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Dragging Through the Snow
Because it is 101F here in Texas, here’s a picture of snow. And a wampa ice creature dragging a hapless Rebel pilot back to his lair for dinner.
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Illicit Affairs - Chapter 17
Captain Rex x OC
Chapter Summary: Talia catches up and unwinds with some old friends on Kamino, but does she make a choice she'll regret?
Chapter Rating: E
Warnings: Angst, Smut. Piv, drinking, drunk sex.
A/N: please don't hate me you guys lol. I swear things will get lighter for a moment. Getting close to the endgame now! Thanks as always to @galacticgraffiti for being a wonderful Beta reader! As always, comments/likes/reblogs are so SO appreciated.
Ao3 Link Series Masterlist
Rex had one time tried to tell Talia that every day on Kamino wasn’t rainy, that sometimes the sun peaked out behind the gray veil of clouds, but the past two days spent in Tipoca City felt shrouded in time, Talia’s internal clocked screwed up as she shuffled from briefing to briefing. She met with cadets, all of whom seemed in awe at the presence of a Jedi. It was sweet how they spoke with excitement, but Talia couldn’t ignore the twist in her gut as they vowed their unwavering support to the Republic. So young, yet that was the only life they were told about. At lunch she ate with Storm, who had attended his own sessions to assist training cadets as well, but Storm could sense something had been going on with Talia lately. He had been watching her closely since Turia, maybe just checking in on her as she recovered, but by now she was ready to snap at him, no longer wanting to deal with his probing gaze.
It was almost dinner time, and she knew he would be waiting again. But Talia wasn’t hungry, and didn’t feel the urge to risk him asking too many questions about why her mood was so downcast as of late. She debated heading to a training room again; she hadn’t gotten much further with her progress with force lightning. She really did rely on an output of rage to create it, so each burst seemed weaker than the last. She tried delving into her mind, finding fuel for the energy while she trained, but the dark place it took her was taxing. She was torn between the drive for the power, and the mental wall she had put up against it. She knew it was risky even dabbling with it this much. But she wanted to try it more. There had to be good use for a power like this, the Council just didn’t see it yet.
She knew also that she shouldn’t push herself, though; the process was physically and mentally draining. Her knuckles were raw and bruised already from not taking proper care in her earlier training. A residual ache lingered in her body from the exhaustion of pushing herself past her limits. Talia had enough sense to know she shouldn’t push it more for the day, but now found herself wandering the too-bright pathways of Tipoca City.
Pacing through the halls, Talia paused to watch the ever-storming weather outside, her gaze following a graceful aiwha as it flew out of the water, battling against the wind before diving back into the thrashing waters.
“General Riva!” A booming voice called from her side. Talia didn’t have time to turn but she didn’t need to see who it was; only one clone had such a presence, and quite honestly had the nerve to swoop her up in a wampa-hug that threatened to break her ribs.
“Wrecker!” Talia coughed out in laughter as her feet left the ground. Wrecker quickly placed her back on the ground – the man meant well, at times he just forgot his own strength. Talia grinned at him and took in the rest of Clone Force 99 behind him. She had met them about a year ago, when they had helped the 412th on a mission when the battalion was still in its rebuilding phase after the vicious attack from Maul.
Hunter stood to the side of Wrecker, a small smile of greeting on his tattooed face. Tech seemed more interested in something on his datapad, but mumbled his greetings, while Crosshair stood the furthest back, a signature toothpick in his mouth.
“Good to see you all! Nothing ever seems to change with you guys. Crosshair, your smile is as lovely as ever.”
The sniper rolled his eyes at that, but Talia caught the smallest flicker of a grin threatening to peek through. Hunter stepped forward and held his arm out, which Talia accepted to shake as he spoke, “Good to see you, General. What brings you to Kamino?”
“Just some repairs, picking up some new troops,” Talia shrugged. She tilted her head back, “You all heading to the mess? I guess I should finally head over and get some food.”
“We just got back from a mission-“ Hunter started
“-and don’t feel like dealing with that many regs,” Crosshair added under his breath.
“So, we were just going to head to our quarters,” Hunter finished, ignoring the statement from his brother. He glanced at Talia, back at his squad, then back to her “We actually have some…uh… contraband, if you’re looking for something to do tonight?”
“Offering alcohol to a General? That’s a bold move,” Talia scoffed, crossing her arms. For a moment Hunter looked flustered, as if he were worried she might actually reprimand them when Talia laughed, loosening her posture and slapping him on the shoulder. “You have no idea what I would do for a drink – I’m in.”
The Bad Batch were truly unlike any clones Talia worked with; besides their physical differences, they had their oddities that made them an interesting bunch to hang out with. What they had in common with their reg counterparts, was their bond with each other. The way they would nag and tease one another, a flair for embellishment when recalling war stories. And for Talia it was a needed break, listening to them goof off after having a few beers.
Wrecker found a way to grow more boisterous under the influence of alcohol, Tech would fall into slightly slurred tangents that were loosely related to the topic of conversation which would prompt Crosshair to teasingly taunt him to ‘turn the page’ to the next topic, but Talia caught the way his normally stern face slipped into a smirk as he joked with his brother. Hunter leaned back in his chair, slowly nursing his drink, a light flush on his cheeks. He would occasionally toss Talia an apologetic glance when one of his brothers made a particularly crass joke, but Talia always waved it off with a smile.
The night quickly moved on, Talia and the Batch drinking more of the beer they had stashed away. It was cheap stuff, even more watered down than what Republic offered for free to clones at 79’s; but it worked to give Talia a light buzz. She leaned against the table, laughing and tossing out jokes once she felt more comfortable- Talia knew the Kaminoans would disapprove for so many reasons, but she didn’t care.
Talia thought back to herself at the beginning of the war, unsure and a bit uncomfortable in her new role as a General. Many nights she had secluded herself in her own quarters as the Venator drifted through space, reading into the late hours. Then one time as the ship was docking in Coruscant, Church, Storm and a few others had invited her to 79’s for the first time. She’d been hesitant, but she accepted.
It was nice, seeing her men more at ease; even if they were as unsure how to act with her off duty as she was with them. But they settled in, getting a bit drunk and enjoying each other’s company. For Talia, that was the moment it hit her how close she was in age to the men she served with, how normal hanging out with them in down time felt. She started to make a habit of going, or relaxing in the barracks after a long mission. Maybe it was unprofessional for her as their technical superior, but Talia grew to rely on the downtime. She felt it from the men too: the longer they fought the more they needed these little moments where they could dull the stresses of war. And when soldiers passed on, she was able to look back on those nights as a way to remember them, remember the way they laughed or the dumb jokes told.
That’s why she felt at ease whenever she went out with the 501st, or even now drinking with the Batch. She didn’t know them as well as her own men, but it was easy to sit in and relax with them. The beer was hitting her head, how little food she had that day more obvious as she could feel herself getting drunk. But she didn’t care, she hadn’t laughed this hard in awhile. She felt like the weight that had been resting in her gut ever since Turia was slightly lessened, the laughter easing the tension that settled over her and the alcohol numbing the bitterness she felt. Maybe this was made easier by how different Rex was from the Batch. They didn’t look like the regular clones, their voices even sounded slightly different so she didn’t feel that jolt of pain she had been feeling any time she talked to a soldier since she had last seen Rex.
Shit. She’d done it again. She’d thought of Rex.
Talia glanced at the empty bottle in her hand; the drink was obviously not doing its job if she was still being reminded of him. She reached for another full bottle, cracked the lid open and gulped.
“How do you drink so much for someone so tiny?” Wrecker’s voice called out from across the table, a teasing grin on his face. Sure enough, about half a dozen empty bottles sat in front of him, and the large clone seemed barely buzzed.
“I handle my booze just fine,” Talia answered seriously, not realizing the evident slur that would lay in her voice nor predicting how when she waved her hand, she would knock over the empty bottles in front of her. The boys laughed at her clumsiness, and she grinned bashfully, reaching down to pick up the bottles. “In my defense, I would have done that sober.”
It turns out the Bad Batch had a decent beer supply, pulling out a new case and drinking more. Talia still more observed their conversation, her eyes being drawn to the waves outside the window once more. How they thrashed against the foundations for Tipoca City, the lights from the buildings reflecting against the surface before it faded into darkness, the waters a black void in the nighttime that would occasionally be illuminated by bolts of lightning.
Talia was vaguely aware of the boys getting into a brotherly argument, catching a glimpse of something that sounded vaguely like a plan to head into the shooting range. As the ranking officer present, she probably should have had the sense to say something along the lines of ‘alcohol and blasters don’t mix’ but she was more fascinated with the sight out the viewport. The door slammed shut, a silence settling in the room with the absence left from Tech, Crosshair and Wrecker. Hunter grabbed a few bottles, placing them together to slightly tidy up, his eye flicking to Talia as she sat with her thoughts. She held her bottle in her hand, the cool glass against her skin as she twisted it in her fingers, the ale sloshing inside, a poor mimicry of the waves outside.
“Everything ok?” Hunter asked, nudging Talia and breaking her from her silent periphery. Her head jerked to the side, glancing at him. Talia stilled her movements of the bottle, instead, tilting it back and swallowed the remaining booze.
“Yeah, I’m good,” Talia answered right after as Hunter raised a brow doubtingly. Talia sighed. “Just had a long training day, that’s all.”
Hunter huffed out a laugh. “I understand that; whenever we come back around the Kaminoans run us through every possible test and training routine.”
“Coming home isn’t just all fun?” Talia asked, already knowing the answer. Kamino might be home to the clones, and some had differing degrees of sentimentality to it, but there was nothing ‘homey’ about the aquatic world that she had witnessed these few days.
“It’s not all bad; don’t have to deal with clankers, but I guess we have to trade them in for the Kaminoans,” Hunter answered, earning a giggle from Talia.
“Not that I’m complaining, because it was nice to see a more relaxed side of you, but why did you spend your night with us? Surely you must have had more exciting things to do?” Hunter seemed sincere with his questioning, a curious glance in his eye.
“Not at all; I’m not a very exciting person.” Talia shrugged, earning a disbelieving huff of laughter from the clone next to her.
“I doubt that,” Hunter replied, leaning against the table to smirk at her. Talia rotated on the bench, swinging her legs over it so she sat facing him. Maybe it was the influence of the cheap beer, but it really was hard to tell he was a clone. Hunter didn’t have the same sweet honeyed eyes of his brothers; his were smoky, like everything else about him from his long hair to the tattoo covering half his face. Talia always felt the tattoo acted as a mask half the time; imperceptible emotions hidden away under it. A fierceness that hid a layer of softness underneath. She couldn’t quell the curiosity in her mind that wondered how far the skeletal pattern went on the rest of his body.
“Oh, I mean it,”” Talia insisted, taking one last sip of the beer in her hands; she didn’t even realize she had been that close to finishing another one. Her cheeks were warm, the room slightly swaying but she contributed a part of that to the waves rocking outside. Talia pressed her arm against the table, leaning against it and mirroring Hunter’s pose facing her. “Don’t really get up to much. Unless you count that one time I was kidnapped by bounty hunters and held hostage by Count Dooku.”
Hunter looked taken aback for a second at Talia’s blunt delivery, but his face broke into a grin as he shook his head. Talia giggled, feeling a bit lighter by the minute. Maybe this was what she needed. A distraction, her head being somewhere else.
“Still, hanging out with me and my brothers probably isn’t up to your speed,” Hunter continued. “Hope the boys haven’t been driving you too crazy.”
“Hunter, I would be perfectly capable of leaving if I was bored,” Talia rolled her eyes. “Besides, you all are…refreshing. And I needed to unwind a little.”
“So did it help?” Hunter asked, spreading his arms wide on the edge of the table behind him. Talia’s eyes flicked to the way his biceps pressed against the tight material of his undersuit, quickly correcting herself to bring them back to his face. “Hanging out, do you feel less stressed?”
“A bit,” Talia nodded, ignoring the heat settling in her cheeks.
“Anything in particular bothering you?” Hunter asked once again, his voice filled with sincerity. The liquor loosening her lips tempted Talia to talk about everything on her mind; about her own insecurities with the Order and as a leader, how stuck she felt, about Rex. But her last shred of composure allowed her to keep it in, stoppering the bottle of emotions in her.
“Just had a lot of long campaigns in a row,” Talia answered vaguely. It wasn’t a lie. Just withholding the finer details.
“I understand,” Hunter sighed, leaning into the table. “Half the time we aren’t even finished with one mission before we’re getting our next assignments.”
“I just want it all to be over with,” Talia admitted. “No more fighting; I’m good at it, but I never wanted to be a soldier.”
“What did you want then?” It was the type of question that had run through Talia’s brain often these past few days. In theory, it should be simple to answer. But Talia felt a weight pressing on her chest every time she even tried to delve into it.
“I’m not sure, but I know this isn’t it.” Talia answered softly. Hunter’s brows cinched, searching for something comforting to say. If he knew her better, he probably would probe her more, trying to get out of Talia what was really troubling her, what left her in this limbo of doubt. His eyes met hers, soft and reassuring and Talia allowed a smile back, something to signal she was ok.
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Hunter assured, “It’s a pretty wide galaxy out there. Besides, you’re an amazing woman, and I don’t think there’s much you can’t do.”
Talia resisted the urge to sarcastically laugh, thinking of all the things she failed at. But Hunter was being so sincere, something about his presence was so strangely calming. It was…nice having this sort of reassurance. Even if she didn’t want to talk more in depth about it, someone being there and seeming to care was comforting. And he was familiar. The way his face scrunched when he thought, the small smile he gave, even the sound of his voice; it was scratching the surface of what she knew. And maybe she had been wrong in secluding herself so much lately, because even just this moment of company was partially filling a vacancy that had been left within her. Or maybe it was the drunken haze settled into her, driving some innate need of hers to be with someone else, to feel something else than the loneliness that she allowed to seep in recently.
Talia wasn’t sure what propelled her to do it, whether it was just the beer or the way he smirked at her, or just how much she craved the touch of another person. But Talia leaned in, pressing her lips to Hunter’s, chasing him back as he mumbled something in surprise.
Hunter did not protest, instead his hands found purchase on her hips as Talia clumsily straddled his lap, his grip steadying her and pulling her tighter to him. Talia moaned into his mouth as her core grinded against the bulge forming in his pants, eliciting a curse from Hunter as he gripped her harder, encouraging her to keep moving against him. The kiss was needy, desperate, remnants of beer lingering on their lips. Talia slid a hand up Hunter’s neck, gripping his hair and tugging lightly. Hunter pulled back for air, and for a moment Talia was worried she had crossed a line but before she knew it aHunter’s hands were sliding lower to grip her ass as he stood.
Talia yelped as she was jolted up. Hunter picked her up and turned them around, just to place her at the edge of the table. He leaned down, kissing her again as Talia’s hand’s found purchase on the front of his shirt, tugging the fabric up.
“Are you sure?” Hunter asked breathily, pulling back to search for any hesitancy from Talia. She shook her head and tugged at his shirt once more. She bit her lip and met his eyes.
“I’ve always wanted to know how far down this tattoo went,” Talia smirked, pressing her hand to his face. Hunter returned the smirk and helped her remove his shirt. He was leaner than Rex, Talia observed, and the skeletal tattoo continued down his torso, black lines over his toned chest and disappearing beneath the waist line of his pants. Before Talia could reach to pull more off him, Hunter’s hands met the hem of her tunic, unwrapping her robes. His eyes glanced up to hers once more and she nodded, her hands meeting his to help speed up the process.
This was no flight of passion, not a moment of devotion and need for one another, where they were the only thing that could satisfy the other’s need; no, it was instinct, it was desperate and rushed.
It was craving the touch of someone else, almost pretending it was something more just to fill the void.
Talia quickly tossed off the last of her clothes, just for Hunter’s rough hands to meet her skin. She moaned as he cupped her breasts, arching herself to press into his touch. His head dipped and he took a nipple into his mouth, swiping over it with his tongue. Talia gasped at the tingling pleasure brought on by Hunter’s mouth, her hands once again landing on his head. Hunter seemed to like it when she tugged on his hair, because he started to suck on her breast, his hand roughly squeezing the other as she cried out.
Hunter pulled back and glanced over her body, the remnants of his spit still glistening over her chest, her legs spread wide and revealing herself completely to him. It suddenly struck Talia, the intimacy of it all, almost too much for what she wanted. She flipped herself over, resting her forearms on the table and sticking her ass out for him to see.
“Fuck me, Hunter,” she sighed, glancing gover her shoulder at him. His eyes were wide as they trained on her wiggling ass. “I want you inside me.”
“Are you sure?” Hunter asked once again as he slowly, hesitantly gripped his cock.
“Yes, just… fuck me already,” Talia ordered, facing forward once more.
Hunter’s hands gripped her waist, his thumbs massaging over her skin as the head of his cock nudged against the lips of her pussy. Her heart was pounding, a thud in her head that could be partially contributed to the ample amount of alcohol in her system. Hunter slowly pressed into her, groaning at the tightness around his cock. Talia winced slightly from the stretch with no foreplay, but relaxed into it, moaning as he settled all the way inside her. The fullness made her eyes roll back into her head, that satisfying relief of having that which she had been craving.
Hunter’s hips slowly rocked back and forth, his breath rugged and hoarse above her as he squeezed the flesh of her hips. His cock dragged along her walls, her cunt squeezing around him.
Talia’s body was still wound tight, a need for something still stirred in her gut and as good as it felt having him inside her she needed even more. Her palms pressed flat on the surface of the table for more leverage as Talia bounced her ass back to meet his strokes. Hunter cursed as Talia met his thrusts, his cock hitting deeper inside her. It ignited something in him, maybe knowing she wanted more was the right push he needed to give it his all. He placed a hand between Talia’s shoulder blades, nudging her down against the table as he fucked into her harder.
Talia’s cheek rested against the cool surface, the edge of the table imprinting along her thighs. Talia squeezed her eyes shut, listening as the room was filled by the jostling of the table, slightly skidding on the floor with each thrust, the slap of Hunter’s hips meeting Talia’s ass, his grunts and her high-pitched gasps echoing along the walls. She felt his hand as it firmly held her back in place, his fingers spread wide against the smooth and now sweat dampened skin. Blood was rushing through her head, her mind numb as she succumbed to the feel of Hunter burying himself in her, each buck of his hips like a lightning strike of pleasure to her gut.
Even in her state, that prickling feeling in the back of her mind reminded Talia how the rest of the batch could walk back in at any moment, that they could see her naked and bent over the table they had all been drinking at moments ago, having all sense being fucked out of her by their Sergeant. But she couldn’t bring herself to care. She needed this, needed to feel him using her for his pleasure. Needed to feel the touch of someone else, get to that precipice of an orgasm that wasn’t from her own hand. Needed to feel something.
Talia’s legs were twitching as they hung off the side of the table, no longer able to rest on the ground as the hot waves of pleasure began to spread through her body. Hunter’s breath grew more frantic, his grunts getting louder as his pace grew sloppy. He lowered himself so his chest pressed into her back, their skin clinging to the other. Talia almost cursed at him for changing the angle when her orgasm was so close, but her words were lost to a cry of pleasure as he slammed himself into her deeper and harder. His head fell in the crook of her neck, his breath hot on her skin. His rasping voice in her ear telling her how good she felt, how hot she was, and grunting her name before he pulled out, spilling hot spurts of his cum on her ass.
Hunter stepped back, his breathing still heavy, his voice husky as he asked, “Did you finish?”
“Yeah,” Talia lied, her own breath still tense. She could feel Hunter’s gaze on her, his own doubt in her words palpable but he didn’t voice it.
Hunter stepped away, murmuring something about getting a towel as Talia slowly pressed herself up. Through the glass on the window she caught her reflection, her hair disheveled, her cheeks flushed, but mostly what she caught was the exhaustion in her face. Her heart rate slowed down,the orgasm slowly fading away, and she was left wrung out. It had felt satisfying while it was happening, it had seemed like what she wanted. But an ache settled in her chest because it wasn’t enough, because it only scratched the surface of what she really wanted. Who she really wanted.
After considering the past few days a victory for having not cried, Talia couldn’t stop the flow of tears that suddenly cascaded down her face. It seemed as though her body was trying to release every bottle up emotion she had through her tears as she heaved out a sob and crouched to the ground.
“Shit, Talia?” Hunter’s called out, rushing back over to crouch where she huddled and hot flashes of mortification hit Talia. She didn’t want to be crying right now, but it felt like a dam had burst, and she could not stop herself.
“I’m so so-sorry,” Talia choked out, trying to stop the tears but all she managed to do was cry harder. Naked. On the floor. With Hunter staring at her as horrified as Talia truly felt.
“Don’t apologize, I should apologize!” Hunter hurried to grab the remnant of Talia’s clothes where they were scattered about. He brought them over to her, seemed like he was going to try and put them on her again but retracted his hands and just held out the clothes for Talia to shakily accept. “Please, what did I do? Did I hurt you?”
“No you didn’t, you were great. I’m just in love,” Talia’s voice cracked out in a sobbing drunken slur.
Hunter stared at her, his horror fading into confusion, then ran a hand through his hair. “Gen-Talia, I’m very flattered but uh-“
Talia actually managed to hiccup a laugh in between her sobs, as she loosely wrapped her tunic on. “No, n-not you. I’m not that drunk.”
“Let me get you some water,” Hunter stood up to grab a canteen as Talia redressed. He pulled his shirt over his head as she gulped it down, then kept a watchful eye on her until she finished it. “Listen, I’m so sorry if you felt I pushed you to do anything, I thought you were more aware and wanted-“
“Hunter, I wanted it,” Talia cut him off. “It’s just…I recently got out of a relationship and thought this would-.”
Talia couldn’t finish the sentence because she herself didn’t know the answer. Did she really think having sex with someone else would magically make her feelings for Rex go away? Did she just want to numb the pain she was feeling and used the first person she could find?
Hunter stared at her for a moment, understanding dawning on his features. He didn’t need Taia to explain further. He just nodded and sat next to her, “I didn’t think Jedi did the whole relationship thing.”
“We’re not supposed to, at least not fully,” Talia explained, still sniffling. “We’re encouraged to love, but are supposed to be able to let go. I’m struggling with the latter.”
“Who was the guy?” Hunter asked after a beat. As Talia bit her lip and looked down he quickly added, “You don’t have to-“
“He’s another clone,” Talia admitted softly. Her hand reflexively went to her neck, searching for the necklace she would usually fiddle with whenever she was thinking or nervous. In another jolt to the gut she remembered she didn’t have it anymore. “He ended it because things were too complicated.”
That was putting it too simply, Talia knew it. And she had a hunch Hunter knew it too by how he looked at her, but he didn’t question it.
“But you love him?”
Talia nodded, wiping her face with the back of her forearm. “Didn’t get to tell him that though.”
Hunter and Talia sat in silence after that. He offered her more water as tears still fell from her face. When she couldn’t cry anymore, she could barely keep her eyes open, the sweet temptation of sleep calling to her.
“You can crash here if you need to, I don’t mind sleeping on the floor,” Hunter offered as he stood up. He held out his hand to Talia, which she accepted while shaking her head.
“No, I shouldn’t. Besides the walk back to my quarters might do me some good,” Talia waved him off. Hunter looked doubtingly at her to which she just rolled her eyes, “I can message you when I get back, does that make you feel better?”
“Yes it does; you can barely stand straight and I don’t want to think you fell into the ocean,” Hunter nudged her with a smirk. Talia actually managed to giggle a laugh at that. She made a last attempt to make herself appear a little bit together in the event that she walked into anyone on her route back, but she accepted it was a lost cause.
The halls were empty, their white glow adding to her already forming headache. She didn’t rush her walk back; even though she wanted nothing more than to go to sleep she was already dreading the feelings that would come in the morning. The guilt she was feeling was gnawing at her, guilt for her own embarrassment, for how Hunter had to see her in that state, and that bit of guilt that made her feel like she had betrayed Rex.
Every bit of this planet reminded Talia of Rex. She should have known drinking would just make that worse. She didn’t expect it to make her admit the depth of her feelings for Rex. How much she missed him calling to check in on her, the thought that she could meet up with him on leave sometime soon, or that they even could have a mission that would bring them together. These empty white halls and the thousands of identical faces just made her ache for the one that now probably wanted nothing to do with her. If she had told him she loved him back on Turia, would he have still ended it? Or would he have fought to keep her, like how she wanted him too?
Talia found herself in her quarters, once again plunged into that darkness with nothing but the void of the sea outside her window. The rain had slowed, the waves lightly rocking instead of thrashing; she wondered if it would actually be a sunny day tomorrow. Her fading buzz tingled through her, her eyes growing heavy as she collapsed in the bed, holding her comm in her hand.
Dawn on Coruscant felt timeless in parts of the city; the buildings rose so high that on certain platforms you couldn’t tell the sun was rising, a peculiar haze just settled into the city. There were remnants of bar goers still out from a few of the clubs that stayed open later, night and morning shift workers trading places in their commutes, freight vessels landing in the atmosphere carrying food, medical supplies, and all the miscellaneous supplies the people of the Republic’s capital needed. It was a bit of a walk from Naobe’s apartment to the train station; Rex had stayed there longer than he should have, but he was still slipping out before she could wake up.
Rex needed to clear his head; he had done nothing wrong technically, but he couldn’t ignore the feeling in his gut, that guilt that made him feel like he had. Maybe Naobe would be upset to find her empty bed that morning, she had seemed fairly interested in him, but Rex wasn’t planning on seeing her again. It was a stupid distraction. One night with a random woman wasn’t going to make him forget how he was feeling. Wouldn’t make him forget Talia. He had known that, yet he still felt disappointed.
Still, he couldn’t dwell on it. He was Captain Rex of the 501st. He had a duty to the Republic, to the brothers who served under him; he couldn’t let his emotions get in the way of that. He would push through like he had pushed through everything else that had come his way.
Rex arrived at the train station; it was empty apart from a couple sitting on a bench near the ticket booth. It was a quick ride to the base, and the next train should only be a few minutes away. Rex glanced at the couple, a Twi’lek man and woman. The man held a bag in his hands, and the woman was leaning on his shoulder, eyes drifting closed as she fought to stay awake. Rex looked away, fiddling with his comm as he felt like he was invading on something too private.
He had muted his comm while at Naobe’s, and had a couple messages. Nothing urgent it seemed, mostly the chat he was in with a few of the CC’s going off. Flicking through them to clear the notification, something else caught his eye that punched him in the gut.
Talia had left him a voice message.
Rex stared at the screen, unsure of if he should wait until he got to base, play the message now, or just delete it and save himself the trouble. But his own desire to hear the sound of her voice won out, and Rex hit play, letting the message echo through his helmet.
--
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Hera x Kanan Date Ideas
Pod-racing on Tattooine. Kanan goes and frees a bunch of Twi-lek slaves while Hera distracts Jabba with her pod-racing.
Bantha-riding on Hoth and the Wampa has his first encounter with a cute but smart Jedi and his pilot partner.
Holding a high-ranking Imperial Officer hostage
Just cleaning the Ghost while Ezra and the others go buy dinner. Kanan shows her Jedi Orchestra and Hera shows him Twi-Lek pop music.
Breaking into a cruise ship and having dinner there like they were invited (Ezra disguises himself as a waiter and Chopper as a serving droid)
Snorting Spice off of each other. They’re a little bit loopy when their kids find them half-naked.
Stargazing on Tython. Kanan remembers the sacrafice of all the Jedi that were lost before him and Hera comforts him. That night, he thinks he can see a little bit of his master’s eyes in hers.
#star wars#not Andor#Star Wars Rebels#taking a quick break from Andor-posting#cause I think it feels good#to think of#ships like this sometimes#hera syndulla#kanann jarrus#hera x kanan#rebels kanan#rebels hera#kanan jarrus
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“Docking procedure complete. Please gather your belongings and face the starboard bay doors. Please disembark in an orderly manner. Thank you.”
The din that the passengers made was truly atrocious and Maul scowled, off-put by the noise. Even after a week of experiencing this twice a day, the grating jabber of too many voices, the scraping of cases on the floor, and the grinding of gears as the doors opened was agitating to say the very least. Melicent stopped what she was doing, amusing herself by chewing on a little plastic teething toy shaped like a wampa, and clapped her hands to her ears.
“I know,” Maul murmured to her, letting her hide in his neck. “It will stop soon.” And it was. She gave a relieved huff and then squeezed his neck with her little arms.
Maul smiled, holding her tightly. “I think we have done well this week, yes? Been scary enough?”
“Mhm,” Melicent hummed, yawning. It was hard work, being a baby in this galaxy where things were loud and she couldn’t nap with Papa all the time. “Papa… mm.” Papa had to look big and mean and scary all day… She was tired. Maybe Papa was. And he hadn't been able to bite anything at all today.
Shame.
Melicent held up her little chew toy, waving it a bit. She could fix that right away.
“You want a different one? We will go back to our quarters in a bit for lunch.”
“No… mm!” She pushed it at him.
“Oh. I… I am fine, that is for you.”
Melicent tapped the little lime-green wampa on Maul’s cheek. “Mmmmmmm.” And then hit him with a devastating pout.
So he took it between his teeth a moment, trying not to make a face because it was slathered in baby spit. “Thank you, precious. Thank you for worrying about Papa.”
She beamed at him as he tucked it into a belt pouch, cheeks pink from the praise. She had helped Papa. Like a big girl.
Papa’s warm hand shuffled over her curls. And her cheek got a kiss. Good. Very good.
“What should we have to eat, do you think? Perhaps some vitamin enriched formula for yourself and… perhaps that fish noodle stew I saw on the holo last night?”
Papa always said such weird things, things Melicent didn’t completely grasp. But they were nice things. She couldn’t exactly understand the words, but the feelings behind them… She could understand that. Warm and sweet.
“Mm! Mm!”
Giggles and playing noises were soothing, Maul had to admit to himself. The ambiance of garlic and onions cooking in a buttered pan, his knife slicing through his fish steak, the burble of boiling water, coupled with Melicent’s pretend adventures with her plush Wookie and the low murmur of holo-news was extremely domestic. Not something Maul had ever experienced before. But he liked it. Immensely.
He finished slicing the fish, placed it in the onions and garlic sauce, and covered that, then he added the bone flour noodles to the boiling water, glancing Melicent’s way. She had pinned the Wookie down and was chewing on its nose. Mighty little lioness.
Ondler had said they would be staying in the Onderon port for the night so Ondler could have the ship’s engines inspected, so he’d given Maul the rest of the day off. So all the little family had to do at the moment was relax, eat, and be comfortable.
Maul sank into the couch with his plate, propping one leg up for Melicent to cling to like a baby rancor. She’d been fed already and was getting sleepy, though she had started crawling up and down his leg in recent days. Building her muscles. Not to mention she loved it when he lifted his leg up a bit for her to ride.
Dinner was good. Simple, but with holos Maul had been watching lately, the flavor of the food was elevated beyond just meat and grains. Garlic was an amazing additive to nearly anything; Maul had never consumed food because of the taste and he was enjoying this new aspect of freedom.
Melicent gave his water grains and seared fish a sniff. But she was content to clamber up his leg and sit on his belly while he ate, jabbering not-words at the news cast as if she was giving her opinion on the coverage.
Maul set his cleaned plate aside, chuckling at her and supporting her back with a gentle hand.
“The latest from the Naboo blockade:” a voice spoke crisply from the warbling screen, “THE BLOCKADE HAS FALLEN.”
Maul looked up, interest piqued. He hadn’t even thought about the last mission Sidious had given him in weeks… how long had it even been? A month? Two?
“Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi are seen here, escorting the Trade Federation’s head of security here, assisted a strike team of Naboo armed forces to retake the palace. We are also receiving reports that a boy accompanying the Jedi was instrumental in taking down the Federation’s central command craft by joining the Naboo Royal Spaceforce. The boy is unknown, by name, at this time.”
And there they were. Qui-Gon Jinn was a tall, block-shouldered human with long, gray-brown hair and a thick beard. His Padawan was shorter and slighter, his face a tense mask. There was a lightsaber burn on his shoulder but he kept a firm hand on the Twi’Lek woman between them.
Maul’s mouth fell open as he registered who that was.
It was Talon. His apprentice. The woman glowered into the camera, her yellow eyes ablaze. One of her lekku was sheared off a few inches from the tip. And she limped heavily. She looked exhausted and like she had been beaten severely… perhaps thrown about.
Maul swallowed hard and found himself curling his body around Melicent. She hummed and leaned into his chest, her curls soft under his chin.
What would have happened had he stayed, Maul wondered. He felt equal to any insipid little Jedi but… two, a team with years of trust and bonding to forge them together…
There was no way to know another future or another past. There was only the now.
“Papa?” Melicent patted his cheek, nuzzling her forehead a bit tighter against his neck. She yawned, settling in. Happy to sleep there for the night.
“Me too,” Maul agreed. “… I love you, little one.”
“Mmmm… Papa…”
#a dad n a bab#they’re BACK BABYYYY#Maul and Melicent AU#There was no way to know another future or another past. There was only the now.#Jess and I have been rotisserie-ing Darth Talon in how George Lucas talked about possibly using her once#we LIKEE#also a smol Obi#AND SOME OTHER FOLKS#also#DIVIDERRRRRS
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Chapter Sixteen: Wonderful
Word Count: 3.8k
Warnings: Battle trauma, PTSD, panic attacks, major death, dismemberment, angst (let me know if I missed any!)
————
It had been awhile since Fang took a shower. He didn’t like the vulnerability of it, nor the way his body looked now.
Still, he felt the water would clear his head.
He had removed his arm. Even though the doctor and nurses all promised it was waterproof, he didn’t want to risk breaking it.
Juliette would end up buying him a new one without questioning it. He knew this fact all too well.
Everyone else was in bed, so he was all alone.
He always found it weird that the showers were in stalls rather than an open floor plan.
We all look the same. Why waste money putting up these walls?
He turned on the water, getting off the rest of his clothes before testing the water, making sure it was lukewarm.
He stepped under the water, letting it run over his face and scarred body.
Maybe it was so troopers like me could disappear.
****
Juliette held Cooper’s helmet in her hands, looking at the splotchy designs closer.
“I never realized they were hands,” Juliette said tracing tiny fingers on the side of his helmet. “You painted them for the little girl who named you.”
Cooper sat at her desk, flipping though her sketchbooks, “she wanted me to pick her up, so I did. Her mother told her I’m a clone trooper, but she just keep merging the two words.”
She placed her hand over a hand, “they’re so small. How old was she?”
“Three.” Cooper paused on a page, “is that Fang?”
Juliette looked over, “yeah, I doodled a bunch of you.”
“Why did you draw him so small and cu-“ Cooper did a double take, “is that grumpy one suppose to be me?”
“It’s not suppose to look realistic,” Juliette giggled, “they’re just little doodles.”
Cooper chuckled a little, “hmm, that must be Keks then.”
She drew the Corporal hugging a cookie bigger than him.
“And that’s Mirage.”
She drew the ARC standing proud showing off his hair, adding sparkles around his head for emphasis.
“Boomerang.”
The medic was wrapped in bandages, arms extended out like a mummy.
“Coyote.”
The blue eyed trooper was wrapped in his blanket happily eating noodles like at dinner that night.
“That’s Tracks and Goose.”
The silver haired pilot was holding something over Goose’s head just out of his mustached, shorter brother’s reach.
“And that must be Hardwire.”
The Commander was simply just standing hands folded behind his back, looking all authoritative, but she gave him a little smile.
“That’s what I got so far,” Juliette said, “I got some ideas for the rest of pilots.”
Cooper set her sketchbook down on the desk, “you’re very talented.”
“Thank you,” she said, but something was still bothering her.
The Sergeant lazily spun in her chair, staring up at her ceiling.
“Cooper, not that I’m not grateful you’re here,” Juliette treaded carefully, “why didn’t you just shut the door and keep walking?”
Cooper’s dark eyes shifted to her, “because you were crying. I couldn’t just walk away knowing you were in here crying over something my brother probably said. No offense, but Fang is kind of impulsive, so whatever he said you shouldn’t take to heart.”
“He was mad I went off to find those missing troops and took on a Wampa,” Juliette hugged her knees. “I thought that’s what I’m suppose to do. Keep you all safe, I mean.”
“I guess that is part of your job,” Cooper agreed, “but I guess we’re just not use to a General who treats us like you do. Our last one certainly didn’t.”
Juliette only heard mentions and whispers of her predecessor, and it was nothing nice.
The Jedi who cost Fang his arm, Coyote his squad, Tracks his voice, and Hardwire his face, Juliette studied Cooper’s relaxed face. I wonder… would Cooper tell me?
“Cooper, what exactly did the Jedi do to you all?” Juliette asked.
Cooper turned to her, “has no one told you?”
“I didn’t think it was something Hardwire would want to talk about,” Juliette admitted, “and I tried asking Fang once, but he turned it to talking about a rock cave he once saw.”
Cooper nodded thoughtfully, “I guess, the best I can say is, this Jedi didn’t like clones. Specifically, individualized clones. He wanted us to be exactly alike.”
“That’s so stupid,” Juliette shook her head disgusted.
“I know,” Cooper agreed, “he claims he was weeding out imperfects, to make the army stronger.”
“I think your individuality makes you stronger,” Juliette said, “I like that none of you are alike.”
“I appreciate that,” Cooper smiled. “I need to get to bed, and as do you. Who knows what our next mission will be.”
“Thank you, Sergeant,” Juliette said, “I appreciate you visiting me.”
“I know,” he said smugly. “Goodnight, General.”
He left her.
She was alone again.
She got up, and went to her desk.
Looking at the open sketchbook, her eyes were drawn to her little doodle of Fang.
It was just a cute little version of him in a heart.
She flipped to the next page, and sat down as she began sketching out Cosmos.
****
While the men were use to waking up suddenly, it had been awhile since it was an alarm.
The noise dragged Keks and his brothers out of their restless sleep, and they all went scrambling in organized chaos to prepare for the new trouble that plagued their lives.
“What’s going on?” Mirage turned to Cooper, already on his holo pad.
“We’ve been requested for immediate aid,” Cooper stated. “Hopefully everyone including the General got some sleep.”
“She had a big day,” Keks laughed, “I’m sure she fell asleep right in Fang’s arms.”
Cooper gave him a look.
Keks chocked it up to Cooper just being grumpy, and carried on to get his weapons.
When he saw Fang heading to the hanger alone without Juliette or Coyote, that raised more questions in his mind.
****
She checked her gauntlets, making sure the safety was activated as she stood next to Hardwire.
The last of the men scrambled onto the gunships, and they boarded.
“You know who General Grievous is, correct?” Hardwire quietly asked her.
“He’s a Jedi Hunter,” she stated, “basically Count Dooku’s most feared lackey.”
“And he should never be faced alone,” Hardwire said it like an order. “He killed our first General.”
Juliette understood, but still felt annoyed.
I was trained to fight since I could walk, she thought. A Jedi hunter doesn’t scare me.
Hardwire put on a holo projection, and began explaining the plan of how they were going to be aiding the 41st Elite Corps until General Luminara returned.
Their mission wasn’t suppose to involve danger, which is why the Jedi Master let them go alone.
The idea of ever leaving her men alone—even with minimal risks—was something Juliette couldn’t fathom. Not only because she wanted to protect them from the cruel galaxy, because she couldn’t picture living her life without them in it.
Even if it meant having Mirage tailing her.
She could feel the presence of his hand, already hovering behind her back ready to catch her if she fell.
She turned her head slightly, catching Fang in the corner of her visor. The usually sweet trooper was stiff, rigid, like he was ready to snap at any second.
Maybe when they got back to base, she’d find a moment alone with just him. She’d hold Fang close and assure him he’s enough, that she’s still right here, and she wasn’t going to disappear on him despite how much he hurt her when he left earlier that night.
The booming of explosives brought her back to reality, reminding her she’s in a battle zone as they touched down.
Hardwire turned to her, “stay with me, we have to get to Commander Gree.”
She looked for Fang again, but he was gone.
Mirage’s hand pressed on her lower back, “one foot in front of the other, General.”
She stepped off, and followed Hardwire despite the pull of the men’s cries of anguish as they were shot down by countless droids.
****
Wherever Coyote went, Fang went.
It seemed his former squad leader was following Keks, Mick, and Buck.
He would ask what the Corporal’s plan was, but the comm channel was being flooded with his brothers crying out for aid.
“Man down!”
“Man down!”
“We need a medic!”
“Medic!”
“There’s too many of them!”
“Medic!”
“Keep firing!”
He heard Commander Gree was safe at some temporary base, which meant Juliette was safe.
Last thing he needed to hear was she engaged that monstrous Separatist General.
Keks slid down a hill, and they all followed.
“Corporal?” Buck finally spoke, “what’s our current objective?”
“Retrieving one of our down scouts.” Keks stated, “reports say one of our ARFs is still alive, and ve are going to get him home.”
“So a rescue then?” Mick confirmed.
“Affirmative.” Keks fired on a couple droids, then moved forward.
“Sounds like a plan the General would be all over,” Buck laughed, “she loves rescue missions!”
Coyote sighed, “stay focused, Buck.”
“Yes, sir,” Buck responded as if talking to an officer.
Fang turned to him, “sir?”
“I do outrank them by experience,” Coyote shrugged, “although he’s not wrong, Juliette is always jumping on these types of missions.”
“It’s risky.” Fang mumbled.
“You okay?” Coyote asked, “you seem… off.”
“I’m fine.” Fang barked.
“No you’re not.” Coyote sighed, “you better not let it get in the way of the mission. It will get you killed if you’re not focused, and we can’t have that.”
Fang sighed, “I just don’t like her risking herself like she did on Hoth. She could’ve died.”
“Fang,” Coyote softened his voice, “she was a skilled fighter before she found us. She is still a skilled fighter now, and there’s so much we don’t know yet.”
Fang had to agree.
As always, Coyote was right. Coyote always was the wisest out of all of Pack Squad, and the most in tune to their individual problems.
“Look,” Coyote sighed, “let’s focus on getting that ARF, then we can talk this out. Okay?”
Fang nodded, and hurried ahead blasting two droids as they slipped into the tree-line.
****
It was driving her crazy.
She felt like a caged animal in this makeshift base, going over battle plans on screens instead of executing them.
Juliette wanted to be with her men.
Fighting by their side.
Hardwire must’ve known this. His arm was looped into her’s, keeping her in place at the table as Gree and other officers argued.
“Let me go,” she whispered to Hardwire.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered back, “but I won’t.”
“We just got to keep holding this position,” one officer stated.
“Well obviously!” Cooper exclaimed, “that’s all we’re doing, and we’re getting slaughtered.”
The word felt like knife in her gut being twisted.
She tugged on Hardwire’s arm, but he stood firm like a mountain.
She hissed, “let me go.”
“Just wait.” Hardwire’s hand gripped her’s, “not until we have a plan.”
“Do you have a plan, General Trix?” Gree turned to her, “or is your plan just to run into danger, guns blazing, and no regard to anyone’s safety?”
Cooper placed his hand to his helmet, as if pinching the bridge of nose, “why did you say that?”
“No regard to anyone’s safety?” Juliette repeated. “Seriously, Commander Gree? Are you really asking me if my plan is to put any one of you in danger?”
“I doubt you have any plan in facing a lightsaber manic like Grievous,” Gree’s sergeant stated. “Just because you held your own in a few battles doesn’t mean you can fight real threats.”
Juliette clenched her fists, “better out there fighting with the men, than talking in circles in here.”
“We’re not talking in circles.” Gree waved his hand dismissively.
“I’ve heard the phrase ‘we need a plan’ eleven times already,” Juliette turned to Hardwire, “let me go out there.”
“And do what exactly?” Gree demanded, “if you think you’re so smart, what’s your plan?“
Juliette sighed, dragging Hardwire, “we’re going to go push back. Cooper, stay here and keep radio contact with me.”
“Yes, General,” Cooper acknowledged.
“Wait!” Gree chased them out of the tent.
“Juliette,” Hardwire warned, “this is technically Gree’s mission.”
“Exactly, General, and I-“
“You said you want those ships down, correct? Rocket launchers will do that.”
“Juliette, I understand you’re frustrated but we don’t have rocket launchers.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Hardwire. Trust me, my Commander. I can do this.”
Juliette released his hand, and he let her go.
****
It was quiet now.
Buck and Mick were up ahead, keeping a lookout for both droids and the wounded ARF they got reports about.
Keks knew he didn’t have to worry about them. While Buck had a tendency to get shot, he always managed to push though the pain until danger was gone. Mick was alert, it was like the trooper had sixth sense for when someone took aim on him.
What Keks had to worry about was Coyote and Fang.
The unbreakable pair bonded by both training and the events that took place in the cave.
Coyote was an excellent soldier, a fine leader, but once Fang was present his ability to focus would dissipate. Fang was impulsive, almost always getting stuck on a thought and having to follow it though.
“You two hanging in back there?” Keks called over his shoulder.
“Yes, sir,” Coyote answered.
Fang didn’t say a word.
That’s not promising, Keks waited for them to catch up, “talk to me, Fang. Vhat’s on your mind?”
“It’s nothing,” Fang grumbled.
“Seems like something,” Keks stated. “Is it about vhy you aren’t speaking vith the General?”
“You two aren’t talking?” Coyote turned to Fang.
“It’s nothing,” Fang assured, “I just don’t like how she always risks herself for us. Yes, I love that she cares so much she’d do anything to protect us, however not at the cost of her life. We are suppose to fight and die for the Republic.”
“Just because ve are meant to die, that doesn’t mean I vant to die,” Keks said, “I vould love to live to see the end of this var, go drinking vith my brothers every leave, and just have a real life.”
Fang stayed quiet, then said lowly, “what about her life?”
“She chose to be a General,” Coyote cut in, “this is her choice.”
“I feel like it’s in her training,” Fang argued, “she told me her father use to train everyday for hours on end to protect others.”
“I don’t really see vhat’s vrong vith that,” Keks admitted.
“She could…” Fang trailed off, shaking his head.
Keks knew what he meant, “she could die.”
Fang made a broken noise, and pushed past them to get out of this confrontation.
“Did you have to make him cry?” Coyote sighed.
“I think he vas going to anyways,” Keks said quietly. “It’d be easier if he just told her.”
“Told her what?” Coyote stepped over some down tree trunks.
Keks ran his hands over the scorch marks of a lightsaber, already dreading what they were going to find soon.
“That he loves her,” Keks stated.
****
The missile hit one vulture droid, and it crashed into the other. They collided into the ground, explosively wiping out a chunk of the droids while illuminating the unscathed to be slotted.
“Why didn’t you just say you had a missile launcher?” Gree asked Juliette as the men cheered.
“You wouldn’t let me get a word in,” Juliette stated, “not to mention, it’s attached to my back.”
“I thought that was your jet pack.” Hardwire admitted.
“It’s both.” Juliette corrected.
Mirage chuckled, carrying another wounded to the medical tent they were guarding.
“Just throwing it out there,” Boomerang said, “please never give Mirage a jet pack.”
“I’m sure I’d be a good flyer,” Mirage set his injured brother down, ruffling his hair.
“You can barely walk,” Boomerang argued.
“Looks like you pushed them back some.” Gree said, looking through his binoculars. “They’re either regrouping or preparing to cover Grievous’s escape.”
“I’m thinking the second option,” Hardwire stated.
“Should we go hunt him down then?” Juliette asked. After seeing so many men come back clinging to life die from lightsaber sustained injuries, she’d happily attempt to take that heartless monster down.
“I’d advise against it,” Gree pat her shoulder, “not until the Jedi arrives through that blockade.”
Juliette turned to Hardwire, “how’s Captain Stickler?”
“Last I heard he said the shields are still up,” Hardwire said, “just focus on the ground assault for now.”
But what about Cosmos? My pilots? It’s the most dangerous job in the Republic. I’ve seen the casualty numbers…
She had to shake it off.
Somewhere out there on the ground was Fang.
As upset with him she was, she wanted her boyfriend to be okay too.
****
That explosion was caused by Juliette.
Fang knew it in his heart that that was the doing of his girl.
So full of surprises, he thought as they came to last reported sighting of the ARF.
“The report said that they found the General here,” Keks explained, “he engaged the squad and they had to retreat.”
“So, we’re here why?“ Buck asked.
“Because one vas hurt,” Keks stood on top of the mess of broken trees. “He’s here.”
“Not to sound like a downer, but…” Mick trailed off, “you know?”
What if he’s dead?
Fang turned to Coyote.
His brother who ran back into the cave because he had to be sure he wasn’t leaving his Pack behind.
We’re here to be sure.
Keks knelt down, surveying the mess, “Hound? Are you in there, vod?”
Nothing.
“Hound?” Keks carefully moved though the mess, “Hound?”
Fang looked around, but nothing caught his eye.
“Hound?” Coyote called, “where are you?”
“Hound?” Buck moved some wood with his boot.
Mick was off ahead when he jumped back, falling on his back and scrambling away.
“What?” Buck ran to him.
“I found a leg…”
Fang stopped, feeling a tingling in his arm.
Burning, crushing, excruciating tingling in his whole right side like his body was being lit on fire again.
Coyote came over to him, softly whispering, “hey, you okay?”
Fang focused on his breathing, sinking down to the ground.
Coyote knelt down, lifting off his helmet, “it’s okay. I’m right here, look at me. Focus on me.”
He didn’t fight Coyote when he removed Fang’s helmet, and he tried to focus on his brother’s ice blue eyes.
Coyote took his hands, “you’re not in danger. I’m right here, Fang, I’m not going anywhere.”
Fang’s gaze shifted to behind him, to a white mass.
“Hound.” Fang refocused.
Coyote turned, “Keks! Over here!”
Fang crawled over, moving the branches and taking his brother’s arm.
He felt limp, but he dragged him out.
The scout had wrapped his leg and tied it off at his knee.
Like Fang, his missing limb was on his right side.
Coyote leaned down, listening closely.
Keks approached, “is he…?”
Coyote let out a sigh of relief, “he’s alive.”
****
Keks knelt down, lifting off the ARF trooper’s helmet.
The young scout must’ve passed out he concluded, and he lightly tapped his filthy cheek.
Hound stirred, whimpering as he cracked his eyes open.
“Sergeant Digger reported you missing,” Keks smiled under his helmet, “ready to go home, kid?”
“Corporal?” Hound weakly smiled, “hi, brother.”
Mick stepped around them, “I’m going to throw you over my shoulder, okay?”
Hound nodded, sitting up very vaguely looking over his missing limb.
Keks helped steady him, “you seem a little loopy, Hound. Did you take a sedative?”
“Uh huh,” Hound blinked lazily. “Mutt gave it to me for emergencies.”
“That’s good then,” Keks placed Hound’s helmet back on, “come on, lads. Ve need to get back to safety.”
Mick began walking with Buck beside him, and Hound just hung off without a care in the universe.
Keks wondered if it was the pain killers, their training, or just Hound’s attitude that was leaving him so at eased.
“I still don’t quite understand why we came out here, sir,” Fang admitted, “but I’m glad we found him.”
“You’ll understand,” Keks said, as they began moving again. “Soon ve vill be home, eating dinner, and you’ll be back to your old self. That is, once you make up vith Juliette.”
Fang sighed, “I doubt it. After what I did, she’s probably still mad at me for walking out like that.”
“Just talk to her.” Coyote sighed, “get that through your thick skull, will you?”
Keks chuckled, then went up ahead to catch up with Buck and Mick.
He pat Hound’s helmet, and went off ahead with his gun ready.
“Keep alert,” Keks reminded them, “that explosion probably pushed them back towards us.”
“Yes, sir,” they all answered, except Fang.
He’s stuck in his head. Keks switched to his private comm frequency with Coyote, “keep an eye on Fang. He’s not himself today.”
“I agree,” Coyote answered.
Fang finally spoke up, “droids. Up ahead.”
“Wonderful.” Keks said, “get into the trees, before they see us.”
Buck and Mick ducked down, letting Hound down easy. Coyote pulled Fang to behind a tree trunk. Keks lowered down behind a shrub.
The droids came running by, bickering and yelling about retreating.
“Run for it!” One of the battle droids bellowed.
Typical of them, they all began repeating, “roger roger.”
There’s too many, Keks looked around.
He carefully moved, staying close to the ground.
“Men,” he said in the private comm, “there’s a path that vay. You need to follow it back to the base.”
“What about you?” Coyote asked.
“I’ll be right behind you.” Keks said, “after I cover you.”
Mick noticed the twist of trees, and took a quick dive down the pathway.
Buck double-checked, then followed him.
“Wait,” a droid called. “I heard something.”
Several droids stopped, approaching the tree Coyote and Fang were hidden behind.
The droids clicked their blasters, prepared to take aim.
Not on my watch, Keks stood up.
He fired on the droids, blasting a few heads off.
“Come and get me.” Keks taunted, running the opposite way.
“Keks! What are you doing?” Coyote’s voice filled his helmet.
“Get out of here,” Keks ordered, “I’ll lead them away!”
“Keks, you can’t face them alone!“ Fang argued, “let-“
“Coyote, there’s a file in my bunk,” Keks heard a bolt of plasma whoosh by his head, “give it to Cooper. He’ll know what to do with it.”
Keks ducked behind a tree, firing on the perusing droids.
“Yes, sir,” Coyote said, “goodbye, Keks.”
A bolt pierced his shoulder, and knocked his blaster from his hand.
Another through his chest.
Keks felt his body giving up, as he pulled himself behind the tree, taking out his thermal detonator.
They surrounded him, blasters aimed right at him.
Keks squeezed his eyes shut, I didn’t want to die.
“Goodbye.”
#caribou originals#caribou stories#caribou ocs#952nd#star wars#star wars the clone wars#juliette trix#commander hardwire#corporal keks#sergeant cooper#fang#coyote#tracks#cosmos#boomerang#arc trooper mirage
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idk anything about your ocs so I can't really do a story prompt, but what are some of their favorite foods and hobbies?
Totally understand!! Since I can't cover everyone, Imma run with my girl Bee since I love being Obnoxiously Rusyn/Slavic™. Drew this from a lot of my own holiday experiences, so I hope y'all enjoy!!
"Bee!! Out of that book and into the kitchen!"
Trying her hardest not to let the frustrated groan out into the winter air, the young girl in the hayloft instead pushed herself away from the reading nook, down the ladder and stairs outside, and into the akaata'yaim her family called home.
It was winter's solstice here; a celebration was due.
-And they were late.
"Kih'vod! Where's the flower-seed spread?! It was right here!"
"Behind you!"
"Kih'vod'ika, finished that pagach batch; it's on the counter!"
"'Riye, please finish the dishes! We need that pot!"
It was all chaos in the Cerar family kitchen, everyone bustling about to bake, stir, taste, or spice everywhere in the kitchen and even the living room. Though, her grandfather was happily napping away in his chair.
"Got'buir, where do you need me?" A grin on her face, despite the noise crawling along her nerves.
Bu'ycyar's mother turned to her, smiling with thanks behind her goggles, then gestured to the pail on the dining table. "Peel the potatoes and carrots. Your helmet's on the bench still." Then she was back to shouting at one of the uncles for not checking hard enough for a particular spice and trying to fix the kerchief holding her hair back.
Bee quickly escaped to the somewhat quieter dining section, snatching up her helmet and letting the airlock seal around her collar. Just as pots and pans clamored at an even higher decibel-
Silence.
Blessed silence.
The vibrations could still be felt through the floor, but her helm's mute feature locked it away. Pressing on the ear of her helmet, she started her usual music selection. She pulled out her knife, cleaned it, and started peeling away. Round tuber after round tuber fell from her hand and into the pail of clean water. Then it was carrots needing cleaning up, so she carved away the knots and gnarls to skin off the rough outer layer. She was a well-oiled machine, and her mechanics hummed and tapped along with the tune of her radio. Everything passed by in the rush of nearing nightfall, and soon enough, everything was peeled, cut, and cooking away for dinner.
Meanwhile, Bee was hauling all the trimmings and clippings out to the barn. The animals didn't get as fancy a feast, but they always seemed to appreciate the treats, diving into their feed pails or troughs for carrot, potato, burnt bread, and even some too-bruised fruits.
Hiking the ramp out, her father caught her attention in a wave. His big grin shone out from behind his great red beard and rosy cheeks in the cold.
"Hey, Ad'ika! Want to help with the lights?"
His grin was infectious, as was the joy of lighting the Bes'karta-shaped lanterns around the front of the home, one for each family member.
So the little mando nodded, then crunched through the new soft snow to her buir, and he handed her a lighter. She cautiously turned to her own lantern, yet unlit, and held her flame to the wick.
Cold nipped at fingers and cheeks, but her lantern lit up and glowed wildly bright in the fast advancing darkness.
Slowly, as dinner was finished making, everyone came outside to help light lanterns as well, or to check on the animals, or to simply toss snow down each other's shirts in fun.
Bu'ycyar watched it all from the outskirts, smile soft. She wasn't one for many of the things her family loved—the noise and the games and the beloved panic of holidays—but she loved her family still and loved watching them enjoy the fruits of everyone's labor.
Eventually, it was too cold for even her hardy wampa of a father, and everyone filed back down the stairs and into the dining room.
She slipped her helmet off at the door and took her place near her sister at the table. After a bit of elbowing around to quiet, there was prayer.
It was older Mando'a, in the remnants of a thick accent, from her remaining Ba'buir. He stood, frail with age, slow in tongue, but with meaning as he spoke to and of Kad Ha'rangir.
Everyone was silent as he recited the words of the winter solstice prayer like each syllable was a flake of snow falling into their midst.
When he finished, he sat. When her Ba'buir sat, he took up his mug of warm Ne'tra Gal and cheered, "May this winter be warm at home, full in larder, and better than the last!"
Even the usually mousey Bu'ycyar cheered with the rest, grinning as she grasped her horn mug of warm cider.
After that, all bets were off, and food was had. Perogies filled with potatoes, onion, cabbage, or sweet cheese were piled on every plate; pagach was cut and doled out by grasping hands; even the halupki didn't last long on their serving platters, utensils diving for the wrapped meat and rice.
Bee watched them all as she gorged on all the holiday food, nothing but warmth around her and joy in her face.
She'd sleep well that night, but for now, she was enjoying the moment to its fullest.
#drabble#oc writing#mandalorian oc#rusyn#slavic#winter solstice#mandalorian headcanons#star wars#writing#star wars fic#fanfic
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May 4th celebration with Carol’s Wampa arm cake and Bantha milk dip. #maythe4thbewithyou #may4 #starwars #wampa #banthamilk #dinner #bff #dinner https://www.instagram.com/p/BxDxpsOlCLK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16sa1luzqqovs
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Toshia Mori writes to her family in Japan, informing them that she was selected as one of the Wampas Baby Stars (which highlighted up-and-coming actresses) in 1932. The actress attended a Christmas dinner at the Biltmore Hotel as a result.
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18. I was never super rebellious growing up. I followed the rules, but always felt that cliche draw to the Dark Side. I did not feel that pull as if I just wanted to cause mayhem and do everything against my nature just for the hell of it. I had a free spirit that didn’t know how to figure out how to let that fresh breath of adventure in without the fear of disappointing my family. (They never really pressured me, I’m just the oldest. When you’re the oldest it’s your job to find the good and bad times first, so the younger ones won’t get in trouble). Growing up I did silly, test the water, passive aggressive things to see how far I could cross that line without fully crossing it.
Well, I turned 18. Got another ear piercing, maybe my 12th? And my belly button pierced in the same day. I tried to hide it from my parents after feeling silly guilt, but I couldn’t take it and we ended up laughing. The point of that memory is to explain how free I felt. How I allowed my brain and heart to lead me to the best adventures and those that taught me life lessons. I was invincible, ready to soak up everything I could to learn and love on my life, to share with others. Pure elation.
Fast forward through the next few years where life seems stagnant with the routine go to work, do chores, cook dinner, etc., repeat. There was always some sort of enjoyment that I could find in the mundane; I like routine. However, that adventure had disappeared like a missing sock in the dryer. You know it’s there, but you just can’t see it and it’s frustrating.
Life changed in an enormous way that I know you and I could mutually feel with such great power. You made me feel like I was 18 again. While you made my body feel like it was melting into goo, the way that you loved me, took care of me, that goo was able to mold back into the person that I am now. Life is hard, but we fed each other’s brains and hearts so our souls could still have an adventure that allowed our creative minds to flourish and feel like we were free. I loved that if it was an adventure that was something that was a little more on my side of interests, it wouldn’t take but 2 no’s just to play with me before you agreed to go on that adventure. It made me feel loved, respected, and valued. I loved that we could get in the car and blast music, sing, or listen to sports. Absolute bliss. You made me feel like I was 18. Although normal facets of being an adult needed to happen to maintain life , we always looked forward to the moments where none of the other things mattered. We made goals, plans, bucket list ideas, as time rushed too fast. Sometimes I sit in silence, focus,so I can play an adventure memory; almost like how Luke Skywalker uses the force to get his lightsaber when he’s trapped with the wampa.
A couple of weeks ago I was late and was starving, so I went through a McDonalds drive through. The woman who took my money saw my tattoo. Without any explanation she told me about the loss of her mother and how she can feel her around, misses her greatly, and told me that you would be around me, as well, and that she knew how much I miss you. I fought back tears so hard; she was so sweet and kind. She knew nothing about me but could sense a similar emotion and shared her story that I am so thankful for. Strangers know how much I love you. This world is fantastic.
I love you. I miss you.
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Wampa Clan settling in for that post holiday parade pizza dinner in Saco, Maine. https://t.co/W6ZE1M88bn
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Dark Crystal Age of Resistance ep 5 liveblog
“She Knows All the Secrets”
Just a stream of thoughts.
I can’t believe I have to print a retraction on a liveblog but I’ve been apparently assuming that the General was just a younger, less fashionable SkekUng and this is not the case. The General is another Skeksis entirely so needs to go on the list of new Skeksis. I also made a lot of comments about the Chamberlain and the General fighting like ‘oh these two are always like that’ but the Chamberlain is just always like that with a lot of people apparently.
Anyway.
So Rian’s dad died and Rian was captured by the hunter. And now she’s been hung upside down like the Hunter is a Wampa but like a temperate zone Wampa.
The Hunter: 'Cool, you’re awake now I can skin you alive'
You’re creepy, Hunter.
And of all things, Chamberlain shows up to temporarily save Rian. Because he needs to drag Rian back to the castle to rub in the General’s face so the Emperor will like him again. And so he can get his chair back. Standing up at dinner time is so hard.
The Hunter: “Pathetic, you hunt a chair!”
Chamberlain: “No! I hunt power!”
Hunter begrudgingly lets Chamberlain take Rian but warns of pointy reckoning if he doesn’t get his trophy in the end.
And then Chamberlain frisks Rian and drinks his girlfriend in front of him. Very rude.
Its probably not supposed to be funny when Rian dramatically cries out NOOOOOO when Chamberlain smashes the empty bottle. But the bottle was empty. It was just a minor dick move compared to, y’know, drinking your dead girlfriend.
And the Chamberlain cackles like its the funniest dick move he ever done did.
Hey, Chamberlain is taking Rian to the castle where cool sister Tavra and Naia are heading possibly with Kylan. To rescue Gurjin. That will probably come into play.
So the All-Maudra now believes in the Blight because a Landstrider herd went crazy and busted out of its pen. Before she thought it was people lying to get away with a small tithe because she’s a jerk who didn’t follow up on that until now.
Wow Tavra, Naia, and Kylan got to the castle fast.
Cool Sister Tavra happens upon the Emperor….. I don’t know, freebasing the planet? Absorbing evil energy into his emperor staff?
DEET! I forget where in her quest she’s at at this point.
Oh, she’s heading to Vapran city Ha’ra but Hup, The First Podling Paladin, asks her not to go. He’s afraid for her and wants to protect her. Aww. And he’s feeling insecure because his sword is a spoon.
Hup is valid.
I guess Paladins are like the All-Maudra’s royal guard or something.
Deet: “You’re on your way to Ha’ra to become a paladin but if you ask me you already are.”
Aww. You have no power to grant that but lets go with it.
Pfft, I half knew it had to happen at some point but a Skeksis complaining about how low Gelfling ceilings are still cracked me up.
You bastards are just too tall, you tall bastards.
General: ‘Hey whats this?’
All-Maudra: “That’s a unomoth chrysalis, General. The sigil of the Vapra clan.”
General: -immediately eats it-
Skeksis really don’t have any impulse control…
He doesn’t even likes it and spits it out like its broccoli which makes the whole ‘let me eat something i was just told is symbolically important’ even worse.
Ritual Master: -shakes head, wonders if its too late to pretend he doesn’t know the General-
Geez, the General really is just a SkekUng stand in. He’s just doing Garthim-Master stuff and having the dynamics that Garthim-Master do. I don’t mind new Skeksis but why’d they make him so much like an existant one?
So the Arathim, those spider people, are apparently agitating and the Skeksis….. Require….. The seven strongest Gelfling from each clan?
Ritual Master: “Of course we cannot guarantee the volunteers’ safe return.”
Is this the best thing you could come up with to disappear the fifty Gelfing a trine you need to drink? I mean, its almost smart. War with spider people. Casualties are bound to happen and bodies are bound to disappear. Its a good cover. But this murder plan could be handled better.
Also what could be handled better is not sending the General to ever talk with people.
All-Maudra: ‘Maybe the spider people are pissed off by the Blight’
General: ‘THERE IS NO BLIGHT GIVE VOLUNTEERS’
And then when the All-Maudra leaves he goes and grabs another chrysalis and the Ritual Master pleads “Don’t” and then he cronches it anyway and the Ritual Master just shakes his head and sighs.
Oh I guess Chamberlain didn’t walk all the way into the woods to intercept the Hunter. He took a carriage. Wonder who’s driving.
But he needs Rian to ‘confess’ that he was ‘lying’ about the Skeksis
Rian: “I’ll make sure all of Thra knows what you are!”
Chamberlain: “And what are Skeksis, hmm?”
Rian: “Evil!”
Chamberlain: -giggles- “Delightful!”
Chamberlain: “How are Skeksis evil? Please, you tell”
Rian: “You killed Mira!”
Chamberlain: “All things kill”
Rian thought this was a carriage ride but its really Philosophy 101 with Professor Chamberlain. Moralllllll relativismmm.
Sometimes animals eat animals so therefore its okay to drink soul goo. Just the circle of life.
Rian: “There was nothing natural about what you did to Mira!”
Chamberlain: -pet peeved- “Death is unnatural! Death is cruel joke! Death mocks, life, mocks Skeksis!”
Rian touched a nerve there, huh?
Also Chamberlain: ‘Hey you’re as bad as us. You just watched as we drank your girlfriend. And left your friend behind. And let your dad die for you!’
Wow, I’ve never thought Chamberlain could break someone by talking because I figured that people would either go ‘you’re full of bullshit’ or literally just hit him. I guess with a captive audience he can talk long enough that he manages to say some pretty crushing Sounds Like Truth Bombs.
And now: Court Drama, Gelfling Style. Seladon is mad at Brea and Brea is mad at Seladon and there’s a giant animatronic rock monster who is also a part-time phonograph for Yodas.
Seladon: “What happens to the Gelflings if the Skeksis fall?”
About the same as now except the All-Maudra takes all the tithes instead of just skimming off the top? The Gelflings are very able to be fucked up on their own.
So now mom is maaaad.
If nothing else the All-Maudra should be incredibly curious that someone built a secret room under her throne. Like, logistically.
And then All-Momdra sends Seladon off to check on livestock for Blight. And Seladon is kind of Catraesque and pins all her emotional state on the positive reinforcement that mom just won’t give without immediately undercutting it. Poor Not Cool Sister.
So Chamberlain’s argument is that if Rian doesn’t silence the whisperings of rebellion, there’s going to be a rebellion and a bunch of Gelflings are going to die. Honestly, he’s just looking out for Gelflings’ best interests! He’s a friend, honest!
Chamberlain: “Is Gelfling slave if Gelfing not know it is slave?”
Slave is a bit much. Livestock maybe. BECAUSE THEY’RE DRINKING THEM.
But Chamberlain still being philosophy class.
At least, Chamberlain’s carriage ride of philosophical wonderment is very much like a philosophy class I had in college.
Rian: “We aren’t your pets”
Chamberlain: “False”
Based on difference in lifespan. “The choice is pets or enemies. Choose wisely.”
Rian: “And if I say what you want, will you stop draining Gelfling?”
Chamberlain: “Cannot promise.”
Heck of a time to be honest about things, SkekSil.
Rian: “Then I refuse.”
Chamberlain: “ALL GELFLING LOSE OR FEW GELFING LOSE ALL! WAR IS END!”
Its like the trolly problem, except with genocide. Yay?
Chamberlain is like that bad parent that catches a kid smoking and makes them smoke the whole pack or eat the whole cake. Rian defiantly says that war won’t be the end of the Gelfling if Gelfling win so Chamberlain cuts his bonds and goes ‘then do it bitch’
The Hunter is going to kick Chamberlain’s ass.
Oh, no. Chamberlain got into his head earlier and made him ashamed of running from his problems so now Rian won’t run out of the carriage. Damn, SkekSil, you actually managed to manipulate someone holy shit
Chamberlain: “Is difficult being voice of reason in such crazed world.”
You endearingly smug prick.
Aughra time.
Aughra: “Stones are no help, bah! Leaves have nothing to say! NO HELP! Bah! No help! Smoke is no help! Mystic ways don’t work! Aughra ways don’t work! Old ways don’t work!”
Thank goodness for this sequence of Aughra failing at augury.
Now she’s talking about her personal problems to an uncomprehending and uncaring animal. Aka the Thurma ways. (Which also don’t work)
And now she’s talking to a tree!
Thankfully trees do talk, even if only to dunk on people. And the tree heals the small animal she’s been ranting to.
I guess Sanctuary Trees can Just Do That. But only if you ask nicely?
SOCIAL LINK GO. Aughra is now friends with A Tree.
Little Deet in a Big City.
Time for more racisms!
So the Vapran gelflings of Ha’ra are kind of like the Hunger Games Capitol? They look like ambulatory cakes.
Deet: “I guess I could take a bath?”
Hup: -does crimes-
Deet: “How do I look?”
Hup: “Deet Always Beautiful.”
Hup, you’re too good for this sinful Thra.
Hup: -says things-
Vapran Guard: “.......... Yeah okay”
Persuasion roll 20
All-Maudra: ‘oh neat a giant rock man’
Annnd the General and Ritual Master doing an inspection of the war volunteers slash drinking victim candidates.
General: “This volunteer’s teeth are very disappointing.”
Ritual Master: “Weak haunches too”
General: “Whats wrong with that one’s face?”
Ritual Master: “I think it’s just old.”
General: “Well, I don’t like it. Get it out of here!”
Weirdly humorous scene about two lizard monsters deciding who to literally drink…
Gelfing: “I’m not that old…”
Oh cool I thought it couldn’t get creepier but the Ritual Master is literally licking his chops and talking about vigor.
Holy crap, Naia rescued Gurjin off-screen, somehow found out that Rian had been captured and then rescued him!
(Where the hell is Tavra then?)
But, like, Rian had decided not to run when he had that chance so why is he doing it now?
This is all very perplexing.
I guess it gives us an exciting action sequence on top of a racing pillbug carriage but. What's his motivation here??
Gurjin: “Join the guard they said! Nothing ever goes wrong in the Castle they said!”
Cool, Gurjin is ready to be a Warcraft unit.
EXCITING ACTION SCENE DISCONNECT PILLBUG WHEELS FROM CARRIAGE
Chamberlain: ‘Huh this sure is terrifying. I’d better speed up MORE’
-Carriage flips-
EXCITING NONSENSICAL ACTION SCENEEEEEEE
Lets whoop triumphantly even though nothing made any sense!
Oh, hey Kylan. God, he’s so forgettable. He was the first person willing to dreamfast with Rian but he’s had like nothing to do since then and no real interactions so he’s just kinda There in some scenes. Gurjin and Naia even left him at camp instead of bringing him to the EXCITING ACTION SCENE’
I have to scroll up and relearn his name every time he shows up.
Kylan: “Oh you’ve returned!”
Rian: -panicking internally thinking who dis guy-
Kylan: “AND I MADE BROTH!”
Seladon is going to have Deet and Hup thrown out for, y’know, blatant impersonation, but Deet mentions the Blight and the Darkening and hell, Seladon is supposed to be investigating that and its easier to have exposition come to you.
But even though she’ll listen to them doesn’t mean she won’t be incredibly racist.
Seladon: “You spin quite a tale, Grottan. But do you offer any proof?”
Deet: “Dreamfast with me!” You know, that thing that should solve roughly half the problems in this plot?
Seladon: “Ugh when was the last time you washed your hands?”
Deet: “Why would I ever wash my hands?”
Aughra is also just sitting and waiting for the plot to come to her. Its good protagonisting if you can get it.
Rian: -spilling his sad story about his dad dying-
Kylan: -nodding, yes I am part of this conversation I am-
Oh, after nobody wanting to dreamfast everyone is dreamfasting at the same time at the slightest provocation.
Rian’s group dreamfasting around the campfire. Brea dreamfasting with her mom to show how she found Lore, and Seladon getting over herself to dreamfast with Deet.
And Aughra like. Accidentally broke into the same dreamfast channel? Because Rian finds himself, Deet, and Aughra in Dream Space with the Dream Space Dark Crystal.
And Aughra starts dancing.
Oh, its not just them. Its all the protagonists.
Brea: “The crystal! Its cracked, its missing a shard”
Aughra: “QUIET I’M NOT DONE”
Geez, Brea. Advance the plot on your own time.
Aughra gives everyone adjectives. Mighty nice.
Clever Brea. Proud All-Maudra. Fierce Naia. Wise Kylan and Gurjin.
Wait, Gurjin doesn’t even get his own adjective? He has to share one with the guy who has done one (1) thing so far??
No, he doesn’t even get to share. Its just Gurjin. Wow, Aughra. Wow. Not even like… Loyal Gurjin? Trusting Gurjin? Pretty good bro Gurjin?
Can’t he get no respect?
Aughra: “Dream Space is a spirit realm. The source of magic and prophecy.”
I’m going to crap myself if Yusuke Urameshi shows up.
Kylan, wanting to contribute: “The world within our world”
Oh. So thats why Gujin doesn’t get to be Loyal Gurjin.
Seladon is Loyal Seladon. Except she’s getting annoyed about all these people talking shit about the Skeksis.
Seladon: “This isn’t the will of Thra. This is a sordid plot of a power-hungry witch!”
All this emotional neglect has finally come to bear.
So Aughra just catapults her out of the dream.
And now Seladon is having Hup and Deet arrested and is going to warn the Skeksis.
WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST TELL YOUR DAUGHTER YOU LOVED HER UNCRITICALLY ALL-MAUDRA
Aughra is using Dream Recapping to share all the exposition with everyone so people don’t need to talk or whatever. I guess that IS what dreamfasting is for.
So Rian is being sent to Ha’ra to join up with Brea and Deet and follow Lore to the Circle of the Suns to find a Plot Coupon.
And everyone else has to go and unite the clans.
I was going to say that dreamfasting sure makes it easy to convince people to age of resistance but hey Seladon is staying Team Skeksis.
Maybe instead of ejecting her from the dream, you should have let her see the big shared dreamfast memory recap with everyone else so she’d have more information about what the Skeksis are up to?
I was kind of hoping that Bad Mom All-Maudra would remain unconvinced and lead to a kind of civil war within the Gelfling but dreamfasting just makes it so hard to do this plot. You have to work around it in so many ways.
Seladon: “My lords, pardon the interruption but I must speak with you!”
Ritual Master, smoothly: “You are always welcome, princess”
General: “Which princess is this?”
Ritual Master: “Haven’t got a clue. They all look the same to me.”
All-Maudra, make Hup an official paladin dammit
All-Maudra: “No time for ceremony right now, podling. Innocent lives are at risk. Stand and prove the strength of your spoon by my side.”
Wow. You’re pretty cool when you want to be, All-Maudra.
Annnnd the All-Maudra, Deet, Hup, and Brea walk in RIGHT AFTER Seladon spills the beans to the Skeksis.
All-Maudra: “I am All-Maudra”
General: “You are All-Maudra because we allow you to be All-Maudra.”
Oh daaaaang. Is the show going to be like this? Make the bad parents barely likeable right before killing them off so they don’t have to address that they were kinda bad parents?
All-Maudra: “I have allowed you to buy my loyalty with cheap trinkets!” Yeah. You kinda were just dipping your fingers into the greed pool weren’t you? Do you want to maybe give some of that back to your people? I mean, you’re probably dead now but what were your long term plans about this?
All-Maudra is good at authoritatively telling the Skeksis to gtfo when she’s like not even a third of their height.
I mean, talking shit to a giant lizard crocodile man with a short temper who is barely able to be diplomatic and has a vested interest in keeping you silent goes about as well as you’d expect.
What a sworded end for an All-Maudra…
YOU GOT YOUR MOM KILLED SELADON.
She must be dead, she’s so still and lifeless. Wait, thats just puppet stuff.
Seladon, who is totally at fault, to Brea: “This is all your fault!”
Oh god dammit, Seladon is swiveling her desperate need for affirmation onto the Skeksis and having Deet, Hup, and Brea arrested as traitors.
Who would have thought sibling rivalry could go so bad. And after Cool Sister Tavra tried so hard to ease things between them.
And now Seladon is All-Maudra. Cue Everything You Ever.
“Here lies everything
The world I wanted at my feet
My victorys complete
So hail to the All-Maudra” doesn’t rhyyyyme.
We’re halfway through Age of Resistance so I guess some Age of Resisty had to start. Feels a bit sudden. Dreamfasting really does take out some of the busy work. But I guess Seladon is a big enough wrench that its not going to be just the Gelflings sitting up and kicking the Skeksis.
Team Ha’ra is all caught. Team Rian’s Friends I Guess are still oot and aboot but the Hunter is going to be peeved about not getting to cut out his tongue. So he presumably be coming. All vaguely shitty parents are now off the board. Just some emotionally complicated teens and some lizard crocodile men left. Also Aughra.
So. Hey. Maybe its not the time. But if Seladon doesn’t want to be in the Resisty can Gurjin have her title? Loyal Gurjin?
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sidereal. [andronikos && mierrio]
(adjective: glittering with gold and silver)
i did another kotfe chapter. because i finally accidentally saw the andronikos reunion and wanted to cry. a man who hijacks ships to find you again, is the best man in the whole damn galaxy.
oh, and mierrio got a redesign! here’s her pinterest board <<
written: 9.11.19. words: 4,453
════ ⋆★⋆ ════ character song: in the end, 2wei ft. edda hayes
character file: mierrio revel, darth nox.
-
"what was that?" mierrio's ears perk up once the conversation becomes quieter, and a certain word stands out to her, and raises from where she was sitting. "you've found what?"
"we captured one of the raiding pirates recently. i believe hylo's with him. i intend to go and question him in but a moment." pretta answers, lazily flickering an eye over to her as she glares at kal and theron, who are both looking quizzically at a datapad.
mierrio doesn't particularily like the imperial chiss, but since she'd been recruited to the alliance after the war that separated her from her crew, she's learned to listen and accept orders. well, that's a small white lie, mierrio doesn't follow anyone's rules but her own. that's an even bigger lie, only she and pretta butt heads as much as she and kal do. typically over the smallest things, but mierrio still finds her rather annoying with how she preaches imperial tactics to them. the sith in question couldn't care less about the state of the war at this point, and makes it known with her offhanded comments. mierrio has overheard the barsen'thor and colonel speaking at length about her controversial decisions. she figures there may be a mutiny soon if kal doesn't take over again.
and everyone tends to forget she is sith, after she shaved her hair with an undercut in a fit of anger before she went awol and left the rest atop her head. she doesn't wear the robes of the sith anymore either, a spacer jacket and greaves finished off with a pilfered belt and combat boots, she's figuring no one from her old life would recognize her. at least, not until she shocks the life out of some poor zakuulan and they all spontaneously recall that yes, she can still murder you with a double bladed lightsaber and magenta lightning in pilot's armor.
the wrath does, however. she'd been brought back to her (pitiful) existence after marr's ship combusted. thankfully (thankfully?), they don't fight nearly as much as they once did. separated from her imperial fanatic of a husband (by the stars, the man's ideals would fit in nicely with lana's, but his personality would drive them all up the wall), her own morals have come into question. she rarely if ever fights with the double bladed swords at her hips and has chosen to take up duel wielding pistols. (she still uses the force, maybe more than she used to, and is better for cover fire than actually aiming at things. she's a horrid shot.) she raises an eyebrow before continuing to levitate a few crates for the brunette mercenary and heading away. "a pirate?"
"that's what i said, yes." pretta reaffirms as her grip on her own datapad visibly strengthens as theron steps ever closer to the other azure agent. "i can't figure why he's important though. he won't talk."
"that's a bit odd. doubt it's from my days." hyrenne says, musing as she leans against pretta, snaking her arms around her waist. pretta visibly shivers and steps out of the togruta female's grasp. the bronze female frowns, but regulating herself to stand next to the commander instead. hyrenne was rather touchy with the commander, and clearly made her uncomfortable.
and had yet to be told off directly. or stop. "i didn't spend much time with pirates."
"yes, i'm aware." pretta deadpans, as she continues on.
"most surrounded myself with sith, fallen jedi, sometimes the occasional spacer-"
"-and your husbands, yes we know this story already, hyrenne." the passing colonel says, rolling her eyes as she pulls off her helmet (the woman has as much hair as a wampa, and just a thick from the looks of it). as much as mierrio would like to say something snippy, she doesn't because the soldier has a point. everyone on base knows this story, how she'd romanced a sith, and then a fallen jedi, and then they'd fallen for each other. it's a rather boring and clipped story, and she's praying hyrenne didn't either force herself on two gay men, or her husbands are very fictional.
well, hoping is a strong word. lana and tri'ama technically owe her twenty credits each if they don't hear from the men in the next two years.
"hmph. well, i didn't tie myself down before i nearly died, so it's fine." she grins, as pretta looks away very quickly. it's been like this for a long while, and hyrenne hasn't yet gotten the hint pretta is not lesbian or interested.
"is there anything special about this pirate that made you take him in?" mierrio speaks up over whatever the ignorant togruta was about to say. pretta looks nearly relieved by the distraction as mierrio's heart begins to quicken as she reminds herself to slow down and reason. it couldn't be him, not after all this time away.
"he's been a thorn in our side for much too long. we believe this is the ringleader we've been attempting to catch for maybe a year now. i might as well go now if you're so curious." she says, quickly stepping out of the two foot radius that hyrenne has nearly locked her in. she nearly looks grateful as hyrenne ambles away. "let me gather my things, yes?"
there was no time left for discussion as pretta nearly bolted out the door and down the hall, presumably to her own quarters. mierrio figured she was ready for travel, lightsaber clipped to her belt (rather hidden with her blaster), and zipped her jacket up the front. maybe she should put on her gloves, to keep her hands from chafing on the blasted thing.
but as much as she tries to distract herself from the thought, she wonders if she's coming full circle. biting down on her lip, she tries to think about space, about everything that needs to be done, about trade contracts. about what she's going to eat for dinner today, anything but the pirate she's coming face to face with. anything but the hope that it's him.
anything but. how she needs a small shave along the undercut, how she needs to brush out the smaller hairs so that it doesn't look as if she has wind burn. how she should start doing her makeup again because she has the time and she's not fighting an empire anymore. how maybe she can start doing gold accents in her armor again.
how maybe she doesn't need that knife anymore.
how she doesn't need to think about how her face felt against his rough jawline.
how she doesn't need to think about how it felt to be back to back with him, firing lightning out of her fingertips as easily as he could shoot point blank and take down a row of fighters. how her pale face could be covered in blood from stars knew where and he'd still kiss her roughly before carting her off to bed. how it didn't matter what had happened the day before, but he'd still tell her he loved her.
her feet are still carrying her towards the landing pad, but she's a million light years away.
"what're you planning, andronikos?" she asks, a questioning look in her eyes. she's curious, as he shuts the door behind her and the stars twinkle back at her through the viewport. "you've been rather spontaneous lately."
"i've been spontaneous, yeah?" he asks, his gruff voice sending shivers up her spine as she turns to face the pirate. "just you wait."
mierrio's rarely if ever scared when he plans odd things like this. he claims the spot as the only man in the galaxy she trusts fully. pacing closer to him, she's stopped as he presses a button near the door.
and she's weightless.
gravity has ceased to function in the cockpit as she nearly shrieks in fear, crying out as her feet leave the ground. she rolls forward by accident as she foolishly tries to get a hand on the ground. andronikos has the nerve to chuckle through her confusion. "and how long have you known the fury had this function?" she says breathlessly, trying to reaffirm she's just fine and won't float out of arm length of her husband.
"while i was poking around the engine compartment." he says, reaching out for her as propels himself forward, lacing hands with her as he passes by. "by accident, at first. this time, completely on purpose."
she rolls her eyes, but sinks into him. if anything, it calms her rather quickly, finally having an anchor in the madness. "and what exactly are you trying to prove, other than that i don't know my own ship?"
"beats me. just a little fun i wanted to poke at you." he answers as she raises her gaze to his eyes. his joking face fades just a bit, but his features still soften. "happy anniversary, sith."
she grins. he had remembered, and she'd spent the day wondering whether he'd forgotten. (given, she had until two days ago) "happy anniversary to you too, you lunk-headed pirate." she says sarcastically as she laughs herself, moving her arms from where they'd been grasping his forearms to around his neck.
"what, don't like your gift?" he asks teasingly, his hands wandering further up from where they were resting around her waist. he knows she adores anything he retrieves for her (she never explicitly stated that included making her float like a children's balloon, but she digresses.), and doesn't need the reassurance as much anymore. however, the self deprecation pokes through every so slightly sometimes.
"i love the gift, and i love you, andronikos." she says, giggling as they float in front of the viewport. it just barely mirrors them against the durasteel, her hair floating wildly about as her robes pool around her. this, is the only place in the galaxy she'd want to be. in the arms of her husband as he pulls some new stunt that just makes her love him more than she already did. "just warn me next time."
"good to know." he murmurs, before kissing her softly. "i love you, mierrio."
it's not the first time he's said it, but from the way he used to talk about being tied down to one location, one job, one occupation, one person. it made her nervous in the beginning as she tried to withdraw from the first relationship she'd ever had once she realized he was only using her. or so she thought.
she'd give anything to have their anniversary nights back. anything to have the feeling of safety, of warmth against her chest, around her again. to have his hands in her hair, to have his hands wandering her pale skin in search of her scars and bruises. to be able to wake up to his brown eyes instead of some cathar yelling marching orders in the morning (kal still won't provide her with her own quarters. she can't be held responsible if someone in their barracks -a certain captain jorgan- won't lose their head in a fit of force-fueled anger)
she shakes her head, trying to clear her mind and seem relaxed as pretta arrives, hair done back in a severe bun (mierrio's convinced she has gel on hand, or that chiss make it naturally) that shines in the sunlight. she's wearing her imperial uniform again (odd, considering she's no longer aligned with the empire; or so she says), and her red eyes are pinned on her as she walks in what seems like a military marching order. "are you ready to depart, my lord?"
"as i've said, you do not have to refer to me as such, commander." she says, checking her pockets in case she's left something important in the crew quarters. with nothing to be found but her fingerless gun gloves, she inhales and then exhales before falling in step with her, slipping them on. "let us go and question this radical."
"as you wish." she answers, quickly marching up the outstretched plank. both heading to the cockpit, pretta flicks on all the required flight switches as mierrio takes the pilot's seat. all the lessons received by him, did do her some good.
she wishes it were him in the co-pilot seat as she hears the engines roar to life. adjusting her hands on the controls, she's steels her emotions for the trip ahead.
mierrio prays that it's andronikos.
she tries to prepare herself for the fact that it may not be.
-
it's rather cold when they arrive, as she tightens her jacket around herself and re-adjusting her gloves. blowing a strand of hair out of her face, she tries slicking the dark hair back so that it doesn't get in her face while they are here..
nervous tics, here and there. pretta punches in the code to the ship, and they pass through the airlock, soldiers on either side of the door as pretta nods to them. they stand rigidly back in place, heads facing forward.
mierrio finds it odd, how she once had them at her mercy all those years ago. then they were the ones who took her in.
to say the least, the armored guards make her quite a bit jumpy as she hurries to catch up the alliance commander. "you said you may know this man?" pretta turns to her, vermillion red eyes locking onto her own amber orbs.
"i'm not sure." mierrio answers, blaster clanging against her lightsaber's hilt. "possibly."
"hmph." pretta gives a disapproving glance in her direction before choosing against saying something. "let me enter first, in case this turns violent."
"that may be a bit backwards, commander. shouldn't i go in first then?" she hurriedly asks as she can hear muffled conversation beyond the corner they were about to round. one of the lights flicker as she walks under it, and she rubs her hands against the thigh of her pant leg, trying to put out the literal nervous energy she's evoking. "in case it is dangerous?"
"i'll fight my own battles, my lord." she retorts, holding her head high and cutting the conversation quick. mierrio tries to shrug it off before she says something that'll get her arrested, kicked from the alliance or both. or worse. mierrio's been threatened that way before, and as much as she despises this commander, she stays because she has nowhere else to go.
she hasn't even seen kavelle in the years past. her third and final apprentice before the eternal fleet attacked, she wonders where the girl ended up. possibly she met up with ashara, khem val or xalek after she'd heard of her so-called death. possibly she struck out on her own and carved a path through republic space.
or died in a fiery ball of a combustion.
the possibilities were endless.
"wait here." pretta stops her just before the last door, and presses a code in that mierrio just barely catches. the door slides open, awaiting her entrance. "let me speak to hylo and this pirate first."
but why? her subconciousness cries out before pretta disappears. her voice catches in her throat before she can stick her booted foot in the door, and it snaps shut in a comfirming snick. frowning, the door closes just as she catches a glance of the golden electrical fence, and two people standing inside. there's nothing much else to do other than wait for the commander's return, but childishly, she discreetly leans against the durasteel wall, hoping to catch their conversation.
she doesn't. it seems that though they were rather loud earlier, whoever is inside has quieted down.
"i'd never go down without a fight, especially if it meant getting you out alive sith."
her heart pangs in defeat. had andronikos gotten himself captured by accident? what if it had been wrongly, trying to protect someone he cared about?
the what ifs were going to drive her mad.
nipping at the exposed skin on her fingers, her nails graze the bruises on her nose and the freshly scarred cut along the cupid's bow of her lip. hissing in pain as she pulls the offending hand away, she paces around the checkpoint. she counts the steps it takes to get to the corner and back, she walks in time like how she'd seen the commander do so. she quizzes herself on the trade routes lana was bound to ask her about again, she tries to name everyone by their full name (she still doesn't remember the gruff golden twi'lek's name, nor does she remember she remember the mercenary's either). anything to get her mind off what was happening on the other side of those blast doors.
"and who's to say i won't miss you when you come back?" she remembers asking, holding him up as he limps back to the fury. "who's to say i won't hunt down who's killed you?"
"can't say i'll stop you." he chuckled, nearly doubling over coughing up his lungs, "whoever kills me should get a medal, then the death sentence."
maybe this is all because she needs to sleep more often. mierrio has been missing out on crucial sleeping hours, trying to get accustomed to the eternal empire's time, which is not imperial standard time, nor is republic standard time either. maybe it's the insomnia that plagues her. maybe it's the ghost of a chance she may get caught again by the imperials for her crimes.
maybe it's because on the off-chance that she can see her husband again, he may not recognize her after all that's happened.
after everything. after the nights alone, finding the fury nearly intact. but empty. devoid of laughter, devoid of love. devoid of emotion.
devoid of her family.
of ashara and xalek, who she feels that though only years separate them, that they've grown up as her children. slowly training them to be sith, to be as powerful as they possible can.
of khem val, who though their partnership started off rocky, trusted with her life. who she felt as if she could turn to at any point in her life, and one of the few people who could translate his dashade language.
of talos, who while odd, was always interested in holding conversation. obscure or otherwise, his personality brightened the fury when the others we gone.
of andronikos.
the door slides open again, and mierrio's stands up a bit straighter, pulling herself away from the wall so it didn't look nearly as suspicious as it once did. pretta looks rather agitated, and rubs her temples as the door remains open. "has something gone wrong, commander?"
"i am not fully sure who this man is, or why he is here. if you'd like to speak to him before i shoot him out the airlock, you may." pretta responds, visibly gritting her teeth as she tries putting herself back together. angry isn't typically the vibe she gives off, but whoever it was must've struck a nerve or annoyed her to no end. pretta doesn't have a threshold for stupidity or a capacity to be annoyed, so this person may not be andronikos.
her mood drops immediatly, facing that reality. that it may not be him, and she may have gotten her hopes up for nothing.
she's thirty four years old, not four, she shouldn't be trapped in this cycle of wanting and facing reality. "then i should be in and out."
"good. i've got things to do back on base." pretta says distractedly. "if you need hylo to leave, just ask her. torture him or whatnot, i don't intend to keep him."
a bit concerned for her commander's state of mental health, she walks through the door. it shuts behind her and that small noise propels her forward. no longer in a leisurely jog, she walks just a bit too fast for it to be normal. she can hear talking rather clearly now, and her heart picks up the pace as well.
annie.
"i ain't tellin' you nothin." she hears, and she rushes forward faster.
nikky.
she stops just before the door, hylo arguing back with him as the guardians nod at her, the electric door opening. hylo turns away from him for just a moment, frowning. "so then the commander sent you in to deal with him, yeah?"
mierrio intends to answer her first, but the shocked expression on andronikos' face is enough to make the words freeze on her lips. he shakes his head, like as if he's going mad. "i've seen enough ghosts for a lifetime..." he trails off.
"guessing you two know each other?" hylo questions again. mierrio barely wants to take her eyes off him long enough to nod. she's afraid if she stops acknowledging his existence, he'll be gone like it was a dream. the mirialan gives her an odd look before leaving, and then there they are.
alone together.
"i thought you were dead." is all he can manage to say, looking her up and down. "i thought i'd lost you."
mierrio reaches out for one of his hands, looking at the outstretched limb before really looking at him. her heart is beating out of her chest as she nearly cries. six years. six long years, and yet here he is. stubble is peaking out here and then, and new scars decorate his face. a new armor set that has dings here and there. "it's you. you came back for me." she whispers, lacing her fingers into his.
she's shaking as she makes this realization, other hand buzzing at her side with unrelenting energy. she's willing the lightning not to short out the lights in here as well. "i thought i'd never see you again."
he chuckles darkly, "i could say the same." he ruffles her hair affectionately, "didn't know you shaved it all off."
"things happen." mierrio responds, "i hadn't known you'd taken up piracy again."
"i didn't know you were with the eternal empire." he counters.
"alliance." she corrects him, "we're the alliance now."
"yeah." he's quiet for a moment, "you fit the bill, i guess."
"what's that supposed to mean?" she asks quizzically, knowing full well what he's talking about. a rebellious group warranted a change in his book apparently. well, in hers as well.
she doesn't want him to stop talking. what if she blinks, and he's gone?
"new hair, new style, new friends, new ship. it's a good look for you." she smiles, smoothing out her hair and running her sweaty fingertips through it. it does seem as if everything is new since the last time they'd seen each other. "hoping that means you don't have a new me somewhere out there too."
"never." she responds, tripping over the word to reassure him. replacing him is the furthest thing from her mind. nothing could fill the void that andronikos left in her life, in her heart. to think he'd suggest such an absurd thing, fills her with panic as she stutters through her thoughts. "i'd never replace you, andronikos." she pauses, putting her other hand in his. "we're in each other's orbits until the stars grow cold."
he seems surprised she still remembers that, eyes widening until they crinkle at the edges. that's new, possibly with age. it just makes her love him more, as a smile emerges among his features. "we're in each other's orbits until the stars grow cold." he repeats back to her. "i love you, mierrio."
"i love you too, andronikos." she says, before standing on her toes and embarassingly failing to reach his lips. she doesn't wear heeled boots like she once did, so the staggering height difference is increased. he chuckles, letting her suffer for a moment before bending just a bit to allow their lips to touch. mierrio hasn't been kissed in years, and they'd both be lying if they said they weren't quite a bit more aggressive than they needed to be. however, neither seems to care as their lips crash against one another again and again. she just can't get enough of her husband after being away from each other for so long. her body cries out to feel his touch again, shivers running up and down her spine. once they have to pull away to breathe, she speaks again "you'll never leave my side again, understood?"
"your wish is my command, my lord." he responds jokingly as she untangles herself from him. "when you cut your hair? it was so long before."
"little while before i got arrested." she says, attempting to avoid the conversation that's about to ensue. her little stint in piracy could be ignored for the moment. "we should get going."
"arrested? you?" he asks incredulously as he follows her out, hylo and pretta most likely on the other side of the blast doors. "my sith wife got arrested. on what charges?"
"we'll discuss this matter later, andronikos." she says, face heating.
"fine then." he shrugs, before planting another kiss on her lips before she opens the doors. "i'll never leave you again."
"that's good to hear." mierrio responds, sheepishly smiling at pretta when they azure agent turns to her from hylo. clearing her throat, she calms her racing heart for just a moment as andronikos waits just behind her. "we're taking him with us."
"what?" pretta cocks a suspicious eyebrow in confusion. "he's a prisoner of the eternal alliance."
"he's my husband." mierrio deadpans, stalking past them both as she takes andronikos' hand and heads back the way they'd come earlier towards the airlock. "refuse this, and you refuse me from the alliance."
hylo, nor pretta say anything on the return trip, allowing both her and andronikos to take the controls of the ship. they talk a lot on the round trip back, smiling and laughing as they explain the years in between their last talk. the scars they've gained, the laughs they've had, the times they've cried. the friends they've made and lost.
even once they reach base again, they're still talking long after hylo and pretta leave to go about business as usual. it's dark once they run out of things to say, andronikos' hands combing through what hair she has left, and her head laying against his chest as she sits atop him in the captain's chair. to hear his heart beat beneath her ears, it feels good. it feels like the last few years have just been a collective fever dream, and that any time she'll wake up on the fury.
but, she'll make the most of what's happening now. she has her husband back, and life continues on. whatever happens, the revels will be here for it.
i love you, more than anything.
#swtor#star wars the old republic#swtor oc#star wars#oc#original character#fanfiction#swtor fanfiction#swtor fanfic#andronikos revel#female sith inquisitor#female sith inquisitor/andronikos revel#kotfe#knights of the fallen empire
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Going to Star Wars Celebration!
I’m starting a swc-tag on my blog today for posts regarding Star Wars Celebration. Here’s a few things to know about my journey:
I’m travelling solo from Belgium
Staying at an AirBnB with a few girls from the US
I will be all alone after the con ends on Monday until the Wednesday I’m flying home - if anyone is still looking for a roomie, let me know.
Really was hoping to get into the Episode IX panel, but with it being a lottery the odds of getting in are too small, I must lower my expectations and lie down and cry. Cry a lot. (I’m honestly very upset about this.)
Picking up some Reylo artwork to hang in my living room (the “Maelstrom” one, it’s gorgeous.)
Will be dressed as a First Order General some days. Casual the other days.
Will be trading swag (and handing it out to friendly fans) - so far all artworks on the swag are by @pandacapuccino, who obviously knows or I would not tag her in this, duh. :-P I expect this to be one of my favorite things to do at the convention. It’s Reylo and Reyux arts! Imagine the happy faces! Imagine the confused faces! Looking forward to it.
My nephew has written down about 25 characters I must take pictures of. If I manage to do it, I get to pick a location for our next dinner. If I fail, he picks the location. (Ugh, Italian again, I guess.) I’m really hoping there will be a First Order Executioner and a Wampa at the convention. And General Grievous. (Who the fuck would dress up as Grievous though XD) I hope I don’t lose this game.
No autographs or pictures for me. The only one I wanted was Jason Isaacs and I’m seeing him one week in advance at the FACTS convention in Belgium, where he charges half-price to what he charges at SWC. I know where I’ll get his autograph and pic then. XD
The art I’m picking up:
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Visions of Hell...
This second part to my Visions of Paradise Essay was unfortunately a LONG time coming. I hope it will not disappoint.
HELL IS A PLACE ON EARTH... sorry, on a galaxy far far away
So let’s go to Hell in Star Wars and see where it takes us. You can, at first, think of the obvious depictions of Hell, and, oftentimes, Star Wars plays by the rules by delivering your graphic vision of Hell: ie, in the collective mind, and as represented for centuries, as a place, filled with fire, brimstone, lava, suffering, dismembering, torture, with an emphasis on black and red colors. In paintings, this is how it translates:
So, with this visual in mind, this is what you immediately relate to Hell, as a space, in Star Wars:
In the PT, Geonosis (ep 2) and Mustafar (ep 3). You have the fire, the dismemberment (assembly line, C3P0; Anakin loses an arm; Anakin loses both arms and legs and gets burned to a crisp), the psychological and physical suffering, the heavy coded color palette... Visually, Mustafar has been conspicuously designed to look like an archetypal Inferno. It is, after all, supposed to be the lowest point of the saga, the Fall, echoing Dante’s first part of his journey.
In the OT, with Bespin (ep 5) and Jabba’s Palace (ep 6), the visual imagery is more subtle, with some surprising twists and subversions.
Bespin is very interesting because it starts visually as a celestial place, normally coded as Heaven. But this is the place of treachery, and entrapment, which is already suggested by the color coding of the place as the MF lands on Cloud City:
It is a place of betrayal for Han and Leia, sold by Lando to the Empire; where C3P0 is, once again, in the same installment as Trilogy 1, dismembered; where Han is tortured and frozen in carbonite; where Luke is cornered by Vader, loses a hand, and gets the big reveal; a place of psychological and physical pain. Note that there are very few table/dinner scenes in the saga, so this one becomes the Star Wars equivalent of the Last Supper with Lando as Judas, and Han turning into a sacrificial victim.
Jabba’s Palace, is, in my mind, the most interesting Hellish place of the saga. Visually, it does not look like the glorious operatic Hellfest of Mustafar, but it is actually a quite exhaustive take on sin and Hell as depicted by Dante. First, you have, quite as in the poem, two characters (C3PO and R2D2/ Dante and Virgil) entering a dark place to journey into the world of sins and punishment, and who are reminded, at the beginning to “abandon all hope”. This is C3P0 realizing that their master has “offered” them to Jabba as a gift. And what a wonderful and brilliant embodiment of the 7 deadly sins Jabba is!
Sloth and Gluttony
Pride
Greed
Lust
Anger
And envy, since when he sees Leia with Han he “covets” her.
Jabba’s Palace is quite the Pleasure Palace of all sins, between the boozing, singing, dancing, lusting, and killing people for entertainment. You can add to that the torture that he inflicts to the droids (again, dismemberment), the Rancor that is the equivalent of Cerberus as a Dog from Hell (his tamer’s reaction to its death is like that to the loss of a beloved pet), and the pit of the Sarlacc, which promises “ a new definition of pain and suffering as you are slowly digested over a thousand years”, so exactly like the promise of Hell to the sinners who are tortured forever... Jabba, and his palatial Hell, are very interesting because, for once, they are unrelated to the Empire and the schemes of the Emperor. This reminds us as the audience that Evil can take many forms and can often be found quite close to home, which sounds even truer in Luke’s case since Jabba’s Palace is on Tatooine, his home planet, and incidentally, that of Anakin/Vader’s as well. Jabba’s Palace was a bold interpretation of Hell. It is also very telling that all the characters (including Lando, in a rehabilitative process) are living the experience of Hell in Jabba’s Palace collectively, all facing the trials and overcoming them together. So it was not a one on one archetypal duel, the hero facing the villain.
In the ST, there is still of course ep 9 to reckon with, but in the meantime, we get mostly the Jakku opening scene, Starkiller base (ep 7) and the Supremacy and Crait (ep.8)...
We seem, at first glance, to return to a more litteral interpretation of Hell, more in the line of the PT than the OT, with flames, fire, smoke, the red and black color palette. But Hell, here, takes a "carry-on” form. It is less associated with a place than with a moment. Moments of Hell are created on different places, and are usually associated with the presence of Kylo. Hell is a place created by the characters. Like a bat out of Hell (his very distinctively shaped shuttle), Kylo brings Hell along with him, meaning that we have moved from a scenery, a background, to a more psychological interpretation of Hell. The inner turmoil that is tearing Kylo’s apart, his own inner Inferno, is released out on different places: the Jedi Temple, Jakku, Takodana, Starkiller, Crait...
The only place that exists as Hell in itself is possibly the throne Room on the Supremacy, and again, as mentioned before, this is movable Hell, since it is built on a ship...
Another character who seems closely associated with Hell and its representations is Finn, which puts him again in close relationship with Kylo (check the links between the two characters here). The experience of Hell on Jakku in the opening scene is lived through the eyes of Finn. On the Supremacy, in parallel with Kylo and Rey’s hellish experience in the throne room, Finn is here again also facing the Inferno, which takes a very litteral form as Phasma is sent to a fiery chasm (and “hopefully” this time around her death).
There is thus an interesting progression in the saga. From Hell as something very operatic that reflects the characters’ inner turmoils in the PT, but also exists visually on its own ; Hell as a place of trial for the characters, sort of to test their mettle in the OT; Hell as a place that comes from deep inside the characters’ pain and conflict in the ST and can appear at virtually any place.
There is also a recurring theme about Hell and what it brings to the characters in terms of love and romance in specifically each 2nd installment of the trilogies. In every trilogy, the characters find love or admit love at the gates of Hell: Anakin and Padmé on Geonosis as they are about to be sentenced to death; Han and Leia on Bespin before Han is frozen in carbonite; in the throne room scene through the duel and Kylo’s botched proposal, and on Crait when Rose admits her love to Finn. Love at the gates of Hell has quite an Orphean, poetic quality, admittedly... Twice, as for Orpheus, it is about love found and lost: for Han and Leia, and for Kylo and Rey... It can also echo the idea that, as Dante put it, “the path to Paradise begins in Hell”. Love has to be found in Hell of all places in order to lead the way to Paradise.
Not always in obvious places... “Hoth” as Hell
Hoth is a peculiar case. I do believe that it can qualify as a possible Hellish place... for one particular reason... In Dante’s Inferno, the very bottom of Hell, the place where Satan resides, is not a fiery pit, but rather a lake of Ice.
The first depictions of the Devil were not that of a red demon, but rather a blue angel, which for some time associated the devil with cold and ice, as depicted in this 6th century mosaic from a basilica in Ravenna (Italy):
So, taking a page from the history of the devil, ESB starts on a planet that is barely a haven (pun intended) for the Rebels. The middle chapter of the OT is really the “Hellish” chapter, from the opening on Hoth all the way to the Bespin finale. And I particularly appreciate the way they designed places that are supposed to symbolize Dante’s Inferno without once playing on the usual clichés: the “Hoth” (the word always struck me as odd) planet of Ice, and the celestial Bespin. Like Satan is trapped in ice in Dante’s poem, the Rebels are effectively trapped, paralyzed on their icy planet (and I am not hinting that the Rebels are evil, but rather that they fnd themselves caught up in a form of Hell). And they also end in a trap on Bespin, with Han this time literally frozen. Vader, the representation of evil here, is thus not sending Han (and possibly Luke) to a fiery pit of lava, but to a place that freezes them. Back on Hoth, this is a place where the rebels are hardly sheltered and live under constant threats of death due to the terrible climatic conditions or hostile hungry creatures. Note that when Han goes to get Luke, this is what he says:
This is rare enough as an occurence to be highlighted. To my knowledge (feel free to pitch in), there are only two other instances where Hell is mentioned in the saga: by Uncle Owen in ep 3 ( “Well, if he doesn't have those condensers on the south ridge fixed by midday, there'll be hell to pay” ), and in episode 7, when Finn utters the infamous:
Finally Hoth can work as Hell notably because of the wampa figure, which rightly features among the potential satanic or hellish creatures in the very long list of bizarre Star Wars creatures.
Minions of the Devil, Evil Eye, and Satanic Creatures
Just like Hell as a space, some creatures are right in your face Satanic, or meant to embody evil. In the OT, ep 1, this is Darth Maul’s sole raison d’être.
In this interview with Bill Moyers, this is what Lucas has to say about him:
BILL MOYERS: When I saw him, I thought of Satan and Lucifer in “Paradise Lost.” I thought of the devil in “Dante’s Inferno.” I mean, you’ve really — have brought from — it seems to me — from way down in our unconsciousness this image of — of — of evil, of the other.
GEORGE LUCAS: Well, yeah. We were trying to find somebody who could compete with Darth Vader, who’s one of the most, you know, famous evil characters now. And so we went back into representations of evil. Not only, the Christian, but also Hindu and Greek mythology and other religious icons and, obviously, then designed our own — our own character out of that. (...) A lot of — a lot of evil characters have horns. It’s very interesting. I mean, you’re trying to build a icon of evil, and you sort of wonder why the same images evoke the same emotions.
Ok, so basically, as avowed here, they just wanted a very visual embodiment of evil, something that could rival Vader in ep 4. Except that, as iconic and mesmerizing his look was, he didn’t say much, didn’t do much except jump about (indeed beautifully), and we know nothing about him, his motives, his purpose. Looking evil does not make for a great villain. And we knew this was not the big bad guy, just a henchman...So, not Satan, but a minion of the devil. And there are plenty of other aliens that dress the part just as well. Take for instance that cute as Hell guy from episode 4, found in Mos Eisley cantina:
He sure looks the part, complete with horns. He is just a cameo, though, to add to the list of nightmarish creatures from the cantina. To Luke and to the audence they were meant to be scary, shady, and strange. Were they truly evil? Obi-Wan had warned Luke: “You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy”. So, I guess, yes? But this is also where they found Han and Chewbacca, and despite shooting Greedo first, Han turned out to be “nice men”. So maybe Satan horny guy would have been chummy on second thought?
Another interesting creature with horns is that one:
This is not a minion of the Devil, he could almost past as a furry fuzzy yeti. But the wampa, from planet Hoth can work as a hellish creature. It’s got the horns, it captures Luke, and threatens to eat him. Interestingly each first installment of the saga presents a scene where the heroes have to face creatures that seem to come straight from Hell and threaten to devour/eat the heroes: the aquatic monsters from the core of Naboo (note that Anakin IS NOT there), the creature from the trash compactor that attacks Luke, and the Rathtars that run loose on Han’s vessel and almost get to Finn... A reminder that Hell can take many different forms. And, if you think about classical representations of Hell, the Devil is often seen as devouring his victims:
Of course, you can also interpret these creatures, devouring exclusively men, as a representation of the threatening female mother/genitalia (vagina dentata) or you can think about the belly of the whale in Jonah’s story and take it as a rebirth... Talk about rebirth to Bobba Fett or those Kanjiklub dudes...
Other specimens that threaten to devour the heroes, and could be viewed as possible Hellish creatures:
The nexu and the acklay in AOTC
The space slug in ESB
The Rancor and Sarlaac in ROTJ
Not to mention the most dangerous of them all:
Yup, without the help of powerful magic (or snacks), this carnivorous savage furball will hunt you down and feast on your flesh!!! Need any proof besides Han tied up to get BBQed? They even did a Forces of Destiny episode where Leia was saving the lives of innocent stormtroopers about to become dinner:
Joke aside (for you Ewok lovers), meeting wild animals (possibly in a forest, I see you, damned Ewoks!) is also part of Dante’s journey to Hell. At the very beginning of the poem, before starting his descent, Dante is attacked by three wild animals: a leopard, a she-wolf, and a lion. With just a bit of a stretch, you can find this idea in the arena of Geonosis with the three alien beasts set upon Padmé, Obi-Wan, and Anakin.
The first two trilogies seem to play with the devouring beast trick more consistently than the ST which just offered the rathtar. Devouring beasts were conspicuously absent from TLJ. Even though there was the shadow of a threat through the gigantic sea creature that roamed the seas around Ahch-To, the animal remained distant. On the contrary, animals were feasted upon: the porg, the fish, the milk from the Thala siren, which was a strong departure from the usual trope. It will be interesting to see what episode IX offers in that scope, but if the devouring beast remains absent, I think it will go along the line that I already suggested about Hell. The devouring creature is no longer an OUTSIDE/OUTER threat to the heroes. Rather, the devouring creature, the one that can consume you inside and out, is WITHIN yourself, in your heart and soul. Moreover, the devouring beast in TLJ was also the role taken by Snoke on a symbolic level, as an echo to Palpatine who preys and feeds on people’s suffering and weaknesses.
I would like to come back to the Dianoga from episode 4 though, because, on the screen, it does not appear as a toothy fearsome creature, but as an eye. The concept of the “evil eye”, that is to say the idea that a mere glance could curse you and bring you harm, can be found in many cultures throughout the world. It is probably a corollary of the idea of the omnipotent everseeing eye of God. The evil eye is not necessarily associated with the Devil himself, it usually comes from a person who is envious. Nevertheless, in The Lord of the Rings, Sauron, who is Evil incarnate, is materialized as an Eye, red, fiery, reptilian shaped. Equivalent “evil eyes” can be found in Star Wars. It can take the form of just one eye, as with the Dianoga, the gatekeeper’s device in Jabba’s Palace, and more interestingly, Starkiller base, which, with its cannon, looks, especially on the posters, like a one-eyed monster and brings new massive meaning to the notion of “if looks could kill”...But it can also be materialized in the evil Sith eyes of Maul, Anakin, or Palpatine. But note that Anakin’s evil eyes come and go, and that not all the villainous characters get the evil eye treatment: it never shows up in Count Dooku, Snoke doesn’t have them, and Kylo never has them either...
Who’s boss? Satan, Lucifer, and their Legions
As we have seen, there are many possible Hellish creatures in Star Wars, but, like Sauron’s ring, is there one to rule and bind them all? There is an important divide to mark here, a dual personality in Evil, that echoes the very way the figures of Lucifer or Satan have been evolving and developed. Most people now tend to fuse the two, but they can be viewed as two rather different entities. As this article sums up:
1.Lucifer is the highly favored angel created by God whereas Satan is his name when he was thrown away from heaven. 2.Lucifer is an angel of God whereas Satan is the name of the devil. 3.Lucifer is not the exact opposite of God whereas Satan is a name that pertains more to opposition. 4.Lucifer has a physical form whereas Satan does not have any.
Lucifer’s name comes from “the carrier of light”, an essential idea in the scope of Star Wars, and in this respect, Lucifer’s embodiments can be found in Anakin and Kylo. Anakin, like Lucifer, is a creature that comes straight from the highest power (God/the Force), and is the chosen one, the favorite, the most beautiful of all the angels. In his casting of actors for young Anakin, George Lucas picked a blond blue-eyed boy with cherubic potential (who incidentally is the only one of the saga talking about angels), and a hot up-and-coming young actor. Anakin is designed to be attractive. Like Lucifer, his tragic flaw is also his pride and hubris, and his desire to play God, which shows right at the beginning when he boasts himself of being the best pilot (he has never won or been in a podrace before) and the fact that he has designed, on his own, a sentient character (C3P0). Anakin rebels to the Jedi Council the same way Lucifer rebels to God: like angels he can’t marry or father children, he is not allowed the rank of master and must keep on bowing down to others while being better than them (Lucifer and the mortals). Anakin is clearly portrayed as a fallen angel, who, like Lucifer is punished and sent to the visual fiery Hell of Mustafar, and encased forever in his own personal Hell, the loss of the woman he loved, and probably endless physical suffering in the persona and armor of Darth Vader. But does Lucifer become Satan? Even though Vader was a striking embodiment of evil and a mesmerizing villain, he was immediately presented in ANH as a henchman and not the main boss. Even Leia was not afraid to tell it as it was:
And he appeared very subservient in front of the Emperor, which disqualifies him, in my view, as Evil incarnate. Vader is NOT the boss. This is the greatest irony about Vader: as a little boy, enslaved, he dreamed of living a free life, and he ended up bound up forever to his master, as well as to the apparatus that maintains him alive. You can call that survival, but this is truly a pathetic life. Though Milton chose the name Satan for his poem, his character is actually closer to Lucifer, the Fallen Angel, a tragic figure with undeniable seductive appeal through his intelligence, his infectious and passionate speeches, his sadness and torment, which make him, arguably, the perfect “anti-hero”,a romantic figure. Milton’s Satan claimed that it was “better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven”. Maybe that was Anakin’s idea, but he never got to reign, even though the thought apparently stuck with him all these years, from his initial offer to Padmé to his offer to Luke to “rule the galaxy” together.
Enters Kylo, who presents striking similarities with Grandpa Vader. Like him, as a child he gets to struggle with a tremendous burden: Anakin is set out as the “chosen one”, Kylo as “the legacy child”, both with “raw, untamed power” that is unknown to any other Force sensitive, which makes them the beloved of the Force. Like Anakin, Kylo’s character is designed to be seductive, wavy hair and shirtless scene included. Like Anakin, he is a fallen angel, and his patricide aligns him with Lucifer’s attempt at defeating God (aka the Father). Kylo is not immune to pride or hubris either, but just like Anakin, he also finds himself ironically in a subservient position. Seductive in their youth, they both don the costume of evil and its outer signs (black, fiery red saber, satanic crossguard for Kylo, dehumanized mask), but the main difference is that evil has consumed physically Anakin. Vader is the ONLY persona he has left to survive, whereas Kylo merely plays the part. He is still very much human, and very much Ben Solo, as Snoke keeps reminding him.
Both men have been manipulated since childhood by an older man/humanoid who has twisted their minds and hearts and finally gets them to contract a Faustian pact that -as all pacts with the Devil- never delivers. In both cases they do not become more powerful than they were before, and the price must be paid with the blood of their families/loved ones.
If we look at the distinction between Lucifer and Satan, Vader and Kylo can appear as the physical manifestation of Evil, ie Lucifer, the fallen angel, whereas Palpatine and Snoke, who incidentally most of the time appear under a holo form, are more like Satan, the ghost of Evil who needs to borrow/possess other physical forms to engineer his evil deeds. As French poet Charles Baudelaire penned in the 19th century (and quoted from in Th Usual Suspects): “ the loveliest trick of the Devil is to persuade you that he does not exist”. So both Snoke and Palpatine rely on holo forms, traveling, remaining away, hiding in the shadows or under a cloak. Even though the audience (who is familiar with the OT) know from PM that Palpatine is the elusive Darth Sidious, the Jedi Council is unable to identify him through 3 full length movies (!!!!). Like the Devil, he is the one whose very existence is constantly doubted, hiding behind different forms such as the Federation ViceRoys, Darth Maul, Count Dooku, General Grievous, finally Anakin/Vader, a form of demonic possession if ou will. Even Padmé and JarJar become hosts to Palpatine’s infectious powers, as they innocently do his bidding and become his puppets in the Senate. In the OT, the Emperor was conspicuously absent in ANH, and appears for the first time solely as a hologram in ESB. Disincarnated, the Emperor is the best embodiment of the spirit of Evil, nowhere to be found, and thus potentially everywhere, in his henchmen, but above all in the very satanic notion of his “legions”, aka the stormtroopers. Indeed, in Mark 5:1-20, Jesus exorcizes a man possessed by a demon and when asking the demon his name gets this all-too famous answer: “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many”. Whereas the Emperor and Snoke in TFA remain hidden, the galaxy -and the screen- is filled with their legions, droid army, army of clones, stormtroopers, disposable, replacable...
And indeed, when the Empire collapses, the First Order rises right away, evil ready to take another form, moving effortlessly from Palpatine to Snoke... When the figures of Palpatine and Snoke are revaled though, it is with all the usual Satanic codes and paraphernalia. In the PT, Palpatine gets the creepy treatment, with the maniacal laughter, the hooded robes, the evil eyes, the blue devil with horns at his side, the red room, AND the very not subtle art flair in the background that looks like a depiction of Hell:
In the OT, he gets the red guards by his side, and the spider web motif of the Death Star in the background.
As for Snoke, he gets Satanic garrishness through red and gold, in the throne room scene.
Yet, both these satanic figures get defeated eventually, and, according to some critiques, rather quite easily. So what’s the point? Well, the point is how and by whom they get defeated in the first place! Every time it is by the Lucifer figure, ie Anakin and Kylo, the ones that were seduced and corrupted, highlighting once again the dual nature of evil, and meaning that evil is not something that is supposed to be found OUTSIDE of our nature, but WITHIN. Every time, the fight with Evil is first and foremost a fight with ourselves, our very nature. So it comes down to each and everyone to defeat the source of evil, no hero can come and do it for us. It is very important and revealing that neither Rey nor Luke were the ones actively killing Snoke/the Emperor. The “villains” have to become the agents of their own redemption. Even if this redemption is made possible through the love they feel for the heroes ready to die for their rescue.
It is even better that Snoke died earlier in the story of the ST than many had expected before. Because it forces us to question the nature of evil. It is easier and more comforting to lay the blame and point fingers at the very obvious figure of evil, the Satanic paraphernalia, the scarecrow, the snoke and mirrors if you will, as in The Wizard of Evil. As the obvious villains, Palpatine and Snoke serve a function: they are the gold villainous standard to which we are asked to compare our resident other villains, Vader and Kylo. And, of course, the very fact that Snoke and Palpatine are indubitably irredeemable means that, logically, the other two are indubitably redeemable.
The position that Kylo finds himself in at the end of IX is a first, though. Vader did not survive his master, but again, he was too far gone for us to imagine him with a full redemption arc. He could die, but he could not be reborn. With Kylo, the potential is still very much in the open. What Kylo finds himself facing after defeating his inner demon (aka Snoke) is actually what remains after the fall of the scarecrow : the mundanity of evil (as Hanna Arendt called it). I would not necessarily call Hux mundane, but, just like the officers from the Death Star in ANH, they are not supposed to be the big “in your face” Fairy Talish villain. They are the legions, the brainwashed masses, the military honchos, the war profiteers, the obedient soldiers... Once the curtain is pulled (or burned down in the throne room scene), this is the harsh reality of evil that remains: the Huxes, the Tarkins... Yet, even there, hope remains. In introducing the character of Finn, the ST shows that, from within the very masses that represent the legions of evil, change can also come. The ST gives to the mundanity of evil a potential redemption. I was actually stunned when reading the Junior novelization of TFA by the importance given in chapter 1 to Finn as FN-2187 and his interactions with his comrades, who are given nicknames, voices, and an identity. We know that a scene was deleted in TLJ with more of these interactions. I wonder if episode IX is not going to be more straightforward about that and show how Finn was not, as Phasma called it, a mere “bug in the system”, but a foresign of deep structural changes...Fighting Hell and Evil is not just the stuff for mythical heroes facing dragons and monsters, it is, even in Star Wars, an individual quest (Anakin, Kylo), and something even a stormtrooper, or a nobody, can fight and possibly win.
If we go back to Dante’s Divine Comedy as a literary influence, we must remember that the progression is that of a descent followed by an ascension: first into the deepest pit of Hell, then up through Purgatory, to finally ascend into Heaven. Obviously, the purpose is supposed to be uplifting. It celebrates Redemption through the power of Love, and Faith in God. As much as a physical journey, it is also, of course, a spiritual journey. Something that resonates deeply in the star Wars saga. If each trilogy contains elements here and there, places of Paradise, places of Purgatory, and places of Hell, in order to make sense with the different mythical and religious themes embedded so far, the saga as a whole needs to follow the same path. So the PT is about the trip to Hell (Anakin’s fall), the OT can work as Purgatory as it is very much about expiation, cleansing, and purifying, and yes, normally, the ST is supposed to be about a spiritual ascension, and the redeeming power of love. In Dante’s final vision, women (through the Virgin Mary and Beatrice) and their compassion play an important part. It seems like women are taking a bigger part in the ST. And the last lines of Dante’s poem are really noteworthy in the scope of the saga as a whole :
But by now my desire and will were turned,
Like a balanced wheel rotated evenly,
By the Love that moves the sun and the other stars.
We could argue that the PT is very much about desire (Anakin), and the OT very much about will (Luke). And, in a way, the ST is very much about what happens when will and desire have to co-exist and balance each other out. Rey and Kylo are undeniably a mix of both. And, it is my personal belief, like so many other fellow bloggers, that the point of the saga is to be, like the final line of Dante’s poem, about balance. And I am quite partial about this idea that love will move the sun and the stars... like the Force. Moreover, when reading the quotation from The Journal of the Whills in the novelization of TFA, something really struck me: the “refined Jedi sight”. In Dante’s final vision, an emphasis is definitely put on eyesight, and the way eyes become “crystal clear”. Between Rogue One and TLJ, crystals seem to take more and more importance in the conclusion of the saga...
Remember, the path to Paradise is through Hell, and, guys, ascension is on the way . Buckle up!
#reylo#reylo fandom#reylo fam#reylo meta#star wars meta#star wars parallels#paradise and hell in star wars#hell in star wars#satanic creatures in star wars#kylo and anakin
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While there’s a lot of fervent debate among the Star Wars fan base, The Empire Strikes Back is generally accepted to be the best movie in the saga. From the spectacular opening on Hoth to a second act that flits between Jedi training and asteroid field pursuits to Luke Skywalker’s chilling final confrontation with Darth Vader, this movie is as close to perfect as one can get.
RELATED: Star Wars: 10 Ways The Empire Strikes Back Is The Saga's Best Movie
As with any Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back has both scenes that are hilarious, like C-3PO interrupting Han and Leia’s first kiss, and scenes that are heartbreaking, like Vader telling Luke he’s his father.
10 Funniest: Leia Calls Han A Nerf Herder
Han and Leia’s tensions are increased when the arrival of the Empire traps them in the Rebels’ base on Hoth. Leia angrily tells Han, “Why, you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder!”
Han, offended by one particular word in Leia’s lengthy insult, says, “Who’s scruffy-lookin’?” Chewie thinks it’s hilarious and Han quips, “Laugh it up, fuzzball!”
9 Saddest: Han Finds A Delirious Luke Freezing In The Snow
In the opening of The Empire Strikes Back, Luke is attacked by a wampa on his patrol of the snowy plains of Hoth and gets dragged back to the monster’s cave. Han is concerned when Luke doesn’t return to the base, so he goes out into the cold to find him.
Han finally comes across a delirious Luke freezing in the snow and has to cut open his dead tauntaun to give Luke a warm place to spend the night.
8 Funniest: C-3PO Interrupts Han And Leia’s First Kiss
Throughout the first act of The Empire Strikes Back, Han and Leia refuse to confront their romantic tension. Then, in the second act, they get stuck on the Falcon together and finally face their feelings.
When Han kisses Leia, the sweeping, emotionally charged moment is cut short by an oblivious C-3PO, who interrupts them to tell Han about a development with the ship.
7 Saddest: Chewie Fights The Ugnaughts For C-3PO’s Parts
C-3PO doesn’t last very long when he arrives on Bespin with Han, Leia, and Chewie. He wanders into the carbonite freezing chamber and gets stripped for parts by the Ugnaughts working in there.
RELATED: The Empire Strikes Back: The 5 Best Action Scenes (& 5 Best Character Moments)
When Chewie finally manages to find Threepio, all the Ugnaughts are tossing his parts around the room and Chewie has to fight them to gather together all the pieces that make up everyone’s favorite gold-plated protocol droid.
6 Funniest: Yoda Steals Luke’s Dinner And Fights R2-D2
When Luke and R2-D2 first arrive on Dagobah and encounter Yoda, he pretends to just be a passer-by who knows the legendary Jedi they seek and not the legendary Jedi himself.
He goes rooting through Luke’s stuff and helps himself to his dinner. When Artoo tries to fight back, Yoda starts hitting the little astro droid with his cane.
5 Saddest: Han Is Frozen In Carbonite
While Leia and Chewie are released by the Empire, Han is frozen in carbonite to be hung on the wall of Jabba the Hutt’s palace. As he prepares to go into the chamber, Leia finally tells him, “I love you,” and he quips back, “I know.”
Leia is heartbroken, but Chewie is the one most affected by Han’s grim fate. He cries out in anguish as his Corellian pal is lowered into the carbonite freezing chamber.
4 Funniest: “Not Entirely Stable? Well, I’m Glad You’re Here To Tell Us These Things.”
There’s another hilarious moment of tension between Han and Threepio when they land in what they think is a cave, but turns out to be the mouth of a giant space slug. The whole Falcon shakes, knocking everyone aboard off-kilter, and Threepio says, “Sir, it’s quite possible this asteroid is not entirely stable.”
Han sarcastically quips, “Not entirely stable? Well, I’m glad you’re here to tell us these things. Chewie, take the professor in back and plug him into the hyperdrive!”
3 Saddest: “I Am Your Father.”
As Yoda predicted, Luke is hopelessly defeated by Vader in lightsaber combat. The Sith Lord backs the budding young Jedi Knight out onto a ledge and lops off his saber-wielding hand.
RELATED: Star Wars: 10 Sequel Trends Set By The Empire Strikes Back
Vader informs Luke that he is his biological father, and offers him his hand to help him rule the galaxy. Luke has to choose between joining his evil father and jumping to an uncertain fate, and he goes with the latter.
2 Funniest: Lando Pretends To Hit Han
When Han suggests going to Bespin to lay low with Lando, he says that while Lando is an old friend, they don’t have a perfect track record and he may not be willing to forgive him.
Upon arrival, Lando comes out to greet Han and tells him it took a lot of guts to come to Cloud City. Then, Lando cocks his fist, ready to hit Han. Han flinches, then Lando laughs and gives him a hug. “How’re you doing, you old pirate?”
1 Saddest: The Iconic Downer Ending
After ending the first Star Wars movie on a triumphant victory for the Rebellion, George Lucas famously ended The Empire Strikes Back on a downer note: Han is frozen in carbonite, Luke is hopelessly outmatched by Vader, and the Empire is stronger than ever. And yet, as Luke and Leia stare out into space, there’s a faint glimmer of hope.
The ending of Avengers: Infinity War, in which Thanos’ evil plan succeeds and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are left to live with the consequences of their failure, was compared to The Empire Strikes Back.
NEXT: The Empire Strikes Back & 9 Other Sequels That Took A Dark Turn
The Empire Strikes Back: The 5 Funniest (& 5 Saddest) Scenes from https://ift.tt/3tUtEJR
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12 Days of Christmas Prompts
December 14: Staying inside during a snowstorm
Walking down the hallways of the Organa Palance to their guest quarters, Theron decided there was definitely a chill in the air and it was coming from the palace inhabitants. Maybe it was just his imagination, but it was probably the melting snow that he and Sanna were dripping all over the floors. It wasn’t really my... okay, it was my fault. I did start that whole snowball fight. But I also finished it, so there’s that, he thought with a smirk.
Being on Alderaan with the “Paladin of House Organa” brought with it a couple of perks -- namely a spacious suite that had to be larger than Dr. Oggurobb’s lab back on Odessen and a fantastic view of the snow-covered landscape, complete with majestic mountains as the backdrop. The part that Theron was most interested in right now was the fireplace; it had been lit while they were outside by some wonderful person and now contained a roaring blaze. Two mugs and a thermos of hot cocoa awaited them on a small table next to the fireplace. He blatantly ignored the wampa rug spread on the floor in front of the hearth and went to strip out of his sodden clothing.
After changing into warm, dry clothes, Sanna poured them both steaming mugs of cocoa. Taking her own mug and grabbing a blanket, she tucked herself in on the window seat and gazed out over the lovely scenery. Theron stood in front of the fire, warming his hands and watching her get comfortable.
“Aren’t you cold, Sanna? You’re right on the windows.”
“Well, I’ve got hot cocoa and a nice warm blanket, so I think I’ll be fine. Besides, dinner is in about an hour and I definitely won’t freeze before then, I promise,” she said teasingly.
“Alright, fine. You have a point,” he replied with rolled eyes and a small smirk.
“I know I do, Mr. Grinch Who Stole Life Day. But look, it’s snowing now! Isn’t it just beautiful?” Sanna gestured to the window, to large, fluffy flakes drifting softly to the ground.
Theron studied Sanna and her wintery backdrop. An easy smile stole onto his face; he sauntered over and kissed the corner of her mouth.
“You are far prettier than any landscape in this galaxy, Sanna. And I’ve seen quite a few in my time,” he whispered in her ear. She gave him a shy smile and bit her lip as a blush crept up her cheeks.
“Okay, scoot over,” Theron said, gently pushing her to the side.
“Theron, what are you doing?”
“Would you just move over, please? I’m gonna join you.”
Sanna grinned and hastily shifted so that Theron could slide next to her on the window seat, and adjusted the blanket to cover them both. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, dropping a kiss on her temple.
“I love you, you know. A lot.” He kissed her jaw to emphasize his words, and their feelings hummed through the bond they shared.
“I know. I love you too, my sweet.” Sanna’s hand came up to rest on his cheek and she nuzzled his nose with her own. They snuggled closer and watched the snow falling in perfect drifts outside, content and peaceful in each other’s arms.
Twelve Days of Christmas Prompts
#swtor fanfic#Theron Shan#Theron Thursday#Jedi Knight/Theron Shan#oc: Vassanna#have some fluff#in which theron still doesn't really care for snow#but definitely cares for sanna#i can't believe that i hadn't written 'i love you' 'i know' yet!#i get to check that off my star wars fanfic bucket list!#woo!#these two#they're so cute and such dorks#twelve days of x-mas#prompts#knitter writes
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