#there is so much things i love about clone troopers and mandalorians

[cienie-isengardu]

Hi! I noticed that some unfounded criticism was being sent to you... I just want to write to you that your posts are very interesting. Special thanks for the fact that they are traditional. Don't pay attention to the negative! Keep writing in the same style, and write more and more. I wish you tons of inspiration! :) May I ask why you love the topic of clones and Mandalorians so much? It would seem that there was little about both of them in the history of Star Wars. Anyway, I wonder why...

Thank you very much for the kind words! 💜

In general I like cool armors and the military feeling (settling) so the warrior/soldier/assassin type of characters draws my attention immediately but as for my Star Wars interests, the funny thing is that everything always starts and ends with Anakin/Vader and both Mandalorians and clone troopers fall into that monothematic obsession of mine. 

For Mandalorians the passion of course started with Boba Fett, partially due to the cool armor and no-nonsense attitude and partially because he was Vader’s favorite bounty hunter - although I won’t lie, it took some time for my uncle to actually convince the kid!me in that matter because Boba’s performance in RotJ kinda left much to be desired. My uncle literally brought me the first novel (The Mandalorian Armor) from The Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy to change my mind and to this day I’m truly grateful for his dedication because it did the job. Of course, twenty years ago there wasn’t that much star wars tie-in materials in my country, even less about Mandalorians so everyone latched at anything that was available and the great work of fans who shared for free all the translated scanlations of comics or articles and so on still warms my heart at the mere thought how awesome fandom can be. Again, thanks to the courtesy of my uncle, I got my hands on Jango Fett: Open Seasons and I absolutely fell in love with Mandalorians, especially with Tor Vizsla - and by extension, with Death Watch even though I know most fans despite this character. It is the black armor (my weakness!) and ruthless cleverness, battle skills but also underrated (or outright ignored?) little aspects of his personality that makes Tor Vizsla a very compelling character for me. That and also the fan translation that presented Death Watch as “Wataha Śmierci” in which Wataha in Polish may means a dangerous group but is also a Polish term for wolf-pack (while Death translated accurately) that I will admit, shaped my image of Mandalorians way more strongly than anything else. Ya’ know, the wild, dangerous predators tightly knit together as the clan and all the wolf symbolic for freedom, hard life, honor, majesty, nightmares and so on. Oops, sorry for the digression. Anyway, I like Mandalorians because they aren’t the holier-than-thou group and they can be - and are - ruthless bastards but also the loyalty to clan, the brotherhood in arms and honor sense is what I’m here for.

(I like Jango and think he was one of the best aspect of AotC and in general True Mandalorians vs Death Watch and the Fenn Shysa’s Protectors fight against Imperial occupation are great stories but thanks to The Sith Wars, I will always favor the original Mandalorians (Taungs) and KotOR era Mandalorians. Mainly because the Mandalore Indomitable is both awesome and hilarious when interacting with Exar Kun and Ulic Qel Droma.)

As for clones, well, I watched AotC in hope to see young Anakin the great battle (sadly battle of Geonosis didn’t take that much movie time overall) and I was truly touched and impressed with the little scenes they got then. In general I like to watch competent soldiers/specialists at their job - and Revenge of the Sith for sure provided more joy in that regard -  but also I love the complexity of Star Wars that has this whole subplot of exploiting humans literally “breed for war” while Republic (the symbol of democracy) and Jedi Order (the legendary good guys from Original Trilogy) doesn’t blink an eye on slavery that is technically forbidden by their own laws. Of course, the potential was never truly used, even more so with Anakin’s backstory of being born in slavery. Anyway, Clone Wars is one of my absolute favorite star wars eras, exactly for heroic Anakin and his slow, tragic path to Dark Side but also for his relationship with clone troopers (an interesting mirror to Vader’s specific relationship with common troopers in contrast to the “military elites” and oh boy, even with so little focus on clones, there is so many moments to see how Skywalker cares for his men). So the more I explored source material in that regard, the more I came to love Legends!clones, like Alpha-17 and his sarcasm or Nate who took the name of Jangotat for himself or the most awesome Delta Squad or commander Faie who definitely wanted to kill his Jedi General during Order 66 or those few commandos who refused to kill their Jedi comrades. The spectrum of experiences that shaped the supposedly same people is thrilling to watch how those men develop into their own persona, how they break from dehumanization or not, while all are so competent and no-nonsense humans always ready to die for a system that doesn’t care about them in the first place. Clones and their place in the story is really heartbreaking and I do think all the time about this complexity. However I wholeheartedly hate the chip-in-brain nonsense and I’m tired of the weird (TCW?) fandom tendencies to present clones as some kind of dumb idiots who either love their Jedi generals *so much* they can't function like normal human beings or can’t be left without supervision because again, dumb idiots… Uh. Sorry, ranting again. 

In summary, I love Mandalorian and clone troopers because they lack special powers in a universe that is all about special powers (Force) while being still pretty good at their job and generally neutral on the scale of good and evil. They are all a bit of both which gives a great possibilities to explore star wars universe, both from in-universe perspective and our real life. I love them because both groups provide me a lot of interesting stuff in regard to Anakin/Vader. Because yes, I’m that monotonic when it comes to star wars. And well, again, brotherhood in arms and cool armors are my thing.

[engagemythrusters]

its so funny to watch people wish for things that already exist in repcomm. like yeah repcomm sucks. but also what you're asking for is there. might as well read it.

[ddesertmoon]

Star Wars Fic Recs Feat. Time Travel

I think this is my favorite Star Wars trope… maybe just because sw is a tragedy and i want the characters to be happy.. maybe because I’m a sucker for the “reveal moment”… i don’t know.

Hopefully you all enjoy these as well!

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(All fics are Gen unless otherwise specified!)

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Back From the Future: Episode VI The Clone Wars by Ariel_Sojourner

“In which Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader travel back in time together to the Clone Wars era, have amazing adventures, and save the galaxy.”

Basically, Luke and Vader time travel and take over a clone battalion to change the major battles of the war. This is. A masterpiece. It’s insane. It feels like an actual, published story when you read it. It is told in a nonlinear way, so if you’re not into that, you probably won’t enjoy this. But I promise it’s one of the greatest fanfictions I’ve ever read, and there’s a reason it’s first on this list.

(Padme/Anakin and Obi-Wan/Satine, though neither ship is a focal point of the story)

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there but for the grace of god by wanderlove

“There’s nothing particularly remarkable about Sullust.

Well, except for Obi-Wan’s time-traveling son. But, you know. Apart from that.”

I LOVE this fic. Young Luke is sent into the clone wars, and since he’s been raised by Obi-Wan on Tatooine, everyone assumes that he’s Obi’s kid. His appearance changes everything by causing the people around him to reveal deep secrets that would otherwise have led to the fall of the Jedi.

(Padme/Anakin and referenced Obi-Wan/Satine)

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Old Masters, New Tricks by soft_but_gremlin

“Sixteen-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi finds himself on Lothal in the middle of the Imperial Era. He has no idea why he's here or what all these white-clad troopers are for, but after a rocky start with a little Mandalorian, he finds out that his friend Luminara is in trouble and vows to rescue her.

Sabine Wren has no idea what this other Mandalorian is doing on Lothal, but he looks just like former rebel Korkie Kryze and he's got lightsabers on his belt. He's either going to be a fierce but foolish ally, or the Empire's paying bounty hunters to track down Jedi.”

One of the few SW fics I’ve read where characters are sent FORWARD in time! This one is really great, and I reread it all the time. The heartache Obi-Wan feels when he remembers that all his friends are dead and the heartache KANAN feels when Obi-Wan does something that reminds him of the Jedi…. Amazing.

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Free Jedi to Good Home by soft_but_gremlin

“Jango Fett expected several things from this hunt on Galidraan. Three hypothermic Jedi children stumbling into his camp was not one of those things.”

Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka (and maybe a few others, later on 👀) are sent back in time to change the outcome of the massacre at Galidraan. This one is REALLY great and I especially love the sequel (which is currently unfinished but very suspenseful and exciting)

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The Making of Mavericks by AppoApples

“Master Obi-Wan Kenobi couldn't let her just walk out into the galaxy without a lifeline. With Commander Cody and Captain Rex at his side, Obi-Wan tries to give Ahsoka some well meant advice. But the Force was listening and decided these four souls needed to blaze a better path. With all that has happened to them, waking up twenty-five years in the past shouldn't be a big deal, right?”

Time travel with Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Rex, AND Cody! FOUR people. Crazy. The classic “Obi-Wan is sent back to his childhood to change things before Anakin ever enters the picture” fic. It greatly surpassed my expectations for a time travel fic though! One of the best for sure.

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Legacy by myrlendi (thehistorygeek)

“Three months after the Battle of Endor, Luke Skywalker goes in search of a rumoured Jedi temple in a secluded part of the Mid Rim. He finds within the temple nothing but a strange artifact, which unexpectedly brings him much closer to the Jedi of old than he ever thought he would be.

When Luke fails to return from his mission, Leia goes after him, retracing his steps to the ancient temple — and to the past, to the time of the Clone Wars and the waning years of the Old Republic. Under suspicion by the Jedi Order, the twins struggle to find a way back to their own time while trying to keep their knowledge of the future from affecting the past.”

Okay, time travel with Luke Skywalker is great (one of my favorite things!), but time travel with Luke AND Leia??? Perfect. I love when she’s included.. it usually leads to some very interesting interactions between her and Anakin.

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Luminous We Are by AppoApples

“Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is filled with regrets when the Padawan he chooses is assigned to Anakin. When he discovers that it was Yoda's meddling that had prevented him from being a Padawan in his own youth, the betrayal runs deep. Wondering what could have been, a trick of the Force throws him back in time, where he learns to put his trust in the Force, not the High Council.

Redemption of Qui-Gon Jinn had he not been forced to take a Padawan before he was ready, and where the Order learns to take another course that put quite a wrench in the Sith plans. Start of the Clone Wars to 44BBY AU of the Apprentice books. Cheeky Obi-Wan and Mandalorian shenanigans.”

Obi-Wan Kenobi being adopted by Mandalorians is QUITE a popular trope in this fandom for some reason… I think it’s actually a tag on Ao3 now (don’t quote me on that). Anyway, this fic is one of the few where the time traveler is unable to rely on (very much of) their knowledge from the future.

(Obi-Wan/Quinlan)

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The Kenobi Scandal by AppoApples

“One moment they are speeding on their way to Mos Eisley, only to be hit by a Force instigated sandstorm, and the next thing Ben Kenobi knows is he wearing his old armour with the Jedi insignia and Luke can't find the droids. What's a Jedi to do when he finds himself back before the fall of the Republic? Come up with a cover story more scandalous than time travel: ‘Luke, this is Anakin Skywalker. Anakin, this is my son, Luke Kenobi.’”

Amazing! I really like when we see the potential Luke has with some formal Jedi training. And although there is a cover story for Luke’s (and Obi-Wan’s, technically) time travel, there are still some lovely emotional outbursts :)

(Obi-Wan/Satine and Luke/Ahsoka)

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Gone Are The Days by theycallmesuperboy

“While investigating an ancient Jedi distress signal in the Outer Rim, Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles are mysteriously sent back in time to the last days of the Republic, and stranded on Naboo, meeting two people Luke could only have ever dreamed of meeting: his parents.

Only, due to Luke's "quick thinking," the two are lead to believe that Luke and Wedge are just like them: a secretly married couple, due to Luke's status as a Jedi.”

Luke gets an opportunity to really get to know his dead parents, and Wedge gets to kiss Luke. I’m a sucker for the fake dating trope lmao, and combined with time travel? Zoo wee mama!

(Luke/Wedge and Padme/Anakin)

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Significant Brain Damage by AppoApples

“Luke Skywalker finds himself in the past as Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan finds himself retraining his old apprentice who has permanent amnesia while also taking on Anakin's Padawan, being a General, a Council member -during a Galactic Civil War, and fighting for a Republic he's beginning to lose faith in. Clone Wars, no paradox, no easy fix it.”

I love this one so much. Luke has to kind of pretend to be Anakin.. but everyone around him just thinks he’s had some amnesia and a major personality change. I LIVE for the “why is Anakin so much nicer now” moments.

(Padme/Sabe and Obi-Wan/Satine)

Also you may notice that this is the FOURTH fic by AppoApples on this list… I love their ideas so much.

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May Death Find You Alive by Must_Be_Thursday

“Anakin finds himself trapped in a nightmare, reliving the same day. He tries. He tries to change things, but it always ends the same.

With a broken bond and a dead best friend.

He's not sure how many times he'll be able to watch the life leave Obi-Wan before he loses his mind.”

Let’s switch it up! Groundhog Day style time loops are always fun, and this one saves the universe! So yay! Fr though, Anakin learns to trust Obi-Wan and it changes everything.

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The More I Live The More I See This Life is Not About Me by K_R_Closson

“After touching a mysterious artifact, Cody's general is suddenly a child with the memories to match. Cody has to coax a suspicious adolescent back to base without alerting the nearby Separatists of their presence.

Reversing his general's age an easier fix than Cody thought it would be, but he didn't factor in the possibility that Obi-Wan might not want to give up his self in order to become General Kenobi again. It'd be easier to think if he didn't have an insidious voice in his head, whispering to him to distrust the Jedi.”

This one is technically just de-aging, with Obi-Wan becoming his thirteen year old self, but I consider it similar enough to time travel to be included, and it has a lot of the same tropes. It’s very well written, and the dialogue flows excellently with the descriptions.

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what is necessary (for love and war) by hellowkatey

“His fingers reach for the hilt that has become as familiar as his own after that three-day journey back from Melida/Daan. He couldn’t stand to put the boy's saber down until he reached his quarters and reality finally set in.

Obi-Wan didn’t come back with him. Once again, he is without a Padawan.

The moment cool durasteel meets his fingertips, the overwhelming presence of Obi-Wan slams into him so hard the room begins to spin. Qui-Gon sinks to the floor, saber clutched in both hands and pressed tight against his chest as though it’s actually Obi-Wan he’s hugging.

‘You have to go back.’”

This time it’s Qui-Gon who is sent forward through time, into the clone wars. The time travel in this fic doesn’t really change anything (as in, it’s not a fix-it), but it gives some great insight into Qui-Gon’s character.

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Chosen One (derogatory) by annathecrow

“Asajj Ventress, the chosen savior of the galaxy. Force help us all.”

VENTRESS is the one to go back in time. Isn’t that crazy??? Isn’t that an insane premise?????? It was SO fun to read.

(Ventress/Shmi)

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One Step Forward, Two Steps Back by K_R_Closson

“Ahsoka Tano told Din to bring Grogu to the Seeing Stone on Tython, and Grogu would be able to call out to other Jedi. Ahsoka Tano did not say that other Jedi might call out to him or that the pillar of blue light was actually a type of planetary transportation.

Din ends up on a planet he's never heard of with nothing but his armor and his child. A lot has changed but his mandate hasn't. He must reunite Grogu with one of his kind. But first, he has to help these ade win a civil war against the dar'buir who abandoned them.”

Din travels back to the war on Melida/Daan, where one of our favorite padawans was struggling to lead the Young to victory (hint: he’s a fan favorite who almost always ends up being adopted by Mandalorians). I really like this one! It’s less about changing the past, and more about character growth and relationships.

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Bonus: Incomplete Fics

I wanted to separate these from the fics above, which are all complete.

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from this moment hangs eternity by EvanHart

“If Luke – Force, his son – was talking about slave chips, something must have gone wrong in the future.

Or, a six-year-old Luke ends up in the middle of the Clone Wars, meets his father, and changes the fate of the galaxy on the way.”

I’m a real sucker for child Luke. Gotta say. He’s ADORABLE. and moments of gut-wrenching sadness interrupted by his little sunshine smiles?? Oh my god?

Chapters: 10/15

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Oya Manda’lor! by Cloud__Chaser

“After giving up his child to Luke Skywalker, Din Djarin has found himself without a purpose. Filling in the gaps by completing bounties for Boba Fett, Din comes across a strange artifact that leaves him stranded in time.

Who knows, maybe Din's complete lack of knowledge of the world outside of the outer rim will lead to the fall of the empire before it even begins...”

Din basically becomes the most admired person on Mandalore in the span of like. A week. after he travels back in time. It’s really funny, and something I like to read when I’m in a good mood!

Chapters: 38/?

(Din/Jaster)

Also, it’s been over a year since this updated (as of the date I’m posting this), so beware, it may or may not be abandoned.

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Sith Lord Swell by AMournfulHowlInTheNight

“‘Well, looks like we're all Sith Lords, now. I hope you've all been practicing your most menacing laughter for our first run in with the Jedi Council.’

Ben could only sigh and raise a distasteful eyebrow at the cross shaped, red lightsaber he was given. Down the line other students were also handling their new weapons and robes with a raised eyebrow here and quizzical expression there.

‘Really, uncle?’

‘Really. I don't want to compete with the local Jedi population.’

Why did Jedi politics and time travel have to be so difficult?”

Like most Star Wars fans, I’m not a big fan of the sequels (‘somehow, Palpatine returned’ my ass), BUT! This fic, involving a young Ben Solo and old Luke Skywalker, was a lot of fun to read.

Chapters: 13/?

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There is another Skywalker by WabiSabi

“‘They couldn't narrow down the precise relationship due to some strange contamination in the sample. But when they launched a search in the DNA databank they found a match. Reliability of 50%, which only happens between parent-child and—’

‘Siblings,’ Master Kenobi completes, voice faint. ‘Full-blood siblings.’

The clone nods. ‘She was estimated to be around 30-years-old, so by process of exclusion, Leia Solo would be General Skywalker’s older sister by 9 years.’”

This time, it’s just Leia who’s sent to the past! Technically Luke lives as a voice in her head, but it’s pretty much just Leia. Also, I really like the premise that the temple runs a DNA test and assumes that she’s Anakin’s sibling. It’s a lot of fun!

Chapters: 10/?

Also, it’s been over a year since this updated (as of the date I’m posting this), so beware, it may or may not be abandoned.

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Companion of the Ancestors by Omegarose

“Ahsoka finds herself in a strange place, out of contact with Obi-Wan and alone with the twins. The Force feels like it hasn't in years, and she runs into a man who has to be an idiot for the way he's acting like a Jedi two years after Order 66.

((Dooku, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka all meet each other when they're 19 years old. With the addition of the Skywalker twins and a slightly-younger (than Ahsoka remembers him) Yoda.))”

I love Ahsoka, I love Luke and Leia, I love Obi-Wan… I love this fic. All of the secrets and reveals and drama! So much fun!

Chapters: 10/?

You’re not able to read this fic unless you have an Ao3 account, but those are easy to make. If anyone doesn’t know how to make one, I’m happy to make a post explaining the process!

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That’s all, folks! 20 fics is… a lot. And there are A LOT of characters in all that… So, sorry for the exorbitant amount of tags I’ll be using here. Happy reading!

[marmota-b]

Glitch IS meant to be Force sensitive, here's why

Clone Trooper Glitch Who Is Definitely Force Sensitive.

As far as I can tell, everyone has fallen in love with that idea and everyone is now saying "Glitch is Force sensitive and you can't convince me otherwise."

Listen, what if I can actually convince you he is, with literary analysis?

I don't think I've ever seen this particular angle discussed (not that I have looked too hard, but no one ever brings it up when talking about Glitch). Everyone just loves the idea that he's Force sensitive because it's a lovely / exciting idea. And, okay, it's never stated outright in the source material, so there's some room for doubt. (And it was obviously intentionally left open-ended.)

BUT

I think the subtext, for those who know what it is, is so thick it might as well be an open admission of authorial intent. You see, Glitch's comic, Defenders of the Lost Temple, is drawing heavily on the Knights of the Old Republic comics in its lore. The Gauntlet they're sent to recover comes from that series. The moon where it resides is named after one of the characters from the series and likely is the moon he moved to at the end of his arc, and there's a statue of him there. There are all these deliberate, easily proven links to the series.

And there's also the less direct but still present parallel of questioning whether Jedi should be fighting in a war at all - Knights of the Old Republic (comics) takes place at the beginning of the Mandalorian Wars when some Jedi went to fight and others argued that wasn't their place, and some people get caught in the conflict without ever wanting to. That's a more dubious connection, and may not have been deliberate, but...

That is - the writer knew what he was doing here, in relation to previously published material.

The main protagonist of that series is Zayne Carrick.

Zayne is a sort of off-beat Jedi (well, almost-Jedi). He is just about Force sensitive enough to be admitted to the Jedi Order. He has "a special relationship with the Force." His special relationship with the Force mainly manifests in him being very clumsy and having the worst sort of luck. No one really thinks he'll make it as a Jedi. His own fellow padawan friends don't think he'll make it as a Jedi. But he's so good and caring and trying. And in the long run, he learns to work with his bad luck, and it turns out it's not so much a bad luck as the Force working... as a sort of swing, around him, with a balance of good and bad events. Things rarely work out as expected, but he learns to expect the unexpected. And once he does, and learns to ride the waves instead of trying to swim against the current, it actually works mainly in the heroes' favour.

Does that remind you of anyone?

Yep.

I'm pretty sure Glitch is a deliberate callback to Zayne Carrick and his special relationship with the Force.

I don't know if he started out that way from the start, or if the idea of "what if a clone was Force sensitive" came first and this theme just slotted into place later (honestly, the latter is probably likelier). But it's undeniably there; with all the other references to KOTOR, it's unlikely the author would have missed the main protagonist's character arc re: Force sensitivity.

Glitch has a special relationship with the Force exactly like Zayne's. He just has, unlike Zayne, also the bad luck of never having been tested for Force sensitivity. (This is all EU/Legends. Don't expect New Canon to stick to any of the above.)

[blackkatmagic]

Do you have summaries for the unpublished stories (in the last patreon poll)? I would love to hear more about them!

Absolutely! I realized belatedly and while not massively sleep deprived that I should have put the summaries in the heading part, whoops. :'D

Feral/Plo - identity porn/sugar daddy/biology made them do it AU:

Canon goes AU in that Talzin handed all three of her children over to Sidious instead of just Maul. Fast forward to the middle of the Clone Wars and Feral has grabbed his brothers, both of whom are in a bad way, and skipped out on Talzin/Sidious to hide on a planet that's mostly under Republic control, where he makes a living collecting information/carrying out assassinations for the local crime lord. Enter Plo, who's in the middle of like. the Kel Dor version of a horny season. Not quite fuck or die, but fuck or be distracted and miserable and horny for months. Feral, thinking this will be a good opportunity to gather info on the Jedi, volunteers to help him out by being a sex partner whose sturdiness can stand up to Kel Dor physiology. Except that Plo is nice and Feral is maybe not prepared for that.

Jaster/Granta - Sith empire vs. Mandalorian empire AU with lots of daddy issues:

Xanatos is the Sith Lord ruling over Telos, and Granta plays assassin/weapon for his father, right up until he makes a mistake, a Jedi gets away, and Sith Emperor Sidious demands that Granta be punished for failing. Xanatos promptly sends Granta to murder Mand'alor Jaster, who manages not to die but does clock the daddy issues at 20 paces. When Xanatos completely disavows Granta and leaves him for the Mandos to execute, Jaster offers a deal - he'll let Granta live, but in return Granta will be his consort as a fuck you to the Sith Empire, and use his skill at killing Sith for the Mandalorians. Granta accepts, and they have a lot of messy sex and even messier feelings about it.

Padme/Rex - Time travel/time slips/identity porn/fake Jedi!Padme:

Canon divergence in that Obi-Wan's remarkably stupid escape from Vader's base in Kenobi doesn't work, and Reva ends up kidnapping Luke and Leia both at the same time to bring them to Vader. Padme, vaguely a Force ghost by sheer force of will, realizes that her kids are in danger and gets so angry that she quite literally tears time itself apart, throwing herself, her kids, and Vader back to the start of the Clone Wars. They all end up scattered, though, and Padme, with a brand-new Force sensitivity and Obi-Wan's lightsaber, makes a plan with her past self and goes to find her kids, pretending to be a Jedi to let her move through the front more easily. Which goes great, right up until she falls in with Torrent by accident as they're looking for a vanished Anakin. Rex, for his part, has no idea what to make of this angry, driven Jedi lady who tears her way through the CIS like she's aiming to bring them down all by herself, but is also devastatingly sad and kind when there's no enemy to fight. He does know that he very much needs to keep her alive, though, and given Padme's recklessness and Vader making plans in the shadows, that's the furthest thing from easy.

Tae/Fox - CIS!clones AU/spy shenanigans/fake relationship:

AU with CIS!clone troopers under the command of whatever Sith Dooku can vaguely train/pull out of the mud, wherein Fox is the Marshal Commander of a newly-captured Coruscant under Dooku's control. Tae is a new Knight, following in Nico's footsteps as a Shadow, and when Nico goes missing on Coruscant, he decides to go undercover to look for him. Of course, the best way to do this is to volunteer to help the infamously difficult Marshal Commander, who chews through aides like it's a sport and defies even the Sith. When Dooku starts getting a little too suspicious of both of them for comfort, though, Tae comes up with a plan - fake a relationship and pretend to hide it, and then no one will look any deeper. Fox agrees, still unaware that Tae is a Jedi and an enemy.

Cody/Maul - identity porn/Force-sensitive!Cody/canon divergence

Cody touches the wrong artefact during the destruction of the Jedi Temple and the building of Palpatine's palace, and wakes up back at the start of the Clone Wars, still fighting the influence of the chip. Not willing to trust himself enough to go to the Jedi, he instead picks the next best thing: Maul. Except that as soon as he touches Maul, lost in the depths of Lotho Minor, it's not spider!Maul who crashes down on top of him, but Sith apprentice!Maul, pulled right out of his fight with Eldra but with all the doubts about his path that it raised. He immediately assumes that Cody is a Sith Lord challenging Palpatine, and Cody goes along with it, hoping that Maul will be able to teach him to control all of his unsettling new abilities. He very much doesn't expect the mad sort of devotion Maul brings with him, or the fact that he's suddenly the whole Jedi Order's number one target, thanks to Palpatine also assuming he's a rival.

[gffa]

If Kenobi season 2 happens and they bring back Commander Cody, how do you think they should handle Obi-Wan and Cody storywise?

I'm so very on the fence about whether I would even want a second season of the show--the first season was never meant to be anything beyond a mini-series and I think having it be self-contained that way made it so much more satisfying. It wasn't meant to be an ongoing story like The Mandalorian is, and Ewan was just leaving the door open for any potential future stories. On the other hand, I WILL NEVER HAVE ENOUGH OF EWAN'S OBI-WAN. For me, I think any potential second season needs to really feel like it has a point and feel sufficiently tied to Obi-Wan's core story if they're going to the effort of bringing all the actors back again. Which means: Anakin needs to be a central figure in it, even if I'm not sure how well that would work after that unnamed moon wrapped things up pretty well between them and Obi-Wan was where he needed to be for ANH. An Obi-Wan show needs to be centered on Obi-Wan's story. Versus that I think whatever Cody's storyline is, it needs to be about him, and not about someone else story. Which means I'm not sure how good I would feel about him being part of an Obi-Wan show, which would make his issues about Obi-Wan, meanwhile Obi-Wan's been more about Anakin and Luke and the Jedi. (Leia worked because she was about Anakin and Padme and Obi-Wan's connections to the Republic/Bail.) I would prefer Cody's story about what he does after leaving the Empire to be told elsewhere because I think Cody deserves to get that to himself. What I really want is a story that can fully focus on Rex and Cody meeting up again and maybe joining the Rebellion or working together to help other clones. There's some really potentially good, crunchy conflict to be had between Obi-Wan and Cody because of Utapau, and theoretically what I would love is if it could be tied into a story about rescuing Luke and some clones somehow, that they intersect for an episode or two, that it has this undercurrent of how well they worked together--and still do, they fall right back into seamlessly understanding each other and complementing each other's fighting styles--but that they're on different paths now. Obi-Wan has his sacred duty to watch over Anakin's son on Tatooine. Cody has his need to help his clone brothers or fight in the bigger Rebellion. Both important paths, but they part ways as friends again, maybe Obi-Wan can put him in touch with Bail to join the Rebellion proper. I would love to see Cody and Obi-Wan crossing paths again, conflict about what happened on Utapau, maybe that's how Obi-Wan finds out about the chips, Cody gets closure and can go on to fight against the Empire that oppressed him and his brothers, Obi-Wan is watching over Luke to ensure the galaxy has a future, and both of their core stories are respected, but there's resolution here. I'm not against cameos in Star Wars, I just want them to be used for emotional resolution, not because of Rule of Cool. This is why I thought the 501st trooper was perfect for the show, because it was part of the theme of Obi-Wan seeing Anakin's ghosts everywhere, that's why Leia worked so well for me in the show, because it was about Anakin's ghosts again, about the missing part of Obi-Wan as a Jedi who was a teacher, about the loss of Padme in the galaxy, about his duty to help the people of the Republic where he could versus his own crushing depression and trauma. Whatever role Cody would play on the show, I would want it to support the core of those same themes, while also respecting that Cody has his own story to be told. What I picture so clearly in my head is, post-fight scene where they've wiped the floor with whoever was coming after them, is just the two of them nodding at each other in understanding, that there are scars between them but they both can let it go now, Obi-Wan knows it wasn't a betrayal, Cody knows that Obi-Wan doesn't hold it against him, they both know the other has purpose in their life, and they each have regained a friend. The galaxy looks a little brighter after that.

[tesalicious2]

Was thinking about CCs train and shit when it hit me. There are a few commanders, such as Monnk, Jet, Blackout, and Hound (he’s a cc to me) who would have to be trained alone or with CT’s, since their specialty requires so much work.

So, I have come with an idea. Since the standard week is 5 days, 3 of the 5 are spent in specialized classes. They’d do their flash training and then be taken by other trainers. They would train with a squad of others, and put in charge.

For Hound, since it’s a special case of having a Massiff buddy. Those three days are set together and Grizzer would stick with him all day, and night. To strengthen their bond, they would spend off time together and Hound would have his official trainer (an Mandalorian) set Grizzer in the bunk with him. This was a not great idea for some massiffs but Grizzer loved the pod and would wiggle like hell when the Alpha picked him up.

I can just imagine, Monnk coming back to his squad from specialized training soaking wet and cold. Having his Alpha help him peel off the dry suit before he goes to bed. Talking all about the fun things he learned and saw with his Mandalorian trainer. Actually, I headcanon that Monnk and his trainer got along incredibly well is basically adopted by the Mandalorian. Monnk got his name and the sea dragon across his armor from the Mandalorian. (I also headcanon that Dred Priest hated the Mandalorian and reconditioned Monnk to get at him. Dred ended up in a bacta tank and the Mandalorian retaught Monnk everything from scratch. (Monnk was about 3 standard at the time.))

Jet scared the shit out of his trainer with how well he was able to control the flame. He was also taught what alternate fuels could be used on different planets and Jet got so interested he found all the options he could on Kamino (only 2) and he switched out the fuel, Pyro (my OC) was all to happy to help. They both were found sitting on the floor with the flamethrower between them, quietly watching the flames. Turns out, all of the flame troopers either had or developed pyromania to *some* degree. The trainer in charge was quite happy to find out about this as he had a severe case himself and was all to happy to indulge his troopers under the excuse of teaching the troopers.

Blackout is a special operations clone trooper, trained for stealth operations and piloting. While he did not have a super close bond with his trainer, they both still enjoyed each others company and considered each other friends. Blackout is one of the few who was already good at lying, but his training made him the best (better than even Fox, which he is very proud of). He wasn't as close with as many of his troopers due to their numbers being quite large, but he (like the rest of the spec ops troops) does his best to instruct and learn about his troopers in their short time together.

Bacara, though not recieving any special training, caught the eye of a Concord Dawn Mandalorian who took him for special Marine training for one day a week. It would be till later when they decided to have a Marine Corps that he would become the specialist.

[nocturius8015ficore]

Nocturius: Third Republic Commando fanfiction! This one is about Ordo and Besany trying to understand each other.

————-

Fandom: Star Wars Republic Commando books by Karen Traviss

Characters: Ordo Skirata and Besany Wennen

Rating: Family-friendly ** Fairly accessible to people who don’t know RepCom **

Topic: Slice of life, autistic spectrum, romance

Pitch: Besany and Ordo are not very used to be with each other like a regular married couple. Adaptation is required.

It was late. Besany was tired but not as much as Ordo was. He just went back from a dangerous spec ops, took a shower and crashed on his bed without saying a word or taking a bite. Besany said to herself that she will never get used to that high level of risk about his husband but that was the life she chose.

Well, not exactly chosen, Ordo happened in his life and yes, she didn’t have to fall in love with him, she could have helped the clones by providing information only. Staying on Coruscant. Spying. Nothing was that simple with the clones though, especially those under Skirata’s protection. The point of no return was the day she saved Fi from being left to die at the hospital. The poor man, he never fully recovered from his injuries.

She spent most of her day busying herself with the chores of the Aliit and a bit of weapons training. Laseema and her were a great team at organizing and maintaining everything in order to sustain all those ever hungry soldiers and supporting their other needs.

She looked at Ordo. He was buried under the bed sheets. She only saw a part of his hand, in a claw position, holding the duvet. She hesitated before joining him in the bed, she didn't want to wake him up. Those men never seem to have enough sleep, even less leisure time.

‘’ Are you joining me or not? ’’ he said, not even moving. She shouldn't have been surprised. Of course Ordo wasn’t asleep. She probably woke him up by her footsteps only.

‘’ Yes, I’m sorry, I didn’t want to stare…’’ She felt awkward. ‘’ I didn’t know if you were awake or not. May I ask a question? I mean, it’s already a question, why are you always sleeping with a sheet on your face? Are you breathing correctly?’’

Ordo sighed and moved slightly to let her take a place near him.

‘’That’s multiple questions. Yes you can, why, to sleep well and yes, I have no problem breathing. Otherwise I would get a headache which would get in the way of me to sleeping well. ’’

‘’ Obviously. ‘’ She suspected she might not have been precise enough therefore she reformulated the question. Ordo had that tendency to take everything so literally. He was way more intelligent than her on so many levels but sometimes, he had the mind of a child. Which, to be fair, he was in a way, as a 14 years old clone.

‘’ Why does it help you to sleep better? The room isn’t dark enough? Is it because you are used to sleep with your helmet? ’’

The former Null ARC trooper let a sound come out of his lips. Besany didn’t know if it was from irritation or a chuckle.

‘’ I’m not sleeping with the bucket on. Only our vod Darman does that. And he is not the smartest of his squad. And for why I’m doing that, it’s my business. I don’t want to talk about it. ‘’

‘’ It’s alright, I respect that. As long at it makes you feel good, it’s all I need to know. ’’

Besany was used to his silence and she knew the Nulls had been through so many things in their short existence. She would probably never know all of it but what she learnt for Kal Skirata and the other Nulls was horrifying enough. She was happy to share her life with him nevertheless.

Then she carefully slipped under the blankets. His husband had a complicated arrangement of sheets with his arms and she didn’t want to disturb him. Even if she fully trusted him, Ordo’s feelings were hard to predict. They haven't slept together often since their Mandalorian wedding about a year ago. They were not totally accustomed to that new normality. Nothing could ever be normal with a clone anyway. Things always moved so fast even for her quick witty mind but especially with that exceptional man. She smiled sadly. She felt the need to be better at guessing his needs but she reminded herself that she didn’t have to understand him perfectly. She would never be. Even Skirata could't. She only had to accept him as he was. She heard him sighing again as he uncovered his face and sat.

‘’ It began on Kamino. Before Kal’buir. Like almost every osik to be honest…I took the habit of hiding my eyes from the never ending thunderstorm. But even when we got a soundproof room with no window, I kept doing it. It soothed me. The other Nulls didn't need to do that apparently. It took me time to realize that it was not only about that childhood trauma of live ordnances bombardment … ‘’

‘’Wait, before Kal Skirata you said?! You were like… Two standard years of age?’’

‘’Correct. It surely didn’t help my other disorders. I think I have sensory overload issues. In the daytime I can manage with the bucket, artificially control the inputs and keep my mind busy but I can’t rest that way. Things can get pretty intense. It’s like… all I didn’t manage, come back together at once. And I have a lot to manage. ’’

‘’ I see… it’s like if the sounds and lights come from your own mind? ’’

‘’Something like that, yes. The blanket helps me feel safe. I know, it must look weak to you, a childish thing…’’

‘’ Of course not, Ord’ika. It’s simple but if it works, that’s all good. You know, as a child I had a cuddly toy and even if I knew it wasn't a real animal, it made me feel safer too. I even talk to them. It helped me feel less lonely and the faux-fur also had a calming effect.’’

‘’ We didn’t have toys on Kamino. ’’

The woman looked at Ordo with tenderness.

‘’ I know sweetheart, but today… you have me? Can I come under your… fortified blanket? ’’

‘’ Why is that even a question? ’’

She looked at him not sure if she had crossed his boundaries too far but he finally smiled at her.

‘’ If I didn’t want you to be here, you wouldn’t be in my room at all. Come closer, cyar’ika.’’

Pressing her cheek to his chest, she felt Ordo replacing the duvet around the both of them, the sound went slightly muted, the darkness was appeasing. She felt privileged, cozy and yes, also safer. Maybe she would never fully understand him, but it seems he also struggled on his own as he tried his best to be a good husband to her. They both joined in the middle. She put her arms on his very athletic belly and kissed him softly.

‘’ It’s quite lovely, but it’s getting hot under it. ’’

‘’Believe me, it’s getting hotter than you think. ’’

Fi-Core/Nocturius 5th of Avril 2024 / Updated 14th of October

[roseaesynstylae]

Star Wars: Republic Commando: Hard Contact, Chapter 7

"It was the fields. There was too much open ground between areas of cover. Niner had been sitting in the fork of a tree for so long that one buttock was numb and the other was catching up."

Any time there's a funny (or mildly funny) moment in these books, I feel obliged to record it. It's less because I feel bad about criticizing them (I don't, at all) and more due to the fact that I like to note anything I actually enjoy in these books.

"Yes, she could use the Force. When she felt confident and controlled, she could master everything Fulier had taught her; but those days were few and far between She wrestled with a temper unbefitting a Jedi. She watched those with serene acceptance of the Force and envied their certainty. She wondered why Jedi blood had bothered to manifest in someone who was so fallible."

I get Etain's low self-esteem. In fact, most of that paragraph is pretty relatable. BUT. "Jedi blood?" It has never been called that. Yes, Force-sensitivity tends to run in families (see, the Skywalkers, the Horns, etc), but, and considering how much certain characters rant about it, I'd think Traviss would pay attention to this, the Jedi Order is not about bloodlines. It's the furthest thing from. What exactly prompted--

OH. Oh, I have a sneaking suspicion as to why it's referred to as "Jedi blood" here.

What's the connotation most people have when they hear the word blood in the context of abilities or families or whatnot? For me, it carries this hint of elitism. There's just a sense of "Me and the rest of my family are so superior to you that even our bodily fluids are Better Than You." Why do I have this feeling that KT is trying to make the Jedi Order look elitist?

THE JEDI ARE NOT ELITIST. They are, again, the furthest thing from. They help everyone, especially people who are at the bottom of the pecking order, and they don't care where their members come from. Nothing about the Jedi Order is elitist.

But Karen Traviss is ignoring that "little" fact. She wants to make the Jedi look bad and unsympathetic and "Why would anyone stay a member," and she is ignoring facts in order to do that. It's one thing to have an interpretation that uses canon facts. It's another thing entirely to ignore facts.

To sum up:

Jedi-Bashing: 14 (one for the elitist subtext, one for the blatant ignorance of the facts)

"Then she became aware of something she wasn't expecting to encounter in the Imbraani woods.

A child.

[...]

'Sorry, ma'am,' a man's voice said. 'I didn't recognize you.'

And still she detected only a child, so close it had to be next to the man. For some reason she couldn't sense him in the Force at all."

This is how I want two people who are going to fall in love to meet! By one thinking the other is a child! That isn't creepy at all!

Also, why is Etain sensing Darman as a child? In all Star Wars media involving the clones, including this very series, portray all clone troopers as adults. I don't get why she senses Darman's chronological age in this scene.

Oh, wait. Yes, I do. Traviss wants to reinforce how bad the Jedi Order is. "Oh, look! They're using child soldiers! Aren't they just awful?!" In response, I say "Hey, remember how Kal Skirata wanted to start training his sons to kill people when they were eight? And remember how his wife was treated as a bitch for not being comfortable with that?" Am I deliberately misinterpreting canon facts? Maybe. Is someone else definitely doing the exact same? Yes. Shut up.

Jedi-Bashing: 15

"Sergeant Kal was especially eager for his Wet Droids to read stuff about a culture called Mandalorian. He admired Jango Fett."

These facts about Kal Skirata aren't bad in this book, but they're going to make him very punchable in future material. God, this fucking guy...

Jedi-Bashing: 15

Di'kut Count: 6

Main Post

[emperor-palpaminty]

Kix X Reader

Hi I had feelings for the last clone and I wanted some angst so. Have some Kix. Here is his wookiepedia which is interesting! It may give you some context as well. This is a part of my underappreciated clones series- send in a clone you don't think gets enough love!

Also BTW this armor SLAPS (from his Wookiepedia)

You had seen all kinds of outcasts, outlaws, and outsiders come by your little hostel. It offered a safe place for people to come stay. With the empire crumbled and a new order trying to be rebuilt, people needed somewhere safe to lay their heads.

You only had one rule: no fighting or killing within the walls of your domain. If they did, they would be subject to being booted out or being hunted down by the other patrons.

And you did not want these patrons getting peeved at one another.

You sighed. The air was humid on this planet. Money and business was good, and that seemed to be enough for you to never leave whenever the inkling came to mind to scurry off this planet. Especially in a galaxy as turbulent as this one- it felt like little skirmishes were still outbreaking, with bounty hunters and gangsters slowly finding their places and rising in this more free and open universe without an Empire to bow down to. Your arm hurt from scrubbing the counter.

Your parents had met in the war. You didn't hear them talk too much about it- war is war, they said, and it is better to not discuss these things.

So you let it stay quiet as they established the little inn. Their scars and weapons hanging on walls behind the counters or hidden in closets did all the talking.

Everyone needed a place to rest. Surviors and deserters and bounty hunters. It made money.

But you never knew who would walk in the door.

Even when the door opened, you could sense the meloncholy weight on his shoulders. You didn't pay much attention to the feelings that plagued you when you saw people- the sadness, the anger, the dread.

This guy was just tired.

You glanced up when the footsteps stopped by you. It gave you pause- his armor looked like a storm trooper, but so very different. Scuffed, but layers of paint were placed in some places as if to rebrand himself, but the stark white armor always coming forward and revealing itself.

A deserter, perhaps?

It was the helmet that made it dawn on you- the shape of the visor. Whatever this man was, he was not a storm trooper, or at least you didn't think so.

A modulated sound came through his helmet. You blinked, making an apologetic sound, and he repeated himself. "A room, please?"

Please. As you nodded and turned to grab a card, something in you kneaded softly against your chest as you handed it to him.

A jolt shot through your hands as you felt the tip of his own hand, a smooth glove, brush your own skin. He was quiet, and only nodded and mumbled his thanks before leaving.

An unusual patron indeed.

You didn't see his face the first couple of nights. He would keep his helmet on, turned away from everyone. You heard stories of some Mandalorians being very private with their faces, and you heard him speaking mando'a over the comm system in his helmet, which looked vaugely Mandalorian from what you had seen.

He didn't walk like a Mandalorian though. He was broad, and treaded carefully. His head was level and his voice was soft. He didn't want attention called to him, even if it was hard to not notice him. The scuffed blue paint stood out to the reds, the metals, the browns and blacks that other folks who came through wore.

Your eyes always found the blue armor.

You rounded the corner, carrying the clean towels. You had a nice and folded stack, pausing on occasion to tuck one by each door. They were clean and still warm, but somewhat worn. Not that anyone minded- a clean towel was a luxury in this part of the galaxy. You hummed softly, kneeling down to set the towel neatly on the little table by the door.

It opened swiftly, making you step back in surprise. A sound caught in your throat and you nearly fell back, the towels tumbling from your arm.

A hand caught your arm and kept you from effectively smacking into the floor. You adjusted at the hold and looked up, gulping when the blue helmet tilted. After a moment of silence, he spoke- the first time you heard his voice since he checked in. "You okay?"

You nodded, pulling yourself back up. "Thank you." The grip had been quick and tight. Not that you minded. "Sorry." You leaned down to pick up the towels and start re-folding them.

He knelt down by you and helped. The motions were fluid and un-soldier-like, but he folded every towel crisply and easily, much quicker than you could. You watched as he turned, holding out the towels.

"I should apologize." He said, gently nudging the towels into your arms.

That was the extent of the conversation- He stepped away and moved down the hall, steps silent. The towels were warm in your hands, and felt softer than before if that was even possible. Your mind flitted to the possibility that, perhaps, he had not always been a mercenary, and that thought lived in your head through the remainder of your tasks.

[wantonlywindswept]

@lucdarling replied to your post “so all of the fic where the GAR and Coruscant...”:

pls give me your fic recs, friend. this sounds very relevant to my interests.

​oh heckie yes i got u boo @lucdarling

Fics Being Mean to the Coruscant Guard:

Two Strikes / Crowning Glory A variety of steps Cody takes to ensure the Guard doesn't get abused as horribly -- Fox and his men might not be on the front lines, but they're still Vod'e -- and their consequences.

linking to the first fic in the series, the story starts out mostly with Cody being a slut (affectionate) but then goes on to get into the Tragedy of Darth Plageius the Coruscant Guard and Fixing It and tbh if you read nothing else read this series it is So Good. make sure to follow the links, things are slightly confusing and non-sequential if you don't

it also actually addresses post-trauma stuff too which is AMAZING, yes def read this but be sure to put some time aside for it the series is like 500k and you Will want to read it all in one sitting and then you might get yelled at by your wife for not sleeping for three days or that might just be me, 100/10

Galaxy-Saving Memes You can only access the page if you're GAR. The Coruscant Guard decides to infiltrate it because they are tired of being ignored, and honestly? Their memes are way better. Or, the Guard saves millions of lives through stupid internet posts.

second on the 'if nothing else read this' list, unless you dislike epistolary stories, in which case you can skip. but it is short and it is fucking HILARIOUS which you would think wouldn't be possible given the subject matter but no, it is great, 100/10

The Adoption Wars The only thing stronger than the dark side is Rex's ability to get adopted. Or: the one where Rex would really like everyone to know that he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Oh, and Fox finally gets to kill a sith.

only somewhat about Being Mean to the Guard but by god it is cute and adorable but also makes you Feel Emotions, excellent story 10/10

Their Days Are Darker After the death of ARC Trooper Fives, an altercation at 79's leads Wolffe to spend his leave snooping around the Coruscant Guard. Fox assumes he'll drop it and leave the Corries to their fate; it's what everyone else has done. He is very, very wrong.

so this is heartbreaking in the whole 'doesn't understand that what is happening is wrong' kind of way and tbh Cody is a little bit more of a dick than i usually imagine him but it is still Quite Excellent 10/10

exploitation, hesitation The Coruscant Guard makes a mistake while working with the 212th Attack Battalion. Fox prepares to take the heat.

EXCELLENT writing with the whole 'pov character thinks one thing is happening while outside characters Definitely Do Not', fox is so self-sacrificing which is why and how we love him 10/10

learning solitude It's a gradual, insidious thing, Fox's absorption into the Chancellor's office. The Chancellor wants a clone commander of his own, so he gets one. All Fox gets is a position far away from his brothers, a lesson in how to work around natborns who detest his very existence, and a seemingly endless list of monotonous jobs to keep him occupied through all his waking hours and beyond. Fox misses Kamino.

less Guard more Fox, but man what a way to emotionally stab you in the face! lots of gaslighting and manipulation and it is part of a series but the series also gets Extremely Dark at the end before having a recovery/happy ending, so ymmv 10/10

Blood Iron Fox has seen many things seized during raids. Illegal weapons, Spice and other assorted of banned drugs, slaves, carnivorous beasts trained for the fighting rings, the list goes on. Nothing prepared him for finding beskar among the crates of contraband and bad life choices.

so much worldbuilding fuck yeah! semi-the mandalorian crossover, the Guards have it Real Fucking Rough but then they run into some traditional mandos with hearts of gold beskar, v excellent 10/10

i'm sure there are others! well i know there are others, but these are the ones i remember standing out/have read so far. all of these have happy endings, i wouldn't do that to you (and tbh don't really read stuff w/o happy endings myself)

go forth and read whump!

[tarisilmarwen]

Rebels Rewatch: "The Protector of Concord Dawn"

In which Kanan is the best and Sabine eventually learns to follow his example on things.

I honestly don't think I've watched this one often enough to remember it that well so this'll be an adventure for me.

Having been driven off Garel the Phoenix Cell fleet is once again just kind of ambling through realspace in the middle of nowhere.

Rex casually recanonizing the "Mandalorians trained the clone troopers" thing from Legends.

Oof, you know this conversation had to hurt Sabine in some private places.

Lol, Hera's "Sounds familiar." She talking about Sabine there? Probably.

Sato's line here about warriors only understanding strength is interesting, considering it was suggested/implied that he's a former Separatist. Who knows if he ever had to tangle with Mandalorians during the Clone Wars, but he clearly recognizes that they tend to be a stubborn and belligerent people.

Side note, I love how bouncy Hera's lekku are.

"There was a time when it [diplomacy] always won the day." *CRIES ABOUT THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE REPUBLIC FOREVER*

You uh... you look like you're missing a little... a lot of... something there, Concord Dawn.

This is a unique music cue, frenetic and tense even before there's any actual danger.

Hera's slight hesitation when she talks about those who would stand against the Empire, hngl, she's so hopeful for the best-case scenario, she has so much faith in people's inner goodness and desire for freedom and autonomy.

Too bad Fenn Rau already made a self-preservation deal with the Empire.

This battle is really nicely staged and shot.

Was that a very fragmented excerpt of the "Shenanigans" theme?

*listens harder*

Sounds a bit like!

Sabine groaning in aggravation when Hera tells her to "just follow orders" oooh boy that's a sour spot for her.

I think it's only thanks to their bonding in "Out of Darkness" that Sabine chooses to trust Hera.

AND THE CURSED WORDS, "I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU."

FANDOM DID NOT FORGET THAT THOSE WERE THE LAST WORDS KANAN SAID BEFORE HIS HEROIC SACRIFICE IN "CALL TO ACTION", WRITERS.

:((((((((

My gosh the way shards and pieces still seem to be floating around the A-wing like they're pulled by gravity towards it.

Wonder if the Chimaera looked similar when it exited hyperspace, wherever that was.

The worry in Kanan's eyes and his pinched brows, ugh.

The kids waiting anxiously for news about mom. :(

Sabine immediately blaming herself, and I can't help but think about the parallels to "Call To Action", how Ezra must have blamed himself for leaving Kanan behind, for not fighting alongside him.

Sabine sounds so vulnerable here, ouch.

Kanan backstory! If I remember, the issue of the Kanan: The Last Padawan comic that covered the event he's referencing here came out right about when this episode was airing, in a bit of fortuitous narrative timing.

Sabine be very angry. That Mandalorian call for revenge be beating strong inside her.

Kanan decides to protect the others by barring them all from coming, only risking himself.

Except, grudgingly, Chopper, who is none-too-happy about this lol.

Takes his frustrations out on Ezra, of course.

"You must be pretty distracted not to have noticed I stowed away." Well, you know, Hera is in the ICU, that's probably pretty distracting.

I actually really love that Kanan is going full Jedi here, offering the protectors, and Fenn Rau specifically, another chance to do the right thing. There's something to be said about his and Hera's shared faith in the true inner goodness of people.

"This Jedi philosophy stuff doesn't work for everyone." "That's why we're at war." CHEEKY BASTARD KANAN.

He's right though, if everyone were just more forgiving and self sacrificing and compassionate like the Jedi there would be far less problems in the galaxy, "You said the biggest problem in this galaxy is that nobody helps each other." CATCH ME SOBBING ABOUT THE PURE GOODNESS OF THE JEDI ORDER AND THEIR MODUS OPERANDI OF SELFLESS COMPASSION AND HOW THEY DIDN'T DESERVE ANY OF IT.

"You always bring enough explosives." Lolol Kanan knows his surrogate foster daughter.

Subtle animation appreciation moment: Kanan leaning in and peering through Sabine's helmet antenna display.

Sabine gives every impression that she intends to take revenge for Fenn hurting Hera so it's a little bit weird when she suddenly backs off from her rage and anger to reinforce a "no killing" moral.

The only reason she doesn't follow through is Kanan's Jedi influence, so I'm going to picture him as a little shoulder angel next to her ear, whispering to her the right thing to do and I'm going to assume that's the deliberate intention of the writers.

Side note: Kanan gives a lot of encouraging/calming/reassuring touches to Sabine's shoulder in this scene. It's adorable.

Oh wow, Kanan legit pushed Sabine's blasters down as they were sneaking here.

This location feels very weird to see in light of "Imperial Supercommandos", I swear they reuse shot and camera angles for some of the scenes.

Kanan saying he trusts Sabine, aww.

Rau is remarkably considerate of Kanan's intrusion. I really like this scene. Gives the impression of two worthy foes sizing each other up. Feels very much like some kind of callback to classic samurai films.

Rau puts his blaster away when he learns Kanan's a Jedi, a subtle hint to his true loyalties. Rau wants to believe in the miracles the Jedi are capable of but years of subjugation have made him cynical and bitter.

This tapping percussion bit in the score is often used to signify stealth or infiltration.

LOL Sabine blowing her cover by banging her head on a fighter, lololol.

I remember fandom went kind of nuts when Sabine declared she was "House Vizsla". I was never really into the Mandalorian lore side of things so I was like, "Cool. That's nice."

(Basically it means her family was Death Watch and caused way too many Problems On Purpose in the Clone Wars.)

"I believe they have the strength to defeat you and the resources to back it up." UNEXPECTED THRAWN PARALLELS HELLO??!?!!!??

No but seriously, Fenn Rau allied with the Empire for much the same motivations that Thrawn did, to preserve his own people and further their interests. He owes no true loyalty to the Empire but his strategic mind has determined that acquiescing to them is the best option to protect his own.

Wow I did not expect that in this rewatch.

Lol Kanan's whole expression of, "Goddammit Sabine."

Subtle animation appreciation moment: The way Sabine's bangs bounce as her head moves.

Kanan desperately appealing to Sabine's better instincts, the ones Hera instilled in her, and Sabine seeming serious all the way to the end until she holds herself back and shows mercy.

Aaaaaaaaaaah I have so many feelings!

Also LOL at Kanan being so frustrated with Mandalorians and how they fight at any provocation.

Sabine's "You need to trust me." sounds like she's already mentally backed down from her "RAWR MUST TAKE REVENGE" plot and is more calmly assessing the situation and figuring out how to accomplish the goal and adhere to Kanan's (and by proxy Hera's) wishes.

More Old West Hollywood shots here.

I don't think the visual similarity between this moment post-explosion and Sabine's fight with Gar Saxon in "Imperial Supercommandos" is a coincidence.

"You love making this hard for me." Lol aww.

...Where was Fenn intending to go? No really, this is gonna bug me. Was he going to search for the ship Kanan and Sabine clearly came in? Was he going to contact the Empire?

Oooh there's a leimotif in here that I'm sure I've heard, I can't determine what it's meant to symbolize or be associated with (maybe Kanan?) but it's a good one.

Obligatory pretty cloud shot.

Looks Rau straight in the face as he stabs his lightsaber through the Fang controls lolol, what a badass.

Kanan is exceptionally competent here. It's really sexy.

For those fans whose primary blorbo is Kanan I mean.

Fenn Rau begrudgingly accepting his defeat in acknowledgement of Kanan's raw skill. <3

It's not exactly what Hera wanted but it's close enough. Rau submits to a clearly superior foe and chooses to hedge his bets by ordering his men to grant them safe passage, out of a chagrined respect.

Love the callback to the joke in "A Princess On Lothal" lol

SABINE ACKNOWLEDGING KANAN'S POSITIVE JEDI INFLUENCE ON HER AND IMPLICITLY CALLING KANAN AND HERA HER PARENTS WITH HER COMMENT ABOUT BEING "RAISED RIGHT", WEEPING, SOBBING, GNASHING TEETH.

Awwwwwwwwww!

I... don't remember being super into this episode when it first aired. Mandalorians infighting with Mandalorians was never a drama I was into and I thought Sabine was frankly a little... boring?... as a character? In the early days for me at least. I was never much invested in her focal episodes in Season Two. She only really started getting interesting for me in Season Three.

But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed rewatching this episode and seeing Sabine struggle against the competing family instincts and influences inside her.

That being said, it's Kanan who really shines in this episode, demonstrating perfect Jedi training and compassion, determined to find a peaceful solution to the conflict that honors both his values and Hera's wishes. He tempers Sabine's instinctual rage and anger and drive for revenge with calm serenity and mercy and it's this example that would influence several of her decisions in Season Three.

This episode is honestly a really quality one for the Kanan-Sabine bonding and relationship exploration. Maybe I didn't give its due at the time, but I'm finding myself really liking it now.

We're about to hit the Golden Streak, I am SO looking forward to covering the next several episodes. <3

[echoingbirdsofprey]

Of Love And War

1 - Crash Into You

Pairing: Commander Cody x OFC Azura Shain

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: canon typical violence, normal swearing, straddling the line of canon divergent/compliant

A/N: I'm posting these to Tumblr finally and I haven't written for this in like two years so I'm hoping re-reading and posting with ignite some inspiration to keep going on these because I really enjoyed them and I have so much in my drafts for this series. Please enjoy! If you want to be added to a tag list (for this one or any of my fics) just shoot me a message!

The first time Azura had met Commander Samson was when the 478th Battalion brought her Master's body back to the Jedi Temple. She wept for her Master. She'd taken Azura under her wing and not only as a Padawan but like a daughter. Samson had taken a hold of the Jedi, embracing her so tight he worried he was hurting her, but she never complained. She sobbed against his armor and he allowed her as long as she needed.  When she felt she was able to, which was surprisingly not hours like she thought, but a few minutes, she pulled away from the Clone Commander and glanced up at him, eyes puffy and red. He gently wiped her cheeks with his thumbs but said nothing. He didn't know what to say except "sorry for your loss" but he felt she valued a quiet, supportive presence instead.

At the funeral, the Council allowed Azura and some of Penryn's Clone Troopers to pay their respects first before any other Jedi were allowed to. Times were changing. With all of the recent CIS terrorism, access to the Temple had been restricted. There were never public funerals for the Jedi anyway but Azura was surprised that the Council allowed the Clones. She felt as though there was something bigger at play here.  Samson had stepped forward, cutting a piece of the Togruta's robes with his knife. He handed the scrap to Azura who tearfully but thoughtfully received it.

"I don't know a thing about Togrutas but Mandalorian tradition dictates that a loved one may carry something of the deceased to remember and honor them by. And with the way she talked about you, she certainly loved you the most." He explained and Azura simply nodded. He knew the traditions of her birth family and she appreciated that very much. Azura wrapped the blue piece of cloth around her wrist for now but she would later wrap the hilt of one of her sabers with it. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Penryn Tethras was a slender woman, a Togruta, skin a lavender color, her montrals striped a darker purple and light grey. She wore dark blue robes, and when Azura was allowed to pick hers she wanted the same. Azura was ten years old when her parents brought her to the Temple. She'd shown great sensitivity to the Force already, which scared her parents half to death. The Council wasn't going to let her become a Padawan but Master Tethras begged them. She pleaded, seeing potential in the young Mandalorian girl. 

"She has a good heart. Can you not see that?" Penryn asks as she strides through the halls of the Jedi Temple besides Master Yoda and Master Windu.

"Fearful she is. Very fearful. Hard to overcome that is." Was Yoda's only remark at the moment. Mace Windu nodded in agreement.

"She has untapped power for sure. I do sense a great deal of good in her but she must be taught to focus. You will need to be strict with her. Is that something you are willing and able to do?" Mace asked, pausing in his steps. Penryn sighed heavily.

"I cannot be cold if that's what you are asking of me. Firm, yes. I can give her boundaries. I can help her focus. She can become confident. I feel it." She assured them.

" Then it's all on you to make her the Jedi you feel she can be." Mace affirmed and Penryn bowed to the older Masters, nearly running off to find the young girl whom she'd just adopted essentially.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Azura's thirteenth name day was the one she remembered the most. More so than any previous one with her actual parents. Penryn had asked the barely four foot tall Padawan to come to her quarters. She had a small table set up. At it was a cake, and next to it looked to be a blue kyber crystal. 

"Who got the cake?" Azura asked, sitting across from Penryn.

"Aayla got it for you. And I also got you something very special." Penryn said, picking the kyber crystal up. 

"Hold out your hands." Penryn placed it in Azura's palms. She felt the crystal vibrate slightly as if it was happy to be with her 

"I saw you working on a second saber hilt. I think you could wield two sabers if you work hard enough."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Penryn, look!" Azura says, twirling her dual sabers in a fantastical and showy display of skill. Penryn smiles and claps. She steps toward Azura as she douses her sabers' lights. 

"You've been practicing quite a bit. You're getting quicker with your hands." Penryn pulls Azura in for a tight embrace.

"Are you okay?" Azura's voice sounds panicked. Penryn certainly showed her share of affection but it was an odd time for her to hug Azura. Or perhaps not. She could hear the warmth and pride in Penryn's voice.

"I'm fine. I recommended you to start your trials. You're ready. I'm being sent on a mission to Geonosis, so I won't be able to be here. But I wanted to wish you the most luck... But I know you'll pass."

" If I pass though, that means I won't be your Padawan anymore..."

" It does. That just means we can go on better adventures together. Bigger, more important ones. And it's not if you pass, it's when because you will. I have so much faith in you. I love you very much, tunguma."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For ten years, Master Tethras raised Azura as her own. She kept Azura out of trouble. She kept her honest, humble, and hard working. Azura never skipped a meditation, never skipped a study session, and especially never missed a day training with her sabers once she'd crafted them. If she was sick, she was still out in the training yard, perfecting the use of one and eventually two sabers. Master Tethras couldn't be more proud when Azura was ready for her Trials. And unfortunately her final test was the loss of her Master. In the same day she'd felt like she'd lost a part of her soul, she was knighted as a Jedi.

"As a Knight now, you have a new assignment. With the start of the Clone Wars, your Master had been assigned the 478th Battalion. It is clear to us that the command of the Battalion should be handed down to you, as her Padawan and her most trusted companion. This is your next test towards becoming a Master." Master Windu explained and all Azura could do was bow and thank the Council. When she headed out to meet her battalion she recognized the Clone Commander whose arms she'd ended up in as they brought her Master's body to the burial chambers.

"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. I thought it wrong at the time. I'm CC-4338, Commander Samson of the 478th Battalion. You must be General Shain?" Azura's face contorted at the title. Who was she right now? Jedi Knight Azura? Master Tethras' Padawan? General Azura Shain? Too many titles at once had her head reeling.

"Just call me Azura please. And is it fine if I call you Samson? I'd rather not call you by a number."

" Oh...Uh...I mean sure...I guess. Whatever you want, General, err...Azura..." Samson stumbled over his words, trying to figure out a coherent response in a reasonable amount of time. At that moment he heard the cutest giggle leave her lips and he was sold. Like a moth to a flame he was hooked. He smiled and he hated that he had his bucket on. He wanted to tell her she had a cute laugh but he didn't dare.

"So where are we headed to?" Azura asks, knowing Samson has already been briefed on their first mission together.

"Headed to the Outer Rim. Murkhana."

"I've...never been there..." Azura said glancing around at the starship they were entering.

" Neither have I." Samson said, shooting her a look with which she could guess he was smirking by the sound of his voice.

Indigo Squad was composed of Commander Samson, Captain Sky, Lieutenant Emden, Lieutenant Zazou, and Medic Atom.

Azura moved her dark auburn, lengthy hair from one shoulder to another. Her Commander placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. While these men were bred and trained for war, Azura was not. Yes, she was trained in several different forms of lightsaber combat but nothing had prepared her for all out war. Conflict was not something she wished to deal with, however in battle she was exceptional. She'd become agile and stealthy but steady and patient. She wielded two sabers, both a light blue in blade color. She clipped them to her belt. She wore a similar black under layer to the Clone Troopers, as well as boots, shin armor, and gauntlets with a comm pad. She wore a skirted grey and purple accented armor that attached to her belt. It was similar to the kama that the ARCs wore except shorter and more triangular at the bottom. 

She glanced around at her men, decorated like any other battalion, but their armor was painted with a deep purple striping. There were several ARC troopers in her ranks, and then there was Samson. Commander Samson. Faithful almost to a fault, Samson was glued to his General's side. He donned the ARC trooper double pauldrons, purple piping on black kamas, dual DC-17s, a jet pack, and a DC-15 long range rifle. He was younger looking than some of the other Commanders but he took his training so seriously and rose through the ranks quicker than any in his batch. Samson sported a high and tight cut as well a full beard. If he were to shave his beard it would reveal a large dent in the bone of his jaw on the left side. This was an injury from his training on Kamino, the butt of a rifle connecting with his face. 

Then there was Atom, their Medic. He specialized in trauma surgery so dealing with emergencies on the fly is what he lives for. He's still pissed at Sky for not letting him put a cybernetic eye in when Sky had to have his right eye removed. Atom didn't sugarcoat anything, but told you how things were in a nice way. His hair was curly and messy under his bucket. His ARC pauldrons carried the medic symbol and while he's not as buff as some of the other guys he could still kick someone's ass if you needed him to. The other three, Captain Sky, Lieutenant Emden, and Lieutenant Zazou usually traveled as a trio. A trio of chaos. The three of them had expertise with heavy weaponry, ARC trooper training, and if you let them, they can pretty much fix anything. The GAR had no idea that they'd modified several light fighters with advanced weapons systems beyond what came stock. Sky was much like Samson in that he was faithful to Azura but he spoke up less. Because of his eye injury he'd become withdrawn. When around his brothers, he was a sarcastic little shit, but around new people he was quiet and respectful. Sky rarely took his helmet off but when he did he sported a high and tight cut with a goatee. And obviously the hole where his eye was missing but his other eye seemed to sparkle a bright golden brown with life. Emden was all around chaotic. He was quick witted and he charged in head first to everything. That got him trouble more times than one. Emden sported a full beard and taller, curly hair on top, shaven sides. He had scars running from just under his ear down his neck and onto his chest. Azura had seen the full display one morning when he burst into her cabin to wake her up. They were deep shrapnel cuts from his first deployment on Geonosis. Then there was Zazou. He was Indigo's saving grace. Quiet but tactful, Zazou could talk Emden out of a bad idea and into an even better one. He was the best mechanic of them all too. He could fix anything from a Venator's hyperdrive to a droid's memory banks. He could also hack. And he'd taught his Squad some of those skills as well. Zazou kept his face shaven at all times but sported a high falling mohawk with intricate swirling designs on either side of his head in the shorter shaved hair. He had several tattoos in aurebesh, saying his CT number, Indigo Squad, and 'Zaz'ika' which was a nickname Emden had come up with that Zazou had come to enjoy hearing everyone once in a while.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Murkhana. It had been devastating to the citizens. The planet was scarred and would remain that way for several long years afterwards. It was the first time Azura had seen real battle, real death and destruction. It was terrifying. More than once, Azura fell into Samson's arms, breaking down, seeing the chaos that was war. He would hold her tightly, waiting until she stopped shaking.

"This isn't what we're supposed to do. We're not supposed to kill people." Her hands trembled on his armor and he caressed her hair. She glanced up at him, tears welling.

" Well... people aren't supposed to get in the way. We evacuated who we could. It's not our fault if people decided to stay." 

Mimban was Samson's least favorite place. Mimban was a disgusting, muddy mess of a planet. 

"I wish our helmets filtered out the smell." He would say and then gag. His Captain, Sky, would laugh hysterically and more than once, Samson pushed him down into the mud. The lieutenant, Emden, would take more mud in hand and throw it as if it were a snowball at his brothers. He made sure he never hit Azura with a mudball because he knew she'd hit him back tenfold and laugh about it.

"I was born to be dirty." Sky said, earning chuckles out of the rest of the men. Azura would shake her head and tell them to be nicer to each other. Her sabers were their best source of light at times in the sense fog that came with the humidity of the planet. She got good at deflecting blaster fire that she couldn't see coming. It was also the first time she'd have an injury that would put her out of commission for almost a month.

Felucia, another wet, sticky jungle of a planet introduced the 478th to working with another company. The 327th Star Corps were stationed there initially and then had required back up. Azura became good friends with General Secura. She reminded Azura a little bit of Penryn. She was methodical, thorough, and firm with her men, but she had a soft spot for her Commander Bly. With the help of General Secura, Azura learned of her unexpected power to heal through the Force. 

An evening around the fire, taught Azura the ins and outs of Bly and Aayla's relationship which was in its infancy but already so strong. She studied the two as they sat together, looking over the datapad. Her hand would linger on top of his. His hand would meet her knee and stay there. He would shift closer, then she would, right up until they were as close as they could get. How could they stand it with all their armor and how hot and humid it was? Azura might get it one day. 

That was the one thing the Council didn't want the padawans learning. Love. Yes, they needed to know what love was but the attachment to another being so much that it clouds their judgement was frowned upon. Bly and Aayla were quick to come together but they were also good at keeping things separate. Good at keeping what was personal out of their professional life.

Devaron and Cato Nemoidia were long campaigns and they took many men from the 478th. Azura had suffered another serious injury just before and she became a little more cautious about just charging head first into things. Down the road she'd look back and say she'd forgotten in the moment and that she'd never learn.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

TWENTY ONE BBY

"Where are we off to next?" Emden asked. The rest of the battalion formed up and headed to their gunships. Emden, Atom, Zazou, and Sky would travel with a company of fifteen including Azura and Samson in the lead gunship. 

"We're headed to Geonosis to help reinforce General Kenobi's forces at Point Rain." The ship lifted off and out of the hangar of the Ankarres, the Venator class star destroyer, which Azura also inherited from her Master.  The past year had given her much to reflect upon. She'd found out what war was but she'd also found real friendship and comraderie in her squad. As they began the descent to the dusty and arid planet of Geonosis, they overhead transmissions coming from other gunships.

"Cody, get the tanks down!"

"Copy that Pilot, begin landing sequence!"

"Bugs incoming!"

"General Kenobi, don't land, the zone is hot!"

"We're hit, we're going down!"

Samson and Azura glanced at each other and then their men. He had to yell over the explosions.

"Sounds like a lot of flak. We're gonna get shot down if we keep going!" Samson yelled up to him and glanced at Azura, awaiting a decision.

"Pilot, put us down here! We'll go on foot to the landing zone and you can drop your tank here to reinforce us from behind." She said, making the call she hoped was the right one.

"Yes, sir!"

Azura and her men land successfully. They may have been the only ones who landed and didn't get shot down...she had no idea. She only knew they had to get to the rendezvous point as soon as possible. She ignited her sabers and jumped out of the gunship, deflecting heavy fire, with her guys right behind her. Samson and Sky used her as a shield and fired rapidly on the bugs as they pushed forward toward Point Rain. As they pressed on, they could see other tanks and gunships just ahead. They must not have been far from the landing zone anyway.

"Reinforcements have arrived!" Clones who were already there shouted and cheered as Azura's squad and another, General Skywalker's, ran up. She saw General Kenobi sitting against a gear box on the ground. He was clearly injured. 

"Master Kenobi are you alright?" She kneeled down and placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. He put his hand on her arm and smiled weakly.

"Oh...Azura...am I glad to see you. I was worried when we hadn't heard from you that you'd gotten shot down."

"No, Master. We landed just outside the zone and made the rest of the way on foot. Lots of heavy fire but we came through okay. How are your men holding up?"

"They're okay. We're going to regroup and figure out a way to get to the shield generator."

As the other battalions began to trickle in they set up a holotable by Kenobi who was trying to rest. General Mundi and Skywalker as well as his Padawan, Ahsoka stood around the table. Captain Rex, Commander Jet, and Commander Cody stood there as well. Commander Samson placed himself right next to Azura. They devised a plan to get behind enemy lines and destroy the shield generator as well as the factory. It wouldn't take them terribly long to complete this mission.

Azura's men had stayed and reinforced the drop zone along with most of Kenobi's men and they also began to pack up supplies so that they could move on and begin a mission to find the Geonosian leader, Poggle the Lesser.. They had a small amount of down time before the Venators arrived to pick up the gunships and tanks so Azura and her men got to fixing a couple of the heavy machines. She'd noticed that Commander Cody had hung back as well, taking careful watch of his General who was injured seriously. He'd loaded onto a transport so he could get to a med bay on one of the destroyers. They'd given him a bacta-shot but he needed more aggressive treatment. Cody made his way over to the tank Azura, Samson, and Emden were working on. Azura could fiddle with some things and get them to work but she was by no means a mechanic. Samson and Emden were very skilled though so she relegated herself to handing them tools and helping lift things and hold them in place. 

"General..." She heard a voice, deeper and more assertive than her men, from behind her and glanced back. 

"Commander Cody." She smiled and went back to concentrating on holding the hydraulic lines in place for Samson as he secured them back to the vehicle. 

"General Kenobi very much appreciated your quick response. He speaks very highly of you. I wanted to introduce myself but it seems you already knew who I was." His arms were placed behind his back and he stood at attention. This made him seem much taller to Azura than he probably was. Samson glanced at Cody and then back to Azura. He shook his head and chuckled to himself, earning a glare from Azura. He smirked and went back to fastening the lines on.

"Very nice to meet you Commander." She said, blushing slightly at his comment. It was nice that Obi-Wan spoke highly of her, probably because of her Master. Her Master, Penryn Tethras, did speak highly of her, all the time. But Penryn also spoke of her dedication and loyalty to the Order. And loyalty was everything to these Clones. Azura thought also of the fact that Cody felt the need to come over and introduce himself. He didn't have to do that. He didn't have to give her the time of day. He was the Marshal Commander for Maker's sake. 

"Why is it that you wanted to introduce yourself, Commander?" Samson climbed down and examined the other lines. He handed Azura his tools as she asked this.

"Well...General Kenobi asked if I could potentially convince you to help us with a recon mission to find Poggle. You command a lot of ARC troopers who are very good at what they do. We're putting together a squad in addition to Ghost Company." He explained, leaning against the gear boxes next to the tank. Emden hopped down out of the side door of the tank.

"Topside looks good. Ready to check under the belly of the beast?" Emden asked Samson. Samson leaned down, his hands meeting his knees. He glanced at Cody and then Azura. 

"We go if you go, Azura, you know that." He ducked slightly, walking under the tank and Emden followed, whacking his head as he went. 

"Fuck!"

"Should've kept your bucket on." Samson joked. Cody looked at Azura expectantly. She nodded.

"We'll go, for sure."

"Excellent, I'll let General Kenobi know when he's back down here. Do you mind if I help out? There's not really much else for me to do at the moment. I haven't played around with one of these since Kamino." Cody reached for the tools and Azura's fingers met his there. They both drew away, the contact awkward. Samson's eyebrows wiggled at Emden who snorted loudly.

"We'd appreciate your help, Commander. C'mon under." Samson said, sliding over slightly so that Cody could stand next to him. Cody removed his helmet and placed it down on the gear box next to theirs. Azura noticed he had a long, deep scar that trailed just around his left eye. Any closer and he probably would've lost his eye. She wanted to ask how he got it but decided that was maybe not the best idea at the moment. She'd save that question for another time.  Samson was already disassembling pieces under the tank and throwing them towards Azura. Cody got to work disconnecting and reconnecting wires. 

"It doesn't look too bad. Just needs some minor pieces. Can you find new ones in the gear boxes of those three couplings and those wires?" He asked, handing some of the wiring to Cody. He placed them in her hands and she picked up the couplings as well. Her Captain, Sky, made his way over to her as she was shuffling around the boxes.

"Need some help?" He asked, examining the numbers on the couplings."

"Sure. I need wires too. Something to cut them." He handed her the wire cutters and a soldering tool, and carried the couplings for her. He kneeled down and she stood expectantly next to the tank. The three men underneath looked over, surprised at how quickly she came back.

"You're not half bad at this mechanic stuff you know." Emden said, taking the wires from her.

"I can find you things easily. I'd never be able to put it together correctly though."

"Why not come under here and learn then?" Cody suggested, motioning for her to come under with them. Samson was quiet, but a smirk played on his lips that had Emden trying hard not to laugh. He wasn't sure if Cody realized how it looked to them but it for sure looked like he was hardcore flirting with their General. Azura shot a look at Sky and he gave her a little push under the tank.

"Watch your head..." Cody said, putting a hand up to protect her from knocking her head on the metal pieces that we're sticking out. He scooted just a bit closer to Samson so that she could stand enough so she could see what he was doing. Samson had to give it to him. Cody wasn't an idiot and if he was trying to get with their General he was certainly stepping in the right direction. Samson watched carefully as Cody's hands deftly removed the broken parts. Azura took them and handed them to Sky.

"So here...this wire has to go. It's fraying. You can cut it." He handed her the cutters. She inched in front of him, stretching to her tip-toes and reaching up to cut the wire. Azura was a little nervous at the closeness to the Clone Commander. She didn't know him well enough to feel comfortable being this close to him. It was different with Samson because they barely spent any time away from each other except to sleep and use the refresher. Samson had offered to show her how to fix up things before but she hadn't been terribly interested in it. She could see a small smile sticking to his lips as he worked, his eyes darting to her every once in a while. 

"Now we can put in the new wire and the coupling. So take the wire and place it just slightly over the other and then we'll solder it together." Cody said, handing her the new wire. She placed it just over the other. It wasn't quite lined up straight so Cody placed his fingers over hers and straightened it but guided her fingers so she could get the feel of it herself. He gave her the solder tool and the wires came together nicely. Next he handed her the couplings and she screwed them in and he then tightened them up. 

"Looks great. Now you can do these by yourself next time."

"You might have to show me a few more times before I can do it by myself." Her cheeks felt red hot. Cody was so close to her and she hadn't noticed before but his hand had landed on her back. She said nothing because she was actually okay with it the more she thought about it. No, she didn't know him well but he seemed very easy to get along with. She'd heard stories about him being a tough but fair Commander. He was good to his men and he was being exceptionally nice helping her learn about fixing this tank. 

"General. The Ankarres and Resolute are here to pick us up and bring us to the main command center." Zazou, one of her ARCs said as he approached. Azura nodded, awkwardly stepping away from Cody and out from under the vehicle. 

"They've got good timing. We just finished up this tank. It's usable now." Samson said as he once again ducked. " Now Emden, let's not hit our head again." Emden shot him the dirtiest look he could and stuck his tongue out. 

"Thanks for letting me help out." Cody put his helmet back on but not before giving Azura a warm smile. 

"Any time Commander. We appreciate your help." She said, her tone cheery. Her eyes followed him as he began to walk away toward where some of his battalion was gathered. Samson lightly punched Azura's shoulder.

"I think he was flirting with you, General." He declared, earning several chuckles from her ARC troopers and the Captain

"But did he know he was?" Her hands rested on her hips.

"I'm pretty sure he did." Samson's brow raised on one side. "It's against military regulations to be involved with a Jedi but hey, I don't have a problem with that...if you were wondering." He clapped a hand on her shoulder, fitting his helmet back over his messy hair.

"Didn't know I needed your approval." She retorted, grinning at him.

"You can do whatever you want. I approve." He said as they began to stroll to the gunship that would take them up to the Ankarres.

[thebisexualmandalorian]

yaknow how in Iceland there's an app for checking to make sure going out with someone who's local won't be incest because the population's so small? I think the Mandalorians need something similar post-Clone Wars (probably post Battle of Endor) because of all those clone troopers going to the culture closest to what they grew up in (especially if the cuy'val dar really were out there teaching them Mando'a songs) Like Mandalorian culture isn't gonna be homogenous by its nature (if it is something's gone horribly wrong) but for a WHILE there's gonna be a "well, if we make babies in the traditional way that's gonna be incest so good thing our culture fucking loves adoption I guess" epidemic and a LOT of recessive genes expressing themselves in the population, right?

Or am I thinking about this too hard because it's midnight and I'm tired?

I'm probably thinking too hard about this because it's midnight and I'm tired. But I like sending strange asks so here we are HAVE A GOOD DAY BYEEEE

That would make a lot of sense! I admit I don't know much about genetics so I can't make an informed opinion about recessive genes, but I think that would be really interesting to explore!

[themuskrater]

Am I just ranting about old Star Wars games now? I guess so

STAR WARS: DARK FORCES

This is the first game in the very confusingly titled series of Kyle Katarn games. You play as Kyle (of the previously mentioned Katarn fame), a former Stormtrooper turned mercenary for the Rebellion, taking on missions to uncover a hidden Imperial plot. The first mission of this game is actually the original Legends version of Rogue One, you're tasked with stealing the Death Star plans and getting them to Princess Leia. After that, you're uncovering a new Imperial super weapon project: The Dark Troopers. You may know these from the Mandalorian season 2, they're the big robots Luke Skywalker beats the shit out of. However, since you don't have a lightsaber, they're much more intimidating in this game.

Released 1995 for MS-DOS. For a game that literally pre-dates Windows, this is great. Holds up incredibly well, the 2D spites are so charming, the level design is really good, the game is fully voice acted, it balances it's difficulty well. And if you play the remastered version, it has full controller support that's integrated really well. If you don't understand how impressive that is, keep in mind this game predates the thumbstick. The game is great, almost no notes.

...except...

FUCK LEVEL 3

WHO'S IDEA WAS IT AT LUCASARTS TO MAKE ME WADE THROUGH SHIT FOR HALF AN HOUR WHILE I TRIAL AND ERROR MY WAY THROUGH THEIR STUPID PUZZLE AND PLATFORMING

For context, level three consists of wading through pitch black sewers while you look for a hidden weapons facility supplying super weapons for the Empire. It is technically very impressive that a 1995 Doom clone has swimming mechanics. This game is so wildly ahead of its time, it's actually insane how many industry leaps it makes.

However when you use those very impressive swimming mechanics to make me SWIM THROUGH A RIVER OF SHIT SEVERAL TIMES JUST SO I CAN HIT THE RIGHT SWITCHES TO PROGRESS THE LEVEL, SUDDENLY I'M NOT AS ENTHUSED ABOUT YOUR OUTSTANDING MECHANICS

Also, this is the weapons dealer you're sent to find, his name is Moff Rebus and...yeah. I mean, give them credit, he definitely looks like a guy who would hide his lair deep in a river of human feces

Anyways, great game, love it. Just wanted to make this post to have an excuse to complain about the shit river. But unlike Shadows of the Empire, I actually had good things to say about this game too.

[droolingvenus]

Blyla As Soulmates: Yay or Nay?

All of you, I'm definitely YAY for Blyla as soulmates! I could accept the platonic soulmate trope with them, as I do feel like A LOT of the clones and Jedi we see together are close and in different ways.

Firstly, I am still loving the joke about Commander Bly coming out of Aayla's tent in Clone Wars when they've crashed there with Ahsoka and some others. It is MORNING, BLY! WHY were you in the General's tent first thing in the morning? What's with that tiny little smirk/smile on your face? Did you look both ways coming out of there because you're a soldier or because you're her soldier? *wink wink*

Fair Warning, this next paragraph is sad and talks about Order 66, skip to the next paragraph if you want the not sad stuff:

I also feel like it gives huge symbolism to Order 66 being straight brutal, he was so overtaken by his inhibitor chip that he shot the woman he loved, and who trusted him so wholly, to kill her, and continued to shoot even after she was dead. That almost solidifies the argument, to me. Why did only Bly and his men shoot their General after they were obviously dead? Because he couldn't stop. He wasn't conscious or in control, but some part of him knew what he was doing, and the soulmate bond made him want to keep firing. He was almost trying to make himself hate her, it was as if he thought he could break his bond to her by continuing to fire on her. Or, maybe it was just his grief melding with the programming from the chip. Maybe his brain (The chip) was telling him to fire, but his heart (The soulmate bond) was telling him that he was hurting her. He was hoping that he could hurt her to the point of hurting himself.

Alright! Because it's what this blog was meant to be (partly) I'll dabble in what I think they get up to.

Bly loves Aayla's skin, it's smoother than a human's and definitely smoother than a human soldier's skin! He wants her to blindfold him so that all he has is her voice and touch. He wants to feel her skin on his, the warmth, the friction, the texture. He also has considered growing his hair out a bit, he doesn't mind her not having hair, but he has wondered what it would feel like for her to be tugging on his hair. I think Bly is actually a switch but leans sub, probably because Aayla always struck me as the woman who doesn't have any interest in being passive or laid back as a pillow princess, she wants to work out when she's taking her pleasure, and Bly just wants her however she wants to give herself to him. I really feel like troopers in general are just respectful as hell? I guess it's from my perception of Mandalorians being that they don't really care much about gender, but I don't have very extensive knowledge about Mandalorians so it might be more accurate to call it a headcanon. I also think Bly has a bit of a thing for the risk of being caught. Post-mission showers in the barracks? You know Aayla and him are in there fooling around like naughty teenagers! One last thing Bly is turned on by, but that he is shy telling Aayla about, is that he thinks her lekku are sexy as hell. He really, really wants to bite one, just kind of see what kind of reaction he'd get from her, but lekku are supposed to be very sensitive and he hasn't managed to get a solid answer on if 'sensitive' means off-limits no matter what or in some cases there's appropriate contact. Bly likes when Aayla calls him 'Commander' in bed, but not like he has superiority, no, Bly wants to be called by his title while Aayla is cooing the sweetest or filthiest praise imaginable.

Aayla isn't very picky about what she gets specifically, she likes to be in charge and she likes to be the only woman in Bly's world. I definitely think she might go out of her way to overstimulate him until he cries. It's not something she does often because she knows he tends to associate tears with negativity, not his beloved soulmate rocking his world and turning his brain into soup. Aayla does have a bit of a power kink, she doesn't like being called 'Master' or 'General' in bed, but she definitely calls Bly 'Commander' when he does well for her, or she wants to make him more wound up.

They both really feed off each other's enjoyment and pleasure, and so they both go for making the other feel good just as much as they do, if not more so.

In conclusion, I would bet money on their battalion having to learn to somehow announce their presence any time they enter a room or enclosed space, ie. talking a bit louder to each other, whistling or singing to themselves, or stomping in. Everyone knows, and there's running bets on when Quinlan is going to find out and Bly will go missing for a day or two... Quinlan swears he was not involved in Bly's new tattoo of Aayla's face on his arm AT ALL. Bly did it entirely on his own and Quinlan was actually doing something else that night, he had no idea Bly had any tattoos!