#more cargo in her hull :)

[scannersombre]

Im gonna b honest in the question of why was it so bad/how could they have prevented the events of the game it was a situation where enough shit just snowballed. The first step in the shitstorm though... was the corporation not. Putting locks. On the sleeping quarters.

Where's the brig? Did they brief anyone on if a crewmember did something criminal? Why wasn't there a constant emergency comms open? Why wasn't the autopilot shutoff key secured.

The underlying evil in the game is corporate negligence.

[starlight-starwrites]

forehead kisses

din djarin x reader

summary: after din takes karga's offer of a cabin on nevarro, you find yourself joining the mandalorian and his adopted son on their bounty hunting adventures. or, five times you kiss the helmet and the one time you kiss him. wc: 3k warnings: some description of injuries, and my personal fave, yearning pining aching longing with heavy doses of fluff and smooching, and i revive a fan favorite character (the Razor Crest) note: banner by @janaispunk and fic written for her 1500 kisses celebration! i got the prompt forehead kisses and could not stop thinking of the potential. thank you so much for hosting this little challenge and congratulations jana!!!

The cockpit is quiet when you climb up. Din sits in the pilot’s seat, the only acknowledgment he knows you’re here is a slight turn of his head. You come to stand at his shoulder and gaze out the viewport at the expanse of stars.

“Call go well?”

“New job.”

“That’s fast,” you say. “Didn’t even get him back the last one.”

“Hot priority. Quarry is supposedly in this system.” Din relaxes back into the chair, finally turns to you. “The kid?”

“Asleep,” you answer. “Think he wore himself out with the…” you wave your hand in the mimic of the child’s magic. “He really likes playing with the new droid.”

Din grunts. “At least someone does.”

You laugh. “Be nice! R5 is very well-behaved.”

You hear his sigh through the helmet before he asks, “You don’t mind the detour?”

“No, of course not.” You lean your hip on the side of the chair, and Din’s bracer brushes your leg.

Your time spent traveling around with the Mandalorian and his adopted son has actually been some of the most relaxing bounty hunting you’ve ever done. They’re both more polite than you expected and it feels…domestic, even if the stream of gunfire and criminal cargo never stopped.

Din Djarin has been a surprise as well. What started as professional camaraderie has developed into an unspoken tenderness that puts a smile on your face and—if he ever took off the helmet to show you—maybe on his too.

“I can prep your locker and the carbon freeze. How long to the designated point?” You push off the chair where he sits.

“About an hour.” He looks up at you, reaches to squeeze your hand. “Thank you.”

You bend forward to press a quick kiss to the crown of his helm. “Don’t worry about it.”

You’re still smiling when you make it down to the hull of the Crest.

.

Nevarro was not the sort of planet you would think of as relaxing, but between Karga’s development of a well-respected port city and Din keeping one of the most quaint cabins you’ve ever visited, it has been the only place you can relax.

You carry a tin plate from the Mandalorian’s kitchen to the next room. Through the window you watch the kid wobble over the rocks to chase after a desperate frog. By now, the little critters know when he’s coming. At the table, Din sits scrolling through a datapad.

“Dinner is served,” you announce.

His visor raises to meet your gaze when you enter. “I could have gotten it.”

“I know.” You incline your head to the pad. “I had a feeling Greef got to you already. More work? We only got back this morning.” You set dinner in front of him, come around his side to look at the file over his shoulder.

“Just a side project,” he says. He closes out of the screen before you can read. “It can wait.”

“Well, well,” you say, raising your hands. “Keep your secrets then.”

He leans back in his chair to face you. “It’s not a secret.” His voice is dry, but he knows you’re teasing. “I wanted to thank you. You…saved my life today.”

“Oh, that?” It’s true. He fell off a building. You actually let him, before you remembered he wasn’t wearing his jetpack. In some odd stroke of luck you’d managed to steal some poor sod’s skyspeeder, catch the free-falling Mandalorian, and total the quarry’s speederbike in one arc with no casualties. “Hm, yes, I was thinking you should be the one serving me dinner.”

“Maybe I will.”

The way he says it catches you off guard. Your heart skips a beat.

“Next time then.” You smile, marvel at the frantic beating in your chest. Then you bump his shoulder with your hip. This time you’re bold enough to place a finger under the edge of his helmet, tilt his head a little more. You place a kiss to where his forehead would be. “Don’t worry, I’ll let you eat in peace.” You nod at the food getting cold, and leave him to do just that.

.

The hull of the Razor Crest is hard at your back. You sit on the floor, shoulder to shoulder with the Mandalorian.

“You know as much as I love the Crest…maybe it’s time to consider—”

“No.”

You sigh. The ship has landed ‘safely’ you’re glad to say. Grogu sits in Din’s lap. R5 is…a little banged up, but fine. The rest of the Crest? Complete disarray. Anything not tied down has been flung around, and there is a gaping hole across from where the four of you sit.

“She is an old ship.”

“She has seen worse.”

Sadly, you believe it. You lean closer to him, let yourself feel the relief of having made it. He leans into you, and the kid lets out a small sound like he’s disappointed too.

“Think we can find a mechanic for this one?” You raise a hand to gesture at the torn metal and frayed wires that frame the picturesque view of open fields and rock spires beyond them. Of all the places to be attacked, here is pretty nice.

You let your head fall to the side. Din shifts with a sigh, and his temple rests against yours. “We’re going to need more than a mechanic.”

You snort. After the distress of the last hour, it feels nice to sit like this. To relax. If that’s what you can call it.

You want to curl up beside him, long to know what it would be like for him to hold you. Part of you thinks he would, if you asked. But still you say nothing, content with the small doses of affection you give each other now. Closeness that is expected - known - but goes unspoken. You turn your head, and your lips brush over his helmet, just above his visor. His head stays tilted down, allowing it. He sighs when you move away.

“We should get to work.”

“Yeah.”

A tether pulls as you both stand to get things in order. Connection. Longing. You wonder if he feels it too. You brush a hand over your lips, savor the feeling of cool metal.

.

You don’t like it. Not one bit. But you understand. With every day that passed, you’ve been feeling worse—caught some bug on one of the trips you’ve made in the last week. It started with a cough, and now you can barely speak. You’re tired, and drained, but still you managed to stay on the ship with the Mandalorian. He wasn’t about to let R5 stay alone with the kid, and to be honest, you think he’s gotten used to having the backup. You have to be content he’s letting you do as much as he is.

“If they give you any trouble at the dock just send them this.” He presses something on his vambrace, and you check over codes on your datapad. You nod confirmation. “Keep the engine running. I shouldn’t be long, and if they decide they want a look at our cargo…”

You both turn to face the short line of frozen criminals.

“You’ll have to make a quick getaway.”

The problem you’ve found with working on newly established New Republic territories is the freedoms of the Outer Rim are being slowly taped over in red. Even bounty hunting hasn’t escaped the notice of the bureaucracy. Din hates it. You hate it even more. And now here he is going out alone to find a rich slimeball that likely paid his way into immunity with the New Republic officers here. Stuck sitting in the pilot’s chair was hardly helping. You nod anyway, watching as he straps on more weapons and gear discreetly into his armor. A knife slips into a hidden sheath under his chest plate. You try to be comforted that at least if he doesn’t have you, he’s well equipped.

You clear your throat, hopefully in a way that he understands your upset. You’ve mostly communicated with him about this job in a series of frowns.

He sighs. “I know.”

You huff.

“I know,” he says again.

Your shoulders slump, and you don’t know how else to tell him right now, so you tuck your pad under your arm and reach for him.

He’s slow to it, but he folds his arms around you to return your hug, awkwardly patting your back before holding you closer. You pull away after a moment, and take his helmet between the palms of your hands. You search his visor, wondering if he really does know.

His hands come under your arms to hold your elbows, thumbs rubbing in a comforting manner. You pull him toward you, rest your forehead against his.

Come back safe, you think. Come back to me.

His hands squeeze tighter. He must know. Surely, he must know.

You pull from him, but keep hold of his head and tilt. You press a kiss to where you rested your head just a moment before, willing his safety. Then you let go before you do anything else. Perhaps it’s good you lost your voice. His hands slip from you when you take a step back, though one hovers between your bodies like he’s not sure. You watch it drift down slowly.

Behind you, Grogu coos a goodbye, but you don’t take your eyes from Din. He looks down for a moment then back to you. Another beat, then he nods. You return it. He walks down the ramp of the hull, and you watch him until it closes, sealing you and the kid inside.

You press your fingers to your mouth. Come back safe.

.

Your hands shake as you pull away fabric and leather. The Mandalorian’s chest plate, marked with carbon scoring, rests on the ground beside him.

“Should have been here,” you whisper. Your voice isn’t better, but you try. You press a bandage to the wound, ignoring the way his blood sticks to your fingers.

“The kid…”

“Safe. On ship.”

Din’s hand clasps around your wrist. “They’ll find—”

You shake your head. You didn’t like it either. Your only comfort was that R5 could pilot the Razor Crest if absolutely necessary. The ship was locked and sealed tight to protect both of them while you found Din.

“I moved ship,” you croak. “They safe for now.”

You can’t see how far the wound reaches—his skin is covered in blood, soaking his clothing over his shoulder and neck. Does it go under his helmet too? Din takes your hand, halting your frantic search. You stop, eyes darting over his visor as though you’ll find answers.

“We have to go.” His voice is strained, but he is right. You can’t stay. Most of your medical supplies are stored on the Crest.

“Din…” his name is barely more than a breath through your lips. You want to say so much. Look at him, barely lucid himself, slumped and abandoned for dead when you arrived. You fear for him, even now that you are here.

“I’m…okay.” He takes his hand from yours and moves to cup your face instead. You can smell the old leather of his gloves, feel the rough patches on your cheek. But his hold is firm, grounding you back to him. “I’m okay. I just need you to help me there.” He breathes heavy, and so do you, but you can see his resolve once more. He’ll make it.

Tears spring at your eyes, and your bloodied hands grasp the sides of his helmet, mirroring how he holds you. You lean in, press a kiss to his forehead. And then another. And another. Then one more for good measure.

He has to know what he does to you. The bandage is pressed to his wound and tucked under the straps of his armor. You’ll have time to properly heal him later. He does his best to help replace his chest plate.

You take his good arm around your shoulders, wrap your arm at his waist. With your help, he stands. The coast is clear for now, and the two of you creep down the streets in the direction you hid the Crest. He follows you without question, each of you pulling the other closer at every turn—so close your shadows become one.

The image follows you all the way back to the ship—haunting you the same as the memory of cold metal against your lips.

.

The lava flats are quiet this evening. The sun sets behind a smattering of clouds, painting the sky an orange-pink you aren’t accustomed to seeing. The view from the Mandalorian’s front porch is unobstructed.

So here you sit, here you stare. You’re not sure when it happened, but it feels like home.

A steady beat of footsteps interrupts the quiet, and Din walks out of the doorway. He pauses there before crossing your view to join you on the bench. His movements are slow, and he’s not wearing his full armor where he’s covered in bandages. You sit up straight, gaze tearing from the sky to follow him. Your hand settles on his arm as he seats himself beside you.

“How are you feeling?” he asks.

“Better. Much better,” you say, eying where a bandage disappears under his helmet. “What about you? Doc still expects a full recovery?”

Din nods. “The bandages are just to protect his work. I should be able to take it off tomorrow.”

Upon your return to Nevarro, you had rushed Din to the nearest med center to fix the first aid you had attempted. Whatever device was used to cause the explosion he survived was nothing you had seen before. After a good soak in the bacta tank, some careful skin grafting, and a hefty dose of painkillers, Doc assured you the Mandalorian would be just fine.

Grogu had fussed profusely from your lap, but Din had set firm rules on when the kid was allowed to use his powers. If Din was still conscious to tell him no, then no it was.

“Starting to consider Greef’s offer? Retire as a bounty hunter, become marshal here,” you ask him gently. Karga had offered it to him before, and on several occasions. Still, your Mandalorian found himself back among the the stars. Something felt different this time. The way he settled in to his cabin, sought the comforts of home. The way he let the kid play and wander longer. “It doesn’t sound too bad.”

You filled in for the job when you were on world, worked bounties as they came in when Karga needed it. You knew he hoped Din would take the job—both of you knew he would be the best at it. After following him around the galaxy, seeing him in action, there was no way to deny it.

Din looks away from the sunset to face you. “I admit I’ve been finding more reasons to stay.” His hand takes yours. He’s not wearing his gloves. His skin is rough but warm, and you skim your thumb over his knuckles.

You don’t take your eyes from him even as you lace your fingers with his. The light from the setting sun reflects on the metal of his helmet, and it makes him look softer somehow. Perhaps it is the pink glow or, when you look him over again, you realize the only beskar he wears is his helmet.

Time slows. The moment feels frozen, the cooling evening air, the touch of Din’s shoulder to yours, the pull of your gaze to search for his. His hand reaches for the helmet, lifting it gently from his head.

You don’t move. You are not sure if you can. Lips part, breath stolen. He has tousled brown hair that falls on to his forehead, creases between his eyebrows, wide brown eyes that search yours. You follow the curve of his nose to plush lips that part just as yours do.

You feel the tether once again, pulling you in. All the times you stayed close to his side, all the times you found yourself reaching for him, pressing your lips to his helm in what you hoped spoke of the affection you held. It takes hold of you now, and graciously, seems to take hold of him too.

Your lips meet his. Eyes slip shut. The light of the sun is lost to the warmth of his skin, his breath on your cheek. It’s soft and gentle. Not unlike every kiss you’ve given him since you met. He kisses you now, slow and testing. Slanting his mouth against yours, drawing closer when you don’t move away. His hand cups your cheek, your hand rests on his chest.

He tastes like home.

Your need for air is what interrupts you. Mouth pulling from his, the light sound echoing in your chest. But you don’t pull away. Neither does he.

You rest, tucked in by one of his arms. Your shoulder leaned to his side, his forehead dipped to rest on yours. You smile.

When your eyes finally come to focus again, you can see the curve of his smile too. You want to say something, test the waters of this light feeling dancing over your heart. He lifts his chin first, and his lips press to the crown of your head.

It’s warm. You sink into his embrace, let the feeling wash over you. Both of you linger on that bench, painted over by the fading sunset as a memory of quiet comfort and forehead kisses.

[electronickingdomfox]

USS Enterprise decks

Updated part 1 here

Updated part 2 here

This post got me thinking about the actual location inside the ship of several areas. Sure, there are many blueprints and reference books that have published complete and detailed layouts of the Enterprise. But ultimately, they're interpretations of different authors, filling in the blanks, and they often disagree with each other.

So this is a list of the bare minimum of facts. All the deck locations that can be gleaned from TOS episodes. Beyond that, it's up to anyone's imagination.

*Feel free to make additions or corrections to this post. This is only in reference to the original ship as seen in the series, not taking into account the refit ship from the movies, or alterations/retcons introduced in later series.

Saucer section (primary hull)

Most locations seen in the series belong to this section (as deduced from the curved corridors). The first version of the Writer's Guide tell us it has 20 decks. The later edition (season 2 onwards) reduced the decks to 11.

Deck 1

-Bridge: Obvious from a simple inspection of the ship's exterior. And also confirmed by the Writer's Guide to be in this deck.

Deck 2

-The Romulan Commander's "guest" quarters: Spock tells the turbolift to bring them to this deck, before leaving her in detention, in "The Enterprise Incident". I don't think we ever see other location said to be here (maybe she got the whole deck for herself; lucky!).

Deck 3

-Recreation room 6: Rand offers Charlie to come here, in "Charlie X".

-Recreation room 3: Spock says Bele is chasing Lokai in front of this place, in "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield".

-Crewmen's lounge: Same as above.

Deck 4

-Environmental control: Scotty says power's been shut down here, in "The Ultimate Computer".

-Living quarters: Kirk confirms this, in "The Ultimate Computer".

Deck 5

-Sickbay: Kirk brings Spock to this deck after ordering him to report to sickbay, in "Amok Time". He does the same with Elaan of Troyius. Strangely enough, most blueprints place sickbay in deck 7 instead.

-Kirk's quarters: Confirmed in "Journey to Babel", which also shows the cabin number (3F 121). The same number was first seen in "The Conscience of the King", but without specifying the deck.

-Recreation room 3: Spock says Bele is chasing Lokai in front of this place, in "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield". May be a script error, since a moment ago he had said this place was in deck 3.

-Transporter room: As Lokai seems to run directly here, we may assume it's also in deck 5 (though there are probably many more transporter rooms throughout the ship).

Deck 6

-Briefing room: Sargon calls McCoy from here, in "Return to Tomorrow". May be the same briefing room from other episodes.

-Guest rooms: Bele and Lokai are assigned quarters here, in "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield".

-Living quarters: Kirk confirms this, in "The Ultimate Computer".

Deck 8

-Auxiliary control: The android Norman hijacks the controls here, in "I, Mudd".

-Evaluation laboratory: Seen on a plaque, in "And the Children Shall Lead". Kirk and Spock arrived on this deck in search for Auxiliary control, so it should be in deck 8 as well.

Deck 12

-Janice Rand's quarters: In "The Enemy Within", after seeing Rand attacked by evil Kirk, a crewman reports they're in deck 12. The number of her cabin is also visible (3C 46).

-Kirk's quarters: In very early episodes ("Mudd's Women" and "The Enemy Within"), Kirk's quarters were here, instead of in deck 5. Since the number of saucer decks was reduced to 11 in season 2, the change makes sense.

Deck 14

-Transporter room: In "Dagger of the Mind", Dr. Van Gelder is locked in this deck, after arriving inside a cargo box.

-Personnel Director office: Seen on a plaque during Van Gelder's escape.

-Science Library: Same as above.

Unknown deck

These are some locations, likely from the saucer section, but with unspecified deck. There are plenty of such examples, so this isn't an exhaustive list.

-Impulse engines: The Writer's Guide confirms that the impulse engines are in the primary hull, in case of saucer separation. I think the impulse engines are only seen in "The Doomsday Machine", when Scotty is working aboard the identical Constellation. Though they look just as a reused set from Engineering.

-Spock's quarters: The cabin number is seen in "Amok Time" (3F 125). Possibly, it's in deck 5 near Kirk's quarters, considering the similar numbering.

-McCoy's quarters: Only seen in "The Man Trap" (I think), which also shows the number (3F 127). Again, it's probably near Kirk and Spock's cabins.

-Mudd's quarters: The number is barely legible, but looks like 3F 125, in "Mudd's Women". This happens to be the same as Spock's cabin. The likely explanation is that they didn't have a design for Spock's quarters so early in the series. The fun explanation is that they evicted Spock just to make room for Mudd.

-Uhura's quarters: Seen in "The Tholian Web", and adapted for Elaan in "Elaan of Troyius".

-Scotty's quarters: Seen in "By Any Other Name".

-Life Science Section - Botany Department: Seen in "The Man Trap".

-Gymnasium: Seen in "Charlie X".

-Officer's mess: Seen in "Space Seed".

-Botanical garden: Seen in "Is There in Truth No Beauty?".

-Briefing room: Different from the usual briefing room, it's seen in "Space Seed" when they decide Khan's fate.

-Biochemistry lab: Seen in "The Deadly Years".

Since I've reached the picture limit, the continuation with the Engineering hull sets will be in another post, here.

[random-thot-generator]

Don’t Leave Me Hangin’

MANDO x FEM READER

Summary: Reader gets stuck aloft in one of the Kom’rik’s cargo nets and has to call out to Mando for help. Filthy Mando smut ensues.

Warnings: explicit language, swearing, explicit sexual content, porn without plot, well, maybe a tiny little hint of plot, oral- f receiving, PiV, squirting, cum play(?), it’s messy- nuff said, Kom’rik sex, improper use of a cargo net, reader is an idiot who should think things through, Mando is an opportunist, no use of Y/N, maybe? bondage - Mando doesn’t help her out of the net like- immediately, but reader ain’t complainin’

(N/A: The brain fog has FINALLY lifted, and I wanted to write about my most recent random filthy thot. This is the result. It’s a long-ish, smutty one shot. Reader & Mando are in a situationship - friends-with-benefits type deal. I’m picturing like a live-in nanny/housekeeper kind of thing, but I don’t think I ever specified. This is post-season 3, and Mando’s living his best life on Nevarro. He and reader are in a Kom’rik, because I need room for my smut to flourish, and I didn’t want to resurrect the poor old Razor Crest from the ashes. If I missed any tags, let me know. And I hope you enjoy.)

Word Count: 4280

You really should have thought this through better.

That was your first thought after the cargo net stopped swinging, and you regained a modicum of composure. You winced at the sound of the net’s straps creaking under the strain as you tried to shift your weight and then froze. You remained completely motionless, afraid to even breathe, for several more moments.

“Shit...” you whispered in a quaking voice, peering down at the floor of the cargo hold several meters below you. You then glanced up at the winch mechanism above your head, praying it held. How in the hell were you going to get yourself out of this?

It had seemed like such a good plan at the time. You had just stepped out of the Kom’rik’s small ‘fresher, having showered and changed into your sleep shirt before bed, when you’d felt the ship drop out of hyperspace with a small lurch. You heard something clatter in the cargo hold below and blew out a tired sigh, knowing it was probably nothing but also knowing you wouldn’t be able to rest until you checked it out.

Grumbling under your breath, you had climbed down into the hold. Only the emergency lights were on, the ceiling and corners hidden in shadow, but you spotted something lying near a tier of shelves attached to the hull’s interior wall. It was one of the kid’s favorite cookies, the teal ones with the creme filling. Peering up into the gloom, you spied an opened foil sleeve of cookies perched on the edge of the highest shelf.

“How the hell did he even get up there?” you said aloud, shaking your head. Jedi training aside, the kid was far too much like his dad, a little risk-taker. You heaved a sigh, with no small amount of exasperation. 

Stars only knew what else he had left up there. Come to think of it, you had given him your datapad earlier to watch cartoons and hadn’t seen it since. Sighing in frustration, you began looking for a way to reach the top shelf. The propulsor lift was still charging, so that was a no-go, and you didn’t see a ladder of any sort that wasn’t attached to the ship already.

And then you had spied the cargo net.

It was dangling by its hooks from a mechanized winch and pulley system attached to the ceiling. It was used to keep extra containers suspended above the floor to free up space, its track running the entire circuit of the area for maneuverability and convenience. Designed to hold several hundred kilograms, you were certain it could support your own weight. You could use it to lift yourself up to the shelf, retrieve whatever was up there and then lower yourself back to the ground. Easy peasy, jogan squeezy.

Detaching the control pad for the winch from the wall, you climbed inside the net, lacing an arm through the holes for a better grip, and then planted your bare feet on the cross sections of the heavy straps. It was a bit shaky at first, but once you gained your balance, you quickly ascended until you were at eye level with the top shelf. Tucking the control pad under your chin, you reached up to feel your datapad under your fingertips and sniffed in amusement. You’d have to give Grogu a good talking-to in the morning, but for now you at least had your datapad back. Slipping it and the sleeve of cookies off the shelf, you shuffled the objects around, your grip on the net slackening.

It was then that the Kom’rik made another jump into hyperspace, making the ship jolt with the transition. You shrieked when the net began to swing wildly, feet slipping out from under you as you let go of everything in your hands to hang on for dear life. Panting for breath, heart thundering in your chest, you clung like a monkey-lizard to the straps and prayed the net didn’t break.

So, there you were, hanging above the hold like a piece over-ripe fruit, arms and legs entangled in the net with no way down, because, of course, you had dropped the winch’s control pad when you dropped everything else. You could see it lying on the floor below you, right next to the broken casing of your datapad.

“Shit!” you repeated, leaning your forehead against the straps and huffing out an angry breath. Could this situation get any worse, you wondered. You’d have to yell for Mando to come get you down, which you weren’t looking forward to, but who knew how long it would take before he even came back this way? What if decided to just sleep in the cockpit? Would you end up hanging there all night?

The thought made your awkward position in the net feel even more uncomfortable. Your feet had slipped through the holes, so your legs were now dangling under you, the straps cutting into the tender meat of your thighs. One of your arms was still threaded through the net while the other one was pinned close to your side. You could feel the cold air of the hold settling into your bones and making you shiver, the thin material of the tunic doing little to stave off the chill.

You knew that the longer you hung there, the colder you were going to get, the number your limbs were going to grow. Your feet were already stinging and your teeth chattering. There was no help for it. You had to call for Mando.

“MANDO!!!”

Your voice bounced back at you, making your flinch. Holding your breath, you waited to hear his boots thudding against the metal floor overhead, but nothing. He hadn’t heard you.

“MAANN-DDOO! HEEELP!”

You waited. Still nothing.

Oh, stars, maybe he had fallen asleep in the cockpit. after all. With the door sealed, he would never hear you. Panic began to creep in, shortening your breath as it constricted your lungs.

“MANDO! PLEASE! I’M STUCK IN THE HOLD! MAN-DOO!!!”

“What the hell are you doing?”

You heard his voice coming through the ship’s comm system and could have cried in relief. You’d forgotten the cams located throughout the ship. Stars, he’d probably been watching you this whole time. You were never in danger.

“I... I’m stuck, Mando.”

A gravelly bark echoed in the hold before turning to static. Great. He was laughing at you. “Obviously. Listen, I need to recheck the coordinates in navi and set the autopilot, then I’ll come get you down. Just, uh, hang tight,” he drawled, another garbled sound slipping out of his vocoder.

You bit your tongue to keep from saying something you might regret. You were in no position to taunt or snark back at him right now. “Fine,” you mumbled, and slumped into the net.

It was only a few minutes before the sound of his heavy boots were thudding across the metal floor above you, his footsteps music to your ears. You heard the clang of his armor hitting against the ladder before he slid down into view, feet landing with a solid thump in the hold. He approached at a leisurely pace, seemingly in no hurry, then stopped to stare up at you. His helmet tilted back, black visor glinting in the low light. Planting his hands on his hips, he tipped his head, first to one side and then to the other.

“M-Mando? What’re you doing? Can you get me down now, please?”

Mando hummed, his stance shifting. His arms dropped down to his sides, hands curling into fists. “You must be getting pretty cold, huh?”

You bunched your brows up in consternation. “Um... yeah? It’s fr-freezing down here.”

He nodded slowly, keeping his visor trained on you. “Hmm. Thought so. You’re not wearing anything but my old tunic. It’s not covering much. Is it?”

You quirked a brow at the change in his voice. His smooth baritone had dropped an octave or three, and it had a distinctive husk to it now. His tone was the one he used when the two of you were alone with the lights off and he was taking you apart, dark and sinfully seductive. It made you squirm despite your precarious position, and the net began to slowly sway back and forth. The edge of a strap slid into the crease where your thigh met your hip, and you felt your lower lips part. A low groan issued from his vocoder. Your mouth fell open.

Sweet Maker, your pussy was on full display for him. You hadn’t bothered with underwear after your shower, planning on putting on a clean pair once you got back to your sleeping quarters. Heat surged through your body, both from embarrassment and unexpected arousal.

“Mando...” Your voice sounded so small and breathy in the cavernous space.

“I can see everything, pretty girl,” he told you, taking an unconscious step closer. He was almost directly under you now, peering straight up at your exposed sex. Mortified, you felt the slow trickle of your arousal easing out of your channel. You weren’t dripping, not yet, but the thought of him standing beneath you, staring at your most vulnerable parts had your breath panting out in little puffs. “You... Are you going to... get me down, now?”

You heard the back of his gauntlet scrape the metal floor as he picked up the control pad for the winch. His breath was rasping through his vocoder, the sound of leather creaking as he moved underneath you. You felt the winch catch and then begin to whir as the net began to lower back to the floor.

“Thank the stars,” you whispered, anxious to be back on solid ground again.

You didn’t quite make it, though. You were still a few meters above the floor when the winch came to a sudden stop, leaving you to sway like the pendulum of a run-down clock. “M-Mando?”

“Look so pretty like this, sweet girl,” he murmured below you, and you felt his gloved fingers trail across the back of your thigh. You gasped at the contact. “Close your eyes,” he husked out, voice gone to gravel.

You didn’t even bother to ask why, just snapped your eyes shut and held your breath, waiting. You heard the slap of leather on the floor, guessing it must be his gloves he’d just taken off, and then you felt his bare fingers tracing the straps that dug into your thighs. His fingertips grazed along the edge where the strap met the skin, the sensation making you tense as heat spiraled in your belly, diffusing through your pelvis to spread in a hot rush of slick that trickled out to cool along the petals of your open folds.

“Oh, mesh’la,” Mando cooed, dark and low. “You’re dripping for me, pretty girl.”

A whine escaped your lips, breath catching in your throat as you felt his fingers slide through your arousal, gathering your essence on his fingertips. There was the pneumatic hiss of air as his helmet disengaged and then the ring of beskar ricocheted around the hold as he dropped it to the floor. You could hear the lewd, wet noises he made as he suckled his own fingers, moaning at the taste of you.

“Don’t move, baby girl.”

“Oh, Maker...” you whimpered in a quaking whisper.

You could feel your walls clenching in anticipation. Mando had never used his mouth on you before, said he’d never gone down on anyone before, but as the winch whirred back into motion only to grind to a stop again a moment later, you guessed you were about to find out if this would be his first time.

When you felt his hair tickle the backs of your thighs, an eruptive shudder passed through your entire body. When his nose grazed over your clit, you jolted in the confines of the straps hard enough to send the net swaying, but he caught you and brought you back to center.

“Sh-shh... Easy, baby girl. I got you...” He paused, sniffed. “Fuck, you smell so good,” he hissed out in a rush, and you heard him inhale, could feel his nose right at your parted lips. It was so filthy, so obscene, what he was doing, but it made you quiver with lust, just the same.

His hands came up to grip your ankles, holding you in place. “That’s better,” he murmured, hot breath gusting over your damp folds, eliciting another shiver from you. “Let me hear you, pretty girl. Want to know how good I’m making you feel. Okay?”

You nodded your head furiously, swallowing in an attempt to bring a bit of moisture back into your parched mouth. “Y-Yeah. Okay, Mando.” You didn’t even care that it came out as a whine.

The first touch of his tongue had you choking on air, hips stuttering, not sure whether to rock forward or away from the lapping muscle, but his strong hands held you fast, not letting your squirm away. He dragged his tongue in a slow, hot line from your entrance to your clit, and you moaned like a porn star. You could feel his cheeks bunch up as he grinned at your reaction, and then he flicked his tongue over your pulsing clit again, pulling a sputtering,” Ha-aaa-aaah!” from your gaping mouth.

“You like it when I do that?” he purred lowly into your folds. “What about when I do this?” He enveloped the sensitive bud with his lips, tongue flickering over it with feather-light touches, making you writhe and grind against his mouth. He groaned, then suctioned his lips around it and sucked, pressing his tongue firmly against it. Your plaintive wail echoed throughout the ship.

“Fuck me...” he moaned, panting for breath, his voice shaking. He was completely wrecked. With a desperate snarl, he dove back in with a vengeance, tongue laving your inner folds, twirling around your entrance, lapping at your juices before kissing and sucking at your puffy, parted lips. He was devouring you whole, winding the coil in your core into a taut vibrating spring of tension. Your thighs were shaking uncontrollably, your breaths wheezing out of your lungs in desperate pants.

“Mando! Mando, I...” 

You couldn’t even voice a coherent thought, couldn’t tell him what was about to happen, but he seemed to understand, nevertheless. His fingers slid along your pulsing folds to catch at the rim of your entrance, circling it once before slipping inside. Your walls immediately clamped onto the digits, muscles undulating to pull them deeper. He growled at the feeling and latched onto your clit again crooking his fingers in a come-hither motion, the strokes sharp and quick as they tapped out a devastating tattoo against the spongy membrane of your G-spot.

The world went white behind your pinched eyelids, and you weren’t even aware of the choked scream that tore out of your throat as you were blindsided by your orgasm. The spring in your core gave way with a snap and warmth flooded from your center to gush out around his fingers and over his arm, splattering his lower face, cowl and chest plate.

“Ha!” he crowed. “That’s it! Fuck yes!”

You were barely hanging on, your very bones liquefied as you twitched and groaned with each consecutive pulse of your climax. If you had oozed out through the holes in the net to pool at his feet, you wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised.

“So fuckin’ good, for me. Look at that. Fuck, I need — nngh!”

You heard the motor of the winch whir back into life, then felt the cold sensation of the floor touch the bottom of your feet. You couldn’t have held up your own weight if your life depended on it, however, and so folded up with the netting as it came to rest on the floor. Strong hands lifted you out the mess of straps, hands moving over you, manipulating you as he whispered feverish words in Mando’a  like some fervent benediction.

You felt your back come to rest on top of the netting, the worn fabric of his cape spread out beneath you to serve as a barrier against the rough material. You had yet to open your eyes, jaw slack as you floated somewhere high above your physical body in a state of pure bliss.

Mando placed his calloused hand over your eyes, unwilling to test fate more than he already had. He felt crazed, rabid with lust, his only desire to be buried balls-deep in your cunt.

“Need to feel you, sweet girl,” he gasped at your ear, his breath stuttering against your neck. “Please, I need — “

“Yes! Stars, please, Mando. Want to feel you inside me. Do it...”

He whimpered as he lifted himself away long enough to scrabble at the closure of his pants, shoving them down with his underwear to the top of his thigh plates, a frustrating exercise to complete one-handed. When his cock sprang free of its confines, he moaned in relief, pumping it roughly a couple of times as he spread his leaking precrum over the head with his thumb. With a grunt, he fell between your thighs, notching himself at your entrance, inhaling a deep breath before he sank into your greedy, grasping cunt with an audible squelch.

“Fuuuckin’ hellll...” he moaned out as he slid inside your fluttering walls, grunting again when he felt them collapse around his cock and seize it in a vice grip. It was a struggle to draw himself back, the sensation making his balls draw up tight against his body. “Too good... too tight... Gonna make me cum...” he mumbled under his breath, fighting off his orgasm. When he had withdrawn a about halfway, he couldn’t stand it anymore and plunged back in, thrusting hard enough to shift the netting beneath you.

You sobbed, the feeling of being so full overwhelming, your shaking legs coming up to wrap around his hips, ankles locking over the flexing muscles of his ass. He was driving into you with abandon, the toes of his boots squeaking on the floor to find purchase, bracing his body against yours. His other arm he shoved under your back, fingers hooking over your shoulder to pull you down on his cock to meet each hard thrust. He was growling, muttering curses in multiple languages, hissing as you clenched and pulsed around him.

“Ah, fuck, sweet girl, I’m gonna — Shit! Fuck, baby, where do you want — “

“Inside... Want to feel you cum in me...” you moaned out, another orgasm rising like a massive wave in your core. “Ah, fuck!” you whined.

Your words snapped that last thread of control he had, and he surged forward, thrusting in wild, arhythmic strokes that sent you careening over the edge. Your climax washed over you like a euphoric wave, slow and liquid, a golden warmth that engulfed your lower half before spreading like molten honey.

Mando could feel your walls clamp down and spasm, milking his cock, drawing him in deeper. He threw his head back and came with a bellow, a primal, jagged roar of triumph. His chest lifted as his back arched, his cock exploding inside your walls, pumping ribbons of his thick seed deep into your hungry cunt.

He barely managed to throw an arm out to catch himself before falling forward. He was trembling above you. and when his elbow buckled, his head fell to your chest. His nose was smooshed into the side of your breast, his panting breaths teasing the sensitive bud of your nipple into a hard little nub beneath the thin material of his tunic. He gave a dazed grin at the sight, wishing he had the energy to take it in his mouth, but he wasn’t sure he could even lift his head yet.

“Stars, pretty girl. I think you’ve killed me.”

A breathless wheeze of laughter burst out of your chest, and you reached up to pull down the hand now splayed limp over your face to your lips. You left a lingering kiss in the palm as you crooked your other arm over your eyes, just so the temptation to peek wouldn’t get the best of you. You felt him lift his head with reluctance, his weight shifting, before his lips pressed to yours in a sweet, chaste kiss.

“You alright? I know I went pretty hard this time. I didn’t mean to lose it like that, but — “

Your hand came up to touch his face, landing on his neck instead. You slid it upward to cup his jaw, the feel of his patchy beard against your palm endearing. “Don’t you dare apologize,” you told him and drew him down for another kiss. “It was perfect. The best I’ve ever had,” you whispered against his lips.

He sighed, smiling against your mouth in relief and pleasure. When he shifted again, he saw you grimace. “Did I hurt you, sweet girl?” he rushed to ask, lifting his weight off you.

You giggled and shook your head. “No, it’s not that. There’s something cold and sticky all over your chest plate. It feels... icky.”

He glanced down to see your release from earlier smeared over his beskar, and he chuckled, low and dirty. “That’s your fault,” he teased. “You drowned me when you came the first time.”

Your mouth dropped open and, if not for his hand coming down to hold your arm in place, you would have jerked it away from your eyes to stare at him in shock. “I did not!” you gasped. mortified.

“Oh, you did, pretty girl,” he crooned. “I want to make you do it again.”

“What? N-Now?!”

A full-on laugh rumbled out of his chest this time. “No, sweet girl. As much as I’d love to, I don’t either one of us is going to be able to go another round after that last one.”

“Oh, thank the Maker,” you blurted out, and then winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean —”

He sniffed in amusement and pecked you on the lips. “I know what you meant, mesh’la.” Sitting back on his knees, he rubbed at his face, grinning at the sticky feel of your spend drying in his mustache. He was positively covered in your cum, and he fucking loved it. His poor cock gave a valiant twitch before he tucked it back into his pants and stood. “C’mon, sweet girl. Let’s get in the shower.” He retrieved his helmet, slipping it back on before bending to take you by the hand.

You groaned. “Just lemme sleep here. Can’t move right now.”

“You’ll freeze down here,” he chided you. “Now come on. I’ll help you.”

You whined as he hauled you onto your feet, and you staggered on your shaking legs. He shook his head and turned his back to you, bending his knees slightly. “Hop on. I’ll carry you up the ladder. Otherwise, we will be down here all night.”

You made a face at him, but wrapped your arms around his neck anyway, making a weak hop to get onto his back. Grasping your thighs, he hitched you up a little higher and stood, then trudged towards the ladder at the opposite end of the hold.

“Oh, stars,” you moaned out behind him, dropping your forehead to his back. “Do you think we woke Grogu? We were, uh... ahem... We were, you know, a little loud,” you whispered.

“Well, the ship’s still flying, and I didn’t hear anything break while we were down here, so I’m going to say no.”

You giggled. “He’s gonna get it tomorrow morning,” you vowed. “He was the reason I got caught up in that stupid net in the first place. He somehow managed to get on that top shelf with a whole sleeve of cookies and my datapad.” You paused, moaned again. “Shit. My datapad. It broke when I dropped it.”

“Don’t worry, mesh’la. We’ll get you another one, and I’ll talk to Grogu myself tomorrow morning, right after breakfast. Okay?”

You sighed, a little grin tugging at your lips. “Okay.” You heaved a sigh, tightening your grip when Mando started to climb up the ladder. “I know one thing. I’m burning that stupid net when we get back to Nevarro.”

Mando huffed and shook his head. “Like hell you are. We’re bringing that home with us. It’s going up in the bedroom, right above the bed.”

You gasped in shock, rearing your head back. “Mando!”

His rumbling chuckle bounced off the metal walls of the ship, and a warmth like the sun bloomed in your chest as a smile as big as the Dune Sea spread across your face.

“Okay, fine. We’ll discuss the cargo net later. But right now, I want a shower.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Mando purred, and you could hear the grin in his voice. Taking your hand, he led you into the ‘fresher.

Despite Mando’s earlier doubts, you found out that you both did indeed have another round left in you.

(End notes: Just wanted to mention @saradika because she created the dividers and banners I’m using. She makes them for free. You can check out her masterlist on her blog. Her fics are *chef’s kiss* too.) 

[anonymousewrites]

Pearl of the Sea Chapter Sixteen

Found Family! PoTC Cast x Teen! Reader

Platonic! Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Jack Sparrow, Tia Dalma x Reader

Chapter Sixteen: Attacking Kraken

Summary: The Black Pearl goes up against the kraken.

            Jack froze, and the pirates tensed. (Y/N), Elizabeth, and Will weren’t about to freeze, though.

            “To arms!” said Will.

            “Load guns! Defend the mast!” said Elizabeth.

            “It’ll attack the starboard,” said Will. “Run out the cannons and hold for my signal.”

            (Y/N) moved with the rest of the crew to ready for battle. They had too much energy, too much fight, too much power running through their veins. They had to fight. (Y/N) ran towards the stairs to belowdecks.

            They were pulled back by Jack, who held their arms tightly.

            “Jack, what are you doing?” said (Y/N).

            “We can escape,” said Jack. He had been about to abandon ship himself, but he couldn’t. The idea of (Y/N) dying there because of the kraken tracking him weighed too heavily, worse than any other sin he even had committed.

            “You’re abandoning us?” said (Y/N), eyes narrowing.

            The look of disgust, something (Y/N) had never looked at him with even when all others had, was jarring.

            (Y/N) wrenched their arm from his grasp and glared. “Coward,” they said.

            They turned and ran belowdecks. If Jack ran away, they refused to follow. They refused to care, even if seeing a pirate they looked up to for respecting them and their freedom leave all that they cared about being hurt them. (Y/N) had more important people to protect.

            (Y/N) crouched beside Will and Elizabeth and readied the cannons. They pushed every thought of Jack out of their head as they focused. They loaded the cannons and waited as the low growls of the kraken echoed around them.

            With a squelch, the tentacles of the kraken swarmed up the sides of the Pearl. The crew held their breath as they blocked out the sun from the portholes and curled around the sides of the hull. The giant suckers searched for its next victims.

            “Easy, boys,” said Will, keeping everyone calm.

            He gently pulled (Y/N) back towards him, but they slipped out under his arm and headed up. They grabbed a harpoon with the others and stood to face the kraken. (Y/N) would do all they could to protect their friends, their family, their goddamn bloody freedom.

            “Will?” said Elizabeth, backing up.

            “Steady. Steady,” said Will as the tentacles waved over the pirates’ heads.

            “Will!” said Elizabeth.

            “Hold. Hold,” said Will.

            (Y/N) felt the mythical energy of the kraken envelop them as it loomed above, not even its full body but just its tentacles.

            “Will!” snapped Elizabeth.

            “Fire!” he shouted.

            Boom!

            All the cannons exploded, and the cannonballs rocketed into the kraken’s tentacles. Instantly, a roar reverberated through the air. The tentacles smashed into the hull as the kraken reeled from the wounds. It shrieked and shook in pain. The tentacles quivered and retreated to the sea below.

            The pirates cheered, but Will shook his head.

            “It’ll be back,” he said. “We have to get off the ship.”

            “There’s no boats,” said Elizabeth, shaking her head.

            “Bloody—” Will’s jaw clenched.

            The tentacles had smashed the lifeboats to bits. (Y/N) frowned and tried to think of an option. A small barrel rolled across the deck, and they straightened.

            “Get all the gunpowder onto the net in the cargo hold,” said (Y/N). “Pull the grates.”

            Elizabeth looked at them. “What are you planning?”

            (Y/N) gestured to the barrels of gunpowder. “The only thing left to do is to try to blow the kraken to hell. We can’t fight it with harpoons or swords.”

            Elizabeth picked up a rifle. “Then I’ll shoot. I won’t miss.”

            “Good,” said Will. “As soon as I’m clear.” He wouldn’t let (Y/N) get so close to the danger, even if they had come up with the idea.

            (Y/N) nearly cursed but stamped down their irritation to throw their energy throwing gunpowder barrels into the hold.

            “We’re short-stocked on gunpowder. Six barrels!” alerted a crew member.

            Gibbs cursed and reported to (Y/N). “There’s only half a dozen kegs of powder.”

            “Load the rum,” said (Y/N).

            Everyone stopped and stared at them. That seemed to be a horrendous idea since rum was a necessity for pirates.

            “I said, load the rum!” snapped (Y/N). “Do you want to be drunk and die or do you want to be sober and have a chance?”

            The pirates jumped into action and grabbed the rum to add fuel to the fire. (Y/N)’s orders were going to be heeded.

            “That coward!”

            (Y/N) looked over to see Elizabeth glaring at Jack, safely tucked away in a rowboat and making his escape. He truly had abandoned them.

            Thump!

            The Black Pearl jerked violently. The kraken had returned, angry than ever. All the tentacles, healed and ready to fight, exploded out of the water. They struck through the portholes and grabbed at any pirate they could find. Men were pulled screamed into their watery graves below or crushed in powerful muscle without a second thought.

            “Haul away!” shouted (Y/N) over the carnage.

            “Heave!” cried Gibbs. The pirates turned the wheel and began to raise the net of explosives into the air. “Heave like you’re being paid for it!”

            “They’re being paid with keeping their lives!” said (Y/N).

            Belowdecks, people screamed as they were hauled away by tentacles, and (Y/N) winced.

            “Well, those ones aren’t,” said (Y/N).

            The tentacles finished with the downstairs and moved on deck. Everyone dodged as best they could and tried to hide, but it was to no avail. Crew member after crew member was grabbed and killed, whether by being dragged into the sea or being cracked like shells. But Will wasn’t ready to let the explosives go yet, so the carnage continued. Elizabeth pushed the wheel to send it higher, using all her strength while Will hung on. (Y/N) was using all their agility to dodge the tentacles and hacking through some trying to grab the crew.

            (Y/N) yelped as a strong tentacle wrapped around their ankle and pulled. Their feet disappeared from under them, and they scrambled helplessly for purchase. The kraken dragged them up into the air, and (Y/N) dangled above the sea.

            “(Y/N)!” shouted Elizabeth, fear clutching her heart. No, no, not her sibling. Not (Y/N).

            “(Y/N)!” Will’s voice appeared at the same moment as Elizabeth’s. His own instincts demanded he somehow help them, but there was nothing he could do.

            The couple loved (Y/N); they were their family, Elizabeth’s and Will’s sibling in their hearts, almost their own child as well. They cared, and to see (Y/N) hanging above death destroyed them.

            Jack could see in terrifying detail the tight grip the kraken had on (Y/N). In but a moment, they’d be dragged into the deep sea and devoured by the creature. And Jack could do nothing. He was sitting in a lifeboat to save his own skin, abandoning (Y/N) and everyone else on board the Pearl.

            The compass stirred, and the needle spun. Jack looked down at it. Finally, after months of uncertainty and a spinning dial without focus, the needle focused. It froze, pointing at a single place. Jack raised his gaze.

            The Black Pearl. The crew. (Y/N).

            They were what his heart wanted. Jack wanted that ship and his crew and his kid—his Pearl, a treasure of the sea—safe with him—free to be themself, free to be a pirate, free. He swallowed and grabbed the oars of the boat. He pulled, and the lifeboat lurched back towards the Black Pearl. Jack couldn’t deny it any longer. A piece of him was on that ship and with that kid—the one with a heart of the sea he adored more than anything in the world, the same sea and heart and freedom he pursued and would protect.

            For their part, (Y/N) was twisted and trying to escape from the kraken. They knew that they were seconds away from their death. It infuriated them. (Y/N) couldn’t—wouldn’t—die in the sea that they loved, not with everyone else they loved in danger, certainly not without having lived with the freedom they desired.

            The itch under their skin thrummed with the rise and fall of the waves. The energy exploded through their limbs, and they refused to stay still. (Y/N) thrashed with vengeance, pulling their arms up. A wave surged upwards. It rushed into the air, defying physics but obeying (Y/N)’s will, the call of their heart. The wall of water smashed into the kraken’s tentacle, and it was forced to let go of (Y/N). They fell into the wave, but as the water encapsulated them, fear did not do the same. The water surrounded them as a comfort, blocking out cries from the world around them. The wave continued its motion and smashed across the deck of the Pearl. It broke its formation and flooded across the wood and back into the sea. (Y/N) was released, landing on their hands and knees on the deck. They were alive.

            “(Y/N)!” Elizabeth rushed to their side and pulled them into a tight hug. “Oh, thank god.”

            (Y/N) squeezed their eyes shut and hugged her back tightly. They allowed themself to bask in the security of her arms.

      ��     Elizabeth didn’t mention what she had just witnessed. She didn’t say anything about her astonishment or shock. She just held (Y/N) for the moments they could spare. They were alive and back in her arms.

            Thunck!

            The moment was over as quickly as it began. (Y/N)’s attack on a single tentacle had saved them, but countless others were still fighting undeterred. Above them, Will swung around on the net of explosives. Crew members were running, screaming, and stabbing at whatever they could to avoid death. The battle was still raging.

            “We need to finish this,” said (Y/N), pushing to their feet.

            Elizabeth eyed them worriedly. She expected their leg to be injured from the strength of the kraken, but there was no trace of wound or exhaustion. If anything, (Y/N) seemed more determined and stronger than they had at the beginning of the fight. Once more, the word ‘magic’ flitted across her mind.

            “Over here!” shouted Will, getting the tentacles to grab at the net. “Come on!” His leg got caught in the net, and he fell over backwards.

            Elizabeth gasped and held the rifle tightly. She couldn’t ignite the gunpowder without hurting him.

            “Shoot, Elizabeth, shoot!”

            Will wasn’t afraid of dying. No, he was only afraid of the woman he loved and the kid he helped raise dying. After seeing both nearly killed so many times over now, he refused to stand by and watch. He had seen (Y/N) nearly die twice in the past few hours alone, and now was his chance to give them a chance to live. Yes, he would never marry Elizabeth, but she would live on. That was enough.

            A tentacle grabbed Elizabeth’s ankle and pulled. She dropped the rifle and cried out. (Y/N) grabbed a sword and swung down. They cut the tentacle’s thinnest end off, and Elizabeth scrambled back.

            “The rifle!” said (Y/N).

            Elizabeth nodded and ran for the rifle. (Y/N) scrambled for the dagger Will had dropped.

            “Will!” they shouted, throwing it.

            Will caught it, but a tentacle lashed at him. He jerked and cried out as it strangled his arm.

            (Y/N)’s heart thumped, and the itch of restless energy swirling beneath (Y/N)’s skin swarmed outwards. As tentacles grabbed at all the remaining crew—barely a handful now—(Y/N) stumbled back. They kicked a tentacle back, desperate to push the kraken back.

            Water exploded up around the Pearl. It smashed into the tentacles of the kraken, forcing them back. The force of the waves through the Black Pearl to the side. Elizabeth went sliding away from the rifle, and Will swung back and forth. He sliced through the rope and fell to the deck. The tentacles pushed through the water as relief washed over (Y/N) at seeing Will safe from the explosives. The tentacles swarmed the net as they had been.

            Bang!

            A single shot hit the net of explosives. The gunpowder ignited.

            Boom!

            The net exploded into a chain reaction of fire and destruction. The kraken wailed as its tentacles were shredded and set on fire. Elizabeth and Will ducked as the debris hit the deck. (Y/N) stumbled back to the stairs and covered their face from the heat. Gibbs froze as he watched the tentacles retreat into the protective balm of the watery depths of the sea. (Y/N) panted and wiped soot from their face, hesitant to move for fear of the kraken returning.

            “What do you think of that shot, laddie?”

            (Y/N)’s head snapped up. Above them on the stairs, rifle in hand, stood Jack.

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[liaromancewriter]

Stand By Me

Premise: Cassie experiences the downside of having Ethan Ramsey as a mentor.

Book: Open Heart (post series) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Angsty Fluff Format: Prose + Text and Pic Fic Words: 2,610

A/N: Submission for @choicesaprilchallenge24 prompt, two-word sentence starter: "you're wrong"

Part 1: The Calm

Cassie Valentine had never traveled quite like this. The cargo plane’s interior was cavernous and dimly lit, a stark contrast to the tightly packed but bright commercial jet that had flown her and Ethan Ramsey from Boston to Miami for the first leg of their trek to assist humanitarian efforts after an earthquake in Haiti.

Cassie thought idly that the jet had been more comfortable with its plush seating. She sat cross-legged on the cold, metal floor, a duffle bag shoved behind her, cushioning her lower back from the unyielding steel, and scanned her surroundings.

The sparse interior was devoid of the usual comforts of commercial flights. There were no overhead bins, seatback trays or in-flight entertainment to pass the time. Just an expansive, unadorned metal hull echoing with the sound of the engines, a constant, deafening roar that made any attempt at conversation futile.

“Hope you’re strapped in tight, folks,” Hank, the team leader, shouted above the noise.

Standing in the center of the plane, his legs spread for balance, he stretched his long arms to grip one of the loops hanging from the ceiling.

“It’s going to be a bumpy ride, but at least there’s no middle seat to fight over,” Hank continued matter-of-factly as the plane gained speed on the runway, its sides rattling in response. A few people chuckled.

He finished his safety instructions a minute or two before the wheels lifted off the tarmac, and quickly strapped himself into a jump seat on the far side. He caught her watching him, and winked flirtatiously.

Back on the ground, Ethan had greeted Hank with an easy familiarity borne out of their shared experience during the Amazon mission years earlier. The casual insults had rolled off their tongues as they needled each other jokingly.

Cassie suspected this trip would be eye-opening in more ways than one as she spied on Ethan’s relaxed profile out of the corner of her eye. As if sensing her scrutiny, he glanced askance at her and she gave him a thumbs up signal.

She huddled inside the leather jacket, shivering from the chill that permeated the aircraft as it began its ascent. Leaning her head on Ethan’s shoulder, she smiled ruefully at Libby, the petite red-haired fifth-year surgical resident strapped in across from her.

They’d gotten to chatting in the hangar as they waited for the plane to be loaded with boxes filled with medical and food supplies and humanitarian aid packages. Libby, on her third trip to a disaster zone, had been a fount of information on what to expect and advice on how to manage in crude living conditions.

Cassie felt a sense of adventure mingled with apprehension. The headlines coming out of Port-au-Prince had painted a bleak picture of destruction, death and despair.

When Ethan’s contact in the WHO reached out asking for medical volunteers, Cassie knew she wasn’t going to be left behind this time. She might not have experience in field hospitals, but it was time she got it.

Ethan hadn’t argued or tried to talk her out of it. They were doctors; this is what they did.

As the plane reached cruising altitude, Cassie peered out of a small window near the floor. The view was obscured by a thick mesh covering the outside, but it did little to diminish the sense of wonder at the vast blue sea below, the calm surface broken only by the white crests of waves.

The flight was long, longer still, with nothing to do to pass the time. Cassie found herself drifting off to sleep, lulled by the monotony of the engine’s roar and the comforting feel of Ethan’s arm around her.

The next thing she knew, he was nudging her awake. The plane’s vibration beneath her had changed, gradually descending as they approached their destination. The atmosphere inside was abuzz with anticipation. Shortly after, the plane touched down on the tarmac, the landing rougher than the take-off.

“Ready?” Ethan asked as they unstrapped themselves once the plane had come to a halt.

Cassie nodded, stretching her arms and legs to shake off the stiffness. “Next time, remind me to grab a sleeping bag and some snacks.”

He chuckled, but his smile was soft as he stared into her green eyes. He ran his index finger down the side of her face, tucked back a lock of blonde hair that had escaped her ponytail, and tilted her face up.

The kiss was a mere brush of the lips, whisper soft, barely there before it was gone. It was the last moment of normality. Once they disembarked, everything would change.

Part 2: The Storm

The oppressive heat and humidity were unlike anything Cassie had experienced before, although she’d certainly been to the tropics. Her brother’s island home on St. Thomas was a few hundred miles east, but its luxurious, air-conditioned environs were worlds apart from the rows of beige-colored tents spread out in every direction.

The back of her short-sleeved cotton scrub top was damp from perspiration, so she lifted the hem to air it out. Exiting the stuffy interior of a medical tent housing non-urgent cases, Cassie took a deep breath. The pungent smells of human waste and unwashed bodies hit her nostrils immediately, and she started gagging.

Sweat dripped down her face, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. In the last few days, she’d lost her weight in fluids as they dug latrines, carried supplies from one end of the field hospital to another and spent hours in airless spaces treating patients whose eyes were inconsolable with loss.

It had taken her more than a minute to get her bearings, but Ethan had been in his element. She knew he’d volunteered with Partners in Health when he was a resident and fellow. But she’d had a hard time picturing the sophisticated, opera-loving Dr. Ramsey in such crude surroundings, digging ditches, boots covered in mud, grime staining his clothes.

They had both been busy in their respective areas, retreating every night, bone tired, muscles aching, to their assigned bedroom in staff housing near the hospital. All they did was sleep before waking up early to do it all over again.

Suddenly missing him and desperate to feel his arms around her, Cassie marched down the dirt path between tents, her green eyes searching for him or someone familiar who could tell her if they’d seen him.

Her ears pricked when she heard his deep voice and distinctive laugh close by. Changing directions, she followed her instincts and turned left, slowing down when she saw him standing in the middle of a clearing, his back to her.

Ethan was with an older man she hadn’t met before. His gray hair was long from the back, brushing past his collar, with deep-set eyes and a hooked nose. He spoke English with a heavy accent, gesticulating with his hands for emphasis.

The other man caught her spying on them, and his voice boomed, chiding. “Ah, another acolyte for my young friend. It’s always the same story, eh, Ramsey?”

Cassie flushed when she realized he was referring to her.

Surprised, Ethan spun on his heels and relaxed when he spotted her. “Cassie.”

Her earlier euphoria faded, replaced by a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach as she joined them.

“You know each other?” The other man asked, glancing between her and Ethan.

“Klaus, meet Dr. Valentine.” Ethan made the introductions. “Cassie, this is Dr. van Rijn, special missions head at the WHO. We go way back.”

“Valentine, Valentine. Why do I know that name?” Dr. van Rijn tapped one finger against his lips before his eyes cleared in recognition. “Ah, yes, of course.”

Cassie felt a momentary high at being recognized by someone of his stature, but his next words had her deflating like a balloon popped with a pin.

“You’re the intern!”

“That was six years ago,” Ethan shook his head in amusement. “She’s hardly an intern anymore, Klaus. Dr. Valentine is—”

“Your mentee, or rather, your protege,” he interrupted. “Yes, yes, Ethan, I remember. My hair is more gray than when we last saw each other, but my memory is sharper than ever.”

“But your hearing could use some work,” Ethan retorted, shoving his hands in his pant pockets. “As I was saying….”

Cassie saw herself standing in a long tunnel, the dismissive words spoken by the other man echoing around her. Intern. Mentee. Ramsey’s protege. Reduced to nothing more than that.

“Cassie, are you alright?”

Ethan’s concerned voice broke through her reverie, and she looked up, startled. They were both staring at her, one in disquiet and the other with curiosity.

“Sorry, I was miles away,” Cassie said. “What were you talking about?”

“Ethan was just telling me you’re now leading his former team,” van Rijn said. “That’s quite an accomplishment for one so young. You made a smart decision when you chose to train under Dr. Ramsey. He’s one of the best and most astute physicians I’ve ever met. You’ll go far if you keep following in your mentor’s footsteps.”

Incensed at the implication that her success was not of her own making, Cassie opened her mouth to deliver a cutting retort or at least defend her record. But Ethan stepped in front of her, figuratively, and beat her to it.

“That’s unfair, Klaus,” Ethan said sternly. “Dr. Valentine is brilliant. She diagnosed and found a cure for Naveen when he and I had both given up. She’s the keynote speaker at this year’s AADM conference, just like I was all those years ago, and is a special advisor to a Congressional national committee on healthcare affordability.”

He paused, frowning slightly before continuing. “And before you shove your foot even further down your mouth, you’ve apparently forgotten that she’s also my wife.”

Cassie stared in shock at Ethan, her ears ringing. His wife?!? That’s how he chose to end this? She thought they were partners and equals first, but clearly, she’d been mistaken.

“I heard you’d gotten married,” van Rijn said, flustered, “but I didn’t realize it was to…”

His words trailed off, and his cheeks turned red with embarrassment as he glanced at Cassie.

Ethan, too, watched her warily as she continued to stand there in stony silence, arms folded tightly across her front.

As she grappled with her emotions, feeling the old imposter syndrome return, Cassie knew she would blow her top if she didn’t walk away now. Preferably with her dignity intact.

“It was a pleasure,” she almost tripped over the word, “to meet you, Dr. van Rijn. I have to get back to work.”

She nodded rigidly at Ethan. “I’ll see you later.”

She was practically running once she was out of sight, unable to slow down despite the heat making her lightheaded.

Cassie often counted her blessings that she’d gotten a chance to work with Ethan, the compassionate and caring doctor who’d captured her heart. But for the first time in her life, she wished she’d never met Dr. Ramsey.

Part 3: The Aftermath

Part 4: The Closure

Ethan poured Malbec into a long-stemmed wine glass for Cassie the moment he heard her keys rattle in the apartment door. He’d had his ears cocked for the last half-hour, the trepidation building with every passing minute.

He heard the swoosh of the hallway closet door as she likely hung up her coat and the clatter of her shoes hitting the hardwood floor. Just as she walked into the living room, he took a large swallow of his wine and promptly started coughing when it went down the wrong pipe.

“Are you okay?” Cassie asked, her brow furrowed in concern as she approached him and brushed her hand up and down his back.

Ethan nodded, wheezing as the cough tickled his throat. He set the glass on the counter before he spilled the drink all over the kitchen floor. Finally, he managed to get himself under control.

Cassie lifted the glass of wine he’d poured for her and sipped slowly, her eyes closing as she savored the taste.

“You always know just what I need,” she said with a deep sigh. “M&M was particularly long and exhausting. Tell me, why did I choose to stay in academic medicine?”

“You’re wrong,” Ethan said quietly, causing her eyes to drift open and stare at him in surprise. “I don’t always know what you need. Something’s gone wrong between us. Things haven’t been the same since Haiti.”

Cassie pursed her lips and watched him above the rim of her glass, not reacting to his statement in any other way. Then she finished her wine and set the glass down on the counter.

“We already discussed this back then and today on text,” Cassie reminded him. “What else is there to say?”

She shrugged, and then her eyes turned hard like steel. “I need to stand on my own, but who you are, what you are…well, it casts a long shadow. I didn’t like how you and Klaus reduced me to someone who exists only because of what you saw in me. And not because I worked hard for it.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I know,” Cassie cut him off. “You might not have meant to, but you defending me without giving me a chance to do it myself, you might as well have.”

“Why can’t I stand up for you?” Ethan said, frustration leaking through as he stabbed his fingers into his hair.

“I need you to stand by me, not for me,” Cassie said, her tone measured in response to his heated one. “I will always be measured by your reputation, just like you have to contend with Naveen’s legacy. We can’t control what others say or do. I’ve accepted it.”

“Then why are you angry with me?” Ethan shot back.

“I’m not angry.”

Cassie closed the distance between them, her smile throwing him off. When she took his hand and laced her fingers through his, he felt as if the tight band around his heart loosened.

“I’m not angry,” she repeated, squeezing his fingers. “But I resent that, despite what we talked about in Haiti, your natural inclination on seeing that Pictagram post was to respond defending my honor.”

“Don’t deny it,” she cautioned when he started to do just that. “If I wanted to shoot down small-minded individuals, I’m more than capable of doing it myself.”

Ethan took a deep breath in and then exhaled. “I did want to do that,” he admitted. “I saw red because what they said was so far from reality.”

“If you thought that was bad, it’s good you’re not on Reddit,” Cassie said, twisting her lips in a wry smile.

“You know, if someone attacked your reputation, I’d be upset too.” She nestled against him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“But we both know the truth. I respect you enough to let you tear into shreds anyone that came at you. Give me the same courtesy, at least professionally,” Cassie added, angling her lips to kiss the underside of his jaw.

“If it was a personal attack, you have my permission to destroy them with that deathly Dr. Ramsey glare.”

Ethan snorted with laughter when she perfectly mimicked his angry expression.

“You’ve got yourself a deal,” he said, framing her face between his hands. His lips hovered above hers, waiting, prolonging the anticipation.

“You may kis—”

But she didn’t need to finish for he was already kissing her, and she was kissing him back. Everything was finally right in their world.

-----------------

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @lady-calypso @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @justyourusualash @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[mcrdvcks]

Sweet Dreams - Chapter 6

Chapter Summary: Some of the students and teachers go on a trip to Paris.

Word Count: 6.9k+

Pairing: Logan (X-Men) x Original Female Character (platonic relationship)

Notes: um... please don't be mad :((

i promise everything will work out

Series Masterlist - Chapter 5 → Chapter 7

AO3 Link For Chapter

February

A few months had passed since Christmas, and now it was the beginning of February. The weather had started to warm up a bit, and the rain became more of a constant.

Professor Xavier had decided to let the students who didn’t go home for the holidays on a trip, while the ones that did go home had a weeklong break. They were split into two small groups, some going to Paris, and others going to Germany.

They all had packed their bags for a week, including Alexandria, Kitty, Jean, Scott, Kurt, Jubilee, Rogue. The teachers accompanying them were Charles, Logan, Storm, and Hank.

Kitty’s voice broke the silence. “Have you ever been to Paris, Alexandria?”

She looked over at Kitty, thinking over what she should say. Because she has been to Paris, not for sightseeing, but was sent on a mission by HYDRA to kill a group of people. She wasn’t given any more information other than their names and pictures; she had no idea why HYDRA wanted them dead.

But she did it, because that’s what she was, a loyal soldier.

“Yeah, I’ve been to Paris,” Alexandria replied finally, her voice low and clipped. “But it wasn’t exactly a tourist visit.”

Kitty raised an eyebrow, sensing the lack of enthusiasm in Alexandria’s tone. “Oh? What did you do there?”

Alexandria’s eyes flickered with a brief, unreadable emotion. “Just some work. Nothing you’d want to hear about.”

Jean, sitting next to Kitty, noticed the shift in mood and decided to steer the conversation in a lighter direction. “Well, I’ve heard Paris is amazing. The Eiffel Tower, the food, the art. I’m looking forward to seeing it all.”

“Yeah, the food should be good,” Scott chimed in. “And I hear the shopping is fantastic. Maybe we’ll have some time to check out the boutiques.”

Rogue, who had been quietly listening, added with a smile, “I’m hoping to get a few souvenirs. Maybe some of those fancy French pastries.”

Alexandria nodded slightly, but her mind was elsewhere. She could feel the weight of her past pressing down on her, but she made an effort to push it aside. It was easier to focus on the present, even if it meant staying quiet.

They put their bags on a table where Logan and Ororo were loading them into the belly of the plane before climbing up the stairs into the hull.

Ororo looked over at Logan, who had just put another bag into the belly before picking up another one and repeating. She leaned against the table, glancing at his hands. “You must really like those gloves.” She commented with a grin. It didn’t go unnoticed by her that he was wearing the gloves Alexandria got him for Christmas, or the fact he seemed to wear them quite often.

Logan turned around and looked at Ororo before grabbing another bag and tossing it into the plane’s cargo hold. “What about them?” he asked, nodding toward the gloves Alexandria had given him. His tone was as gruff as ever, but there was a slight softness to his voice, a hint of appreciation.

Ororo smirked, crossing her arms. “I just noticed you’ve been wearing them a lot. They must be pretty comfortable.”

Logan grunted in agreement. “They’re good. Better than some of the stuff I’ve used before.”

The plane was set up in four four-group seating arrangements. There were 4 rows both ways, making 16 seats in total.

The kids sat down in their seats, Kitty and Jubilee in one row, and Scott and Jean in the row in front of them.

Kurt and Rogue sat in the two seats across from Alexandria who was currently looking out of the window.

Hank helped Charles onto the plane before getting in the pilot seat himself, and Ororo sat next to him. Logan quietly sat down next to Alexandria, who was still looking out of the window with an interest.

Logan settled into the seat next to Alexandria, letting out a soft sigh as he adjusted his position. The private jet was already starting to hum with the sound of engines firing up. He glanced over at Alexandria, who was still focused intently on the view outside the window, her expression unreadable.

“You gonna stare out that window the whole flight?” Logan asked gruffly, trying to break the silence. There was no edge to his tone, just a hint of curiosity.

Alexandria shifted her gaze momentarily, meeting his eyes with a brief look before returning to the scene outside. “It’s not often I get to see the world from this high up. It’s different.”

Logan gave a grunt of acknowledgment. “Yeah, it’s something. Especially if you’re used to staying grounded.”

She raised an eyebrow slightly, though her eyes remained on the window. “You’ve been up here a lot?”

“More than I’d like to admit,” Logan said with a smirk. “This is about as close to flying as I get, and I prefer solid ground. But for trips like this, it’s necessary.”

Alexandria nodded, absorbing his words. “I see.”

Their conversation was interrupted as the plane started to take off, the gentle rumble growing louder. Logan watched Alexandria’s reaction out of the corner of his eye. Despite her generally aloof demeanor, there was a faint spark of interest in her gaze as the plane climbed higher.

As she watched as the plane went high above the ground, the mansion becoming smaller and smaller, she hid a yawn under her hand.

It was hard to imagine that just 6 months ago, she was only allowed to sleep every two weeks, and now she had become used to 8 hours of sleep every night.

Jubilee, who sat across from her, was already playing a card game with Kurt, and Logan was reading a newspaper, which by the way Scott talked, should be extinct.

She rested her head on her fist, still looking at the window as her eyes became heavier. The steady hum of the plane and the rhythmic motion of the flight had a soothing effect, making her eyelids droop. What made it even easier was no one else was sleeping on this flight, meaning she didn’t even need her mind blocker to block out their dreams.

Logan, glancing over occasionally from his seat, noticed her struggling to stay awake. He could tell that despite her attempt to appear indifferent, she was tired. It was unusual to see her so relaxed, even if just a little.

After around 15 minutes, Jubilee and Kurt had finished two Uno games and were currently playing their third. Logan had flipped the page of the newspaper when a head slowly fell onto his right shoulder.

Logan felt the weight on his shoulder before he actually registered it. His initial reaction was to shift away, but he paused when he realized it was Alexandria’s head resting lightly on him. Her breathing was even, and she was clearly asleep.

He glanced around, seeing that none of the other kids were paying attention. Kurt and Jubilee were deep into their game, Scott and Jean were chatting quietly, and Hank was busy with the plane’s controls. Ororo, who was also monitoring the flight, occasionally glanced back with a thoughtful expression but said nothing.

Logan grunted softly, not entirely sure how to handle the situation. He shifted slightly to make her more comfortable, mindful not to jostle her too much. Alexandria stirred a bit but didn't wake up, her head adjusting to find a more comfortable position against his shoulder.

Logan let out a quiet sigh, his gaze softening as he watched her sleep. He’d seen her struggle with her own internal battles, her past with HYDRA casting long shadows. But there was something different about her now, a tentative trust he hadn’t seen before.

He heard a soft chuckle from the front of the plane and looked up to see Ororo watching him with a raised eyebrow. “Well, isn’t that a sight?” she said, her tone light but with a hint of amusement.

Logan gave her a sidelong look. “Yeah, well, she fell asleep on me. I didn’t ask for it.”

Ororo’s grin widened. “I’m sure she appreciates it more than you think.”

Logan grunted noncommittally, adjusting his posture to better support Alexandria’s head. The plane’s hum was steady, and the gentle motion seemed to be lulling her into a deeper sleep. Logan glanced at the other students, noting that most were preoccupied. He decided to let her rest for now.

As the plane continued its ascent, Logan turned his attention back to his newspaper, though he found it difficult to concentrate with Alexandria’s steady breathing against him. He couldn’t deny a small, grudging sense of satisfaction. It wasn’t often that he felt this kind of responsibility or connection, but Alexandria had a way of making him question his own boundaries.

A few minutes passed before he noticed a faint rustling from Alexandria. She shifted slightly but remained asleep, her face now resting more comfortably against his shoulder.

Jubilee, having finally won their Uno game, looked over at Logan and Alexandria with curiosity. “Logan,” Kurt whispered from across the aisle, glancing at Alexandria’s sleeping form with a small, amused smile. “Looks like you’re now a pillow.”

Logan shot him a look that was somewhere between a glare and a smirk. “Keep your voice down, elf. You’ll wake her.”

Kurt’s grin widened slightly, but he nodded and turned back to his game with Jubilee, keeping his voice low as they continued their banter over the cards.

As the conversation shifted back to the game, Logan remained focused on Alexandria, his thoughts drifting.

---

The first thing she noticed was that the plane had quickly grown quieter. Alexandria blinked her eyes and lifted her head, realizing multiple things.

Alexandria's eyes widened in realization as she registered her surroundings. The plane was empty, save for the faint trace of Kurt's tail disappearing down the stairs. Her initial reaction was a mix of embarrassment and confusion, compounded by the fact that she’d fallen asleep on Logan’s shoulder. That was definitely not something she intended to do, especially in front of someone as stoic and gruff as him.

She sat up quickly, glancing around to make sure no one else had witnessed the unintentional display of vulnerability. Logan was still there, flipping through the last few pages of his newspaper. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t said a word, just let her sleep. The quiet in the plane felt almost suffocating as Alexandria considered what to say, if anything.

“Everyone’s already off,” Logan remarked without looking up, his tone casual but with an edge that suggested he was fully aware of her discomfort.

Alexandria cleared her throat, forcing herself to adopt her usual aloof demeanor. “Didn’t mean to fall asleep,” she muttered, avoiding direct eye contact. She was rarely caught off-guard, and she didn’t like the feeling of being exposed, even in something as small as this.

Logan shrugged, folding the newspaper and tossing it onto the empty seat beside him. “Could’ve fooled me,” he replied, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Guess even you need some rest now and then.”

Alexandria rolled her eyes, though a small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “I suppose,” she said, her voice tinged with a hint of her usual aloofness. “I just didn’t expect to fall asleep like that.”

Logan shrugged, his expression softening a little. “It happens. Especially when you’re running on early mornings and packed schedules. But if you’re going to nap on me, at least you could warn me first.”

Alexandria’s gaze flickered to him, and she found herself momentarily caught off-guard by the faint trace of warmth in his eyes. It was rare to see Logan in such a relaxed state, and it made her feel oddly self-conscious.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice softer than usual. “I guess it’s… nice of you to let me sleep.”

Logan grunted, giving her a sideways glance. “Don’t get used to it. I’m not usually this accommodating. But you needed it.”

As she stood up, Alexandria glanced out of the window, seeing that the plane had landed and the cityscape of Paris was visible through the small opening.

Alexandria took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness. She’d spent most of the flight asleep, and now she had to adjust to the reality of being in Paris again, though this time it was for a very different reason than before.

As the plane’s door opened and the cool air from outside drifted in, the rest of the group began to gather their things and prepare to disembark. Jean and Scott were already up, stretching and chatting excitedly about their plans. Kitty and Jubilee were deep in discussion about the shopping they hoped to do.

“Ready to explore, Alexandria?” Kitty called out, her enthusiasm evident as she grabbed her bag.

Alexandria forced a smile. “Yeah, ready as I’ll ever be.”

Logan gave her a sideways glance as he collected his own gear. “Stick close. Paris might be a nice place, but it’s still a big city.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Alexandria replied, trying to match his tone but with a touch of her own dry humor.

As they disembarked, Ororo and Hank were at the front, making sure everyone had their passports and documents in order. The excitement was palpable among the students, though Alexandria found herself falling back into her usual state of quiet observation.

They stepped into the bustling Parisian airport, the noise and activity of travelers creating a lively backdrop. Logan remained close to Alexandria, his presence a steadying force as they navigated through the crowd.

“Everyone’s excited, huh?” Logan said, keeping his voice low as they walked. “Don’t let it overwhelm you.”

Alexandria glanced at him, noting the subtle concern in his tone. “I think I can handle a bit of excitement.”

Logan grunted, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. “Good. Just making sure.”

Outside, a pair of sleek black cars awaited them, and they quickly piled into the vehicles. The drive through Paris was filled with landmarks passing by in a blur: the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and the bustling streets filled with people starting their day.

As they approached their accommodations, a charming boutique hotel in the heart of the city, Alexandria couldn’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia mixed with a sense of trepidation. The hotel was elegant, with its classic Parisian architecture and warm, inviting atmosphere.

They checked in and were soon settled into their rooms. Alexandria found herself sharing a room with Kitty and Jean, which suited her well enough.

“Ready to hit the streets?” Kitty asked, pulling Alexandria from her thoughts as she joined them in the room.

“Yeah,” Alexandria replied. “Just give me a minute to get my bearings.”

As they prepared to head out, Logan and the rest of the teachers were already gathered in the lobby, ready to brief the students on their plans for the day.

“Alright, listen up,” Logan called out, his voice carrying authority. “We’re going to split into smaller groups to explore different parts of the city. You’ve got a map and a list of recommended spots. Just make sure to check in with us periodically.”

As they set off in their respective directions, Alexandria found herself with Kitty, Jean, and Scott, who were eager to take in the sights. Despite her initial reservations, she found that the lively atmosphere of Paris was starting to chip away at her reserve.

The day passed in a whirlwind of sights, sounds, and experiences. They visited charming cafes, browsed through quirky boutiques, and marveled at the beauty of the city. Alexandria found herself slowly relaxing, allowing the charm of Paris to work its magic. The memories of her past missions felt distant, overshadowed by the simple joy of exploring a new place.

As they regrouped for lunch, Alexandria sat with Kitty and Jean at a small outdoor café, enjoying a moment of respite. The Eiffel Tower loomed in the background, a stunning reminder of the city’s grandeur.

“Not bad, huh?” Kitty said, taking a sip of her coffee.

“Yeah,” Alexandria agreed, allowing herself a genuine smile. “It’s not what I expected.”

Jean grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I knew you’d like it. Paris has a way of growing on you.”

Alexandria took another sip of her coffee, the rich flavor providing a small comfort amidst her swirling thoughts. “Yeah, it’s definitely not what I expected,” she said, her voice a touch warmer than usual. “I guess it’s easier to appreciate when you’re not here on a mission.”

Kitty raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been pretty quiet about what those missions were like. Maybe you should tell us more about what you did.”

Alexandria shook her head slightly, a small frown tugging at her lips. “Not really interested in talking about the past right now. Let’s just enjoy the present.”

Jean nodded, sensing the shift in Alexandria’s mood. “Fair enough. There’s plenty to see and do. We’ve got the whole afternoon ahead of us.”

Scott, who had been listening to the conversation, leaned forward. “Any particular places you guys want to check out? I’m up for anything.”

Kitty tapped her map thoughtfully. “How about we head over to Montmartre? I’ve heard the view from there is amazing.”

Alexandria glanced up at the mention of Montmartre, her curiosity piqued. “Montmartre? I’ve heard of it, but I don’t know much about it.”

“It's a neighborhood known for its artistic history,” Jean explained. “The view from the top of the hill is supposed to be one of the best in Paris. Plus, there’s a lot of interesting street art and little cafes.”

“Sounds good to me,” Alexandria said, surprising herself with how much she was looking forward to it.

Kitty stood up, signaling to the others. “Alright then, Montmartre it is. Let’s finish up here and head out.”

As they left the café, the city’s energy seemed to lift Alexandria’s spirits. She walked alongside Kitty, Jean, and Scott, feeling the vibrant pulse of Paris in a way she hadn’t anticipated. The streets were alive with people, the architecture a blend of old and new, and the whole experience felt almost surreal.

When they arrived in Montmartre, the area was bustling with activity. Artists lined the streets, displaying their work for passersby. The narrow streets and charming buildings added to the neighborhood’s unique atmosphere.

Kitty immediately started taking pictures of the street art, her excitement palpable. “This place is amazing! Look at all these colors.”

Jean and Scott wandered off to explore the shops, while Alexandria found herself drawn to a small park with a view of the city. She took a seat on a bench, appreciating the quiet moment amidst the lively surroundings.

A few minutes later, Jean and Scott joined her, their faces flushed from the walk but full of enthusiasm. “We found a really cool bookstore nearby,” Jean said. “You should come check it out.”

Alexandria raised an eyebrow. “A bookstore? Sounds… different.”

“It’s not just any bookstore,” Scott said with a grin. “It’s got a lot of rare and antique books. I thought you might like it.”

Apparently, they knew exactly what to say to get her up from the bench. “Alright,” Alexandria agreed, standing up. “Lead the way.”

They made their way to the bookshop, where Kitty, Kurt, and Jubilee already were. Alexandria made her way to a group of books in the international section.

There was a small shelf of Russian books and a spine of one of them caught her eye. ‘The Science Behind the Atomic Bomb. The spine looked exactly like a book her dad had. She picked it up and flipped through it, seeing diagrams and lots of rambling.

One quote stood out, it was one her dad always told her brother, “Everything that the human mind can understand and believe is achievable.”

Alexandria heard a clicking noise from somewhere around her as she looked up from the book. The sound was faint, almost like a camera shutter, but there was no one nearby who seemed to be taking pictures. She glanced around, her instincts immediately on high alert.

With a sense of unease creeping over her, she carefully returned the book to the shelf and made her way back to the group. Kitty, Jean, Scott, Jubilee, and Kurt were all engrossed in various sections of the bookstore, but Alexandria’s mind was still occupied by the strange clicking sound.

"Everything okay?" Jean asked, noticing the slight tension in Alexandria’s posture as she approached.

"Yeah," Alexandria replied, though her voice lacked its usual confidence. "Just thought I heard something."

Scott glanced around the bookstore, his eyes scanning the aisles. "You sure it wasn’t just someone taking a picture or something?"

"It might have been," Alexandria said, though she wasn’t convinced. Her instincts told her otherwise, but she didn’t want to alarm the others. "Let’s just keep moving."

Kitty, who had been admiring a display of rare books, looked up. "You want to check out something else? We’ve got a few more stops we could make before heading back."

As Alexandria forced herself to remain casual, she nodded to the group. “Yeah, sure,” she said, her tone betraying a hint of tension despite her efforts to sound relaxed. The uneasy feeling from the clicking noise lingered, but she tried to focus on the present and enjoy the rest of the day. She followed Kitty, Jean, Scott, and the others as they continued exploring Montmartre.

The neighborhood was vibrant with street performers, colorful murals, and the delightful scent of freshly baked pastries wafting from nearby cafes. Alexandria tried to immerse herself in the energy of the place, though her mind kept drifting back to the strange noise she’d heard in the bookstore.

Kitty was enthusiastically pointing out various street artists and their work. “Look at that one!” she said, pointing to a mural of a fantastical creature with bright, swirling colors. “It’s amazing how creative people can be.”

Jean, Scott, and Jubilee were busy taking photos and chatting about the different sights. Alexandria, however, found herself trailing behind slightly, her eyes scanning the crowd and the surroundings with a hint of wariness.

“Hey, Alexandria,” Scott called, noticing her distracted demeanor. “You okay? You seem a bit off.”

Alexandria forced a smile and nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… not used to being so surrounded by people.”

Scott gave her a sympathetic look. “I get it. It can be overwhelming. If you need a break, just let us know.”

“Thanks,” Alexandria said, appreciating his offer even though she wasn’t quite ready to admit her discomfort.

They continued walking through Montmartre, the group making stops at various shops and cafes. Alexandria’s unease slowly began to fade as she let herself be swept up in the charm of the neighborhood. She found a small café that sold a variety of pastries and decided to grab a couple to try.

As she was examining the display case, Kitty and the rest joined her. “These look incredible,” Kitty said, eyeing the pastries with a look of excitement. “What do you want to try?”

The group choose the pastries they wanted as Alexandria went up to order, “Je prends une religieuse, une profiterole, un pain au chocolat, un kouign amann, une croustade pêches et baies, un mille-feuille et un sablés breton.”

The cashier nodded and went to get their items after Alexandria paid for it. She went back to the group who stood by a table. “I didn’t know you knew how to speak French!” Jubilee exclaimed.

Alexandria shrugged, “I speak 10 languages.”

Jubilee's eyes widened as she processed Alexandria's casual admission. "Ten languages? That's insane!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of awe and disbelief. "How do you even keep track of that many?"

Alexandria shrugged again, nonchalant. "You just do," she replied, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Kitty handed out the pastries Alexandria had ordered, her curiosity piqued. "Okay, but now I have to ask, what other languages do you know?"

Alexandria took a bite of her mille-feuille before responding. "Russian, obviously. English, French, German, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, Italian, and Polish."

Scott let out a low whistle. "Impressive. Did HYDRA train you in all those?"

Alexandria nodded, her expression not giving away much. "They had their reasons."

The group fell silent for a moment, absorbing what Alexandria had shared. It was a stark reminder of her past, and while they were all aware of her history, hearing her talk about it so matter-of-factly brought a certain weight to the conversation.

Jubilee, always one to lighten the mood, spoke up again. "Well, now we know who to go to when we need a translator. Seriously, that’s like having a superpower on its own."

Alexandria smirked, a rare hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. "Yeah, I guess it has its uses."

The group continued to enjoy their pastries, the tension from earlier slowly dissipating as they chatted about lighter topics. Alexandria found herself more at ease, the camaraderie of the group providing a comforting backdrop to their day in Paris.

As they finished up and prepared to move on to their next stop, Alexandria couldn’t shake the lingering feeling of being watched. The clicking noise from the bookstore gnawed at her, a subtle but persistent reminder that her past might not be as distant as she wanted it to be.

They eventually made their way out of Montmartre, deciding to explore the more tourist-heavy areas before heading back to the café near the Eiffel Tower. The group meandered through the streets, stopping occasionally to take photos or check out a particularly interesting shop.

At one point, they passed a small street vendor selling an assortment of trinkets and souvenirs. Jubilee immediately gravitated towards the colorful display, her eyes lighting up as she examined a set of intricately designed keychains. "These are so cute!" she exclaimed, holding up one shaped like the Eiffel Tower.

Kitty joined her, picking up a small snow globe with the Paris skyline inside. "These would make great gifts," she mused, turning it over in her hands. "I think I’ll get a few for some of the others back home."

Scott and Jean hung back slightly, talking quietly between themselves, while Alexandria stayed a bit further behind, her attention wandering. She glanced around, taking in the bustling activity of the city, but her mind was still preoccupied with the strange sense of unease she couldn’t quite shake.

---

The group made it back to the hotel and made sure to check in with Logan, Hank, Charles, and Ororo. Jean gave Charles a knick knack, Jubilee gave Ororo a hat, and Scott gave Hank a book. They all chatted eagerly with them as Alexandria stood at the back, quiet and keeping a watch around. She thought no one noticed her watching until Logan came by her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Logan's hand on Alexandria’s shoulder was a firm but subtle gesture, grounding her in the moment. His touch was neither overly gentle nor demanding, a reflection of his understanding of her and their shared rough edges.

"You good, kid?" Logan asked, his voice laced with a hint of concern. He didn’t pry, just offered a moment of connection.

Alexandria shrugged slightly, her usual response when she wasn’t sure how to put her thoughts into words. “Yeah. Just… keeping an eye out.”

Logan gave her a knowing nod, understanding without the need for her to elaborate. “Old habits,” he commented, not as a question but as a statement of fact.

“Yeah,” she admitted, her eyes scanning the lobby once more before meeting his. “Can’t shake it.”

Logan’s gaze softened slightly, though his expression remained typically stoic. “It’ll take time. You’ve got good instincts—just don’t let ‘em ruin a good moment.”

She almost smirked at that, appreciating his attempt to ease her tension without making her feel like she was being coddled. “I’m working on it.”

The two stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching as the others continued their animated conversations with the teachers. Alexandria was still on alert, but Logan’s presence at her side made it easier for her to relax, even if only a little.

Alexandria lifted the small backpack she had and pulled out a white paper bag. “I got you something. It’s a sablés Breton. It’s a salted butter cookie, and it’s not supposed to be too sweet.”

Logan’s brow furrowed slightly as Alexandria handed him the paper bag. He took it, his fingers brushing against hers briefly. He raised an eyebrow, a mix of curiosity and amusement flickering in his eyes.

“A sablés Breton, huh?” he said, looking at the bag with a touch of skepticism. “What’s the catch?”

Alexandria smirked, trying to mask her own unease with a hint of confidence. “No catch. Just something I thought you might like. I’ve been told it’s a good cookie, not too sweet. Figured it might be worth a try.”

Logan gave her a half-smile, a rare expression that softened his typically gruff demeanor. “Well, I’m not one to turn down a cookie. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.”

He pulled out one of the cookies and took a bite, his expression thoughtful as he chewed. Alexandria watched him closely, her eyes betraying her nerves. After a moment, Logan nodded approvingly.

“Not bad,” he said, his tone begrudgingly appreciative. “Definitely better than some of the crap I’ve had over the years.”

Alexandria’s lips curled into a small, relieved smile. “Good to know. It was the least I could do.”

Logan’s eyes softened just a touch more. “I appreciate it. And… if you ever need to talk or anything, you know where to find me. Doesn’t have to be about cookies.”

Alexandria nodded, her gaze meeting his with a mixture of gratitude and surprise. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

The two stood in a companionable silence for a moment, watching as the others chatted and laughed nearby. The atmosphere around them was relaxed, a stark contrast to the tension Alexandria had been feeling earlier. Logan’s presence, though gruff, provided a steady anchor amidst her swirling thoughts.

---

The week went by smoothly, with everyone getting back on the plane with more stuff than they came with. Some of the things were for themselves, and some were to give to the others when they got back to the mansion.

Alexandria was currently putting a few new clothes she got in her closet. Today was Sunday, but Kitty and Jean needed to go out to the mall to get a few essentials, like body wash and shampoo, so Alexandria and even Scott were going to come along.

She grabbed a purse she bought in Paris, which was $5,000, thanks to Tony Stark’s credit card, and headed out to the garage in a comfortable outfit. It was a cropped grey t-shirt with short sleeves, loose-fitting cargo pants and black high-top Converse.

As she headed into the garage by staircase, Kitty came out by the elevator nearby, and Scott and Jean were already in the car.

Kitty spotted Alexandria and waved enthusiastically. “Hey! Ready for some mall action?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Alexandria replied with a small, genuine smile.

In the garage, Scott and Jean were already in the car. Scott was behind the wheel, his expression relaxed as he fiddled with the radio. Jean sat in the passenger seat, scrolling through her phone.

“Hey, Alexandria!” Scott greeted, looking up as she approached. “All set?”

“Yep,” Alexandria said, sliding into the back seat next to Kitty. “Ready to hit the mall.”

Jean glanced over her shoulder, giving Alexandria a friendly smile. “We’re just waiting for you two.”

As Scott started the car and pulled out of the garage, the conversation shifted to their plans for the day. Jean mentioned a few stores they needed to visit, and Kitty chimed in with her shopping list. Alexandria listened, her gaze drifting out the window as they made their way towards the mall.

The drive was uneventful, and soon they arrived at the bustling shopping center. The mall was busy, with people streaming in and out of stores, the sounds of chatter and footsteps filling the air. Alexandria followed Kitty, Jean, and Scott as they made their way through the crowds.

“So, what’s first on the agenda?” Kitty asked, clutching a shopping bag as she looked at the group.

Jean consulted her list. “We need to get body wash, then head to Sephora for shampoo. After that, we can wander a bit and see what catches our eye.”

Scott nodded in agreement. “Sounds like a plan. Lead the way.”

They made their way to the first store, a large department store with a variety of personal care products. Alexandria trailed behind, her eyes scanning the aisles as they walked. She picked out a few items, but her mind was still partially focused on the strange clicking noise she had heard in Paris. The feeling of being watched had faded, but she couldn’t completely shake off the sense of unease.

Kitty and Jean were busy discussing the merits of different brands of body wash, while Scott looked over the selection of shampoos. Alexandria grabbed a few bottles of strawberry scented body wash and the same scent in lotion. Her and Scott followed Kitty and Jean around until they were done and they checked out.

It wasn’t until they were leaving the store that she caught a glimpse of a man standing near the entrance, his eyes briefly meeting hers before he quickly looked away. He was dressed casually, blending in with the crowd, but there was something about him that set off alarm bells in Alexandria’s mind.

She didn’t react outwardly, but her senses were now on high alert. As they made their way to the next store, she kept a close eye on their surroundings, subtly scanning the crowd for any signs of trouble.

Kitty, Jean, and Scott were blissfully unaware of her heightened vigilance, chatting about their plans for the rest of the day. Alexandria, however, couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.

As they entered another store, Alexandria made a point of positioning herself near the entrance, giving herself a clear view of anyone coming or going. She spotted the man again, this time lingering outside, pretending to be interested in a display of sunglasses.

Her instincts screamed at her to do something, but she knew she couldn’t act rashly. Instead, she stayed close to the group, keeping her eyes on the man without making it obvious that she was aware of him.

Instinctively, her hand reached behind her back, when she realized she wasn’t on a mission, and therefore did not have a gun. It was also illegal to shoot in a busy mall.

She kept her eyes on the man until Jean and Kitty were done and they headed out. Alexandria noticed that Scott unspokenly took Jean’s bags from her hands.

Once they were in the car, Kitty mentioned that she was hungry. Scott, who was driving once again, turned to face her at a stop sign. “Have you tried a burger yet, Alexandria?”

Scott’s question caught Alexandria off guard. She leaned forward, genuinely curious. “No. What’s that?”

Scott looked surprised, but then a grin spread across his face. “You’ve never had a burger? It’s a classic American dish. Basically, a beef patty in a bun, usually with some kind of toppings. Lettuce, tomato, cheese… that sort of thing.”

Alexandria nodded slowly, trying to piece together the description. “Sounds… simple enough.”

Jean chimed in from the passenger seat, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. “You definitely need to try one. They’re a staple, and there are so many variations. You can get them with different toppings or even veggie options if you’re not into meat.”

Kitty, who had been scrolling through her phone, glanced up. “I know a great place nearby. They have this burger that’s super popular. I think it would be perfect for you to try.”

Scott nodded in agreement, his expression clearly amused. “Alright, it’s settled then. We’ll grab burgers. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

Alexandria settled back into her seat, her curiosity piqued. “Alright. I’m open to trying new things.”

They made their way to the burger joint that Kitty recommended. It was around 10 minutes away, and the GPS on Jean’s phone took them down a side street with barely any cars.

Kitty was currently showing pictures of burgers to Alexandria when Scott let out a whispered curse. Jean leaned over, “what is it?”

Scott’s grip tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he pressed down on the brake pedal again and again. The car, however, continued to speed up, the side street ahead narrowing ominously.

“The brake isn’t working,” Scott muttered, his voice tense with barely contained panic.

Jean leaned over, eyes wide with concern as she tried to help. “What do you mean, the brake isn’t working? Can you try shifting it into neutral?”

“I’m trying,” Scott replied through gritted teeth, his hand fumbling with the gear shift. But nothing changed—the car continued its dangerous momentum down the street.

Kitty’s phone slipped from her hand as she leaned forward, her face pale. “We need to get out of here. We should jump.”

Alexandria, calm despite the situation, reached for the door handle, yanking at it. “The doors are locked,” she said, her voice edged with frustration.

“Break the windows,” Jean suggested quickly, her telekinetic powers already flickering to life as she aimed to shatter the glass.

But before Jean could focus enough to unleash her powers, the car swerved uncontrollably, the tires screeching against the asphalt. Scott tried to maneuver the wheel, but it was too late. A flash of metal appeared in their peripheral vision as a car careened toward them from the opposite direction.

The impact was brutal, slamming into the side of their vehicle with a force that knocked the breath out of everyone. The sound of crunching metal, shattering glass, and the dull thuds of bodies slamming against their seats filled the air. Darkness enveloped them as consciousness slipped away.

---

Alexandria was the first to come to, her mind foggy as she blinked against the harsh light that filtered through the cracked windshield. A sharp pain radiated from her left shoulder, but she pushed it aside, instincts kicking in. The car was eerily silent, the only sound a faint ringing in her ears.

She looked around quickly. Scott was slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious. Jean’s head rested against the passenger window, blood trickling from a cut on her forehead. Kitty was next to Alexandria, her breathing shallow but steady.

Before she could make a move to check on the others, the car door beside her was yanked open, and rough hands grabbed her by the arm. She reacted instantly, her training from HYDRA surging to the forefront. But the grip was too strong, and her disorientation was enough to keep her from putting up a fight.

“Don’t struggle,” a cold voice hissed in her ear, the thick accent unmistakably Russian.

Alexandria’s heart pounded in her chest as she was dragged out of the car, her feet stumbling on the uneven ground. She was shoved forward, her vision still blurred as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. The street was empty save for the two cars, both wrecked from the collision. The man who had grabbed her was dressed in black tactical gear, his face obscured by a balaclava.

She went to elbow him but he caught her elbow before handcuffing her hands behind her back.

Before she could act, the man behind her spoke again, his voice cold and detached. “You don’t want to do anything stupid, little girl. Just get in the van.”

As they moved away from the wreckage, she caught sight of a van parked a little further down the street. The back doors were open, revealing more men inside, similarly dressed. This wasn’t just a random attack—this was a coordinated effort. They had been targeted.

Her eyes darted around, looking for an opening, for anything that could give her the upper hand. But the man’s grip on her arms tightened, cutting off her circulation and her thoughts of escape. She was pushed toward the van, the metallic scent of blood mixing with the acrid smell of gasoline from the wrecked vehicles.

Inside the van, she could see that it was lined with reinforced metal, designed to keep anyone inside from getting out. A chill ran down her spine. This was a prison on wheels.

As she was forced closer to the van, Alexandria’s mind raced, trying to calculate her options. The element of surprise was gone, and she was outnumbered. But she wasn’t defenseless. Her powers, though not as honed as she’d like, were still there.

It was better to not fight and further risk Jean, Kitty, and Scott, and instead be taken. But she didn’t leave without putting a message inside Jean’s head, which wasn’t easy. Jean certainly was a strong telepath, but all Alexandria did before being shoved into the van, was put a symbol of HYDRA in her dream.

The doors to the van closed as a needle was inserted into her neck, and a black bag over her head.

i'm gonna try and upload the next few chapters asap in the next 3-5 days, just so there isn't much wait. but no promises!

[unofficial-writing]

As long as I’m here

Pairing: Din Djarin x Fem!reader

Warnings: angst (if you can call it that), mentions of blood/wounds, some fluff, Din is a baddie, allusion to smut but not really, protective Din, TW: Kidnapping

Summary: Moff Gideon sent troopers to retrieve you as bait for Mando but he’s not letting that happen.

Word count: 1.2k

«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ «̶ ̶̶̶ 　　　　 ̶ ̶ ̶»̶  ̶̶̶ ̶ »

Nevarro’s sun neared the horizon. It would be dark soon, providing a little more cover than you had now. You slid cautiously behind a building in order to avoid interaction with a group of imperial troopers that walked on the main street.

A few buildings down the alley and you started to notice the stormtroopers matching your route on the other side of the building. Your body stiffened at the realization and you turned down a series of twists and turns. Once you finally glanced back, you noticed only two out of six continued their pursuit. The rest were nowhere in sight.

Coming to the end of the alley, you ducked into one of the buildings— which you hoped was empty. As you descended the stairs, you came into a dimly lit room stacked with shelves of what looked like ship parts

As you crossed the room toward the other door, the click of blasters hit your ears and you stopped; your hands falling to hover discreetly over the weapon concealed in your thigh holster.

“Hands up,” came the irritating voice of one trooper. You scoffed, scanning the room slowly. Four were already around you and the other two came down the stairs behind you, blocking your easiest exit.

When he repeated himself, your blaster was out in less then a second and two troopers quickly fell dead where they stood. When you aimed for the third, four barrels stared you down, pointed directly at your head from only a few feet away.

“Drop your weapon!” One demanded. You cursed under your breath, lowering your weapon to the ground. The second it was out of your grip, your hands were cuffed behind your back and a cover was placed over your mouth.

You waited until you were escorted out of the building and under the slowly darkening sky before attempting your first escape plan.

You ducked under the arms that held you and prepared a blow for him. There weren’t really any good options with your hands tied and mouth covered so your escape ended in failure. You found yourself held by two troopers with guns pointed at your skull.

On the walk through town, you caught the eye of Cara Dune. She knew you but likely wouldn’t recognize you in this state and lighting. A flicker of fear twisted at you, despite your incredible ability to conceal it.

Dank Farrik, you cursed to yourself while trying to come up with an escape route. You became increasingly aware that the longer you waited the slimmer your chances got.

«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ «̶ ̶̶̶ 　　　　 ̶ ̶ ̶»̶  ̶̶̶ ̶»

Cara Dune sought out the Razor Crest immediately, catching the Mandalorian by surprise with her approach instead of yours.

“Is y/n here?” She asked, scanning the hull but only finding Grogu and Din.

“No she went into town.” He answered simply.

“Dank Farrik, then that was her.”

“What?” Mando set down what he was doing and turned to give Cara his full attention.

“Troopers have her, they’re—” She didn’t need to explain further.

“Watch the kid.” He said, walking down the hatch door with his weapon in hand. Cara looked down at Grogu who looked back at her.

«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ «̶ ̶̶̶ 　　　　 ̶ ̶ ̶»̶  ̶̶̶ ̶»

Gloved hands held you in place as you limped, dragging your feet as much as possible to ensure they had to pull you along. Your second escape attempt— which took place just before you were ducked into an abandoned-looking building— resulted in a blaster wound to the upper thigh and an injury to the head.

Your head injury wasn’t severe but you were extremely dizzy, and despite the pain you found yourself able to walk.

After traveling down a small tunnel, you stood in a cargo storage unit. Due to the dizziness and what was probably blood loss, you had to be practically held up.

“Why aren’t we just taking her off planet?” One of the troopers asked, which was met with a short-tempered response.

“Moff Gideon wants her brought up to him.” He answered. “It’s not dark enough yet, people’ll get suspicious.”

The first stormtrooper scoffed. “We don’t have to worry about suspicions.”

“I think you do.” You jumped a little at the new voice, but you recognized it instantly. Din seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He stood across the room with his weapon pointed at the group. In response the trooper holding me pressed the barrel of his hand blaster to my neck.

“Give her to me.” Din’s tone was slow and clear. He knew exactly what he was doing.

“Come any closer and both of you die.” The three other troopers aimed their blasters at Din.

“I’ll repeat myself only once.” He didn’t hesitate. “Give her to me.” One of the troopers cocked his weapon, the movement quickly being responded with a brief flash of light and three out of four soldiers falling dead. The last stood a little more shakily, holding you in place.

The Mandalorian turned his head, his helmet coldly staring at the stormtrooper. The trooper hesitantly let you slip out of his grip, handing off your unsteady body to Din, who pulled you to him by your waist to hold you up.

“Take something of mine again,” he threatened with an edge of hatred in his tone. “And the consequences will be much more severe.”

He turned to lead you out, with his blaster still pointed at the trooper. He shot first, barely touching Din’s armor before it was countered. You both watched the last trooper fall to the ground.

Now in the empty cargo room, Din set you on a crate and removed your handcuffs and mouth piece. Sitting up rather than standing, your dizziness was much more manageable.

Din cut a slit in your pant leg, to examine the wound. “Undressing me here?” You asked in a sarcastic tone.

“Not yet.” He responded to your joke but by his tone, you could tell he wasn’t in the joking mood. You could feel his tense demeanor even through his armor.

“I’m ok, Din.” You stated, attempting to make him feel a little better.

“I know,” he replied. After a long pause he sighed. “He couldn’t get me, so he went for you.”

You knew it was normal for Din to keep his thoughts inside his head, even more so when outside the Razor Crest. This was no different.

Moff Gideon’s act infuriated him. There were two things in the galaxy that he’d lay down his life for; Grogu and you. The thought of nearly losing you to the empire was reasonably anger inducing.

You rested your hands on either side of his neck, your fingers finding the only spot on him that wasn’t concealed by armor. He instantly relaxed at your touch, raising his hands to meet yours.

"As long as I'm here, nobody is taking you anywhere." He spoke calmly now that his anger had subsided. I gave him the makings of a smile and he helped me back onto the ground, leading me out and back in the direction of the Razor Crest.

[ltwilliammowett]

In door no. 22 we return to the Netherlands and visit another VOC ship. Namely the VOC Amsterdam

VOC Amsterdam by Ashu Mathura 2014

More about her here:

The Amsterdam embarked on its first and last voyage from the Dutch island of Texel to the East Indies in 1749, after two attempts had failed - unsuccessfully due to adverse winds. But nothing went as it should. Not only did the 203-strong crew on board have to contend with a series of violent storms, but a mutiny apparently broke out in between. To make matters worse, many crew members had already died of yellow fever, but it was probably the plague after all, whereupon the sailors began to drink excessively to prevent them from dying too.

The Amsterdam's fate was grim indeed when she lost her rudder on entering Pevensey Bay harbour, leaving her defenceless against the merciless storm. Captain Klump, desperate to save his precious cargo, dropped anchor on the coast of Bulverhythe where, remarkably, much of the keel remains to this day.

At the lowest of spring tides, the ship’s ribs are exposed, and she emerges from her peaty sand grave. From top to bottom the wreck in 1969, below in 1984 and then 2021. She is still in good condition.

A replica of the ship was built in the Netherlands between 1985 and 1990 by around 400 volunteers according to the plans of the original Amsterdam, but is historically incorrect in many respects. The craftsmen used iroko wood for the hull and orientated themselves on shipbuilding techniques of the 18th century.

However, some modifications had to be made due to modern shipbuilding regulations: In addition to using tropical wood instead of oak for the hull and decks, the deck height was adjusted so that you can stand almost upright. The frames were also glued together and the ladders were replaced by stairs. The ship was transferred to Amsterdam and is moored here near the Amsterdam Maritime Museum; it can be visited as a museum ship.

[edutainer2022]

It's a little two-part glimpse into Dad Jeff going away into the sky. And Scotty being not happy about it. Baby Virgil features briefly too. Jeff Tracy tells himself things that tide him over more difficult times (but are not necessarily true).

SEPARATION ANXIETY

It was unbearable. The little face of the boy in his arms was wrought with boundless grief. Bright blue eyes full of tears and fear.

"Daddy, no gooooo! No gooooo!"

Tiny hands were clutching the collar of his uniform. The boy's voice was choking on sobs and Jeff felt his heart being ripped out. He was due at the base for a pick up and relocation for training before the Moon mission. He was a breath away from calling in his resignation right then and there and never leaving his son ever again. He forced himself to exhale and hoisted the child higher, bringing their forheads together. That gave Jeff a chance to blink away tears of his own:

"It's okay, Scotty. It's okay. Daddy will be back soon. I have a very important job for you, Bluejay. Look after Mommy and Virgie, when I'm gone, okay? Can you do that for me?"

The child's sobs halted for a moment it took him to nod very earnestly. Jeff leaned in to kiss the boy's forehead and then kiss away the tears from the blotchy little face as best he could. He turned to his wife with an apologetic smile.

Lucy was hovering in the doorway all this time, ready to intervene. Dad's departure for the Moon was a matter of wide-eyed wonder and endless enthusiasm till it was actually time for Jeff to leave. Then it quickly dissolved into a Greek tragedy. Her own hands were full with the baby. Little Virgie didn't yet understand what was happening, but he developed an uncanny ability to pick up his brother's moods. So to echo Scotty's desperate pleas, the baby's tears were now inconsolable.

Scotty settled to hug Dad's neck, so Jeff beaconed his wife with Virgie to step into the embrace. She leaned her head on his shoulder as he reached to kiss the baby.

"Are you really gonna be okay?"

She smiled up at him. So beautiful.

"We'll miss you like crazy, Flyboy. But we'll be alright. We're in good hands."

She lifted a hand to rub soothing circles on Scotty's back. The baby calmed down too and looked ready for a nap. Jeff gave himself extra minutes to just hold them all together. He didn't know yet he was already holding three sons in that embrace. Baby Johnny was to arrive while he was still thousands of miles away on the Moon. But in that moment he needed to capture the perfect memory of balance and fulfillment that would tide him over a long night in space. They were going to be alright.

***

It was unthinkable. The whole situation was his worst nightmare come true. The hijacked Zero-X was obviously speeding up and overheating. He ran a quick math and the fallout would quite easily cause an extinction of life on the planet. Unacceptable - his sons lived on that planet. His mother and friends. What made matters worse was giving in to Scott's big blue pleading eyes to let him come with him in One and watch the T-drive launch. Little Allie definitely learned to step up his puppy eyes game from the best. So Jeff was now stuck with the impossible variables of his son in the blast zone and One's still untested autopilot.

"Scott, I need you to take over the controls for me!"

He was halfway out of the pilot seat, leaving One on hover. Bright blue eyes, flooded with horror, shot up at him from where Scott was adjusting the harness by the cargo doors (oh, goodness, the boy was actually prepping to board Zero-X himself!)

"Dad! You can't go down alone!"

There it was. Daddy, no gooo! Jeff had to brace himself to enter full Commander mode.

"I need you to follow Zero-X flight path, align in formation. Once I board the hull, you will bank and scout the possible fallout zone perimeter in a thousand miles radius. I need you to shoo, tow or scare away anything that will be flying or floating there, understood?"

Jeff was sorely tempted to set the milage at a farther distance (as far and as fast away as possible, just fly away, Bluejay!), but he couldn't risk Scott questioning his intent in the moment. Blue eyes were still flooded with disbelief, pleading and barely concealed tears.

"Dad, please! Let me come with you! You'll need help!"

Daddy, no goooo!

"That's an order, Thunderbird!"

When he'd come to in the Zero-X wreck, in the middle of the galactic nowhere, and for endless years to come, he'd try and soothe himself with the knowledge Scott obeyed the order and got safely away from the blast. From that point on Jeff would try to convince himself he was not worried. Scotty knew what his job was. He'd look after his brothers and Grandma. They would be alright.

[happy-beeeps]

Rain or Shine

@clonexreaderbingo

Pairing: Hunter x reader

WC: 2.4K

Warnings: none!

Prompt: storm

Summary: Hunter’s senses have him especially sensitive to storms. You on the other hand have grown to love them, so you show him one of your favorite tricks to enjoying the rain.

A/N: MY FIRST HUNTER FIC which is so surprising because I am in love with this man. I will be writing plenty more for him and EEEEEEP first bingo fic I’m so excited!!!!

It’s the kind of rain that shakes the Marauder with each crack of thunder, the kind that sends bright white light into the hull of the ship. You’re keeping Omega company in her makeshift room, her head laying comfortably across your chest as she squeezes you tighter with every blast. Your hands dance idly in her hair, and you remember the way your own mother used to soothe you when you were young.

“I was afraid of storms too when I was young,” you croon, hands smoothing out the tufts of blonde.

She yawns, sinking further into you at your words. “I'm not afraid, we had storms on Kamino all the time.”

“Mmm. Still, when I was afraid, she would sit with me and watch the rain tap on the window. She’d tell me it was the sky’s way of saying hello. And we’d have a special routine to keep the storm away.”

She’s silent for a moment, then asks quietly, “How do we keep them away?”

“We would count between each thunder crack, each second was klick away, would you like to try?”

She nods, and the two of you stay like that for a while, counting down how far the storms have shifted and where they stay. It works like a charm of course, and the idle counting has the added benefit of lulling the girl to sleep, and you carefully shift her back in bed before exiting the space, carefully climbing down the ladder. The Marauder is silent now, save for the sounds of the storm. In the time you’ve spent soothing Omega, the rest of the Batch must have gone to sleep, save for Tech, who you join in the cockpit for a moment.

“Any chance of us getting takeoff?”

“Negative. The storm cell is only building in power, we will be spending the night here.”

You nod, then pull your knees up to your chest, noting the absence of his brother, your Hunter. “Has Hunter gone to sleep? I’m surprised he didn’t stop to say goodnight to me or Meg.”

“That is because he has not gone to sleep. Hunter does not enjoy the sound of storms, the vibrations and loud noise disrupts his senses, I suspect he is either in your shared quarters, though on one occasion he could be found in the lower cargo hold, if the sound travels too loud.”

You sigh, happy that he hasn’t abandoned your favorite nightly ritual of saying goodnight to Omega as a unit, then coming back to bed together to whisper sweet nothings, but also worried about his discomfort. You pat Tech on the shoulder in a way that serves as a verbal goodnight, and leave him to his devices in the cockpit.

Hunter tries his best to behave normally when you find him in your quarters, but the small metal space acts more like a tin can, it only amplifies each noise coming from the outside. He’s sitting upright as he can in bed when you join him, bandana still on, as if he hasn’t fully prepared to undress.

“I was worried you’d forgotten about us.” You chide as you dip into your bed. You’re careful not to touch him without his invitation, you’re not sure how sensitive he is right now.

He leans his body closer to you, opening an arm and inviting you in. “Forget about my two favorite girls? Not likely.” There’s a beat and a crack of thunder, and his breath comes out shaky and ragged. “How is she?”

“She’s asleep now, she’s afraid of thunderstorms, can you believe it? A Kaminoan who doesn’t like the rain.”

He laughs, then pulls you in closer to his chest, and you use the proximity as an excuse to reach up and untie his bandana, knotting your hands in the tender flesh of his scalp. He groans in thanks, and you’ve nearly successfully distracted him from the sensory overload that you can only imagine the repetitive tat tat tat of the rain on ship must be, when a lightning strike nearby sends the ship rattling. He hisses, the vibrations surely sending shockwaves up his spine.

“You know, a little birdy told me she might be the only stowaway who doesn’t like the rain.”

“Gotta… stop… talking… Tech.” He grits out as the rain increases in pressure, the sound building up louder. You’ve responded accordingly, begrudgingly backing off of him to give him the space you’re sure he needs.

“How can I help?”

“Just you being here helps me, you know that.” He reaches out to place a ground grasp on your leg, and rubs it soothingly, though you aren’t sure if it’s more for himself or you. “How come you like storms so much?”

You shrug, arms crossing over your chest as you turn to face him. He’s hard to make out in the lowlight, but you can see the tension in his jawbone. Your heart aches for him in these moments. Sure, his heightened senses were a survival skill, and they made him a more than adept partner, but moments like now, when they caused him so much pain? You wished you could just take it all away. “I don’t know, it reminds me of home I think. I used to be so afraid of the storms, and my mother tried everything to make me feel better.”

Hunter snorts, “hard to imagine you being afraid of anything.”

“Please, growing up on a farm there’s plenty to be afraid of.” You move off the bed then, getting an idea as you reminisce on your childhood. “My mother tried it all, we’d read, she’d sing songs, we’d count. It all worked to soothe me, but it never stopped making me afraid, you know?” You turn around to face him again and reach out your hands, sending your chin down to coax him forward.

“It’s not that I’m scared, you know that, right?”

“Course I do. Big bad Hunter isn’t scared of anything.” You pull him up and gently caress his jaw in your hands, fingertips tracing over the pretty inked spots before ghosting his lips with a kiss. “Do you trust me?”

“Course. With everything.”

You smile at the sentiment, he’s always so open with you, so soft. You lead him down the hallway, towards the ramp, and you’re happy now to realize you’ve both discarded your shoes, though you’re suddenly a little worried about your thin, white night dress. You press the few buttons that lower the ramp and it begins to move, sending a warm, wet blast of air up into the ship as it drops. You’ve been sent to a tropical system, and Tech has landed the ship in a small patch of land not horribly far from a village. The area is thick with vegetation, and even before the rain started you couldn’t help but feel as if you could feel the water in the air. Now, with the storm, it’s as if the air is made of soup.

Hunter follows you cautiously, eyes skeptical as you lead him out carefully into the rain. His eyes are squeezed shut, as if he’s preparing for something uncomfortable, and you’ve led him just below the ramp before closing it back up again. The inside of the ship is dark, meaning Tech has since retired to his quarters and is probably goggles deep in the holonovel you lent him, leaving you and Hunter alone to conduct your excitement.

“When I was a little girl, my mother took me out into a storm when I was just too afraid to sleep.” The wind is light, and it sends your and Hunter’s hair flying in a myriad of directions. You can feel your clothes start to dampen as you stay out here, but you can’t shake how soothing it feels, how refreshing the rain is. “I wasn’t afraid of the rain, you see. It was the noise I didn’t like. When you’re out in the rain, it’s actually really quiet. It’s the house that makes all the noise.” She was right, naturally, and you ended up sitting out in that rain for close to two hours playing, you remember her chasing you all across the pastures and fields. You’d woken up sick, but it had all been worth it. It’s a fond memory, and you think perhaps it’s why you like the rain so much now.

Hunter cracks open an eye, looks around, and opens the second. He breaths in, the way he does when he’s listening, and exhales something from deep within his chest. Like he’s actually relaxing. “It’s not as bad, actually being out in it.”

“I know. I am almost always right.” You sidle up to his side and wrap your arms around his waist, enjoying the moment just being in the rain, slowly getting soaked together. It’s going to take you days to feel clean after this, what with the Marauder’s sonic shower, but you don’t really mind. It’s so refreshing, so rejuvenating. The feeling of newly formed mud between your toes has you feeling like a child again and you don’t know why, but you act on it. Breaking you and Hunter out of your trance, you take off, running through the clearing before turning over your shoulder, “come and get me, sergeant.”

He takes off with a grin and starts the chase. You’re fast, years spent running across farmland and then again through battlefields to administer aid have made your legs strong, but Hunter is stronger. He’s on you in moments, grabbing your waist from behind before spinning you to face him. You’re both laughing as you look at him, and you wrap your legs around his waist, his arms supporting the rest of your weight securely.

“You’re fast, but I’m faster verd’ika” he grins, and his hands are in your hair. You’re both soaked to the bone now, and you can tell by the way his eyes roam your form that your dress has turned entirely sheer with the rain, but you can’t help but conduct your own visual exploration of the way his blacks (and his hair) cling to his skin, giving you an even more intimate look at areas you’ve surely seen before. He must be doing the same thing, because it’s his voice that breaks the silence first. “You’re beautiful cyare.”

“Mmm,” you smile, running an affectionate hand along his cheek tracing the outline of his tattoos, his hands still placed firmly beneath your thighs. “Gotta compete with you, pretty boy.” He laughs, but his lips are on yours in a minute in a kiss that’s both longing and passionate, fueled by something carnal and pure. He’s such a complexity, your Hunter, always straddling both sides of a situation. You suspect it has something to do with bearing the weight of leadership, and now something akin to fatherhood.

He pulls away and rests his forehead on yours, breathing softly. “Thank you for this, by the way.”

“Anytime. I’m always happy to sit with you. Rain or shine.”

He snorts, and the two of you rest in that moment again, you so secure in his arms. You’re certain you’ll wake up with a cold, you know it, but that doesn’t matter to you in this moment. It lingers, that feeling of security, before a crack of thunder has the trance broken, and the childish flame reignited in your soul. You wriggle free of his grasp and drop down to the squishy earth, and make to run from him again. “Oh no you don’t,” he starts, grinning wickedly, and goes to pull you in close, what he doesn’t account for though, is the slip of the mud on your feet, and his quick motion has you losing your footing and tumbling into the wet earth. The other thing he fails to think of, is your grip on his arm, as he falls beside you. This is how the two of you find yourselves here, caked in mud and breaking with laughter. He helps you up and then carries you back to the ship, as the two of you (unsuccessfully) quietly navigate back to your quarters in a fit of giggles.

The night ends with the two of you trying to squeeze into the tiny sonic shower, and both of your mud caked clothes being long forgotten on the floor.

When you awake the next morning to the sound of birds chirping, the two of you are less person and more tangled pile of limbs, each trying their best to hide their sniffles. No matter, you’ve got a long journey back to Ord Mantell and nothing to do, and you’re happy to stay in bed together the rest of the day, staring into each other's eyes. In fact, the two of you are getting a head start when you hear a low gasp and a thud (you imagine it to be a datapad) before Tech’s indignant, and accusatory, voice moves close to the door of your quarters. “what pray tell have done to my ship!?”

The night comes back in flashes to the both of you. The discarded clothes, the giggling, the kisses en route to the shower, the mud-

Oh. The mud.

The two of you dress quickly and step outside, and you have to bring your hand over your mouth to keep from laughing. There, from the ramp to your quarters to the fresher, is a tell tale trail of two sets of muddy footprints. Hunter opens his mouth to apologize to Tech but his younger brother simply holds up a hand and walks away, massaging his temples as he does. Hunter moves to sneak a hand around your waist, kissing your temple and whispering in your ear as the two of you watch Wrecker point and laugh at the footprints on the floor.

“I love you.”

[dumbbitchenergy17]

Clan of Three - Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: The Siege

Plot: A Mandalorian, an infant with a history of the jedi, and a teenager with similar powers with an undiscovered lineage. An unlikely group to travel the galaxy together.

Word Count: 6.7K

Pairing: Father Figure!Din Djarin x Platonic!Teen!Reader

Warnings: fighting/violence, injuries, blood, massive angst, PTSD, some wholesome moments but still mainly sad

------

The Crest while usually silent was void of anything, no conversation, no laughter from the child’s behavior, no words of Mando’a taught, nothing. It was as if no one was even on board the ship. Din stood in the hull looking in on the hole in the wall speaking to the child, “All right, let’s try this again. Okay, did you… Do you have the wire?” He speaks to the child who stands in the small compartment trying to fix the damage though he doesn’t fully understand.  “Okay. Did you get the wire out? The red wire?” The child looks at the board of wires his small hands moving to pull out the blue wire,

“No, no, no. No, the red one. Show me the red wire. The red one.” Din points at the red wire and the child uses his other hand to grab the red wire, “Yes, good. Now, you’re going to plug that red wire where the blue wire goes into the board.”

The child looks back at Din confused then back to the board, “Put the red wire where the blue wire goes in the board, okay? But don’t let them touch. You see where you took the blue one off? Yes, now put the red one…” The child moves the red wire toward the blue port before putting the blue one make and Din shakes his head trying to explain to the child.

“No, don’t put the blue one back. Put the red one where the blue one was. And put the blue one where the red one was. But be careful.” Din warns the child as he brings the wires back towards the board, “They’re oppositely charged, so keep them away from each other. Make sure you hold them apart from… No, hold them apart.” A spark of electricity crackles as the two cables touch shocking the child. Smoke appears from the hole as Din looks in, “Oh… Are you okay?”

A cough of smoke comes out of the child’s mouth as it whines, holding his hands out he pulls the kid from the hole looking down at him, “Well, it was worth a shot. There’s no way we’re making it to Corvus in this shape. I think we need to visit some friends for repairs. So, how’d you like to go back to Nevarro?” The child coos in excitement and it’s decided. Footsteps from the cargo hull to say the glimpse of you retreating into the hull. To say things have been tense would be an understatement, follow the fight you hardly interacted with him. You avoid the cockpit at all costs, you’ve been holed up in the cargo hull even sleeping there despite it not having heating there. You kept your distance and it hurt him.

You had heard the end of his one-sided conversation with the child about returning to Nevarro so you settled yourself in the area you dedicated for yourself in the cargo hull. Your cot had been set up with some extra blanket your weapons and your satchel with the jedi texts. Since you lost a source of conversation you spent your time reading the books or just focusing on the force. In the books jedi mediated to reconnect themselves to the force, stronger users could connect with other jedi across the galaxy or even with jedi who were no longer alive. You had tried as the books described it but you either got nothing from it or this dread feeling that made you stop meditating. You felt the ship descend towards what you assume is Nevarro and you grab your blaster and knife holster them and attach your saber to your belt. You heard the doors to the ramp open up as you exit the hull where you see Din speaking to Greef who is holding the child dressed in new more regal clothes and Cara in her armor that looks fixed up.

“Ah, and there is the other one I assume your travels with Mando have been well?” Greef says as you can feel Din’s gaze through his helmet burning into your skin. You nod trying to hide your awkwardness from the question.

“Never a boring day..” Your comment makes Greef laughs as he wraps an arm around your shoulder and pulls you toward the city.

Freeing yourself from Greef’s hold you take in the bustling streets with people and trade, smiles on their faces, unlike the grimness of bounty hunters or the empire. ”Looks like you two have been busy.” Din notices the change as well.

“I myself have been steeped in clerical work. Marshal Dune here is to be thanked for cleaning up the town.” Greef says and you look over at Cara who has a proud look on her face from the title.

“Your ship’s not lookin’ too good.” Cara mentions and Din nods, “I had a run-in with the New Republic.”

“They should leave the Outer Rim alone. If the Empire couldn’t settle it, what makes them think they can? Here we are.” Greef says leading you to the former cantina where you were pinned down by Gideon and the empire.

“I’m surprised to see this place is still standing.” You say looking at the fixed windows and the door that’s not blasted in. Greef smiles motioning you all inside, “Wait till you see inside.” The sight of children all sitting at desks surprises you as a protocol droid teaches the class,

“Who can name one of the five major trade routes in the galaxy? Anyone? How about the Corellian Run?” A young boy raises his hand before speaking, “The Hydian Way?” “Yes, the Hydian Way. That is correct.”

“A school?” Din says as you all stand to the side looking at the class that didn’t seem disturbed by your sudden appearance. You look over the children all of them young before you spot one child, a girl looking at you. She sits in the middle rows where the once cantina tables were. Her hair is just loosely done up her eyes wide as she looks over you her eyes see the weapon on your belt and almost awe and excitement cover her face. You smile lightly at the child and she grins waving shyly before facing forward. You look around at the classroom it looked nothing like the cantina before. A hand on your shoulder from Cara pulls you from your thoughts as you leave and give a small wave to the child who sits in the front row.

The center was filled with stands for goods and trinkets to be sold, “Things have changed since you’ve been here but it’s always good to have you return.” Greef explains to you and Din as you make your way out of the square. A loud crash fills the air and the e-web ammunition box explodes the fire and heat scorching your skin. The gunfire is loud in your ears as a blaster shot past you. Panic and adrenaline rush through you as your heart pounds loudly in your ears. The fighting and the screams around you are deafening and appearing from the flames was Moff Gideon the blaster in his hands dropping to the ground as he moves for something attached to his belt. Your hand moves to your saber to attack when a hand grips your wrist tightly.

“Kid!” Din’s voice breaks through all the noise and everything is normal, no fires, there are no signs of fighting, and no Moff Gideon. Your hand jerk forward to try to activate your blade but Din’s hand stops you, “Breathe kid…hey listen you gotta breathe..” His voice is clear as you gasp for air and you see Cara and Greef looking at you in concern for you suddenly trying to fight. Your pounding heart settles and you see that the noise was the cart of metal items crashing against each other.

“Kid?!” Din calls out to you and you notice his grip on your wrist and you pull away as if he burned you. Your hand holds your saber in a deadly grip looking at the three adults that were still looking at you in concern almost speaking to each other silently.

“I’m fine..” You breathe out forcing yourself to holster your saber though you still felt like he would appear around the corner. The three of them look at you each with their worries as you look away from them your hands balled into fists trying to put your focus somewhere else, “I’m fine really.” You nod trying to prove to them but also to yourself. You weren’t sure how long they were watching you until Greef nods before making his way to his office, Cara glances at you before joining Greef. You walk behind her, your eyes darting to where Moff Gideon stood his hands moving towards something attached to his belt. Stop it that wasn’t real. Your safe you’re fine. Din keeps his eyes glued to your retreating figure trying to understand what had just happened.

Entering Greef’s office you hear a man’s voice. “There’s no registration on the ship, but I’m pretty sure it belongs…” His voice trails off seeing Din following behind you three and fear covers his face.

“I believe you two have met.” Greef looks at the two of them and Din nods, ”I’m surprised to see you here.”

“Right back at ya.” The blue man responds fearfully. “Mythrol here’s taken care of my books since he was a pollywog. But then he disappeared one day after a bit of creative accounting.” Greef says and Mythrol nods.

“Magistrate Karga was generous enough to let me work off my debt. Thank you, by the way.” He says indebted to the human who shrugs, “Three hundred and fifty years, but who’s counting?”

Din nods looking at his former bounty, “Well, if he runs off on you again, let me know.” “Let me assure you, I do not wanna spend any more time in carbonite. Still can’t see outta my left eye.” Mythrol promises while putting a hand up to his eyes remembering the cold from the carbonite.

“Can we talk business?” Cara says and Din gives her a look. “I’m only here for repairs.”

“Which’ll take a while. Which means you’ll have free time on your hands, right? And we could really use your help.” Greef points out and Din knows he wasn’t going to refuse.

“Help how?” A map is pulled up of the planet, “This is Nevarro. We’re here. This entire area’s a green zone. Completely safe. But over on this side is the problem.” Cara points at the green area and then focuses on a small red area or the map, “It’s an old Imperial base. It’s where all those troops came from when we defeated Moff Gideon. This base has been here since the Imperial expansion. It’s got a skeleton crew, but for some reason, it hasn’t been abandoned.”

“There’s a lot o’ heavy weaponry in that place the black market would love to dismantle and get their hands on,” Greef says looking at the imperial base with disdain and you look at the base of it as well,

“And you wanna mop up the last of the Imperial force before they do.” You say and Greef nods before turning to the man,

“Mando, I just want them off my planet. If we could take out that one last base, Nevarro would be completely safe. We could be a trade anchor for the entire sector.” Greef begs and Cara adds, “And the planet would finally be free.”

Din looks over the map, “What are we looking at?”

“The whole base is powered by a reactor. We sneak in, overload the reactor, and get the hell outta there.” Greef explains as you travel by speeder toward the imperial base. You were inside the vehicle before Din could give any comment about you not going on this mission.

“Let’s be fast. And keep the speeder running.” Din warns you all as you travel over the lava flats of Nevarro. Coming up ahead through the canyon was the large base, “There it is, right there. You see it?” Greef points up at it resting along the edge of the canyon.

“How close you want me to drop you off?” Mythrol asks nervously being this close to a potential fight, “How ’bout the front door?” Greef comments and Mythrol gives him a look of fear,

“It’s a little close for a civilian, don’t you think?” Greef looks at him, “I got two choices for ya. You take us in and I knock a hundred years off your debt.”

“Or?” “Or I leave ya out here in the lava flats to walk home with whatever’s left in your humidity vest.” Mythrol sighs his options limited,

“It’s not much of a choice, is it?” You arrive in front of an elevator that leads to the base, you all climb out beside Mythrol, “All right. We can’t go any further than this.”

“Controls are useless. They’re melted.” Cara huffs looking at the melted panel, “Well, it’s probably not rated for lava.” Your comment which makes Greef grimace at the base,

“Imperial trash.”

“All right, I’m headed back. Hit me up on the comm, we could set up a rendezvous time.” Mythrol says starting up the vehicle but Greef points his finger at him, “You park your gills right there until I say otherwise.”

“I’m startin’ to dehydrate, boss.” The aqua man whines, “Okay, how does 30 more years off your debt sound?” Greef offers and the man sighs once again,

“Can you at least be quick about it?” “You wanna be quick? Grab the flange cutter and help us out.”

“Okay, fine. I don’t like leaving my speeder like this, just so you know.” He climbs out of the vehicle while you all stand waiting for him, “Come on, hurry it up.” Greef rushes him as he pulls out an item from the speeder,

“All right, I’m coming.” He responds before coming to the door and starting to cut the door open. “Hurry up.” Greef rushes him as he barely has gotten an inch done. The sound of a jetpack and you see Din rocket up to the platform leaving you all behind. The crackling of electricity as he cuts through the metal door.

“How long is this gonna take?” Cara asks and Mythrol turns away from his work, “Look, lady, this is rated for light plumbing and such. You’re lucky I even packed it at all.” He turns back continuing his small work and you sigh before stepping forward,

“Step aside,” “Step aside? Why would I need t-” Your saber ignites with a howl and he barely moves as it digs into the door and you start carving your way in much faster than Mythrol had been.

“That’s a…” Mythrol says in awe, “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Greef comments looking surprised at the weapon. A large thud as a stormtrooper lands on the ground as you finish cutting through the door. You step inside holstering your saber and looking at the three.

“Come on.” Greef enters followed by Cara who pauses looking at Mythrol still standing away from the door, “Are you comin’ in or what?”

“I’ll take my chances here, but thank you.” He says and Cara warns him and he suddenly looks frightened, “Well, when the lava tide comes in, give us a holler. We’ll drop you a rope.” He quickly enters and the four of you reach the platform, you see the aftermath of Din’s fight as he stands amongst dead troopers,

“Empty base, huh?” He comments and Greef moves past him towards the entrance,

“The reactor should be set in the heat shaft. If we drain the cooling lines, this whole base will go up in a matter of minutes.” You follow the man until Mythrol points at a large armored vehicle, “Look. It’s a mint Trexler Marauder. We can get a lot for this on the black market.”

“And it’s gonna get vaporized like the rest of this base. Now, let’s go.” Din says moving towards the hangar full of speeder bikes and you hear Myhtrol mutter over the lost. You all snuck further into the base Cara entered the command center to take down the officer. You hear faint choking before she waves you all in.

Din moves to the board to mess with the cameras while Greef and Mythrol lot the body, “This will come in handy.” You stay by the entrance standing guard, your hand rests on your saber. Since entering you’ve felt this presence or energy that weighs down on you. It felt dark…evil. Faint whispers call out to you making you look down a long hall.

“I know you’re there…”

His voice echoes out and a hand latches to your shoulder making you jump. Cara looks down at you with your frightened expression, “We’re moving kid.” She says and you nod stepping away from her and start following after the group, you could feel that lingering but the heat almost burned your shoulder. You could picture his hand moving to his belt before you’re back in the imperial base.

You’re suddenly pulled back against the wall and passing by are two stormtroopers,

“Must’ve blown a transformer over there.” “All right. We’ll check it out.” The troopers move further down the hall as you hear them continue to talk,

“Section-Four? TK-1-4-7.” “Scan control has been unreliable since last rotation. Send a technical crew to check it out.” The two disappear around the corner and that’s when you notice it was Din that grabbed you and you quickly pull away. You ignore the man’s gaze on you before he moves towards a door, “There, Mythrol, slice that door.”

“Use the code cylinder,” Greef adds as Mythrol moves to the door pulling out the cylinder and putting in the port the door opens the heat of the lava warming you all as you step inside.

“Whoa!” Mythrol yells out seeing the bubbling lava many feet below, “Yeah, “whoa” is right. That’s it. Get on the reactor controls, and drain the coolant lines. We’ll watch the doors.” He points to the panel and Mythrol looks at the panel and then at the group.

“Me?” “Yes, you!”

Mythrol looks at the fall down, “I’m afraid o’ heights. And heat. And lava.”

“How ’bout if I put ya back in carbonite? Get over there!” Din threatens him and that kicks him in gear as he moves to the edge that leads to the panel, “There’s no guardrail on this.”

“Come on!” You all shout as he inches his way back and pressed the wall to the panel you could see the clear fear on his face, “Come on, hurry up, hurry up. Hurry up!” Greef yells at him and he turns to clutch the wall with shaky hands pulling out the cylinder and inserting it. Accessing the control console there are so beeps before a large alarm starts going off,

“All right, she’s gonna blow. Let’s go! Let’s get outta here!” You yell as Mythrol scrambles back to safety as you rush out of the reactor core,

“How long do we have?” Cara asks as you race through the halls,

“Ten minutes at the most,” Mythrol says. The alarm blares as you narrowly dodge a trio of troopers passing through the hall “5-3-8-7 and 5-3-8-9, follow me. Call in reinforcements!” Once they pass you all take off through the corridors. Entering a room you see a pair of men standing in front of a control panel,

“Hurry up, purge the drives. Destroy it!” One of them yells out pulling out a weapon and shooting at the panel slightly and at you guys. Din quickly shoots the one man trying to wipe and he slumps over the panel the second one tries firing when his blaster is ripped from him and he gasps for air his hands moving to his throat. The four adults look over at you with your hand held out in a grip-like gesture as you watch the officer before your gaze moves to the wall.

“What the…” You whisper and the others look at the walls, several tanks containing deformed beings none of them looking in any form alive.

“I thought you said this was a forward operating base.” Cara says looking at the glass and Greef looks confused as well, “I thought it was.”

Cara shakes her head before turning towards the panel and the man, “No, this isn’t a military operation. This is a lab. We need to get into the system and figure out what’s going on.” You look at the man you have captive.

“Do it.” You order him and the scientist glares before spitting at your feet, “I’d rather die.” He snarls before gasping harder his face going red.

“That could be arranged.” You remark and Din looks over at you surprised by your comment. “Calm down kid,”

Cara looks over at Mythrol motioning for him to do it, “What about the reactor…” He asks

“Do it! Do it.” She orders and he moves to the panel passing by the scientist who glares at him and then moves the dead body off the panel, “Pardon me.”

“I don’t like this.” Din comments as Mythrol works on getting into the system. Suddenly a transmission appears via hologram as the same doctor from Nevarro stands speaking,

“Replicated the results of the subsequent trials, which also resulted in catastrophic failure. There were promising effects for an entire fortnight, but then, sadly, the body rejected the blood. I highly doubt we’ll find donors with a higher M-count, though. I recommend that we suspend all experimentation. I fear that the volunteer will meet the same regrettable fate if we proceed with the transfusion. Unfortunately, we have exhausted our initial supply of blood. The Child is small, and I was only able to harvest a limited amount without killing him. We were able to gain more amounts from the girl but it still wasn’t efficient. If these experiments are to continue as requested, we would again require access to the donors. I will not disappoint you again, Moff Gideon.” The air grows cold hearing that name spoken as the transmission ends.

“This must be an old transmission. Moff Gideon is dead.” Din says but his voice sounds far away. This couldn’t be real. He‘s dead you saw it with your eyes, the Tie-fighter went down in flames. No…he couldn’t be alive. His hands move to his belt, the fire, the explosions…all of it. 

“No. This recording’s three days old.”

He’s here…right now.

Din’s blood runs cold as the news hits him, “If Gideon’s alive then…” The loud choking fills the air and the four adults look at the scientist clutching his throat his face was turning blue, and the blood vessel in his eyes popped and bleeding. The veins on his arms and neck bulge as he tries to breathe. Din’s head snaps over to you standing there. You’re still staring ahead your eyes glossed over lost in your head and your hand closing into a fist.

“Kid! Stop it, kid,” Din yells moving to you grabbing your shoulders shaking you but you barely register the feeling so lost in your head. Moff Gideon was alive. The child…you. He’s going to find you, he already knows you’re here. It was too hot, why couldn’t you breathe? Your heart was hurting, your fingers were digging into your palm hard enough to break the skin.

His hand moves to the belt and then there’s pain.

A loud crack fills the air and air rushes back into you making you fall over but Din catches you before you could hit the ground. The lights were bright and everything was loud. It wasn’t until Din’s voice pulls you from your head finally.

“Deep breathes kid okay, haalur par ni.”(Breathe for me) He says and your gaze moves past the beskar helmet and you see the man. His neck is contorted at an angle that is not natural a fear-stricken look on his face, his lifeless eyes staring back at you.

You did that...

“Over there!” A voice shouts out and a blaster fire is blocked by beskar, “I need you to move kid, okay?” He says holding your face to make you look at him and only him. You killed him…you’ve never killed anyone like that. You didn’t know you could do something like that. Din helps you to your feet as the final trooper drops dead.

“I need to get the kid,” Din says needing to go check on the safety of the child but at the same time wanting to stay and look after you. Your arms leave his hands and your face is calm as you pull off your saber, “Just go Din.” You don’t even look at him when you speak this being the first time since your fight. He can see the fear and anger on your face and your hand a death grip on your saber.

Din looks over at Cara who nods, “Jet back, you’re faster that way. We’ll head to the speeder and meet you in town.” Din hesitates but the look Cara tells him she has her makes him leave. He gives you one final look before taking off through the hall and blaster fire starts.

You go to move but Cara’s hand grabs your bicep, “You alright kid, I need you focused.” She says look over you and you nod stepping away from her.

“I’m fine Cara…let’s get out of here.” You say and a howl emits from your saber the orange blade coloring your face you turn and start down the hall leaving the three to witness the massacre ahead of them. The three adults had just exited the room to see you violently swing your saber it cleaving a trooper’s head off. You used two hands as you attacked the unsuspected trooper not even caring where you hit just wanting them dead. It was tunnel vision as you push through the halls with no regard for the adults behind you would cover your blind spots but you only had one thought in mind. Your vision blurred between the halls of the base cutting through troopers or deflecting their bullets to large grand halls. The gunfire surrounds you the bolts not red but blue as they whip past you and you jam your blade into the chest of a trooper but they don’t wear a uniform you’re familiar with. The designs are older with blue accents, the sounds are muffled as you swing your blade and with each attack, you’re brought to and from this large hall.

“You have something I want,”

His voice echoes through the hall, and his hand moves to his belt. A sharp punch floods the side of your body as the orange blade cuts through the arms holding the blaster a scream rips from the trooper's throat their cleaved hands on the ground the wound searing from the weapon. Their screams are silenced as you deliver the killing blow your body heaving as you take in your surroundings. The tunnel vision lifts finding yourself back on the shuttle bay a litter of trooper bodies surrounds you some limbless others with fatal slashes and stab wounds.

“KID!” Cara’s voice yells out and you see the three of them taking on their own troopers. The ache in your side grows worse and you bring your hand to it confused why it was wet, pulling back to see red coat your hand before everything went black.

An earsplitting scream wakes you up as you try to figure out where it was coming from until the strain in your throat makes you realize it’s you who is screaming. Your body locks up as your head slams back on the metal floor, hands press into your side you feel movement under you as well as the sound of blaster fire with multiple voices crying out.

“Oh god, he’s gonna kill me…like dead dead!” Mythrol is above you a fearful expression on his face as he presses into your side. You recoil away trying to get away but he just follows pressing harder and releasing another ear-piercing scream.

“Shut up Mythrol! I swear to the maker!” You hear Cara’s voice yell out and the vehicle you’re in takes a sharp turn causing the two of you to slide and you black out for a few seconds. You gasp for air your hands latching onto Mythrol’s arm before something hits the vehicle shaking it and you cry out as his hands slip off your side quickly scrambling back to your side.

“What happened?!” You hear Cara yell and rapid footsteps until you see Greef now at your side fear covers Greef’s face as his hands rip a long stripe of fabric from his cloak pressing against your stomach and you let out a sharp inhale.

“Turrets busted! Find a medpack now!” He says Mythrol rushes off and Greef takes over as your hands shake. Every inhale and exhale cause more pain, and tears spill past your temples into your hair. Another sharp turn and your eyes roll into the back of your head but a hand smack against your cheek as you look at Greef, “Need you awake kid okay. We’re gonna get you back safe, you’re gonna be fine.” He says and you nod weakly his hands grab yours putting them over your stomach and pressing down on them, “I need you to help keep pressure okay.” He orders and you nod your hands weaker than his as you push your hands down the sharp pain makes you cry and you rip your hands away from you. Greef forces your hands back, his hands on top of yours pressing down as you cry your legs kicking out.

“Where’s that kriffing medpack!” He yells. The TIEs strafe them into the canyon no longer protecting them as Cara forces the vehicle to go as fast as it can go. The city is close to them but the TIEs and their attacks are closer before an attack can kill them off one of the TIEs explode into flames as Cara sees the Razor Crest appear taking the fight from them. The last two follow after the ship as it takes off into the sky as the Mandalorian swiftly controls the ship. Taking to the skies destroying the third TIE fighter before letting the ship fall right towards the last one and destroying it. The Crest lands before the Marauder seeing Cara exiting a stressed looked on her face and smears of red decorating her teal armor. Din looks around confused seeing only her coming out,

“Where’s..” “Mando-” A scream cuts through the air making them freeze in place as his gaze snaps over to the vehicle and another cry has him in motion. He feels bile enter his throat seeing the trickle of blood at the doorway and when he turns he wants to expel the vile liquid in him but forces it back down. Large smears of blood as if someone was dragged and Greef is hovering over someone. Mythrol with his hands and clothes are red, unlike his blue skin pressed against the wall. He shrinks back seeing the Mandalorian’s presence and when Greef moves back the world around him crumbles.

Your skin is lacking color sweat flushes your skin as Greef continues speaking comforting words as your hands and his press against your side. You were decorated in it, all over your side and pant leg, even your face with flecks of it. The rage the need to return and find whoever was responsible to do horrendous things until they were wishing they died faster, but it was fear…the fear that this was your last moments, the last moments with them…with him. That fear took over him. His last words you would remember would be of hate and you would leave feeling unloved when it was the opposite.

“You’re gonna be alright kid,” Greef says to you as you nod your hands weakly under his as he mainly puts all the pressure, you saw the distress in his voice when they couldn’t find a medpack in the vehicle. A new figure appears and your eyes widen seeing the familiar helmet.

“din..”

“Hey you’re fine kid, I’m here you’re fine..” Din says and you nod the pain like waves crashing down on you the need to rest your eyes strong as your eyes flutter but a gloved hand against your face stops that, “Need your eyes open ya hear me? Just keep those eyes focused on me.” He says and you nod his hand though rough from the leather covering it comforting.

“Get to the Crest you have 30 seconds to find the medpack before I get there.” His voice quickly coldly aimed at Mythrol and Cara as they rush off before he looks back at you. “I’m gonna have to pick you up, we’re gonna get you fixed up.” You shake your head frantically trying to pull away the pain grows stronger as your tears stream down your face. “No...no no no.”

“I’m sorry I know, you’re alright cyar'ika,” Din says as he moves to your other side before looking at Greef, “On my call…one…two-” He doesn’t get to three as his arms pull you into the air a scream shatters his heart as you cry in his arms, “I’m sorry…I’m sorry. Cyar’ika you’re doing great.” Each step he takes brings you to the Crest the pain indescribable you’re pretty sure you passed out waking up again on two crates pushed together as Cara pushes up part of your shirt. A shriek rips from your throat feeling something pressing into the wound, your body locks up your hands curl into fists. The muscles and veins in your jaw and neck protrude with how much you are flexing them. The ship shakes the lights flicker a loud creaking sound and a hand covers one of yours.

“Breath kid, you’re alright…shush you’re alright.” Din’s voice is right beside you as he takes your hand, Cara frantically though focused as she pulls out a container of bacta spray, some dressings, and a cauterizer, you hear the mumble of an apology before a searing pain fills you as your scream rips through the Crest. Your legs kick out and Mythrol with Greef grabs them holding them down your upper body curls upwards but Din’s hands pin you back down as sobs wrack from your lungs. Your chest heaving as tears pour down your face Din whispers comforting words as his heart breaks more trying to get you to focus on something else as the bacta spray is applied on you. You’re either gasping for air or holding it in and black spots dot your vision and Din has to force you to breathe or slow your gasps

“Mando.” Cara’s voice makes him look up at the woman seeing her holding the instrument, “You need to make sure she doesn’t pass out.” Din nods looking down at you his hand wiping away the tears from your face still holding you down but he moves to take your hand.

“I need you to listen to me..it’s going to hurt,” The frantic shakes of your head makes him continue while trying to calm you down, “I know I know…You hold my hand and you squeeze as hard as you can scream…cry..but you can’t pass out.” He says and you continue crying,

“I don’t wanna die…please...please I wanna stop…dad.” Your voice slurs slightly and the room grows cold hearing the fearful tone. The way you were certain that you were going to die. But for Din, the one word rings clear in his head, ‘dad.’

“You’re going to be alright..you hear me…you’re not leaving me.” He promises you his hand squeezes tightly on you before he pulls away slightly and you see him rip something off himself and you feel rough skin against your hand and on your face. Your eyes though weak and hazy widen feeling the skin touching yours, the contact of his against yours. You knew the importance of his creed the reason his skin, his face is hidden behind beskar and he just broke a part of it…for you. He squeezes your hand again his other swipes the tears from your cheek the pads of his fingers warm, “You’re going to be alright.”

You weren’t sure how you didn’t pass out from the pain that was unlike anything you could experience, you never wanted this to happen to even your worst enemies. The smell of burning flesh and the heat of a thousand suns as Cara cauterizes your wound, the veins, everything to stop the massive bleeding.

Your screams would haunt Din for the rest of his life but he just kept holding your hand his other pushing back any hair that got in front of you, to wipe away the tears, or to make sure you were still breathing. You felt trapped inside your body as you felt every minute detail of the tool against your skin, feeling it pull away your locked-up body relaxes against the crates your sobs echoing through the hull as Din whispers comforting words. At that moment when your muscles were no longer locked up, no pain surged through your body, and the mental and physical exhaustion you were put through quickly made you fall unconscious.

The Crest is deadly silent your bed and items moved into the main hull where it was properly heated and he could keep a close eye on you, you were asleep in your cot still dressed in your bloody clothes though Cara took a cloth to try to clean you up slightly. The child in its pram resting right beside your bed a sad look on his small face.

In the cargo hull, Din is frighteningly quiet, the aura of the deadly bounty hunter many had feared was here. The sound of footsteps alerts Cara’s arrival and she didn’t get a moment before she’s slammed against the wall by the Mandalorian slightly choked out.

“You said you would keep her safe.” His voice sends chills down the woman’s spine and she doesn’t try to fight back.

“Mando let’s all just take a breather,” Greef says pulling him off her as Cara rubs her hand against her throat. “I know none of this is going to make you feel better but she’s going to be alright.”

“She shouldn’t have been in that position in the first place!” Din yells his now gloved hand pointing toward where you rest.

“You didn’t see what we saw…she was something different.” Cara tries warning him but he turns away.

“Just go.” His word is final as the three look at the back of the Mandalorian. Mythrol leaves first and Cara gives him one last look before exiting the Crest. Din stares at the wall the sound of your screams the blood staining his ship a memory scorched into his mind.

“Mando...I wish you safe travel..” Greef says to the silent bounty hunter before he too departs the ship.

The three watch the Crest depart quickly leaving the planet its coordinates put in for Corvus. Din climbs down from the cockpit spotting the child out of his pram resting beside your side he watches his little hand reach out but Din pulls him away, “I’m sorry kid, there’s not much to do.” The child tries reaching his arms back towards the unconscious girl whimpers coming from him.

“She’ll be alright,” Din says looking down at you resting a pained expression on your face that he wishes to rid of. His words are a promise to the child, to you, and to him. To keep him going, to fight another day to see you alright, to see both his children alright. They were so close just a planet from them both being returned to their kind but he couldn’t ignore the pain in his chest. He would lose the both of you to the Jedi but you would be safe, you’ll be alright.

“She has to be…”

[radioactive-metal]

AL Warship classes

ok I reckon this will be my last long pure conjecture post for the AL. But here we go! Ship classes (Tyler isn’t even a real person and I can tell he is salivating over reading this list lol)

Struck through vessel classes indicate they are out of service.

Terran Cutter Class picket ship: the original 6 man AL vessel. Huge amounts of these were mothballed after the end of the Terra-Trask war due to a radical shift in TDF doctrine away from Quantity over quality. The AL were effectively given the ships, as the mothball maintenance costs on the TDF were huge. These ships were taken to shipyards orbiting Trask, and given full refits to A: better accommodate their beretreskan crews, and B: receive modernization packages. This vessels had a prodigious service history, with the last one only being removed from frontline service in AL:75. Further Aurora labs upgrade packages means that some hulls still see use as specialist SIGINT, Reconnaissance, and repair craft. 2 base models still in service with the Aurora Legion Memorial Flight.

Kysshakk Class frigate: One of two classes of non AL frigates to serve with the legion, these ships hailed from Trask’s Orbital dockyards, where they had been sitting due to the end of naval conscription. These ships would operate in pairs, and would very rarely not fly with Cutter class vessels, or even later Longbow MK.1s. One remains in service with the ALMF, one is a parts hulk, and the other 4 vessels were lost in the line of duty.

Terran Indomitable Class Destroyer: These were the heavy weapons of the early legion. They exclusively operated Anti-Piracy missions, and even after the introduction of the Stream System, did not carry brains or faces aboard. These were warships, and were the spearpoint of the legion. Multiple times, pirate fleets were noticed fleeing immediately upon the appearance of an Indomitable class in AL colors, due to the reputation these vessels carried. Last vessel retired in AL:90 after a policy ship away from military might.

Terran Dreadnaught Class light Cruiser: These were the weapons of last resort for the legion, only being deployed to combat upstart pirate kings or large scale terrorist organizations. These were officially the only vessels to ever use nuclear warheads while flying under AL colors, during the Centarian succession crisis of AL:80. These vessels remained in service until the Battle of Orion, where the last vessel was destroyed by a Warbreed vessel ID’d as the Andarael.

Titan Class Battleship: The Original flagship of the legion, the Titan class, known as the Indefatigable, was 1.2km of weapons and fighters, but also of Medbays and machine shops and refugee accommodation. She was retrofitted through AL:10, retaining her punching power but also adding facilities for humanitarian aid. She became a Hospital Ship, a Refugee Transport, A battleship, and a Symbol. She was lost in Black ‘63 along with admiral Nari Kim while responding to a Terran colony distress call. Later review of the data after The battle of Orion ID’d the fleet she fought as a Syldrathi Hunter killer fleet.

Long Bow MK.1: The first internally produced AL vessel, the Long Bow MK.1 took all the lessons learn from the Cutter Class and made them into a truely formidable foe. Widely considered to be one of the greatest Naval craft of its Era, the longbow MK.1 was versatile, easy to repair, cheap to produce, punchy, and survivable. In the few outright wars the AL participated in, 9 times out of ten, a total loss of a longbow would have 0 casualties. Quite often downed squads would be issued a new vessel within the week, and the shortest turnaround was Squad 926, who were downed, and flew their next combat sortie 1.5 hours later, a record that stands to this day. Depending on the mission, Longbows were fitted with extra medical equipment, extra armor, more weapons, external cargo pods, and even on rare occasions, a Orbital drop pod for Spec ops. Multiple serving with the ALMF, Aurora Labs as test beds, and Several serving with [DATA REDACTED].

Longbow MK.2: If the MK.1 was one of the best of its time, the MK.2 was THE best. The already famous ease of repair was augmented by auto repair systems, the reactor was uprated, and engine output was increased by 25%. A Longbow MK.2 currently holds the all time speed record (with out gravity assists) of a production vessel at 16% the speed of light. Currently still in active frontline service, though being phased out for the MK.3

Polearm MK.1: the first Frigate to come out of Aurora Yards, the Polearms are designed to fill the roles of the Kysshakk class Frigates, the Indomitable Class destroyers, and Mercy class Hospital ships (not discussed here). Manned by 6 squads, they are stuffed to the gills with the finest tech Aurora Yards could “Borrow” from Aurora Labs. Most of the ship is designed to be swapped out depending on the mission, so everything from fleet defense to hauling is possible. One vessel during the Terra-Syldra War scored a total of 50 victories against Other vessels, and was officially bestowed the honor of the Flagship of AL Group 4.

Blockhouse MK.1 Carrier: Aurora Yards first foray into Capital class ships, The Blockhouse is designed to remain at the back of fleets and provide overwhelming fighter support. Capable of carrying no less than 50 Wraith class Fleet defense fighters, it is the spaceborne equivalent of a wasp nest. And Like any good wasps nest, it has a Queen. Generally a heavily modified cutter class, though recently some have been deployed with Longbow MK.3s with Speical equipment packages, the queen acts as a traffic controller, shuttle, and SWACS (Spaceborne warning and control ship) all in one. On more peaceful missions, the phantom bays are swapped out for launch tube for Hospitaller class aid shuttles and Kindness class orbital supply pods.

Longbow MK.3: the Pinnacle of Aurora yards shipbuilding, the MK.3 is stronger, faster, and hardier than the MK.2. Most electronics have been hardened against electromagnetic interference, hauling capacity has been increased, and fuel burn has been reduced. The auto repair systems have been upgraded to the level where anything besides the reactor can be repaired given enough time. Most functions can be swapped by mission modules, allowing for extra hauling capacity, increased firepower, or even extra speed. Production halted after AL:150 due to resource constraints. Next vessel expected AL:156.

Iron Cannon Class cruisers: a much rarer ship, built from the same basic design as the Blockhouses, but with the fighter wings and control craft replaced with anti vessel railguns and torpedo launchers. These craft are mean lean killing machines, and do not carry faces or brains aboard. They are the spiritual successor to the Dreadnaughts, and inherit the same naming scheme of their ancestors. First three were the Dreadnaught, the Inflexible, and the Formidable. Having seen service at the tail end of the Terra-Syldra war, they maintained a kill ratio of 5:1. Notably, no one of these vessels was seized by the Rahaam, though 3 were lost when their captains overloaded their reactors rather than risk capture and assimilation.

Gladius Class Gunboat: Built from the stripped down hulls of Longbow MK.1s, the Gladius class is the first new class of vessel commissioned by the legion since AL:150. Due to manpower shortages across the legion, these vessels are designed to operate with only 4 crew, with empty positions filled with advanced automated systems. Due to these limitations, these vessels only serve humanitarian missions, and are never used on the front lines unless desperately needed. Due to glaring shortfalls in overall effectiveness, the class is slated for retirement by AL:160.

[Admin Credentials Accepted, Welcome Founder_03]

Longbow MK.4: Equipped with experimental AL manufacture Pulse Cannons, Beretreskan plasma drives, and the finest ballistic grade titanium composite plating the Legion can build, the MK.4 is the crème de la crème of legion ship building. In simulated combat, 3 MK.4s can defeat Iron cannon class Cruisers, 50x their displacement. When these vessels reach mass production and issue, it will represent the largest jump in AL fleet capabilities since the introduction of the MK.1. Current low rate production estimates suggest it will be AL:158 before non spec ops squads are issued the MK.4.

Special Project 274, Codename “Brannock”: The Hulk of TDF carrier Kusanagi was recovered in exceptional condition after it was found in late AL:181. The hulk was then towed to site 00 and gutted. It was decided in AL:183 that the ship was to be converted into the newest flagship for the legion, the Brannock. Currently under development, most hangar bays are being replaced with railgun mounts, torpedo tubes, and in one case, the largest pulse cannon ever manufactured. She will be the red right hand of the legion, and instill a warning into the pirate fleets that ravage the galaxy: “We are coming. Run”

Special Project 275, Codename “Madran”: much like project 274, The Madran is built from a recovered ship hulk, this time the wreck of the original Indefatigable, recovered from an Unbroken salvage fleet circa AL:154. Currently undergoing extensive repair and upgrade, the Madran with be the kind smile of the legion. Almost all weaponry is being stripped, and replaced with further humanitarian facilities, to in effect become the single largest aid vessel in the galaxy. She is designed to be the sister ship to the Brannock, and will, when deployed alongside her, act as a huge Signal jamming and targeting vessel. Giving free rain for rail guns and pulse cannons to shred renegade syldrathi and pirate fleets

[hugmekenobi]

S2: The Bad Batch (11)

Chapter Eleven: Metamorphosis

Gif by @dreamswithghosts

Hunter x femaleJedi!reader

Series Summary: Some time has passed since everything that happened at Kamino and you and the Batch are trying to figure out your place in the rapidly changing Imperial galaxy. And you're having to do all this whilst figuring out where your relationship with Hunter fits into it.

Chapter Summary: A final mission from Cid sees you encountering something that you never would've expected.

Masterlist for S1

<Previous Chapter

Genre: Friends (idiots) to Lovers (we're in the lovers stage now)

Chapter Warnings: Canon-typical violence, very light angst and feelings/protectiveness, Hemlock making an appearance

Word Count: 3.6K

Author's notes: Very much just sticking to the episode, with a couple little extra scene details but it'll be a more chill read for sure! Hope you still enjoy! Excited to begin work on Ch12 and please do let me know on this post if there is a preference cause sometimes I need a little creative help lol

With you all having caught up on some sleep, it was time to get in touch with Cid and her reaction came as no surprise to any of you.

“Not sure what’s got you all twisted up in knots.”

“We were stranded on that planet, Cid. We needed you, and you left us.” Omega said hotly.

“You’re fine now, aren’t you? And you got your ship back.”

“Yeah, with no help from you.” Wrecker complained.

“Do you wanna mope or make money? Because I got a tip on a downed ship, which means cargo ripe for the taking. I’ll even give you 30% of the cut.”

You scoffed at the way she acted like she was giving you all a gift.

“That is our standard percentage.” Tech pointed out.

“All right. This one time, let’s say 35%.”

Wrecker thought that sounded okay but one glance at the rest of you told you that a better offer was expected.

“Okay, 40.” Cid said but again was met with hard stares. “Fine, 50% as a token of my goodwill, that you seem to have forgotten.” She added pointedly.

“Goodwill?” You repeated with a roll of your eyes.

Cid didn’t pay that any attention. “I’m sending you the intel now. Don’t come back unless you scavenge something valuable.”

“What makes you think we’d come back at all?” Hunter countered.

“Don’t test me, Bandana. Just get it done.” Cid snapped before she signed off.

Tech examined the intel on the datapad, “Severing ties with Cid could be problematic, considering what she knows about us. Perhaps we choose a diplomatic solution and complete this one last mission for her.” He suggested.

Hunter sat down and took the datapad from his brother. “Cid only sent coordinates. No ship transponder code or indication of what caused it to crash.”

“Limited intel. There’s a surprise.” You muttered as you stood beside Hunter’s seat.

“How hard could scavenging cargo be?” Omega offered.

“Omega, don’t ever lose that optimism.” You said affectionately before you heard a heavy breath leave Hunter’s lips and there it was again, that exhausted sigh. You placed a supportive hand on his shoulder.

--

Omega gasped from her room as the ship left hyperspace and entered the atmosphere, “There’s a village here.

“That would explain how the wreckage was reported so quickly.” Tech said in reply from his seat in front of the hall control panel. “The crashed vessel appears mostly intact. The cargo aboard should be in fair enough condition to transport.”

--

The ship landed and fully kitted up, you all left the ship, and searched for the vessel.

It didn’t take long to find.

“What kinda ship is this?” Wrecker asked as he studied the wreckage.

“Don’t know. No hull markings.” Hunter responded.

You shone your torch across it. Whatever had caused this ship to crash, it had made it crash hard. There were no signs of life and there was debris scattered all around the main crash site.

“Based on the severity of the impact and the lack of communication signals, the crew aboard most likely perished.” Tech said as he stared at his datapad.

Omega had climbed up to access the door. “We don’t know for sure. They could be trapped inside. Come on.”

“All this time with us, how has she kept this up?” You pondered as you made to follow her up.

“Couldn’t tell you.” Hunter agreed, a smile in his voice. He knew the rest of you had been hardened by war and had seen the very worst of people and it had left its mark. You all could find that hope when you really needed to, you wouldn’t have made it this far otherwise, but it didn’t come as easily as it used to, and he worried that that would start to show in Omega, but he was yet to see that. If she could keep that type of outlook and strength within her, then they’d have done something right.

--

The door whirred open, and Hunter and Omega shone their lights into the dark corridor, but it seemed to be clear.

Hunter led the way in.

--

The more you walked through the ship, the more uncomfortable you got. It was eerily silent and empty, yet you felt like you were just waiting for something to jump out from any number of the dark corners, leaving you with the sensation that you were intruding.

“Where is everyone?” Omega breathed.

Wrecker’s foot nudged something on the ground. “Oh, check it out.” He gasped eagerly as he picked it up. “High-volt electrostaff.”

You barely registered what he said, you were too busy examining the markings on the wall.

Tech followed your trail of light with his own. “Something unfortunate happened here.”

“Whatever did this wasn’t human.” You added.

“I will get the power restored and check data logs on the bridge.” Tech said.

“By yourself?” Omega whispered nervously.

“Yeah, I don’t know about that one, Tech.” You agreed.

“Your concern is not warranted. I will be fine.” Tech said dismissively.

“Famous last words of anyone whose wandered off into a creepy, dark space.” You muttered but your concern was obvious.

Tech simply shrugged. “I will rejoin you all momentarily.”

With a sigh, you split up and the four of you continued your exploration whilst Tech went to the bridge.

--

What the rest of you next discovered as you carried on exploring the ship was not what you were expecting. Your torch light shone on what appeared to be some sort of tank and you immediately noticed the abrupt change of temperature.

“Why is it so cold in here?” Wrecker asked.

“It’s some kind of lab.” Hunter deduced as he led the way around the room.

“This medical equipment is Kaminoan.” Omega said, her breath coming out as smoke.

“Huh. So, what’s it doing here?” Wrecker asked.

Omega looked down at a broken piece of equipment. “It’s their cloning technology but this configuration is different than anything I saw in Tipoca City.”

Hunter clicked his comm. “Tech, find anything on the bridge?”

--

“Not yet. Still rerouting the reserve power. Stand by. The grid should be restored momentarily.” Tech was then distracted by a loud clatter. He followed the sound to what he thought was the source which was a broken droid that was repeatedly saying ‘danger.’ “What happened? What attacked this ship?” He asked it but it simply stuttered ‘danger’ again powered down. It was then he heard the sound of something clanking above him again and he knew he needed to find his way back to the rest of you.

--

Wrecker examined and touched a gloopy like substance next to a section of scratched on the walls. He grunted in disgust. “These are reinforced walls. What were they keeping in here?”

There was a faint creaking sound echoing throughout the room and the hairs on the back of your neck stood up. “I don’t know, but it’s still on board.”

The sound of water dripping and something chittering about you all started to grow louder and it was then you caught sight of a creature you’d never seen before hanging upside down from the ceiling, saliva dripping form it’s jaws but there was also an electric spark coming from its mouth which reminded you of something, but you couldn’t remember what.

“Hunter, what is that?” Omega whispered.

“Back away slowly.” Hunter ordered quietly. He kept a protective arm out in front of Omega as he did so.

You all did as he said but suddenly a pipe burst and you all instinctively turned to look at it but when your attention went back to where the creature had been, you were horrified to see that it had jumped down from the ceiling and was now stalking towards you all.

You made to step out, but Hunter’s hand caught your wrist.

“You’re not going to try and connect with this.”

“Hunter-”

“This isn’t something that’s up for debate. It’s an order. You’re not going near it.” He said firmly as he pulled out his blaster.

“Hunter, this isn’t going to help.” You hissed as you reluctantly did as he said and drew your blaster.

“This thing destroyed this ship. I’m not taking any chances here.”

Wrecker attempted to stab it with the electrostaff but the creature simply snatched and swallowed it.

You, Hunter, and Wrecker let out a series of shots as the creature screeched and made to lunge for you. There wasn’t a fatal hit but luckily your actions seemed to be off putting enough as it retreated back up to the ceiling.

The four of you stayed on guard but it was then that the power came back on so at least that made seeing this thing an easier task.

Any relief at having actual light was short lived for a rattle behind you saw you all turn to see the animal again only this time it didn’t hesitate to charge at you all.

You- thanks to your Force abilities- were able to dive over it and Hunter reacted quickly enough to grab Omega and jump out of the way. Wrecker unfortunately got knocked to the side.

The four of you sent a round of blaster fire down the corridor after the creature but it was too fast and too slinky for any shot to find a weak point and it turned around the corridor out of sight.

“Tech, we’ve got a problem. Get off the ship. Now!” Hunter urged into his comm.

--

Tech was already running as he replied, “I suspect this is some type of research vessel.”

--

“We know!” You said as the four of you ran through the corridors whilst keeping an eye out for any sign of the creature.

“And whatever they were researching just got loose.” Omega added.

“And it’s headed your way.” Hunter informed him.

--

You all rounded the corner to be met with an incredibly bizarre sight: the creature appeared to be feeding off the electricity coming from one of the power outlets on the ship and the creature itself seemed to be using it as a way to… grow?

“Does that thing look different to you?” Wrecker asked nervously.

It did but again, something about this animal was striking some degree of familiarity in you and you were infuriated that you couldn’t think of how or why that was the case.

Tech had appeared on the opposite side of the corridor, but he came to an abrupt halt as he witnessed what this animal was doing. He was not deterred by the fact that now its attention was on him, in fact he liked that it gave him a brief moment to study it. “Fascinating.” He murmured to himself as he watched the electrical energy be absorbed by the animal.

The four of you weren’t prepared to let the creature get closer to him. You opened fire once more to distract it.

“Take cover.” Tech ordered you all as he pointed his blaster to one of the power outlets.

Wrecker picked up Omega and turned to shield her body with his own whilst Hunter did the same with you, minus the picking up part.

Tech fired the shot.

The explosion created a hole in the ship which gave the creature the chance to slip away.

You all followed it out but lost sight of it in the woods.

Tech lowered his visor and saw the fading heat signature of the animal. “The creature appears to be headed in the direction of the village.”

“We’re the ones who let it out. We have to neutralize it before it hurts anyone.” Hunter said.

“How? Our blasters our useless on it.” Wrecker countered.

“Given the fact that the crew was most likely eaten by the creature, I doubt it is currently hungry-” Tech said nonchalantly.

“It ate the crew?” Omega interrupted, backing into you with fear.

You laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “How is that helping, Tech?” You scolded.

“It ate the crew.” Omega repeated breathlessly.

“Just stop.” You advised as you saw Tech getting ready to say something else.

“Access the lab files and find out what species we’re dealing with and how to stop it.” Hunter directed Tech.

“Mmm, I can help.” Omega offered, finding her courage again. “I know my way around Kaminoan tech.”

“Go.” Hunter said. “You two, with me.” Hunter ordered you and Wrecker and the three of you set off for the ship.

--

“Hunter, if we can’t take care of this thing before it hurts anyone, you need to let me at least try my way.” You said as you got into the co-pilot’s seat whilst he got the ship in the air.

“I know.” Hunter agreed. He regretted not letting you do it earlier, he’d let emotion be the ruling judgement in the heat of the moment. Balancing both his professional and personal relationship with you was something he was still finessing.

“See anything?” Wrecker called from the gun turret as he scanned the woods below.

You looked at the scopes. “Zero, two, five.”

Wrecker saw it then. It was moving fast. His shots couldn’t make a hit and it disappeared from view.

“Did you get it?” Hunter asked.

“No.” Wrecker grunted.

--

Tech had managed to infiltrate the lab’s files. “Look at this.” He said to Omega as he examined the information on his datapad. “These appear to be designs using the creature’s genetic material for modified armour plating. That must be why it was unaffected by our blaster fire.”

“Then how do we stop it?” Omega asked.

“Uncertain.” Tech unplugged and moved on to the next panel. “However, this confirms that the species feeds on energy, which propels its rapid growth.”

“You mean it’ll get even bigger?!”

Tech’s eyes widened as he stared at the information on the screen. “Yes. Much bigger.”

--

Your jaw dropped as you watched out the window as the ship past over the woods. The creature had reached a power plant and had drastically transformed and then it hit you. “Hey, I recognise it now!” You hadn’t been there the day Coruscant was attacked but you had seen the holonet reports and the images were pretty memorable.

“You recognise it?” Hunter repeated, stunned.

“I wasn’t there and I’m blanking on what it’s called but it attacked Coruscant a few years ago.” It was then that Tech’s voice came through the comms and confirmed what you were saying.

“Hunter, the creature is the same species that attacked Coruscant during the war. You must not let it get near the power grid or it will increase exponentially in size.”

Yeah, you were pretty clued into that now. “We were a bit late on that one, Tech.” You responded as the creature spotted your ship and let out a roar.

Hunter took evasive action but not before the creature’s tail collided with the side of the ship.

“Still want me to drop you off?” Hunter glanced at you as he righted the ship.

You grimaced. “Uh maybe not right now.” The animal was too aggressive now, too scared and felt to threatened. There would be no room for you to work your way into forming any kind of bond with it. If it really came down to it, you would go but it didn’t need to happen right away yet.

Hunter was quietly relieved although he knew that if things got too out of hand, you would be the only option they had left.

--

The best strategy you guys had come up with to protect the village was being the source of distraction. Wrecker continuously opened fire on it but it was having no effect.

“Stop it before it gets any larger.” Hunter said to Wrecker.

“I’m trying!” Wrecker shouted back.

You took a deep breath. “Hunter, you gotta put me in there.” It was the only other option you had.

Hunter’s jaw clenched but he nodded.

You moved towards the door but just as Hunter got the ship in position, the alarms went off. “We’ve got ships on our tail.” He swerved the ship out the way as they opened fire.

You stumbled backwards. “Where’d they come from?” You said as you righted yourself and Gonky before you went back to the cockpit. There was no chance of you getting down to the animal now.

“Hold on.” Hunter signalled as he kicked the ship into high gear.

“Tech, Omega, you’ve got Imperial inbound. Get out of there.” You said urgently into you comm.

--

Omega picked up her comm as she heard your voice. “On our way.” She replied before she looked to Tech who showed no signs of hustle as he stared at his datapad. “Tech, let’s go.”

“Not yet. I am not finished transferring all of the data.”

An explosion sounded outside, and the ship shook with the impact of it and the power went out.

“Come on.” Omega implored before she started to run.

Tech followed her but their way off the ship was tricky as it was starting to fall apart. The explosions continued to surround them. They managed to vacate it but not before a series of ships passed overhead and fired down at the wreckage.

Tech grabbed Omega and took cover from the resulting large explosion behind a larger piece of debris as the ship got completely destroyed.

--

You were too busy avoiding the other Imperial ships to see what exactly had been done to the creature, all you caught sight of was the power plant exploding. “They’re not killing it. They’re taking it.” You murmured as you saw the now unconscious creature being taken up into another Imperial ship. What could the Empire possibly want with something like that?

“Let’s not be next.” Hunter said, pulling you out of your thoughts.

“Hunter, they’re going to take that village.” You said quietly, unhappily, as you caught sight of some ships taking up position in front of the houses, but you knew that there was nothing you could do. You were outnumbered and Tech and Omega needed you guys to get them out.

“We can’t help them.” Hunter said regretfully. He wished they could, but they’d be no good to anyone if they were dead and if they didn’t get out of here soon, that’s how they would wind up and Tech and Omega needed out of there too.

--

Tech and Omega paused for breath and Tech tapped into his comm. “Hunter, we’re clear of the vessel and heading to the landing zone.”

“Copy that.” Hunter acknowledged and he got the ship in position. He didn’t let it land though, there were too many ships on their tail to do that. The best he could do was slow it down and open the main doors.

Tech leaped onto the stairs and grabbed Omega’s hand as she jumped up after him to get her secure. The two of them made their way into the ship and sat, with Tech making sure Omega’s safety support was down first before he did his own.

Hunter got the ship out of there and sent it into hyperspace.

--

“The crashed vessel was part of the Imperial cloning operation.” Tech informed the rest of you as he sat in front of one of the control panels in the ship corridor.

“The Empire cloned the Zillo Beast?” You echoed as you stood behind Tech’s chair and studied the information on the screen.

“Yes and no.” Tech responded. “The directive came straight from the Supreme Chancellor before he became Emperor.”

“What’s he want with it?” Wrecker asked.

“The creature’s genetic material has the potential to be weaponized in the hands of the right scientist.”

“Where were they taking the creature?” Hunter asked his brother.

“Unknown. The ship did not have a destination logged. Hunter, there is far more to this than we realised. From what I have gathered, I suspect the Empire did not destroy the cities on Kamino to end cloning.”

“They wanted to control it.” You said softly but there was a hint of anger in your voice.

“Indeed.” Tech said in agreement.

Hunter set off towards the cockpit but paused hallway and turned back to face Tech. “Send the data to Echo and Rex. See what they can find out.”

--

Daro

“Doctor. The creature has been recovered and is now safely secured below.”

“Good. And our other guest?”

“The shuttle is arriving now.”

The doctor set off towards the landing platform with a squad of troopers. “Did any of the villagers see the Zillo?” He asked the leader.

“Several. The locals have been detained and will be dealt with. However, one vessel escaped our assault. It was a military class shuttle.”

“Find out who it was.”

“Yes sir.”

The doctor watched on ahead as the shuttle landed. “Hello, Prime Minister.” He greeted the Kaminoan as he came off the ship. “Apologies. Former Prime Minister.”

“Why have I been brought here?”

“The cooperation of you chief scientist has not been forthcoming. Nale Se’s defiance is problematic.”

“It must be frustrating to have your resources but lack the expertise to achieve your goal. And if you fail to convince her, it won’t be long before you are in a cell like me.”

The doctor was not intimidated. “I fear you misunderstand your situation here. If you know of a way to persuade the scientist, now would be the time to mention it.”

“Indeed. In exchange for my freedom.”

“I’m listening.”

“There is a particular clone you must locate. A young girl. She is the key to controlling Nala Se.”

“How very interesting.” The doctor invited him to follow him inside. “It seems we have much to discuss.”

Next Chapter>

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[genavere]

Fairy Tail - RE:Script

Episode One: Hargeon

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter 7

Another fist swung just passed Natsu’s face as he pulled back his own and smashed it into the face of his would-be attacker. Flesh and bones gave way under the force of it and flames shot forward to engulf the slave trader. Screams and incoherent babbling filled the air as the man ran flailing about, colliding with others.

Several others began panicking as their clothes caught on fire, or the burning fingers caught their skin and left red burns. The chaos that swept through the mass of sailors added to the pile of bloody, burnt bodies around him. Still, more continued to file in from the stairs and the darkness of the hull. The ship had not looked that large on the outside.

“Dammit, where’d you all keep comin’ from?!”

Another swung a plank of wood embedded with nails at him. A wave of fire turned it to ash and consumed the slaver. Natsu silently acknowledged the man’s self-preservation as he watched him drop to the ground and rolled around while screeching.  

A quick glance around gave him the status he needed on the current situation. Most of the women who had not been thrown into the cages yet had been set to the side. Some of them just unconscious heaps on the floor while others were leaned against others. They were far enough away from the flames and fighting to stay safe. That was one problem he could worry about later.

Around him, though, were still a decently sized group of slavers. Bulky men who lived on the sea and were used to hauling around human-shaped goods. Some were eyeing the destruction around them in disquiet, while the rest resembled beasts whose territory you stumbled into. And what is a lone wizard if not something that stumbled where he shouldn’t have? “Whatcha all waitin’ for? Thought you were gonna to take me down?”

That got most of them of them going. Some still eyed the literal charred corpses that had been their shipmates, but they all had a joke to do and cargo to put away. All of them against one wizard had to favor the force with the larger numbers!

With a shout, they stepped forward together and charged.

Natsu grinned and took in a deep breath. Lungs and diaphragm expanding outward, and his hands came up to focus the core of his attack at the group coming at him. A burning hot stream of raging flames billowed out in a straight line, expanding out just past his pinkie finger.

The flames roared unhindered toward the stairs, consuming the men who had tried to sneak away while the others fought. Their screams filled the air with the smell of burning flesh and melting metal.

What the…Natsu blinked in confusion.

None of the men who had been charging at him mere seconds before remained. Not their shoes, bodies, or their ashes. He stepped forward to look for any sign of the missing men, ignoring the burning men.

Down one of the rows of cages, a large, imposing shadow slowly straightened up to tower over a pile of bodies and limbs gathered at his feet. Blood pooled on the ground beneath them, and some still twitched or groaned in pain. Without a care, the creature stomped on the pile and turned back to fix a glare at Natsu.

A shiver of fear actually crawled down his spine at the power he felt from the—beast? In better lighting, he noticed the stature, the weapon attached to his back, the height of him—at least seven feet tall, if not taller—and were those horns coming out of his head?

“Taurus!”

Natsu jumped at the shout behind him. Ninja-swinging his arms around, he relaxed when he saw Happy flying toward him carrying Lucy. He grinned, “Happy! Lucy!”

Dark, bloodshot eyes met his and filled with tears even as she smiled, “Natsu!”

Moving forward a step, his smile fell when he noticed the blood and bruises that covered her, and even noticed some poking out from under her clothes. Worse, from the scent alone he was certain that those were not the clothes she had been wearing before. His nose coiled up, and smoke seeped through clenched fangs. “Did these bastards do this to you?”

“W-what?” Lucy recoiled inward at the tone of his voice. It took a moment, then she remembered how she must have looked and wrapped her arms around herself, wishing for her sweatshirt. “Oh, y-yea. That Salamander guy…he is the one in charge of all of this.”

“You mean the fake Salamander,” he growled, fists clenched.

“Fake?”

Taurus stepped out of the dimly light section he had stampeded the men into and rolled his shoulders. They looked up at him, noticing the gore and remains left on his clothing and hooves. “Explanations later, we need to focus getting Miss Lucy to safety first. Her magic power is waning, and I am only able to supply so much of my own.”

“Right!” Natsu punched his fist against his palm, “I’m ready to kick more ass and teach that bastard a lesson!”

He led the way up the stairs, silently glad that Happy still carried Lucy over the heated metal where several fires still lingered, and listened to the loud clonks of Taurus taking up the rear behind them. The stairs led to one of the back hallways, a similar look to all the other ones he had run through earlier, and began maneuvering them to the outside area based off smell alone.

“Don’t worry, Lucy,” he called behind, finding a door that smelled strongly of the sea air outside, “we’ll get you off this boat!” Pressing against the metal door—Taurus’ loud clopping lagging behind due to his size, Natsu shoved it wide open and stumbled out of the hallway onto the deck of the ship.

Waiting for them, several more slave traders held various types of weapons from chains to clubs. Nothing designed to kill, but could inflict maximum damage.

“Dammit! How many of these bastards does this guy have?” Taking up a stance in front of Lucy and Happy, Natsu felt a flicker of satisfaction when Taurus stepped up beside him, axe at the ready.

“Not enough for my axe,” the bull snorted, steeling himself for the fight. “They will all perish for harming my mistress!”

Laughter cracked over the sound of waves, pulling everyone’s attention up to the deck in front of the wheelhouse. Standing in front of a large, blue Lacrima that hung on the wall between the wheelhouse windows was the very man who had caused all of their problems. Blood seeped from the bandages covering the mid-section of his face making the laughter sound more like a dolphin.

“I had heard that the real Salamander of Fairy Tail might come after me if I used his name,” Bora yelled down, voice a nasally pitch compared to the bass register he hit before. “Seems those rumors were correct! Come now, Salamander, let’s see your mark!”

Eyes narrowed, Natsu kept his attention on Bora and shrugged his shoulders, letting the straps of his bag slip. A heavy thunk filled the air with a somber feel and soon his coat fluttered down to cover the bag.

Using his name for slave trading, kidnapping Lucy, being complete scum…a list of crimes committed that filled pages of legal books. He refused to let him get away with more and cause more damage.

With both arms bare, only those to his right were able to see the crimson proof of the guild mark on his shoulder. An undisputable truth. One that made Lucy worried her lower lip and take Natsu in with a different light.

Not once had the salmon-haired man next to her seem like a typical ‘bad guy.’ Not like the man above them or those she had met before. Really, he had treated her well, with a sense of welcoming that not many offered those down on their luck. “You really are Salamander.”

“You didn’t know?” Bora’s voice sneered and he leaned forward over the railing. “Renown around the land after some good PR. But,” he lifted a crowbar up and grinned around the bandages, “he does have one simple weakness.”

Lacrima shards shattered and littered the deck as the metal bar slammed into it with enough force to crack the windows on either side. The once smooth sailing of the ship dipped and waves began to rock it back and forth—gently, but enough to feel a difference. Many of the men around them grew pale and green, but kept their stomachs.

Unfortunately for Natsu, no amount of peppermint covered cloth would help the sudden onslaught of motion sickness. Stomach rebelling, everything he had eaten early came up and splashed on the deck. A cold sweat broke out over his face and he fell to his knees as he hugged his stomach.

Lucy stared down at him as he withered around like a pathetic creature instead of the man she had meet earlier. Happy cried out in alarm.

“Oh no! Without that stabilizer, Natsu won’t be able to do anything!”

Below them, the growing hum of the engines began to rev up. They were preparing to move the ship again! Quickly, she took in the situation, the crumpled-up form of Natsu, the dissipating stores of her magic, and the men closing in around them. Drastic situations called for drastic measures.

“Taurus!” she called out to her spirit. “I need you to go back. Happy! I need you to get me to the water.”

“The water?”

“Yes, please!”

“Aye, sir!” Without explanation or more questions, Taurus closed his gate as Happy flew them up into the air above the heads of the men below. Some switched at Lucy’s bare feet while others rushed at Natsu and began kicking and punching him without remorse.

“Hurry, Happy!”

Purple flames slammed into Happy’s back like a whip. The poor cat cried out in pain and his paws loosened. Lucy screamed as her body fell onto several shoulders and then the hard deck of the ship. Pain erupted through her body and was reminded vividly of all of her previous injuries.

Just briefly, she watched as Happy’s continued momentum of flying and being stuck sent him falling over the other side of the railing. From the noise of the sailors, the rocking of the ship, and the roaring in her own ears, she couldn’t tell if he had hit the water or not.

“Happy!” she cried out, pushing herself up and away from the mass of people. No hands grabbed at her, and the stuttered rumbling below sounded like the ship still struggled to move. If the propellers weren’t functioning, that meant she could get into the water and grab Happy. They wouldn’t have to worry about getting pulled in by the propellers or chopped up.

No matter what, she had to get to the water!

A pair of hands grabbed her. The straps of her pack ripped loudly and it was thrown somewhere else. Those same hands frisked over her body and a familiar weight fell with a jingle to the deck.

Her keys. Her keys!

Crying out in pain, one of her arms were pulled up behind her back, forcing her up onto her toes to try to relieve the building pressure. The arm that wrapped around her chest and reached up to grip its hand around her neck didn’t help, either.

“Where do you think you were going?” Bora’s breath blew over her ear and he bent her arm up further. A chuckle mingled with her cries. “I still need to show you my gratitude—” A loud pop sounded before her scream of pain from her shoulder, “—of your little stunt earlier.”

“Lucy!” Natsu’s voice called through the blows of the men around him. With the stabilizer gone, and the crew attacking him, he could do nothing to help himself or her. And Happy had fallen limp over the side of the ship.

Heated shame and anger flushed over his skin. They had come to save her, dammit!

Hot tears-stained Lucy’s cheeks. Nothing around her registered—the rapid beating of her heart, the sound of waves in her ears, the constant rolling of the ship and her stomach…only the burning feel of Bora’s hand slipping from her neck down her chest broke through what panic had taken over. Desperate to escape, to find a way back to safety.

Since finding herself on the streets, all of her spirits had sought to ensure she could manage in the real world alone. No servants would be there to bring her food or clothes. Tutors would not teach her lessons that would prepare her for running her father’s business. Guards would not be there to keep her safe. They stepped up and took over her teachings.

The grip on her wrist released and moved to her hip.

It was time to put it all to use.

Pressing her tongue to the top of her mouth, she snapped her head back. Flesh and bone slammed against the back of her head. Reflexes took over, and even barefooted, she raised her leg up and stomped her heel down on the top of his foot.

Bora’s hands pulled back, gripping his bloody bandages with a muffled cry of pain, and released her from his grip. Scrambling over the deck, Lucy grabbed for her keys and did not stop her movement as the delicate metal pressed against the skin of her palm or when the cold railing of the ship pressed against her stomach as she tumbled over the edge.

A sense of weightlessness overcame her. Air brushed her hair upwards with her tears and stole the breath from her lungs. It made taking a deep breath difficult as the water surface of the ocean engulfed her completely.

Cold.

It was so cold!

Toes curled inward and her limbs pulled inward to keep what warmth she had in her core and biting the inside of her cheeks, Lucy struggled desperately to keep her hand over her nose and mouth. To keep them closed and not take the desperate gasp of air her lungs ached for.

Salt burned her eyes the moment she tried to take a glance around her, hoping to catch a glimpse of Happy or figure out which way was up. Desperation clutched her chest tighter, an ache blooming into an open wound that seeped bubbles instead of blood. Then a realization dawned on her, one that sent bile racing up her esophagus and irritation.

Her arm was useless.

Out of socket and blinding when moved, Lucy had willingly sentenced herself to drown by way of barely being able to handle the ocean depths. Of all the ways to die, this would be the most pathetic, the worst to live with.

Good thing if she did die, she wouldn’t have to live with it long.

A blurred shimmer caught her attention. Something near the bottom, just a small way from her. Whatever it was, she needed to make sure it wasn’t Happy. They had risked their lives to save her, and she wouldn’t fail them when it was her turn.

Pushing past the pain and the claws ripping apart her chest cavity, she pushed herself forward with a few good kicks of her legs and used her good arm to steer towards it. There, the poor cat bobbed near the bottom of the ocean, tangled up in old fishing line. Metal hooks and weights cut dances of light through the water.

Another set of icy fingers gripped her lungs. Happy looked so still! How long had he been wrapped up in the netting? How would she get him out?

There was one of her spirits she knew could cut the lines easily, but her magic reserves only allowed for one more summons.

Pursing her lips together, she kicked harder to get down to him and began to pull at the litter. One arm slipped out, but his left arm remained tangled. Bubbles rose up from her lips. Gathering him in her injured arm, she pulled the coral and vegetation from the sea floor up with the tangled mess.

Lungs burning, she gathered all the netting together and used the sea floor to push herself toward the surface. More bubbles rose up from her blue-tinted lips that begged for a touch of fresh air. The added weight of Happy and the fishing line around him dragged her downward. Each limb desperately wished for a break to rest; her body exhausted.

Air greeted her fingertips. Her head broke the surface and she gasped desperately for each lungful. Waves splashed against her face, and her legs struggled to keep her above the waves.

Stretching out her good arm, she let out a deep breath, focusing her magic. Wisps of power poured from her hand and swirled around the key in her grasp. A light similar to that of the sun enveloped her and she shouted, “Aquarius!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note:

Is this chapter severely late? Yes, yes it is. Has it been finished since I started posting this fic? Also yes, BUT it was not edited, and I have been having a hell of a time focusing on editing for awhile.

Should only have one last chapter to go, and then Episode One will be complete! I just need to edit it (and I would post it without editing, but many things changed during the edits, and continuity errors are my biggest pet peeves, lol). I have started Episode Two, but I have been going different ways with it. Not sure which way I will end up going, though. And if we want things done quickly...editing might be out of the cards for now, lol.

I am also hoping to get a Fraxus story out before the end of this month. Just need to finish editing it a bit more, and then write up the smut!

Links: AO3 (Is locked to registered AO3 users) | FF.net

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[carionto]

It's too big

Part 1 2 3

"How's the Captain holding up?" the overqualified Haespar Kraus asked Trisha, who was just leaving Knoslark's quarters, with a very fine braid he noted.

"Awful, he didn't ask a single thing about sea turtles. It's like I was talkin' to a brick wall, that can knit. I mean I was literally starin' at a wall, but it's like there was nothin' behind me either."

"Well this won't cheer you up then. We need to go on another expedition."

"Already? No way is Ying up and about already, and this" she points an irritated finger at the sign on Knoslark's door, "stupid thing is technically an order from our superior to not do a damn thing."

"Quite. Another technicality is that we will not be leaving the ship for this journey. Remember how the warp jump fried all our quantum gear, as well as numerous sub-systems and left us with one running reactor? That list also includes the internal ship-wide scanners and most monitoring sensors. And the drone controls."

"No way. She can't be serious." Trisha's face began to pale at the realization of what they were about to embark on.

"I'm afraid so."

"TAMEKI!! DO YOU KNOW HOW BIG THIS STUPID SHIP IS! WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH IT FOR WEEKS!"

"Closer to three months. I did the math." Haespar said with a glint of smugness. He loved being right with numbers to back him up. Though it quickly faded as he was also part of this tour of the Radiant Dusk, "At least the turbo-lifts work, so at most we will be a seven hour crawl from everyone else at the furthest nook we have to inspect."

"Woooow, you really know how to cheer a girl up, y'know."

"Even better news then - we can't lift off into space on one reactor in this gravity, AND we don't know if there are any radiation or coolant leaks. Suits on at all times."

"Greeeeat! Now tell me the local aliens are building a giant box around our ship. That way I can be triple packaged."

"Well, they are pelting the ship and trying to get in, but unless they are keeping advanced metallurgy a secret, they won't succeed."

Trisha just rubs her hands over her face before slapping her cheeks: "Right. Okay. Fine. Imma take a nice long bath first. And eat a cake while I talk to Emily about the underground catacombs of Paris. You're NOT invited."

[chuckle] "Hey, I'm just the messenger."

"Well I hate messages, so nyee."

_______________________________

Human ships are big. Seemingly pointlessly so, but there is a reason for everything. Sure, it's not the best reasons, but they're legit.

You need big engines to carry a lot of stuff into space.

You need big power generators to have enough thrust.

You need bigger cargo holds since the generators are taking up too much space.

You need a stronger, thicker hull to keep it all together.

You need more powerful engines now to move all that extra mass.

You need additional lift chutes and corridors to connect all the parts of the ship

You need an army of drones to maintain all of everything.

You need a bigger cargo hold since everything else is taking up the previously allotted space now.

You need...

And it just goes on until somebody finally decides that a 10 kilometer long ship that can transform into a circle is enough engineering for one day. Then you hand it over to a crew of 27 and let them do whatever, you installed a few thousand redundancies and safety features (adding a few hundred thousand meters of wiring, piping and code and a million tons of matter and bumping everything else up a size category in the process, but who's counting) what could go wrong?

Nothing! You're an engineer who thought of everything, not an architect who draws ugly shapes.

So yeah, you try exploring every street and building and attic in your city. Then do it five more times because in space you can just build in every direction. Oh and take notes and pictures of everything, because if you don't, you might miss a loose cable.

And if you happen to be neglectful and try to turn on your star creating power reactors, you might end up with a permanent tan.

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