#orbak

[jazaesis]

“The Huntress and The Assassin”

Hala and Morticia ( @chewbaccawithouthan)

[crown-and-stallion]

Say what you will about Rise of Skywalker, but I loved the orbaks. Here, have a beast!! And a baby beast!

[themainstarwarrior]

some references for orbaks

[ivystoryweaver]

No One Like You - Poe Dameron

Poe + Horseback riding

Fall Fluff Masterlist | Poe Masterlist | Main Masterlist

Okay so, this ficlet is a "deleted scene" from my unwritten "Poe crash lands to Earth" story I'm pretending will be posted in Poevember. For that reason, you will discover the slightest slivers of angst surrounding that concept, but I promise it's fluff.

Word count: 1.3k (technically not a ficlet, oh well!) || for @virtie333

Darkness faltered as the last stars danced against its covering canopy. Robins chirped dawn's arrival, their song scattering night's hold over the earth.

Booted footfalls fell on damp soil, carrying you out to the stables, where two magnificent animals waited for your attention eagerly.

Poe Dameron watched as you nuzzled your forehead against the fairer one, stroking gently and whispering, "Good morning, sweet girl."

The darker, redder horse beside her let out a slightly annoyed squeal, which made you chuckle before granting her equal attention, speaking so softly, Poe could barely hear you.

Polishing off the rest of his caf - or coffee, as Earthlings called it - Poe set his ceramic mug down, hoping to be of some use.

Weeks had passed since he'd come to be here with you - since his X-wing spun out of control, through a black hole to a galaxy far, far away. It took the two of you almost a week to successfully hide his nearly obliterated ship on your farm and make up a cover story, should anyone come knocking.

It also took quite a lot of convincing for Poe to believe that there was no one on Earth who could help repair his ship - not without drawing the kind of attention that would get him locked up or put under a microscope.

So, he decided to trust you.

You gave him a bed in your spare room, two warm meals a day, and in return, he helped out on your small farm. He wasn't sure how he could ever get home, but this place wasn't so bad, for now.

"Are there horses where you're from?" You asked Poe a bit later, brushing the coat of your sweet Annabelle.

"There were animals called orbaks one one of the moons of a planet called Endor. And I think there are your kind of horses on its forest moon. Never seen those myself, though," Poe explained, gesturing toward your animal.

A warm smile brightened your face. "So did you ever ride an orbak?"

"No," he cockily grinned. "I was too busy flying my X-wing. My best friend rode one in battle though. It was - what do you say? ‘Badass.’”

Giggling at the colloquialism, you finished brushing Annabelle's mane and reached for the fly spray. "I cannot believe you've been in actual battles. In space. You must think Earth is so boring."

He shrugged one shoulder. "Earth has wars, right? Battles, soldiers? It's the same thing."

"True, but no laser guns and laser swords and powerful wizards and talking furry...what did you call Chewbacca?"

"A Wookiee," Poe chuckled.

After spraying Annabelle, you fed her a quick treat and saddled her. "You be nice to Poe, sweet girl," you instructed her affectionately. "He's new to this."

"Are you sure you don't want to ride her?" Poe politely asked you. "I can try the other one."

You glared at him half-jokingly. "I promise you do not want to ride Arzola. She's not for newbies."

Dark eyebrows shot up at the challenge. "You know, I can fly anything."

"Fly, sure. Ride?" Pulling your bottom lip between your teeth, you winked at him. "Leave the riding to me."

Poe Dameron had never backed down from a challenge in his life, and two in a row had just been laid before him.

Arzola. And you.

"Her loss," he playfully shrugged, carefully approaching the moodier chestnut. "You don't know what you're missing, sweetheart."

"Are you flirting with my horse?" You swatted his arm with a pretend huff.

Trapping your hand against his bicep with incredible reflexes, his eyes locked with yours before momentarily flickering down to your lips. "Not with her."

Arzola nudged her way between the two of you protectively, breaking your temporary trance.

Clearing your throat, you nodded toward her saddle. "Come on, I'll show you how to do this."

Soon enough, you and Poe guided Arzola and Annabelle, respectively, out for an early morning ride.

As expected, Poe was a natural and quickly took command of Annabelle, showing no signs of nervousness and forming an instant bond with her. He seemed so good at it, you almost felt a mildly jealous pang at how she warmed to him. He'd tried out Annabelle a couple times, on quick walks around the paddock, but this was the first real ride.

Sunlight spilled over the horizon, illuminating the path before you, inviting you to rush headlong to where light kissed the earth.

You clicked twice, urging Arzola ahead into a full run, which Annabelle immediately followed.

Poe, of course, accepted the challenge and gave Annabelle a gentle squeeze with his legs. “Come on, sweetheart.”

Annabelle neighed out an affirmation, galloping ahead of the competition. Arzola possessed fiery spirit in spades, but Annabelle's legs were longer, and she preferred to think of herself as the favorite.

"That's my girl," Poe bellowed out a joyful laugh as crisp autumn air whipped through his curls, tossing them carelessly around his forehead. He chanced a look at you, flashing you a devastating grin, dark eyes bright and reddened by the sun's kiss, almost a twin color to Arzola's coat.

This was closest you'd come to seeing him in action, aside from a few projects he'd attempted with a hammer around the farm, and you had to admit, it was a good look on him.

Despite the joy surging through you at the chance to take both your girls out for a run, and with Poe, no less, you still possessed a competitive streak of your own.

With a powerful command you'd probably come to regret, you granted Arzola the permission she was impatiently waiting for, to run top speed and catch the stranger riding her adoptive sister.

Despite the vigor and exertion involved with riding a horse at a full gallop, the look on Poe's face as he stared out over the horizon could be considered nothing short of pure peace.

The two of you slowed and finally brought your animals to a stop. After walking them for a few minutes, you offered them a drink from a hose and trough near a ramshackle tool shed at the far end of your property.

You and Poe sat down on the creaky old steps leading up to the door, taking a moment to have a drink yourselves while the sun finally climbed all the way to full daylight.

"Thanks for this," he softly uttered, turning to gaze at your profile.

Although you felt him staring, you couldn't bring yourself to meet his eyes.

"You're welcome." Finishing off your water bottle, you glanced over at your horses. "Annabelle likes you. Really likes you. She usually can't be bothered to race Arzola."

"Why is that?"

"She's just gentle. She must've had a good reason to challenge her," You explained with a knowing wink.

Poe beamed proudly, following your gaze over to the magnificent creatures. "They're amazing animals. I know it doesn't make sense, but Arzola reminds me of BB-8 a little bit."

"Of a robot?" You scoffed. "For real?"

"A droid," Poe corrected. "Believe me, they can have spirit."

"He must be wonderful," you sympathized, knowing he was separated from the little guy.

Poe ran a hand over the stubble on his chin, eyes dipping as he contemplated a life so far away from everything he'd ever known.

Swallowing, he bravely scooted a little closer to you, meeting your eyes with the openness and sincerity you'd come to expect from him.

"He would be really happy to know that I met someone like you. Someone who helped me. Protected me."

Your lip trembled slightly under his intensity. You'd never met a man like him in your life. There couldn't possibly be anyone like him, at least not on this planet.

Laying your hand gently over his, you spoke from your heart. "I know you didn't plan on any of this, but I'm happy I met you, Poe."

Fall Fluff Masterlist | Poe Masterlist | Main Masterlist

[virtie333]

It always makes me laugh in movies when a character casually has really specific skills that you know took years to actually learn, like horseback riding.

Who in Star Wars do you think would be secretly really good at riding a horse/ SW equivalent? Kind of thinking Leia because she could have had access for that growing up, but it would be so funny if it was Finn somehow.

Oh, you have to know I love to combine my two favorite subject matters whenever I can and I have since I was a little girl!

I think you are very correct about Leia. I always envisioned there being horses (or horse-like creatures) native to Alderaan. She grew up riding and was quite impressive on horseback. She mourned her favorite mount, one she had known since the day it was born, along with her family and friends after Alderaan was destroyed.

Luke, on the other hoof, had a great deal of trouble learning to ride anything! He grew up occasionally riding dewbacks and eopies, but they are calm, slow moving animals. On his first ride on a Taun-taun, he was thrown from its back after one quick turn. He got better, but it took time.

Han grew up with all sorts of creatures, and he'll be the first one to tell you that he would rather deal with an animal rather than a droid. He didn't grow up riding horses, but he was very quick when it came time to learn! He also essentially became an expert with Taun-tauns.

Padme rode every once in a while on her home world of Naboo, but she was never really focused on it. She much preferred flying ships!

Like Luke, Anakin never had the experience of riding anything that was fast or had attitude, and he never really had to opportunity or the desire. He was fairly comfortable around animals in general, but he never developed any real fondness for them.

Obi Wan, however... Mister 'I will tame and befriend every animal that crosses my path' Kenobi. Not only did he learn to ride horses in his youth, but they were crazy, excitable, affectionate horses that taught him well! It was their training that allowed him to handle the Boga, and also helped him create a bond with his Eopie on Tatooine later in life.

If you check out my first Star Wars series, I created a creature called a Tris in Planet X which was my Star Wars horse (and Sal is based on my own horse Chester!). It was my way of bringing horses into Star Wars canon, and Sal and other Tris appear throughout the series. Rey, of course, was the one to befriend and learn to ride Sal, so she becomes quite a good rider. I really think it would be natural for her!

Our beloved Poe, on the other hand, really does prefer machines. But he learns to ride. For Rey. (welcome to my Damerey world!) He would especially complain when an animal in their life gets sick or hurt, because he can't fix it like he can a droid or a ship!

Finn has proven to be very adaptable, but his first experience riding a fast land animal was a challenge and he will never let Rose forget the wild ride they shared on a Fathier. However, it was that experience that helped him find the courage and natural talent to ride the Orbaks in the final battle! He may not have grown up on horseback like Leia, but you wouldn't know it by the way he rides!

(P.S. that is really John riding a horse in the scene above!!!!)

Okay, this was fun! Thank you! I'm going to go play with my Chester now!

[hetalianskywalker]

Wedding Cake Cookies

Summary: Captain Rex makes it to Coruscant in time for your favorite Life Day tradition.

Author’s Note: Captain Rex x gn! reader Life Day fic. Purely self indulgent and making Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies, my favorite Christmas Cookie.

Warnings: Fluff with an implication of something more at the end. Baking cookies.

Word Count: 1227

Thank you for reading!

“What are you making, senaar?” You jump a little, having been far too focused rolling the dough in your hands. You could hear the sound of a half-suppressed chuckle as you turned to face him. The scared surprise melts away into pure joy.

“Well hello to you too.” You tease gently, setting down the chilled dough. He meets you halfway and pulls you into a warm hug. Well, warm as it could be with the plastoid still on.

“I thought you had another week.” You mutter as you close your eyes, basking in his presence. Your arms hold firm around him and he kisses the top of your head.

“The general found a way to get back early.” You can’t help but laugh at that one; your face still hidden in his chest. They had made it home just before Life Day; there was no way Skywalker didn’t have secret plans. However, you weren’t going to look a gift Orbak in the mouth.

“Of course he did.” You huff good naturedly. You look up at him and Rex arches an eyebrow. Your grin only grows.

“Don’t go starting any rumors, cyare.” You get on your tiptoes and give him a quick peck.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Your captain rolls his eyes before they wander back to your cookies-to-be. You blink as your mind comes back online. He had probably never had them before, especially since they weren’t an extremely popular Life Day cookie.

“Their called Ferrix Wedding Cake Cookies, but I’ve heard pantorans have them too and call them Pantoran Tea Cookies.” You reluctantly let go of his waist before grabbing his hand. He lets you bring him to your kitchen counter where the still cool dough sits waiting. You had rolled it out before it chilled and were slowly tearing pieces off to roll into balls; your hands’ heat making the hard dough more malleable.

“The dough smells really nice.” You giggle at the genuine remark. You turn and catch his brown eyes for a split second before quickly looking away at the dough again. You press your lips together to hide the smile at his slightly flustered expression.

“That would be the vanilla extract and butter.” You respond, taking in the nostalgic smell for a moment. He watches you quietly set the finished ball on the tray. Rex’s shoulders relax as he watches you, enjoying the peace, your presence, and that softly sweet smell. He’s home.

“Would you like me to roll or put them on the tray?” You beam at the offer, but shake your head.

“Go take your armor off, Rex. Get comfortable first.” You gently respond, wanting to make sure he didn’t misunderstand your rejection, as you tear off another piece of dough. He kisses your temple in response as you begin rolling the dough. You listen to his boots head toward the bedroom and then the door sliding open and closing.

You pause a moment, feeling your eyes well up with unshed tears. You rest the ball on the counter as you blink them away. You hadn’t realized how lonely you were this Life Day, adding on to the stress of the war in general and worrying about him.

But he was here. Really here. Maker, he came home during your favorite holiday tradition; you got to share it with him. And now you didn’t have to spend the holiday alone, but more than that, you have your Rex to spend it with.

You smile, taking a deep breath. No time for tears. You quickly get back to work; maybe you can have them in the oven and start a pot of caf before he gets back.

***

You flop down on the couch as you hear the bedroom door open. Rex pauses upon seeing you on the couch; you grin, waving him over. He looks much more comfortable in the black sweatpants and blue t-shirt, but the exhaustion is way more obvious.

He sits beside you and you immediately cuddle into his side for warmth. His body only relaxes more and lets himself sink into the couch.

“Your highness,” your sing-songy tone makes him turn to you with amused curiosity. The teasing about the translation of his name to basic only meant trouble.

He gave an inquisitive humm in response. You giggle as you feel the vibrations just as much as hear them.

“You’re tired.” You state.

“Am I that easy to read?” He leans his forehead against your own and you feel your face grow warm at the gesture.

“Yes.” He gives a slightly sour look and you laugh. The look he gives you melts away into a content one as you both drift into a comfortable silence. Coruscant rain hitting your window and traffic become the main sounds in your apartment. One of the best parts of your relationship was how you could both be content with just the other’s presence.

“When will the cookies be done?” He inquires as he plays with your hair.

“About 5 minutes now, but the caf should be done already.” The thankful smile that graces his face makes starting the pot beyond worth it. “I don’t want you falling asleep on me.”

“No, I’ll try a cookie first, senaar.” It’s your turn to become flushed. It turns to laughter as you watch him fight a yawn.

You slowly get up. His hand lingers until you are out of reach and you are hit with the reminder that he missed you as much as you missed him. You reach back for his hand and give it a gentle tug. He laughs at your futile attempt to get him on his feet before slowly getting up.

Once back in the kitchen, you begin to pour two cups of caf. He stands behind you with his arms gently wrapped around your waist. You can’t help but smile as you hand him his cup as the timer goes off. Grabbing the mits, you take the tray out of the oven.

“They don’t expand?” Rex asked, sounding a little confused.

“Not really. They still taste good though.” You gently set the tray down as you hear him sip his caf. “They just have to cool and then they get covered in powdered sugar.”

He moves out of the way as you go to grab the bag. Once you have a bowl of powdered sugar ready, you ask about the recent battles. You listen to what he wishes to speak of, but respect what is too hard for him to talk about.

“It’s hard to wait.” He says after you both were lost in conversation for a while. You laughed, being caught off guard, and almost choke on your caf. He presses his lips together as the contained laughter makes his shoulders shake. “What? They smell good.”

“Alright. Alright.” You laugh and dunk two of the cookies in the sugar and hand one to Rex. You watch him take a bite and you blush as he closes his eyes, enjoying the taste.

“Good huh?” He gives you a bright smile in response. He sets down the rest of the cookie and pulls you close.

“Yes, ma’am.” The way Rex says it brings a chill up your spine as you meet him halfway for a kiss. Maybe the rest of the cookies could wait for sugar till Life Day Morning.

[blackkatmagic]

Tarre is so smooth omg

:D

“A weakness, in the True Mandalorian leader? Shocking. I’ll make sure to take full advantage of it.” Granta smiles, stroking the orbak’s sleek face. He catches a flicker of motion, quick, out of the corner of his eye, and looks up.

Up on the wall, leaning against the edge and looking down at them, is the strange Mandalorian, the grey light of the morning making the blue and copper on his armor shine. When he catches Granta's gaze, he lifts a hand, and Granta can just make out his expression, warm and easy. It makes heat twist through his chest, and he raises a hand in return, touching two fingers to his forehead in lazy salute.

“Tack should be over here, if Paru put it where I asked her to,” Myles says, distracted, and Granta turns to follow him as he heads towards the small shed in the corner, then pauses.

He glances up again, halfway expecting the Mandalorian to have vanished in the moment his attention was elsewhere. The man is still standing there, though, still watching him, and when Granta stills in surprise, he smiles, raises his fingers to his lips. Kisses them, deliberate, as he holds Granta's gaze, then flicks his hand out like offering the kiss across the distance between them.

Then he turns and walks away, heading down the wall towards the south tower with steady steps, and Granta feels a little like he takes all the air with him as he goes.

[phoenixyfriend]

Time to react to some fic stuff!

Important note: Natalie Portman is 5'3" (160cm) and Padme's height, according to supplemental material, is 5'5" (165cm).

I could cite global or national height statistics, but nah

[jazaesis]

“Phantom Rider”

It takes Hala a long time to learn the shadow magick, her past and fears creating a barrier. Only after years of working though her past is she able to spin the green mist around her fingertips. (Of course her first act as a “true” witch is to resurrect an Orbak, Pyra was thrilled)

[ask-missparker]

A Naboo Dream  | A Star Wars Story AU

Pairing: Nikolai Skywalker x Amelia Colter

Fic Type: Star Wars AU

Extra Characters: Obi Wan, R2D2, The Young Avengers

Setting: The Clone Wars Era

-----

As the twin suns of Naboo cast their warm glow across the lush landscape, Anakin Skywalker's younger brother, Nikolai, arrived on the serene planet. Sent on a mission by the Jedi Council to assist in the protection of Naboo, his senses were heightened as he explored the beautiful surroundings of the royal palace.

Guided by duty, Nikolai wandered through the ornate corridors, his Jedi instincts attuned to any potential threats. It was then that he stumbled upon a captivating sight—a young woman with long, flowing brown hair, gazing wistfully out of a window.

She turned, revealing a delicate face adorned with subtle makeup, her eyes sparkling with an unknown intrigue. A small smile graced her lips as she nodded in acknowledgment of Nikolai  presence, leaving him momentarily spellbound.

But his training kicked in, his guard remaining vigilant as he continued his scouting mission. Throughout the day, he found himself crossing paths with the mysterious young woman, always at the periphery of his vision.

In the stables, she tended to gentle creatures with grace and compassion. In the garden, she sat among the vibrant blooms, a vision of serenity. And later, in the bustling mess hall, their paths crossed once more, her presence like a whisper in the Force.

With each encounter, Nikolai curiosity grew, drawn to this enigmatic figure who seemed to be everywhere yet remained shrouded in mystery. Little did he know, their fateful meeting would set into motion a tale of destiny and devotion in a galaxy far, far away.

———

As chaos unfolded in the marketplace, he found himself in the midst of a pursuit, his lightsaber drawn as he chased after the thieves. Through the bustling crowd and into the verdant expanse of the forest, his senses honed in on the task at hand.

Amidst the flurry of activity, he spotted an Orbak galloping wildly, its rider desperately trying to regain control. Without hesitation, Nikolai  sprang into action, using the Force to guide him towards the chaotic scene.

With swift movements, he managed to calm the rampaging creature, his eyes meeting those of its rider—a familiar face from his past. It was her, the mysterious woman from Tatooine, now revealed in her true form, her natural beauty shining through.

Memories flooded back as they locked eyes, recalling their chance encounter years ago amidst the sands of Tatooine. She had been one of the decoys, dressed in vibrant hues of orange and white, leaving him with a bracelet as a token of their brief encounter.

Now, in this moment of shared danger, she offered him a ring from her home planet of Naboo, a gesture of gratitude for his assistance. Yet, their exchange was interrupted by the Orbak's restless movements, reminding them of the urgency of the situation.

With a gentle smile, he addressed her, his voice calm amidst the chaos. The two stood together amidst the lush forest of Naboo, their destinies intertwined once more in the vast tapestry of the Force.

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked, with  concern genuine. 

“I’m alright but you nearly tighten the life out of him.” She responded. 

“Who?” 

“The creature your friends were chasing. What has he ever done to you that you must chase him about?”

He chuckled at that, petting the Orbak she rode on as he said, “I must confess, I never met him before. A friend of yours?”

“No.” She replied chuckling, pushing hair out of her face, “Most creates the ideals of Naboo as a noble place, and so is it’s creature who stole from the market.”

“Stealing is wrong.”

“Not when they’re not given the amount to pay for their food.”

“Ah, I see. Fair by all means then. Miss, what do they call you?”

As she smiled her cheekbones lit up like the stars at night. 

She hummed for a moment, “You really don’t know?”

“That’s why I asked.” He responded with a blushing smile.

“Amelia..Amelia, that’s all you’ll get.”

“Lovely name. You shouldn’t be this deep in the forest alone.”

“I’m not alone, I’m with you. Mrs..I mean, Jedi.”

“You don’t remember?”

“I do.”

“So why you ask such a question?”

“To play the fool and get your answer.”

Years ago on the sandy lands, they would play as the older Jedi and driods would roll around talking. He was helping his older brother in a speed race in Tatooine, in hopes to win, as she accompany her older sisters as one of decoy queens to see the people there. 

“My, have you grown.” She asked with a giggle. 

“Ahh so you do remember, Mia.” He added with a wink.

“Hush, not so loud. I’m supposed to be working. I see you were working too.”

“Define work.”

“Hilarious.”

“I was entrusted to watch over Naboo grounds for a while. Keep the crown space from any spice runners who would sell it for parts.”

“I see you brought R2 with you.”

Nikolai turned around confused for a moment, as he then saw the white and blue driod rolling up to them in concern beeps asking where they headed of to. Nikolai muttered how he was fine and go tell Obi Wan that things will be alright. However R2 beeps otherwise that he rather stay.

“Does he treat you fair R2?” She asked the driod with a teasing tone.

He beeps twice.

“Oh really? You need some rest then.”

He beep again.

“He thinks about me and visiting the 7 wonders of the galaxy.”

Nikolai gasped and scoffed, “I never once said that! On the contrary, you must been thinking about me, if you remember my driod so well.”

She giggled and huffed a breathe, “I won’t confirm or deny it, my lord.”

“Cheeky respond for a princess.”

“And one for a Jedi.”

He nods with a lovely smile, “Clever. Very clever. I am a fine Jedi if you ask anyone.”

“One full of pride if you ask me.” She added giggling some more.

“You think you’re funny.”

“I think I’m honest. Meanwhile your a cheeky little solider”

“I beg your pardon?”

Despite what he said, he couldn’t help but laugh as a smile spread on his face. He shook his head having not felt this way in a while. Without a second later, he offered to lead the way back to the castle as their banter contain between them. 

As they contained their laughter to themselves, quiet blushing banter and witty comments that was upmost challenging, one can’t deny the chemistry  between the pair.

A Jedi & A Princess. 

Oh dear tiff..

…he shot up awaken from the sounds of the TV. The volume was high and guns were blasting, as the Jedis and Sith fought against one another on screen. He realized he was back in the living room, with tossed hair, a blanket over his body and a tray of popcorn over his lap. 

It was a dream. Or was it?

He looked over to see Arrow, his dog, on the ground playing with his chew toy, being a Falcon plushie. Liane was half paying attention as she was texting, Cole and Jeremy were cuddling on the couch next to him. Ethan on the ground eating some chips. Rochelle was half asleep on Michelle’s lap as the blonde girl was talking over the movie.

Nikolai then allowed himself to take a breath, rubbing his eyes and sighed. He remembered he was watching Star Wars with the gang. He wondered where the rest of the gang was. He assumed in the kitchen, as he excuse himself to grab some water and head over to the kitchen. There he found Rick and Luna chilling, eating extra slices of pizza. Finlay and Rose chatting about something. 

But Mia was no where to be found. 

He headed to the hallway only to have a pair of brown-green eyes bump into his chest. He heard her high pitched ‘Oof!’ As he looked down to meet his love’s face who pushed her glasses upwards, she watched him with a small dazes, as if she can tell he was thinking.

“What happened?” She asked.

At the same time he asked, “Where did you go?”

The two chuckled awkwardly at the exchanged. 

“I went to use the bathroom and then checked on the kids in the other room. Rochelle’s twins were fighting over a toy, Riley was dancing to Frozen, meanwhile Joshua was in his playpen watching the Tv and playing with his toy starfish.” She explained with a shrug smiling.

“Yikes! I hope things went alright.” He repiled chuckling, thinking he should take the next round on check in on the kids afterwards.

“Yeah, I handled it. What’s on your mind?”

“I had a dream.”

“Tell me about it.”

“It’s silly really.”

“Baby, come on, I wanna hear about it.”

“Okay fine, just know, it felt so real.”

He took her hand, leading the girl to the living room telling her about his Star Wars theme dream. He even mentioned how he wanted to be Anakin and Padme next halloween as she laughed nodding.

------

—> Thanks for reading. That’s what I got! Comment down below with ideas and reblog your thoughts 

Tags: @missstrawbs2001 @purpleprincessonfyre @meiramel  @gcthvile @rickb-chaos @gaminggirlsstuff @wizzzardofoz @cherrysft @thechoooooosenone @luna-d-marsh @sherloquestea and etc

[sinisterexaggerator]

Tech and Hondo Ohnaka ( Part 2 )

Rated: Teen and up (a rare general audiences fic on my part.)

Warning: Violence, death, injury, all comparable to what we see in The Bad Batch, pain mention, broken bones mention, attack by a wild animal, blaster fire.

Fic Summary: Tech is plummeting toward death, yet he is spared, all thanks to a Weequay pirate who was simply in the wrong place at the right time, depending.

Word count: 2.9k

Notes: This is a kind of crack / AU scenario. I like the idea of Hondo being the one to encounter Tech after his fall. The idea was definitely inspired by Phee's line at the end of season 2: "Well, don't go running off with any pirates or smugglers while you're gone,." :) Don't take this too seriously, though at the same time I tried to make it plausible. The main point of this was to have fun with Tech and Hondo ribbing each other in their own way. I love both of these characters, and I am excited to see what you guys think.

Chapter 1 | Read on Ao3

“Could you keep et down?”

“I have not said anything.”

“You are breathing much tuu loudly.”

“I cannot help it,” Tech argued. It was true, his breathing was labored. Though they had taken their time, the trip was slow-going, and his broken ribs were making it difficult for him to absorb lungfuls of oxygen.

“Perhaps… ef you took dat helmet off,” Hondo suggested, “den et would not be like listening tu an orbak chuffing en my ear.”

“Then I would not be able to see,” Tech reminded him, adjusting the weight of his pack. It felt heavier than normal. He was sure it was because he needed rest though now was an inopportune time.

“And you du see dat overgrown tooka, yes? De big blue one de size of a landspeeder who es currently feasting on de carcass of some nasty, six-legged vermin?”

Tech could not understand why he would ask this question. “I was the one to point it out when I saw it on my thermal readout,” he was quick to answer, the Weequay’s eyes constricting into two tight diagonal lines.

“Den you should know he will be able tu hear you!” Hondo emphasized, the feline in question at once perking up its ears.

Tech already did not appreciate the pirate’s boisterous personality, despite having dealt with so many others like him in the past. The clone’s brow creased beneath his visor as he lowered his voice to a whisper, all too aware of the current situation they had found themselves in. “Then perhaps you should be following your own advice,” Tech shot back evenly.

Hondo grumbled a closed-mouth complaint, turning his head slowly back toward the apex predator, sizing up their options as it was currently blocking their forward path. “We must find a way tu skirt past dis furry monstrosity; he es en our way,” Hondo stated, Tech assuming that had been quite obvious from the start.

“The best course of action may be to wait it out. Once the animal has consumed enough sustenance to—”

Tech paused, jerking back as Hondo rounded to face him. They were stationed on the ground, camouflaged behind a fallen tree trunk and copious amounts of shrubbery and grass. “What is it?” he questioned brusquely.

Evolving under rather merciless conditions, Weequay were adept at many things to ensure survival, one being the ability to detect sounds that were of a suspicious origin (should they quiet down long enough to listen in Hondo’s case). While most of his species communicated silently through the use of pheromones, Hondo preferred spoken language, yet even he knew when it was time to take things a little more seriously; he had not survived this long by being stupid.

“Footsteps,” he muttered, voice deeply resonate. “Et appears we du not have time tu, how you say, ‘wait et out.’”

Tech repositioned himself just enough to glance back over his shoulder, catching the outline of something warm, and alive. Many somethings, as it was another squad of TK troopers hot on their trail.

“They have yet to spot us,” Tech informed him, realizing they were now sandwiched between a deadly carnivore and half a dozen soldiers who were hellbent on finding and most likely killing them, if not something far worse than that; being a prisoner of war was not something Tech was looking forward to, nor was being shredded to bits in the jaws of a ferocious beast.

“Let us make haste! De mining facility es tu de northeast of here—"

“—I do not think we should make any sudden movements. It is best to give the feline a wide berth, as we do not know if—”

“—I du not intend tu die tuday, so unless you wish for me tu leave you behind,”  Hondo gave him a sidelong look, “you will follow closely, hm?”

Tech did not have time to offer anything more in the way of protest, watching as the pirate crept to the edge of their hiding place. Ohnaka stood halfway, keeping low to the ground, advancing in the direction of a more heavily wooded area.

Tech sighed, exasperated by the whole ordeal, and still in quite a lot of pain; it felt as if his entire being had been run over with a HAVw A6 Juggernaut turbo tank, yet he was not a quitter. He would keep pushing forward until his body decided to give out, whenever that might be.

He followed the Weequay’s heat signature; it ran hot in comparison to other species, much like his own, Hondo’s outline burning brightly through the cracks in his head-up display, not to mention his gaudy red coat would easily give him away. Tech wondered why he did not dispose of it if he was so worried about being found. It would be like wearing a large bullseye across your back -  very conspicuous.

For a moment, Tech thought they might be in the clear, both men having made it to the edge of the tree line, the clone unable to help glancing behind himself at intervals. He only realized something was amiss once he had turned back around, hearing the pirate speak, and not to him.

“Uh—hello,” Hondo said dumbly, Tech’s eyes widening at the appearance of a lone TK, his blaster poised and ready to shoot, though for the moment he seemed to be caught off guard just as much as they had been, the trooper not moving a muscle for several precious seconds.

Then, he called for help to his squad mates, or attempted to, via his comm; his transmission was cut short as Tech himself took the soldier out. Hondo watched as his armored form hit the forest floor like a sack of Corellian potatoes with a dull and lifeless thud, the Weequay speaking in low notes with a hint of indifference lacing his voice. “Eh… so much for stealth,” he shrugged.

Tech whisked back around, knowing his comrades would soon be on their way. It did not take long for bolts of plasma to scorch the trunks of trees surrounding them, thankfully these new troopers being unable to aim properly to save their lives.

“Iiiiii am not sure ef we should fight dem,” Hondo interjected between the pew pew sounds of laser fire, Tech having held his ground until this point, both men zigzagging between obstacles to find much needed cover.

“Please, explain what you think we should do,” Tech sardonically retorted, both of his DC-17’s withdrawn from their holsters as he prepared to engage the enemy.

“I tink we should wait for—”

At that very moment, the colossal, azure feline had been roused from its meal, considering these newcomers a threat to its territory and to the kill it had worked so hard to slay. Blaster fire only seemed to irritate it further, as the white-clad soldier’s attention had been diverted from the pursual of their quarry to the idea of staying alive.

“—dat,” Hondo finally finished.

Screams echoed through the forest as teeth and claw bore into plastoid, easily penetrating the TK’s armor as if it was nothing more than flimsiplast. Blood spurted as limbs were shredded and torn apart, the angry beast leaving a trail of viscera in its wake. Tech stood stock-still, riveted by the scene before him. “Fascinating,” he admitted beneath his breath.

“Now we go, ah?” Hondo asked, shooting Tech a quizzical look infused with mild disgust. He was not sure what he found so “fascinating,” and Tech’s only regret was not having his recording device at the ready to immortalize the ferocious, guttural sounds the beast was making as it mowed through nearly a dozen men.

Tech only snapped to attention when Hondo rapped his knuckles on the outside of his helmet. “Wake up en dere!” he growled, at once beginning his journey in the opposite direction, the one that was now a straight shot toward the general area of the lommite mine, Tech surmised, and he was content to follow, as he did not want to be next on the menu should the feline tire of its current entertainment.

“So nice of you tu join m—” Hondo stopped short, another TK Trooper having dropped before them from his hiding spot in the trees, blaster rifle held high and a smug tone permeating his voice as he gave his demands.

“Drop your weapons, and put your hands in the air!”

Both men glanced to one another, this being a rather unfortunate turn of events. Tech obeyed, but Hondo knew better; he had never withdrawn any in the first place. His lip curved just slightly; he could hear a rustling sound coming from a patch of nearby brush.

“My friend, we are de least of your worries,” Hondo relayed dryly. “I would put dat blaster away, ef you value your life, hm?”

Tech’s eyes darted as he registered the thermal readout of the very large feline stalking their way, calculating the odds of their survival mentally, which presently did not appear to be very good.

“Shut your mouth, Quay, and get on the ground!”

“Ef you insist,” Hondo replied, the pirate taking his time in bending first one leg, and then the other, his knees dropping onto the soft dirt below as if kneeling in prayer.

“You too, traitor,” the TK snapped, his blaster aimed loosely at Tech as the clone was forced to abide this man’s orders. He lowered himself beside Hondo, keeping his eyes trained not on the weapon’s barrel, but on the animal that was slowly creeping forward toward the unsuspecting soldier. He thought to warn him, but what would be the point? To face death head-on was not a privilege afforded to all. Sometimes, it was a surprise.

“Hands behind your head,” he barked. His “prisoners” obliged, the TK calling for assitance on his comm. “Found the terrorists a kilometer down from the mine, requesting back up.”

“Terrorists?” Hondo thought, meaning to give the man a piece of his mind. Even so, Hondo was privy to something he was not, keeping his mouth closed - if only just this once - as hypnotizing, unnatural yellow eyes shone like two bright suns just behind the soldier’s helmet. The head of the overgrown took’, not to mention its fangs, were both wider and longer than his head and arms. It was as if he was this man’s big, blue shadow, sooo massive in fact, it captured his attention; the sky had appeared to darken as if anticipating a rainstorm, the trooper looking up.

“Huh?” was all he managed to say, the TK’s head tilting for a better vantage just as the fanged maw of the creature enclosed around his throat. There was a terrible crunching sound as the ginormous cat severed through cartilage and bone as if they were nothing more than twigs, leaving both men to stare on in revulsion and awe as his body fell to the ground at their knees.

Hondo could feel Tech itching to rise and fight. Or. Perhaps to flee. “Du not. Move,” he instructed.

Tech decided to listen. He remained still. He was not sure why he had opted to trust the pirate on this matter, but he knew he would not be able to outrun the beast regardless. In other words, what did he have to lose besides his life? It was a kind of running joke at this point, he mused.

Hondo bothered to follow his own advice this time; he kept calm and motionless, even as the feline raised its eyes to look squarely at them. Blood dripped from its elongated eyeteeth like water drops from a leaky faucet, the formidable lifeform beginning to slowly prowl in their direction.

Tech took a breath to speak. Hondo interrupted him.

“Stand your ground. Du not panic, and du not run. Retreat only when I give de signal.”

Tech wanted to ask what the signal was, or explain that tactics that may work on one member of the Felidae family did not necessarily mean they could be employed against every feline they encountered. Still, Tech did not have experience with this particular species and wished to know more about them; perhaps Hondo had dealt with this kind of predator before. It was a shame that his equipment had been so badly damaged as to cease functioning properly, otherwise he may have been of some use.

A low growl emanated from the beast; Tech centered himself and relaxed. If it was his time to die, so be it, though he had not died yet when he had been almost positive he was going to only hours before.

Hondo lowered his head and stared at the creature’s feet; he made note he was so very fluffy, and if he was not so sure that he would get his face torn clean off for doing so, he may have been tempted to stroke its fur.

The cat bared its fangs; it roared only inches away. The wave of hot, stinky breath that followed did not impress Tech, though the Weequay beside him made a point to wrinkle his ridged nose.

Then, its attention turned solely to Hondo. Its snout was close enough to kiss. Hondo lazily lifted his head, the feline snorting out a blast so powerful, it sent one of Weequay’s braids behind his shoulder.

Hondo spoke; his voice was low and soothing. If he was at all afraid, he did not make it known, Tech observed, though he kept his eyes averted toward the wildcat’s legs. “We can be friends… yes?” he whispered huskily.

The behemoth stuck its nose against the Weequay, inhaling sharply to sniff Hondo as if he was a flower growing in some tranquil meadow, not a pirate in a crimson coat. Then the creature nuzzled his oversized head into the crook of Hondo’s jowls just below his frills, its broad, rough tongue brandishing itself to lick a stripe that would inevitably saturate his entire face.

Hondo laughed, a throaty chuckle indicative of something a little more than amusement. It was as if he knew to expect this all along.

“Dat’s right, what a sweet beast you are,” Ohnaka crooned as if talking to a lover, or a child, the pirate having spent many long hours in the fellowship of creatures both great and small, loving each one individually not for what they could do for him, but because, in most cases, animals were far better company than man.

For one, they did not double-cross him. Usually.

Tech thought the creature was giving Hondo a taste before deciding on whether or not to make him a second course, but to his surprise the feline began to produce a sound that was not unlike a purr from the bowels of its throat, it being somewhat reminiscent of the activation of ion engines set to embark on a journey through time and space.

The muscular mammal nearly knocked Ohnaka backward, so strong was the headbutt it administered against the Weequay’s Desevrar Infantry helmet that Hondo teetered on his knees, but managed to keep his place. Then, he did what he had wanted to do without fear of repercussion, placing one striated hand along the feline’s muzzle in a gentle pat. “Such a good boy,” he offered in the way of praise.

Tech was baffled; this was not something he was accustomed to. He had only witnessed Jedi commune with animals. This had occurred once during his time in the field under the leadership of the Republic, and never quite like this.

The scoundrel stood, and the cat allowed it. Hondo had the audacity to scratch it beneath its chin. “Ah, but you remind me of someone else blue with sharp teeth, hm? All hiss and no hunting us, yes?” he asked, as if the thing could speak its mind, and he would be able to understand its meaning.

The fuzzy leviathan seem to agree, circling the pirate to wrap its tail about his waist before releasing him and nudging Tech against his shoulder. Tech withheld a gasp, his body aching, and while the feline seemed not liable to attack them, he would not bother to stand quite yet.

His pack was most definitely weighing him down, Tech feeling as if one hundred duracrete bricks resided inside. He kept his nearly useless eyes fixated on the dead and drying leaves of the forest floor, Hondo speaking to the clone as if he was much more self-assured.

“Animals, beasts, de wily creatures of de forest, dhey love me,” he boasted. “I treat dem with kindness and respect, and dheyyy du not eat me. Isn’t dat right, blue one?” he inquired to the affectionate feline.

Then, the creature’s ears twitched, and his stark, golden eyes narrowed. Hondo withdrew his hand and cocked his head, turning toward the direction the feline was now focused on and asking it another question, never having received an answer to his first. “What es et, my darling? Du you hear someting?”

The varied shades of blue fur along its back bristled; the differences in its coloration formed alternating stripes like waves in a vast ocean. Tech could not help it— he held his breath. The king of Eriadu’s jungle quickly leapt away to disappear amongst the foliage, the distant sound of men screaming echoing through the otherwise peaceful woods.

“Our cue tu leave, no?”

“Affirmative,” was the only thing Tech could think to say, rising to his feet, albeit with great difficulty. He decided not to question the Weeuquay, or his ability to commune with the native fauna. This man was proving to be odd by all definitions of the word, his prowess for taming wild carnivores only one of his unusual traits, Tech suspected.

Tech’s thoughts were interrupted by an ache in his chest as he had bent to gather his blasters; he could not remember ever feeling so exhausted, nor could he recall a time when he had found it this laborius to breathe. Ambulating slowly forward, Hondo once more took the lead, Tech wondering what Phee might say should she learn that he had coincidentally, “run off with pirates.”

--

Unknown feline attacking a young Tarkin:

[kaleidoscope1967eyes]

how do you think luke would be with pets?

Thanks for the ask, anon! I don't know if any canon or legends material really touches on this, which is such a shame because I think he would be so good with animals!

Luke has always been a fan of all sorts of creatures. As a little boy on Tatooine, he loved playing with and riding his friend Windy's dewback. He did have a pet of his own growing up: the Lars family owned a spotted sandhound named, you guessed it, Sandy. Even though she was an old girl, Luke would always run around the farm with her and try to teach her tricks, and she'd always do her best to keep up with him.

Sandy was extremely protective of him, to the point where it cost her life; when he was around thirteen years old, a group of womp rats ambushed him while he was tending to some moisture vaporators, and she immediately rushed in to take all the fatal blows. It was absolutely devastating, but in a rare moment of vulnerability, Owen used the situation to teach Luke about the inevitability of loss and the importance of appreciating those you love in the moment--a skill that would ultimately be very relevant to his jedi training.

On the topic of jedi training, animals are naturally drawn to him due to his strong presence in the force. Sometimes this means an entire flock of jubba birds will land on him and all start singing, other times it means large, predatory creatures will locate him very easily and try to eat him. Luke absolutely hates fighting or attacking animals. He is forever haunted by the time he literally disarmed a wampa--he was only trying to scare it away, he didn't mean for it to actually make contact with his lightsaber. You remind him that even though he didn't have a choice, he still did the right thing by giving it a chance to live.

I know I've talked about this before, but Luke would be a total horse girl (boy). He's great with dewbacks and he's great with tauntauns, so he would definitely also be great with equinoids like pulgas, orbaks, and guarlaras. Even though horses are usually extra skittish around men, they're perfectly fine around him because they can sense just how kind and gentle he is. They especially appreciate that he's intuitive and empathetic enough to know never to raise his voice or make sudden movements around them.

After noticing Luke's knack for critters, you decide to get him a pet of his own. You end up getting him a rescue tooka cat you found in a shelter at Mos Espa: it's a playful, snuggly orange tabby that's missing its right paw. What a strange coincidence, you thought, gently picking it up. Luke deserves to know he's not alone.

When Luke came back to your shared quarters on Home One and saw a kitty on his bed, he was ecstatic. He literally started crying--thankfully, you had R2 there to record his reaction. Because you found it on Tatooine, Luke decided to call it "Lars" in honor of his family. They end up doing everything together: he goes to briefings with Lars stretched out on his shoulders, they go on joyrides in his x-wing together, etc. People get a huge kick out of how close they are--"guy who blew up the Death Star crying over a cat" ends up becoming a huge meme in the Rebellion.

Tagging: (comment if you want to be tagged or you want me to stop tagging you)

@stonegoldsxcrxt

@laserbrains

@fandom-gal44

@myevilmouse

@hansonveggieclub

@lex-the-flex

@ancient-stardust

@dailydragon08 (happy birthday!)

@spacesurfing

@starobi

@starryluce

@hxney-lemcn

@lukefics

@demigoddessqueens

@micheleamidalajedi

@princessxkenobi

[june-girl-86]

Chapter 55

Old acquaintances and new faces on Boro-Borosa have to say goodbye in different ways.

Pairing: Din Djarin x OC Female!

ReaderRating: Mature/Explicit (+18)

Warnings: Canon-Typical Violence / Love / Action&Adventure / Blood&Violence / Drama & Romance / Slow Burn / Fluff&Smut

On Boro-Borosa, some cities, especially the capital Amos, had formed from the smallest oases of the desert planet and still treasured them. But there were also many untouched places that were not inhabited by the masses. That was where the sand people had been drawn to. In the middle of the desert, at the foot of a mountain from which the spring that supplied the flourishing date palms with water gushed before it flowed into the lake amidst the green splendor. The fish in it were part of the diet of the inhabitants of the oasis. Many of the tents stood between the shady palm trees, and stables had been erected a little to one side. Eopis, banthas and other farm animals were responsible for agriculture and food. The Tusks were once again leading a peaceful life on Bora-Borosa.

Basmah stepped out of her tent, Yamha had finally fallen asleep. The little girl was becoming more and more agile and curious about the world. Her husband sat in front of the campfire, nodding to her. The pipe he always indulged in at night protruded from his mask. He pointed to the free cushion next to him, but she shook her head. Basmah wanted to stretch her legs a little. The glow of the campfires or the torches could be seen everywhere. There were whispers so as not to wake the sleeping people. A breeze moved the palm leaves and let the moonlight through, which was reflected on the surface of the lake. Basmah walked past it, hearing the snorting and humming of her animals. Normally they were asleep at this time of night, but something seemed to be keeping them awake.

The Tusken woman paused when she saw a figure sitting on a rock outside the palm trees. The shape looked familiar to her and Basmah tried to make loud noises so as not to frighten the blind woman. She touched Umm gently on the shoulder and the old woman smiled knowingly.

"What are you still doing here at this late hour?" she asked, crouching down in front of Umm. Basmah had been watching her for the last few days, Umm couldn't rest, did that have anything to do with Nhean's visit? He had not come alone, his wife had accompanied him for the first time. Umm was silent and the wind picked up again. Basmah shivered and reached for Umm's hand. It was very cold, how long had she been sitting here? Had she even eaten dinner?

"Come on, I'll take you back to your tent, you'll freeze to death here!"

Umm shook her head and lifted it. Basmah followed suit and looked up at the sky.

"I'm watching the stars. They have changed!"

The young woman noticed the multitude of stars shining so brightly next to the moon, something she had never noticed before. And then the words slowly sunk in for Basmah. She stared at Umm.

"What do you mean, you watch the stars?"

Umm squeezed Basmah's hand and she could see the old woman's happy features.

"The light shows me the way. There is no place so dark that the eye cannot spot a star. And now they all shine for me!"

Umm looked up again and closed her eyes. Basmah could see the tears glistening as they found their way. And then Umm's head slowly sank down onto her chest, returning her last breath to her home.

As the door slid open, Severin looked sternly at his colleague, who hung her head with a sigh.

"I'm sorry!"

Severin glanced at his watch.

"You're over half an hour late, Bice!"

She sighed again and dropped her bag next to her desk.

"I left on time, but they're going crazy in the city!"

Severin frowned.

"The coachmen had to catch their orbaks again. The animals have been running through the alleyways in complete disarray, destroying many traders' displays and the chickens have broken out of their cages in the market square. The parrots were screeching, and a trader who was on her way out with me said the noise was unbearable!"

Severin looked out of the window, where they could watch the hustle and bustle of the spaceport. Everything seemed the same as always and yet something seemed different.

"But the data is normal, apart from the one spike a few days ago, everything is fine!" he muttered to his colleague. She sat down in her seat and also checked the reports. None of the arriving tourists knew which inconspicuous building they were passing as soon as they left their ship to enter the city. And yet it was so important to inform everyone in good time if a disaster was about to strike. Time passed until Bice thoughtfully pressed a few keys and turned to Severin.

"Are you getting data from sector 4 at the oasis? I'm missing them!"

Severin looked and shook his head.

"No, I'm not getting anything either! But that would be at a completely different location, as it was measured a few days ago!"

Bice shrugged her shoulders helplessly and called one of her technicians. But he was busy in Raija. Bice ended the call and hesitated briefly before grabbing her bag and jumping up. She repacked her drink and Severin looked at her questioningly.

"I've already been to Sector 4, it'll be quicker if I take care of it myself!"

Her colleague agreed and looked after her as she left her workstation and hurried past the window outside. Bice took one of the speeders, which also contained tools, and set off.

Bice slowly approached the green oasis that lay sheltered at the foot of the mountain. She knew that Tusken lived here, but that they were peaceful. Nevertheless, she didn't want to be rude and simply storm into their home. She stopped the speeder at a rock and took off the sand goggles and the cloth. She shook out the sand before putting it in her bag. Bice got out, grabbed her bag and the toolbox. As she walked past the rock, she noticed the bowl on top and the many fruit pits inside. Bice walked on, approaching the palm trees and the small settlement. It was very quiet for the time of day, which surprised her a little. But as she walked past the tents to get to the stream that would lead her up the mountain, she smelled it. Bice paused and closed her eyes. Neroli, the scent of bitter orange blossom. She guessed why it was floating in the air. In Amos, too, it drifted through the alleyways from the windows when people mourned the dead and sought solace in their grief. The flowers exuded the peace that was so urgently needed in these times. So the Tusks had a loss to mourn. Bice sighed, sorry to have to disturb the sand people. The stream babbled along and Bice climbed the hill. A few children came towards her, waved and ran back to their village. Before she reached the ledge, she was spotted by the adults. Bice stopped and bowed her head. She would not go any further until she got a sign. A woman stepped up to her, a small body stirring beneath her robe, and Bice smiled at her counterpart.

"I'm sorry, you're in mourning!"

The woman nodded, her eyes reddened yet composed.

"I have to go to the cave, fix the sensor!"

The Tusken woman stepped aside and Bice thanked her. She left the mourners behind and set to work.

Bice had thought it would be a matter of a few minutes, but the repair took several hours and when she stepped out of the cave, she was greeted by the soothing scent and the setting sun. From her vantage point, she had a beautiful view of it and she took her time. After the last red dot had disappeared, she descended the slope. There was a pot of soup simmering over the fire and Bice realized how hungry she was. She hadn't even touched her snack yet.

"Is everything ready again?"

Startled, Bice moved to the side, she hadn't noticed the Tusken woman. It was the same one who had greeted her this morning. Bice nodded.

"Yes, now I hope my colleagues can receive all the data again. I didn't want to disturb your ritual!"

The woman smiled, you could see it in her eyes, which were the only ones uncovered.

"We gave Umm back to the Creator shortly after she died. The loss will be with us for some time!"

Bice nodded in understanding.

"I am Basmah and I would like to ask you to join us for dinner. You've been working all day!"

Before Bice could refuse, her stomach growled loudly and the women giggled. While the Tusken retreated to their tents to eat, Bice sat down on a cushion under the open sky and enjoyed the soup. It was not only filling, but also warmed her up. In the city, you didn't notice the cold after sunset as much as you did out here. Basmah joined her again, holding her child in her arms, who rubbed her eyes tiredly but didn't want to fall asleep. Bice felt the same and yawned. She shook herself, she still had to go back.

"Does the speeder have autopilot?"

Bice sighed.

"It's a work machine, why would it have that luxury equipment in it?" she scoffed and Basmah laughed. The baby babbled too, as if the little one knew what it was all about.

"Stay here. We always have a tent free!"

Bice wanted to object, but she could feel the tiredness in her limbs and knew she wouldn't get far without falling asleep. She agreed and asked to be shown to her sleeping place.

The baby cried loudly and Bice opened her eyes tiredly. It was a strange cry and slowly she sat up between her blankets. In addition to the crying, she also heard the bleating of the Eopis and snorting of the Banthas. The voices of the Tusken joined in, trying to calm the animals. Bice put on her shoes and left the tent. Most of the fires were out, torches burning, and yet this infinitely star-studded sky was so appealing that this was the first thing Bice saw. Then she heard the beeping of one of her devices in her work bag.

But before she could get back into the tent, she felt strange, the sensation traveling through her body. Creeping up from her legs, it made her tremble. She felt unwell, dizzy and as if everything was spinning. She tried to hold on, but even the fabric of the tent swayed and she understood that the ground was shaking. This was joined by the humming coming from below. In addition to the sounds of the animals, which had sensed the danger much earlier than all the sensors and had not recognized it. Rocks could be heard rolling down the slope, breaking away from the mountain. The Tusks wailed in their own language, but did not scream. They probably didn't want to worry the children any more. Bice felt sick, hopefully the slope wouldn't slide down and they would be buried under it. And then it stopped. The humming disappeared and the animals stopped complaining. The swaying subsided and yet Bice clung to the fabric of her tent for several minutes as if it could give her a firm hold. It was quiet, no one made a sound, even her tool had fallen silent again. And then her Komlink beeped in this strange silence. With trembling hands, she pulled it out of her pocket and when she activated it, she heard Severin scream. Bice sank to her knees and couldn't believe it. Amos was in ruins...

__________

@the-rain-on-kamino

[morethanaloveinterest]

An Intrigued Review of Jannah's Costumes in TROS

The Rise of Skywalker introduced the intriguing character of Jannah, a former stormtrooper, so let's talk about what her costume informs us about her.

Jannah and her company of stormtroopers defected to Kif Bir, a moon in the Endor system. They domesticated Orbak (like horses) and her outfit tells us all about that process. Her trousers may be part of her stormtrooper uniform while the rest of her clothes look to be made out of leather (including her shoes!). The cape and other accessories are clearly salvaged from the shuttle they crashed on the moon, using parachute material and other odds and ends. The weapon on her belt is an Orbak tusk; the belt itself she may have already had, while the sash across her chest is clearly snakeskin. All this tells us how she has survived on the (uninhabited?) moon and made a living there after breaking free. Her clothes fit the aesthetic of the sequel trilogy well, similar in practicality to Rey's costume but clearly a different concept. Both are inspired by the lives of the characters, and that's a really great way to design a costume.

Female representation: 10/10 Fantastic as usual in this trilogy. She is obviously a beautiful woman wearing tight-fitting clothing but it's form-fitting in a practical way, not an objectifying way. It makes sense for her to be wearing this in her environment and the other stormtroopers (regardless of gender) are dressed similarly. It's not an excuse to put her in like, a leather bikini or something, as other media about a stranded woman might.

Practicality: 10/10 Honestly, one reason I really enjoy Star Wars is because of the very practical costumes (especially in the original and sequel trilogies). Her outfit is perfect for the life she leads and also works well for horse-back riding (other than the cape, which this horsegirl does not recommend for riding as it will spook the horse).

If you enjoyed this, check out my Star Wars for the Girlies Series (New Jannah video out now!)

[splashofspotchka]

It's @clone-anon

You and Hardcase arrived at your agreed upon meeting spot outside the fairgrounds at the same time. You ran up to each other and he picked you up and spun you around, placing a firm kiss on your lips.

"So," he said. "A fair."

"Yes," you beamed.

You took his hand and walked in together. He wasted no time playing all the games with you. His favorite was ring toss and anything involving a toy gun.

"I miss my Z-6," he laughed when the small water gun got finicky.

"That's part of it," you teased. You have to use what they give you or the whole booth would come down.

He shot you a look and paid the vendor to try again. He managed to win you several plushies including a giant bantha. He loved walking around and seeing all the animals. He talked to each of them, introducing himself and petting them. He loved the orbaks and fathiers.

You tried all of the food and he couldn't eat quietly, constantly making noises and telling you how delicious everything was. He insisted on buying a bunch of food to take home with you for your weekend together. You left the fairgrounds carrying the bantha plushie and Hardcase insisting he could carry the rest. It was going to be a good weekend.

Ahhh! I kept this in my inbox for so long bc I kept rereading it. I love it so much. 💙💙💙💙

You're such a wonderful light in the world, Clone Anon! We love you!!

[paris-rokin]

Rukh Rhulain

Rukh Rhulain is impulsive, almost as addicted to motion as she is to anger. When word got around that a champion of the Black Legion found Gorefather, legendary axe of Angron, she took her squad to hunt him down immediately. A Primarch's weapon should be in the possession of his legion, not another, and she routed the Black Legion warband within a week of hearing about the axe. It was not, in fact, Gorefather, a fact any World Eater could've told the late champion. But it is a mighty weapon in it's own right, and the deeds Rukh has wrought with it have seen her ascend to the Gorefist's side as his lieutenant.

Rukh has no patience for internecine power struggles, she's made it clear she desires two things: violence, and the power to commit greater violence. If Orbak Skullfather could convince her that Haska is an ineffective leader, then she could potentially help him lead the Crimson Hounds back to Angron's service, but that is a dangerous game for the priest to play.

This all came from a desire to field Gorefather, without making it actually look like Angron's weapon, lol. If only GW still liked jump pack characters 😭