#jedi of the dune sea

[pedroam-bang]

Star Wars Galaxy Of Adventures (2019)

[siryl]

A digital painting of Boba Fett by Vinnie Tartamella.

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Dune Sea Palace by Karl Fitzgerald

[jonberry555]

#fromacertainointofview #returnofthejedi Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight by Thea Guanzon Review

My Review of Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight' by Thea Guanzon the fifth story from From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi 40 Stories Celebrating 40 Years of Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi.

[thenookspace]

#star wars#oh oh oh but#freshly broken free cody goes looking for obi-wan and follows the rumours of a secretive loner#around whom some really weird things happen almost as of by some mysterious invisible power#and it makes sense#obi-wan has always felt too much (too much responsibility too much love too much guilt) if you knew to look beyond his self-control#and tatooine is where he met skywalker whom obi-wan raised and loved and likely still can't let go despite what's become of him#so cody goes to tatooine and chases leads and snoops and sneaks and finally finally it pays off and he's face to face with---#not his jedi#imagine you are one of the other non-obi-wan jedi hiding out on tatooine#you get tracked down by a kriffing purge trooper oh shit oh shit this is it they've found you you're done#and as you prepare for your final stand#the purge trooper - the embodiment of your nightmares - the unfeeling killer - just.#falls to his knees and apart at the sight of you#because apparently you weren't whom he was looking for and by being you you have dashed his desperate hope that his jedi managed to survive#but he's not he's gone and *he* killed him

THIS!!!

Obi-Wan, Nari (Obi-Owan Kenobi TV show), Jay (Visions) and A'Sharad Hett (legends comics) are all jedi that end up on Tatooine after order 66. That might not seem like a lot, but there were only 10,000 jedi before order 66, and probably only a few hundred after it. Also there are about 3.2 billion systems in the galaxy. This means Tatooine was probably the most common jedi hiding spot.

[imgeekgirlfan]

The Curse of Cassandra│(Qimir x Reader)

Read in Ao3 : here

Pairings:  Qimir x f!reader(SEA Reader)  [The Acolyte]

Content Rating : Mature 18+  Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warning (AT YOUR OWN RISK)

tags/themes : Alternate Universe - Dune & Star wars, Partners in Crime, Strangers to Lovers

Summary: Being a prophet is both a gift and a curse; you see the future and you’re burdened with the weight of knowing that every decision you make could shape or destroy entire universe, with the overwhelming pressure that the fate of the galaxy hinges on your choice, and every path fraught with sacrifice.

Status: Completed (Finally! 😭)

A/N : I'm thai and english isn't my first language (sorry for the broken English)

This fic exists 'cause I got high (thanks to weed!). So my work's full of random shit in many ways. But I hope you'll dig it.

I got inspo from novels and movies I'm obsessed with: Dune, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Blue Eye Samurai, and Anne Carson's Cassandra Float Can. (Hence the title "The Curse of Cassandra," linking to the Greek myth)

It's a mash-up of different universes, not just Star Wars, with a lot of tweaks for my storyline. If you want fanfic that strict Star Wars canon, this fic isn't for you.

Also, diversity FTW! the reader in this fic isn't white, she's a SEA woman, we gonna representing ASEAN pride.

➡  EP : 1 // EP : 2 // EP : 3 // EP : 4 // EP : 5 // EP : 6 // EP : 7 // EP : 8 // EP : 9 // EP : 10 // EP : 11 // EP : 12 // EP : 13 // EP : 14 (Completed)

[Intro] A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away

What fate could be worse? 

Being captured by Jedi 

Or being hunted by Sith

You close your eyelids, frowning at the stabbing sensation creeping into your brain. It's always like this when you try to sink into the stream of time, pondering what's yet to come. The price for this wicked foresight is torment of both body and soul, intensifying as your senses expand.

You see, you hear, you feel. The moisture in the air, the sound of water droplets hitting the ground, the wind rustling through the grass, the capillaries in your nasal cavities twisting and rupturing before blood gushes from your nose.

As you casually wipe away the red fluid with the back of your hand, you suddenly realize certain truths that have always been part of you. 

You are an aberration, something repulsive. An Abomination. 

And abominations must be eliminated—so they say.

You let out a long sigh, allowing your mind to drift through the past, present, and future—every possible event and situation. You watch it all with a numb mind, as if you've seen the same movie hundreds or thousands of times, a movie whose ending you already know well.

Yet there's one thing you still don't know: which ending will the path you're on now lead to?

Something pulls you out of your meditation, coinciding with the moment you sense someone's piercing gaze openly fixed upon you. That man is watching you from the shadows behind a large tree, not with malicious intent but with curiosity mixed with several other complex emotions too ambiguous to explain.

You remain seated in meditation at the same spot, amidst the blood and corpses of the Jedi, not daring to move, almost forgetting even to breathe.

You are the last one still breathing, the final victim of the Jedi massacre carried out by the mysterious Sith—The Stranger who is now closely observing you.

His face is completely hidden beneath a dark, twisted metal mask. Yet you can still feel his gleaming eyes surveying your body, as far as sight allows, focusing excessively, even invasively.

The curiosity in his mind is so intense that you find yourself trembling.

You see visions of what might happen—there's a high chance he'll rush in to slice you to pieces with his red lightsaber, searching for secrets or whatever might be hidden inside your body. Or he might subjugate you with his Force, using his power to penetrate your mind, deep into your subconscious, hoping to taste the forbidden fruit of secrets that you alone possess.

But he will never know, as long as you don't wish him to.

The scent of death hangs heavy in the air as heavy footsteps crunch over gravel, approaching you slowly, like a predator toying with its prey. You freeze, every muscle in your body tense, as you face the tall figure in dark cloak, his visage concealed behind a strange metal mask carved into a distorted smile.

For a moment, this man reminds you of the grim reaper from ancient religious myths that vanished thousands of years ago.

He is the harbinger of death everywhere he goes, including your own death

Awareness strikes like a warning signal. Various possibilities flash through your memory, similar to how a dying person recalls everything that happened in their life.

You instantly realize how crucial this moment is. This is an incredibly fragile juncture. 

There's a fifty percent chance he'll kill you, and another fifty percent chance he'll spare your life. 

Fear spreads throughout your flesh, imprinting itself on your soul, turning your blood ice-cold. Your pulse races with panic. 

You take a deep breath, quickly focusing, trying hard to regain control of your shaken mind. "I must not fear," you mutter to yourself, the same phrase your mother used to teach you as a child. "Fear is the mind-killer, fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration..." 

A low, hoarse laugh escapes from behind the metal mask. Clearly, he heard what you said. "Oh, I think you should fear," he says, his words teetering between mockery and sarcasm.

You know he wants you to fear because, for the Sith, fear leads to power.

 You do the opposite, swallowing the lump of fear in your throat, maintaining a calm demeanor as you force a faint smile for the person before you. 

"Humans fear what they don't know, just as they fear me, and just as they fear you." You pause momentarily, carefully considering your final sentence, which could determine your fate. 

Finally, you speak, firm and unwavering, "But I know you, so I do not fear." 

There's a fifty percent chance he'll kill you, and another fifty percent chance he'll spare your life—this thought returns to your mind once more.

He had always kept his secret well, never letting anyone who knew his true identity survive.

You know well that your revelation will bring about an end that changes everything, both for better and for worse.

This is the gamble you've already placed your bet on, for this purpose and for this moment.

The lightsaber hilt in his hand remains tightly closed, showing no sign of the red flame that has taken countless lives. He kneels before you, his action clearly revealing vulnerabilities in his body. You could easily grab the lightsaber from the Jedi's corpse and behead him in one stroke.

But you don't kill him, just as he doesn't kill you.

You look into his eyes, he looks into yours, gauging each other in silence.

His large hand reaches beneath his mask, unlocks the mechanism, and slowly removes it, revealing the familiar face in your sight.

His face is sharp in every proportion, with messy jet-black hair. His eyes, once gentle when touched by sunlight, now cold as ice, contrast starkly with the smile slowly spreading wide, in the same fashion as the smile on the mask he wore earlier.

"Qimir"

His name sounds strange when you utter it, as if it's not a name you're familiar with, and the man before you is not the man you know.

The man chuckles softly and moves even closer, cutting off any chance for you to escape. You swallow hard, trying to turn your face away from his intense gaze. But he doesn't let you. His fingers, wet with others' blood, dig into both of your cheeks, pressing hard enough to hurt, forcing you to look only at him.

"Surprised?" He leans in closer, his hot breath on your face, and whispers softly in your ear, "I told you, you can't run away from me."

[marvelstars]

Anakin and Slavers

"His undoing is that he loveth too much"

George Lucas

One thing that I always liked about George´s work in relation to Anakin and slavery is how out of the left field he and Dave Filoni wrote Anakin´s relationship to the people who owned or saw him as a property at one point or another and yet it makes total sense for his character.

For example kid Anakin has no doubt that Slavery is horrible and at 9 he is actually working towards developing technology to help free his Mom, friends and himself from it. He hates with capital H the fact those people have control over the life and death of other people but at the same time he has great compassion and kindness which his mother helped nurture. This along with the fact that Watto was the only adult male figure who was around during his early chilldhood, this complicated his feelings towards slavers in a very tragic way.

Anakin feared Watto´s violence and didn´t for a moment doubt he would have been willing to sell off his mother or him if the customer got to a big enough price but at the same time he listens to his advice when he travels to the dune sea to do his work with the jawas and his pov is almost as important as his Mom´s, in the novelization of TPM Anakin remembers not to talk to strangers or to get close to Tuskens Raiders camps thanks to Watto´s advice.

So in Anakin´s mind, Watto is someone he fears but also someone he takes advice from, respects to a point, sometimes gets sassy to and actually listens to almost as a father figure BUT at the same time he has no doubt he would activate the killing chip if he tried to escape.

Pain/abuse/fear mixed with care/advice(sounds familiar?) Anakin knows slavery is awful but he can´t help but see Watto as a person because of who Anakin is, Annie is a kind and understanding person and to point may justify Watto as a "Man of bussines" and "Not as bad a other masters" "It could be worse" but he definitely doesn´t trust him in the same way he does his mother, she is blood, she is family. He and Mom are a team.They shared their secrets.

The first time Anakin saw Watto again after being freed, he was a Jedi with training, almost a knight and the first thing he does to the guy who beat him and his Mom some years ago is to ask him if he can help with the ship parts Watto is working on because he noticed Watto is struggling and his bussines is falling down compared to how it was when Anakin was a kid. When Watto noticed who Anakin was he didn´t reject him and accepted his congratulations but keep himself appart, hoping to learn about his mother whereabouts.

When Watto told Anakin he sold Shmi, Anakin doesn´t have a reaction, he takes Watto´s justification of "I am sorry Ani but bussines are bussines and anyway the person who bought her freed her and married her" Anakin doubts it´s as good a picture as Watto is talking about but he takes his justification and leaves.

When he meets Owen, Beru and Cliegg he sees they are indeed nice people and the reason for his mothers suffering is something completely different that they were not able to stop so he doesn´t blame them for her fate. When Anakin lost his mother it was only natural for him to seek a family, someone he could share how he really felt and his secrets, he could not be part of the Lars family but Padme was willing to love him so she became his new confirmed family, right along with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka but while he had to show himself different to them, he didn´t had to do that with Padme, just like he did with his mother.

In the clone wars Anakin shows again this complex view of slavers with Queen Miraj Scintel, the cartoon goes out of it´s way to show she looked at him as pretty property and he didn´t let her forget that and actually it was strongly suggested he may have been raped by her at some point to keep safe Obi-Wan, Rex, Ahsoka as well as the people they wanted to save while he got enough soldiers to stage their rescue. Anakin had a plan the whole time just as he did as a kid so he keep his cool even when he saw another slave choose suicide over keep being under the control of Scintel. Yet in the end when the Queen was killed by Count Dooku Anakin felt sorry for her, he could not help it.

So this mix of rejection/anger/hate/disgust towards slavers mixed with pity/understanding which is something that was part of what made Anakin a good person gets used agaisn´t him in his relationship with Palpatine.

He first shows himself as the father figure Anakin thought he could find in Qui-Gon before he died a better father figure than Watto had been, a father figure that didn´t reject this title like ObiWan did, Palpatine did this to get his trust as a young child and later young adult and then he showed himself as the real sith master he actually was, Palpatine knew that Anakin wasn´t a stranger to be treated as property by people who showed themselves as good advicers or somehow not as bad as others despite their actions. So Anakin´s initial compassion, kindness and understanding for people that abused him is played agaisn´t him to make him fall to the darkside and chain himself again to another worse master who didn´t just seek to use his skills and body but who wanted his soul as well.

And the same reasons why Anakin justified Watto at first when he was a young kid also applied to Palpatine, he may be a sith but he ran the Republic better than those corrupt politicians, he isn´t a perfect Emperor but in Padme´s absence he is better than the alternatives. He isn´t as bad as a master and anyway I deserve this because I fell to the darkside and nobody can come back from that, if he abuses me I got this coming because I choose this and he still teaches me the ways of the force, he rescued me from Mustafar when Obi-Wan left me to die and he didn´t have to, he is all I have left.

So once Anakin´s voice died down Vader was left with many reasons to say to Palpatine "What´s your bidding my master?" because in his mind master isn´t a word that contradicts father and Palpatine became his father in all but name, this makes George´s words about Anakin fatal flaw being the fact he loved too much make complete sense and it´s a tragedy.

[happy-beeeps]

for the prompt list you just reblogged, what about "i didn't sign up for this" with either obi-wan kenobi or the bad batcher of your choice?

I’m on the run (with you my sweet love)

Pairing: obi-wan x reader

WC: 1.2k

Summary: after hearing that obi-wan is living in exile, you do your best to find him, determined to live out your lives together as you’d dreamed.

Suggested listening: Chemtrails over the country club by Lana Del Rey

A/N: IM SO BAD AT ANSWERING OH MY GOD. Thank you for the request I’m so excited!!! tbh, I struggled with this so hard because I physically cannot give Obi-Wan an angsty situation but we made it work hehehe. Obi-Wan is both my fav Star Wars man (which surprises people sometimes) and one of the characters I write the least, so this was SO fun! Sorry it’s so short, but I plan on writing much more for him soon!❤️🫶🥰

The house was small, really just a small kitchenette and living space with a bed nook off to the side. Like all houses in the dune sea, it was low in the ground, slatted windows up high on the walls to offer light with as little heat as possible. You wouldn’t call it nice by any means, not compared to what you’ve lived in before, but it had a certain coziness that had excited you. You had flushed out your credits just as soon as Bail had told you of Obi-Wan’s exile, and gotten yourself on the first ship to Mos Eisley that you could. The house had been easy enough to find, there were plenty of people in Mos Eisley eager to sell property to someone, particularly when that someone came with a sack of credits.

The hard part was finding Obi-Wan.

You spent the morning in the center of Mos Eisley, gathering supplies and what small furnishings you could transport for your new home, listening intently for anything. Any word of a newcomer, any whispers of the fall of the Jedi. Unfortunately (or fortunately) no one said anything.

Beru and Owen were the obvious next choice, and they came with much greater information than you had anticipated. You hadn’t met Anakin’s brother and sister-in-law before, but you had seen holos of them during your nights in with Padmé. Owen had been… reluctant to talk to you, but Beru had quickly pointed you in the direction of the cave Obi-Wan had been hiding out in the past few rotations, not terribly far from your home or the Larrs homestead.

Which is how you found yourself here, at the mouth of a cave, a fabric shawl draped carefully over your shoulders to protect as much of you as possible from the blazing Tatooine suns.

It was easy to walk into, and the dark walls and open space gave the whole space a chill in the air that hung itself uncomfortably around your shoulders. He wasn’t here, but there were signs of him present. A rucksack with some rations and credits, his robes and tunic–carefully folded in a pile resting on a large stone, and a small lamp. You ran your hands down the soft fabric of the robe, before picking it up and bringing it close to you. It smelled just like him, and for the first moment in what felt like a millenia, you let yourself ache in your chest. You had missed him something awful, worried something awful. When Padmé had explained what had happened, what he would have to do, you had feared the worst.

When none of them came back, you had all but accepted it.

“Don’t move.”

The voice that came from the cave mouth was cold and cautious, strong and intimidating. It was also home.

“Ben,” you whispered, using the nickname you had given him some night who knows how many moons ago, hoping to show him you were you. You were here.

You removed the shawl slowly as he stepped out of the mouth of the cave, his form no longer silhouetted against the blinding sun. His hair was looking slightly ragged, the tunic he wore now hung awkwardly on his frame–it must’ve been a loan from Owen you decided.

“Is it really you?” he asked, walking up to you cautiously, moving slowly as if you were made of mist that would simply vanish if he got too close. The sun had already begun to bring out even more freckles across his skin, growing ruddy with exposure.

“I’m here to take you home with me,” you murmured, closing the gap between the two of you and pulling him close to you, one hand cradling the back of his head while he pressed soft kisses into the crook of your neck.

“You can’t, I have to stay here. I can’t return to Coruscant with you.”

You pulled back for a moment, brushing the hair away from his face, “who said anything about Coruscant?” Before he could answer, you pressed your lips to his, capturing him in a kiss meant to soothe yourself and reassure him. He was alive. You were here. The rest you could figure out together.

* * *

You hadn’t said much on the walk back to your home, hadn’t been able to. Obi-Wan refused to let go of you, his hand lingering on a spot on your body at any moment. It was as if he was finally allowing himself these open, semi-public touches at last, though you knew the price of this freedom had been costly.

When you approached your home, you led him down to the living quarters and quickly worked at getting a small iced tea ready while he settled in. Well, attempted to settle.

“You bought this? Here?”

“You think I’d rent? In this economy?” You scoffed, and he gave you a lighthearted smile in return as you guided him towards the small sofa in the middle of the room. “I’ve only been here a few rotations, been looking for you,” you moved to settle beside him, knees clinking into one another with a familiarity you had been longing for. “You’re a hard man to find Master Kenobi.”

“I didn’t realize you’d be looking,” he reached over to place a hand on your cheek, steadying himself against you for a moment. It had taken you the better part of the afternoon to get from the cave to your home, and your living room was now painted in the orange and magenta hues of the setting suns, low light making him look even softer than you had imagined. “To be quite honest, I feared you’d assumed the worst.”

“Then you don’t know me at all.”

He pulled your head closer to him, bringing his forehead to yours in a sweet, intimate gesture. “I cannot put you in danger, I will not. You’re a senator, you cannot give up your life for me. You didn’t sign up for this.”

“I’m more than just a senator you know,” you breathed, your eyes fluttering open to look into his while his breath hitched in his throat, “as per that night on Chandrila, I’m your wife. You think I don’t want to be here? That I didn’t sign up for this? I said "till death”, Kenobi, and I meant it.”

“I couldn’t contact you, I’ve had to close myself off to the Force since arriving. I’ve lost so much. I cannot lose you dearest.”

You moved closer to him to bridge the gap between your mouths again, breathing a simple, “you’ll never have to,” as you did. This time you kissed him with the fervor and passion of a woman coming home, and he drank you in like a man lost in a desert. Which, you suppose he was. Here was your Obi-Wan, your Ben, wrapped in your arms and in your home for as long as you’d like. You were free to press yourself against his freckled chest and trace the starlight colored scars across his skin. You could live in the serendipitous bliss of him, his smell of caf and leather and something woody, the kind way he carried himself.

It had cost you both everything, had cost the Republic, but at last you were free to be Obi-Wan Kenobi’s wife in more than just secrecy, your sanctuary guarded by the twin suns of Tatooine.

[letmehavemyfictionalmen]

Star Crossed; Star-Collide: chapter I

Summary: As a bounty hunter, Din has completed his mission, however, he is unbeknownst to the storm that will knock the wind out of him, literally.

pairing: Din Djarin x afab!Skywalker!reader

warning: 18+ content, Eventual smut, Unprotected sex, Violence, Blood, Age-Gap, Kidnapping, Domestic Bliss, Fluff, a sprinkle of Angst, Idiots in love, Flirting, possessive!Din, powerful!reader, Jedi!reader, Grogu being adorable, Grogu loves his Ma more than his buir.

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The Nevarro desert sprawls out before you, a vast canvas of parched earth that seems to stretch beyond the horizon. Endless dunes of golden sand undulate like a sea frozen in time, while jagged rocks jut out like the teeth of some great beast, scattered haphazardly across the landscape.

The winds whisper a mournful song, carrying with them the sense of utter isolation and a haunting desolation. There is no life in this forsaken place, only the vast emptiness of the shifting sands and a never-ending solitude that engulfs everything in its path.

The star above glows with fervor, its radiance spilling over the land, igniting a heat that suffuses every grain of sand. The air trembles with the sun's intensity, the weight of its brilliance pressing down upon the desert like a hammer.

As if locked in a dance with the arid earth, the sun paints the world in shades of gold and ochre, conjuring an austere beauty in the midst of its scorching assault.

You traverse the vastness of the desert, silence reigning supreme, broken only by the sound of sand crunching beneath your feet. The untamed essence of this barren land engulfs you, but you remain unrelenting, unwavering in your quest

The ivory of your Jedi robes glows against the ashen sand, stark and luminous against the muted desert backdrop. The black of your belt and boots adds depth to your monochrome attire, and your cloak, rippling behind you like a shadow, lends an air of mystery to your austere appearance.

Looking every bit of Obi-Wan’s apprentice, A hushed voice travels with the wind, caressing your ears. You recognize it instantly, the familiar timbre of your mentor Obi-Wan.

Gliding alongside you is Beeb, your trusty astromech droid, a blur of orange and white against the beige sand. Its head, round and dome-shaped, swivels with a keen and curious eye, scanning the endless surroundings.

The stillness of the desert is interrupted only by the gentle hum of Beeb's servos, harmonizing with the soft whisper of the wind.

You watch over him with a protective gaze, your heart filling with a maternal sense of duty. "Take care, little one," you whisper, your voice carried away by the hot winds.

Beeb zips back to your side, emitting a joyful chirp that resonates with the purity of a bird's song happily. Your lips curl into a crescent moon of joy, a twinkle in your eye as you witness Beeb's playful antics.

Beeb swivels his dome-shaped head, emitting a series of chirps and whistles that resemble a curious inquiry. ‘Mama, where are we going?’

A soft chuckle escapes your lips, as if carried on a breeze of mirth at Beeb’s innocent query.

Patting his metallic head and rubbing it as in a way to ruffle his hair gently. "There is a child, Beeb. We must rescue him from the Imperial Remnant." Your voice imbued with unshakable resolve.

‘A child! I get a sibling. That means R2D2 won’t tease me for being the youngest.’ Beeb lets out a series of excited chirps, almost child-like in nature. His head spins around in every direction, as if searching for the little one himself.

A beam of happiness spreads across your face at Beeb's enthusiasm, feeling a sense of warmth in your heart. It's been a long time since you've seen anyone so purely happy and carefree.

It reminds you of your own childhood, before the weight of the galaxy was thrust upon your shoulders.

"I know, Beeb. He's quite the special little guy. I can't wait for you to meet him." Your words are punctuated by a gentle laugh.

The little droid chirps with excitement, his movements quick and sprightly. You follow closely, trying to keep up with his energy as he rolls ahead, leading the way.

The endless expanse of desert still stretches out before you, but Beeb's child-like enthusiasm brings a sense of joy to the journey.

Together, you press on through the harsh terrain, Beeb's infectious happiness making each step a little lighter, each gust of sand a little more bearable.

Through the cacophonous streets of Nevarro, Din strides with a solemn gait, the metallic plates of his armor echoing a rhythmic beat that echoes through the throng of people.

The bustling market envelops the city streets, stalls brimming with wares to behold. Each vendor calls out to passersby, their voices echoing through the narrow alleys as hurried feet beat a steady rhythm on the worn stones beneath.

Din threads his way through the thriving market, the polished metal of his armor gleaming in the scorching sun, capturing the attention of every passerby.

Undeterred by the chaos of the busy market and the looks he receives, Din strides forward with a sense of purpose.

His attention remains steadfast on the task at hand, his thoughts consumed by the mission that has brought him back to this bustling city.

Din treads deeper into the maze of Nevarro's streets, slipping between shadows and darting through sunlight, his every step deliberate and steady as he navigates the twisting alleys.

As Din rounds the corner, his gaze falls upon the entrance to the clandestine Imperial facility, nestled amid the bustling Nevarro market. But in his periphery, a lone rubbish bin catches his eye, discarded and forgotten in the dusty shadows of the narrow alleyway.

Gazing into the dusty bin, Din beholds a heartbreaking sight - the remnants of the child's floating pram now shattered and broken beyond repair.

Din's heart sears with fiery pain, his gaze fixated upon the shattered remnants of the child's once safe haven. The pram, once a symbol of hope and protection, now lies destroyed, its pieces scattered amongst the filth and debris.

Regret grips Din like a vice, squeezing his heart with a brutal force as he recalls the moment he surrendered the Child to the Imperial Remnants.

His fists coil and release, a surge of guilt overwhelming him. A sense of failure seizes his heart, a heavy burden he bears as he paces the alley.

His mind whirls, seeking a solution to the wrongs he's allowed to befall the innocent. A plan he must devise, a way to redeem himself and rescue the Child from the hands of the Imperials.

A burden of guilt crushes his heart as he comprehends the peril that the Child faces. He senses the urgency to act, to save the innocent one from harm's way.

Filled with righteous fury and a burning desire for retribution, Din sets off on a path of vengeance.

For the Empire's cruelty to the Child, they will pay a fee. A debt that only he, the Mandalorian, can claim.

Prostrate atop a terrace, far removed from the grasp of the Imperial agents, Din steadies his gaze through the Amban sniper's lens, locked on the looming Imperial stronghold.

A soft touch to his helmet's earpiece and the mechanism within it hums with life, carrying distant conversations to Din's ear.

Static echoes in Din's ears, as he moves the sniper lens, trying the locate the Child, however, as he scans the base, his attention is drawn to a new scene unfolding before him: the thermal image of the Imperial client and Dr. Pershing.

Their voices, distant and distorted, crackle through his comms. He adjusts the frequency, tuning out the static until the conversation between the Imperial client and Dr. Pershing fills his ears like poison.

"I don't care." The Imperial clients travel through Din's comms. "I order you to extract the necessary material and be done with it."

The Imperial agent's orders blare through Din's comms, their cold and callous tones cutting through his heart like a blade. "I don't care. I order you to extract the necessary material and be done with it." they command as if the life of a child is nothing but a mere trifle to be disposed of at will.

For a while, the voices fade into the hiss of static, the words drowned in a sea of white noise.

With a gentle twist of the knob, Din awaits the return of the conversation, the static hum slowly dissipating, and the sound of voices filling the air once more.

The doctor's voice breaks the silence, his words dripping with obedience, "He has explicitly ordered us to bring it back alive."

"Finish your business quickly, as I no longer can guarantee your safety." The Imperial Client's words travel through the air, a warning of imminent danger.

The beskar helmet conceals the furrow on Din's brow, perplexed by the Imperial Client's cryptic words.

No longer guarantee the safety of the doctor? What is the Imperial agent talking about? Who was this threat that shook the resolve of this hidden Imperial base?

It fills Din with an unknown sense of relief as he realizes that the Imperial agents fear something to the point where they longer feel safe hiding here. For if they fear something enough to flee, then perhaps the Child may yet have a chance at survival.

Thoughts race through Din's mind as he surveys the scene, his voice muffled by the helmet that conceals his emotions. "What are they afraid of? Who is this threat?"

"It is I, they fear, Mandalorian."

A tense stillness grips Din's form, as a distinct hum, like a shrill electrical buzz, reverberates through the air behind him.

Amidst the chaos of his thoughts, a moment of reckoning grips Din like a vice, and he curses himself for his lack of vigilance. His eyes, once sharp and alert, now narrow with anger and frustration, as he realizes the gravity of his mistake.

With steady hands, Din relinquishes his grip on the rifle, previously trained upon the Imperial stronghold. Silently, with calculated precision, his hand glides downward, towards the leather holster secured to his left thigh, where the blaster rests within its sheath.

With quickness unmatched, Din draws his weapon from its sheath, rolling onto his back in one fluid motion. From this vulnerable position, he trains the weapon on the looming figure standing behind him, ready to defend himself against any threat.

Confronting him is a presence, tall and imposing. The figure is draped in flowing white robes, the starkness of which is accented by a contrasting black belt.

Behind them, a cloak of the deepest black dances in the wind, as if daring anyone to challenge the power of the one who wears it.

The figure holds a weapon that Din has only heard in a hushed tone, spoken in reverential tones and remembered with reverence, for those who wielded it were lost to the purge, gone without a trace.

The once-forgotten weapon, now in the possession of an enigmatic form, is wielded with practiced ease and lethal finesse, each hand brandishing one of the glowing blades.

Din offers gratitude to the stars above, for the knowledge imparted by the Armourer, which he now recalls as a child, the different variations of the lightsabers.

The Mandalorian's gaze fixates on the left hand of the figure, beholding the double-bladed lightsaber glowing in hues of royal purple, while the right-hand holds a dual-phased lightsaber emanating a vivid green radiance.

"A Jetii." Din's lips part, his breath caught in his chest as he beholds the figure before him, a being of power and ancient wisdom.

"A Mandalorian." The words uttered by the figure are infused with a sense of serenity, a voice of balance and control.

The voice of the figure reaches Din's ears, and a sudden realization dawns upon him. This is no mere figure, but a woman of immense power, her words carrying a weight that stirs something deep within him.

A shiver runs down his spine, as he realizes the magnitude of his opponent - a Jetii, armed with weapons of deadly prowess. He knows he stands no chance against such might.

Din's senses flare with a sudden urgency, and his body responds with a lightning-quick roll, narrowly evading the Jetii's sudden lunge. His muscles tense, his reflexes honed from a life of constant danger.

The graceful and deadly strike of her dual lightsabers slices through the air where Din had been just a moment before. The sound of the humming blades echoes off the surrounding structures, a symphony of danger and death.

Din's heart races with adrenaline as he quickly springs to his feet, his own weapons at the ready. He knows he's outmatched, but he refuses to go down without a fight.

Din regains his footing with a graceful sway, his blaster at the ready, aimed at the Jetii. Yet her movements are too swift, her form too lithe, as she sidesteps each shot with poise and ease, the double-bladed lightsaber a blur of purple, effortlessly blocking his every attempt.

Din grunts as he swiftly steps back, creating distance between himself and the woman. With fluid motions, he draws his amban rifle/spear from his back, ready for the woman's next move. As she lunges towards him with her green lightsaber, Din expertly parries her attack.

Din charges forward, his rifle at the ready, but the woman is too quick. She leaps over him, somersaulting in mid-air, and lands behind him. Before he can turn around, she delivers a swift kick to his back, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Stepping forward, the woman's words are sharp and unforgiving. "You are a Mandalorian, revered warrior. Family is paramount to you, younglings are precious to your kind. I have respect for your way of life, but I must ask, why did you surrender the Child to the Imperials?"

Din tries to stand up but he is still disoriented from the kick. He glares at the woman, anger simmering within him. "That's none of your business," he growls, his hand hovering over his holster.

He doesn't know who she is or how she knows about the Child, but her words hit him hard.

The woman narrows her eyes, her lightsabers still ignited. "It is my business when it concerns the safety of a child. The Jedi are the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, even though there are only two left, it is our duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves."

Din grits his teeth and slowly pushes himself back up, his eyes never leaving the Jetii. "It's complicated," he answers, his voice tense.

The woman tilts her head, her eyes probing. "Complicated," she repeats, a note of skepticism in her voice.

"I am a Mandalorian. Our code of honour includes fulfilling one's obligations and completing jobs. I was obliged by my creed to finish the job." Din tries to reason but knows that even the Mandalorians don't leave children behind.

The woman's stance stiffens, her body a seething cauldron of rage, emanating a fiery aura. "Your creed should also include protecting the innocent, especially the young. You know as well as I do that the Imperials won't treat that child kindly. You had a chance to make a difference, to save a life, and you chose to ignore it."

Din's head droops in shame, the weight of the woman's words crushing him. He has fallen short of his Mandalorian code, failing to protect the youngling. "I... I know. I was wrong," he admits, his voice barely above a whisper. "I have to make it right. I have to get him back."

The woman's lightsabers fall silent, their deadly hum fading as she deactivates them. Din's gaze follows as she gracefully returns the weapons to her belt, then lowers the hood that had obscured her face.

And wow.

Din's heart quickens its pace as the woman lowers her hood, revealing her face at last. But it is not just her physical beauty that holds him captive. In her eyes, there burns a fierce intensity, a wisdom that he has never before encountered. 4

Her gaze pierces through him like a blaster bolt, and he feels a strange stirring within him, a stirring of awe and admiration.

It feels like she is seeing straight into the depths of his soul. A captivating aura emanates from her, enveloping Din in a trance-like state.

At this moment, all of his thoughts, concerns, and fears seem to vanish, leaving him lost in the hypnotic gaze of this enigmatic woman.

Din's mind goes blank as he gazes upon her, forgetting the conflict that had brought them face to face. The way the light dances around her, the gentle slope of her features, the spark in her gaze - all of it blends together to create a breathtaking portrait that he cannot help but be captivated by.

Her voice echoes in Din's mind, her words piercing through his thoughts like a sharp blade. He feels the weight of her gaze upon him, and he struggles to maintain his composure. Her presence is like a force of nature, commanding his attention with ease.

As she speaks, he finds himself lost in the rhythm of her words, the cadence of her voice like a soothing melody. He tries to focus on what she is saying, but his mind is distracted by the beauty of her being. The way she speaks, the way she stands it's as if he's in a dream that he never wants to wake up from.

'You're not a boy anymore,' he reminds himself, 'you're a bounty hunter, a Mandalorian.' The words echo in his mind, a mantra to steel himself.

He musters all his inner strength, fighting against the temptation to be entranced by her allure. He forces his mind back to the present, determined to cast aside the alluring distractions and attend to the matter at hand.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make it right," Din declares, his voice filled with a deep-seated conviction.

The woman nods a sense of understanding in her eyes. "I believe you," she says softly. "But words are meaningless without action. If you truly want to make it right, then you must find the Child and bring him back to his own kind, where he will be safe and learn more about himself."

He nods, determination setting in. "I won't let him be hurt."

The woman regards Din for a moment, before extending her hand out to help him up. "Good," she says, motioning to the Imperial Base with her head. "Because we have work to do."

Din feels a wave of gratitude washes over him at the woman's words. He had been so sure he was doing the right thing by handing the child over to the Imperials, but now he realizes the gravity of his mistake.

Accepting the woman's outstretched hand, Din rises to his feet, his heart still racing from the intensity of the fight. He looks at her with deep appreciation and nods in gratitude. The woman takes a step back, giving him space to retrieve his weapons from the ground.

As Din's hands reach for his rifle on the ground, a flicker of movement catches his attention from the corner of his eye, and his muscles tense as he recognizes the source.

Din's gaze follows as an astromech droid BB-8 unit rolls out from its spot, and over to the woman. Her smile shines like a sunbeam, casting a warm glow over everything around her. She kneels in front of the droid and tenderly pats its spherical head, a gesture that seems to radiate with pure kindness.

Din's eyes narrow, a flicker of suspicion crossing his features as he observes the woman's interaction with the astromech droid. His gut churns with a deep-seated distrust of the machines, borne from past traumas and scars.

The weight shifts on his feet, his body poised like a coiled spring, ready to strike if the droid were to make any sudden moves.

The woman senses Din's unease and rises to her feet, turning her gaze toward him. "Don't worry, Beeb has been with me since I was a child. He is on our side." she says reassuringly, a faint smile gracing her lips.

Din remains skeptical, but the woman's words give him pause. He relaxes slightly but keeps a watchful eye on the droid. "I've had my fair share of run-ins with droids. Can't say I trust them much," he admits gruffly.

The woman nods in understanding. "I understand, but please know that I built him myself and imbued him with the same spirit of loyalty and honor that I strive to embody. He has been with my brother and me through the toughest of battles. You have nothing to fear from him, Mandalorian."

Din considers her words for a moment, then gives a curt nod. "I'll take your word for it, but if that thing tries anything funny, he's getting a blaster bolt to the head."

The woman chuckles. "I wouldn't expect any less from a Mandalorian. But I assure you, Beeb is on our side."

As if sensing his hesitation, Beeb lets out a series of friendly beeps and chirps, rolling closer to Din and nuzzling against his leg. Din glances down at the droid, surprised by the show of affection.

The woman smiles knowingly, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "See? He's harmless."

Din grudgingly nods, still unsure of the droid's intentions. But he knows that he can trust the woman and by extension, Beeb. For now, at least.

Approaching him with confidence, the woman strides towards Din, her height just slightly shorter than his own. As she draws nearer, she speaks her name with a voice as soothing as a gentle stream and extends her hand for him to take, a gesture of respect and greeting.

Din takes a moment to compose himself before taking her hand, feeling a jolt of electricity shoot up his arm as they shake hands. He quickly withdraws his hand and takes a step back, surprised at his own reaction.

The woman raises an eyebrow, noticing his sudden shift in demeanor. "Is something wrong?" she asks, her voice laced with concern.

Din shakes his head, trying to push aside the strange sensation that lingers in his hand. "No, nothing's wrong. It's just that...I don't usually shake hands with strangers."

The woman chuckles softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I understand. But I hope we can become more than strangers, Mandalorian."

"Mando. Call me Mando." Din says finally, the word rolling off his tongue with a certain weight.

He can sense the woman's surprise at his response, but he remains firm. He has learned to keep his true name hidden, even from those he trusts.

The woman's gaze locks onto Din's, and as she speaks his name, it rolls off her tongue like a sweet melody, a word to be savored and cherished. "Mando," she murmurs, her voice carrying the weight of reverence and admiration.

A stirring sensation dances in Din's chest as the woman utters his name once more. He's never heard it spoken with such curiosity and esteem, and the sound of it from her lips sends shivers down his spine.

"Shall we go, Mando?" With a graceful motion of her hand, the woman gestures toward the direction they should take.

Din nods in understanding, feeling drawn to her enigmatic presence. "Lead the way," he says, a subtle hint of admiration in his voice.

With steadfast purpose, the pair sets out on their journey, each step resolute and unyielding. Their goal is clear, a daunting challenge ahead, as Beeb follows along faithfully. Their mission: to rescue the Child, to keep the Imperial Agents at bay, and to ensure the youngling's safety at all costs.

Tag list: @babygirlrex0504 @alienated-green-tea @fatima-marisa @dindjarindude @sharin1806 @ruthyalva96 @avengersfan25

☼ Please note that I do not wish to have my work translated or published on any third party reading websites. I claim the rights to my work.

☼ Where I don’t have any rights to the characters, many ideas and OC are my own creation. Please respect that.

[pedroam-bang]

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi (1983)

[oh-for-fic-sake-library]

The Apprentice Hunt

Masterlist

Summary: Being force sensitive was tough in the empire, whether you were trained or untrained you had the inquisitors and storm troppers to worry about. But well the empires huge starfleet was also a great place find a job. And everyone needed one of those right? Sure you were slightly concerned when landing yourself a job on lord vaders flag ship. But luckily youd taught yourself to stay awake in restfull meditation. Everything was fine, untill one night you got a visitor sneaking into your peacfull meditation. And he was a stubborn asshole who wont leave you alone!

Warnings: swearing, power dynamics?, fear/anxiety, more platonic teasing than anything.

A/N: this was an idea i had for a while nd finally decided to write it. It comes from the thought of what happens when a force users abilities arent trained or tainted by jedi or sith? How would vader react to finding someone like tht in his ranks.

Vader stood quietly observing the structure infront of him. Dark, polished and iridescent. The flat surface seemed to go on for miles in either direction, and had to be a mile high atleast. It was the strangest sheilding he had ever seen in his medative exploration. And that was saying something his only rest was meditation.

Though he was also annoyed, who ever this was they had more control then most. Their inner sanctum sat in the middle of a desert, a sea of black sand, he'd scaled the rising and falling of the ever changing black dunes for quite some time. The constant shifting had been a nuisance, he'd even reaches a shore line at some point. Then had ti turn around and make his way back.

This had been weeks of work leading him here, figuring out the route that would let him pass through the constantly changing landscape. Each night he would retire to his chamber and enter the same meditation. Searching for the pull, and then following it untill he felt the sifting sand below his feet and began his journy searching for the life force pulsing from within.

With the eradication of most force sensitive beings within the empire it was rare to find another in meditation. He'd first thought that he had tracked a careless jedi, perhaps one of the masters that had escaped.

But he quickly disregarded that once he had wandered deeper, following the tugging and light airy feeling that came from this other being. Their force was more natural they felt organic? Not processed and refined. Sometimes in his search they werent around, yet each time he had felt them he had managed to get closer and closer. Finally tonight was the night. He had reached the barrier.

He hovered by the tall structure, pressing his hand to it only to hiss and pull back. It was freezing to the touch, painfull even. He subtly cursed the fact he had chose to appear as his own complete form in the hunt for this new user. He felt the need to hide himself, he wanted the anonymity his former self gave him.

The barrier flickered in an odd shimmering opalescent effect around where his hand had rested, and then slowly returned to the black iridescent once more. Odd, very odd indeed, this force user was skilled but not in the same way he was. No. But how does he get in? He could try to destroy the wall, but that would give himself away as a powerfull force user and chase them away.

Vader was interested in this new found oddity, he wanted to observe them, perhaps even claim them as an apprentice should they contimue to spark his intrest. Then he would have an extra set of hands to rid the galaxy of palpatine. And the newbie being so knew and untrained would mean it'd be longer befor they learned everything he knew and tried to kill him to become a master themselves.

"Can i help you?" Vader took a step back as a soft voice called out from the barrier. So they are female, that surprized him. Force sensitive women that are untrained were easy to find, their emotions revealed them quickly.

"You are self aware?" He uttered a little shocked that he had been approached. There was a pause, for a moment he doubted she had heard him through the black wall seperating them.

"So are you. You've been searching for me. Drawing closer each night, why?" The voice carried across the mental block easily. He was almost lost for words, it was an impeccable control. Something no one outside of a jedi or sith master should be able to achieve. The raw talent was unfathomable.

"I was curious. You dont see many force sensitives in meditation nowa days" he faltered, at first hesitating for a second but quickly found himself again. His mind was already weaving together excuses and schemes to claim you as his own apprentice. He just needed to find you.

"You never heard of curiosity and the cat? i could have been anyone. Approaching strangers in meditation is dangerous" she laughed almost chiding and teasing him all in one sentence. But there was a nervous chime. An overwhelming fear lacing the words. You were uneasy. Good, you were smart enough to be cautious of him.

"And yet your interacting with me" he quipped smugly chuckling, wanting to test you, poke and prod he new all he needed to about your ability. Now he wanted to explore your character, see if you had any hope of becoming sith. If not he wouldnt waste his time. He'd outright attack you and tear apart your defences before seeking you out in the real world and disposing of you. You were either an asset or potential threat.

"You won't leave me alone untill youve been acknowledged." She huffed out like speaking down to child. He bristled at that, noone spoke down to him! He ws a sith lord! Yet, there was a smile on his face. It was exciting, fun? Apart of him liked the sass this woman had. She wasnt a push over.

"Correct. I thought you were a jedi, but your force is... unique not something the order has tampered with"

"Ah well thatd be telling" he frowned at the giggled reply. Fuck. This woman wasn't going to give him answers with light prodding. And he hgot the feeling she was toying with him. He growled as the giggle escelated. He rolled his eyes turning away from the impressive defence and leant on the wall crossing his arms. Fuck

"You would be wise to give me my answers" his said flippantly, or atleast it would have been flippant had his aggravation hadnt krept into his words making them sharp.

"Maybe youll get an answer when you actually ask a question" the gentle voice trailed off with a giggle. Vader grunted. Technically the girl was right, he hadnt actually asked anything, was he so used to having people grovel and hnd him information that he forgot how to ask for it?

"Are you a jedi?" He huffed definitely not pouting, or sheepish about being called out. He could feel his cheeks flush in rare embarrassment, why was this girl getting to him? She was making him feel well? Normal. He was unsure if he liked it or not.

"Nope. Thank the stars for small mercies" the woman answered surpriseing him. He'd thought she would have tried her luck and refuse him. Perhaps she was just as curious as he was. Which would be a good thing in the long run, maybe he could lure her out easier.

"Trained?" His second question was out faster then he would have liked, he sounded somewhere between eager and desperate for information. He'd have to be mindfull, she was skittish and he didnt want her to bolt and lose a potentialy powerful asset.

"No, well i figured stuff out alone, practiced and stuff not sure if youd call it training though, it was nothing formal you know?" The woman explained. Vaders frown deepened, impossible it was unheard of! Force sensitive people needed the formal training to get anywhere! They needed a guide, mentor something to help them. There was no way this girl could have come so far alone.

"Thats impossible! How? People outside of the sith and jedi shouldn't even be self aware in meditation. Let alone have these types of defences" he snapped as he pressed on the wall, placing experimental pressure on it, slowly increasing his force wanting to truley test it, yet not wanting to break it completely. He was torn, he wanted to force through, but he also wanted you to submit willingly.

"The empires genocide has a way of kicking you up the arse. I had to learn to be awake to survive; could you stop fucking pushing!" The woman snarled striking the defence from the other side sending a rippled of power through it, interrupting his light attack making his own force stutter and flare around him.

Vader grunted pulling back as your own burst through the force shocked his finger tip lightly making them prickle and feel fizzy before going numb. He shook his hand and took a step back from the wall

"So you are inside of the empire?" He pressed trying to ignore the building irritation and small voice in the back of his mind telling him to turn the wall to rubble and clear a path to the girl on the other side. No, he wont attack, at least not yet.

"What does it matter?"

"As i said im curious, in all my years ive not felt this... freedom that dwells inside of you I would like to speak face to face, or enter your mind further to explore." He uttered finally making his intention clear. He felt a tremor, amusment, shock and fear all balled into one. His words had resounded with the woman.

"Why would i do something that stupid? You could be an inquisitor for all i know. Next thing i know i could be getting hunted or dragged to a plasma slice n dice" he shook his head amused by the way your worded your own potential demise. You had a dry sense of humour, something he hadnt enjoyed for a long time. But then again no one wanted to make jokes with him, he couldnt blame them but he does miss it occasionally.

"You can volunteer the answers i seek or i can tear them from you" vader threatened as his rage caught him, years of bnever being refused or questioned made him unable to curb himself when faced with out right rejection.

"See now thats just rude. Im out of here" vader barely registered the words as suddenly the womans presence was gone and he was alone. Within seconds the wall disappeared before his eyes and everything was gone. He cursed himself, she had slipped away because he couldnt control his arrogance. Fuck.

"Can you not?" You grunted as you made your way along your inner minds protective wall, towards the harsh thumps and heavy hits that ricocheted along the wall. He was back, and this time attacking. Well maybe less attacking and more knocking. Harshly. Youd been ignoring it for the best part of an hour now, but It was clear he wanted attention and wasnt leaving untill he got it.

"Oh so you can hear me?" The male chuckled smugly from the other side ceasing his incessant banging. You rolled your eyes, he was such a fucking child. You opted to take a seat on the floor picking at the grass lightly.

"Hard not to when your trying to blow a hole in my wall" your replied sarcastically, feigning bordem. You dont want him to think you were curious of him. Of gods forbid, wanted to chat to him.

"You know I wouldnt be if youd let me in" he quipped once again tryingnto wriggle his way past your defence. You huffed cursing under your breath. You couldnt help feelingnhe was far to used to getting his own way. And that in itself was a red flag.

"You realise I come here to relax? Not to be bugged" you hummed unimpressed.

"And I came here to talk." You could practically hear him trying to sound inconspicuous. He sucked at it, it was clear he was on some reconnaissance misson wantingnto find out as much as he could. He wasnt exactly subtle.

"No, you came here to investigate" you corrected making it clear you were no fool. You had him pinned.

"If it bothers you so much why not let me in and investigate? I'll be out of your hair quicker" ah again with the false casual attitude. My god one thing was for sure, he was not a spy. Well not a very good one. It was actually unsettling it meant he had no need to hide, no need to watch his back or think about consequences. It meant he was either powerfull or important, possibly both.

"No. I know nothing about you other then your a bit of a stalker" you shrugged and smiled when you heard an indignant sputter and snarl from him. Oh, he didnt lie that~

"I am not!" He hissed furiously, offended by the mere insinuation of stooping so low. You threw your head back and laughed out loud, tumbling back the lay in the grass. You calmed your laughter enough to tease him once more.

"mmhmm really? You did chase me down for a few weeks"

"Seeking a fellow force user out is so bad?" Oh so he was going to try the lonely wandering force user card? Unfortunately sympathy wasnt a strong suit for you. You cant afford sympathy in the empire. Sympathy, mercy and trust were the holy trinity to getting killed. No thank you.

"With a strength like yours? Yes. Im not thick, your someone powerfull, either a jedi sniffing out new padawan for some suicide mission. Or an inquisitor looking for new prey" you answered truthfully making it clear you weren't some stupid naive little idiot. You didnt survive this long in the empire without having your head screwed on. You knew who ever this guy was it was bad news for you.

"I assure you I'm neither, and like you said your not thick it was only a matter of time you drew someone in. Your different" you could hear the conviction, the words almost a chiding decree. Like he belived his word was absolute that no one could dispute him. It sent another little red falg in your mind. The more you heard the more uneasy you got.

"And theres my other issue. Your too confident for someone to be hiding from the empire, its disconcerting" you confessed to him, you needed to be careful. Hopefully if you called him out a few times he'd grow bored and leave, hunt for easier prey.

"I will not allow any harm to come to you, you have my word. Let me in and youll be under my protection." You shuddered at the eerie calm, the force laden words dripping with persuasion and temptation. This fucker was trying to manipulate you. You sat up with a growl.

"Oh? And you are in a position to promise that?" Your words a sarcastic malice as your got annoyed yourself. You began pulling back from him growing more definsive. You couldnt help feelingnvery stupid for interacting with him.

"Yes. I have the authority to make that promise" aha! Gotcha! You grinned, he'd fallen for that hook line and sinker.

"So you are a ranked officer in the empire? Thanks for the heads up" you muttered victoriously unable to hide the smug glee from your words. All previous rage now melting away into amusment.

"I? wait thats not what i meant- the empire wouldnt harm someone so unique."

"So not only high ranking but trusted enough to know what the empire would and wouldnt do with little old me" you verified quickly reading between the lines and figuring out the truth behind his panicked explanation.

You smirked waiting for another snippy remark or a desperate excuse. But intead tou were met with silence. The quiet dragged on for. Long few mineuts. He was collecting his thoughts, tryingnto find a way to twist his own words. But he couldnt, youd figured out too much.

"Your silence is telling inquisitor" you hummed playfully rising to stand, stretching your back out. Gettingnready to leave, it was almost time for your next shift.

"I am not an inquisitor" the harsh reply was accompanied with a hard thump on the wall seperating the both of you. Ooo someone was in a mood now. You smiled at that, good now he was just as annoyed as you were at being disturbed in your meditation.

"I beg to differ, You feel like a trained jedi~" you added desperately fighting your laughter not wanting to make him feel to annoyed. Afterall he was strong, and could easily tear down your defences and ravage your mind taking anything he wanted from your memory and thought.

"I am not an inquisitor. You would do well to remember that" he pounded once more on the wall making it shudder. A warning. You jumped back eyeing the black dense barrier. A shiver rzn up your spine. The force whispering warnings to you, coiling around your very soul with alarm and fear. It was clear what it was telling you to do. Run. Danger. Leave. Leave now, while you could. It was a primal fear, desperate and feirce and you werent going to ignor it.

"Anyway i hate to cut this short but i have work. Tata for now" you spoke a little louder as you backed up from the barrier, eyes locked onto where you knew your visitor stood waiting for him to break through. After a few steps you turned and ran, sprinted right out of your own meditation full of adrenaline and sickening fear. That was too close. You had to be carefull in future.

"You! Hey you! I can feel you hovering! Get over here and fucking explain that bullshit!" You shouted, jumping up racing towards the presence you felt on the other side of the wall. You'd been impatiently wating for him to arrive for almost half an hour, throwing fear and caution to the wind. You were far to angry to fear this unknown wielder.

"Oh my, and here i thought you were terrified of me~ you are a very angry girl today." he uttered with mischievous glee. You snarled at him sending a wave of fury towards him, wanting him to know just how upset you were about todays antics. Your going to kill him!

"You bet your ass i am! What the hell was that earlier!?" You screeched letting yourself give into the rage and fear. Today was a shit show, and in amongst all the terror and confusion your felt the last thing you needed was to discover the stranger that had been haunting your meditation calming your emotions. Intruding on your life force manipulating your feeling to sooth you. It was crossing so many lines!

"Our interactions have left an... imprint. We have a connection. A bond" he explained vaguely smirking to himself. Proud of his new scheme and the force bond he had uncovered.

"The hell we do! Destroy it!" You ordered panick seeping through you, this was bad. So bad. Disastrous! You cant form force bonds with people, it will get you caught! And you definitely shouldnt allow one with someone working for the empire especially someone high up. Fuck. This will be the death of you.

"Why would I do that?" Mirth and victory permeated the space. Rolling off of him in thick waves. He was pleased with himself. He was winning and you both knew it. You dont stand a chance.

"Because I dont need a force connection with you! And i certainly dont want you soothing me and shit! Im doing just fine! You need to stay the fuck out of my head! Stop co,ing here! Stop just ugh! Just fuck off before you get us both killed" You panted slapping both hands on the ever present wall that shielded your inner sanctuary. You felt asthough you were losing it. The peacefull safe escape youd always relied on, the space that held all of your prized memories and well kept secrets.

"You were deathly afraid. I dont see the harm in soothing you when you feel like your seconds way from a heart attack." The voice became stern. You could almost detect worry, as if he had truly felt alarmed by the terror hexd felt radiating off of you, screaming like a beacon. Not that youd admit to just how frightened youd been by todays announcements. If you acknowledged your fear youd succumb to it and make a silly mistake resulting in execution.

"I was not about to have a heart attack;"

"Yes yes. What happened? Are you hurt?" You faltered unable to be angry at his interruption. You just froze. What? He was clearly concerned that time. He didnt even try to hide it behind sarcasm or wit.

"No, no I'm not hurt, and nothing happened" you sighed inching yourself away from the wall between you. Closing your eyes trying to relax and take in the small safe haven you'd created for yourself. But before you could fully immerse yourself innthe calm quiet your guest tapped the wall sending a thrum of energy through it to draw your attention back to him.

"People do not experience that type of terror over nothing. Tell me what was it that spooked you?" You remained silent hoping he'd take a hint and leave. But this man was far to stubborn for his own good. Or perhaps just ignorant?

"No? Well let me hazard a guess then~ perhaps it has something to do with the announcement today?" You could hear the grin, the subtle smug victorious tone that he took on. Not to be confused with the usual smug smart ass.

"W-what are you talking bout?" Your words almost squeaked out as your mind began racing. What does he know? What has he done? Who is he? He cant be responsible can he? If he was, then he knew where you were. If he had a hand in the anouncment then that means you are being hunted. Hunted... he will kill you.

"The anouncment of random midi-chlorian tests for staff on the executor." You staggered back, quivering feeling ice flush through you. Your visioned blurred begind tears and your world spun, anxiety rendering you completely imobile. You couldnt even catch yourself s you knee buckled. You fell to your knees as if the weight of the entire empire was on your shoulders. And in a way it was. You were goingnto be found nd killed. A traitor, rebel, scum simply for being force sensitive. They would kill you. He would kill you, or even drag you before lord vader as a prize. A meal ticket to a promotion. All he had to do was call you amjedi, plant some evidence and that was it.

"Your silence is telling little one. I had my suspicions that we were both aboard the same ship. It was the only explanation to feeling you so often in deep space" you sat up snapping straight wide eyed recounting the words in your head deciphering them quietly. Fuck. How couldnt you have realised he was collecting information this whole time. You handt even thought of him realising you were on the same ship from interacting with you a when the executor drifted through space passing threw start systems hundreds of lightyears away from one nother.

Maybe he had been the one to advise the detours. Directing the entire ship; the entrie fleet! Around the galaxy to see if the connection severs or strengthens. Instead of either it had been consistent. Clearly you were close to him to have such constant stable meditation connections. All this was plnned, goihgn on secretly behinde the scenes and you were none the wiser to his search. Fuck. Youd done wht youd always swore you wouldnt do. Youd gotten complacent, and it may cost you your life.

"The same- wait your here! You? Fuck fuck!" Your panicked cries tore from you with little thought. Your knees bent, elbows resting on them as your head bowed, fingers digging through your hair fisting in the roots in frustration.

On the other side of the wall vader was smug. He had played this game carefully. Closed in around you without giving you a chance to react. A great game of chess played in the dark with an unknowing opponent. It was only here and now he could relish hin his victory. It was only a matter of time before he had you in the palm of his hand and could play with you. Prod at you, test your force.

Thats what all of this had been about. Finding you and examine the true abilities the force had to offer when untainted by jedi or sith. You were an anomally, and perhaps the only instinctual force user in the galaxy. The idea of having you at his mercy was thrilling. He wanted to observe you, encourage you to hone the force and see what was really capable for the natural organic wielder.

"You know had you been trained youd have been able to avoid being found out easily." He spoke finally breaking the tense silence. Fear and panic quickly morphed into anger. He could feel it. It was marvelous the way your life force swirled angrily. He could feel it, the tendrils coiling like dangerous vipers no hesitation or denile. Ypthe force wasnt regecting the emotional responses it was guided by them. Was this what it was meant to be like? Before people began to manipulate it into doctrines and add caveats and rules.

"Had i been trained id be fucking dead! You just? Fuck! What do you want from me? To have me killed? Is that it?" You yelled, panting as your chest became tight. Your throat felt blocked but nothing was there. Your mind quickly conjured images of the many times lord vader had killed by strangulation. This is what it would feel like. Nothing to claw at, your unable to breathe. Your going to die. Your going to die!

Vader faltered for a moment as you began to feel scared. Truely frightened. There was a distinct moment his smug victory lost its luster. You felt cold, incredibly cold, isolated and stuck. Tense in your own force as it become increasingly thick and aggressive. Anxiety and terror riseing to a suffocating manifestation of the force.

"No i just wish to find you, teach you help you unleash your potential" he wasnt sure what prompted him to try and reassure you. Perhaps he just wanted to keep you alive? Calm and safe. He did have plans for you. For some reason your force wasnt just reactive but almost uncontrolled in this highly anxious state. He could feel it almost turning in on itself. Trying to hide but couldnt quite recede inside of you. It was... harming you? He suddenly felt very guilty and very foolish for provoking you.

"You want to teach; do you have any idea what you have done? Has it occurred to you who is on this ship!? Lord vader himself- this is his fucking flag ship! He will kill me if he finds me!" You half shouted, half pleaded still trying to convince yourself this was just a bad dream. That when you wake up everything will be fine. There wouldnt be any tests being carried out. But he seemed to grow tired of the panicked wailing.

"Calm yourself"

"Fuck you!" The response was automatic, a hissed curse and snapping teeth. You were aggressive in your fear, feeling every bit a caged animal. Cornered and vulnerable but desperate.

"Enough woman" he snapped with a growl once again loosing his temper. He didnt appreciate your disrespect. Part of him wnted to reveal himself as your lord to quiet you down. But he feared youd do somthing dramatic. The lst thing he needed was to chase down a soldier whod stolen a tie fighters and was going rogue. And yes, thats what he thought you do if you found out you were curseing at vader himself.

"Dont you dare fucking 'woman' me! You've signed my death warrant! You might be some groveling jedi turned inquisitor and have skills to offer him in exchange to spare your life,but i fucking dont!" You finally screamed at him somehow managing a few deep breaths, tears flowing freely as you tried to regain control. But all you felt was an intense pressure within you. A thick syrupy feeling in your throat as if it were clogged.

"I have nothing and now... now i will be slaughtered like an animal for simply exsisting" you sobbed in defeat your deepest fear coming to light. You wouldnt simply be shot. No, youd be a traitor. On lord vaders ship no less. He was going to fucking gut you. And there was nothing you could do about it. Nowhere you could run or hide. With that final thought you turned walking away from the wall, there was nothing left to say or do. You simply had to wait for your number to be called.

"Your fear is going to be the death of you little one" you growled quietly hearing the concern tinted words reverberate through the wall. You maintained your position laying flat on your back in the soft grass, you hands clasped on your stomach eyes closed. You had been trying to ground yourself. Ever since your last encounter with your intruder things had gone from bad to worse. Life on the executor was exhausting, days filled with unending work and overall fear as the spontaneous midichorian tests were carried out across the ship.

So far just over three hundred tests had been carried out. Forteen personnel had not returned to their posts. There hadnt been any official executions but people were guessing. They talked, rumour had it they were being held in the cells waiting for... something. No one knew who or what? But something was coming.

"I thought you already had that covered" you huffed still laying down, focusing on the way your hands rose and fell with your breaths trying to find that all important numb open feeling. The blank freedom of true inner peace.

"Again with this? No one is going to kill you" he scoffed lightly pressing against the barrier seperating you. Not hard, or with the intent of breaking through. Instead it was like he was trying to comfort you. A light humm of his life force sizzled on the surface. But he wasnt pushy, just lightly grazing it.

He was trying to call you, coaxing you to interact with him and let him help ease your overall fear and exhaustion. Youd tried to avoid sleeping and meditating so you wouldnt have to encounter him. You knew he was dangerous now.

Can you blame me?" Your answer came in the form of a heavy sigh.

"Your fear is misplaced." He uttered before sitting in the sand leaning aginst the wall. Resting the back of his head against it lightly. He relly didnt want to fight today, he jut wanted to check in on you. You hadnt rested in meditation for over a week, he was... worried.

"Really? Explain that one to me again because i must have missed something" you snapped at him feeling yourself begin to grow angry with him. With the situation he'd put you in.

"I already told you that you wont be harmed. I wish to tutor you, to haven apprentice, explore your power and guide you" you rolled your eyes at that. He was haughty and almost seemed confused at your refusal. He must have felt he didnt need to be subtle about trying to use you. Clearly he thought himself so important that you should be greatfull he was even giving you the time of day.

"Oh yeah thats right your a big wig." You grunted unimpressed, more so out of spite. You wanted to get under his skin, which probably wasnt the best idea. But he laughed in response making you growl.

"Somthing like that" he chuckled shaking his head if you only knew. But as he sat in his own amusment, pondering your reaction. Youd been struck by a thought. This man was quite arrogant, so why not try to use that against him. Before you could really think over your plan you spoke out loud.

"Prove it" your words were quiet, calm and still unsure but you were taking the chance.

"And how would you like me to do that?" You swore he was teasing you, you heard the smirk. The light goading in his words. He seemed happy to just be speaking with you rather than you shouting at him.

"Call off the tests" you uttered without missing a beat. Eager to atleast try and coerce him into stopping the inevitable shit show coming your way.

"Now we both know i wont do that. How could i possibly find you if i called off the tests" he chided quietly, chuckleing lightly at the mere thought of suddenly ceasing all efforts to find you. And it was an effort, moreso because he was trying to keep it completely hidden from the emperor. For his plan to work he had to hide you, you cant be his ace in the hole if his master knew of you.

So he'd mentioned randomly testing the ranks but made sure not to know how or when they were implemented. Instead he got reports on the numbers and occupations of those that failed. Apart from that he knew nothing, and thats how it would stay.

"So you can call them off? You just wont" you werent sure how you felt at this realisation? Elated because youd managed to get more information about who this could be. But frightened as it became clear he really was high up in the chain of command. What if he wanted to find you to kill you, but punish you for all your insubordination first? Or worse, what if he was so high up that vader already knew about you? And thats why the tests were implemented so quickly, and its also why he wont stop them. Because it wasnt his decision to make, it was lord vaders.

"Maybe. Im closing in arent i? Today one of your colleagues were tested. I felt it, the terror. It was the moment we selected those from the eighth quadrant" his voice broke your train of though, and you were a little grateful for it. You didnt need another panick attack today.

"...Please stop, just stop. I want to live my life quietly" you begged quietly, rising to your knees gazing where you felt he was. Pressing your hands to the wall pushing through some of your life force gently, giving him a tiny sliver of what he'd wanted through out all of these meetings. A connection, you were frightened you knew you were playing a dangerous game but you had to give him somthing. The stacks had just became too great to ignore. If he was working with lord vader, you had to escape. Had to get out now. And unfortunately he was your only option for help in this moment.

You just wanted to live, to go to work and return to your fproom each night for a few more years before leaving the fleet and buying a small home somewhere. That all youd ever wanted.

"I will not stop. Not untill i have found you" he hummed in a bored tone. He was growing tired of this, the chase was loosing its appeal.

"Why? So you can deliver me like a lamb to slaughter?" You cursed, spat the words more in desperation than anger.

"You wont be harmed;"

"You dont know that for certain" you cut him off, growing tired of him repeating the same high horse bullshit. He didnt seem to understand the gravity of the situation he was putting you in.

"Yes i do."

"No you dont! No one knows what they will do... what he will do." In your panic youd let too much slip. You hadnt intended to let him know your thoughts, your true fear. This was the empire, fear were used against you just like every other weakness that was uncovered.

"He? You mean lord vader? Your scared of him. Is that why your so frightened?" You faltered at that just hearing it said out loud was enough to silence you.

"Oh course i am. He terrifies me. And if you had any sense he'd frighten you too. If vader finds out im hiding right under his nose? He will be so angry. Have you ever seen him angry? I wont just die. I will suffer for making him seem incompetent. Please, plese call off these tests and spare me that. I dont want to die" you pleaded with him, revealing the true consequence you feared. You didnt want to be found, you wanted to be left alone and safe.

The silence that followed dragged on, you were almost hopefull he was coming around to your wy of thinking. But no. Vader was hurt, he didnt understand why but your fear of him. The way you thought he'd kill you slowly for some pleasure of sport had unsettled him. And it never would normally, he didnt care for other peoples opinions but you were different.

He liked you, you were charming in your own irritatingly sarcastic way. He almost felt human with you, teasing back and forth, snippjng at one another like comrades. He hadnt had that in a long time. He just didnt feel so alone at night when he visited you. So to realise you were so scared of him, that you thought he was nothing more then a vicious killer was hard for him. But he couldnt blame you, you didnt know who he was. You didnt know he was who ou spent your nights talking to, that youd created this sort of companionship with him.

It was clear he had to put an end to this now, he had to force your hand. He needed you to see him, to come to him and help him end palpantine. Thats the only reason he ontinued to come to you. You were a secret weapon, with untamed power and he needed you to help kill palpantine so he could rule and make some changes to the empire. It had strayed from its purpose and vader was going to bring it back on course.

"I can see we are not going to agree, you do not trust me to come to me freely. So I will offer you a choice. Meet up with me outside of these meditations. Agree to become my apprentice and i will call off the tests, and release those with unacceptable results" he rose to his feet dusting off his bottoms as he spoke trying not to feel guilty for the sudden flare of fear and desperation he felt from the woman.

"If not then i will have every single one of you in the eighth quadrent tested and the undesirables will be relived of more than just their posts" he finally spoke offering you his ultimatum. You will reveal yourself or everyone whose counts were too high will die.

"Meet me in training hall b-5 at midnight, if you are not there you know what will happen. I am done chasing you little one, its time to come to me" he didnt pause for a response he didnt want to hear you crying and pleading. He didnt think he could bare it, he had grown attached to you. Convinced himself your were his apprentice, his soon to be student, so no. He didnt want to hear your panicked fearfull begging. Instead he left the meditation quickly, pulling himself back until he awakened in his pressurised chamber. Tonight was the night. He almost felt excited, he was looking forward to meetingnyou properly.

Rightly or wrongly you obeyed. Youd debated all day whether to call his bluff, but you wouldnt be able to live with yourself if you heard something had happened to everyone else. Plus you werent sure how much longer this man would be civil. He clearly had some say in the goings on on the executor;if not the entire fleet! So obeying him was probably for the best.

Not that you were fine with the prospect of revealing yourself. Honestly you werent. But that just how things went. You wandered the corridors, surprised by how quiet they were. Even this late you would have thought the ship would be buzzing. But no, it was quiet. The gentle humm of the ship and occasional patrol was all you could hear.

It didnt take long to reach the training room. It was one of the smaller ones used for sparring matches between the inquisitors. Somewhere they practice their force abilities in private. You felt very uncomfortable being in here, for you it was forbidden to enter this particular corridor. It was when you stepped inside a few more feet you felt eyes on you. The hair on the back of your neck stood on end. Your force tried to flare but you managed to relax it, purposefully pushing the energy back into the room so it wouldnt linger on you. Something you did without even thinking now.

"You are smaller than i anticipated" you yelped jumping, spinning around as you heard the modulated voice. For a split second you thought it was a trooper or something. And then you registered who was stood a few meters infront of you.

"O-oh shit" you scrambled back yelping as your tripped over your own feet before laying there for a few seconds staring up at lord vader. You quivered unsure what to do.

"Lord vader; im sorry my lord, i know its past curfew but;" you tried to apologise, praying he had only followed you out of curiosity. That he was going to give you a demerit for being in a restricted area.

"You have no reason to fear, i have told you time and again you are to be trained" Oh fuck.

"You; it was you all this time? Oh... oh maker i; im sorry i never meant to" you sat up, sublty shuffled back in terror as your worst nightmare was confirmed. Your dark lord; the sith lord and enforcer of the galactic empire and self proclaimed jedi killer had found you. And whats worse he knows your frightened of him.

You began hyperventilating still trying to shuffle back already knowing the out come. You couldnt even get up off the floor, your legs were like jelly and you felt sick to your stomach. Your mind fell into a shocked panic, screaming at you so many things it became and overwhelming mass of terror and instincts. Run, hide, cry? Fight? run, flee? Hide ,cry? Beg. You couldnt seeme to grasp a single thought long enough to act on it.

"Calm yourself young one. Your fear is... uncomfortable. I dislike it. Id much rather you stay the same infuriating yet honest self, calm down, thats it" with the simple raise of a hand and almost gently words the panic dissolved instantly. Your mind quietened and your body relaxed as if youd just been placed into a warm bath.

"You? D-did you do that?"

"Yes. You are a flighty thing. It'd do no good to have you so panicked and flee, a patrol could assume the worst and shoot. Then id be down a few troops and youll be in the infirmary unable to start your training" he explained, which surprised you. Honestly youd never heard of lord vader explaining himself to anyone before. Not even the far fetched stories about him had gone so far.

"Now come over here, let me get a look at you" you did as he ordered only hesitating for a second or so. Gasping slightly as you felt him use the force to prompt you into moving. A light shove to your shoulder and then pressure below you, helping you find your feet. You couldnt help feeling more and more insignificant as you approached him. He seemd so much bigger then youd ever realised. Larger than life even. Huge imposing and unreadable. But he didnt seem to be hostile. If anything youd have felt as though he was curious?

"My you are small, smaller then i had hoped. But no matter i suspect you will be agile. What you lack in physical strength you'll make up for in speed, youd suit shorter duel sabers" he began speaking out loud as he analysed you closely. Debating on what type of training would suit you. Looking for natural advantages youd have. Despite being so clinical in his assessment you didnt feel dehumanised, reduced to mere power and potential. You felt oddly proud?

"Your aura is tempered. You feel normal. How are you masking so well young one?" The genuine curiosity threw you a little, he sounded gentle? Well as gentle as his voice coder allowed. You felt an odd warmth from him, a delicate encouraging twinge from his force. He was trying to reassure you. And you didnt mind, in fact you were pleased. There was no protocol for this. Youd never been this close to lord vader before never had to learn how to mind yourself or try to anticipate his moods. So the way he was maintaining enough distance between you both to keep you comfortable was very much appreciated. He was cutting you some slack.

"I dont... i dont know i just do it..." you explained as best as you could whislt trying to figure out how much of this relaxed feeling was you, nd how much was a manipulation. But even as you prodded your lords intrusive force lightly he didnt press back. Infact he seemed to invite your curiosity. Not that you were really incontrol of the interaction. Not conciously anyway, the force was its own entity, you could only let it coil nd drift around the new sensation.

Vader relaxed It was only natural that youd try to get a feel for him. It was something all younglings did the first time a more refined user connected with them. And that is what he was doing, claiming your own force signature, smothering it with his own in an intimate bond. All mentors did this, its how they learned what type of jedi they were raising. What their force naturally gravitated towards, healing, offence or defence.

"Do you imagine something? Picture something in your mind to mould your life force and blend in?" He asked after a moment, realising you were still wary of him even though you were fixating on his life force. It made him smile below his mask, it reminded him of the last time he'd done this with ahsoka. Though she was younger and used to the experience of having someone elses force brushing against hers in her own mind. It was something the jedi did as you grew. The ability was used as a tool, subtly sweeping through the minds of younglings to calm them or help them overcome their emotions and eventually shun their undesirable feelings altogether.

"What? Oh Yes, I think of a stream sometimes" you replied still pulling faces subconciously investigating the changes in the force surrounding the both of you.

"A stream?" He uttered quietly before nodding slowly, quickly understanding what you were doing. It was quite impressive a type of masking without exerting yourself or trying to cut off fro. The force; which took alote of concentration and willpower.

"Yes, like a shallow body of water always moving? Its hard to explain and probably doesnt make sense" you waved it off feeling stupid. I mean he was asking for answers you didnt quite understand youself

"No, no it makes perfect sense. You are constantly flushing the force through you, letting it trickle away. Never letting it build up and become noticable its clever.Its why you are so..." his complement trailed off slowly, he couldnt find the word to describe the odd aura that surrounded you. The force gravitated to you, like any other force sensitive being. But it didnt linger like most, didnt hover around you in a dense pull. It dissipated.

"Weak?" You offered self depreciation drentching the word, underlaying humour and sarcasm. He could tell you were trying to lighten the mood. He understood the need to fill 5he silence. Many people felt the need to when interacting with him. He put them on edge and you cant discern anything from silence.

But that wasnt to say he necessarily liked the way your defaulted to crushing yourself. You needed confidence, needed to hve enough self respect to know your worth. To take what you are owed. Something he will be sure to encourage, you have to find pride and ambition.

"I was going to say unusual. What else can you do?" His words were chiding at first. He risked stepping closer well aware of how fidgety you were. But he had to push you throw this fear nonetheless. He cannot train you if you were to terrified to aprouch him, how would combat or lessons in the force ever work? No. Its best to break barriers now. He will be understanding, but he wont coddle you. Time is of the essence, he had plans and you had to be ready to play your part on time.

"Move things... and sometimes control people" you shrugged as if these werent a big deal. It was pretty standard stuff for force users. And vader agreed, they were usually what youd expect. For trained users. But you were untrained and raw, to have such refined ability without formal training was rare.

"So thats what you were trying to do in our meetings? Trying to manipulate me?" He chuckled lightly grinning below his mask, he had wondered what the tickleing sensation had been. And to think youd been trying to control him amused him. You really were a breath of fresh air, he was almost eager. Excited to see you blossom and grow into somthing both amusing and powerful. Youd definitely suit him as an apprentice.

"Only once or twice, i wanted you to leave me alone" you mumbled rubbing the back of your neck nervously.

"Is there anything else you can do?" He asked taking yet another step closer closing the distance unoticed by you. Or maybe you did notice but didnt feel the need to run. Either way he got the same result, managing to get within rms reach of you without you screaming and bolting for the door. Not that yous make it far, he'd simply use the force to pluck you from the floor.

"Well maybe? But i never figured out if it was a force thing or not. Sometimes i feel things? Like bad stuff. I get a feeling that something bad will happen nd then it does" though your explination was a little less then coherent he did get the message. The force was tricky to explain at the best of times, so he couldnt really expect you to articulate it like a expert. But your words did give him pause for thought. That was not a usual naturl force ability. The last jedi said to have such afinity was yoda himself, and the old master didnt weild it, instead let it fester and become useless.

"Like visions?" He asked trying not to sound so desperate, he wanted to be as nonchalant about it as he could. He didnt need you worrying over it. Force knows you had enough going through your head as it was.

"No, i never see what it is, i just have the feeling before hand? A deep dread. Its only after something happens i realise what it was about" he nodded thinking over the words and comparing them to things he had read in the thousands of jedi and sith texts he'd researched over the years. Thankfully he had heard of such and odd thing. It was rare, very rare.

"Empathic premonitions. A powerful ability that is the beginning of true foresight. If trained properly you could not only have visions of the future but decipher them correctly in the right context" he offered the information up easily, to withhold knowledge from an apprentice was not the sith way. Though technically you should outright ask him for the answers he would be lenient for the moment. You were unaware of such things as of now. You would have to learn how to become a sith apprentice, just as he would learn to become your master.

"Thats a frightening concept. It'd land me on few hitlists. And im not sure id want to see the future anyway" you giggled humourlessly before shrinking into yourself gazeing up at his mask; something youd been avoiding for the past few mineuts. He took that as a good sign.

"It could be useful. You might have realised who i was sooner" you smiled at his small chuckle. It was strange, he really was the same person. You were surprised how familiar he was beginning to feel. It was nice, in a daunting way.

"That is true...Soo what happens now?" You pondered quietly still adrift in some anxiety, force induced calm state of mind that honestly felt like some odd dream.

"Now the work begins. I will train you and we will help one another acheive our goals" his reply was short and direct. You appreciated it, you didn want to be frettingnover what if's for the next few weeks. He was going to train you. Then use you. It was all you needed to know.

"I dont have any... well apart from hiding from everyone but that failed pretty badly if you think about it." your voice dipped lower, shame lingering around you s you admitted outloud you had no ambition past the goal of stying hidden away from the world.

"Do not let that deter you. You did very well, you weren't easy to find. You certainly made me work to uncover you. Something rarely achieved by anyone" he watched with satisfaction as his praise perked you up. A flicker of pride igniting inside of you from the words, a sense of achievement rippled from you. You were responsive to praise, rather than punishment. Good, he had no time to be constantly rebuilding trust after punishing you and if you grew to trust and dmire him as your mentor there was less chance of you turning on him in the future. He may even beable to change the tide of the sith, remove the rule of two and instead create a real empire, a real dynasty of the darkside. He could create something never seen before.

"And I am sure we will uncover some ambition inside of you. Today we will start by embracing your life force" his encourageing words seemed to be all you needed to nod and you followed as he began to lead you fom the room. Motioning for you to step up beside him intent on heading to his own personal meditation cha,bers, that had undergone a little renovating now holding a second seat a few steps down from his own that was souly intended for you.

You walked beside him silently, unsure where you were going but understood he wasnt going to kill you, so you just did as he asked. There was no reason to fight. And no chance in winning against him. Though the quiet resignation wasnt enough to quell your rampant thoughts. Mostly revolving your future and things to come, occasionally the emperor crossed your mind accompanied with a healthy dose of fear.

"I sensed a spike of fear in you. What is wrong?" You almost jumped out of your skin when the siths voice broke through the low white noise of the corridor. For a second you debated lying to him, telling him nothing was wrong but that wouldnt be a good idea? Besides he would find out eventually so whats the point in putting effort into a lie?

"Wont the emperor be angry if he finds out about me?" You didnt know if it was meant to be a statment or question.

"No. We are far enough away and i will make sure to smother your own force with mine. I told you, i will see to your saftey. You re my apprentice now. That grants you some privileges including my protection"

"Sounds better then dying" you hummed cheering up at his words. You actually felt comfort knowing this powerful sith was not only going to train you, but protect you. It was a weight off you mind. Not that youd ever take it for granted. Hell no, that would be a foolish thing to do.

"I do believe its the more preferable outcome?" You laughed outright at that finding his sarcasm comfortable. He stepped into an open elevator, you paused gor a second still a little on edge. He hadnt told you where you were off to, or what you'll be doing.

"Come we will have a short session tonight, and tomorrow i will test your combat" he anounced tryingnto remind himself the more you knew the less flighty you would be. It was odd explaining himself, he hadnt had to in to long. At that you stepped inside the tiny space with him.

"Save yourself the trouble i suck with gun" you huffed not even sugar coating it. You couldnt aim for shit and had been retrained as a technician because of it.

"And a lightsaber?" That caught you off gaurd, you hadnt even considered youd be trained in saber combat. Suddenly this wasnt sounding like the best idea, not with your clumsiness.

"I wouldnt know, ive never even seen one; holy shit!" You jumped back cursing as you headbutted the side of the elevator turning to run full speed into it trying escape as the small space lit up red in a nanosecond. Vader chuckled but didnt move the saber, opting to just hold it still so you could see it in all of its glory. You placed a hand over your head rubbing it before turning to look a the saber. It was scary, oddly beautiful but scary nonetheless.

"Do a girl a favour and warn me before you whip that thing out! I almost pissed myself" you complained, completely forgetting who you were talking to in you panic. Your eyes locked on the plasma blade in a mix of awe and terror. But awe quickly outweighed the fear as you understood he was merely showing you the saber, not about to use it on you.

"You are frightened of them? Ah ah carful" he asked only to tilt the blade from you as curiosity got the better of you and your hand inched closer to the sabers heat. You flinched back slightly, you could feel the heat radiating from it a good few inches from it.

"In my defence... i think its a rationl fear, they are kind of dangerous... and that one in particular, its known for slicing and diceing" you defended yourself with a little snippy quip, hand drifting to the saber again as if drawn to it like a moth. He could see your fascination was somthing he'd have to watch out for, or you might hurt yourself, though on the other handnit was good. You were interested.

"Tomorrow will be exciting for you. And very entertaining for me" he uttered disengaging the light saber before your curiosity left a more lasting impression.

"Wait Tomorrow? Why? Whats tomorrow?" You quized confused frowing up at him. But he only tipped his head to the side in response.

"You'll see" he uttered before turning forward once more as the dorrs opened. He strode down the hall not waiting for you as you rolled your eyes before chasing him, jogging to catch up to him again.

"Brilliant, my masters a sadist" he halted, jerking to a stop snapping his head down at you. An icey feeling washed over you and you suddenly felt very small. And very stupid.

"What? W-was that right? I didn't know what to call you, if its wrong im sorry i can;" he silenced you with a hand gesture.

"No, no it was correct. It has just been a long time since ive been called master. It may take some getting used to" he admitted quietly, sounding lost in thought. It was like your words had truly brought the circumstances to life. This was happening. Vader was claiming you as an apprentice, he'd train you and youd be the secret weapon to help him defeat his master and claim the throne that had been promised to him.

"Well if it helps ive neve been anyones apprentice before. So how about we give each other a settleing in period and ease ourselves in?" You uttered with a shrug unsure if you were meant to try and reassure him or not. He didnt seem the type to need it, but... it felt polite.

"Plus I err dont want to be punished or anything if i make silly mistakes" you added cheekily whilst subtly tryingnto convince him not go easy on you. He eyed you for a moment before turning walking away with a subtle shake of his head. You scampered behind him quickly not wanting to get lost this deep in the ship.

"Punishments accrued will always be met out, but youve shown little indication of needing such harsh tutelage. Im here to teach you, not break you" he uttered once you fell into step with him. He sent you a final side glance. He felt oddly satisfied by the way you were quietly accepting your new situation. He could almost let himself become fond of you, form an attachment to you. Only time will tell, for now he was content to focus on your training. He could ponder companionship another time.

[mykingdomforasong]

"You make a great pillow" for skysolo?

[morning after prompt list]

~

Luke always assumed that waking up in bed with Han was more of an inevitability than a fantasy. They flirted enough. Kissed a few times. Han had even beat him off once when he'd come back rock hard for a dicey run-in with Imperial fighters. That it took this long was the real surprise. Luke had thought maybe on Hoth, or after Endor.

It almost felt strange now, to be twenty-nine and find out for the first time that Han Solo, the pirate he met in a canteena ten years ago, liked to cuddle afterwards.

Luke was starting to sweat though, as his friend's body heat and the rising sun warmed the small room he'd made for himself on Yavin 4. Han's head was resting on his chest, an arm thrown over him, holding him close, and their legs tangled together under the thin blanket. Luke untangled his legs without waking Han and managed to kick free of the blanked, relieved to feel cool air on his bare legs.

A little less over heated now, he let his eyes close again, one arm reaching over to rest next to Han's. When it wasn't so hot, it was pretty nice to sleep next to him.

~

The sun was higher, brighter, and hotter when his eyes opened again. This time he was woken up by Han rolling and away from him.

"Good morning," was all Luke could think to say as he watch Han stretch his arms over his head, his back to him. It didn't feel strange being in bed with him. Sex with him had felt completely natural; they'd fallen into an easy rhythm together, as if they'd known the ins and outs of each other's bodies for as long as they'd known each other. Luke had expected the morning to be more of the same, but now, with Han actually awake, he found he didn't quite know what to say to him.

Han made it easy, like he always did. He turned to face him; his skin had gotten pale from long months of space travel, and it seemed to drink in the sun now, shining the light back in a pale gold glow. Luke bit the inside of his lip, waiting to see what Han might say.

"No need to be shy," Han said, rolling back into bed and on top of Luke, holding himself up on all fours. Neither of them had bothered to put clothes back on last night, and with the blanket pushed off of them ... Luke couldn't help himself. He tried to peak between their two bodies to get a good look at Han. But his gaze was noticed right away. No one had ever accused Luke of being a subtle person.

"It's not much to look at," Han said.

Luke reached a hand up, letting his finger trace the faded scar on Han's chin. "I like it," he said, "well enough."

Han laughed. "I'll take 'well enough.' You make a good pillow, you know."

"Yeah, well, you radiate heat like Dune Sea at midday," Luke said.

Han smirked and shrugged as best his could in his position. Han ran a hand through Luke's hair, gently avoiding the tangles they'd made the night before.

"You know," Luke felt a finger trace over his cheek, then down his collar bone as Han talked, "you should come with me when I take off. I've caught wind of some things you might be interested in."

Han's brown eyes were looking at Luke's chest as he talked, tracing over lines of muscles as he did. He'd made this offer to Luke before, more than once. Luke always had to give the same answer. But something about this morning was making Luke reconsider.

"What kinds of things?" Luke asked.

"Imperial remnants. Jedi activity. Black market goods." Han's finger traced his jaw, then settled on Luke's lip. Luke felt his heart rate pick up in anticipation of the kiss.

"That does sound interesting," he confessed. Han kissed him gently -- so gently it was almost frustrating. The delicate peck left Luke in anticipation. He felt his back arch up, his body searching for something Han wasn't giving him. If Han noticed Luke's needs, he didn't say anything.

"Come with me," Han said. "We'll have a good time. And the temple will be here when you get back."

"You're seducing me," Luke teased.

"I already did that. Now I'm just making an offer," Han said. But his hips started to lower, the skin of his upper thigh ghosting over Luke's.

"How long would we be gone?" Luke asked.

"Well that's the beauty of it," Han leaned down and kissed him again, longer and deeper this time. "We get to decide."

[imgeekgirlfan]

The Curse of Cassandra [EP : III]

Read in Ao3 : here

Pairings:  Qimir x f!reader(SEA Reader)  [The Acolyte]

Content Rating : Mature 18+  Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warning (AT YOUR OWN RISK)

tags/themes : Alternate Universe - Dune & Star wars, Partners in Crime, Strangers to Lovers

Summary: Once, your mother told you that dreams are messages from the deep. This time, you dreamed of a terrifying future—your own death.

Status: finished writing this fic! (It will end in Episode 14)

A/N : For this chapter, I was inspired by Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024), particularly the nightmare scene. I find it incredibly romantic and beautiful (without any sexual elements)

So that's it, close enough, welcome back furiosa and praetorian jack LOL

➡  Intro // EP : 1 // EP : 2 // EP : 4 // EP : 5 // EP : 6 // EP : 7 // EP : 8 // EP : 9 // EP : 10 // EP : 11 // EP : 12 // EP : 13 // EP : 14 (Completed)

[Episodes 3] Dreams Are Messages From The Deep

Tonight, you dream, and it is far from a pleasant one.

Once, your mother told you that dreams are messages from the deep, the mysteries of the universe, akin to precognition. But dreams are often uncertain, uncontrollable, and unpredictable. like omens or cryptic hints of what is yet to come, they are puzzles you must piece together yourself.

You see it again: the puzzles of fateful catastrophes and the unclear path of the future. Corpses are strewn across the floors of spacecraft and the ground. The dream flashes between these scenes, intertwining them as one, despite being at different times and places. You know it all means something—these deaths are all the work of the same person.

And then you encounter it...the embodiment of the dark shadow that has haunted you in your dreams for months.

Before, everything was shrouded in impenetrable darkness, like staring into the abyss where nothing could be seen but an endless void. But this time, the dream is different. Beneath the shadows, you begin to see the figure of that person—a tall, imposing figure dressed in a sleeveless black cloak that blends seamlessly with the surrounding darkness. His face is hidden behind a cracked metal helmet, with a terrifyingly wide grin etched across the lower half.

A familiar yet strange feeling stirs as you gaze at him, and beneath that thick mask, where no eyes are visible, you know he’s staring back at you.

A Jedi? That’s your first thought. But the red lightsaber in his right hand says otherwise. No, this is a Sith.

Suddenly, something within you screams, warning you to flee.

You instinctively start running, but you never get far. The energy around you envelops you, pushing you back into the darkness. You see his hand raised, drawing you in effortlessly. The lightsaber is gone now. It’s no longer needed. With just one hand, he could kill you easily, like crushing an insect.

In an instant, his strong hand is around your throat, squeezing the air from your lungs. Your eyes widen in terror, unable to breathe, as the blackness of death moves closer, leaving a whisper deeply embedded in your consciousness.

"I told you, you can't run away from me."

You scream and struggle, refusing to surrender, desperately searching for any way to survive.

Then you feel the cold steel of a blade in your hand, and instinctively, you know this is your only chance. Without hesitation, you lift the knife and thrust its sharp point toward his throat, determined to kill him before he kills you.

But your flickering hope extinguishes just as quickly when he catches your hand mid-strike. His deep, menacing laughter sends a shiver down your spine, and in that moment, you realize—this is yet another failure leading you toward your death.

And then, you wake up.

The knife is still in your hand, just like in the dream. But now, you're in your bedroom, not on a spaceship. There's no blood, no death, and before you is not the mysterious Sith but Qimir, his hand gripping yours tightly, the blade barely a hair's breadth away from his throat.

His expression is calm, composed, a stark contrast to your own, pale and shaken. "You had a nightmare," he says softly, gently easing the knife from your grasp. "Go back to sleep."

His voice is soothing and tender, gradually dispelling the lingering fear from the nightmare as your racing heartbeat slowly returns to a steady rhythm. Almost as if in a trance, you do as he says. You allow him to guide you back onto the bed, his hands warm and reassuring as they touch your face, lulling you back into the realm of sleep.

This time, you don’t dream at all.

Qimir isn’t joking when he says he will teach you.

He starts with the smallest details, such as distinguishing between dangerous and harmless people. "You wouldn’t want to pickpocket someone who could kill you, would you?" Qimir remarks, pointing out a dark-skinned man blending into the crowd with tattered clothes, his body concealed under a cloak. Yet, you can still glimpse a large scar on his upper arm. "That’s a bounty hunter. His gun is hidden under the cloak. These guys are quick. He’d shoot you before you could even touch his pocket." It is astonishing how Qimir can discern such details just by observing a person’s gait or how they carry their belongings.

The next lesson is about disguise—how to blend in so seamlessly that no one could ever recognize you. "You’ve done well so far in hiding yourself, but it’s not good enough to fool me," he says. His words seem mocking, but you can’t deny their truth. "You can’t spend your whole life running and hiding. The key is to accept who you are before you start lying about it. A lie can never become the truth, but you can learn to live with it."

"You talk like you’ve done this many times before," you retort, unable to resist teasing him. Yet deep down, you are curious too. He knows too much and is too skilled—as if he has intimate experience with such matters.

But Qimir doesn’t answer your question. He simply smiles at you. For a moment, you are slightly taken aback. His smile seems oddly familiar, as if you have seen it before, but you can’t quite place when or where.

"Let the lies be a part of you, but never let them consume who you are. No matter where you are or what role you pretend to play, never forget your true self."—This is the essence of Qimir's teachings, beyond the various techniques and tricks of disguise he has revealed to you.

There is a subtle weight in his words, something that hints at more than just instruction.

The last thing Qimir chooses to teach you, and what you find most difficult, is the art of combat—both armed and unarmed.

It isn’t that you have never learned to fight before. Alongside rigorous mental training, your mother also taught you how to use a knife. "Our lineage is one of fighters. A knife is like a part of our body. We fight from cradle to grave. If you can't wield a knife, you’ve wasted your heritage." Your mother’s words echo vividly in your memory as you twirl the knife in your hand, trying to recall and review the lessons you learned long ago.

"What are you waiting for?" Qimir’s voice snaps you back to the present. "Just holding a knife won’t make you win."

You look up to see him standing in the open field outside the quarters. Qimir looks different today, dressed in white instead of his usual dark colors. His shoulder-length hair, usually a wild mess, is neatly tied back into a tight ponytail. A challenging smile plays on his lips as he raises his right hand, brandishing a short knife, ready for battle at any moment.

You step toward Qimir cautiously, your bare feet feeling the rough earth and stones beneath you. The muscles in your body are fully alert, a reflex honed from the countless times you have been trained.

Yet none of your previous lessons have prepared you for a face-to-face fight with Qimir.

Qimir’s lessons are nothing like your mother’s. There is no compromise, no leniency, despite the fact that you are just a small woman. Every move he makes is forceful, direct, brutal, and potentially lethal if he truly intends to kill you.

Qimir strikes first; his attacks are relentless and unyielding. You barely manage to dodge, feeling the rush of air from his arm sweep past your face. The sharp blade grazes the tips of your hair, sending strands fluttering to the ground, where they land like droplets of blood.

You retaliate, thrusting your knife toward his ribs and abdomen, but Qimir blocks each attack with ease. The clash of metal rings out, sending shocks through your wrist up to your shoulder, the pain forcing you to grimace.

Both of you pull back, sweat beading on your faces, eyes locked in mutual assessment. You swallow hard, slowly circling to the side, seeking an opening that wouldn’t leave you vulnerable.

Qimir’s strength is his advantage, but yours is speed. You know that the longer this drags on, the worse off you’ll be. You have to act quickly and decisively—one swift, precise move is the only way to defeat him.

This time, you let Qimir come close, allowing him to initiate the attack. You twist your body to evade his knife, all the while searching for the perfect moment to strike back. The pressure from his relentless assault closes in on your thoughts, triggering your survival instincts. You love life. You don’t want to die, and you will not surrender easily.

You are cornered, and a cornered animal will do anything to survive.

Quick as thought, in the split second, Qimir is preparing his next attack. You flip the knife in your hand, aiming straight for his throat.

But then, everything changes. The scene before you shifts abruptly, overlaying itself with the dream from the night before. The sunlit ground turns into an endless void of darkness, and Qimir transforms into the mysterious masked man from your dream. You plunge your knife toward his throat, just as you did in the dream, and he catches your wrist with the same speed as before. The sound of mocking laughter fills your ears—cold and terrifying.

Fear surges within you as you once again face the hopeless truth—there is no way you can defeat him.

The vision ends abruptly as you lose your balance. The next thing you know, Qimir throws you to the ground with all his strength. Your back hits the earth hard before his towering frame pins you down completely. The sharp edge of his knife presses against your delicate throat, not hard enough to draw blood but enough to cause pain.

"You are distracted. If this were a real fight, you’d be dead by now."

He lifts the knife away but doesn’t move from above you. One of his hands brushes the disheveled hair from your face as he peers into your ink-blue eyes. "Something’s bothering you. Is it that dream?"

You press your lips together, fighting back tears. The lingering fear still clings to your mind, refusing to fade, and suddenly, you feel a surge of vulnerability. "Qimir, I don’t want to die."

Qimir stares at you, blinking in confusion, his expression full of bewilderment. "I haven’t done anything to you."

"You won’t, but others will," your voice trembles, on the verge of tears, yet not a single drop falls. "When you hand me over to those people, I’ll surely die."

Your words make him pause, a flicker of hesitation crossing his features.

He knows it can’t possibly be true. The client who hired through the Bounty Hunters' Guild had specified clearly: they want this woman alive. The client doesn’t care how you are captured, only that you are brought in breathing. This means they have no intention of killing you. In fact, it is likely that you are of some special importance, something too valuable to be lost.

That’s what has piqued his curiosity all along. What makes a seemingly ordinary woman so wanted? What makes you so convinced that you are going to die when nothing points to such a fate?

"Can you tell me why you think you’re going to die?" Qimir asks, his tone unusually serious and firm.

His intense gaze makes your breath catch. Decades of pent-up emotions linger on your lips. You want so badly to tell him everything—about yourself, your family, and your bloodline.

But your mother’s warning remains deeply rooted in your mind and heart. "Never trust anyone. Never reveal our secrets to a soul. Your trust will lead to ruin, not just for you but for everyone."

You close your eyes briefly, deliberately avoiding his penetrating gaze. "I can’t tell you," you whisper, a wave of guilt washing over you.

A heavy silence settles between the two of you, thick and suffocating. For a moment, you feel the intensity in Qimir’s eyes grow stronger, as if he is desperately trying to unearth the truth from you with his gaze alone.

The minutes that pass feel like an eternity. Finally, Qimir rises to his feet and extends his hand to you.

"Don’t worry. As long as you’re with me, you’ll be safe."

You grasp his hand and push yourself up, feeling the firm, steady warmth of his grip. There is something oddly comforting about it—a strength that almost makes you forget your fears.

You can tell that Qimir is frustrated, though he isn’t the type to yell or complain. On the contrary, whenever something troubles him or when he is dissatisfied, he grows silent, his expression unreadable, almost emotionless. You have spent enough time with him to recognize the signs, and you dislike this side of him intensely. You would almost prefer if he just yelled at you outright.

You remain standing where you are, confusion and turmoil swirling within you as you watch his broad back retreat into the house, disappearing behind the old wooden door.

Deep down, you want to trust him, but you aren’t sure if you can really place your faith in this man.

Footnotes:

[1] Though the Bounty Hunters' Guild didn't exist during the High Republic Era, this fan fiction takes creative liberties with canon for storytelling purposes. It's not 100% accurate—just enjoy the read!

[burnwater13]

Boba Fett riding a Bantha through the streets of Mos Espa, Tatooine. Image from the Book of Boba Fett, Season 1

The Many Seas…

Grogu had seen a lot of things in his life. He’d been to a wide variety of places, each worse than the last. Mostly. Some tied with each other. He couldn’t say that Nevarro was really better or worse than Arvala-7. They were both kind of meh. He liked Tatooine better than either of them, but he certainly didn’t like Tatooine best. He didn’t even like Coruscant best. Nope. He liked the sound of Kamino. He’d never been there, but he’d go there if he could.

Sorgan had been really nice. It was green. It had water, too much water. That was according to his dad. The whole too little water, too much water thing. Apparently Din Djarin thought Tatooine had just enough water. Everywhere that had more than Tatooine’s allotment had too much. He had assured Grogu that he’d never been anywhere that had less water than a desert planet with twin suns. Grogu had just sighed at him and shook his head. Of course the guy who couldn’t swim found water problematic. 

But Grogu had been talking with the Daimyo and Boba Fett had told him all about Kamino, where he had been raised, and it sounded ideal to Grogu. It was an ocean planet. It was covered with water. Everywhere you looked. Which sounded great! Boba Fett had told him that it certainly meant that you had to learn how to swim and Grogu had laughed at that. 

He knew how to swim. It had been essential learning at the Jedi Temple. Not just because Jedi needed to know how to do that (Master Drallig could barely paddle enough to stay afloat), but because for Grogu a deep puddle could have been life threatening. It rained a couple times a year on Coruscant. At least at the Jedi Temple. So puddles did occur. Then there was a swimming pool, a reflecting pond, the baths, the washing up areas, the labs, the arboretum, the… lots of locations within the Temple grounds and facilities used a good amount of water and it was all something of threat to Grogu. So, he learned to swim before he learned to do just about anything else. 

The Daimyo had commented that it made sense to focus on safety first. Grogu agreed, but asked his knowledgeable friend why the Mandalorian hadn’t learned to swim. It seemed like the sort of thing that either a bounty hunter or just an average Mandalorian should know. Boba Fett laughed at that. 

“My young friend, I have never met an average Mandalorian. At least none who thought that they were average. Your question is better posed to your father. My father insisted that I learn so I could not be put in harms way on Kamino. Perhaps the planet your father grew up did not have a lot of water. I have never to been Aq Vetina, that I recall, so I cannot say one way or the other. But don’t worry. It is never too late to learn a new skill.”

Grogu smiled at that. The Daimyo was right. If he could learn how to ride a Bantha when he was already an adult, then Din Djarin could certainly learn to swim. The problem was finding a place with enough water to teach him. And it had to be clean water. And only so deep. The Mandalorian had flatly refused Grogu’s offer to teach him when they were fishing at the Pika Oasis because his armor would get all gunked up. At least that’s the excuse his dad had used. 

Grogu asked the Daimyo what had made him want to learn to ride a bantha. After all, it couldn’t have been easy at his advanced age.

“I may look like a man who has enjoyed his life, but let me assure you, Tatooine’s suns make me look far older than the years I have marked with celebrations of my birth. As to why I learned to ride a bantha, it was very simple. They are faster than walking. It didn’t hurt that the Sand People do not tolerate a lot of variation from the members of their tribe. It was deemed too dangerous. Everyone learned to ride a bantha or they were left behind. No one wants to be left behind in the Dune Sea.”

Grogu nodded his head and thought about that for a minute. He certainly had learned things so he wouldn’t be left behind. And he was pretty sure that Master Beq had once described the education of younglings as learning to sail the seas of information. Grogu supposed that sand was what made up the oceans of Tatooine and wondered if anyone had ever created a sailing vessel to explore those oceans of sand. It would be a lot safer for his dad, because you didn’t have to know how to swim to survive. He asked the Daimyo about it.

“There are as many types of swimming as there are types oceans. Your father does pretty well making his way through the ocean that is parenthood. I think you should give him credit for that. It isn’t easy, but it is certainly worthy.”

Grogu nodded his head. His dad was worthy. He knew that. Grogu was just glad that the Daimyo also knew that. He wondered if that was a Mandalorian thing, or just a thoughtful son thing? Both could be true. 

[knightprincess]

Forgive Me (Echo x Medic Reader) - Epilogue

Words: 2.5k Warnings: Suggested injuries, paralyzation. Fluff, family. Pronouns Used: She/Her - Used of Y/N - Reader is nicknamed Snap.

Pabu was peaceful once more. With the return of those who’d gone off to Tantis came the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. The fight against the empire had just begun, and at the call of Echo, Rex, Gregor, and Howzer joined the group on the peaceful island. Each greeted with the news of (Y/N), the truth about the CX Troopers, and reunited with old friends many believed to have been lost. By far, Fives’s reappearance was the most shocking, especially for Rex, who’d been there the day he was supposedly killed.

Although the rebellion against the Empire grew, it was put on the back burner for a few months. With the scattered information (Y/N) had managed to give, Comet fully recovered, although he chose not to fight any longer. Instead, he settled for a quiet life on Pabu, helping to protect the people. By the time the battle of Yvain took place, Comet had become known as the “Old Uncle” who told the best stories.

Dogma, too, made a full recovery. Although he’d been unaware of what had occurred after his imprisonment during the war, he had been aware of Order 66. A once rule-abiding trooper, his heart almost broke to learn the Republic was no more, being replaced with the cold, unforgiving Empire. Wanting nothing more than forgiveness for his previous action, Dogma joined the Rebellion to fight for all the brothers lost during and after the war. He wrote the names of those he fought for on his armor, ensuring they would never be forgotten.

Among the names were Tup, Kix, and Jesse. He’d helped Rex with his rebellion until the Empire launched a crushing blow on Barton 4, the base of operations at the time. There, Dogma gave his life to protect what remained of his brothers and the innocent civilians hoping to escape for a better life. Among those he saved were Hera Syndulla and the former Jedi Caleb Dume.

Although Cody physically recovered from Tantis and the empire, his mind never did. Plagued with nightmares of the past, of guilt for what he’d helped bring about, and grief for all those needlessly lost. For a while, he stayed on Pabu, helping the rebellion every now and again. After a while, he decided to search for Obi-Wan. Unknown to Snap, she’d helped him. Her repeated word of “Tattooine” was all he needed.

Once he’d found Obi-Wan on Tattooine, he apologized for what happened and asked forgiveness, volunteering to do whatever was asked of him. Although hesitant initially, Obi-Wan eventually came around, asking Cody to bury his and Anakin’s lightsabers in the Dune Sea. Cody would leave Tattooine in 3BBY when Mon Mothma called for aid in her rebellion. He became a pilot and later an instructor for the Rebellion, helping to train those who bravely volunteered and prepare them for battle.

Fives, on the other hand, was a different matter altogether. Hemlock had taken an interest in the former Arc Trooper, claiming him as his personal project. After much research it was revealed Fives was supposed to be phase two of the CX troopers, aimed to be more like the Bad Batch members, enhanced physically and mentally. Because of that, his programming was far harder to reverse. Although thankful, he was able to recognize those he’d previously known.

Like with Dogma, he wasn’t aware of the Republic’s fall nor Order 66 and the destruction of the Jedi. All of it came as a cruel shock to the former Arc Trooper, even more so when it became clear all of it was a part of the plot he’d discovered before his believed death. It took several years to reverse what Hemlock had done, but it had come at a cost. With the removal of the implants, Fives was paralyzed from the waist down. However, that didn’t stop him from living a full life on Pabu, free from the war, both past and present. Fives would spend his time in the island's gardens and with (Y/N). His favorite time of day was sunset. The sight of the island lighting up never ceased to amaze him.

Gregor, Rex, and Howzer stayed on Pabu for a while after Tantis and joined the others. Howzer had taken a liking to Emerie, and thrust went on several assignments with her. The pair eventually reunited Jax, Eva, Baron, and Sami with their families. Like Cody, Howzer would join the Rebellion, being inspired by the words of the young Jedi Knight, Ezra Bridger. Sadly, Howzer and Emerie both perished at Scarif, helping Jyn Erso with her surprise attack and retrieval of the Death Star plans.

As everyone knows, Rex, Wolffe, and Gregor went into “retirement” briefly. But before that, they fought in many more battles, including Barton 4, The first failed Battle of Scarif, and The Battle of Anaxes. The latter resulted in the destruction of the planet due to the old volatile bomb Admiral Trent had once planted exploding.

All three great commanders would rejoin the fight many years later, likely many brothers they each joined the rebellion in varying degrees. Rex joined the Phoenix Squadron and later fought in the Battles of Lothal, Yvain 4, Hoth, and Endor. Rex would also be reunited with R2-D2, and told Luke stories of his father, Anakin Skywalker.

Gregor would fight and fall in the Battle of Lothal, finally being able to fight for a course he believed in and a battle of his own choosing. He’d later be laid to rest on Pabu, under the watchful eye of (Y/N)—the civvi medic who became family.

Wolffe was a different story. Although he fought in the Clone Uprising, he joined later than many of his brothers. Refusing to leave Snap until he was sure she’d be okay, the civvi medic all put throwing him on the ship, showing shades of her old self when she swore to bring hell if he didn’t keep in contact. Wolffe kept his promise throughout retirement and remained in contact with (Y/N), the Bad Batch members, and Comet.

Following the loss of Gregor and the battle of Lothal, Wolffe continued to fight, joining the Havoc Squadron, which was made up of Omega, Mox, Deke, and Stak. Many times, he commented they remained him of the boys, his wolf pack. When the Civil War ended, Wolffe retired once more, becoming a permanent Pabu resident. When returning, he took Omega and the rest of Havoc home.

What happened to the family of Clone Force 99, you may ask? Well, simply put, they retired. With all the jokes, antics, and family drama, one might expect. During the quieter moments, Omega’s training continued, with Deke, Mox, and Stak joining. Over the years, Fives, Comet, and (Y/N) were pulled into the family unit, ensuring none of them were alone. Wolffe would begrudgingly become a member of the makeshift family when the Civil War ended. Omega nicknamed him Gruffly Uncle Wolffe and occasionally Growls, depending on her mood.

Wrecker turned his love of fishing into a day job, joining the fishermen on the tides for days on end. Of course, he’d always come back with elaborate stories to tell and always greeted those who were part of his family with a bone-crushing hug. By the time the “kids” joined the war effort, Wrecker was confined to a wheelchair, but that didn’t stop him from playing games with the kids and being there to see Stak off the night he joined the Rebellion.

Believe it or not, Crosshair decided to open a little carnival of shooting games, everything from throwing things at targets to water guns. For the fun of it, he’d added hook-a-duck and give prizes. The former sniper also loved cooking and drawing, often experimenting in the kitchen and engaging in banter with Hunter and Wrecker. His artistic skills were something of a legend on Pabu, his keen eyes allowing him to capture the details others missed. Eventually Crosshair took up photography, capturing the beauty in both people and the simple things in life.

At some point, he “adopted” Deke, ensuring the former cadet had a family to rely on. He passed down all his skills as a sniper, unknowingly preparing him for the rebellion to come. Although reluctant to let Deke go, Crosshair would see his boy off the day he left Pabu and greeted him with a fatherly hug when he returned. The two were in constant contact through the war, with Deke never being afraid to pester his dad for advice, needing a confidence boost or a reminder of home.

Tech had quite the journey. At first he avoided almost everything to do with his life before Tantis and becoming a CX Trooper. Instead, focusing on helping (Y/N) recover and reversing the reconditioning each trooper, including himself, had been put through. For the most part, Tech recovered; although his mind remained the same, he could never steady his hands again. There were always tremors and spasms. Along the way, he’d also lost his confidence, becoming self-conscious about his scars and mismatched eyes.

Wolffe helped with the scars, while Phee and (Y/N) had worked together. Phee worked on the present and future, while Snap helped Tech process the past and became the project he wanted to fix. Eventually, Tech joined Phee on her adventures across the galaxy, reigniting their previous spark of romance. Tech and Phee would adopt Mox and eventually marry; although they’d go on all kinds of adventures, they’d always return with priceless artifacts from across the galaxy.

Sadly, Tech eventually lost his sight. No one knows for sure what happened. He’d woken up one day, and his normal golden eye was nothing but black. His cybernetic was damaged not long after, resulting in partial blurred vision. Despite losing vision, Tech still enjoyed the peaceful life on Pabu, becoming a flight instructor after retiring from going on adventures with Phee. Just like Wrecker, Crosshair, and Hunter, Tech was there to see Mox off when he joined the Rebellion, a proud smile knowing the next generation was ready to take over.

What happened to Echo and Y/N, I hear you ask?

Echo stayed on Pabu for a while, enjoying the peace and helping where possible. He was there for Cody when the reversal process started and Tech when the exceptionally minded clone allowed him to help. Likewise, when the struggles began with Fives and (Y/N), Echo was there to offer a hand.

The challenge with Snap truly started upon finding out how much she remembered. She did remember some things from the war, joining the efforts: Fox, Thorn and the Coruscant Guard, Master Plo, Wolffe, and the 104th. She remembered everything, right up to the day Fives had told her of Echo’s supposed death at the Citadel. Then nothing. Anyone she met after that point had to reintroduce themselves, hoping something, anything, would retrigger her memory of them.

Over time, other things came to light. At first, (Y/N) struggled to speak outside of a selected few repeated words: Tech, Help, Thank you, Love, Necklace, and Free. Eventually, she was able to speak almost perfectly, with a stutter and sometimes long pauses, as she took the time to allow her mind to catch up. Hunter took the time to help her speak with Tech and Wolffe's assistance.

Retrigging (Y/N)’s memory wasn’t easy. Certain words seemed to bring things back, as did actions and objects, but it didn’t always stick. Sometimes, it was as if her memory reset every night. As you can gather, Snap was never able to return to her previous role of Medic, her mind too broken to allow her to continue doing her previous job role. Although she did patch the boys up from time to time.

No one knows for sure what triggered her memory of Echo’s rescue. Every time she’d seen him before that, it was as if she didn’t know who he was. He’d introduce himself as if they were strangers. Then, one day, she recognized him. That day, her first words to him were simple enough: “You’re alive.”

Echo hadn’t smiled as much as he had done that day. To hear her utter those words, knowing she remembered something more, meant the galaxy to him. However their relationship never returned to what it was, mainly due to Echo’s guilt for what happened. He blamed himself even if no one else did, even if (Y/N) didn’t.

Instead, The pair built up a strong friendship; Snap would offer the encouragement needed to continue his fight against the empire while reminding him to stay safe; his family still needed him after all, even if he didn’t realize it.

The hardest part for Snap was relearning all she forgot, sometimes, many times over. Her family, the war ends, the fall of the republic, the Jedi purge, and even her own actions. The latter of which (Y/N) was determined to put right. Eventually succeeding, first with Cody, then Comet, Tech, after he finally deemed she was able to complete the necessary steps sufficiently, and finally Fives, with Tech assisting, and Rex along with Gregor to provide a helping hand when needed.

Of course, Wrecker kept to his word; he contacted Devika when the ship landed on Pabu. The young Senator visited at every chance, helping where she could and thanking with gifts and knowledge. When away, Devika would also call at every opportunity, updating those stowed away on the peaceful island on the goings-on of the wider galaxy.

As for retirement, Echo never really did retire; when the uprising failed, he helped Devika with her plans in the senate, eventually leading to a bigger rebellion. For the most part, the former Arc Trooper worked as an analyst and battle strategist. However, when the others retired, he remained in contact with the bad batch and the family on Pabu, along with Rex, Gregor, and Wolffe. Echo lived to see the empire fall, settling down on Coruscant when it all ended, along with Rex. However, he’d visit Pabu when able.

(Y/N) never left Pabu, instead settling on the island along with those who became her family. Although she could never aid as a medic again, she did train the next generation. And helped to raise the kids. At first, she lived with the Batch, mainly with Hunter and Tech, if only so they could keep an eye on her and help when needed. Eventually, though, she tried to live on her own, something that they all discovered was disastrous, even more so upon discovering (Y/N) no longer had the mental capacity to live alone.

By the time Mon Mothma called for the rebellion to unite, Snap was living with Fives and Comet, running a little stall at the island market, selling flowers from her little garden and handmade clothes, blankets, and trinkets. She never got tired of hearing the stories the others would tell, and although her memory never truly recovered, she still enjoyed listening to the others, whether it be about past adventures or about their day. They were her family, salvation, saviors, and rocks when she needed them most—her reason for continuing when she lost everything, including herself.

~End~

A/N - Thank you for coming on this little journey with me. May the force be with you, always x

Series Masterlist

[looseleafteeaves]

Facing the Krayt, part 2

Leia, in the time after poisoning Jabba, waited in silence. Her back burned with pain like knives, the perfectly parallel lines from the elctrowhip pulling and stretching as she breathed.

First dawn passed, sky alight with pinks like Nabooian lake lillies. No one came to pull her out. Second dawn approached, red like blood staining the sky. A pair of guards approached and grabbed her arms yanking her from the cellar she was locked in.

Jabba’s majordono greeted her.

“The Mighty Jabba has decided your punishment. You will be facing the Sandstorm. If you survive, you will return to misting, little girl.”

Leia’s eyes burned, and her ears rang with the rattle of bones, the roar of a Krayt Dragon. She said nothing.

Bib Fortuna appeared almost disappointed.

“Put her outside the gates. She will walk into the Dune Sea. After the sandstorm passes, we will track her chip and return her- or her body.”

Leia’s face becomes like a nabooian lake. Placid, calm.

Unfathomably deep. Filled with dangers. She walked between the guards, listening as the call of the burning sands grew louder, snippets of words beginning to become heard.

She was shoved out the back gate of the palace. Her sheer clothes providing nothing to stop the wind. Her enslaved sisters had placed what few things they had set aside outside the walls, hidden beneath a rock with a tzai plant. She covered herself in the long, midnight blue cloak. Her barefeet covered in sturdy shoes. She armed herself with protection from the Burning Suns.

Then she walked.

As both suns reached the peak of their arc, the sandstorm was seen. The whipping winds, the knife like sand, the wall of darkness.

Leia saw its approach. She pulled goggles over her eyes, a sheer scarf over her mouth and nose. She breathed as the front running dust blew past. One last breath, and the storm was upon her.

The world turned black. Her clothing ripped into by wind. The world turned red.

A voice calling from deeper in the storm.

“Come, my child. Face the storm. Face your brother. Find your soul.”

Leia reached inside herself. The fathomless deep lake. The eternal mountain storm. The endless desert. A wall cracks.

Shatters.

Her mind fills with light. Even in the midst of the sandstorm, ghosts walk beside her, their beautiful presences splitting sky from sand.

“Hello there, little ghost.”

Leia smiles. “Ben!”

Ben- Obi-Wan- smiles and starts to speak, but is yanked into the wind.

Another flash- a red bird- there and gone again.

“Oh, darling.”

Leia’s eyes fill with tears. “Daddy.”

Bail Organa smiles, and his ghostly form embraces her.

“Face your Trial, daughter mine. With courage, strength, and wisdom. Your soul is of three peoples. You honor them all.”

Leia reaches out with grasping hands, tears freely flowing.

His ghost vanishes. Leia presses onwards. A woman, face hosting crows feet and the beginning of laugh lines. Her mouth moves, but no sound escapes. Her blue shaw flaps in the sandstorm’s breeze as she vanishes.

A beautiful woman, chest filled with lights like lightning bugs, appears. “Leia… Daughter… Child of Many. What do you seek?”

Leia, crying as she smiles. “Freedom. Myself. Hope.”

Breha Organa’s face becomes more real. “The go daughter. Lukka The sandstorm has your answers.”

“Wait- Momma- don’t leave yet- I’m sorry I failed-“

Though her blue glowing figure was gone, her voice rang like the wind chimes on Alderaan. “Oh Beloved. You could never have failed. You upheld the best parts of Alderaan. You protected hope. You survived. Thats all Bail or I could ask.”

Leia knew she wouldn’t find them again in this storm.

Before her, an orange flight suit covered in jedi robes runs forwards. Luke’s curly hair bouncing as he laughs joyously. Leia chases him.

The Krayt chases the Sandstorm. The Sandstorm chases the Krayt.

He vanishes. The little red bird is hopping before her, the barest of outline. It’s beak opens.

“Why do you walk the sandstorm, Child of Me?”

“I face the storm for a call, for a punishment from Depur.”

The redbird changes, becoming a brunette with a scar and a metal tube at his waist.

“The walk, Daughter of the Desert Lakes Mountains. The Mother awaits.”

Leia walks. The Dune sea laid out before her. Far in the distance, a rock face with plants blooming out of it is visible.

Directly before her is a woman dressed in layers, a pouch with a starburst and a bronze braclet is waiting.

“Water, Seeker?”

Leia nods and drinks deeply. “What is your name, Grandmother?”

“Shmi, granddaughter. I have wondered where you were when your twin crossed the sands.”

Leia blinks. “Shmi, I think you are mistaken. I have no twin.”

Shmi smiles. “I could never be mistaken. Lukka is only given as a name when there is a Leia beside him.”

Leia is stunned. Shmi gives a small secret smile. “Walk onwards, Granddaughter. Face your mother and yourself. Walk onwards, Leia Organa Ekkreth.”

Shmi vanishes.

Leia does as bid. Sitting before the cave in bloom is a women Leia has only seen in dreams. Long brown hair, so like her own. Deep blue dress. White, star-like flowers dotting her hair and dress.

“Hello, Padmè Amidala.”

“Hello, my daughter.”

And the area fills with light. A thousand snippets of a moment. A thousand chances to see what could have been. A moment with who was.

She sees Luke being taken away, sees Bail hold her for the very first time. Sees her mother breath her last. Sees her father and her mother breathe together, love each other.

Sees Vader.

Padmè kisses her forehead and says “Face yourself, my beautiful daughter. You must remember.”

Leia grasps her hand one last time as she fades. The cave, with blooming flowers and jagged teeth. A shuddering breath like a death rattle blows past.

Leia steps forward.

———

Leia never shared what she learned in that cave. It is a small, secret vision she keeps from all but one.

But she learned. For Leia the Krayt Dragon, Elder Sister, was waiting there. And Leia knew her soul. For no chain has been made that can bind her to not escape, and none ever will.

Leia returns after 7 days in the desert. She walks through the gates of Jabba’s palace, and they did not need to track her. She was in perfect health.

Lukka Luke came the next day. Leia strangled Jabba with the chains he thought would bind her, would break her.

She freed herself and her sisters. Her sisters embraced her as she left to face the Depur of the Empire.

Lukka looks at Leia, and they both know the other like a forgotten friend come back into your life.

The Krayt chases the Sandstorm. The Sandstorm faces the Krayt.

Leia, after freeing the Empire, brings Lukka back to Tatooine. The Burning Twins help their people take back their planet.