s opening door was enough to turn her stomach. There had always been a balance of unwavering adoration and a crippling fear that became of her at the thought of her Lord.

He stepped toward her so that his boots met her line of view. She could feel the flutter of the fleet of pale butterflies swirling behind him, but he wasn’t transformed. Though she would never say it, if she looked up, she would still associate his face with the man she knew from the wars. Brave and ambitious, selfless and determined, the hero of the war, the Jedi that had a heart. In the mind of Mayura, all of these things still remained true.

“Tell me what’s on your mind, My Lady.”

“The Princess, she’s more than what I suspected. I have every reason to believe that she inherited midi-chlorians from her mother. She is Force-sensitive.”

“Cheng,” Hawkmoth said bitterly. “Sabine Cheng.”

“You once admired the woman,” she said softly.

His breath hitched and his rage surrounded him. “And you know very well that what I once was is irrelevant. She was once a Jedi. The Jedi are the enemy of the Sith.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Don’t you dare forget that.”

“Of course not, my Lord.”

“What else?” he said, facing the other direction. The light fabric of his coat nearly pressed against her cheek.

“She wouldn’t say, but deep in her mind, I believe I saw it. She knows. She knows about the Miraculous. The ones you’ve been searching for.”

Hawkmoth turned to face her and suddenly his eyes were directly before her face and his hand was pushed firmly to her cheek. “Good work, Lady Mayura. I might just have to speak to this Princess myself.”

“Indeed,” Mayura said, with her smile growing wicked. “If anyone can break her, you can."

[spell-cleaver]

Astrophilia

@star-wars-wlweek

Day 6: Fake Dating/Marriage & Hurt/Comfort

Read it on AO3 and on FFN!

In a final world, the largest steps may be taken without a blink: acquaintances, allies, friends. But in the middle of a war comes the harsh reality that any close relationship is strained, any bond is forged and all are tested.

Some, despite the odds, hold true.

*

The nondescript ship they’d hired was the last place one would find a princess, so it was perfect. Add to that the fact that Tatooine was also the last place to look, and that she was wearing her hair in a plain bun tucked under her hood rather than her elaborate styles, and it became almost impossible that someone should recognise Leia in these clothes.

That didn’t make Qi’ra any less nervous. “We need to sell this, remember.”

“I remember.” Leia cast a look at herself in the mirror, grimacing at the beige robes she was wearing to blend in. Behind her, she saw Qi’ra make the same face. “Though there are plenty of people trying to fly under the radar here. I doubt anyone will look too closely.”

“Better safe than sorry.”

Leia nodded. She could respect that.

“What are our aliases again?” She turned back to Qi’ra as the beep went off that warned they’d be reverting to realspace, and headed to the cockpit.

“My contact was unfortunately obnoxious and gave me limited options, so I am Rey Salli and you are Anna Salli, my wife.”

“Your contact was obnoxious?”

“He knew this was supposed to be a quick job but decided to make us work for it.”

“We have to pretend to be married?”

“If you can stand to do so.”

Leia smiled. “I think I can, yeah.”

QI’ra met her gaze. “I’m only here because you’re paying me, remember.”

“I know.” Leia tamped down her disappointment. “And I appreciate that you keep sticking with the Alliance despite how poorly we do pay.”

“You pay—” She faltered. “Better than other jobs.”

No they didn’t.

Leia glanced at the monitor. “We’re reverting to realspace in five, four, three, two, one—”

They flashed into space above Tatooine, a yellow-brown dustball hanging in the viewport, two suns burning furiously in the distance. Despite what a miserable world she knew it to be—and despite Qi’ra’s stories of her own experiences there—she smiled at the sight of it.

This wasn’t a Rebel mission. This was a personal mission. She wanted to meet the brother she’d only just discovered, but she hardly wanted to lead any enemies tracking her towards him unless necessary. So… Qi’ra was helping.

Anchorhead had no spaceport, so they aimed for Mos Eisley instead. The comm crackled with a hail. “Unidentified transport, please give your name and passenger details.”

Imperial. Whether it was the Imps or the Hutts who had a grip on the spaceport seemed to change with the winds.

Qi’ra replied; her voice wasn’t known for borderline treasonous speeches. “This is the personal ship Dragonstar, owned by myself, Rey Salli, and my wife Anna.”

“Your wife also bears the name Salli?”

“Yes.”

“What is your business on Tatooine?”

“Business and distant family calls. My, uh, second cousin once removed and his wife invited us over.”

They could hear the long sigh on the other end and knew he could not be bothered to verify that. “Cleared. Be prepared to provide evidence of identification upon entry.”

The comm clicked off. Leia cast a glance at Qi’ra. “The Empire are really pushing back, aren’t they?”

Qi’ra didn’t take her eyes off the viewport, and the spaceport growing larger in the scope. “Stay alert.”

They landed, and as they walked down the ramp Qi’ra took Leia’s hand. She jerked with surprise, but didn’t have to fake the smile she gave her.

Qi’ra, against her will, smiled back.

They approached the door to the bay. Stormtroopers patrolled beyond, in the spaceport proper, and Leia tried to show no unease. An officer came to meet them at the door. “Identification?”

Qi’ra handed it over. He scanned it, and found no faults. “Continue.”

Leia nodded and smiled. “Thank you.”

He didn’t even look at her before he marched away. Rude, but thank the stars for it.

They rented a speeder and were hunting for Anchorhead by the time the suns began their descent, their long fabric head coverings flapping behind them in the wind. Of course, that was about the time Leia realised they were being followed.

“Qi’ra,” she murmured, leaning perhaps a little too close to her in the pilot’s seat. But they were pretending to be married anyway, and there were eyes on them, so… “I think a bounty hunter is following us.”

Qi’ra tensed up and glanced in the speeder’s mirrors. There was indeed a dark shadow on the horizon—far enough away that it could have been a trick of the light. But Leia knew when she was being followed, and she knew this desert was barren enough that they wouldn’t run into anyone else if they weren’t being followed.

“We can’t lead them to your brother’s home, and it’s hard to lose someone when there’s such a large open space,” Qi’ra murmured. “We could try to outrun them.”

“Or, we have to fly through the Jundland Wastes to get there anyway,” Leia pointed out. “We could hide in the rocks, and lose them out there.”

“They’ll be after you, of course.”

“I’m not that important.”

“There’s only one of them, right?”

Leia squinted. She couldn’t see very well, but she was pretty sure—“Yes, there’s only one.”

“There you go. You’re not that important.”

Leia wasn’t sure whether to laugh or scowl. She settled on laughing. “Fly faster and we’ll lose them over there.”

Qi’ra hit the accelerator and they shot off even faster. Fast enough that the speeder shuddered like flimsi in the wind and Qi’ra looked tense as a tow cable, but Leia put a hand on her shoulder and she relaxed.

Qi’ra said, “We’re out of sight now, you know. Of them and the Imperials. We don’t need to pretend.”

Leia pulled back her hand and nodded. “You’re right. We don’t need to.”

Qi’ra winced. “Leia—”

“Keep flying. We’ve lost them, but I don’t trust that they won’t catch up again soon.”

She kept flying. Leia kept her hands in her lap, perfectly proper. They came up to the Wastes and flew between the great walls of the canyon, watching it crook up towards the sky in massive hunks of sandstone.

Qi’ra’s hand slipped on the controls, sweaty from the heat, and Leia caught it automatically. She didn’t miss Qi’ra’s intake of breath but also didn’t let the touch linger, withdrawing quickly.

!I’m glad you trusted me to come and meet your brother,” Qi’ra offered. “Even if I’m leaving soon.”

Leia felt herself shutter her heart, almost on instinct. “You’re a valuable asset—you’re reliable, discreet and professional.”

“Yes. Professional.”

“We would very much like you in a more permanent role, but until then—duck.”

“Duck?”

“Duck.” Leia grabbed Qi’ra’s shoulders and threw her back, the bolt aimed at her head barely missing it. The speeder dived to the side—a last minute manoeuvre stopped them hitting the rocks.

“Is that the bounty hunter!?”

“They must’ve known a shortcut.” Leia drew her blaster. “You fly.”

She scanned the sky—there. A few metres above them, where the canyon wall sank. A figure crouched with a sniper rifle, their back to the suns, but she thought she could take them out even with her eyes dazzled—

She fired off a volley of shots. They missed. She fired again.

Qi’ra shouted. The speeder swerved. Her aim struck true, the bounty hunter falling to the canyon floor, but Leia dived across the speeder to grab the controls and bring them to a halt as Qi’ra gasped and clutched her shoulder.

Leia grimaced.

That was… a lot of blood.

“Is he dead?” Qi’ra gritted out. Leia barely heard it at first, too busy yanking open the medkit for bacta and gauze.

“I said, is he dead.”

Leia peeled the ruined clothes back from the wound. It looked bad. “Yeah. He’s dead.”

Qi’ra relaxed.

Leia started cleaning the wound, gripping her hand and squeezing it when Qi’ra hissed. “I… can’t do too much for this here. We’ll have to wait til we get to the homestead. It’s not far.”

Qi’ra leaned against her as they switched seats, and Leia tried to ignore her own heartrate. “Was he after you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Check.”

Leia went to check. The bounty puck that stared back at her when she went through his things wasn’t what she expected.

“It’s for you,” she told Qi’ra when she returned. “From Crimson Dawn.”

Qi’ra peered at the bounty. “Not much there.”

“Better for staying alive.”

“I know. I’m insulted, but glad.”

They sat together, staring at it a little. Qi’ra was deadly still.

Leia put a hand on her good shoulder. “Lie back. I’ll make a bed. Then we’ll get to the homestead as fast as possible.” The sunset was tinting the world with colour now, and the shadows of Qi’ra’s delicate face were cast in red and gold.

Qi’ra studied her, suspicious of her tenderness, but eventually she consented to lie back, a slow sigh seeping out of her as she did.

Leia took the controls and flew on, keeping a close eye on her companion, until the sunset enveloped them both.