#junk planet seven

[goddessalthena]

UsaMamo Week 2024 - Day 3/6 - Inspired by a Song/Coffee

Late again, and it's tough to say how late because this is technically two prompts in one. I was originally planning to write this as a song fic, but wasn't really feeling it leading up to the event week. Then last night I read @caelenath's awesome song fic and felt inspired to take another look at my outline.

This is not the whimsical lark that my other UsaMamo week pieces have been (which is why I was torn about writing it) but it's an idea that's been nagging at me for a while now. This is only the first part of three, but I thought it would be nice to post it for the event.

Title: Happier Summary: Mamoru wants a cup of coffee. Rating: T (for language) Words: 1722

“Thirty eight!”

Chiba Mamoru is not a melodramatic person. He is not given to histrionics. Flagrant displays of emotion are simply not his thing. Indeed, he is a calm, composed, and exceedingly rational human being. Life is stressful—his arguably more so than most—and he prides himself on his ability to ‘rise above’. But if this beanie-wearing, mouth-breathing barista doesn’t call his number in the next sixty seconds he might just lose it.

“Thirty nine!”

Mamoru stares down at his receipt and wills the numbers to change. Unsurprisingly, they remain the same. He can transform into a superhero in the blink of an eye, but he can’t change a number on a piece of paper. It may be the caffeine withdrawal talking but this seems…unfair. Unjust. Unacceptable. He is a reincarnated prince, the rightful heir to the planet beneath his very feet, and yet he cannot get a simple cup of coffee.

“Thirty seven!”

Are they counting fucking backwards now? He takes a breath and stuffs the receipt in his pocket so he can run a hand through his hair. He needs to calm down. He’s just tired. He’s had another rough night of precious little sleep and this is just a bad morning. That’s all. One bad morning. At the end of a bad week. At the end of a bad month. He just—

“Forty!”

He just really needs some coffee. It’ll be ready soon. So long as they serve him in the next—he checks his watch—four minutes he can still make it to the hospital before his shift starts. He thinks. He’s only just started at UoT and he’s still not used to the bus transfers. Getting to Keio was much simpler. He didn’t have to get up so early, and the coffee shop across the street was much faster. Not to mention better. He misses that coffee. He misses Keio. He misses sleeping. He misses…a lot of things.

“Forty one!”

Lucky number forty one strolls up to the counter to claim their prize. They walk away with a tall plastic cup full of frothy green liquid that looks like it was poured directly out of an infected nostril, and Mamoru can’t help but shudder when they take a long, noisy sip from the straw. Who comes to a coffee shop and orders…whatever that is? This is apparently a trend now—ordering non-caffeinated beverages at coffee shops—because the last ten people who have walked away from the counter have had similarly ridiculous drinks. Why does everything have to be dessert, or snot, in a cup nowadays? What’s wrong with a regular cup of coffee?

He needs to find another coffee shop.

“Forty two!”

He needs them to call his number.

He pulls out his phone to distract himself and scrolls through a list of notifications: weather, junk mail, update reminders—up to forty five now, he’s got to get around to doing that—and one text. His thumb hovers over the blue bubble for a moment or two before he eventually presses down.

Training session Fri or Sat ppl. LMK work schedules ASAP. No ghosting Chiba. Ur old ass is getting rusty. 👴

As Mamoru rolls his eyes three little dots appear at the bottom of the screen. He holds his breath.

“Forty three!”

He doesn’t look away from those three little dots, doesn’t blink, doesn’t breathe. He just watches them, transfixed, until finally—

I’ve got a shift at the restaurant Friday night, but I can do AM Sat wide open

He releases the breath he’s been holding in a quiet sigh. Just Makoto. Not— His thumb hits the back button of its own accord then scrolls down through the list of chats, until…there, near the bottom. Sandwiched between an old banking verification and a number he doesn’t even recognize. He reads the date to the right of the name and winces. Again, his thumb hovers.

“Forty four!”

He taps. A string of texts populate his screen. He doesn’t need to read them again, he knows them by heart. But he reads them anyway. Like he always does. He can’t help it. He’s weak; in these moments at least. When no one can see. He should stop looking now. Should close the window. Should delete the whole thread while he’s at it. But he won’t. He can’t. He can do a lot of things—has done a lot of things—but he can’t delete those words.

I love you, Mamo-chan.

“Forty five!”

I’ll always love you. Even if you’ve stopped loving me back.

“Forty five!”

I wish I knew why though. I wish you would tell me what I did wrong.

“Forty five! That’s four five, people. Four five!”

I’m sorry, I get it now, I won’t bother you anymore. Be happy, Mamo-chan. I want you to be happy.

“For the last time, forty five! Going once, going twice…”

Mamoru’s head snaps up. Forty five. Fuck. That’s his number.

He stuffs his phone in his pocket and rushes up to the counter and beanie-boy does not look happy. Mamoru begins to mutter an apology then stops as the barista shoves a large mug topped whipped cream, caramel, and chocolate shavings toward him. Mamoru looks from the mug to the mouth-breather and back again as his brain tries to comprehend what is happening. After an eternity of waiting they finally called his number and yet…this is not his drink.

The barista is staring at him with a bored, somewhat vacant expression and Mamoru can clearly see that he is wondering why Mamoru isn’t taking the mug and walking away. Apparently the barista can’t tell from Mamoru’s assumedly apoplectic expression that he has no intention of taking the mug. This mug is not his. It’s not what he ordered. It’s not what he wants. Apparently that’s just his life now. An endless string of miserable disappointments that he’s supposed to suffer through silently. But he’s fed up with being silent.

He wants his damn coffee, and he wants it right fu—

“Oh, hello, uh, hey, sorry, excuse me but…I think that’s mine actually.”

Mamoru blinks as a cheerful man with sandy blond hair steps up beside him. He points to the confectionery concoction on the counter and shoots Mamoru an apologetic smile before turning to the barista. “Yes, chocolate macchiato with caramel, right? I believe that’s mine and not this gentleman’s.”

Beanie boy looks from Mamoru to sandy-hair and blinks.

Sandy-hair glances at Mamoru and shoots him another overly apologetic look. “Right, umm, well, if it’s all right, I’ll just grab this and get out of your way.” Mamoru steps to the side and sandy-hair takes the mug and hurries away. Presumably to overdose on sugar.

Mamoru turns back to the barista.

Barista scratches his temple. The beanie must be itchy. Mamoru hopes it is.

“So…what was your order again?”

“Large. Black. Coffee.”

“Right. That’ll take a couple of min—” Beanie boy must have just learned to read facial expressions because his eyes widen and he takes a step back. “I’ll go get it now.”

Mamoru feels a little bit of the tension ease in his shoulders and he breathes a weary sigh. He’s being an asshole. He’s doing that more and more often now. He keeps telling himself it’s the long work hours and the lack of sleep, but he knows what the real problem is. It’s her. He misses her. But there’s nothing he can do about that so he needs to find a better way to cope than being rude to baristas. And co-workers. And neighbours in his apartment building.

The barista comes back with his to-go cup and Mamoru tries to smile and thanks him for the drink. The guy nods but appears otherwise unaffected and that’s fine. Mamoru’s not looking for a new friend, he’s just trying to be a decent human being. A tinkle of bells sounds as he reaches for his cup. A gust of air follows, and a familiar tingle between his shoulder blades compels him to turn. He follows the innate instinct before his mind can warn him against it.

The unmistakable sight of blond odangos makes his heart soar before the inevitable sensation of crushing gloom comes down hard upon his ribs. Just when he thought his morning couldn’t get any worse. He can’t handle this. Not right now. Not again. He’s not strong enough to face another awkward meeting, another painful interaction, another agonizing opportunity to break her heart. Why are they always bumping into each other? Why, in a city as big as this, can he not get through one single week without running into her? Why?

Mamoru knows why. Because they’re soul mates.

He looks around for an alternate exit, a side door, a window, anything so he can avoid being seen. Before he can consider hiding in the bathroom he realizes she’s not approaching the counter where he stands, she’s rushing over to a table. She’s out of breath, her cheeks are pink, and she’s spouting a string of apologies. He’s seen her look exactly like this countless times before, and he can’t help the smile that spreads across his face as the memories replay.

His smile disappears as a new memory implants itself in his mind.

Of Usako, rushing up to a table where a man with sandy blond hair is standing in wait. Where a man with sandy blond hair is taking her hands. Where a man with sandy blond hair is pulling her forward. Kissing her cheek. Making her blush.

“Don’t worry,” sandy-hair says, “your timing is perfect. Your drink just came out. I wasn’t sure if you wanted a muffin, a danish, or a doughnut, so I got one of each.”

Usako laughs with delight.

Usako laughs with delight.

Usako laughs with delight.

Mamoru heads for the door like the building is on fire. He doesn’t hear the barista calling after him, telling him that he’s forgotten his coffee. He doesn’t hear the tinkling of bells as he shoves through the door or the loud rush of traffic as he hits the sidewalk. All he can hear is Usako’s laughter play over and over in his head.

When was the last time he heard her laugh? When?

Mamoru doesn't know when. He can’t remember.

***

Ain’t nobody hurt you like I hurt you But ain’t nobody love you like I do Promise that I will not take it personal, baby If you’re moving on with someone new

***

Happy Birthday, Mamoru! Sorry bud, this is a breakup fic. What can I say? I both love and hate the breakup arc. The song that inspired this fic is Happier by Ed Sheeran.

Thanks for reading! ❤️

Be sure to follow @usamamoweek for all of this year's content!

Many thanks to our awesome hosts @random-mailbox and @lilliebellfanfics for making this possible. 😘😘

[dnschmidt]

Seven Sentence Sunday (Monday)

Thanks to @gioiaalbanoart for tagging me. It looks like I'm supposed to share a snippet from a WIP? If so, here goes. (Keeping the title a secret until the book is released.)

The planet Hesperos was cold and wet, like stepping in a puddle in your socks. The natives of the planet were the Gordians. They resembled bipedal tree frogs, but worked in inane office jobs instead of just hanging around in a tree all day.

Hesperos mostly produced junk that no one needed: fake designer clothes, plastic figurines of unpopular fictional characters, and electronics that burst into flames if you were foolish enough to risk turning them on. Gordian infonet programs were some of the worst entertainment in the known universe. They were particularly fond of gameshows like Price Gouging, Win Your Neighbor’s Car, and Gunpoint Trivia. They also exported food that was absolutely disgusting to anyone that wasn’t an insectivore. Even the Gordians wouldn’t eat their native cuisine unless they were dared to.

[hunterssm00n]

Brighter Than the Sun / part 2 /

Lex is starting to feel like herself again after the events on Bouvetoya Island... with a little help from a tall, dreadlocked knight in shining armor at her side! | Lex/Scar |

part 2 of 3

my Scar & Lex series on ao3: here

*no cw, just humor and fluff*

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧‎♡‧₊˚

hunterssm00n © All rights reserved by me. I do not allow this work to be used or adapted in any way without my permission.

Lex managed to get herself up and out of bed by ten in the a.m., which was actually pretty impressive considering she hadn't gotten home from her tour until around two in the a.m. Right now, she was still living in her little cubby in the Adirondacks. It was a bit chilly, since it was still winter in upstate New York (and by a bit chilly, she meant cold as hell). Lex had always liked the cold, and Bouvetoya, whilst colder than anything she'd ever experienced (in more ways than one), had done nothing to diminish her love for the crisp air. She knew that her intergalactic friend from the stars wasn't very keen on the cold, and this fact made her realize even more that he indeed had a soft spot for her; she suspected he wouldn't willingly come to this icebox for just anyone.

After dressing, she unhurridly began making breakfast. She had the day off, and she planned on doing absolutely nothing. Recently, she had started taking steady work again, and it was such a relief to be back at her game again. She loved her job; loved the self-fulfillment of it, as well as showing other people the beauty of the world. Her tours were continuing in the mountains right now, and she had taken a big group on a long hike yesterday that had tired her out. It had also taken a lot of her night up, which she had expected. That was why today, she was going to park her sore butt on the couch, and kick back with some junk food and movies.

As she was eating her pancakes and bacon on the couch, flipping through tv channels, she found her mind wandering to her alien pal yet again. It was funny to think those of those two words in one sentance: alien pal. Who ever in a million years would've thought? Lex had never really been one to believe in any of that anyways. She hadn't discounted it entirely - she knew, being a partial scientist, that many things were indeed possible, and didn't always have explanations. Truthfully, she had just never really thought about humanoids existing from other galaxies. Life on other planets, sure. Like water, and plants, and organisms that had capability of movement. But a seven foot tall, scale covered dude with dreadlocks and a pension for violence? Hell no.

This had to be the farthest thing in the universe away from how she thought her life would turn out. And there was still more to come. Lex wondered, as she often did, what was awaiting her in the future. Would this relationship - friendship she had with this extraterrestrial continue? Would it escalate? Would he grow tired of her, and how very different she was from his race? Her brow furrowed at the thought; she didn't want to consider that.

A knocking sound came from her front door, and, mouth full, she turned her head towards it. Who would be visiting her at eleven a.m. on a Tuesday? Swallowing, she placed her plate on the couch cushion beside where she had been sitting, and rose to investigate. Pulling her sweater more tightly around her body, she crossed the short walk towards the entry to the house. Reaching one hand out, she peeked out the curtain, more of that bright sunlight streaming in through the window pane, making her squint to see who was at her door. A blonde woman, pretty face, waved excitedly back at her. Karen. Holy shit. Lex had completely forgotten that she had invited her friend over to her home that morning for coffee; she hadn't seen the woman in weeks, and Karen was finally back in the area after a brief vacation to the Bahamas.

Smiling back, Lex opened the heavy oak door and met her friend with open arms. "It's so good to see you! I'm so sorry, I totally forgot; I feel like the worst friend ever!"

Squeezing her tight, Karen didn't sound the least bit upset, a smile in her voice as she replied cheerily, "Oh, no worries, you've been busy as all hell! I'm just glad you're here - it's been way too long!"

Apologizing again for having pajama's on, Lex invited Karen into the warm house. She decided to make more pancakes and bacon for her friend to share, as well as turning on her coffee maker, while the two engaged in idle, pleasant chit-chat. Karen and Lex hadn't been as close as they normally had been lately. But to be fair, Lex had never really been close with anybody - she didn't have a best friend. And the friends that she did have, she grew even more distant from after everything had happened in Bouvetoya. She looked forward to talking with Karen more often; it was always refreshing to get together and just hang out with a friend, talk about life, recent experiences, etc.

There was one recent life experience, though, that Lex planned on keeping to herself. Karen probably wouldn't take too lightly Lex talking about aliens after knowing about her supposed 'unstable' mental state since the events on the frozen island. Though nobody else but herself knew that aliens were the cause of that misfortune, but she planned to keep everything to herself just the same. For her own safety, and for Scar's.

A little while later, Lex and Karen were sitting on her couch, coffee mugs in hand, talking about another one of their friends, Mariah, who had recently gotten engaged. Lex had been so disconnected from everything, that she hadn't even known Mariah had met someone. They were laughing about past dating experiences when there came a sudden thud from the roof. Lex, eyes wide, swallowed her coffee noisily in realization, and Karen jumped. "Oh, Jesus, Lex, that must scare the shit out of you every single time! That's the problem with living under the trees: once the snow comes crashing down, it sounds like an avalanche!" she giggled. Lex laughed with her, trying very hard to discern whether or not it was actually snow, or if it was something else. Someone else. For a few moments, there was no other noise besides Karen speaking, continuing their subject from before, and Lex was just about to relax when the scrabbling of feet (claws) on her roof made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Worst. Timing. Ever.

Lex had grown to really like Scar, but she had no idea how she was going to explain this one to Karen. Crap.

"Man, that stuff's really coming down!" Karen exclaimed, looking up at the ceiling, "Do you think my car's okay out there? It's under one of those giant pine trees,"

"Um, yeah, you know what? I'll go check on it." Lex stated, setting her coffee down on the table a little too forcefully, so some sloshed over the rim and onto her coffee table.

"Oh, I'll come wit-"

"Oh no, Karen, it's fine, really! It's cold out there, you stay in here where it's warm, I've got it, don't worry!" Lex said in a rush, practically running towards the door. Karen gave her a puzzled look before shrugging it off and sipping at her warm beverage.

Lex practically threw her coat around her shoulders, not even zipping it up before she was out the door, slamming both of them shut in her haste. She had closed them just in time, too, because as soon as she did, a huge creature that seemed to fall straight from the sky (or rather, her roof) landed heavily on two feet in the snow right in front of her porch. Straightening from his crouched position, Scar stood to his full height, chittering in greeting at her.

"Scar, hey buddy, um, listen -" She barely made it off the porch before she was swept up into those massive arms and squeezed against that brick wall of a chest in a giant bear hug. "Ow, Scar, can't breathe..." She patted him on the back in greeting as he set her down on her feet, holding a hand on her shoulder to steady her. Swaying as she gazed up at him, she once again tried to explain the situation to him. "Hey, can you come back in, like, two hours? I, um, someone who doesn't know about you is h-"

"Lex?" Came a faint voice from behind her, growing louder as a creak preceded the door opening, "Are you alright? I hear voices." Lex swung around towards her female friend, wondering how on earth she was going to explain the massive being in front of her. Well, this is going to be just great.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧‎♡‧₊˚

AN: I do not own the Alien vs Predator franchise or any of it's characters. Karen is an OC made up by me. I also do not own the song 'Brighter Than the Sun' by Colbie Caillat.

part 3

[maguro13-2]

Darkness Reborn ~ Origins of the Ink Demon Final Chapter Pt. 5 ~

*Keyboard Typing*

Cid : Come on, you piece of junk! Don't go ballistic on me, you piece of crap! This has gotta be the database the Time Eater has left something from Soul World. Now we can finally live up to this Soul Eater garbage and give the real world a piece of their mind. I can't wait to see the secrets of going behind the scenes of the manga itself.

Aerith : Whatever there is, there's plenty of database within computer memory space. I'm sure anyone will might know that this Shinigami had to cover up a few secrets.

Cid : You sure know how to feel like a genius that knows about computers and data, but I wouldn't mindly recommend Merlin of calling myself a smart ass.

Merlin : Language!

Cid : Sorry!

Sora : So, Tron. Did you find anything the Kusakabe database?

Tron (as the computer) : Hmm, I did find any database within the Kusakabe's data, but I believe that there are no evidence of Shinra's involvement with the Heartlesses. It's what the Time Eater has left something for after it destroyed the Ohkuboverse in half, only to make sure that Shinra died and one person that was executed, Shinra and his beloved Iris died before the last one was executed and has recorded some footage about a pink-haired witch who was a chained to a chair during the execution video. The men of his influence does like to keep truth out of the public eye and the witches their selves.

Sora : So who was the witch from the Ohkuboverse that the time Eater executed?

*SA2 SFX : ALARM BLARING*

[Black Noise (Space Colony ARK ver.) - Kenichi Tokoi]

Sora : Hey, what's happening?!

Cid : What the hell's going on?! What's happening?! What's all this?!

Squall : Sora! I just found out that something must've happened from the Space Colony ARK! The computer in the Central Control room, has been activated by the seven items.

Sora : How did you know that seven items have activated the control room? What are those items that Sonic was talking about? Is it the seven lights or, the seven dwarfs, I wonder what were those seven items? *DING!* Of course, the Chaos Emeralds! Some "one" or Some "thing" managed to use the Chaos Emeralds to activate the machine in the ARK's Central Control, where a mass weapon of destruction that is capable of destroying a planet. Codename : Eclipse Cannon!

Cid : Excellent idea, Genius! Why would some "one" or some "thing" used a bunch of jewels to activate the machine and caused a virus to make the data go haywire!? Maybe I bet it's the DWMA'S fault that is causing their problems on us! Tch! The bastards and their stinkin' weapons can all just suck my nuts and see if they like it.

Tron : (yelling in pain)

Sora : Tron! Tron! What's wrong?! Are you okay!

Tron : HRRRRGHHH!!! THE...THE EVIDENCE! I FOUND THE EVIDENCE! It's the footage that I found within the Kusakabe database, this is what made the heroes and villains of Soul World , I meant the humans and witches hating each other! It's this! (Shows the same of footage Inca chained to a chair) I found that the remaining survivors of the Ohkuboverse's attack, it's the pink-haired witch that originated the Majo Order in Soul World!

Cid : Well, I'll be a son of a gun. If it ain't the ancestor of Kimial Diehl, Inca Kasugatani. AKA the true mother of all witches that ruled over witchkind. But is still a thrill-seeking nutcase to Shinra after his 1000 years of death.

Sora : Now I that I officially explained to everything. I'm beginning to think that Kimial Diehl has a long lost relative and she's actually a descendant to the Japanese. Now I'm getting to the point of these plot twists that solves a great mystery and puzzles to figure it out. Smart move for a detective like her. Now I understand why the witches of Soul Eater existed in the first place. The Time Eater was using a copied footage of Gerald's Execution, and for that safety measures, it really is up to something that no one has ever done it along time, If Kimial Diehl was really a witch that was orginated from pink-haired japanese clutz who is a seeker of thrills and violence. I don't know why she went crazy just for Shinra.

*RUMBLING*

Cid : Oh, EFFING SON OF B*TCH! NOW WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON!?!

Sora : Guys! Look! It's the footage! It's making a broadcast that will spread across the globe! I think this must've been the Time Eater's doing!

[Madness - Kenichi Tokoi]

Cid : That crazy bastard...

[People mumbling]

Inca Kasugatani (seen from Footage) : Shinra-Kun, my dear. I am giving you this message to all of Real World AU. Listen to my voice carefully. I am giving Real World AU a warning that this will be their death sentence to every heartlesses that have scattered around the planet. So if my theories and caculations are correct, the Ohkuboverse will shatter the Real World in about 1000 years from the Ohkuboverse before the Time Eater destroys it all! You hear me, Shinra-kun? Both you and your foolish family will pay for your transgressions and your influece shall be vanished and destroyed in Real World AU, along with their great planet earth!

Shinra (Devil Chaos Chao) : No way...Inca. You're finally here to see me again.

Inca Kasugatani (Broadcasting) : I'll be waiting for you to see me again, Shinra-Kun. Don't forget about the platonic love we've created. Just hope that I wish that we could've find a different way for us to handle the pain and suffering that we did.

Shinra (Devil Chaos Chao) : No...Inca...It can't be...Inca, what happened to you? Why were you chained up? I'm sorry that even if you failed, I...I still had my chance of you making me chase after you! If I only wanted to save you, I could've saved both you and Iris. I tried...I tried! We all died...We all died and had our 1000 years of death, all because of you! (looks up into the sky, screams in rage) INCAAAAAAA!!!

*DBZ SFX : POWERING UP+RUMBLING*

"Shinra-Kun. At long last, I can finally hear your voice once more."

" I'm finally glad that you finally remembered me, the world you created shall cease into nothingness or end in Total darkness."

"Whatever fate shall holds, You will never forget me and I'll be there by your side."

"I gave my promise to you, Shinra."

"That is what I wished for."

Inca Kasugatani : Gomenne...Shinra-kun.

*TV BUZZING*

~ Eighty-First Scene : Love of a Witch ~

[autumnalwalker]

Heads Up Seven Up

I was tagged by @winterandwords, and then again by @aether-wasteland-s. Thank you to both of you.

Passing the tag to @imbrisvastatio, @aestatismors, @kjscottwrites, @jass-is-afk, @blind-the-winds, @oh-no-another-idea, @words-after-midnight, and an open tag for anyone else who may wish to join in.

Since this was a double tag, time for fourteen paragraphs from the next Empty Names chapter (which will be a while before its real post while I try to build up a chapter buffer again). Not sure how I wound up writing two chapters in a row that start with a character waking up in the morning and not wanting to get out of bed, but here we are. The tone's a bit different though.

Content warning for gender dysphoria and some other more general angst.

The alarm clock times out and stops beeping.  The whole reason Lacuna bought that thing and put it over on the other side of the room was so that she wouldn’t do what she’s doing right now.  It worked for a while but then she got used to it.  And she can’t change the alarm noise to something she’s less used to because she bought the cheapest model she could find.  Then again, she’s theoretically getting paid again so she can probably afford to get a better one.  But then what to do with this one?  Throwing it out feels wasteful.  One more piece of plastic junk polluting the planet.  Not that it’s even a drop in the bucket compared to corporate industrial pollution and - No.  No, no, no.  She’s not letting herself get on the environmental spiral this morning. 

She does another loop of beating herself up for being awkward in a conversation instead. 

Her phone beeps.  A text, not an alarm.

She rolls over to check it and winces at the way the stubble that’s grown back overnight despite the past few years of hormones, lasers, electrified needles, and even some alchemical solutions scrapes across her pillowcase.  So stupid.  Autogenesis should be a barely-dreamed-of blessing (and apparently is for most people in her position), but instead she’s worse off than if she’d never gone Backstage and stuck with mundane solutions all because she’s both too insecure and one of the “lucky” people who just happen to be particularly susceptible to its influence.

Why is she like this?

She flips the phone over on her nightstand and reads the text.

Ready to head out?

That’s enough to jolt her out of her loop and far past the point of wakefulness into the realm of spiking heart rate and shaking limbs. 

She’d gotten so stuck in her head she forgot what day it is.

Trembling, she taps out a reply.

15 minutes.  Sorry.

Twenty-five minutes later Lacuna has gargled some mouthwash, shaved, dressed (pants today), flipped her mattress over to retrieve the box she’s still a little afraid to think about too hard from the hole she’d cut into the mattress’s underside, slung a messenger bag over her shoulder (like a purse but big enough for a laptop, she enjoys telling herself every time), stepped outside, fumbled with her keys due to trying to lock the door in a hurry, and is now descending the stairwell panting “Sorry, sorry, sorry,” over and over again until she reaches where Eris stands waiting at the bottom. 

Eris hands her a protein bar without comment.  

She gives a sheepish “Thanks” as she unwraps it while they walk.  She thinks of the taste as her penance for not getting out of bed sooner.  How Eris eats these things she’ll never know.  Probably without having mouthwash still coating her tongue.  Or does she only buy them specifically to hand to her at times like this?  Oh goddess, Lacuna hopes not.

[fanfictrashdump]

Max couldn't place the end of the world in their timeline.

One moment, they were walking home from work, indulging themselves with wallowing in the hopelessness of capitalism and the menial job that neither paid them enough to live nor gave them the skills to find one that would, and the next, they woke to a land of dust and darkness.

The local grocer's they had woken inside of still had power. Nothing really seemed amiss in the frozen vegetables aisle, save for the smearing trail of blood that looped from the end of the chilly corridor into the frozen meal aisle on the other side. The sound of crunching had caught them, next. Once the shrieking nothingness of tinnitus had ebbed away, leaving only a headache in their wake, the gentle crackling and slurping of what must be the world's messiest eater told Max they were not alone. Max had not had enough time to process what they had missed before the smell of sulfur filled their nose and they were face to face with seven-foot-tall-worth of demon.

Max had never seen a demon–they were quite sure that all that faff about demons was a tall tale to scare children. And while this creature did not look like the story book illustrations of a demon–no red skin, fangs, hooves, etc–they knew it was a demon, at once.

Funnily enough, the demon looked just as surprised to see Max as Max was to discover the existence of demons while being face to face with one. The demon raised one solitary dark brow and waited, as if Max was meant to be apologizing for the confusion and didn't even bother to wipe away the brain matter clinging to the very edge of their lip. "How the fuck did you survive that?"

"S-survive what?"

"Survive wh–what do you mean? The Apocalypse. How did you survive the fucking Apocalypse?" Max opened their mouth to protest but was abruptly cut off. "No matter. I'll, um, I'll take care of you now and–" A long, shiny black blade materialized within dexterous digits and was promptly swung.

"Wait!" Max raised their arms, pleasantly surprised when the demon paused, his all-too-pretty face twisted in what they could only assume was confusion. "A deal. You guys make deals, right? I mean, I don't fiddle, but…"

"Will humans ever stop making that reference?" The demon paused and smirked. "Well, I guess now they will, but it really is very annoying. You don't have to fiddle, but I do require a soul." The blade disappeared. "If you keep me well-fed, I will let you get cozy in whatever's left on this pebble. If not, you'll do me just fine."

The first two were flukes.

Max, not really knowing what they were going to do to avoid their fellow humans' fate, had piled junk into an old backpack. The demon, whose name they had attempted to pronounce once before being told that if they did it again, they would meet the business end of a knife, rolled his eyes (a startling shade of pumpkin orange) and chalked it up to beginner's luck.

The next day Max returned with another soul.

And the next.

And the next.

And the one after that.

After a month, the demon was at the end of their rope. Sure, they were well-fed and more than a bit entertained, but how? How did this human, this feeble thing that lurked in their chosen castle of the grocer's to steal whyphi–whatever that was–and eat cookies keep finding souls on a dead planet?

The demon turned an old brass pocket watch in his hands, the metal bubbling and curdling at his intensely hot touch. It was a piece of junk for all intents and purposes, but they could feel it, the sweet, heady thrum of a soul lingering within. "Where the fuck do you keep getting these from? Are there more humans still alive? And how do you trap them in these things."

Max smiled to themselves, taking another bite of an Oreo before responding. "No other humans, that I know of. I've checked everywhere."

The demon almost felt guilty for their companion's loneliness.

"I don't have to lock them anywhere. They're already in there." Max leaned forward, tapping at an inscription on the back of the watch that read Carry me with you, always. "The soul is in the intention. In wanting to be close. In the connection. I just need to find them."

Expression crumpled in thought, the demon turned the watch several times over before carefully placing in on a pile of shiny trinkets he had hoarded near his throne that he thought were pretty. The desire to consume that soul was… no longer pressing.

"You want a cookie?" Max offered quietly, sensing the demon's hesitation. "They're really good."

After a long breath, the demon reached out, talons closing around the chocolate and crème sandwich. Fingers appreciated the texture before twisting the sandwich apart, just like his human was showing him and eating the crème inside. He watched Max for a long moment before finally eating the chocolaty biscuit.

That single bite tasted like a bright, sweet soul.

“Where do you keep getting these from!?” The demon asked the last person in the universe, frustrated and confused as he was paid with a soul that had no right to exist.

[nityarawal]

3/22/2024

Love Letter To Moms'

(Elon-Bond)

Morning Songs

Why Won't He Say

He Loves You

Take A Stand

Like My Dad

Did For My Mom

Why Won't He Say

He Loves Me

We Know He Loves

Gaza

'Cuz Your Pretty

In The Middle East

Pure Breeds

Irany

Why Won't He Say

He Loves You

Just Rapes And Wars

Surely He's With

The Greatest Beauty

Of The Globe

Why Won't He Say

He Loves You

Thankyou For The PR

Commissions

Tips

Galore

We Know Any Mommies

Who Bought A Cybertruck

Did It For

#4BillionMothersStrong

#50ShadesOfGold

Why Won't He Say

He Loves You

My PD's Have Been

Excited By

Kim Kardashian

For 8 Years

Her Glorious Bottom

In Civil Law

Nothing New

Political Hookers

Enslaving Celebrities

Sticking Cops On You

Caging

#FreeBritney

Smoking

Screaming

SOS

Interrogating

For AFL

My PDs Have

Been So Excited

By Paul McCartney

Pink

And Taylor Swift

Christopher Stapleton

Namesake

Terrorising Me

For Singers

Royalties

Elon's Cybertruck

Slavery

Advertising

Why Won't He Say

He Loves You

Honestly

War Is So

Unflattering

The Queen Is Dead

Why Won't He Say

He Loves You

Give You An

Orgasm

For Real

Seven Times

Taoism

Chowmilla Fantasy

Gone To Rest

Why Won't He

Say He Loves You

Male

Seahorses

Princess Meghan

And Diana's Ghost

Still Haunt

The Globe

Mitraism

Irany

Brats Back In

Town

Singing

A Return To Love

With Marianne

Globally

Eternal Love

Won

On Diablo

And Planet Earth

Why Won't He Say

He Loves You

Say My Name

It's A Rapunzel Test

Identity Theft

Of Elon Doe

Build a Junk Art

Fence

Are Attys Blocking

My King

Instead The Tech Boys

Threaten To Kill

One Another

Boil Into Memes

Molested

On Foul Play

Raped

By Gay Trans

Terrorism

Sodomising

In Air

Force

Retarding Of Humanity

Why Won't He Say

He Loves You

Earhhearts

Don't The Jewish Boys

Appreciate VPs

Want To Fly

Take Their Pick

Of Kamalas'

Why Won't He Say

He Loves You

Jewish Santas

Is He Spoiled

Like Errol

Or Just Under

His #Trumpleberry

Thumb

Scared

Or Bound

By Air

Force

Contracts

Jai Ma

Peace

Please Release

Him

And my

Kin

Peace,

Nitya Nella Davigo Azam Moezzi Huntley Rawal

[the-firebird69]

There's a lot of these badly GTS out there and there's GT2 as well and they're driving around and they make a lot of noise and people are laughing and pointing it's all over the planet but we'll see the United States there's tons of them overseas is going to be a lot more but Europe there's a bunch and they make us so much damn noise and it's like the Volkswagen beetle but loud so it's hilarious but they have these backfires and scaring the s*** out of people it's a precursor preamble or whatever is getting ready for July 4th and some of it's working but really this is an incredible idea I've never seen so many people driving around and happy and a piece of junk cuz back then if you didn't fix it up right it didn't come out good and some of it kind of clunky a lot of art the GT2 is pretty cool but really the insides are awful. This is going global okay and the insides of the new one is a pretty cool because you can make it cheaply without making it really stupid looking it looks cool like a race car this is going to be intense and he wants to Stratus and people going to say stratosphere and they're going to be saying Vegas this is going to be intense and that's an old casino. I can't believe it there's a ton of cars

Hera

We see it too they're all over the world there's there's probably every single version you could ever imagine and they're only like seven versions each different paint color too and is only like 10 paint colors of each version and I'll tell you what this paint color is kind of basic but it's his style he said make it less a cheaper paint and you're going to see what's at the raceway that are painted nice and you're going to see some real nice rims and what it can really look like even the first one looks really really nice and hot you would not believe it

Nuada

And hot ok. The race is getting you up but really you got to stop that

Arrianna

We know you're going to have children someday but this is great and he says we have to be in the race tomorrow at least one of us somehow like Jen and she's laughing cuz she's raced before and even as maybe even as like her counterpart from the insurance company and so havoc it could be drawing into it. It's not really me and I know who it is and I do have to do work there and help her get it done a lot of times so if I can't I'm going to see if she can it's going forwards now Hera says. We're going to get ready for this this is going to be a huge event there's tons of people signing up all over the world and it's announced that the raceways yes it wasn't in the raceways with nuts trying to find out who and they're now figuring it out it's a real race and you want the beer too

Olympus

[metaphysicalpistolsoraclemine]

Krystal Kaleidoscope

KA RA YA SA TA HA LA !

The Master Christos Collective are Ascended Masters of Krystal Star that may be communicated with in the Seven Higher Heavens or in the Trans-time continuum, which is located in the core of the next universes (through Andromeda) and corridors which lead into the many higher creation realms of the God Worlds. They are a United Krystal Star Matrix Collective of beings from multiple God Realms that are in alliance with the Krystal Star and Aurora Re-encryptions projects. Their role is to unite all identities of the Personal Christ through all Precession of the Equinoxes Ascension cycles with the God Source and their collective matrix is the architecture of the Krystal Kaleidoscope which became accessible in 2014.

Essentially they are the Collective Christ Sun Bodies uniting in the many universal cores simultaneously which phase lock into access into the Omniverses.

One can understand, as science has called unplugged portions of our DNA junk- the junk DNA of science, this is the DNA that has been unplugged from the earth histories, from the holographic memory system that we are.

This was an attempt to erase these holographic memories. So not only was it unplugging DNA, it was an attempt to erase the memories. Meaning all of the holographic memories of who and what we are and what was actually recorded accurately in the DNA Crystal Core of this earth, and as well, these bodies that we’re in, the bodies that we inhabit.

So the original memories and instruction sets, the 12th dimensional Silicate Matrix, again understanding the silicate matrix, the 12 dimensions, can be retrieved based on the proportion in angle at which the plasma light as a beam intersects with the crystal body.

This is what the Krystal Kaleidoscope is doing. This is what the Krystal Kaleidoscope function is. It is a part of the plasma light beam that intersects with the crystalline body and recollects these fragments of the hologram.

And resets them at their proper angle and spin.

This effort is made in preparation for yet another new level of color frequency spectrums being projected as radiant light holograms into the planetary core manifestation architecture.

A Krystal Kaleidoscope of plasmic light mirrored architecture is emerging into physical quantifications of color that project entirely new spectrums of light, frequency and time code. (What this means is that the particle wave manifestation of new color spectrums on planet is being observed, as well as the source code of its emanation generating from the Krystal Kaleidoscope from the Aurora time continuum.)

These reflective bands of coded plasmic light are being woven into sequential circuits into certain geographic areas of the planet. One purpose is to build multiple access points in our earth timelines that may potentially resonate in "reflectional symmetry" with the upcoming convergence happening in the Trans-time continuum. The Krystal Kaleidoscope is being described as such because this architecture operates similarly as to what we can understand from our human perspective as when looking into a kaleidoscope.

A Kaleidoscope operates on the principle of multiple reflections, where several mirrors are placed at an angle of degree to one another. Typically there are three rectangular mirrors set at 60° to each other so that they form an equilateral triangle.

The 60° angle creates several duplicate images of the objects, five at 60°, and 2 at 90°.

As the tube is rotated, the tumbling of the colored objects presents varying colors and configurations in a beautiful symmetrical pattern created by the reflections.

The Krystal Kaleidoscope functions in the same way as the more recent architecture that has been placed on planet since the end of 2012, the Krystal Cathedral, Krystal Star Spires, and the City Four Square operate in mirrored reflection symmetry.

What this means is that a figure which does not change its core energetic form, and is capable to hold integrity within itself, upon undergoing a reflection with the Krystal Kaleidoscope, has mirrored reflectional symmetry. Additionally, the mirrored reflection symmetry adjusts any rotational axis of symmetry into the core DNA template of the being.

This means if the "reflectional symmetry" exists, that part of the reflection will expand its symmetry pattern throughout its entire DNA unwinding in any existing timelines in the holographic dimensions.

This is reclamation of all Krystal Identities on earth to be returned for rehabilitation to the Aurora Founder Dimensions in the Trans-time continuum. This does not mean we drop the body.

What it means is we are connected to the Founder's Krystal Consciousness identities in the Trans-time continuum in order to make the load out of earth humans to the Aurora time continuum in the future.

This is the GSF ( God Sovereign Free) Ascension timeline hosted by Krystal Star.

What this also means is that if there is no mirrored symmetry present in the reflection of that figure or form to Aurora colors, they will not perceive the Krystal Kaleidoscope design, source field of actual identity or any of its creations.

This means it is essentially invisible to them because it simply does not exist in their lower dimensional perception of reality.

This will eventually present the choice between eviction with the Vandal-Fallen NAA groups, annihilation of their species memory or genetic rehabilitation monitored under Krystal Star host on another timeline.

To be permeated with the Omniversal Primary Ray Colors of our Founder's original blueprint being holographically projected from the Krystal Kaleidoscope in the Aurora time continuum is to say that many of us are undergoing a massive color correction to all of our Ray bodies. Also, the Ray attributes and aspects of color waves that have resulted from previous distortions in our manifested creations throughout timelines are in a process of color correction.

Color correction and frequency saturation changes cellular memories and shifts timelines because it simultaneously shifts causal events that led into distortions or genetic damage made to our consciousness bodies.

[angstfactory]

Aisley was seriously worked up this morning. It became clear fairly quickly that she didn't look to be near tears-- she was in tears. Made her stupid doe eyes that much more doe-y, because of-fucking-course it would. In fact, the woman's entire face was alive and flushed, which only served to annoy the human further. Aisley was one of those stupidly pretty women as it was, and it didn't seem okay that she was lovely even when angry crying. Couldn't she just... Have an ugly cry face? Damn near everyone else on the planet had to deal with ugly cry face, himself included, so what made her God's favorite? Ridiculous.

Regardless, Jesse couldn't recall a time she'd been this upset with him before, though. And honestly, it came out of left field for once. His last few nights in-particular, he hadn't even been home? Most of his time had been spent with his friends, mostly Willow and Avery, but Kai was quickly becoming a staple in these antics, too. So, truly, the male had little idea what it was this time he was supposedly responsible for since he hadn't recently gone out of his way to antagonize the woman.

Whatever it was, though, Jesse was certain it couldn't be anything as dramatic as Aisley was making it to be. Full on crying and screaming at him before the sun was fully overhead? Pfft.

"I hate your plants," Jesse corrected her, because that was important. Of course the most important things to her would be what is a massive pain in the ass for him. Her stupid plants kept encroaching onto his property, and half the damn time they'd take over junk that had been laying about like that was their new home. But otherwise, he couldn't care less about plants and nature in one way or another, usually. Not his cup of interest, alright? "Oh come off the horse, Ais," once more, eyes rolled heavenward at her dramatics. "Don't victimize yourself here, alright? Don't try and act like your opinion of me is fuckin' sunshine n' roses, yeah? You think I'm shit." He scowled. She had some audacity in her, to stand there and berate him like it was only him with a problem. She didn't like him, either, and she'd made that plenty clear on more than one occasion, herself.

"Gee, let's see," Jesse took a step forward and lifted a hand as he started to count off on each finger every little wrong she'd caused him since she darkened the stoop of that property next door seven months prior, "you routinely drive me out off my own property through torture techniques-- who the fuck listens to romantic classical music at all hours of the day?! You let your plants run havoc across my boundary all the time! I'm pretty fuckin' sure you're the reason I've got dandelions growing on TOP of my trailer?! You've already cost me a couple grand on scrap because you keep having the fuckin' city come by n' remove it! You've tried to sick the sheriff on me numerous occasions-- you just forget that, huh? You got it in your fuckin' thick head that your property line is like, five feet into mine! Should I go on? I would, but I've run out of fuckin' fingers!" Now the man threw up his hands in frustration himself, because this wasn't how he planned to start his day: getting chewed out by Aisley and he didn't even know what for, this time.

"Why don't you just get off my property, huh? I'm tired of seeing you already," Jesse waved a dismissive hand at her before presenting his back, fully planning to head back into the trailer to do literally anything else but deal with her.

She wanted to smack him.

Aisley prided herself on her control and her ability to maintain her composure and patience, and Goddess only knew, but this particular man had given her more than enough opportunities to practice both since she’d moved back to town. She thought she deserved an award for not encouraging nature herself to try and drive the man away. Granted, it might take a forest springing up and trapping him in his trailer for him to get a clue, but she’d resisted allowing more than a few minor nuisances to escape her. Cause no harm except in necessity might be the central tenet of her entire belief system.

And yet, right this moment, Aisley Shaw wanted to smack Jesse Cowen to see if she could knock some manners into the bloody jerk. Impatient with her tears now, she dashed them away with quick swipes of her fingertips. “Don’t you ‘what’ me!” she snapped back. Her hands flew up and apart, more expressive than she’d ever been in conversation with him before. “I get it, you hate plants. That’s been made perfectly clear more than once. Goddess only knows, you’ve threatened mine enough for me to have no doubts about your opinions.”

Again her anger wanted to flare, still not under her usual control, and she couldn’t let it go. If she let it fly free, it could do almost anything right this moment, and reckless magic was dangerous magic, and she didn’t want to know the karmic repercussions if she did him any permanent damage with it. She paced away, taking a few breaths before turning back.

“And I don’t even want to get into your opinion of me. That’s been fairly well covered as well.”

She really should have paid closer attention when she bought her land, but her home sat in a wonderful location between town and wood, with connections to all kinds of natural beauty and magical strength. It made it easier for her to shield her home from magical attack, and set up warnings against more mundane trouble, but she’d never thought she’d have to set up some kind of barrier to protect her garden!

“Just . . . why?” she demanded, again blinking back tears at the memory of her devastated garden. “What the hell have I done to you in the past few days that would call for that kind of destruction?”

[creampuffnecromancy]

I drew Seven!

Seven / @potoobrigham @junkplanet

Art / me!

[potoobrigham]

Boo.

[kravkalackin]

"....Lucretia, what are you doing?"

Her breath had caught in her throat at the sound of the door opening behind her, her whole form frozen over the counter in the dimly lit laboratory. Dimly lit, except for the glowing ball of concentrated creation in her hands.

Turning towards Magnus, she could see the honest confusion on his face. He wasn't wearing his uniform jacket, instead just pajamas, which made sense considering how late it was.

"Nothing, you should just go back to bed," she tried, but the frown on his face let her know immediately that that wasn't going to work.

"I thought we weren't going to make the relics until morning," he said, eyes focused on the light of creation. The suspicion in his voice was clear, and Lucretia knew she had a choice to make.

"Magnus, you know my plan would work," she stared, confliction quickly filling her friend's eyes. "The relics, they won't save this world, they'll destroy it. We can't- we can't go through with it. If we just did my shield-"

"But Lup and Barry said it would cut off everything," he tried, but she could see the doubt there.

"It won't be forever. I know it's only been a day, but I know you've seen it too. This world, it's so full of life. The bonds here, between its people, it'll be enough to sustain it until the hunger is gone. Think about it, just the seven of us, we've managed to fuel this ship for a hundred years. If we can do that, what sort of power would an entire planet hold?" she argued, and the cracks were widening now, hope starting to return to Magnus's eyes.

"I never thought about it like that," he said, pausing for a moment, glancing back towards the door behind them. The darkness of the rest of the starblaster, where their crew, their family, was asleep.

"You really think this'll work... Lucretia?" he asked, and she was smiling now as she nodded.

"Magnus, I know this'll work," she said, her voice matching the confidence she felt. She'd been working on this plan for decades. She could do this. She could save everything.

"Alright then," he said, a note of finality to his voice.

"Thank you. Magnus, thank you. It's- don't tell the others, I promise I'll be-" she started, but before she could finish he was shaking his head, putting a hand up.

"Whoa now, you're not doing this alone. Whatever your plan is, I'm coming with you," Magnus insisted, and now Lucretia was frowning.

"Magnus, you don't have to. It's- it shouldn't take long," she tried, but it was clear he was determined.

"Sorry Creesh, I know you're all super powerful wizards and junk with a hundred years of experience under your robes, but I'm still the security officer. This sounds like a mission that could use some security," he said, and despite herself Lucretia couldn't help but smile.

"Alright then. At least now I won't have to apologize for taking Fisher without your permission," she said, and immediately Magnus's face fell.

"You were gonna take my baby?" he practically whined, as if that was the worst thing she was doing here.

"Just as a... security measure," she said, and that managed to get a smile out of her friend.

"Aw, like father like son," he said.

Turning back towards the office, Lucretia took a deep breath. The others would be mad, upset at her going behind their backs, against the vote, but she was sure they would understand later. Once they saw, they would agree that this was the only way.

It wasn't much longer before she was on the deck of the ship, Magnus at her side, fisher floating curiously by them. She'd swapped out her red cloak for a deep blue one, and Magnus was wearing some casual leather armor. Nothing that would immediately cause them to stand out. Other than the seven foot tall floating jellyfish full of stars.

"Are you sure we shouldn't tell the others?" Magnus asked, some uncertainty back in his voice. Lucretia shook her head, because they couldn't risk it.

"I left a note. Like I said, it shouldn't be long."

It really wasn't long. She wasn't there, so she couldn't say for sure what the rest of their family looked like when they awoke several hours later to find the simple note left on the kitchen table. The two word message of 'Back Soon' lacking her usual flair, but getting the point across as strong as a whole book.

She couldn't see the terror on their faces as an opaque, white opalescent forcefield appeared above them, blocking out the universe and planes around them. She could feel what they felt though, the sudden weakening of her magic, the wilting of the grass around her in the field, the sudden dull sheen over existence, the only pure, bright thing left that shield up in the sky.

It would be worth it. Only a few years. The world could handle it.

Turning towards Magnus, she smiled with a confidence she didn't yet realize was misplaced.

"We did it Magnus. I promise you, we just saved the world."

[rexxdjarin]

Captain's Log: Chapter 7

Vigilance

Series Summary: The galaxy is in turmoil. The Republic has fallen, giving rise to the sinister reign of the totalitarian Empire, led by the insidious Emperor Palpatine. The millions of valiant clone troopers of the former Grand Army of the Republic are now blindly sworn, against their will, to protect a regime they once sought to destroy. After being saved from a terrible fate by his former-Jedi ally and close friend, Ahsoka Tano, seasoned veteran CT-7567 Clone Captain Rex remains loyal to the pillars of Democracy, freedom and truth that shaped the former Galactic Republic. We follow him now struggling to deal with the personal aftereffects of survival and finding his place in the galaxy alongside the only person he has left. You. The love of his life.

[previous] [next] part of Captain's Log series post on ao3

Pairing: Captain Rex x Fem!Reader (she/her pronouns used) Word Count: 13.7k (im going on a trip for a while and don't know how soon i'll have the next update so this is kinda a combo of two chapters to make up for that!) Series Rating: Explicit (18+ only, Minors DO NOT INTERACT) Chapter Summary: Rex and Reader finally come up with a plan to help The Bad Batch remove their inhibitor chips, but things get complicated quickly. A little harmless flirting gets someone into a little trouble. Chapter Warnings: Explicit Sexual Content, Smut, Blowjob, Somnophilia, Exhibitionism, Dirty Talk, Possessiveness, Mild Jealousy, Language, Mentions of Death, References to Canon Plot, Political References, Canon Typical Violence

The whole planet was dappled in golden light from this system’s sun and reflected off every slowly rusting piece of metal discarded here. The sunsets would probably be considered beautiful and a destination for tourists if not for the overcast smog and all the heaping mounds of space junk, both former Republic and Separatist.

On Bracca, scrapping was really the only way to make a living. Their Guild controlled everything on this planet, if memory served me correctly. We certainly were not interested in getting involved with them or getting caught using impounded ships as operating rooms for chip removal more than we had to. But this was the best plan Rex and I could come up with. No one here was looking for deserter clones, which gave us all the advantage.

We’d landed our ship around the outside of an abandoned and defunct starcruiser and met the Bad Batch crew in the Marauder a few clicks East. Taking two separate ships was risky, but Rex wasn’t planning on including them on the rest of our missions. If they wanted to help, he wouldn’t stop them, but we couldn’t risk anything happening to Omega. Taking care of her first was their duty now.

The seven of us trudged through the junkyard surface, looking for a ship in good enough shape to enter safely and praying a medical station was still intact on board. Rex scouted ahead, preferring to lead his men from the front like always. Hunter watched our backs from the rear, his acute senses keeping an endless watch on our surroundings. That left me, Echo, Tech, Wrecker and Omega to walk and keep ourselves occupied between them.

We all took turns carrying Omega when her little feet got tired. Hell I wished someone could pick up and carry me too. I walked beside Echo, filling him in on all he missed between Rex and I and especially the events of the last week or so. I didn’t tell him about Ahsoka. The fewer people that knew she lived, the safer she’d be.

Omega clung to Echo’s shoulders, opting for a piggyback ride from her brother. She and Echo seemed close, their relationship showing the sensitive, nurturing side of him that I always knew was there. The side that I always remembered jumping out to help when Jesse drank too much. That offered his hand when I’d stumbled drunk out into the open air to walk home from a night at 79s. That was the shoulder to cry on in private when unsuccessful missions got to be too much for Fives’ to cope with alone.

Echo was always there for everyone. He was the call that answered back whenever you cried out in need. That was why his name fit him. Not because he endlessly repeated orders as a cadet, but because there was no cry for help that he’d ever leave unanswered. No one would ever go through something alone when they had their Echo around.

Omega picked up on that right away. The more I watched them interact, the more I realized how comforting she found him. Sure, Hunter seemed to be her favorite. An almost Fatherly figure to her. Teaching her strength and leadership, but also scolding her when she needed to learn a lesson.

Echo was Hunter’s perfect compliment. He encouraged her where Hunter protected. He fostered her interests and paid endless attention to her everyday needs while Hunter worried about keeping her safe. To say I was proud of how he cared for her was an understatement. It seemed like destiny that he was here to help raise this special little girl.

Wrecker was more like her best friend or her true sibling than a parent. He was a big kid himself, after all, enjoying everything with childlike wonder and boundless energy. The two played together, teased each other, joked and laughed. I was glad she had someone with the emotional intelligence to realize how important it was entertain her, to let her be a kid and take her mind off the fact that they were all running for their lives.

Tech seemed the least prepared to deal with a child. No amount of information he researched could prepare him for the actual act of parenting. That didn’t stop him from trying though. He did his best to prepare. Taking little notes of things she told him about and writing down little details about her like tracking her height, foods she didn’t like, any bumps and scrapes she got so he could make sure they got better. He documented every little piece of information he could about her and taught her things through knowledge and data. The same way he taught himself.

But Omega, of course, had never been around another human woman in all her life. She was fascinated by me, sticking close to me as much as she could and asking me a zillion and one questions about myself. Which of course I answered. She was very curious and very smart, those brown eyes reminding me so much of all her brothers, but especially of the one I loved. Blonde hair and brown eyes, just like my Rex.

“So what’s a junior senator? What do you do?” She questioned, resting her head on Echo’s shoulder.

“Write lots of reports and do research about what’s going on on the planet I serve. Tech would’ve loved it probably.” I joked, earning a snort from Tech.

“Oh yes, I’m sure the Republic would’ve loved to hear a clone’s political ideas.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head at me.

“I would. I planned on working to bring a vote for clone’s rights to the open senate before…everything…” I sighed, shooting a surprised glance at Echo, shocked that he hadn’t filled them in on my fierce activism yet.

“Really? But you’re a nat born, why should you care what happens to us?” Tech questioned, making both Wrecker and Hunter stop in their tracks to listen to my response.

“Because it’s the right thing to do. You’re living beings. You are owed the right to ya know…live.” I stated plainly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Echo smiled and looked up at Omega who was grinning with admiration at my words.

“See why we liked her so much, kid?” He patted her hand with his own.

“You were going to openly argue for us in front of the entire Republic?” Hunter asked, speaking for the first time in a while. Disbelief setting into a mind slightly more suspicious than most clones, even his batch mates.

Rex turned over his shoulder and winked at me, quietly encouraging me to show off the power of the freedom fighter within that he loved so much.

“You’ve never seen me argue. You think Rex is a fighter? You should see me in action. Would fight for you all until the very end.” I smiled proudly, not sure if they realized just how much I cared about all of them. Not just because I loved their brother. The Republic couldn’t create an army of human beings fighting for the rights and freedoms of millions of people on hundreds of worlds without guaranteeing those same rights extended to the clones too. It would be hypocritical to say anything otherwise. No one was free unless they all were too.

Hunter shook his head, a small smile creeping across his tattooed face. He seemed actually impressed this time. “Between you and Echo here, Rex sure knows how to pick some good ones, doesn’t he?” He motioned us all to keep moving, patting Echo on the back and lifting Omega onto his own shoulders now.

“Wrecker? How are you feeling?” I asked, watching him walk forward a lot quieter than he’d been the last few hours.

He grumbled, “Could be better. My head hurts.” He massaged his temple, trying to coax the pounding headache to subside at least temporarily. I glanced over his face, searching for any other signs of discomfort. Pupils dilating, facial twitches…anything else Rex described feeling before his memory went dark.

“No…anger or anything? Just the headache?” I asked again, placing a gentle, reassuring hand on his massive bicep and pleading with him to give me an honest answer.

“N-no ma’am. No..uhm…N-Nothing else to report.” Wrecker stammered, his cybernetic eye and his brown eye working in tandem to study my face up close. I was making him nervous and I don’t think it was because of the chip.

“Good. You keep letting me know how you’re feeling. We’re going to take care of this.” I affirmed, pulling my hand away, realizing it was my touch that was making him nervous.

“Rex? Are…are we there yet?” Omega asked quietly from over my shoulder, her nimble hands retying the bandana around Hunter’s head.

Rex stopped, scanning the terrain in front of us and pointing to a still smoking starship in front of us. He looked determined, powerful, and stars- so handsome. I walked up behind him, taking his hand and leaning into his side. He hummed softly, “that’s the one. Just up ahead. Seems like it was just brought here. We’ve got a good chance of finding a medical wing that’s still working.” I smiled up at him hopefully, signaling a beaming pride that had grown from watching him in action like this.

“Let’s head over then. Tech, you know how to do this type of operation right?” Hunter questioned his brother, glaring at him as if to demand he lie just to set Wrecker’s worried mind at ease.

“Yes, Sir. Studied up on it the whole way here. Between the diagrams I saw and Rex’s experience, we’ll get things right, Wrecker. Don’t worry.” Tech said, awkwardly patting his far taller brother’s shoulder. The boys all let out a collective sigh at once, grateful that we finally seemed to have found the right place.

Rex turned away from our destination in front of us to look me up and down, scanning me for any signs of weariness. The worry in his face quickly softened to familiar admiration, leaning forward to press a kiss to the top of my head. “How they holding up you think?” He asked me, as if the well-being of his men wasn’t something he excelled at gauging.

“They’re resilient. Especially Omega. She’s a fast learner, intelligent, empathetic…sweet. Reminds me of you.” I muttered, bumping his shoulder with mine playfully. “Though something tells me you never asked that many questions as a cadet.”

“No, I was more the watch and learn type. Cody was the one always asking questions. He was way more talkative than me.” Rex laughed, shaking his head and sighing. “I hope he’s alright.”

“We can check in on him too when we head back to that Cantina.” I offered, remembering I hadn’t gotten the chance to do all the research Rex and I talked about. It all sort of went out the window when he heard Echo’s voice walk into the bar.

“You think the boys know anything?” Rex wondered aloud, as if to ask me how much we’d actually talked about. I glanced behind us at all of them fumbling around in their pockets, looking for a spare ration stick or two to give Omega.

It was funny how, despite all the cloners did to make them human war machines, they could not program away or genetically alter natural instinct. These men all cared very deeply for their family units and possessed the most innate need to parent in one way or another. It was said that came from the original donor himself.

The illusive Mandalorian model had specifically asked for one unaltered clone he could raise as a son. The need to nurture someone, to foster growth and provide for was an inherent genetic trait that was unexpectedly passed down in all his clones too.

I saw it in Cut, abandoning the war entirely to choose to raise the children of the woman he loved. I saw it now in how each member of clone force 99 stepped in to provide something helpful to Omega’s development. And I saw it in Rex, looking out for every single one of his men, ensuring they grew strong and protecting them even at his own risk. They were all highly skilled warriors, probably the best in the universe, but they were just as human as I was. It didn’t matter how they were made.

“I think they’ve had a more important priority, my love.” I smiled at Omega whose acute senses were able to pick up on me gazing at her. She was as observant as Hunter.

“Forgive me for asking but…how did you meet Rex?” She asked, pointing to my hand affectionately joined with his. Rex blushed and ran his hand along the back of his neck nervously. The story was more embarrassing to him than he was probably willing to admit to men who revered him.

The hint of freckles on his nose were darkening from exposure to this planet’s harsh sunlight and it made his skin flush from the heat. He looked hot, sweaty and most of all tired, but the determination in his eyes reminded me of that first day I met him. He was working hard and pretty stressed then too, but he wore it very well.

“Let’s just say we…ran into each other at a senate gala once.” I laughed, leaving out the part where he dumped expensive champagne down a dress he later ruined even further by spilling something else on me.

Echo giggled, “Oh yes. Ran into each other.” He raised his brows at us suggestively and motioned for Hunter to cover Omega’s ears. “You totally didn’t make a complete mess inside a supply closet that Fives and I had to put back together for you.”

Rex opened his mouth to say something in his defense, but I quieted him by turning his face toward mine and crashing my lips into his. He brought his massive hand up to both block their view and hold my face. Wrecker rushed to slide a hand over Omega’s eyes, but she ducked underneath and watched with admiration in those starry eyes.

I broke the kiss, blinking up at him in satisfaction and watching the distinguished Captain’s usually rigid formality falter. He softened, shoulders sagging, cheeks flushing and coughed awkwardly at such rampant public display of affection.

“We are forever grateful that you covered for us both, Echo. Stars where would we both be without you?” I teased, curling my hand into Rex’s again and looking at the stunned faces of the men who only ever saw him while in command. Never like this. Rex smiled at me in agreement, shaking his head at my unending boldness and walked us both down to where the rest of them stood.

“Well I think it’s wonderful. Nala Se always said clones weren’t meant to love. Just to fight for the Republic at any cost. But…clearly that isn’t true.” She pointed up at the two of us and turned to Rex. “How…how did you know?” Omega asked, fiddling with her sleeve awkwardly.

Rex looked up at me with the same starry-eyed amazement that Omega did not thirty seconds before this. He knelt down to her level and patted the top of her head. His face softened, “You just know, kid. You look at someone for the first time, you feel it and you know.” He explained, his gaze fixed on me beside him. “That’s part of why what we’re doing is so important. I want you to live to experience moments like this. We can be more than just soldiers.”

“You really believe that Cap?” Hunter finally asked, after silently watching Omega interact with a couple for probably the first time.

Rex let out a deep sigh and stood up, tightening his fist by his side and raising his chin. His shoulders squared and he stood at attention, almost as if expecting a salute, in order to capture the attention of everyone standing in front of him when he spoke next.

“I do. With all my heart, Sergeant. There’s more out there for us than just fighting and dying. And I think you already have a little someone to show you that.” He chuckled, lifting a hand to pat Hunter on the shoulder. He looked stunned, as if someone had just walked up to him and handed him some kind of almighty victory.

Maybe in a way, Rex was validating some kind of dream that deep down every clone had. Of a life outside of battle. Away from pain and loss. Separate from their prearranged commitment to the cause. Detached from the dehumanizing treatment that was only getting worse under the new regime.

Rex wasn’t just a survivor of the clone wars.

Rex was a living, breathing example of a man’s greater purpose. To live for oneself.

Together, we were a beacon of hope, a lightbulb igniting in the minds of men who spent their entire lives fighting in a dark tunnel with no end. It was like our arrival at their darkest hour gave them permission to expect a new day to dawn for them sooner than they thought.

We all stood together in silence, basking in the harsh glow of the sun setting on Bracca. The uncertainty of war and the future for its soldiers coming to a bittersweet but needed close at days end. Omega grabbed my hand and pulled us all close, huddling us together to wait for the sun to dip below the horizon. To end their final day as soldiers and look forward to a tomorrow where they could just be people. Men with no orders to follow and no more brothers to lose.

“So beautiful, isn’t it?” Wrecker commented, sighing out as he bear hugged all of us in his impossibly large arms. Everyone hummed some kind of agreement, except Rex. His eyes weren’t glued to the sunset like all his younger siblings. His were fixed on me.

I rested my head on his armored chest and watched the waning sunlight lick his features. Rich warm eyes seemed to hold the sun’s rays captive in their amber irises. The darkening freckled dots on his nose mapped out all the scattered stars in the galaxy. The stubble on his jaw made him look more handsome by the day, dark features with blonde hair was a good look on a clone. Though few had the rampant boldness to pull it off like he did. Rosy brown lips parted like they were parched for more than just water and I drank in the desire pouring off his body.

“Yeah, as beautiful as always.” Rex replied, gazing at me like I was the only thing he saw. I reached a hand up to caress his blonde hair at the back of his neck, now long enough to begin curling slightly. His expression darkened, the realization that we had to keep moving dawning on him again. He shrugged, as if to silently apologize that this moment couldn’t last longer and searching for reassurance.

He was on a mission like the hundreds he’d done before. With me by his side, all he needed was my constant support to keep us going. I nodded understandably and turned back into the light, knowing we had a duty to fulfill. “Let’s keep moving.”

—

Venturing inside the old Jedi cruiser was easily the most dangerous thing I’d ever done. Even with all the running and hiding Rex and I had done the last few weeks. The whole place was covered in rust and littered with creatures who survived off of scavenging inside the dilapidated crafts. Which was ironic because that’s exactly what we were doing. Scavenging for medical supplies.

The metal halls were practically falling down on top of us and we had to take extra care with every step. Omega and I stuck close to each other since neither of us had much experience scouting or doing any kind of in field action. The boys flanked us on either side. The old med bay was just at the end of the hall and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“All the times you called me from a cruiser I never thought I’d end up on one like this.” I scoffed, leaning in the doorway that Hunter and Rex had just opened.

“Me neither.” Omega said, shuddering as a large bug of some kind scampered across the floor. “Is this going to work?” She asked, tugging on Hunter’s hand and curling around his hip. “I’m…scared. Just because it worked for Rex doesn’t mean it will this time.” Her skepticism showed wisdom far beyond others her age. Mostly, she just seemed very worried about Wrecker, who sat down on the operating table with his head in his hands.

“We’ve gotta try, Omega. I trust Rex. We all do.” Hunter assured her, patting the top of her head and glaring nervously up at where Rex and I stood. They were blindly putting their faith in their older brother’s hands. He would never steer them wrong and even though this was exceedingly dangerous, it was life or death. Rex wouldn’t recommend it if it wasn’t absolutely essential.

Little Omega was even more unsure than Hunter, her eyes flitting back and forth between Wrecker sitting in increasing discomfort and the old medical equipment that Echo had managed to ramp up.

“And it’s not going to hurt him?” She asked tentatively, pulling at Rex’s hand to get his attention.

“Well…I uh- I don’t really remember. I’ve never been on this side of it.” Rex said sheepishly, shrugging at the obvious lack of assurance that provided. He glared at me, pleading with me to step in and comfort a kid I barely knew about something I had no knowledge of. The worry on her face made her look slightly older than she was, her smaller brows creasing together to form a tiny scowl and chewing on her bottom lip anxiously.

“Omega, the sooner they all remove these, the better. You can eat that snack you all like and hopefully find somewhere safe. Maybe you’ll get your own bunk or your own armor. I’m sure Tech can fashion you something.” I smiled, tucking a stray hair behind her ear and watching her tiny shoulders ease just slightly at my words.

“Who’s to say I haven’t already started on some of those things…” Tech remarked, prying around inside his pack for the right tools to scan Wrecker’s head for the chips location. The crown like device communicated to one of Tech’s datapads and beeped perceptively as it explored his brain for the chip.

“I think I found something��” He declared, tapping on the holopad and following prompts on screen.

“I can’t believe it…” Hunter remarked, eyes flicking between the pad and Wrecker groaning in pain. Rex unconsciously shifted closer to me, his hand grabbing my hip instinctively. Omega’s little frame was starting to shake a little, so overcome with nerves that she couldn’t stand alone like this. I placed my hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at Rex and I beside her. She drew in a shaky breath before pulling herself into my side, flanked by Rex’s armored thigh.

“I can’t watch.” She muttered, burying her face in the side of my jacket. Hunter sighed, immediate concern breaking his concentrated brow. His eyes met mine, as if to ask if it was okay and I nodded reassuringly. My instinct to comfort and protect her taking over me like it seemed to take over anyone else she got close to.

“Stick with her, okay kid? We’ll get this over with in no time. I promise.” Hunter said, rubbing her arm before turning back toward Echo and Tech discussing how to proceed. Wrecker groaned louder, removing Tech’s equipment and shoving him away as the operating medical tube whirred to life behind him. He winced in pain and gripped the side of his head tighter, making Rex uneasy enough to ball his fingers into a fist.

“Echo…we need to speed this up. Get this going. I don’t think we’ve got much time.” He warned, stepping toward Hunter and explaining what little he and I did know about how the chips affected other clones.

As far as we knew, very few clones could resist the order. The only thing he and I vaguely heard about was one Commander who fought alone against his own men for turning on his Jedi General. The report we overhead at the Cantina was brief and of course didn’t include names or battalion numbers. Just that he was imprisoned and made into an example of what the Empire did to any traitors. Clone or otherwise. I hoped it was Fox, but the way he acted the last time I saw him at the Senate building made me doubt that hope.

Rex probably hoped it was Cody, though that would mean that the General that was killed was Kenobi, which made him equally as sick as if that General had been his own. Fighting against the chip was so rare, so genetically improbable, that it might as well be impossible. All the more reason to get the cursed thing out of Wrecker as fast as possible. Or who knows what consequences we’d face.

Wrecker had gotten suspiciously quiet, save for the groans of painful agony he was letting out every few seconds. To the point that I, who barely even knew him, had noticed the absence of his normally extroverted and explosive personality. He wasn’t acting like himself at all and Omega looked up at me anxiously, no doubt sensing the change too.

Rex and Hunter were muttering things to each other quietly, too entrenched in serious conversation to notice and Echo was busy plugged into the operating table. Tech pulled out some kind of anesthesia in a tiny syringe and held it up to Wrecker.

Suddenly, Wrecker’s hand slid off his forehead and shot out at Tech’s arm, holding the stem back from coming any closer. He bowed his head, slumping slightly as his eyes blinked closed, reopening again with dilated pupils. His jaw tensed and he let out a deep, menacing growl so loud it made all the blood in my body freeze. His other hand lurched forward and seized Tech by the throat, lifting him off the floor. Then the robotic, lifeless words fell out of his mouth and my heart stopped.

“You’re in direct violation of Order 66.”

Before I could even realize what was happening, Tech went flying across the room, slamming into the wall like a lifeless doll and Wrecker yelled at the top of his lungs. Rex’s body flew over mine faster than I’d ever seen him. His armored chest covered where I stood clutching onto Omega for dear life. His arm wrapped around my side, his left hand drawing his blaster pistol. Wrecker howled, throwing pieces of the old med bay across the room and nearly crushing the medical bay’s operating controls.

“You’re all traitors!”

Echo disconnected from the operating table and hurled himself across the room, slamming into my exposed side. “He’s gonna destroy the equipment. You gotta get him out of here!!” Echo yelled, drawing his own weapon and firing stun blasts off the reflective walls in an attempt to at least disorient the large clone.

Hunter leapt into action, hurling a canister against his brother’s broad back. He was met with a strength of resistance he could never match in a million years and crashed to the floor. The now busted canister hissed air from the open cracks and Omega yelled in fear after Hunter.

I pulled her into me, cradling her to my chest. I drew my own blaster from my jacket pocket and set it to stun. “Let go!! I have to help him !!” She screamed, as Hunter wrestled and struggled to try to subdue Wrecker. Tech had crawled across the floor and reached us, whipping out two blaster pistols and held Omega’s arm.

Rex’s looked at me with a cold severity in his eyes that I’d never seen before. He grabbed my forearm and motioned to Omega and Tech. “Stay here. Protect them like I know you can.” I gripped Rex’s forearm, making a silent agreement with him and tucking my blaster to my chest.

“Go.” I confirmed, gripping Omega tightly and ducking down behind a makeshift barrier of boxes and metal wall shrapnel.

“We’ll draw his fire. Omega, stay with Tech.” Hunter yelled, nodding at Rex and Echo as they moved with a perfect soldier’s precision back out into the empty hallway.

Wrecker grabbed his helmet and threw it on, following them hastily. They disappeared down the hall and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

“Are you both alright?” Tech asked urgently, giving us the once over before grabbing at an exposed and bleeding wound in his own arm.

“Wrecker nearly knocked your lights out and you’re asking us if we’re okay?” I retorted, watching blue stun blasts light up the hallway just outside our door. Old ammunitions canisters flew back and forth, crashing and hissing out trapped air as they battled each other.

A strange calmness had fallen over Omega, who had crawled forward and grabbed a blaster from the floor. Her clone battle instincts were kicking in. Cool in a crisis, mind racing with plans of action, jumping forward to help out instead of waiting for situations to resolve themselves. If there was any doubt that she came from the same genes as the boys all did, there certainly wasn’t anymore. She was a Jango Fett clone through and through.

“They’re going to get fucking killed out there.” I yelled at Tech, leaping forward after Omega as she slipped out into the hallway unnoticed. “Stay here and protect the med bay. I’m going out after Omega.” I declared, Tech offering no argument as I passed through the blast doorway and into the hall.

Omega stood face to face with a towering Wrecker. She was a quarter his size but probably double his confidence as she held her ground, weapon bared up toward him.

Wrecker held Hunter against the wall by his throat, his large fist more than capable of snapping his Sergeant’s neck without much effort.

“Anyone found in violation of Order 66 will be terminated.” Wrecker bellowed, the threat filling the empty hallway. His fingers started to slowly tighten and Hunter’s eyes went wide.

BANG.

Omega fired. Her shot met the wall beside the two, dissipating into nothing. Wrecker straightened up, letting his brother slip from his grasp and spun around toward his little sister and best friend.

She held the blaster up again, threatening him with another stun blast before thinking better of it and turning tail down the other end of the hallway. Wrecker’s large strides bounded after her, my own frantic footsteps not far behind. I could hear Hunter sputtering and choking, trying to return air into his lungs. I didn’t see any sign of Rex or Echo.

A disgusting, sickening pang of fear stabbed my gut at the thought of losing either of them like this. I choked it down to deal with later as I focused on chasing after Omega. She had dashed down the hallway, sliding underneath a slightly ajar blast door. But between her and I stood Wrecker. Massive and unhinged and raging in anger.

This wasn’t him. He was kind. He was gentle and carefree. He cared so deeply about how the people around him felt. He would never. Never. Willingly do this. It was the chip. Reading about it or listening to Rex explain it was nothing compared to watching it tear the humanity from the man we all knew.

He was nothing more than an organic weapon, controlled like a mindless droid. There was no warmth in his eyes, no quirks that were particularly unique to Wrecker, no free thought or resistance. It was dehumanizing, twisted and horrible. I’d never been more unnerved by the treatment of another human being in all my life. Nothing made me more sure of my commitments to our mission, to Rex, to helping the clones than watching him suffer as the chip took over his mind.

He was too big to slip past and he’d already beaten me to her. I hope she knows how to hide. He lifted the blast door completely, stalking into the room as quietly as a nearly 7-foot-tall clone could. The metal junk littering the floor made walking hard but provided excellent cover for someone as small as Omega or myself. I made a mad dash for the door, ducking behind a fallen wall panel and peering into the room.

Wrecker was searching every obvious hiding spot in the room. Wherever she was, she had done a good enough job of evading him so far. It took all my will power to quiet my breaths and make my hands stop shaking. I couldn’t let him hear me. I was her last line of defense. From this vantage point, I couldn’t stun him because I risked hitting Omega.

The scraping of metal ripped me from my thoughts as Omega’s screams rang out into the halls.

“This isn’t you! It’s the inhibitor chip!”

“Conspiring with traitors makes you a traitor.”

“Wrecker! I don’t want to hurt you!” The sound of guns exchanging hands and Omega’s small whines filled my ears. “But Wrecker…you’re my friend.”

“Good soldiers follow orders.” He whispered, the creepy sentiment stinging me the second I heard it. I thought only of Fives. Who gave everything to try and stop this. Who never followed orders he didn’t wholly support. Stars we needed him more than anything right about now. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I couldn’t let her shoot him or vice versa.

I moved to strike, only to find another back pressed against mine. I spun around, shoulder to shoulder with Rex, his head seemingly still ringing from being shot or stunned or thrown. He nodded at me, mouthing a countdown.

3..

2..

1..

Rex and I dashed in, nearly arm in arm. His perfect shot finally landing directly on Wrecker. He slumped to the floor right in front of Omega and she went flying into the safety of Rex’s arms. She was sobbing, burying her face in his shoulder and blubbering out words. “That…was…so scary…” She cried. He closed his eyes and curled his hand around her neck comfortingly.

“It’s alright, ad’ika. You’re safe. He didn’t mean it. We’re going to help him.” Rex cooed, wrapping her legs around his waist and grabbing my hand with his. “Let’s go get the boys. We need to do this fast.” We set off down the hallway, finally ready to end this nightmare once and for all.

—

By the time we’d removed all their chips and left the ship it was close to midnight. The boys were all too tired to head back to the Marauder and our ship had a homing feature that allowed it to fly back to us on autopilot. Thankfully, the pirates who used to own it had added some extremely useful modifications.

We managed to find a sort of makeshift island, too small to land the garbage ships on and probably at some point used as a break spot for the Scrapper’s guild. Bracca was way calmer at night and delightful breezes blew across the once tropical landscape. The air was far less muggy and thick and we’d decided sleeping outside for the night might provide us all with the literal breath of fresh air we all needed. The Bad Batch left us Rex and I alone briefly to clean up a little, have something to eat and search through the inside of our ship for usable blankets.

Rex and I set up our cot and took time to hold each other close and appreciate the little step we’d taken toward accomplishing our greater goal. We’d saved five lives today. Five clones were finally free because Rex and I cared enough about them as individual human beings to give them the life together that they all deserved.

I gazed at him, completely lost in thought as he stared up at the night sky beside me. “Ya know…I used to think that hope was pretty and soft and caring and delicate. But now I know it’s not. It’s bruised, battered, bleeding…a little broken, but loyal, determined, fierce and resilient. Hope looks a lot like you. I think your brothers look at your face…your face…and I know they see it too.” I said, resting my head on his chest.

His gloved hand curled around mine and his eyes fell away, lips curling into a shy smile. “You saying I’m not pretty?” He joked, rolling his eyes playfully and bringing his other arm around to roll me on top of him.

“Rex.” I laughed, thumping his chest weakly and staring at him in moderate annoyance. “You know what I meant. I’m trying to have a moment here.”

“Did Padmé teach you how to give such good speeches or were you always so good at that?” He asked, stroking the side of my cheek with his thumb.

“She helped a little. But I mean it. You lived because you were supposed to. Force works in mysterious ways right? Your life means something, not just to me, but to all clones. You’re their hope.”

“And you’re mine.” He admitted, shifting to bring my face to his, resting his forehead on mine. “For whatever happens when we’re past all this. When we complete the mission. Thank you for helping me through this. For staying for me. For…for everything.”

“Love requires no thanks. It’s selfless. And unconditional.”

“Anakin used to say that. Thought it was just a Jedi thing.”

“I think you know it isn’t.”

“You really are an angel, you know that? You are all the starlight in my sky. Like Echo said, you always were my sun on Kamino. Always my reason to look up. No matter where I was, you were out there. And I was coming home to you. I’d battle death a thousand times to get back to life with you.”

I smiled down at him, tears in my eyes blurring my view of the most perfect man I could ever ask for. “I love you.” I whispered, in complete lovesick shock at my partner’s sudden ability to form sentences poetic enough to bring tears to my eyes. Before he could continue, sounds of the other boys approaching with blankets interrupted our conversation.

“We’ve got our things. Let’s settle in for the night. It’s been a long day.” Hunter declared, eyeing Rex and I intimately pressed together.

“Omega, you get the cot. I know you’re tired, Tech and I will set it up, ok?” Echo whispered, patting the head of the sleepy-eyed little thing who was just barely clinging on to consciousness after such a traumatizing day. They all got to work putting together a makeshift camp and before we knew it they were all huddled around a small fire.

Wrecker, exhausted and still healing from the roughest day he’s ever had, was relaxing with a little doll Omega had probably given him for comfort. They all seemed tired, scared and fatigued from being constantly on the run now. But at least now, they were safe from the inhibitor chip. All four of them were never going to be used against their will ever again. They finally truly answered to no one. And that gave Rex and I enough peace to allow ourselves to drift into a satisfying rest. I closed my eyes and listened, hoping to one by one hear them all fall asleep. Which wasn’t happening at all.

“She looks at him like he’s the greatest man the galaxy has ever seen. With those eyes. Fuck- what I wouldn’t give…for a pretty thing like her.” Hunter shook his head in amazement, the tiniest hint of a smile crossing his normally unreadable face.

“I mean…he sort of is. Isn’t he? Can’t say I’d blame her for choosing one of the most highly decorated, best genetic replications of the prime model.” Tech pointed out, lifting his goggles off his eyes and relaxing back into the hammock he’d set up.

“You’re all full of Bantha shit. It’s not because he’s decorated or good at fighting or anything like that. She likes him because he’s selfless, he listens, he’d do anything for the people he cares about.” Echo gestured to himself, very obviously pointing out that his mere presence among them proved that. “Women care about stuff like that.”

“I suppose you’re right. Those are nice qualities to have in a partner at least as far as the human psyche goes…” Tech inhaled like he was going to continue on an explanatory tangent when Wrecker groaning interrupted him.

“I think it’s because he knows when to shut up.” He shot back at his brother gruffly, “she is so pretty though. And tiny.”

“Only in size, not in personality, that I promise you.” Echo laughed, fondly remembering one of numerous times I’d successfully stood up to creatures three times my size without fear. “Sharp tongue too if you mess with her.”

“Don’t tell me anymore or I’ll fall in love with her.” Wrecker huffed, waving his large hands around trying to brush the idea of me from his mind. “Rex would really want to kick my ass then.”

The boys fell silent, all immediately regretting discussing this the second they heard Rex’s name. They respected us together enough to know better than to even think a dirty thought about me. The crackling of the fire was the only thing I could hear now, the planet’s ghost town feel looming over us even heavier at night. I thought they might’ve finally fallen asleep before someone sighed out.

“I bet it’s the blonde thing.” Hunter chuckled. They all agreed.

I’d been listening to them from our cot, my back turned to them as I pretended to sleep buried in Rex’s armored chest. He actually was asleep, finally feeling comforted surrounded by the sound of his brothers voices, knowing we were both safe.

I turned over in Rex’s arms, curling my fingers into his and feeling them unconsciously tighten to receive them as he slept. The lull of voices hushed quickly as they collectively held their breath, unsure of my state of consciousness. I started giggling softly, flicking my eyes open to glance around at all of them pretending they weren’t watching me. I decided it was as good a time as any to have a little fun like I used to with the 501st boys back home.

“Echo’s right. It’s his good heart…” I yawned, pressing my backside further into Rex curled behind me tightly. His hands were grabby and body possessive even as he slept, somehow always mindful enough to keep me close to him. The boys averted their gaze, pretending they didn’t feel a sense of hopeless longing and mild jealousy at the idea of cuddling into someone else’s warm body like this.

Intimate touches and vulnerability were not a shared experience amongst this group of brothers. They weren’t afforded that luxury and that was why they desired it more than anything else. Whether they could admit it or not. “…and ya know the mind-blowing sex.” I confessed, knowing exactly how to press the buttons of the touch starved men in front of me.

Instantly, it was like I’d reignited the smoldering fire in front of us. Wrecker protested the loudest, pulling his pillow over his eyes and shouting into it “maker, you can’t just say things like that.” Echo laughed out loud, shaking his head as the filth he expected from me finally came out.

“Yes, she can, if it’s the truth. Sexual discussion is healthy in relationships.” Tech pointed out, not entirely sure if it was to the group of us or to himself.

“Talk about highly decorated…that’s what he should be given a medal for.” I praised suggestively. “Do they enhance that part too?” I teased, shifting to rub up against Rex a little more. I wished he was up to hear this. It would be funny to watch his face go red at such graphic praise. He liked it, never one to shy away from bragging about himself when he deserved to. And he definitely had earned that right.

“Hey now…little ears…” Hunter scolded, motioning to a slumbering Omega, passed out in a deep sleep in the only cot the boys had. “You are something else.” He rolled his eyes, smirking as if he knew from experience how he’d deal with someone like me. “Rex certainly has his hands full.”

At that, Rex’s hand on my waist actually tightened, gripping me possessively and pulling me into him. “And I can still take down all four of you at once…if I have to.” He grumbled sleepily from behind me.

Echo laughed, “aaand there he is. Right on time. It’s even funnier than I remember.” He turned to rest his hand behind his head and sunk into his hammock. “Rex still playing with fire…At least some things in the galaxy are still ok.”

“Playing with fire, so that’s what we’re calling it now?” Tech said sarcastically, turning off his data pad and pulling his blankets up to his chin.

“That doesn’t even begin to describe it.” Rex shot back, as I practically felt his smirk buried into the crook of my neck. Normally, he would scold his men for getting this bold, but this time he was joining in knowing it would throw me off.

“Look who’s not so sleepy all of the sudden, Captain.” I teased, the tiredness lacing my words with a lazy, lust filled tone. It felt like all the air in the atmosphere was sucked out at once as his title spilling out of my mouth really awoke something in the rest of the boys. Must be a clone thing.

“Stars above…call me Captain too.” Wrecker blurted out, the banter wholly becoming too much for him.

Rex, immediately noticing far too many wandering eyes, pulled our blankets up over my face and rolled me on top of him. A dark grumble bubbled in his chest and he inhaled to keep his composure, “That title’s only for me. Isn’t that right cyar’ika?”

“Sir, yes, Sir.” I responded, still baiting him in front of everyone with a submissive tease that I knew was both driving him nuts and making him at least a little mad. He glared at me with just the right amount of black lust filtering into his gaze and I smiled back, half apologetically, mostly not.

“Go to sleep.” His voice scolding, but the heat between his thighs and his grip on my ass telling a far different story. I nodded and set my head down onto his chest, the rapid flutter of his adrenaline pumping heart setting me at ease. “That goes for all of you too.” Rex ordered, turning his head and scowling at them, a silent threat to brush the memory of this aside or at least to not let him see them think about this ever again.

“Goodnight boys.” I giggled as the bad batch guys all mumbled out an exhausted but affirmative goodnight, knowing Rex would kill them if they kept this line of conversation going. I traced my hand up Rex’s neck and turned his face toward mine. “Goodnight, my Captain.” I pressed a delicate kiss to his lips and any of the annoyance he felt at me pushing my luck earlier melted away.

He hummed, cocking an eyebrow at me and sliding his hand underneath both layers of clothing on my bottom half. A firm hand clenched a dominating grip on my right cheek, fondling it roughly. I looked up at him, his strong jaw ticking like he was plotting a punishment good enough for the stunt I pulled. Which was exactly what I hoped he’d do. I tipped my head, blinking an innocent curiosity back at him. As if I didn’t do this intentionally.

“Don’t think you’re off the hook for this yet, mesh’la. You’ll see. Goodnight, my little tease.”

—

“Keep quiet.” He whispered, hot breath fanning in my ear roused me from a sound sleep. My body was warm, head still in a fog from a dream filled with details I couldn’t remember. I could feel his arm underneath my side, armor clattering against my skin as he covered my mouth with his gloved hand. I blinked my eyes open, my vision beginning to focus on the dark stillness of the planet’s surroundings. It wasn’t morning yet. The sun wasn’t even close to rising.

“Rex why-“ I opened my mouth to speak to ask him why he woke me, only to be immediately cut off by the sliding of his gloved fingertips along my slit. I whimpered, tipping my head back onto his shoulder. I canted my hips forward into his hand, sending his touch brushing across my clit.

“There ya go…that shuts you right up. Feels good hmm?” He muttered, placing a featherlight kiss behind my ear. The fabric of his gloves provided delightful friction as he traced one finger teasingly over the bundle of nerves. It made a white-hot current of pleasure radiate out from my core. I nodded, the pace of my breathing speeding up as his fingers did. My eyes flicked around our surroundings remembering we were not alone out here.

“The Boys?” I reminded him, reaching a hand up to try pulling his arm away from where he was torturing me.

He chuckled darkly, “Echo took Omega inside the ship. I don’t care about the others. Let them hear what I do to you.” He pushed my thighs apart, opening me up more for him and dipping two fingers into my opening slightly.

“R-Rex.” I whimpered softly, reacting to his fingers threatening to penetrate. I suppose this was what I deserved for being so openly explicit in front of the guys.

“That’s it. My name. That’s all I’ll allow you to say. All I want them to hear spilling out of that filthy mouth, cyar’ika.” He grumbled, scolding me with his words but pleasuring me so powerfully and perfectly with his hands. His fingers pushed inside my entrance, fluttering with need he’d coaxed out of me with only words.

Was he…? Jealous? Jealous of how his brothers eyes looked at me so longingly. Such a pretty thing being so vulgar so proudly. I knew exactly what I was doing teasing them and that was solely to rile up Rex. I did not expect him to get jealous enough that he’d take me right here, outside while his brothers slept beside us. To act so possessive of me that he couldn’t help but stake his claim, mark his fucking territory right here, right now.

I expected to maybe get punished later on when we were alone on our ship after we left them. But the way they watched me, craved me, lusted after me must’ve stirred something greedy, possessive, dominant inside him. I was into it. Very, very into it.

“I was just having a little fun…” I pouted, nibbling his thumb resting on my lower lip. He buried his face in my neck and kissed right along the deep vein of my pulse. He sucked a deep hickey so hard onto my skin I could already feel the blood pounding to form a purple bruise. His fingers curled inside me, pressing against the sensitive spot on the front wall he knew drove me crazy. I bit my bottom lip to hold back a loud moan as dizzying pleasure shot up my spine.

“No, you bad girl. They want you. They want to have you like I do. But you’re gonna remind them who you belong to…” He groaned, twisting his fingers and burying them to the knuckle inside me. My hand flew back to grip his side, using his strong frame for leverage as I ground my hips down to meet his thrusting hand.

“Y-you, Rex. I belong to you.” I moaned, digging my fingers into his arm and pulling his hand away from my mouth so I could be heard better.

“That’s right, mesh’la. You’re mine.” His fingers curled, pressing the pads of his gloved fingertips into a spot that made my mind blank and my toes curl. I hissed loudly as the tension building in my core tightened, my walls closing in on his wide digits. His now free hand slid down my stomach, trailing circles across my skin before resting a searing pressure on my clit. My eyes rolled back in my head and I instinctually thrusted my hips up to follow his touch.

“Fuck.” I whined, “Rex…don’t stop, don’t fucking stop. I need to cum for you. Please.” He rubbed faster circles as I egged him on, my grip on his hip tightening. He slowed, despite every inch of my body begging him not to and pulled his soaked hands from between my thighs.

“Hmm…since you want to keep running your pretty little mouth…” He brought the wet edges of his gloves to my lips and pushed them inside, running the taste of me along my own tongue. “Bet you taste so good for me…” His chest was heaving behind me as he felt my lips wrap around his fingers. I swirled my tongue around the fabric, tracing the tang on every stitch and making him grumble in satisfaction. I popped off him as he slid his fingers out, instead using them to hold my face as he engulfed my mouth with his tongue to taste as much of me as he desired. A warm exhale washed over my face as he broke the kiss, holding my gaze and smirking as we both fought through our lust to catch our breath.

“Would rather be tasting something else, Rex.” I replied suggestively, pressing my ass against his lap, his bulge probably wildly uncomfortable underneath his codpiece. He groaned as soon as I bumped him, clearly painfully hard and as desperate to be touched as I was.

His hands explored underneath my top, squeezing both breasts in his trembling hands. He whimpered in my ear from behind and traced his tongue along the shell of my ear. Hips rotated against my backside, grinding his needy cock into the space that called for him so many times before. He wanted this, but was holding back.

I had to egg him on more to draw out this possessive side of him and encourage him to throw caution to the wind. Forget how many rules this might break or how awkward it’ll be tomorrow. Who cares? We needed this.

“What would they think…? If they woke up and saw my mouth wrapped around you? Think of how badly they’d want me then. Stars I’d be such a sight.” I teased, pushing him past the breaking point.

I could feel him getting hot with arousal and a little anger behind me. “Mesh’la…still won’t learn your lesson…you really want to tempt me hmm? Fine. I’ll just have to fuck that bold little mouth quiet.”

I turned over in his grasp and looked up at him for the first time since he woke me. His brows were furrowed in a grumpy scowl, and if I didn’t know any better I’d think he actually was mad at me. But that loving twinkle in his brown eyes reflected in the light of the moon and signaled his undying affection for me, like they always did. The crinkles by his eyes deepened as a small smile stretched across his face, eyes darting over how the shadows of the moonlit night danced across my features.

“Go ahead…you’re in charge, Rex. I deserve it. I’m yours.” I smirked, rocking my core against his and fumbling with the magclips of his codpiece to remove the armor in our way.

“Aww see? Only I know how to get you to behave.” He chuckled, brushing the hair from my forehead and helping me remove the plastoid with his free hand.

“You’re the only one I want to behave for.” I retorted, freeing the armor from his lap and tossing it carelessly to the ground next to our cot. At this point, if the sounds woke up any of the three boys around us, I can’t say I’d care a single bit. I ran my hands along the hem of his bottoms, rolling the fabric down until his cock sprang up against his lower abs. He exhaled in relief as my hands wrapped around the shaft, gently tugging at his pounding length.

“Mmm cyare fuck. Need to…see you prove it.” He groaned softly, tipping my chin up to his face with his curled fingers and slipping his thumb into my mouth. I bit down on the digit gently and smiled devilishly up at him.

“You don’t believe me?” I asked, shifting my body down the cot as quietly as I could underneath our blankets. There was nothing I wanted more right now than to kiss down his entire torso. Over every scar, curve and hardened muscle he had. To pay him extra special attention because I just fucking loved him so. But there wasn’t time to remove all the armor and as much as I wouldn’t mind if any of the others saw me, I wasn’t going out of my way to be careless enough to wake them up either.

I laid my cheek on the cool plastoid covering his thigh and threw the blankets off again, revealing how dangerously close I was to slipping him into my mouth. “Could never want anyone else but you. This pretty cock…has ruined me for anyone else.” I whispered, coaxing my fist over the blunt head and collecting the wet droplets of precum already leaking out of the slit.

His eyes screwed shut and his body tensed as I soothed the throbbing ache of his cock with just a few touches. “S-show me,” he hissed through gritted teeth, “show me how it ruins you.” I looked up at him through dark lashes, biting my lip in satisfaction as he instructed me to worship his cock exactly how I wanted to. I dragged open mouthed kisses up the thick vein on the underside before slowly placing the tenderest gentle kiss on the tip. I moaned softly, letting my tongue dart out to flick the slit and taste him more.

I smiled, my lips spreading against him and making him toss his head back as the sight became too much for him. “My favorite view in the galaxy. My Rex…maker did your brothers staring make you a little jealous?” I asked, twisting and guiding my wrist up his shaft and dribbling saliva into my waiting fist.

He let out a pained exhale, disguising a filthy moan and meeting my gaze with lust heavy lids. His brows knitted together in concentration as he tried hard to keep his composure. He took a deep breath, tangling his fingers into my hair and gently pressing my lips to his cock. “Not jealous.” He said stubbornly, his jaw tightening as I blinked up at him.

“Hunter thinks I’m a handful.” I teased, spitting sloppily all over his cock and slicking it down the shaft. I parted my lips, slowly sliding him further into my mouth. I watched his eyes flutter closed, trying so hard to stay annoyed at me for acting out.

“Because you won’t behave for Hunter like you do for me. Isn’t that right, little brat?” He smirked, a low rumble growing in his chest as I popped off of him. His fingertips grazed my cheekbone and he tipped my chin to force my gaze back up at him, expecting an answer.

I beamed, “Mhm. I’m only good for you…Captain.” I watched the mischief in his eyes darken his pupils even more as I told him exactly what he wanted to hear. And calling him by his title always did things to him. I leaned forward and swallowed him down again, lips wrapping around the girth of him and never breaking eye contact.

“Such a good girl…remembers all the ranks…follows all my rules.” He whispered, his voice straining more and more as I bobbed up and down on his cock. Drool rolled down the underside, lubing up my twisting fist and slicking my movements even more. He pulsed against my lips, adrenaline and blood making him grow thicker and needier in the wet cavern of my mouth. Both my small hands twisted in opposite directions as I stroked him, while obscene and prominent suckling sounds filled the stale night air.

Part of me wanted those boys to hear this. Wanted them to watch their superior take me the way only he could, the way he deserved. To allow him to flex why he was in charge and they weren’t. As much as he got off on claiming me, I got off on him pulling rank and taking charge of everyone around him, including myself.

“Of course I do. I’m the Captain’s girl. I have to set a good example.” I teased, knowing full well I had broken a ton of rules and pushed past more than a few boundaries by working up every man around me on purpose. He pulled my hair slightly, positioning my lips where he wanted and thrusting his hips up to shove himself between them. His broad hand wrapped around the back of my head, guiding me at the speed he wanted. I moaned around him, letting the tip of him bottom out on the back of my throat.

“Fuck, mesh’la. Say that a little louder for me? You’re whose girl?” He asked, panting as I inhaled, forcing back gags and swallowing around his cock. My lips pulled taut around the width of him and my jaw ached from holding my mouth open for him to fuck into. I blinked up at him, bleary-eyed with tears streaming down my cheeks, wetting his thigh armor beneath us with a mixture of spit, precum and tears. He smiled at the sight of me absolutely ruined by his cock beneath him, a lovesick haze glazing over the dark lust in his eyes. He guided me off him, wanting to hear only one thing out of my mouth.

“Yours. Rex’s girl. Always.” I gasped out between desperate breaths for air, precum filled saliva strands trailing from my lips to his cock. I collected the wet mess and slicked it around his sensitive tip, my thumb caressing the frenulum and wrapping my lips around the weeping hole. The second my lips connected with his cock again he practically howled, curling fingers around my neck and resting the other on my shoulder to grip me as close to him as possible.

“Good girl. Only my name comes out of that perfect fucking mouth. Stuffed full of my cock. You love it, don’t you? You love blowing me so messy…drooling on my cock. My perfect filthy girl.” He praised as I nodded in response, pulling the blanket off to get an unobstructed view of my face. Or maybe it was because he wanted me to be seen doing this. Something really had gotten into him if he was bold enough to do this with eyes possibly watching us.

He was pounding against my tongue, slowly rolling his hips up as I swallowed him down. I whimpered around him as he picked up the pace, fucking into my mouth as he promised. The sound of gags filled the air, no longer muffled by a blanket over my head. I took in several deep breaths, letting my jaw slack obediently and allowing him to slip back as deep as I could. He grunted lowly, his thighs twitching beneath me and signaling how close he was. He pulled my hair back harder than before, lifting me off him and catching his breath. I wiped my lips with my fingers and reached down to swipe the slick between my legs. Rex let out a loud, exasperated exhale at the sight and grabbed my other wrist.

“No more touching until I say.” He groaned, almost pleading with me for mercy. I knew that working him up only to make him watch me play around would have him spilling all over us both way too soon. I sat up on my knees and slowly made my way up his torso, fingers tracing the seams of plastoid covering the plane of his chest. I rolled my body against his, making him tremble with hopeless want. I hovered my upper body above his and dangled my slick covered fingers between us.

“You sure you don’t want to taste what all this possessiveness does to me, Captain?” I taunted, watching him grit his teeth, desperately trying to maintain the control between us. His lips quirked, drawing a mischievous grin across his tense face. His heavy hands latched onto my hip bones and he leaned in close enough to draw my fingers into his mouth. A low groan left his lips as he instead brushed his stubbled cheek against mine, bringing his lips to my ear and swirling his tongue over the sensitive spot beneath it.

Suddenly, he slapped both hands down onto my ass hard and gripped the flesh tightly before saying out loud for the entire planet to hear, “No cyar’ika, I would rather feel it.”

He drove my hips down, splitting me apart on top of him as he speared up into me brutally. The pressure of his cock forcing my swollen walls apart made me scramble for something to grab onto. I found the comforting width of his shoulders and dug my grip into them.

I buried my face in his neck and squealed, “Rex- oh fuck, Rex.” Fire ignited from the base of my spine to the tips of my fingers. He pushed my hips down onto him, pressing his cock up into a space inside me that felt so good it tore the breath from my lungs. My pussy spasmed around the thick length tearing into me and he choked out a low whine at my body’s jerking reaction to his sudden entry. The explosion of pleasure wracked my nerves and I pressed sloppy kisses along his jaw just to keep myself from screaming. He guided my hips up and down to start a slow, ruthless pace.

“Got you so worked up, didn’t I? Acting so bold because you needed me to fuck you like this.” He muttered in my ear, lifting his thighs to repeatedly sink himself into my heat. I twisted my hips, finally comfortably opened up enough to do some of the work myself. I sped up, the flesh of my thighs slapping against his lap obscenely as I rode him with all the strength I could gather.

“Yes baby. I-I like when you show off.” I whispered, resting my hand on his jaw to turn his face towards mine. “Mmm reminds me why you’re in charge.” My jaw dropped open as he held my center in place with one strong arm, shallow snaps of his hips making his writhing torso catch my clit. Tingling radiated from our joined hips outward and I rested my cheek against his as I moaned softly.

He huffed in amusement, clearly pleased at my submission to him. “Seems like you wanted to remind everyone I’m in charge, needy girl. You want me to show them who owns this little pussy?” He asked, his hungry eyes watching how pleasure contorted my features. The blissful rocking of his hips made the width of him stretch me open almost painfully, every thrust carrying a jolting buzz of delight through my every last nerve. I could feel the building pressure in my gut cinching tighter and tighter. The drag of his cock repeatedly breaching my tight entrance sent wet heat drenching my cunt and coaxing sounds out of me that I could just barely hold back.

“Please, Rex. Want them to hear how good you fuck me.” I begged, my insides beginning to clamp down on his cock still railing into me harshly. I fluttered around it, my entrance pulled taut to fit the sheer size of him and the arousal he’d caused slicking each movement.

His head lolled back against the pillow as my words hit him. “That’s my filthy girl. Begging me to make you scream.” He leaned forward and captured my lips with his, his tongue overpowering mine and teeth pulling down on my bottom lip. “Go ahead. Let them listen to how good my cock makes you feel.” He whispered, his lips brushing mine with every word.

A moan ripped through me as he sat up more, changing the angle and sending the tip prodding into the deepest part of my pussy. My back arched as he bottomed out into the spot over and over again, tears brimming up in my eyes as the pleasure threatened to overwhelm me.

“Right there. Ha-harder, Rex.” I gasped, choking for air I couldn’t inhale without forcing the vice grip on his cock to wind tighter. I sat up, resting my palms on his flexing pectorals and my nails scratching red marks across the dark skin. His gaze traced up my exposed chest, following the craning of my neck to my face, brows raised in expressive ecstasy. “fuck you feel so good.” I whimpered, tracing my hand along my thigh wrapped around his waist. He knew where my hand was going without even watching it and he grabbed my wrist to keep it from moving.

“No hands, mesh’la. I’ll decide when you cum.” He almost growled, his gravelly voice deepening as he made the seductive threat. “Sit back and let me watch that little cunt take me.” He asked, grabbing my shoulders and tipping me back until I rested both palms on his still plastoid covered thighs. The new angle allowed him a perfect view of how I sheathed him with each thrust, my wet folds enveloping every last inch of his pounding cock. I tossed my head back and moaned louder, the sound loud enough now to bounce off the ruined metal hulls of the ships in the distance.

His gaze jumped from our joined centers to my tits bouncing and back, thoroughly enjoying how each brutal shove into me racked my entire body. “Look at you…fuck- you’re so good for me. Might even let you cum like this, pretty girl.” He reached forward and caressed the curve of my breast with his thumb. The nipple budded up at his touch instantly, goosebumps erupting on my skin now exposed to the cool night air. He hummed in delight and traced his calloused hand down my torso.

I watched him with desperate anticipation, hoping to the stars above that he was finally going to touch me. He smiled up at me, reading the pained look on my face and pouting up at me mockingly. I whimpered, twisting my center around him in figure 8s chasing the mountain of pleasure I was desperate to find the peak of.

“C-can I…cum now, Rex? I want to…” I wailed, the simple act of asking his permission setting a smoldering flame of heat alight in my core. He slid the hand roaming my torso down to where my touch starved clit ached for attention and gingerly rubbed light circles across it with his thumb.

I cried out in agony, the pleasure searing through my body blanked my mind of everything but Rex’s hands on me, Rex’s thighs supporting me beneath him, Rex’s cock pounding and pleading for release inside me.

He laughed, strained and breathy, but clearly amused and enjoying this. “If you ask politely…show me you remember how to behave now…” He offered, pressing on my clit harder and burying the head of his cock into the perfect spot that only he could ever seem to find.

“Please, Rex. Please.” I gasped, searching for some part of him to grab onto and immediately finding his already outstretched hand, tangling his fingers between mine. Suddenly, he sat bolt upright, his mouth latching onto my nipple and biting down as the change in angle pierced into a spot that forced the built-up pressure in my core to finally burst.

“My mesh’la. Make me so fucking proud. Cum for me. Right on my cock you love so much.” He said, the rambling words of permission signaling his own climax wasn’t far behind mine. “Show ‘em all how pretty my girl is when she cums for me.”

“Rex!”

Pleasure cascaded down my body like a waterfall, my mind numb to the feeling of anything else but orgasmic euphoria. My thighs tensed and my fingers curled, squeezing his hand and the strewn blanket for any kind of stability. The sheer force of my orgasm propelled my body upwards, as if to keep my head above water before the wave pummeled me back down in its undertow. An extinguishing ripple of pleasure flushed through the blistering heat of arousal that had been torturing my body. It washed down through my core and made the aching tightness entrapping him in my walls release.

He let out a low groan and held my hips to his tightly as he let my spasming walls milk the release out of his overstimulated cock. “That’s it. Look what taking my cock does to you. Only I can fuck you full like this. You’re fucking mine. Fuck, mesh’la. Fuck-“ He hissed, each erratic thrust dismantling all that was left of his domineering strength.

The flexing inside my heat dragged rope after rope of hot, sticky cum out of him. My insides felt ruined and heavy, weighed down by the twitch of his cock and the seeds of his euphoria saturating any remaining empty space. He was practically whimpering beneath me, the pleasure too good for either of us to contemplate changing positions. His hands wrapped around my back and held me into him, aftershocks ravaging both of us. Slippery skin slid against skin, panting breaths too hot to cool either of us down.

I slumped onto his shoulder, lazily rocking my hips to chase the wave of pleasure as it receded away gradually. His broad chest heaved under me and his hand cupped the back of my neck. An overly satisfied giggle left my lips. “Mmm…Rex.” I hummed, nuzzling into his neck and delicately kissing places I’d bruised.

“You gonna behave yourself now?” He teased, stroking my hair and messaging the back of my neck with his outrageously strong hand.

“If acting out gets me fucked like…that? Never.” I laughed, biting down on a particularly pretty purple spot I’d gifted him with.

“Good.” He snorted, “I’ll just have to teach you this lesson again, my pretty girl.” A deep, gruff hum bubbled up in his chest, as he pulled us both back down onto his cot.

I reached my hand up to brush his cheekbone, ghosting my touch down his jaw. I tipped my head to the side, marveling at the lengths such a perfect man would go to affirm his love for me. He proved how much I meant to him every single day. He never had a single thing to worry about. Sure millions of others shared his face, those same dark eyes, determined grin, strong jaw and deep voice. But they weren’t him. No matter how many versions of him I ever met, they would never compare to him. He was more special than he even knew.

His inability to shake the deeply ingrained idea that they were all just numbers wouldn’t stand in the way of how deeply intwined our souls were in the cosmic force. I wasn’t even a Jedi but I could feel this. I knew it in my heart that this clone wasn’t like his brothers at all. Because Rex’s very soul was forever changed by the bond we’d formed together. That was something no geneticist or messed up cloning experiment could ever change. We were one now and we always would be.

“I am yours. You know that, right?” I muttered, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to his lips still open and panting from exertion. “Just wanted to give you the chance to remind other people. You’re still a bit of a showoff.” I giggled happily, propping myself up on one arm resting beside his head and letting the other hand smooth over the expression breaking the usual tension that formed across his brow bone.

He watched my chest rising and falling trying to catch my breath and dragged light fingertips up and down my bare back. Warm hands pulled me back together from my usual explosive high and curled his protective grip around my smaller frame.

“You just put on a show like that and I’m the show off?” He teased, rolling his hips lazily against mine and laughing softly. He tucked hair behind my ears and eased me down onto his chest. He nuzzled his cheek onto the top of my head and wrapped his arms around me tightly. “I think you like me showing off, cyar’ika. Always have.”

“Yes, well, you look too good doing it not to.” I whispered, peppering light kisses along his neck and smoothing my fingers along his collar bone. “We should probably try to actually get some sleep.”

“Some of us have been trying to do that for hours now.” A deep, harsh voice grumbled from somewhere in the darkness around us. Hunter. Exactly who started all this in the first place.

I looked up at Rex, wide-eyed and shrinking into his body in embarrassment. He laughed, pulling the blanket back over my naked body and flexing proudly that his loud claiming of me had actually been heard by those he intended.

“Sorry, boys, but this isn’t the GAR barracks anymore. I no longer have to follow rules I don’t like.” He said, rolling my body on top of his and holding me in his grasp. If anyone told me even a few months ago that Captain Rex was doing this, I would’ve fainted probably. But hell who cares anymore, right?

“Something tells me that those rules never stopped her.” A second, loftier voice responded. Tech.

I giggled, “No, they didn’t.” Remembering the select few times I’d snuck into his quarters, too needy after a month’s long mission to wait for him to come to me. Senator’s staff clearance permissions giving me special entry to certain places was convenient. Besides, most of the 501st knew the drill by that point anyways. If they ever heard anything, they knew better than to mention anything to their commanding officer.

Rex traced his fingertips up my spine, the way he always did when he was thoroughly satisfied. “How much did you hear?” He asked, the wry smile on his face proving that he absolutely was not sorry he’d woken them.

“More than enough.” Hunter replied in a huff, as if the graphic display had disturbed some dream he was having. Perhaps the teasing had gone a little too far with him. The sound of rustling blankets and then padded footsteps filled the silence.

“Where are you going?” Tech asked, using a datapad to illuminate the darkness.

“Check on Omega. Get some real rest.” He shot back, his boots meeting metal. “Goodnight.”

I looked at Rex sheepishly, feeling a little guilty about flaunting something in front of him that he clearly craved. Rex shrugged, not exactly thrilled about the idea of this particular brother thinking about me like that.

“Sorry we woke you.” I whispered, turning over to apologize to Tech.

“That’s alright. Don’t worry about Hunter. He’ll…get over it.” Tech explained, his eyes meeting mine over the top of his holopad. He seemed unbothered and I shrugged away my worries about Hunter’s hurt feelings.

“Tech…are you able encrypt those? So no one can track you or anything?” I asked, sitting up with our blanket wrapped across my chest. He laughed softly, as if even asking that was a silly question.

“Of course I can. Why do you ask?” He said, sitting up and rifling through his pack beside him.

“Rex and I need a way to…do some research without enemy eyes finding out.”

Rex, intrigued and likely following my train of thought, swung his legs over the side of his cot. “We need a way to get intel from inside the Empire. Inside the clone network. Check on some people.”

“Hmmm…I can give you a spare to surf the holonet. But tapping into the inner workings of the Empire is dangerous…I’ll have to look into how to do that safely. Here.” He replied, tossing Rex the extra pad he pulled from his bag.

“Thanks Tech.” We said together, Rex bumping the back of my shoulder with his. Tech hummed some kind of you’re welcome before settling back down in his makeshift bed. Rex rested his chin on my shoulder as we both looked on the holopad like we’d never seen this technology before.

“Who should we look for first?” I whispered, the search database blinking and waiting for me to enter in the aurebesh letters.

“Look us up.” He replied, typing his designated number into the former republic database and hitting search.

CT-7567: Rank - Captain. Battalion - 501st. Last Mission - Siege of Mandalore. Status - Killed in Action, Cruiser crashed on moons of Bogdon System. Body never recovered.

“Hmmm…well I don’t feel dead.” He joked morbidly, scrolling back up to enter in a new name to the search field.

I typed in my own name and found…nothing. My existence wiped from Senate records. “What?” I whispered out loud, my eyes wide with surprise and Rex’s deep in thought. “Only those with Senate clearance could do this. Someone’s…watching my back.”

Before Rex could speak, footsteps racing down the ship’s ramp made us both turn away from the mystery in front of us. Through the darkness, we could just make out Echo’s silhouette illuminated by a few soft lights inside our ship. He was panting, clearly desperate to give us some kind of urgent news.

“You two better come inside. Someone’s sending you a coded transmission. Highly scrambled and classified and you’re not going to believe who it is.”

---

Introducing the Captain's Log Taglist! I've had so many people ask me to make one so they get notified when new chapters drop so I am starting one! Please let me know if you'd like to be added or removed! tag list: @starwarsmeninhelmets @literallydontlook @thefact0rygirl @moonstrider9904 @pedropascalsx @ashotofspotchka @fett-djarin @zinzinina @love-like-poetry @captainrexi @galacticgraffiti @kaminocasey @calkestiis @pinkiemme

[cleowho]

Death to the Daleks - season 11 - 1974

Dalek ‘Goon VII’ was one of seven new background / army-builder Dalek props constructed for the previous Dalek serial, Planet of the Daleks. Unlike the fibreglass Shawcraft-built hero props, the Goon Squad were constructed chiefly of wood and metal.  Goon VII was used sparingly in Planet of the Daleks and is seen as a static guard.

Having been repainted to this silver and black livery for Death to the Daleks, Goon VII’s appearance in this serial is it’s final one. The prop had already become very tatty and damaged during the time between serials, having been used for publicity purposes and photo shoots. The wooden skirt section can be seen to have split, and some of the hemispheres are merely painted circles!

Goon VII was loaded with pyrotechnics and fitted with a thin plastic head-dome which would crumple in the heat. The prop was damaged beyond repair during filming, and so was junked afterwards.

[deafeninggardenerpanda]

A waiter, dressed in pure white, quietly placed a large platter covered with a silver lid onto the table. King Dedede, Kirby, and Bandana Waddle Dee—the three of them stared at it motionlessly.

"Here is today's evening meal. Half a slice of toast, a slice of ham, and some salt soup," the waiter said respectfully while taking off the silver lid.

" ... Is this it?" King Dedede asked in a disheartened voice. The waiter replied with their chest puffed out with pride.

"Not at all! Today, we’ve also included a marvelous, special dessert!"

"A dessert!? Wow, what, what is it!?" Kirby sprung up, raising his voice. The waiter placed three small plates in front of the trio.

"Today’s special dessert is ... a bite of apple!"

" ... Huh—!?"

"A bite!?"

Set on the plates before them were teeny, tiny cuts of apple. Kirby and King Dedede’s faces both fell into despair.

"I can eat one hundred apples in one bite! I want to eat one hundred apples~!" Kirby wriggled and shouted. The waiter shook their head dejectedly.

"I'm sorry, we can't give you that, sir. It's our Minore’s law." 

"But ... but ...! " 

"It’s only seven days until you’ll be able to savor the magnificent feast, just be patient! It’s not much longer! Come on, you can do it~!" The waiter left quickly.

A gloomy air hung over the group. King Dedede and Kirby sighed simultaneously.

"One small pancake in the morning, one bowl of rice porridge at noon, and this for dinner! I can’t believe this inn is the most well-known in town ...! " King Dedede said bitterly, picking up his sliver of toast.

"Just a little longer, Great King," Bandana Waddle Dee said. "On the day of the festival, you’ll be able to eat so much it’ll seem like your stomach will burst ... "

"Hmph! In that case, I should have just come the day of!"

"You couldn’t have, anyways. It’s the law of this star that those who want to participate in the festival have to refrain from eating for seven days ... "

"I know that! Aghhh~, annoying!" King Dedede swallowed his bit of toast and groaned. Kirby also bit into his piece with tears in his eyes.

This was the planet Minore. It was a harsh star with the majority of its land being desert. However, the capital, Minoreze, was prosperous, being blessed with abundant water.

A festival was held once every year in Minoreze to thank those blessings of water. On the day of, a feast that neither citizen, nor traveler, would be able to finish would be served.

It was Bandana Waddle Dee who first learned about this star. He was cleaning up the junk mail as usual when a travel pamphlet happened to catch his eye. Bandana Waddle Dee immediately passed on the information to King Dedede.

"What~!? A feast you can’t finish!? The planet Minore’s specialty dishes are the oversized Spicy Deluxe Steak seasoned with local specialty spices! Fish only caught on this star that, whether you have it as sashimi or baked, is so delicious your cheeks will fall off! A traditional dessert that uses lots of fruit and special cream—any gourmets must have it at least once while here—an exquisite among exquisite dishes ...!? " 

King Dedede’s eyes lit up as he read the pamphlet.

"Waddle Dee, arrange a trip immediately!" he ordered. "We’ll charge on the festival of planet Minore!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. But, just one thing I’m worried about ... " Bandana Waddle Dee took out a magnifying glass and examined the corner of the pamphlet. He read aloud a sentence written in small text. "’Those who participate in the festival must enter the country seven days in advance and may only eat as little as possible during that time. There is a strict law that you must endure your hunger so you can savor the feast to your heart’s content the day of the event,‘ ... that’s what’s written."

However, King Dedede, blinded by talk of a feast, didn’t hear that part. 

"Stop complaining so much. Get on it, Waddle Dee. Book a reservation at the finest inn!" 

"Y—yes!" Bandana Waddle Dee left the room in a hurry when he heard King Dedede’s voice behind him.

"A feast you can’t finish!? All riiight, all riiight! I'm gonna eat everything! Aah, I can’t wait!"

Who had just appeared, and who looked like he was going to drool at any moment, was Kirby.

"Kirby!? Before I even realized ... " King Dedede shouted, startled.

"I came to play. I called out a bunch, but no one answered, so I just came in! I'm going~ to a festival, festival!"

"It’s no fun if you come along! This is my elegant vacation ... " 

"I have to start packing ASAP! Hm, I have to prepare my clothes, a toothbrush, some snacks ... "

"What clothes, you runt! You don’t need them—!"

... And just like that, the three of them left Dream Land in a big commotion. 

Kirby laid down on the floor completely limp after returning to the room from the dining room.

"Tummy ... so hungry ... help ... Waddle Dee ... " he mumbled. King Dedede also laid face up and raised a weak voice.

"What a magnificent sight ... so, so hungry, I can see the mirage ... meat ... meat ... the oversized steaks are calling me ... "

"Please hang in there! There’s plenty of water, okay ... " Bandana Waddle Dee poured some water from a nearby pot into King Dedede and Kirby’s mouths. The two swallowed it, then started clamoring wildly.

"My stomach’s crying out only being fed junk like this—! Jeez, what's going on with this star!"

"For the seven days before the festival, anybody who wants to attend has to eat as little as possible. The meals served at this inn are still super-luxury ... "

"I can’t believe ittt—!" King Dedede thrashed his limbs about in a fit.

"But the feast the day of will seem extra delicious because of this hunger," Bandana Waddle Dee said with a troubled look. "It's a tradition of this star that’s been going on for a long time."

"So annoying! If I knew this star would be like this, I wouldn't have come!" 

"Me neither! I want to go back to Dream Land—! I want to eat Chef Kawasaki's lunch special! UWAAH!" Kirby had also become unusually fainthearted.

Already in such bad condition on the first day of the trip, they could tell it was only going to get harder from here on out. A whole seven days until the festival ... As expected, Bandana Waddle Dee wondered if they could survive. Then, King Dedede approached the window, staggering.

"Look. There’s a big building in front of us."

" ... Yes." Bandana Waddle Dee clambered up the window frame and looked out alongside King Dedede. A large building stood in front of the inn. It was made of brick and had no windows.

"That seems to be the food storehouse."

"Yep. They’re keeping the food for the festival there. It seems that everyone on Minore has been saving up for a year." 

"Even though there’s mountains of food in there, I can't mess with it ... " Thinking of the food sitting in the storehouse, King Dedede's stomach made a loud grrr that caused him to stand up. "Uurgh ... I won’t be able to sleep as is. Waddle Dee, I'm going out."

"Eh? Where?"

"I’m going to look for a restaurant. There’s gotta be a restaurant or two that serves better food than this inn."

"I’ll go too!" Kirby jumped up with a bounce.

"It's too late already. I think all of the restaurants are closed," Bandana Waddle Dee said, worried.

"You don’t know that. I have to look for them." The great king left the room, unsteady on his feet. Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee also followed after him. It was when they went down the stairs and were about to head outside—

"Where are you going, gentlemen?" They were stopped by a low voice. The three looked behind them. Who was standing there was the owner of the inn.

"I'm starving, it’s unbearable. I’m going to a restaurant." The innkeeper shook his head when King Dedede replied.

"It's too late already. There are no restaurants open at this time." 

"You don't know that, I’m going to search for them ... " 

"No, I do know. All restaurants in the city close early in the days before the festival. Because that is Minore law." 

"Even if the stores aren’t open, we still might be able to find something to eat," Kirby said. "The trees in the park might have some fruit on them ... " 

"You must not do that, sir. It is forbidden to eat in excess the week before the festival. Now, I have to close up. Please return to your room," the innkeeper said flatly and locked the doors.

"Grr ... this damn inn!" King Dedede cursed under his breath, but in a case like this, there was no choice but to stay quiet. The three dejectedly returned to their room. Both King Dedede and Kirby spent the night dreaming of the feast.

~~~~~

Finally, the end of the long night came.

"Surely this morning’s breakfast will be unbearably small too," King Dedede said in a drained voice as he got dressed. "No more than a piece of bread, a piece of bacon ... " 

"N ... mm ... mmmgh ... '' Kirby staggered, about to collapse at any moment. 

"At this rate, you’re both at risk of hurting yourselves ... Should we cancel plans and return to Dream Land ...? " Bandana Waddle Dee asked in concern. King Dedede shook his head weakly.

"No, I'm not going home. I've come all this way. I can't go home until I attend the festival and eat my oversized, spicy, deluxe steak!"

"Yeah ... " Kirby, while swaying as well, nodded. "I’ll also keep at it. I want to eat the festival’s feast!"

"But ... are you guys sure you’re okay? Kirby, you’re swaying ... " Bandana Waddle Dee held Kirby up.

"Even just a small breakfast is better than nothing. Let's head down to the dining room," King Dedede said.

The three left the room and went down to the first floor. Then—from the entrance, they heard a troubled commotion. Angry yelling shook the building, and the place was packed to the brim. The footsteps of who knows many people jumbled together into one noisy clamor.

Something happened that was causing everyone to kick up a fuss, it seems.

"Hmmm? What’s happened?" King Dedede said.

"There are people in armor. What could be wrong ...? " Bandana Waddle Dee asked worriedly, standing on tiptoe to watch the situation. The three headed towards the crowd together. 

The innkeeper was talking to several soldiers near the entrance. King Dedede and the others stood taut and strained their ears.

" ... I think it was just past midnight. I witnessed it by chance. Some ruffian-looking person was stealing large bags from the festival’s food storehouse! That person put the many bags on a moving dolly and immediately ran away." 

King Dedede, who heard the testimony, muttered with surprise.

"What! It seems like the food in the storehouse has been stolen!"

"The important food for the festival ... How awful." Bandana Waddle Dee frowned.

"What were the characteristics of the thief?" a soldier asked the innkeeper while taking notes.

"They were ... " 

—It was when the innkeeper said that, someone pushed their way through the crowd.

A fat, stout man with a fine mustache and beard revealed himself. The soldiers saluted in a panic. The man examined the innkeeper intently and called out to him. 

"Did you not see the thief’s face clearly?" The innkeeper jumped in surprise.

"The ... prime minister? W-why is the prime minister here!?" he shouted.

"Be at ease. I heard that all of the food in the storehouse was stolen. As Minister of Minore, naturally, this pains me deeply."

"Of course ...! " The owner of the inn bowed his head in respect.

"The minister has come out. It must be a big incident, huh," King Dedede whispered in a small voice. Bandana Waddle Dee nodded.

"Yeah, it must be. I hope the innkeeper can remember the criminal's face clearly ... " 

The minister gave the innkeeper a stern look and pressed closer.

"Testify clearly. What kind of face did the thief you saw have?"

"I-it ... it was ... uh ... " 

The innkeeper looked about the area, intensely flustered. His eyes met King Dedede’s, who was eavesdropping right nearby.

"That’s it, I remember," the innkeeper gulped and said. "Certainly, they were a larger person with what I think was a red robe. Their face was blue and they were wearing a crown with a white pompom!"

"That’s a really specific, distinct outfit. What a scary guy!" Kirby, listening to the testimony, murmured with a serious expression on his face.

"Yeah, right? What a bold crime." King Dedede nodded profoundly. 

"A red robe, a blue face, and a pompom crown," the minister said with satisfaction. "These are important clues. Soldiers, make a caricature immediately and hang it all over the city!"

"Hup!" 

It was when the soldiers saluted, the innkeeper abruptly, unnaturally, clapped his hands as if surprised.

"Ah, I remembered something even more important!" 

"What is it?"

"That thief, I think I've seen them somewhere before ... " The innkeeper turned around and pointed to King Dedede. "That’s the guy! He’s staying at my inn, he’s the criminal!" 

"What did you say ...!? " The soldiers immediately surrounded King Dedede and the three.

"A red robe, a blue face, a crown with a pompom! No doubt, he is the culprit! Soldiers, capture him!" the minister shouted triumphantly.

"Yes sir!" 

King Dedede, Kirby, and Bandana Waddle Dee didn’t understand what was happening at all. King Dedede was bound with rope while he stood, dumbstruck.

"What is this!? Why this tying up nonsense for me ...! " King Dedede finally snapped back. The soldiers approached and shouted at King Dedede with bloodshot eyes.

"Playing dumb, are ya!? Damn scoundrel, how dare you! What you did to the important food for the festival—!" 

"Everyone has been looking forward to it for the past year!" 

"Answer us, where have you hidden the stolen food!?" 

"King Dedede didn’t do anything! We were sound asleep in our room the whole night!" Kirby said in a panic.

Bandana Waddle Dee also desperately raised his voice and clung to the soldiers. "You’ve got it all wrong! Please let the king go! Untie the rope at once, please!" 

"Hey! If you keep getting in the way, we’ll arrest you too!" A soldier grabbed and picked up Bandana Waddle Dee.

"STOP!" King Dedede shouted angrily. "I won’t forgive you for being so rough to my subordinate! Hey, Innkeeper, what’s the big deal! Yesterday, you locked the doors and we went straight back to our room, didn’t we? Why are you giving false testimony!?"

"Hoho ... " The minister threw a glance at the innkeeper. "Is what this person says correct?" 

The innkeeper startled and spoke immediately without a second thought. "I wouldn’t tell anything like a lie! Last night, these guys tried to sneak out, saying they were going to a restaurant or something of the like. At that time, I was able to find and stop them, but after that, I'm sure they slipped past me and headed for the food storehouse!" 

"What are you saying! We went back to our room and went straight to bed!" King Dedede shouted loudly as he was hauled away by the soldiers.

"That's right! We’re innocent!" Bandana Waddle Dee's desperate cries did not reach their ears either. The minister spoke with venom in his voice.

"It’s clear as day how this crime took place; there’s no other explanation. Soldiers, lock them up!

"Yes sir!" 

"Stop, please—!" Bandana Waddle Dee, who clung to the king, was immediately tied up along with him.

"Wait! Hey, wait! Neither King Dedede nor Bandana Waddle Dee did anything!" Kirby pleaded with all his might.

"Shut it! Any more moaning about it and we’ll lock you up too!"

"That’s ... "  Kirby was at a loss for words. He stood in place, unable to move. 

"Kirby, please prove the great king’s innocence!" Bandana Waddle Dee shouted after him.

"Huh ...? " 

"Find the true criminal! You’re our only hope, Kirby!"

" ... Got it!" Kirby nodded. It was hard parting with Bandana Waddle Dee and King Dedede, but in this situation, there was nothing that could be done.

"I’ll find the real criminal, without fail! Wait for me, Waddle Dee!"

"I will! You got this, Kirby!"

King Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee were dragged away. The minister turned to the innkeeper with a smile.

"The criminal was caught promptly thanks to your testimony. Take your reward, after this."

"T—thank you greatly." For some reason, the innkeeper’s face was pale.

"How awful! Neither Waddle Dee nor King Dedede are anything like a thief!" Kirby shouted, glaring at the two.

"Hm?" The prime minister stroked his beard. "Are you defending the criminals? Would you like to join them in prison too?"

"I ...! " Kirby balled up his fists. "I will find the real criminal, absolutely! I will absolutely rescue Waddle Dee and King Dedede!" he shouted.

Kirby turned his back on the two and ran away. When he disappeared, the minister grinned wide and laughed. He looked at the innkeeper.

"Your testimony came in much help. Well done."

"P—Prime Minister, sir ... i-is that ... why you’re here ... "

"Do you not know?" The prime minister brought his face close to the innkeeper’s. "I came to confirm what kind of testimony you would give. If something else came out of that mouth of yours ... well, you know what would happen, right ...? "

" ... Huh! The criminals were those travelers!"

"That's right. You're correct. The God of Minore will surely be pleased ... Hya hya hya!"

The minister laughed at the innkeeper, whose face had gone stark, and started slowly walking out.

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