#wanted to make stuff about how much everyone loves Quinlan

[i-am-snowils-admiral]

A summary of my brief foray into Star Wars fic. I've read mostly Obi-Wan time travel fic and I'm sensing some themes.

[kcrabb88]

Quinlan Vos and Obi-Wan Kenobi Are Not Normal About Each Other (A Thesis Statement)

Fandom: Quinlan and Obi-Wan have had sex, but it’s a reach to think they could be in love and/or care deeply about each other in some manner, it was just physical (this is not me saying I don't think they have sex I HELLA do and I've written a lot of smut to prove it, but I've seen wayyyy too many posts that basically say they can only be romantic as Padawans and NEVER as adults and/or were just fooling around as teens and didn't have deep feelings in some way whether they're FWB or romantic partners or whatever you like)

Me: *unrolls my scroll* I'm here to make a POINT as an addendum to this post I made recently.

Look at these little darlings! They just met and Quin's already trusting Obi-Wan, and Obi-Wan WANTS Quin to trust him. In another panel from this same comic, Quin helps Obi-Wan with his anxiety and it's very sweet.

Quin's been struggling with the dark side while undercover, and everyone thinks he's really truly fallen and can't be brought back except for Aayla, Tholme, and, YOU GUESSED IT! Obi-Wan. He goes looking for Quinlan on his own and finds him and they chat. Plus, look at this flashback of these little nerds flirting. Quin literally falls into the river and almost dies trying to flirt with Obi-Wan.

What do I even say about this panel??? Look at them!! Look at Quin trusting Obi-Wan with the dark parts of himself and Obi-Wan believing in him? Look at that hand clasp? Like shut up I can't take it.

Obi-Wan refusing to leave Quinlan behind and Quinlan, stubborn Quinlan, listening to him.

Their banter here shows how well they know and play off each other and that joke in the last panel SENDS ME.

This is from the new comic that came out in September, and this is just ONE instance of several of Quinlan mentioning Obi-Wan, who only appears in this comic via a psychometric vision, but Quin keeps bringing him up anyways.

I mean this is. THIS is what made me WANT to know more about Quinlan in the first place! It's not in this gif, but the way Obi-Wan smiles in this scene? The way his eyes light UP? That's love, babey.

I could literally paste so much stuff from Dark Disciple, which to me has always been a QuinObi book in addition to Vostress. Quinlan has fallen (pretty much without understanding he has because he so badly wants to uncover Sidious) and missing his check-ins with Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan keeps going back to their bar over and over again and he's been waiting for like, two hours at this point when Ventress comes in.

"Not him." Okay, buddy. Okay. Obi-Wan has like three panic attacks and outright defies his fellow council members at various points through this book because he believes so hard in Quinlan. He is INSISTENT that Quinlan can be brought back to the light.

These two pages made me SOB.

"She saved Quinlan" in italics. Not just his life, but his spirit. Those italics speak for themselves. And "Vos knew he could never repay Kenobi for that, but he has the rest of his life to try." Do ya, Quin? The rest of your life, huh?

Anyhow, truly, this is just me scratching the surface as I was limited by only being able to use 10 photos in a post. I’m leaving out sooo many other examples. You don't have to ship them! But these guys care a lot about each other and saying that it's just, impossible for them to have romantic feelings on posts or fics where the creator is, indeed, shipping them is ... weird. So is trying to overlay other ships onto specifically QuinObi content.

This has been a PSA.

[jessepinwheel]

Oooh. About your parasitic extraction au? How do force sensitives live in the Mandalorian empire? Like you said conscripted, do they have a bastardization of Jedi culture? Are they enslaved? What is it like? Do canon characters live in the empire or in the Jedi Order in hiding? (I'm thinking Mace Windu, Depa Billiba, Plo Koon, and Ahsoka Tano mainly.) Also! Do other clones exist? Mainly the CCs. Wolffe, Fox and Bly lol

the mandalorian empire love having force sensitive warriors because they're extra strong and have superhuman reflexes so they do everything they can to get their hands on as many of them as they can

general practice is for young force sensitives to be 'adopted' by high-ranking mandalorian clans for training. if they're born into a less prominent mandalorian clan, maybe they can train their kid themself or they can surrender the kid. if the family is not a mandalorian family (e.g., one of the occupied worlds) they're supposed to surrender their force-sensitive child for training and this is considered an honorable thing to do. if they don't want to do that and try to get their child to the jedi order instead to save them from being conscripted for basically the rest of their life then usually their whole family gets killed and the child gets sent to a mandalorian clan as above (this happened to ahsoka and she hates the rebellion because she blames them for her family's death)

mandalorian jedi all wear collars which cannot be removed, and the collar denotes their rank. each mandalorian jedi is also assigned to a handler who is supposed to act as support and also is supposed to kill their jedi if they go off the rails (drink too much dark juice from all the murder and start killing everyone). a mandalorian's jedi armor specifically has an undefended back for this purpose. they're not *technically* enslaved because this is considered an honorable position and they get a lot of privileges but like. read between the lines here.

mandalorian jedi are basically all trained in combat and not so much in the psychic philosophical spiritual stuff because the mandalorians think that 'don't kill people' thing is for chumps and they burned down most of the jedi temple's libraries. they just don't know how to do the psychic stuff and most of the psychic stuff doesn't work very well when you don't teach them emotional regulation first. like a trial for all mandalorian jedi is that they get their kyber crystal and they're not promoted until they've killed enough people that it turns red. if that puts things into perspective.

anyways, the old jedi order is in hiding across the galaxy. they wear normal clothes and they got rid of the padawan braid because they don't want to be murdered on sight. instead of the braid, they use a set of prayer beads, which they carve and add beads to as they go through trials and visit different worlds, partially because prayer beads are really easy to dispose of in a hurry. they do have a base in dagobah though where they take care of and teach the youngest force sensitives.

re: who's who, there are a lot of canon characters on both sides. obi-wan, obviously, is one of the traditional jedi. he was mace's padawan when he got captured by jango. depa, plo koon, jocasta, yoda, and maul are all traditional jedi. obviously there are more, but those are the ones who get mentioned by name.

on the mandalorian side, we have ahsoka (whose handler is padme), anakin (whose handler was rex), qui-gon (who is dead), ventress (whose handler is isabet reau), dooku (whose handler is myles), quinlan (who is a spy trying to infiltrate the jedi order), also aayla and vokara che who kind of just briefly show up

the other clones mostly don't exist. I say mostly because when jango put in a clone order for two sons, kamino made three in case one of them didn't make it, but all three of them did make it and the third one is fox, who the kaminoans then put into the brainwashing factory to turn him into a brainwashed super soldier. and then when jango went back and asked for a new son because cody and rex disappointed him, they made three again and two made it. one of them is boba, and the other one I have named kiki. he is also put into the brainwashing factory.

which is all to say. being a jedi is rough as hell regardless of what side you're on.

ask me a question about parasitic extraction, the role reversal mandalorian empire au that I have

[kuwdora]

Star Wars audiobooks! I've been restless for new Star Wars since Andor ended. Been going through a handful of Disney era and Legends novels over the last few months. I have enough reactions to get down into an actual post. Mostly I'm just going to be foaming at the mouth over Marc Thompson and Sam Witwer's narration and falling over myself about the characters. I have listened to: Dark Disciple, Last Shot, Disney Thrawn trilogy, Heir to the Empire, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter. Lots of these books I liked, some of them I didn't but the narration and characters are still amazing. Motherfucking MARA JADE. Asajj Ventress!!!!!!!! I have no rational mind about Maul and I am one of those feral stick figures chewing on Thrawn. Hnnghh.

First of all, let me start with Marc Thompson. He's been doing the audiobooks for years and years now. Here’s a great intro where he’s talking about the differences of doing character voices and learning the importance of bringing the right dynamic to the prose. He slips so seamlessly into his Star Wars voices reel, ahaha.

Here is a really cute Lip Sync Battle where Marc Thompson will say a line and then have a fan lip sync the same line back at the camera. His energy, his energy I love it so much. Everyone is having SO MUCH FUN. There’s also a cameo by Star Wars author Christie Golden in this video. Super cute.

First book:

Dark Disciple - Christie Golden Narrated by Marc Thompson

Alright I actually had picked this up ages go from my library and never read it but since I’ve been on an audiobook kick, Marc Thompson got me goin’ with alllll his voices.

I love Asajj Ventress so I was pretty much guaranteed to enjoy something from this book. Apparently it was written based on some unfinished scripts for an arc that would have happened if the show didn’t get cancelled. Knowing this makes a lot more sense with regards to the pacing and I think I would have preferred the animated episodic for this since I think a lot of the early Quinlan and Asajj stuff dragged a little too much. However I did appreciate getting more of a deeper dive in Asajj’s head and it really made me want to go digging through AO3 for some amazing character studies that I know must exist at this point.

But yeah, I didn’t think I’d enjoy the eventual romance between Asajj and Quinlan but Quinlan was such a perfect set-up for a fall from the Jedi Order. I think I’m just really easy when it comes to whumping the fuck out of Jedi with torture and their own emotional repression.

I was really into all the Dathomir scenes and the history of Asajj with her sisters being touched upon again and how she managed to not “go crazy from the dark side” because of the balance she found because she was a Nightsister.

A++ for Asajj having to go to Boba fucking Fett to mount a rescue mission inside a fake heist.

Really I think I’m just so easy for murdery women with a rage boner. Fuck Dooku.

Marc Thompson’s narration was a delight and I definitely would recommend this for anyone who enjoyed The Clone Wars series and wanted to get a little more Asajj screen time. Here’s a scene where someone pulled Clone Wars clips and put Dark Disciple audio underneath. Marc Thompson bringing incredible Dooku subservience and Sidious danger, hhhngh.

7/10, would listen to again even though I'd rather see the finished episodes.

Last Shot (A Han and Lando Novel) - Daniel Jose Older Narrated by Marc Thompson, Daniel Jose Older and January LaVoy

This book was extremely disappointing. Normally I am a fan of seeing fan-favorites have their mid-life crises but I was extremely bored and over with Older’s take on Han having an existential crisis of who he was as a father an husband in this post-Empire world. Lando on the other hand, was having a crisis of genuinely having fallen in love and not knowing how to handle that. I fucking loved that.

This book had multiple timelines and jumped around a lot and I don’t know if I just wasn’t focused enough while listening but the timeline jumps were jarring and incomprehensible at times. The action plot ended up being rather unsatisfying.

It was also very jarring to have three narrators for the different timelines and I kind of feel bad because I went and looked and Older’s narration is just consistently getting panned across all reviewers—and for good reason. Thompson and LaVoy are experienced voice actors and with Older in the middle, Older just seems slapdash in his reading. If it was just Older all the way through I might have been more forgiving but going back and forth with everyone… it really was painful at times.

It was a slog to get through this book, really. What I actually really enjoyed was all the original characters: an Ewok slicer, a nonbinary hot shot pilot, and Lando’s love of his life whose name is slipping my mind even now, agh. I wasn’t fan of the villain character, unfortunately, and it was a bit of a letdown that the action plot was just… I don’t know, boring. It was a riff on transhumanism except with droids and a bit of droid supremacy to it and I was just... tired by it.

Marc Thompson was KILLING it tho. His performances always fucking delight me. January LaVoy’s narration of Lando and L-3 were also really great even though I just wasn’t into the scenes themselves.

3/10 - do not recommend, HOWEVER I would read fic about the lady ewok hacker Peekpa.

Darth Maul: Shadow hunter By Michael Reeves Narrated by SAM WITWER

I am, as the fannish parlance goes, Not Normal about Maul or Sam Witwer's performance as Maul.

This novel takes place just before the events of The Phantom Menace and it’s a Star Wars story that is very, very narrow in scope. The stakes are still very high because someone has gained information about the Trade Federation’s impending blockade and Sidious sends Maul to go and take care of it. The whole story takes place in the underbelly of Coruscant and I gotta say, it’s really refreshing after going through a bunch of Star Wars shows, books and films where it’s all galactic hopping whirlwind stuff to have that's in one place and happening in a short amount of time. I think it's something like 2 or 3 days that all the events happen.

Michael Reeves is a man of deep characterization and creates an amazing sense of place in the Black Sun alley of Corusant. We get very little Sidious and Maul interaction but what bits we do get are fascinating and haunting. I do like the ‘less is more’ approach here with these two...although I will say I’m not sure I would have picked up this book if I hadn’t gone through The Clone Wars and lost my goddamn mind over Sam Witwer’s portrayal of Maul.

And his performance here. In this book. I don’t know what it is about Witwer but when he does Maul my brain just lights up in a way that I haven’t really gotten outside of live theater performances. He brings this sense of ruthlessness and competence to Maul, his gleeful rage and oscillating mania as he ends up tracking an information broker and Jedi Padawan. Oh, Witwer is truly just. Fucking amazing, okay.

I would love this book even if it wasn’t Witwer narrating it but my god he elevates it to a whole new level. I got my copy from the library but it is immediately on my to-buy list once I can buy books again.

Michael Reeves also wrote for Batman the Animated series and Gargoyles which makes a whole lot of sense in the way he’s able to just create such lush sensory detail of place and people, oh holy fuck. He’s the writer who wrote the Gargoyles episode about Broadway accidentally shooting Elisa with her gun (this is an episode that got pulled from airing and I don’t think they have on Disney+ right now). Aw man, alright I definitely need to read more of his stuff now.

The action plot is Lorn Pavan is a down-on-his-luck fellow who got information he shouldn’t have and he is trying to sell it, Darsha the Jedi Padawan gets sent down to bring in a Black Sun informant and things go tits up for her in horrible ways. Darsha and Lorn’s paths collide and they try to survive Maul. I love everything about these characters, except for the end where Lorn started having romantic feelings about the Padawan. Blech.

Also somehow I think I-5 is now my second favorite droid character I’ve come across in the greater Star Wars canon (Chopper will always be my #1 grumpy cat droid). Witwer has the best dry delivery for the droid character. Like. It’s so fucking GOOD.

I’m also impossibly impressed and obsessed with Witwer’s performance of Sidious and the Jedi Council. His Qui-Gon is SO FUCKING GOOD. His Palaptine has my teeth rattling in my head oh my god.

Here’s the first 5 or so minutes of Shadow Hunter, hhnngh. You get Maul, Sidious a drunk Lorn Pavan, and my new droid bestie I-5:

I am 100% going to be reading Michael Reeves’ other Star Wars novels. Apparently he has a series that follows a Jedi-in-hiding post-Order 66 and I want to just dunk my head in all the Star Wars noir, I guess, yes please.

10/10 - I love, would heartily recommend to anyone wanting a kind of story that’s more heavy on character and setting and also SAM WITWER!!!!!!!!! Maul. Hnnghghghgh.

TIMOTHY ZAHN TIME.

Thrawn Trilogy (Disney era) Thrawn, Thrawn Alliances, Thrawn Treason Narrated by Marc Thompson

This was my second time through the Disney novels. I watched Star Wars Rebels first, then my friend jb_slasher told me about Thrawn having novels. I had vaguely heard of Heir to the Empire over the years and also my friend recommended the Disney trilogy so I figured I’d start with that since I was diving off from Disney canon anyway.

My god I love this trilogy so fuckin’ much. Marc Thompson out here nailing it. This Thrawn is the type of character who is always the smartest person in the room and I should get irritated by that like all the other characters but mmmm, I have a competence kink. And I am just over the moon with how he instills loyally and allegiance in his crew who can now have a commander who is not interested in politicking his way through things but actually is committed to strategy and whatnot.

Also fucking Zahn made Thrawn go back to space college. And gave him a little protege who he grew to admire. Eli Vanto is a great character, I am reading a lot of slash about them obviously but yeah, I loved seeing his growth throughout the trilogy. And THRAWN ALLIANCE. Y’all. Y’all. The Star Wars memes about Thrawn and Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker are AMAZING and really do the hilarity so much justice. Here's a fantastic book trailer cut together with Marc Thompson' narration, hnngh.

This man absolutely knows who Darth Vader is and Darth Vader is like “oh fuck no you don’t.” And when Thrawn had met Anakin during the Clone Wars and Anakin had to try and work together with him? Perfection. Bonus Padme getting to be a ridiculous and foolish badass when she goes looking for trouble. And also her also having a competence kink for Thrawn, too. It cracks me the fuck uuuuuup, okay.

Thrawn absolutely hates politics so fucking much and I love to see how that is the primary way he gets thwarted or has to build his strategy around. Because people are fucking assholes and political everywhere. Seriously, have I mentioned how much I love Marc Thompson??

Thrawn Treason gave us more of Thrawn’s people and whatnot with the Chiss which I also liked but I’m really less interested in their motivations and experiences as a culture on the edge of the Empire. More here for Vanto now getting to be the fish-out-of-water and leveling up and getting all the respect he deserves.

MARC THOMPSON, y’all. He does a great Thrawn, an AMAZING whinybaby sycophant Ronan of the Starkiller Project, and his Eli Vanto Space Yokel intonation is 💋. Also I feel like the loyalty and trust that Thrawn earns from his subordinates really feeds into this praise kink thing that everyone develops by being around him. I love it.

10/10 will lose my mind and listen/read this trilogy again and also read all the fanfic about it.

Heir to the Empire Timothy Zahn

I am sorry it took me 30 years to get here but I AM NOW HERE FOR MARA JADE’S RAGE BONER. Let me repeat: MARA. JADE. !!!!!!!!!

Also holy fuck. Luke Skywalker getting to be smart, technically creative and able to navigate through terrible situations in spite of a Force-Blocking Macguffin is AMAZING. I was not expecting to be this into a post-Empire Luke but I really fucking loved it.

I also love all of the Han and Lando scenes in this (WAY MORE than Last Shot, sorry Daniel Jose Older).

Leia and Chewie!! On Kashyyk!! Talon Karrde was so great (Thompson made him kind of sound like Antonio Banderas??)

Thrawn and his bestie Pelleaon! What a fascinating dynamic.

I actually was not very into Thrawn’s vibes in this book as much as I was in the Disney stuff. I don’t know if it’s because of the vibes they wrote him in Star Wars rebels that got filtered back into Zahn’s take on him for the books (or if it was the other way around?) - Like, the calculating tactical and man of strategy is still there, but… hm, I’ve been struggling to articulate what about it that didn’t tickle me as much. He’s still playing the long game in every situation but I don’t know… I think there’s this more pragmatic view of people he has in the Disney books that he doesn’t get here in the first of this trilogy. I haven’t gotten to the other two books from this series yet so maybe I’ll feel differently later. The anniversary edition of the audiobook that I got from my library was narrated by Marc Thompson and he (you'll be so surprised) fucking nailed it all for me. Love love love.

10/10 timothy zahn, I love you. You got an amazing way of writing action. I gotta read more of your stuff. Anyway, I'm also starting the Ahsoka novella that I think (??) is not quite canon anymore since they got a final season for Clone Wars, but it's by E.K. Johnston and narrated by Ahoska's voice actor Ashley Eckstein. Don't have enough thoughts about it yet but I love Ahsoka so I'm sure I'll have a decent time.

[mayxthexforce]

galen - i love that you're not afraid to make him the strong badass that he is. someone tries to fight him unprompted?? boom!! dead. it's v hard to write v strong characters in the rpc bc everyone wanted to beat them. i have struggled a lot with people wanting to beat maul and them either completely ignoring that he's strong af or being unaware (somehow). but i love that you make sure that it's well-known. kilindi - the weirdest queen known across the galaxy. love her. love a good freak. again, love that you took a bare-bones character and gave them more while managing to keep them true to the content we've been given. kycina - the mother of all mothers. she's giving shmi a run for her money (don't tell anakin i said that). i love her strength and the way you show it/have headcanoned it. it takes so much strength to stand up to someone like talzin, but she did it. and she holds no resentment towards he sons for having to do it. maulkiller - the babiest baby to ever baby. i love, love, love that maulkie was raised to be a killer. created to be a killer - it's literally in his name. but he doesn't want to. not even because someone told him it was bad, but because he just doesn't want to. it's not in him. and i love how you show how he's struggled with that. like he doesn't want to do it, but he can and will if he needs to. and i hate having to see the outcome of that, but you portray it so well!! obi-wan - omg,, i don't know this guy at all,,,, love mr obi. love that you throw 'the most perfect jedi to ever jedi' in the trash where it belongs. this man!! is a mess!! i love how you show his struggles and his lack of purpose outside of other people. and i love the changes you've made to him too. the canon is great and all, but i enjoy the version we've made together much much more. adore your obi-wan so deeply and i'm happy to cling to him for the rest of forever. quinlan - this man literally created romance when he thought "but the devotion remained, repurposed." literally still crying scream throwing up. a line that i still think of to this very day. he's such an interesting guy. i like how daring he is. man is usually in over his head, but manages to work it out. rajeev - the problem causing child - through no fault of his own. i don't know rajeev super well yet, but i love him. and anakin loves him. we haven't written stuff with him enough yet for me to pinpoint it, but can EVERYTHING be an answer?? technically everything could be collectively,,, one thing. roan - MAN IS THE SWEETEST PERSON ALIVE. had anakin blushing and kicking his feet within moments. another one i don't know super well, but love because of you. and we haven't written much with him yet, BUT YOU MAKING HIM THE SWEETEST MAN ALIVE HAS TO BE NOTED. thunder - you somehow made him so adorable that maul instantly did the "if anything were to happen to thunder i would kill everybody in this room and then myself' meme.

(sorry it wouldn't let me send it all together)

what is ONE THING you like about the way i play my character?

Answering in this one so I don't end up writing you two novellas. I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKE MY MUSES! I try not to be too self conscious about my writing but my muses list is either super popular characters everyone has an opinion on or obscure characters that would be OCs if it wasn't for the fact that some aspect of them exists in some form in either Legends or Canon. So that makes me question if I write them "right", but I write them the way I like to and I love that you appreciate it too.

[phoenixyfriend]

OKAY so on the topic of Star Wars takes wrt “character ends up in an A/B/O universe where they’re an omega, but they were previously a cis male in their canon”

@atagotiak and I had some Thoughts on discord

So, obviously, Anakin would make a good omega and he’s also incredibly murdery. Foregone conclusion that we're using him for this.

There is no preexisting Anakin in the Omegaverse. He shows up JUST as the war is starting. Canon timeline is in the third year of the war (he’s 22), but whatever dumped him into omegaverse also tossed him back a few years. No de-aging, just a bit of mismatched timeline stuff.

He's... really good at war, and clearly a Jedi, so the Temple just kind of goes "WELL OKAY THEN, SURE, YOU'RE IN, EVERYONE PRETEND HE'S BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME." The Jedi, by and large, don't care about omegaverse dynamics beyond 'what do you need, medically, to be happy and healthy' and 'what do you need to be aware of so you can be prepared for biases you encounter in the field?’

None of the civilian natborns (mainly politicians) want to put him on the field because of those biases. Anakin, being Anakin, is VERY blatantly an omega in scent, has never been on suppressants (because it wasn't a thing he fucking NEEDED), is incredibly emotional as a person, loves kids, etc.

Like, nobody wants an omega fighting a war anyway, but THIS one is like PINNACLE omega, and those awful Jedi are making him FIGHT just because he's good at stab!

The Jedi: Actually, it's because he's got several years of war experience that we don't, and he's a good tactician that works well with the clones-- Coruscant: You MONSTERS The Jedi: Look, we gave him the option to not stab and he looked absolutely devastated. Anakin, several days earlier: You don’t want me? I’m not good enough??? Jedi: Also he can beat up at least half the temple.

He doesn't know a damn thing about dynamics, but he DOES know that sometimes he's so horny he wants to stab HARDER. The clones are largely disinterested in their generals' dynamics because between mostly-Mando* trainers and no-dynamic Kaminoans, they only really care if a person can shoot.

* Mandalore approves of Fighty Omegas. As far as (traditional) Mandalore is concerned, you want an omega that will kill the threats to your children as well as you do.

Anakin: You know more about being an omega than I do. Rex: ...I'm an alpha. Anakin: Yeah. Let that one sink in a bit.

We have two options for Obi-Wan!

Omegaverse local Obi-Wan (beta) has never met this man before, and is very unnerved that the immediate default reaction Anakin has to his presence is releasing Family pheromones as if Obi-Wan is his DAD and like. This strange, too-tall man from another dimension has got absolutely NO control over what he projects in the Force OR in his dynamic.

Obi-Wan was ALSO transplanted from canon to omegaverse, and is also an omega, for contrast reasons. He is nice and friendly and and likes poetry and that sort of thing... but also he has the highest dismemberment count in the movies. Also he doesn’t prioritize romance.

We went with the second one because it's hilarious.

Someone watching them spar: Wow, omegas from that universe are terrifying.

As previously mentioned, now with some tweaking to account for both: Obi-Wan and Anakin just straight up don't exist until they drop headfirst into the council room, already covered in blood. (It's mostly not theirs.)

Nobody realizes either one is an omega until they "naturalize" to this dimension and Anakin goes into heat... and doesn't realize it, actually, because his primary symptom is heightened protectiveness and aggression. Everyone else with the right nose realizes, because the man has no control over his pheromone production, but Anakin? No. He just stabs. He’s angry and horny and he will cut someone.

Ahsoka has no reaction to human pheromones but basically everyone smells Anakin's "my child!" reaction to her, so... Cool. Have a padawan, we guess.

Anakin ends up sparring a lot with Aayla and Ahsoka, because only humans and near humans have dynamics, so these two don't REACT to the pheromones situation.

(Palpatine is a Kindly Old Beta who tries to treat Anakin the way he EXPECTS Anakin wants to be treated, which is. Not. Accurate.)

(Anakin hates it.)

I'm just so in love with "An omega can't fight." "You wanna fuckin' bet?"

There are plenty of omega Jedi, by the way, it's just... most of them can keep it relatively low-key instead of Anakin's jet-engine broadcast. Some, if they're known to be omega, probably take advantage of being underestimated, like Obi-Wan probably (and especially a version of Obi-Wan that was always an omega, unlike this version). They have a very different way of presenting themselves than Anakin, who's not subtle about being an omega and also not subtle about being all aggressive and stabby.

At one point, Anakin has to protect some Very Traditional Individuals who get all "Stay back, Omega, it's not safe!" and he's just... so tired of this shit. “You are squishy civilians and I'm a trained Jedi Knight and accomplished GAR General who's killed more people in one sitting than there are in this entire palace. Sit the fuck down and let me do my job.”

It starts making the rounds that Anakin insisted on fighting in person, and the rumors shift from "how dare the Jedi force an omega to fight" and over into things that are deeply hurtful in-universe in the vein of "broken omega" and some people try to say it to his face but like...

He didn't grow up here.

He doesn't care.

Say that to one of his friends and he's going to rip out your spleen, probably, but say it to him and he's just staring at you flatly and asking if that's a negative on getting away from the encroaching battle droids, sir?

"You're rather unpleasant for an omega, aren't you?" [deeply offensive] "I literally could not give less of a fuck about your opinion. Move."

It's not that there aren't omegas that act like Anakin, either, it's just that most of them aren't, you know, Jedi who regularly interact with the upper crust, or capable of his level of destruction. Unbeknownst to Anakin, everyone clocks him as Outer Rim based on his behavior, well before his accent gives him away, and certainly before he mentions he's from Tatooine, because Core Omegas Don't Act Like That.

Someone they meet in a more diplomatic setting says something decently passive-aggressive about how at least Obi-Wan acts more like how an Omega should. Then a battle breaks out for some reason, and... well. Anakin and Obi-Wan cause such a scandal by keeping score of kills in a battle, don’t you know?

Turns out sending Anakin to fight Ventress is great because she keeps expecting him to react a certain way but NO he's here to STAB.

I like the idea that Obi-Wan's favorite opponent these days is Grievous because the cyborg doesn't have a nose, and thus gives zero fucks about dynamics or heats. Dooku is a rich old man who has opinions heavily influenced by Sith Juice Making Him More of a Dick, and the Dathomiri can smell dynamics even if they don't have them, and so they have biases about those things. Meanwhile, Grievous is just there to Kill, and Obi-Wan genuinely appreciates the lack of commentary on his dynamic.

Dooku’s probably an alpha, or a beta who's used the whole "we are more level-headed" thing as one of several angles to keep himself the public face and supreme commander of the CIS.

On to more fluffy things that have less to do with political biases.

There's a lot of "I'm upset that my loved ones don't know me," but also please understand the appeal of Obi-Wan marching up to Quinlan like "Yes, hello, I understand you've been read in on the full situation behind myself and my former padawan. I was close friends with your alternate universe self, which I feel is necessary disclosure before I propose the following: Would you like to join me for my upcoming heat, as I have minimal experience with the dynamics situation and even fewer people I actually trust, and I believe I can put my faith in you to treat it as casually as necessary while still having control and respect for my person."

(The Team is in a fairly safe place to process stuff, but having sudden unexpected changes to your biology has gotta be a little traumatizing, on top of ending up in a universe where none of your friends know you and people have a whole host of unfamiliar forms of sexism to point at you.)

Obi-Wan, who wasn't quite touch-averse but was much more easily overwhelmed by physical contact than Anakin (who craved it), suddenly finds his body switching gears and insisting on cuddles with Trusted Loved Ones, which is.... mostly Anakin, on account of nobody else really knowing him yet. Also Ahsoka, who is aware that she's something of a replacement for her alt-universe self, but Anakin explained it as "I love you so much no matter which dimension I'm in or what you're like, and I'd like to get to know you the way I got know her."

(It's rather eloquent for Anakin. He got Obi-Wan to help him draft up the script for when he pitched taking on omegaverse Ahsoka as a padawan.)

Anakin gets a more intensely sexual heat than 'usual' at one point for Reasons (IDK it could be as innocuous as 'we got better food than the usual rations and my body is reacting to the higher fat content with the belief that it's safer to have a baby now'), which nobody takes a whole lot of notice of because they're in a WAR, and also this is only his fourth one so it's not like he's got a lot to compare it to... except then the predominantly alpha clones can't stop themselves from reacting to the pheromones, mostly by wandering past his door and asking if he needs anything, offering up alpha-scented blankets and stuff for the nest to soothe the hormones, bringing snacks and electrolyte drinks, and like, Anakin is flattered, really, but fuck off please.

(He got a warning from medical a few hours before it hit that it would be different, so he actually does have alpha-scented fabrics to help him out. Apparently that's a thing you can just ask friends for, so he asked Rex if he had anything on hand that he could spare. He now has one of Rex’s recently-used sheets and a bodyglove in the nest.)

(Anakin has no idea how to feel about the nesting instinct, but at least it’s warm.)

Tia asked "Oh hey, who has the scared and horny reaction to his carnage?" and like.

Listen. I'm not saying I've been low-key imagining this as Rex being a very subby alpha who's really into Anakin's whole Thing but...

At one point Anakin gets injured in a way that requires painkillers and he ends up whining to the point of almost crying about the fact that nobody is cuddling him right now in medbay and Kix just gives up and comms Ahsoka to come hug her weird older brother.

And Then There Is Purring.

That’s a Thing Now.

Rex ends up in the pile somehow. He came over to check on Things and ended up yanked in by half-asleep, half-high Anakin, who has a grip like an octopus and no impulse control and is purring like a pod motor while NUZZLING HIM.

There’s a lot of blackmail photos featuring Rex’s very intense blush as he’s cuddled by his commander (giggling at him) and general (clinging like a tooka and rubbing himself all over).

Anakin is deeply offended that ANYONE thinks he'd want to get pregnant by just any old person, NO he needs to fall in LOVE there needs to be EMOTIONAL DRAMA and if Padme won't have him (apparently she's in a relationship and no he's not BITTER) then he'll find someone else to have a whirlwind romance with!

People think Anakin's a slut because he can't control his pheromone production (he has NO practice and for health reasons he can't go on suppressants) so he always smells open and ready for flirtations, which Obi-Wan also has to a somewhat lesser degree (he's older so his body just naturally produces less), and then someone tries to cross a boundary and grabs his ass and ANYWAY Anakin has to now fill out an incident report for breaking a civilian's arm.

Again.

[newswcanonprompts]

Slave Chips + Anakin Angst time

(who tf had this convo? whoever it was, all your body parts are going on the wall. kneecaps = TAKEN for making me fuckin cry)

The conversation started w/ a Anakin has chronic pain because of a very Loud force presence + all the fun stuff that comes from a childhood in slavery and formative years spent as a general in a war, and then talking about high vs low pain perception

And then Yui hops in with this:

what if Slave masters have technology in the slave chips where they can control their slaves pain perception--Low perception for when they work and high for when they get punished.

The jedi didn't know about it, Qui-gon forgot to mention the chip to the Council

and Watto " forgot " to turn it the high pain perception off as a way of getting back at the Jedi for “stealing” his investment

Oh my God what if anakin thinks they know and choose not to turn it off

WHAT IF HE THINKS THAT THEY'RE PUNISHING HIM FOR QUI-GON BEING QUI GON AND FOR THEM BEING FORCED TO TAKE HIM IN SO OLD

AND THAT FEEDS HIS BITTERNESS OF THEM

AND ALSO STOMPS HIS SELF ESTEEM

Because the pain NEVER stops.

So Anakin never says anything

It makes him think that he definitely cannot tell them about any injuries he has unless they make him unfit to work

And Obi-Wan constantly lectures him too and like he's already being punished he doesn't need to be verbally beaten down too

(note that it’s from Anakin perspective, the unreliable narrator of the year--Obi-wan actually has no idea about the chip)

And when he lashes out because it just HURTS and he can't contain it anymore, he’s berated AGAIN

Also, if the pain perception is controlled, that means the slave chip is still there, which makes the thought process he has about being punished for being taken so old even worse

And then, what if Kix one day finds a chip in Anakin's nervous system, he removes it, and Anakin begins crying with relief

And Kix goes "Sir Why WAS THIS TORTURE DEVICE IN YOU?"

He gets injured enough for emergency surgery and Kix finds the chip that way, meanwhile, Anakin can't have anesthesia for medical reasons, so he's dealing with the surgery awake and feels the moment the chip is detached.

WHAT IF ANAKIN IS FAKE NONCHALANT ABOUT IT BECAUSE ANGST

"Ah? Oh they didn't tell you? I thought it'd be in the brief. That's my slave chip. It's supposed to be there. It means they own me." And kix...kix is aghast.

the Jedi are all crying in a corner at the fact they let a CHILD be tortured for YEARS

Because Anakin admitted to a slave chip. Of being owned. And he calls obi-wan Master

Obi-Wan is absolutely devastated because he tortured the child who he was responsible for and he never wanted to do that and oh force, he's a monster (it’s obi wan so like. infinite sadness to the max)

The clones basically become Anakin's mother hens

WHAT IF THIS IS HOW THEY FIND THE CLONE CHIPS TOO

BC KIX GOES "IF THEIR JETII HAS A CHIP...ONE OF THEIR OWN... WHAT ABOUT US CLONES?"

Also the fact so if this is during the Clone Wars: they've sent Anakin in as a soldier without him even knowing he had a right to not fight

The Council decides immediately to take Anakin off the front and get to seeing a mind healer, before collectively drinking an entire bar under the table

Oh God did anyone ever explain to anakin. In depth. That just because they are called "Master" does not mean they own him?

AS A SLAVE, HE WAS ALLOWED HIS THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS. HIS MASTERS BEFORE DID NOT OWN HIS MIND. BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE WITH THE JEDI, IN HIS PERSPECTIVE

(again, Anakin’s perspective, the Jedi didn’t actually know. This somehow becomes an eventual fix it lol.)

Like LOGICALLY Anakin knows that Master to them means teacher but he thinks it doesn't apply to him because they won him and he is still a slave

What if that's the reason he kept his marriage to Padme a secret, not because he was afraid of being kicked out of the Order, but because he would be punished for loving a free person?

YEAH BC SLAVES DON'T GET MARRIED AND PADME WAS NOT ONLY A FREEBORN, BUT SHE IS ALSO, IN HIS EYES, SO FAR ABOVE HIS STATION ITS NOT EVEN FUNNY

Oh, with the removal of the chip and the pain, Anakin gets high from the huge levels of pain-relieving chemicals his body has been producing for years to compensate.

Anakin living in constant fear of punishments, and that's why he always seems so high strung and on a hair trigger

Like!! This whole thing is a web of miscommunication and assumptions

Anakin assumes that the Jedi and whatever know about the chip and chose to keep it in.

He assumes he is still a slave if not in name, then in status

He assumes the council is constantly punishing him for Qui-Gon essentially forcing them to take him in and for his failure to adhere to their code.

He assumes Obi-Wan feels the same, or perhaps he cannot risk going against the council bc they're his elders and he still loves Obi-Wan, bc he sees that Obi-Wan does care for him

(but not enough to free you, a voice whispers in his head that grows louder every day)

Him talking about things with Palpy, thinking the man would be nice enough to free him...

the entire temple is just full of people drinking and crying over Anakin and Anakin himself is currently the most functional person around, trying to convince everyone it wasn't that bad

He doesn't realize that that makes it so much worse. He's all "Really, compared to my other masters. And to masters I could have gone to... you all were kind. I was lucky."

And they despair.

Because how could they still be given that earnest smile, of beautiful blue eyes, shining still with trust and love, when they tormented him, albeit unknowingly, for over a decade?

Anakin is just very relieved to be pain free, and that they didn't know so it wasn't on purpose.

Anakin: You all treated me so well! I had food and water every day, shelter and good quality clothing. You never beat me and my punishments, while sometimes painful, were done with no tricks without cruelty.

“You’re the best masters I’ve had.”

Mace, upon being told this by a very earnest and 100% honest Anakin, knowing full well how he made life difficult for Anakin and didn't like him much, cleared a whole bar of alcohol on his own

While the Jedi are crying, the 501st is willing to go on a murder spree. The Hutts are DEAD.

Everyone say bye bye Gardulla and Jabba

Anakin is just happy and relieved.

Yes there will be talking. He will have to establish boundaries, the order will need to regain its footing.

But Anakin is free, and he has so much love to give.

And now he knows that they never meant for him to suffer.

And maybe he's still high on being free of pain, but now he knows they genuinely cared for him and none of their kindness was because they wanted him to perform well. They were genuine.

Obi-Wan at one point just breaking down and holding Anakin to his chest and sobbing because how did he fail him so badly

meanwhile Anakin's just like "Master, it's fine, I'm fine. Hey crying wastes water, if you're going to cry over something it's gotta be something more major than this. I mean everything's fine, everything's better than fine now, I'm free."

Anakin not quite processing why everything he says makes Obi-Wan cry harder.

Quinlan must be very glad that he never tried to touch Anakin directly.

Anakin's self-flagellation issues are through the ROOF

[space-girl-and-droids-art]

Dark Disciple- Book Review

(Nobody asked for this review, but here it is. This is spoiler free but it does contain spoilers for Episode III and some key events from the clone wars. I’m not a book expert and I don’t even know how to speak in English to begin with, so excuse my poor grammar.)

“Dark Disciple” is a canon novel written by Christie Golden based on unproduced episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars that focused on Jedi Master Quinlan Vos having to team up with former sith apprentice Asajj Ventress to take down Count Dooku. I think someone who has not seen the Clone Wars could enjoy this book, but if you have watched the series this book will definitely impact you more.

I was not ready to read this book. I thought I was, but I was wrong. It’s a good read, but it will break your soul into tiny pieces from beginning to end. It’s beautifully written and it did make me laugh and cry multiple times. Before I started it, I already knew what was going to happen because I spoiled myself on accident, and even with that I still got hurt from reading it.

I will not make spoilers of the book whatsoever here, but I will mention spoilers for the Episode III. We know from the start that they are going to fail the mission because we already know that Dooku is killed by Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith. We know that something is going to happen, we just don’t know how. And it’s the “how” the thing that keeps you glued to the pages and interested in what’s happening.

If you are a Clone Wars fan, you are going to love this book and it’s a must read for you. It’s a really important story to understand how the Jedi Council was doomed to fail, the culture of the night sisters, how the dark side works, and the mistakes everyone made in this war. It’s also a love story as well in more than one way.

This novel does wonders showing how Asajj Ventress has evolved during the series. It’s a completely different person from what we first saw in Jedi Lost or in the movie of the clone wars. She has evolved past his masters and I truly believe she is the best force user character out there. Not because she is perfect, because she is definitely not, but because of her growth. I love her deeply.

Same for Vos. We don’t get to see much about him in current canon, being his only canonical appearance in one episode of the clone wars and as a background character in Phantom Menace, so this book does all of his development and characterization. And it’s good.

They both felt really real, so real they were really complicated beings the whole time. You can see how they both had issues and how those issues affected the way they reacted or interacted to the things happening around them. Their story parallels Anakin and Padmé at times, and the book acknowledges it, but with more depth and complications. It’s beautiful.

I also loved the relationship they both had with Obi-Wan Kenobi, who also appears in this book quite a lot. You can tell they appreciate each other as friends and that he cares about both of them as well.

Even when I knew what was going to happen, the plot continued to surprise me and got me hooked from start to finish. I never really knew what was going to happen next until I finished it. It never felt slow, or out of place. The pace was also really good.

My favourite part of the book is the inner conflict of what it means to be a jedi in a galaxy where not everything is black and white. The struggle of wondering how far you’ll go to do that, or where do you draw the line of what’s right and what’s wrong.

As I said earlier, this book made me laugh and cry (the laughing part mostly because of Anakin, he has such disaster energy I love him) and it was a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish. The whole book has this bittersweet feeling because you already know they are going to fail, but it makes you appreciate the little details even more.

I didn’t like the ending. From a writer’s point of view, I did like it, and it goes perfect with the story being the most accurate ending. But, as a fan of the shows, I felt something broke inside of me when I finished reading it. It’s a good ending for the story.

I know we will probably never see this arc animated, because the clone wars ended and there’s no way you could fit this arc into something like the Bad Batch, but I would’ve loved to see this in the series. I still like this story in book format because you get to see exactly what goes inside the characters mind and it gives another layer of depth and information.

Overall, this is one of the best Star Wars books so far. I would recommend this book to clone wars fans, Ventress stans, people interested in jedi culture, people who like battles, Anidala shippers, Kenobi simps, people that really enjoy the night sisters, people that really like bounty hunters, hopeless romantics, and everyone else. I just loved it so much. I’m probably going to re- read it.

I wouldn’t recommend reading this book before watching the clone wars. You can totally read it without watching it, yes, but I wouldn’t do that since these episodes line up with the series and are a part of that story.

This book does contain scenes where they describe violence and blood, so if you are triggered by that you should know that before reading it. Some pages may disturb you. If you want to read it anyways, you can send me a message and I will tell you which pages to avoid. If you don’t want to read it, it’s fine. I have reviewed other Star Wars books in my blog if you want to check another one out.

It’s a pretty important read to tie some stuff the series left unsolved.

I hope you find this review useful and give this book a chance if you are interested.

[zelenacat]

When We Were Young- Chapter 21- An Obitine Story

Korkie’s trip to Coruscant had been organized completely, down to almost every detail. By the time the day came around for him to leave, however, Satine was still worried.

“I’ll be fine, Lady Mother.” Korkie whispered as he embraced the Duchess.

“Take care, son of mine,” Satine whispered in Mando’a, “trust your Aunt and Uncles, and remember, carry yourself with dignity, no matter what.”

“I will do everything I can to please you and our system.” Korkie replied, his eyes misty.

Satine squeezed her son’s hand as he turned and boarded the ship with his retinue. Obi-Wan would be returning in two days, the day Korkie would be leaving Coruscant. The night before she’d called Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padme, and Quinlan and begged them to take care of her Korkie.

“He’ll be alright,” Tyra whispered, “he’s smart.”

Satine nodded, “Let’s return, there is stuff to do.”

There were two weeks and a month until Count Dooku’s visit, and the invitations for the biggest royal ball in decades were being printed. Extra seamstresses were being interviewed, and the Duchess was selecting a retinue from the Mandalorian noblewomen. Currently, the list involved her three ladies, Hera, Ursa Wren, Shewa Bralor, Aara Saxon, and Yara Eldar.

“There is much to do.” Satine muttered to herself often.

“Lady Mother,” Tyra whispered softly in response, “you’re going to be alright.”

“But-”

“The twins, Lady Mother, you all need your rest.”

Then the Duchess would sigh and take off an hour and a half for sleeping and snooping on her firstborn son. Currently, he was doing very well.

“Your Grace,” Gorg’s voice echoed from outside the door, “the palace chefs wish to speak about the banquet menu.”

Satine sighed. Tyra called out that Her Grace would meet the chefs in ten minutes.

“I hate that corset.” the Duchess wrinkled her nose.

“I know, Lady Mother,” the Jedi pulled her mother into a sitting up position, “but soon it will all be over.”

“Birth is terrible, Tyra Satine,” the Duchess frowned, “this is my third pregnancy and all have been twins, trust me, it’s awful.”

“As far as I know, Lady Mother,” Tyra winked, “I won’t be having any Jedi-Spawn at eighteen.”

Satine stood, “Ha ha.”

Tyra helped her mother tie on her corset.

“You could pop any day now.” she commented.

“Hera suggests they’ll come early,” Satine frowned, “I am hoping your father will be here.”

Tyra frowned.

“What?”

“Dad once fainted when Uncle Anakin ate roaches.”

Satine gagged.

“It’s gross,” Tyra admitted, “but I don’t know if he should attend.”

The Duchess grinned, “It’ll be an informative experience for him.”

After the menu was decided, Satine helped her event planners build a seating chart and pick out decorations. In between all this, the Duchess polled her people, met with her personal advisors, and the Ruling Council. She was so busy, in fact, that Satine wasn’t able to meet Korkie at the docks. The Duchess did however, call him immediately to her private parlor to talk with him.

“I did meet Dad,” Korkie nodded, holding out his hands, “he shook my hand and greeted me politely.”

“That’s it?”

“He said he’d love to take me drinking sometime.”

Satine sighed. Korkie laughed.

“I also met Lux Bonteri, Auntie Padme’s other nephew,” Korkie explained, “and I assured many Senators that Mandalore is friendly to all those who offer her kindness.”

“That’s good.” Satine nodded.

“Senator Organa was awesome,” Korkie grinned, “he saved me from having to talk to a Kaminoan Senator.”

“I’ve heard she’s ruthless.” Satine agreed.

“And guess what?” Korkie giggled.

The Duchess raised an eyebrow.

“Kara was on Coruscant.”

“No!” Satine gasped.

The Duke of Sundari sighed, “Her father is apparently a Jedi Master.”

The Duchess bit back a smile, “That’s not as uncommon as it used to be these days.”

“What?”

“You have a father who’s a Jedi Master.”

Korkie blinked, “Oh, right.”

Satine laughed.

“I hate to intrude on your rest, Lady Mother,” Korkie stood.

“It’s alright,” Satine held out her hands, “I love talking to you.”

Korkie pulled up his mother, “Have a good rest.”

“Do tell your siblings you’re back,” Satine waved, “I know Tyra wanted to see you.”

Korkie snorted.

“Close the door.” the Duchess called.

Then, Satine took a much needed rest. She wondered what Master Qui-Gon would think of her now, with six children and still not married to Obi-Wan. The thought saddened Satine, but she did hope that the Jedi would get around to it soon.

“Your Grace?”

“Come in, Hera.”

The nurse smiled when she saw Satine in bed.

“No corset, wonderful.” Hera observed.

“They’re getting so big,” Satine shuffled, “sometimes it’s hard to believe.”

“It has been a while since you last did this.” Hera offered, taking out her tools.

“Oh, yes,” Satine agreed, “years. I was much younger then.”

Hera began examining Satine’s belly.

“Will they be out before the Count comes?” the Duchess asked.

“Maybe,” the nurse responded, “twins come early fifty percent of the time.”

Satine nodded.

“Have you been taking your vitamins?” Hera questioned.

“Yes,” the Duchess smiled softly, “Tyra likes to remind me.”

“Aw.”

Hera continued her tests.

‘“Am I looking well, doc?” Satine joked.

“Healthy as usual,” the nurse grinned, “although I still strongly dislike the corset.”

Satine agreed on that herself, but overall she was pleased. Khaami had started pulling some credits from Satine’s personal bank account, with all the exchanging of coin going on to prepare for the Count, no one had looked twice. 

“I’ve looked over the leftover diapers from earlier,” Hera frowned, “Tyra wasn’t here for long, was she?”

“The Temple was a better place to hide her,” Satine looked down, “she was here for about a day.”

“I’m sorry.”

Satine squeezed Hera’s hand, “Thank you for helping with these ones.”

“Of course.”

Pana knocked and poked her head in.

“Are we all good?”

“Yes.” Hera nodded.

“I’m afraid the corset has to go back on,” Parna shrugged, “the poll results have come in.”

“Ah,” Satine sat up, “come and help me, then.”

Hera packed up as Parna helped Satine tie on her corset.

“One month to go.” Satine sighed.

“I worry about you and the Count,” Hera frowned, “you aren’t going to marry him, right?”

“Oh, of course not,” the Duchess shook her head, “he’s just going to court me.”

“Alright then, Good Queen Bess,” the nurse waved, “whatever you say.”

Satine smiled at the allusion, grimacing as Parna tightened her corset.

Parna pulled out her lady’s dress, “Khaami is interviewing the seamstresses, she already has a few favorites.”

“We’re adding four of them,” the Duchess sighed, “Waldie will be very busy.”

“And for your retinue,”Parna added, “the four of us plus the Countesses, that’s eight.”

“They’ll certainly be many of us.” Satine agreed.

Downstairs in the meeting room, Parna and Satine joined her personal advisors as they flipped through sheets.

“The majority of people also filled out the short answer questions,” one aide handed Satine a page, “I think this one sums up the people’s experience well.”

I am wary about our new stance in the galaxy, although glad Mandalore is bold enough to make a stance. The Count’s visit is certainly causing a stir, my Seperatist-leaning neighbors are glad, but I have other friends who preferred Senator Amidala. I myself am not sure yet.

“Hm,” Satine frowned, “we need our people to be firm in their resolve.”

“We need to show them that this was a good play.” Parna agreed.

“What problems is Mandalore currently facing?” 

“Parliament.” Tyra answered, entering with Khaami.

Satine raised an eyebrow.

“The holonet, everyone is upset that the new healthcare reform bill can’t get through.” Khaami explained.

“Because Parliament is arguing.” Tyra added.

Satine turned to her advisors, “Would a visit from me help?”

“Not a visit,” the Prime Minister suggested, “but perhaps a garden party to discuss the current legislation would be beneficial.”

Satine turned to Tyra, “I’m sure you would enjoy a garden party.”

The Duchess’ daughter grinned.

“It would be good to introduce your two new ladies to society.” Parna added, eyeing Tyra.

“How soon can we prepare such an event?” Satine asked.

“Three days,” an aide answered, “and that’s if we invite the Clean Leaders.”

“Three days,” the Duchess thought out loud, “let’s set a date.”

“Very good, Your Grace,” the Prime Minister stood, “we’ll get on that.”

“We just need your approval to hire the seamstresses,” Khaami gestured, “then we’ll be all ready.”

After that task was done, Tyra met her mother in the hall outside her office, where the Duchess received official visitors without an audience.

“What is it, dear?”

“Mara has news.”

Satine stood, “My parlor.”

Once the door to her personal parlor was locked, the Duchess gestured for her daughter to continue.

“The Jedi Council asked me to watch the criminal underworld for activity we would find alarming,” Tyra began, “Mara has been helping me. Apparently, Count Dooku’s old apprentice is out for revenge, and she has been seen with Auntie Bo.”

“Your Auntie Bo?” “What’s more,” Tyra grimanced, “they say they’re married.”

Satine scoffed, “People thought your Auntie Padme and I were married.”

“Lady Mother,” Tyra swallowed, “they held a ceremony with rings.”

The Duchess gaped, actually gaped.

“I didn’t know Auntie Bo was-”

“Neither did I,” Satine agreed, “for a while it seemed Pre Vizsla would be my brother-in-law.”

“That leads me to other disturbing news,” Satine sighed, “there’s a new sith with a personal vendetta against father.”

“What?”

“Darth Maul,” Tyra continued, “he’s Dooku’s new apprentice, he even killed his brother and Pre Vizsla for that title.”

As much as that made sense, the news worried the Duchess.

“And Mara?”

“She stayed out of range with him,” Tyra swallowed, “but Auntie Bo’s new wife may have felt her.”

“Hm.”

Tyra fiddled with her fingers, “The Jedi Council is waiting for my report, how much should I tell them?”

Satine thought for a moment.

“Tell them about the new sith with his vendetta,” the Duchess gestured, “and that Bo-Katan Kryze has married Dooku’s old apprentice.”

“So-”

“Also, do you Jedi have telepathy?” Satine asked.

Tyra shook her head, “Not through technology.”

“See if you can get your father to call me.”

“Yes, Lady Mother.”

Satine kissed Tyra’s cheek, “Good luck with the Council.”

After her daughter left, Satine called Parna and Khaami to her and told them the news.

“Likely retaliation for the Count’s courtship.”

“You should call your sister,” Khaami suggested, “discuss the plan in more depth.”

“I should.” Satine agreed.

“We’ll make arrangements for the garden party,” Parna decided, “but make sure to draw the blinds.”

“I will.” 

As her ladies left,the Duchess darkened her room, closing out all remnants of the outside world. Then, she called her sister. Bo-Katan picked up after three tries.

“What is it Satine?”

“Count Dooku,” the Duchess replied, “we need to discuss the plan.”

“That we certainly do.”

Satine’s eyebrows shot up as a shape came into view.

“Asajj, meet my sister, Her Grace, Satine Kryze, Duchess of Mandalore, Second of Her Name, and Lady Krewella.”

“Pleasure,” Asajj gave a toothy grin, “they call me Ventress.”

“Count Dooku’s old apprentice.”

Her sister-in-law’s face soured.

“I figured it was a sore spot,” Satine stated, “I’m glad to say your need for revenge serves us.”

Ventress huffed.

“I told you she was stiff.” commented.

If her sister wanted to get a rise out of her, she would not. Satine only raised an eyebrow.

“Now,” the Duchess continued, “Count Dooku.”

“Ah, yes,” Bo-Katan grinned, “there’s nothing more terrifying than a sith lord who wants to court you.”

“He’s coming on the second of Jul.” Satine stated.

“The second,” Ventress cocked her head, “why not the first.”

Satine shrugged.

“Ah, he has something planned.”

“You can’t capture him upon arrival,” the Duchess stressed, “the galaxy will be watching.”

Bo-Kaan frowned, “We’re not that tactless.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” Satine argued.

“Look, Satine,” Bo crossed her arms, “I’m extremely busy preparing for this idea of yours.”

“He will stay here for a week,” Satine stated, “can you capture him sometime after the first grand ball.”

“Sure,” Bo-Katan sighed, “you’ll get more time with your sith lord.”

Satine hesitated.

“What?”

“Don’t you need to watch him first?”

Ventress smirked, “We already have eyes preparing for the palace.”

Satine blinked.

“Asajj!”

The assassin laughed.

“Good luck with your sith lord, Satine!”

Besides being furious about being hung up on, the Duchess vowed she would find the Death Watch spy.

Satine’s comm rang.

“Hi, Ben.”

“Satine, you must listen to me-”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Darth Maul,” Obi-Wan emphasized, “he’s the reason Qui-Gon’s dead.”

Satine swallowed.

“We thought he was dead,” the Jedi continued, “but he’s come back with a vengeance.”

“Are you worried he’ll come after the kids?” Satine asked.

“And you,” Obi-Wan’s eyes softened, “don’t let Dooku sense the kids.”

“Tyra is one of my ladies,” Satine confessed, “and Korkie is always at my right hand, not to mention Tristan will be in attendance.”

“Satine, be careful, I beg you-” “Ben-”

“I haven’t met most of my children yet,” Obi-Wan’s throat bobbed, “I can’t let them die.”

The Duchess was silent for a moment.

“The twins will likely be born before he comes,” Satine’s voice wobbled, “I have a professional opinion on that.”

“Really?”

“A nurse,” Satine explained, “and I think it was Tristan and Mara who came a week or two before they were due.”

“But still.” Obi-Wan urged.

“Alright,” the Duchess sighed, “I’ll warn the children.”

“Satine,” the Jedi’s chest heaved, “be careful.”

The Duchess softened.

“I will, but when will you come meet the children?”

“After Dooku leaves,” Obi-Wan assured, “you’ll be my first visit.”

“I love you.”

Obi-Wan’s smile was warm and gooey, his eyes glittered at the words.

“I love you too, my darling.”

For her garden party, Satine would wear a soft pink to stand out in the crowd. As Parna adjusted her diadem of lilies, the Duchess filled her ladies in about her conversation with her sister.

“That’s annoying.” Tyra commented.

Khaami frowned, “They have a spy?” 

“A seamstress,” Parna wondered aloud, “or did it sound like someone who was going to attend the party?”

“Someone attending the party.” Satine answered.

“So not the seamstresses,” Tyra gestured, “who else?”

“A server?” Khaami suggested.

“Perhaps.”

Satine fumed.

“Lady Mother?”

“Your Auntie Bo is able to convince so many people to betray me,” Satine balled her fists, “I hate what money can do to people.”

“We’ll stop them,” Parna assured, taking Satine’s hand, “whoever they are.”

Satine swallowed.

“I’ll do recon at the party,” Tyra offered, “it’ll give me a chance to meet everyone.”

“Thank you, dear,” Satine nodded, “I’m coming to appreciate your skills.”

Tyra smirked, “I knew I’d come in handy.”

The Duchess and her ladies were fashionably late to lunch. With her ladies dressed in pastel yellow and Satine in pale pink, they looked like the garden flowers surrounding the path.

“Her Grace, Duchess Satine Kryze of Mandalore.”

The guests parted as Satine made her way to the gazebo which held five chairs. The Prime Minister walked up and stood at Satine’s right hand. One by one, legislators came up and introduced themselves. The Duchess was polite and gracious to all, while telling the legislators how excited she was for the new healthcare bill.

Once the introductions were done, Satine stood and released her ladies, walking around the garden with the Prime Minister and making pleasant conversation with whoever approached them. One face she did not expect to see was that of Sabine Wren, however the young lady was trailing a lawmaker from her region as if her life depended on it. When she saw the Duchess approach them, she flinched.

“Your Grace.”

Satine smiled.

“I hope you all are enjoying yourselves.” she told the group.

“Most certainly, Your Grace,” answered a lawmaker, “my apprentice, Miss Wren, was just commenting on the flora of your garden.”

“It is lovely isn’t it,” Satine asked, absorbing the information, “your brother is quite the scientist is he not?”

“Yes,” Sabine nodded, obviously choosing her words carefully, “although I’m more of an artist myself.”

“How quaint.” commented a lawmaker.

Sabine blushed, fists jumpy.

“Well,” the Duchess smiled, “I do hope the delicacies are to your taste.”

The gentleman bowed as Satine and the Prime Minister left them.

“Do excuse me,” Jaru inclined her head politely, “I have to meet with my secretary.”

“Of course,” Satine dismissed the public servant, “Lady Tyra shall keep me company.”

In fact, Lady Tyra had been making her way towards the Duchess at that very moment.

“There is a spy and an informant,” Tyra whispered, “and I have two suspects.”

“Go on.”

“The Prime Minister’s Secretary and Sabine Wren.”

It took all of the Duchess’ willpower not to turn and order the conspirators in jail.

“Does Tristan know?” Satine asked.

“Yes, he’s going to confront her when she goes to the fresher.”

Satine was displeased. Once again corruption in her government reared its ugly head.

“I’ll comm the Prime Minister,” Satine decided, “find Khaami and have her follow Miss Wren at a distance.”

Tyra curtsied effortlessly and went off to do her mother’s bidding. After sending a message to Jaru Djarin that her secretary was working with Death Watch, she called Parna to her.

“Go to the office of the Prime Minister’s secretary,” she whispered, “take Gorg and Jaym with you.”

Parna, in her years of working for Satine, had learned that this meant there was corruption, and hurried off to do her duty.

“Your Grace?”

Satine smiled and took Hera’s arm.

“I am well.”

“You look tired.”

“I am,” Satine lowered her voice, “and I have just learned of traitors.” “Tyra?”

“Tyra.”

“She’s quite the asset.” Hera stated.

“She is.” Satine agreed.

The Duchess and her lady made their way over to the desserts.

Satine helped herself to a plate, “I must call Ursa Wren, in private, come with me as if we’re going to the fresher.”

“Of course.”

Satine ate a piece of cake as she made her way inside.

“Tristan, be quiet!”

Satine froze.

“Sabine-”

“She’s not good for Mandalore, Tristan.”

“She is.” Tristan hissed.

“And why would that be?”

Satine watched as Tristan swallowed.

“She is willing to fight for the peace Mandalore needs.”

“We don’t need peace, Tristan.”

Satine lowered her head to Hera’s height.

“Guards.”

The nurse nodded and snuck off.

“Tristan, please.”

“You won’t survive as a spy, Sabine.” Tristan said sadly.

Sabine frowned and held out her hand.

“Please, Tristan.”

“He’s right you know,” Satine stepped out, “survival as a spy is a dangerous business.”

Sabine’s mouth dropped open.

She turned to Tristan, “Did you-” 

“No.”

“I found you of my own accord,” Satine’s eyes narrowed, “and I must say, Lady Wren, I am not impressed.”

The girl’s shoulders squared.

“I will not be bullied by you,” she spat, “you’re ruining Mandalore.”

Satine raised an eyebrow, “Am I?”

“You can’t win if you play both sides,” Sabine crossed her arms, “you’ve made us a target now.”

“We will not fight.” the Duchess assured.

“But that doesn’t mean we won’t be fired upon.” argued Lady Wren.

Hera ran into view with four guards. Sabine turned and ran.

“Catch her.” Satine ordered.

The guards ran, two of them were from her personal legion, they would catch her quickly.

“Your Grace,” Tristan began, his eyes on Hera, “what will happen to her?”

“She will be reeducated,” Satine answered, “as your parents did me a grand favor years ago, we will try to keep this as quiet as possible.”

Tristan bowed stiffly and left without a word.

[robin-hoodlum]

39, 29, 37, 13

39. If you wrote a ‘fix-it fic’, what would you write about?

I think I mentioned it somewhere but I want Jaster Mereel to have lived. This somehow helps, hinders and obliterates everything about canon. Imagine how happy this man would be if (somehow, I'm sure I could come up with something) the clones still came to be? That's so many kids he would be thriving.

29. Which character doesn’t get enough credit or screentime?

THERE ARE SO MANY!!! Not to mention how many characters I love that get NEITHER! Plo Koon, Kit Fisto, Jaster Mereel, Wolffe, Fox, Bail Organa, BREHA ORGANA, Jaster Mereel, Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, Cody, Jango, FEEMOR, QUINLAN VOS, Kit Fisto, JASTER MEREEL, etc.

37. Opinions on the Jedi?

Ok so. I'm just going to say RIGHT NOW that the Jedi Order, as a whole, was good. Now, that is not to say it was perfect. Nope. Nothing is. HOWEVER- I am REALLY sick of seeing how the Jedi wronged anakin or the galaxy or whatever. They did nOT. There are several points where it's very clear that the jedi LOVE anakin, they put up with so much SHIT for him, and there were clearly places where he could have sought help or asked QUESTIONS. Dear Force, they let him get away with WAR CRIMES.

Do I think some stuff could have been handled a bit differently? Yes, Mace could have been kinder or whatever BUT. BUT. It's clear he cares!

He banters with Anakin! He is tired of his shit (WHICH IS FAIR IMHO) but he never outright argues or is cruel, and if he does disagree, he makes clear and concise points on why! If someone calls that arguing, that's less of a problem with mace and more of a problem with personal communication.. I feel like a lot of people forget that, while they are part of the same order, all of the jedi are different people!!! They all have different ways of handling things, and NOT EVERYONE CAN BE AS PATIENT AS OBI-WAN KENOBI. People are so QUICK to be like "Oh the clones are all individuals and have beautiful different souls!" (Which is true) BUT THEN TURN AROUND AND ARE LIKE "All Jedi are supposed to be x.y.z, no questions asked. They should ALL be extremely patient and show nothing but love for every single person" FUck you

All of the Jedi have a relationship with Anakin, and you can see it through tcw really nicely. They have rules set in place because these folk have POWERS that can make or break ENTIRE PLANETS!!!! Look at VADER look at the DAMAGE he did because he didn't have any fucking control over his emotions! The Jedi made mistakes, sure! They were in a rough place, forced to become soldiers when they were, and will always be, peacekeeping space wizard monks.

Also Qui Gon is stinky.

13. Would you want to be a force user?

No

[bardicindignation]

Oh oh oh oh for the meta !!!

#3 - What is that one scene that you’ve always wanted to write but can’t be arsed to write all of the set-up and context it would need? (consider this permission to write it and/or share it anyway)

(I’m so curious because you have these super detailed world building set ups so I’m like ... is this ever the case for you??)

Ahhh thank you so much for the ask!!!!

oh gosh...(yeah I do go for the super detailed world building set ups, don't I? 😅😂) let's see...

Well, I'm sure if I really took the time to wrack my brains about this I could come up with several, but then I'd have to either choose or resign myself to a ridiculously long post so...alright, so, I have this star wars au floating around in my head right, and most of it is fairly serious, generally speaking, but it also contains these three (so far) scenes that are just complete and utter crackfic.

I've written a grand total of one (1) of them, which I posted on April Fools day and you can read here if you're so inclined.

As for the other two, I'm putting them under the cut bc this is still getting really long:

1) basically, I have this one scene where Ventress winds up killing Maul, then melting down his legs and then having them made into a tea set which she then gives to an extremely bemused Obi-Wan for his birthday (yes this is extremely weird, no, I don't know how the fuck I thought of it but it's strangely hilarious to me, so there you have it) which is ridiculous on it's own but then you've got

2) which is a follow up to the april fools day snippet, in which anankin-undercover-as-darth-vader convinces tarkin that Quinlan Vos is his own, entirely fictional, cousin Sergei who just so happens to look exactly like the definitely super dead Jedi Knight and who is also an extremely loyal informant for the empire. A few years later, a few more 'Imformant Sergei" incidents have happened (Anakin saw the opportunity to troll the hell out of Tarkin and ran with it; Quinlan is more than happy to facilitate this, and so is everyone else who's working with them. All incidents are recorded and safely stored to show ahsoka when they finally track her down) and what happens is this:

For leverage against the rebellion reasons, palpatine has ordered Princess Leia (roughly 15 years old at this point) taken hostage by "Vader's" "sith" apprentice, Mara Jade (who's been secretly actually Anakin's second jedi padawan since she was about seven, which Leia is aware of but Bail isn't). Rex (who is completely unaware of the whole "massive undercover rebellion right underneath the emperor's nose" thing and therefor the fact that leia isn't actually in much of any real danger) goes to investigate and try and rescue her.

Stuff happens, Palpatine orders Mara to kill Leia and Mara (who had already been planning to fake her own death, bc as she grew into her strength in the force, Palpatine had started paying more attention to her which was getting dangerous. she'll join luke and obi wan in secretly living in the secret rooms in "Vader"'s star destroyer lol) explodes the building that she was holding Leia in, successfully faking BOTH of their deaths.

Rex runs into the girls on their way out, and when a group of storm troopers spot them he decides to head them off so that Mara and Leia can escape.

This turns out to not be immediately necessary, bc said storm troopers are actually Cody and an assortment of other de-chipped clone troopers. Cody gets as far as explaining that to Rex, when Tarkin shows up.

He, predictably, zeros in on Rex bc he remembers him from the clone wars and doesn't like him and because he's Tarkin, he decides to order Cody to take off his helmet and execute him.

Cody, obviously, isn't going to do that and goes with the only option left to him: break his cover. So he and his troopers all draw their blasters on Tarkin, at which point Tarkin calls his own troopers to surround them.

Then he starts monologuing: blah blah glory of the empire, blah blah, traitor, blah blah, 'if only you demonstrated the same loyalty that Informant Sergei does without any kind of programming.'

That makes Cody snort, and Quinlan, who's been lurking this whole time waiting for an opportune moment, can't possible pass over the dramatic entrance potential and reveals himself like, "hah, bitch you wish!" and blows his OWN cover.

So Tarkin is about to lose his shit, Cody's panicking, Rex is both panicking and completely confused, at which point Anakin-as-Vader along with a bevy of stormtroopers who include Appo, Boil, Kix, the 212th's medic, and Obi-Wan shows up.

Cue Rex's confusion and panic squaring itself when this, for some reason, makes Cody relax.

Tarkin's like, "Ah Vader, you're just in time to assist me in doing away with these traitors"

And internally, Anakin's like 'fuck fuck fuck' but externally he's like, "Traitors? whatever do you mean?"

And Tarkin tells him what just happened and Anakin thinks fast and goes:

"Oh, yeah they're definitely not traitors, they have until just now been on an important mission for me among ancient...sith...ruins! And it appears that they have all been exposed to a sith toxin which causes confusion, aggression, and muddled loyalties."

And Tarkin maybe buys that? but either way, he goes,

"Well, in that case, they're useless to us now, so we might as well put them down and be done with it."

And Anakin, maybe panicking a little, goes, "Do you really think that I would send such valuable assets into such a situation without having some kind of treatment on hand?"

Tarkin: Oh, and what treatment would that be?

Anakin, mind going blank: Medic, tell the Grand Moff about the cure.

Kix, trying to murder his general with the force of his glare alone underneath the helmet: Yes Sir. The...only cure to such a...toxin...is...a...special tea! Brewed...in the...legs of the vanquished enemy of...the ancient and powerful Jedi...Ben."

Obi Wan, Anakin, and everyone who still has the benefit of a hemet: *tries not to laugh audibly but are about to rupture something containing themselves*

Rex: What? the fuck?? is happening???

So, Tarkin buys it, and Anakin and his men 'subdue' Cody, Quinlan, Rex and co. and bring them back to their shuttle, where Mara, Leia, and Luke reveal themselves and they explain everything to Rex, who at this point is more or less certain that this entire day has been some sort of bizarre fever dream.

And I'd love to write the whole thing out! but to do that and have it make any sort of sense I'd have to write just...so many chapters of context and everything leading up to it which is...a lot of stuff. So maybe I'll get to it eventually, but it's not event the first star wars au on my list of stuff to write, not even taking into account all the stuff for other fandoms, so it's probably going to be a long time until I get to it, if I ever do 😅

[cinna-wanroll]

What would Satine think of Ventress flirting with her man?

Recorded my response to this question, so I’ll put the original script under a cut  (Beware, it's very confusing but does explain more in-depth why I think this situation would happen the way it does, not what actually happens)

Here is my elaboration of the situation explained in that script:

There aren’t many instances I could see where all of them are together, but at the same time, I think it’s even less likely that Anakin or one of the clones would mention Ob-Wan flirting with another woman in front of Satine. (Not only are they good friends, but does anyone really want to be the bearer of that news? To Satine? Lol)

So the best I could come up with was some type of peace convention that Satine managed to drag the Republic and the CIS to. As the host and the moderator, she’s tasked with observing the going ons of the attendants and assuring everything is running smoothly.

So she stands atop a small round balcony, resting her hands upon the smooth golden rails and looking out at the akward gathering with an eagle’s gaze. Nothing slips past her attention, although her mind is... distracted with thoughts of the dashing knight that stands near the bar, and her heart lingers hopefully as she watches the once uncomfortable divide dissolve into comfortable chatter. Well, once everyone’s had a drink or two.

This, of course, means that everyone is now unashamed of their attraction towards Obi-Wan Kenobi, who gathers a rather large crowd with exciting tales of heroism. 

Bail and Breha Organa, senator Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, and Ahsoka Tano we’re the first audience members- followed by an intrigued grandpa Dooku and a few distinguished CIS senators. Ventress pretends to reluctantly follow, although in truth she is quite excited to get an excuse to mingle with Kenobi.

She wears a lethal and sharp-looking cocktail dress, with intricate hosiery that may or may not store daggers. But it shimmers on her slender form, her awkward movements looking fluid and graceful underneath the fabric. She’s not used to this kind of getup, feeling foolish and flashy, but Dooku insisted she present herself eloquently for once. She wears a jewel-encrusted choker and a deadly scowl, her blush being banished to the farthest regions of light-as-possible pink. The back of her dress is black lace in jagged patterns. 

So there she stands among the crowd, wearing her best sneer and slowly moving closer to Obi-Wan subconsciously. 

Unfortunately for her, this behavior is not lost on Satine, who still remains legal as ever, watching the witch becoming more confident with every swig of champagne she takes. 

Obi-Wan has told her of this Dathomirian before, describing her as ‘a graceful and powerful assassin.’ Tales had reached her ears of an ongoing banter between her Jedi and the lethal woman, which she had been sure to inquire the former about. 

He had only looked down and blushed for a moment, before explaining that the easy flirtation seemed to give him some sort of edge in their duels. But when he had looked back up and grabbed her hand, gazing intently into her eyes, Satine’s doubts were washed away and she didn’t bring it up again. She shouldn’t expect someone such as Obi-Wan to be restricted from flirting now, should she? He was a natural flirt, and a damn good one at that. After all, he’d somehow stolen Satine’s well-guarded heart. 

That didn’t mean she had to be happy about it though. 

So she watches with narrowed eyes as Ventress starts laughing maybe a little too much at something Obi-Wan said, and rests a hand on his shoulder. 

Oh, she definitely isn't happy about that. 

But Obi-Wan only moves slightly, taking a well-measured step away from the other woman, and returns gracefully to the story he was telling before. 

She doesn’t miss how he glances up at her and smiles almost imperceptibly. 

Ever the gentleman. Reassuring her that he wasn’t ever going to be anyone else's but hers. And she appreciates it, but if Ventress’ continued advances were making him uncomfortable as they were beginning to appear to, she isn’t going to let that slide. She isn’t going to let him sacrifice his comfort for politeness or manners, especially when it involves another woman.

But she also isn't going to humiliate either of them, so she tries to catch the witch’s eyes from across the ballroom. This time Ventress places her finger on Kenobi’s chest, trying to mouth off about something or other. 

The former nightsister glances up for a brief moment, to catch an imperiously glowering duchess very pointedly looking at Ventress’ finger. 

The meaning isn't lost upon her, but she’s pretty far from sober- just drunk enough to not care about what her master might think about her blatant coquetry. Not to mention, Ventress is both possessive and aggressive, even when she isn’t intoxicated, so she doesn’t budge. 

Satine just internally sighs and withdraws from her spot, one hand tracing the railing of the curved staircase. 

Much like Ventress, Satine is also stunning in an elegant gown that looks like melted gold, her hands covered by silken white gloves. Her hair, which has grown out to her shoulders, is wavy and flowing, her blazing blue eyes catching every light in the room. She practically shines. She’s radiant and majestic, demanding the attention of everyone in the room. And she definitely doesn’t mind, especially as she catches Obi-Wan watching every move she makes.

She might even sway her hips just a bit more than is completely necessary. 

Obi-Wan’s breath catches in his throat as he watches her, entranced as her eyes linger on his. 

He tries to hide red that creeps up to his cheeks, lowering his face and pretending to cough. 

Satine approaches their group and all respectfully bow. She smiles softly and greets Padme and Ahsoka before coming up behind Obi-Wan, resting one hand on his shoulder as she stares down Ventress. 

“Hello, Master Kenobi,” she says, her tone almost patronizing. It has just enough edge to it that Ventress gets the message, but just enough kindness that she doesn’t necessarily have to worry about the tabloids talking about it the next day, or have it become a topic for gossip among the senators. 

Obi-Wan swallows and nods to her, pretending he can’t feel her breath on his neck. 

“Duchess.”

Ventress pulls away quickly, taking a slightly wobbly step back. 

Dooku tries his best not to smirk. He knows exactly what this is. It’s a dominance display, and this pacifist has just made his own apprentice back down. But that, of course, is Kenobi’s woman- a woman with a fire in her heart and eyes, and an undying, kind passion. Sassy, witty, strong. He pushes away a sense of pride and instead pulls Ventress back a few steps. 

He doesn’t want her fighting a losing battle, what with the way Kenobi is currently looking at the duchess. 

The count even catches a smug grin on Skywalker’s face as he leans over and whispers something to that pesky little apprentice of his that makes her bat him on the head. 

He tries not to think about how she would be his great great great grandpadawan. 

At some point, the group disbands and Obi-Wan and Satine retreat to one of the secluded garden gazebos and dance to the distant music. 

Satine doesn’t ask, but Obi-Wan eventually says, “You know I would never- right?”

She just smiles against his cheek, nodding, “I know, I just don’t want someone else touching you.”

He chuckles, “in my defense, she wasn’t- erm, kindly touching. At least, not when you walked up.”

                                            *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Maybe one day I’ll make this a full fic, but for now enjoy this summary fic thing. Sorry this took so long to answer :/ I hope you like it though! I loved imagining Ventress’ dress, although I probably didn’t describe it as well as I could have. I'm up pretty late writing this. 

Below I talk about some of the books and comics and my opinion on Obiress, it’s just a little jumbled because I’m much less precise with my language skills when I actually speak (and that’s not very much at all considering the fact that I’m not very precise in my writing either lol). 

Thanks for the ask Oodles!

_____ Because apparently Tumbr can’t make cuts work on asks_______

“I actually was thinking about this the other day, and I had this whole scene in my head.

I uh- I don’t really know why I don’t write this stuff out in fics- probably just because I feel like I’ve already done that, I’ve gone through the effort of imagining it in my head so it’s quote-unquote written, so I feel like I shouldn’t have to. I wish I could just project my thoughts into other people's minds, but unfortunately, that’s not possible as a human being.

So anyway what I was thinking was I was sort of imagining them at this big party because I think that’s the only way that Satine and Obi-Wan and Ventress would ever be in the same space.

I’m sure he’s told Satine in the past about Ventress, but the thing is is that I feel like in the comics that I’ve read Ventress is absolutely in love with Obi-Wan because he sort of helps her realize who she is a little bit better, but he’s not romantically interested in her in any of the comics at all to be honest. Although I think she more looks up to him, and that sort of throws me in the comics. Steers me away from you know, any romantic ideas between them. Yeah, I don’t think that they would ever be in a romantic relationship- in fact I am a big Quinlan and Ventress fan, but there is definitely- Obi-Wan absolutely flirts with her in the Clone Wars, there’s no denying that. I mean when you call somebody ‘my dear’ you’re obviously flirting with them. But Obi-Wan specifically stated that it’s for- you know it’s just— it’s like a game almost, to get into her head and whatever. So again I don’t personally think that it’s cannon at all, and I don’t support that ship, but I think Obi probably has told Satine about Ventress and who she is, as well as that, you know, he does flirt with her.

I don’t think Satine would care all that much until she saw Ventress maybe making a move or something or like any sort of advance towards Obi-Wan. I don’t even think that Obi-Wan would flirt with Ventress in a public area in front of a lot of people, and I definitely don’t think that he would flirt with her in front of Satine, and I feel like he would feel as though that would be disrespectful and I honestly don’t think he’s the kind of guy to do something like that if it’s not really needed at the moment.

So let’s say that they’re all at a big peace party for peace discussions and peace negotiations, and Satine happens to be there. I can see her standing at a distance while there’s sort of been like a crowd that forms around Obi-Wan, and Ventress happens to be in that crowd because it’s Obi-Wan.

Bail might be there, as well as Padme and Anakin and Ahsoka. There’s probably a couple other Republic senators, and then— not Dooku because I can’t see her flirting in front of Dooku especially, but I think, you know, some other separatist senators are there and they’re all sort of mingling. And you know they’re just there because, I don’t know, Obi-Wan just attracts people I guess, and they’re all chatting casually and sipping wine.

Satine’s to the side, looking off at the distance. She’s trying to be a moderator for anything, sort of overseeing the ballroom making sure that nothing’s getting out of hand and everyone’s getting along really well.

And then I picture that Ventress is sort of getting a little bit closer to Obi-Wan, taking steps towards him, or maybe the occasional pushing of a shoulder or something, and Satine sort of catches her eye across the ballroom and gives her the look like ‘you betta keep your hands off my man, don’t do it again if I see you do it again I’m gonna come over there.’ And you know Satine would be great at making that face.

But anyway, so then Ventress does it again, and I don’t think Satine would freak out- I just think that Satine wouldn’t want Obi-Wan to feel uncomfortable, and she doesn’t want anybody touching on her man because that’s not cool. Even if Ventress isn’t a threat, because I don’t think Satine would feel threatened at all, but she still doesn’t want anyone interacting with her mans in that way. So I could see her walking up purposefully, with like a confident stride and sort of making lots of eye contact with Ventress and then coming up from behind Obi-Wan and sliding her arms around his shoulder and all getting close and saying something like ‘hey babe’.

I think Obi-Wan would acknowledge Satine when she would walk up and do something like that, he would probably understand what’s going on at that point and I think Satine might try and drive him away from that area.

But I don’t think it would be a big deal honestly because I don’t think that Satine has any reason to feel threatened by Ventress.”

[galaxygolfergirl]

Things to make Attack of the Clones possibly a better movie

Stuff about Anakin

Anakin would take after Matt Lanter’s portrayal in the Clone Wars in terms of charm and personality, though not that Hayden Christensen doesn’t do a good job. Here me out; when not speaking that terrible dialogue, Haydensen brings the right amount of sensitivity, physicality, and frustration in Anakin’s evolving maturity. 

I’d like to think Anakin would be like a romantic-era poet in the body of a jedi (like a samurai John Keats?). After all, I can see some of Lucas’s intent with him spouting off that half-baked prose in the movies. When he’s Darth Vader, he does a better job with wordplay and Shakespearean themes. Anakin more likely resembles a Byronic hero, “Historian and critic Lord Macaulay described the character as ‘a man proud, moody, cynical, with defiance on his brow, and misery in his heart, a scorner of his kind, implacable in revenge, yet capable of deep and strong affection’”

In wooing Padme, Anakin has secretly been an avid scholar of galactic literature (reading stuff the Jedi order would frown upon) in hopes to try and meet her on her level and mature. He’s a fan of space fantasy novels (in the likes of Edgar Rice Burrough’s John Carter of Mars, but for Star Wars), and is a hopeful romantic. He wishes to explore more that the galaxy has to offer and feels constrained by the rigidity of the Jedi order. He and Padme connect on that level of Byronic romance.

As I said in my previous post, the age gap between Anakin and Padme is considerably smaller. (only about 3 years; he’s 23 and she’s 26)

Anakin is much less predatory around Padme than in the original film. I’d more rather have it that they’re both into one another but tragic pining ensues because they find out how much they get along after they’ve been apart.

I don’t know how to solve the mass murder of the tusked raiders scene; I wish it wasn’t there and I wish his mom didn’t get fridge as hard as she did

If there had to be a more docile option, maybe Anakin arrived on Tatooine and learned his mom died years before and he didn’t know about it until just then. It’s too literal to have him holding his dead mother in his arms, and I would think it’s much more cold and painful to learn that your loved one died years ago and you were unaware of it. 

His “early turn to the dark side” scene could involve him being more reckless and cutting down flesh and blood enemies during the arena scene, perhaps he kills Jango???

Stuff about Padme

Padme is much more proactive and #thatbitch when it comes to standing up against the rising imperial/fascist mentality within the senate, one of the reasons why some people might want her dead; make her AOC but in spaaaaaaaaaace

Darth Sidious wanted Padme killed for her opposition to the Military Creation Act which would allow the creation of an army to fight the Separatists for the Republic. Since Sidious was manipulating both the Separatists and the Republic, he put a bounty on Padme's head as Nute Gunray's grudge against her was powerful enough that he demanded her death as the condition for secession of the Trade Federation from the Republic

However, not only because of that, but also through her own investigative journalism, Padme discovers the Trade Federation’s shady business practices and ties to the growing separatist alliance and exposes this to the public, thus causing more of a demand for her death and exacerbation of tensions

She’s been having a hard time forming true relationships because of her position of power and being under public scrutiny all the time, thus after coming to respect and care for Anakin, resolves to minimize that scrutiny as much as possible

Stuff about Obi-wan

Jedi Mullet? I don’t think so. Make it more like this

(something a little less mullety, still luxurious, and he keeps the beard)

He’s not necessarily a paragon when it comes to no attachments, and he uses his attractiveness to his advantage and he knows it. 

Anakin does serve as his foil, but when he’s on his own it would be nice if he had a companion as well to mirror Anakin and Padme’s journey together. Perhaps an introduction of Satine, thus developing their relationship early on? A different female foil? Or just a buddy from work like Quinlan Vos? Idk.

He’s still in the sort of learning curve when it comes to being a master, and there can be a few times Anakin can prove him wrong. Obi-wan comes to respect his initiative by the end of the film and not be so critical of him (I mean Anakin had just lost an arm and all)

His relationship with Padme is still amicable, but meets a point of tension when discussing Anakin’s behavior and development. Their points of view differ when it comes to how Jedi can express themselves and she critiques some of the more questionable morals and practices of the Jedi

Things about the plot

Officials within the Republic government knew about the clones (and so did some Jedi). Palpatine organized a committee (engineering the pointless war behind the shadows) and they ordered the clone army after the whole Naboo crisis ten years prior to the events of Attack of the clones. Everyone knew tensions were brewing between the potential Seperatists and the Republic and the Republic wanted to beat them to the punch.

Which Jedi in particular knew? 

(Ooh! Ooh! What if some Jedi, even on the council, had already turned to the dark side and were working for Palpatine, and in the end by the time of Order 66 they help bring down the order, only to then be killed themselves by Palpatine and Vader (rule of 2)?)

The fight scene between Sidious and the jedi would have them turning against each other while Sidious finishes them off to show the ineptitude and corruption of the once pure Jedi order

Syfo Dyas was the Jedi ambassador to the senate and was convinced/manipulated to assist Palpatine; he helped order the clones and was ready to defend the republic, but when the full plot was revealed to him, he tried to make a run for it and tell the Jedi Order, only to end up assassinated. The order of the clone army a secret was kept until the Separatists fully declared war on the Republic. 

Count Dooku also knew when he was still a jedi and on the council. However, he had secretly turned to the darkside and was working for Palpatine/Sidious as a spy until he ultimately left the order to become the leader of the separatists. He had prior knowledge that Palpatine had engineered the war (note: an addition to my Phantom menace post, Syfo Dyas and Dooku would make appearances in Episode 1 to establish a precedent to the plot of this movie).

@whatlomalikes​  @cinna-wanroll​ y’all like Star Wars, right?

[joracalltrise]

I’ve fallen in love with the 7th season of the Clone Wars, but in the same time this season… disappointed me so much. Do you, guys, feel the same? Or are you fully satisfied?

I warn you, that I’m going to more or less skip the good things and get to the bad things – not because I’m a complaining person, but because I believe a lot of people have already listed all positives about the last episode and season 7 in general (especially <url> www.gffa.tumblr.com </url> – dude, I really love your blog!), so me talking about the things I had loved in the latest season, would be… repeating what other people have already said.

I think we all (or most of us) agree, that the 7th Season was totally amazing, if not THE BEST season of the Clone Wars. We got that clear? Okay, now let’s get to the “buts”.

1. Not enough episodes

I’ll sound a bit whiny here, but… I really don’t get it, why couldn’t we get full 20 episodes for the Final Season of the Clone Wars. Or even more than 20. Maybe there are people in Disney, who are smarter than me, and they know the answer to that question, but STILL… if Star Wars is such a good brand, why not making more of the Clone Wars?

Of course, there are also advantages of producing only 12 episodes.

The whole season feels more like a movie than a TV series. Or, rather – like three movies. Instead of “small stories” we were given three solid Arcs, which are very smoothly connected to each other. That’s a good thing. It’s not the same case as “the Legend of Korra”, where 12 episodes would give us a feeling of an enormous pacing.

BUT. Because I was given only 12 episodes, I got to miss some of my favorite characters.

2. Lack of some important characters

We didn’t see Dooku in the last season the Clone Wars – not even ONCE!

We didn’t see Grievous in the last season of the Clone Wars – not even ONCE!

We didn’t see Ventress in the last season of the Clone Wars – not even ONCE!

We BARELY saw Obi-Wan (sniff! sniff!) – poor guy got some bigger scenes only in “Good friends not forgotten” and “Phantom Apprentice”. And some short (but really good) lines in “An unfinished business”.

Padme got ONE scene (one that confirms, that Anakin is, in fact, blind, since he didn’t comment on her baby bump).

Now, someone would roll their eyes and say – yeeeeaaaah, but Dooku, Grievous, Obi-Wan and Padme got PLENTY of TV time in the Revenge of the Sith, duh! If you want more of them, just watch RoTs, again. Okay, I agree, but… that was the whole point of me watching the Clone Wars. I liked it so much, because prequel trilogy was not enough for me. I wanted MORE of my favorite characters. What’s wrong with that?

And what about Ventress? She was supposed to have such a great Arc with Quinlan Vos!

Than brings us to the next case…

3. Abandoned and Non-existing Arcs

Utapau Arc… oh, I’m NEVER gonna forgive them for Utapau Arc!

I believe it was actually the best Arc in the Clone Wars. I’ve watched those unfinished episodes sooo many times, and they have brought me more joy than ANY full-fledged episodes. So many good moments in those episodes!

So much of Obi-Wan and Anakin dynamics (I’m sorry, Ahsoka fans, but no matter how much Felloni and Co will try to persuade me otherwise, OBI-WAN is a Jedi who has the closest relationship with Anakin, NOT Ahsoka. Quarrel, if you like, but that’s how I feel, sorry).

Anakin interacting with animals (outrageous, cute and absolutely beautiful).

Anakin’s great plan “ups, I’ve fallen asleep… ah, no, it was my plan from the beginning!”

Scorpion creature playing with Anakin’s lightsaber, and Anakin killing the creature “by accident”.

And FINALLY two best moments:

“Awww, got yourself captured again, Old Man?” (I’ll NEVER get tired of Anakin calling Obi-Wan “old man”, okay?”

And Obi-Wan merrily waving to Grievous, when he and Anakin escape with the cristal.

Ventress and Quinlan Arc – even if they didn’t follow a comic, they could have made an amazing Arc out of this.

Small Padme Arc? Like… how she was dealing with her pregnancy, while working for the Senate? Anything? Pretty please?

Some Arc involving Ayala Secura or Kit Fisto or Ki Adi Mundi or Plo Koon – just to say goodbye to those characters before Order 66? By the way, it’s kind of weird, Ahsoka didn’t think or talk about Plo Koon even a little bit, during the WHOLE season. That’s the disadvantage of having only 12 episodes, yup!

The last Padawan Arc aka Caleb Dume turning into Kanan Jarrus Arc aka One of my biggest disappointments for the last season. Why… WHY they didn’t do it?! The trailer gave me soooo muuuch hope! I really, REALLY wanted to see Kanan interacting with Depa and the Clones. Yes, I know, comics and stuff, but comics is not TV, and I love watching my favorite characters with nice soundtrack and great voice actors and everything. R.I.P. my expectations for Caleb Dume’s Arc in Clone Wars… sniff sniff!

Of course, there’s more, but those are the ones that come to my mind firsts.

4. Ahsoka’s character in this last season

Now, let’s talk about the character who got the most of the TV time in the whole season (if not the whole series).

Ahsoka’s greatest fans will probably get angry at me, but I’m still gonna say this. Not because I dislike Ahsoka, because I DO like her, and I think she’s an amazing character. Actually, before I start throwing my “accusations”, I’ll say some nice things about Ahsoka, so that you know I’m not trying to be mean here.

What Ahsoka did in the 7th season, can be mostly explained by her young age. She’s clearly at the rebel stage, she’s got through some really awful experiences (getting accused of treason, when you’re INNOCENT can really leave someone pretty shaken up, I think we all agree), and before Martez Sisters Arc for the first time in her life she was really, really ALONE.

Also, we all know that Ahsoka will be more mature in Rebels. It kind of makes sense, that you need to become an angry and proud teenager first, before you become an experienced and charismatic leader.

BUT, even knowing that, I’m really annoyed at Ahsoka after the last season. I’ve liked her during all 5 seasons of the Clone Wars, she was one of my favorite characters, but after season 7, she really got on my nerves. And honestly? I’m starting to think, it wasn’t even her fault. Maybe it was just the Clone Wars creators turning her into to some sort of… agenda? Using her to prove something? About the whole Jedi Order, maybe? Or about Anakin?

But, anyway, to the point…

Ahsoka’s actions in season 7 basically resulted in three groups of fans.

Group Number One (that’s NOT me) – people who started to think Ahsoka is some sort of saint, the only good (ex) Jedi in the rotten Order, the very best person, and oh, if only other Jedi could act like her, then maybe nothing bad will happen. And, oh, Obi-Wan and the rest Council sitters could REALLY learn from this amazing woman!

Group Number Two (that’s me) – people rising an eyebrow to Ahsoka’s behavior and being slightly annoyed at her.

Group Number Three (I don’t know who’s there, but there are some people) – people hating Ahsoka, getting really angry at her for acting the way she acted, and also blaming her for not using her knowledge about Sidious wanting to make Anakin his apprentice.

Who’s right? Maybe no one? Maybe partly everyone? I don’t know, so I’ll just proceed to explain my own subjective point of view.

I’ve already said some things about Ahsoka in this post:

<url> https://joracalltrise.tumblr.com/post/615743227991031809/ahsoka-versus-obi-wan-where-did-that-even-come </url>

I’m going to say more, but it’ll be much shorter.

What I disliked about Ahsoka most in the latest season was the fact, that she wanted to have a cookie and eat the cookie and she started to lecture people smarter and more experienced than her how to do their job.

Let’s start with the first one, by looking into Ahsoka’s particular words and actions. So…

She doesn’t want to be a Jedi, but she wants Republic to support her actions (siege of Mandalore) and let her participate in important Jedi-only discussions (Mace Windu talk). Kind of like some Brexit supporters, don’t you think? “Let’s leave the EU, but let’s keep all the privileges of the country belonging to the EU, because we are so smart, we deserve it and that’s it”. Oh, come on! You either leave of not – make up your mind, Ahsoka (Britain could, so why can’t you?).

She wants Anakin and Obi-Wan to help her but she doesn’t want to ASK them nicely and try a little bit to act like a person asking for help. She just expects them to agree, because they… what? Owe her? Owe her WHAT? Not supporting her ENOUGH, when she was accused (let me remind you: Obi-Wan sided with Ahsoka during Council meeting, and Anakin was litteraly running around Coruscant to prove his Padawan’s innocence)?

Her being angry about Anakin and Obi-Wan choosing Coruscant over Mandalore – I’m not even commenting that, because I’m tired of talking about it. But I’ll add just one more thing here – did it occur to anyone that Trace and Rafa are still on Coruscant, when Coruscant is attacked? What a great friendship you have formed, Ahsoka! Not even a single worry about whether or not your new friends will be in danger? But wait, they don’t need you, cause people in Mandalore need you more. Cool (sorry about the sarcasm, guys, but I couldn’t resist).

And now, the second thing.

If you want to change some huge organization, especially one like a Jedi Order, the best way to do it, is from the inside. Qui-Gon Jinn was like no other Jedi, and he was probably tempted to leave, but he chose to stay, and his presence benefited the Order in many many ways! He didn’t really change the Jedi – died before he could – but there was a chance. Perhaps Anakin could have changed the Jedi, had he not turned to the dark side? I think he would! Maybe, if he would mature even more (although, in Clone Wars he matured A LOT – look at the “Old friends not forgotten” episode) and join the Council a bit later, when the time was right… just imagine it! The Jedi Code hasn’t ALWAYS forbidden marriages and love. The Order could have come back to its old ways. Good thing, stuff like fanfiction exists ;)

But anyway, coming back to Ahsoka. If you LEAVE an organization, and then you start lecturing its members about morality and choices, it’s kind of obvious, they won’t take you seriously. And yeah, I fully support Obi-Wan’s statement “but Ahsoka is no longer a part of the Republic Military”, and I totally agree with Mace calling her “a citizen”. It’s all about Ahsoka wanting to keep and wanting to eat at the same time. What she wanted in the final season, basically, is doing all the good things she remember doing in the Order (helping people selflessly, supporting friends), but without having to deal with difficult (but necessary) things (like making difficult choices and dealing with consequences, duty versus emotion, all of this so called “playing politics”, etcetera). It’s like wanting to have a pet, but leaving all the problems – going to the vet, curing the animal, when it’s sick, maybe even making the decision of “putting a friend to a sleep” to keep it from suffering – to somebody else. Do you get, what I mean?

And before I leave the poor girl alone, I have one more thing to add.

I don’t like making Ahsoka “another Rey”.

Strong female characters are very much needed in the popculture. I’m a girl too, so I understand. But, for Force’s sake, don’t upgrade somebody’s skills ex-machina!

Okay, fine, they’ve made Rey a Force prodigy because she’s *********’s granddaughter and apparently she was already good in martial arts before she has left Jakku. Some people like that.  I don’t. I prefer an actual skill development instead of sudden skills upgrage.

But Ahsoka didn’t held a lightsaber for a long time, and first time she grabs her new pair, she becomes a one person machine. I wouldn’t say it makes me particularly upset, because it was nice to watch. But it DID disturbed me. And I couldn’t help the feeling, that canon was a bit shifted to match Ashoka fan’s expectations.

The canon got me used to the fact, that Star Wars strongest prequel fighters were Yoda, Palpie, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Mace, Dooku and Maul. I might have forgotten someone, but you get my point, right? Experienced and adult fighters, whose skills are logical and earned. Actually, I think that Ahsoka from Rebels fits that group as well.

I repeat it – Ahsoka FROM REBELS!

In Rebels she’s an adult and she’s got plenty of time to hone both her Force and lightsaber skills.

I’m not saying, I’m hating her fighting like a pro with Mandalorians and Maul. I repeat it - It WAS nice to watch. I’m just not buying it.

Like I’m not buying some other things.

5. Lack of logic (especially in Martez Arc)

It’s not a big fault, actually. We get plenty of those in pop culture shows. It gives us a lot of room for “How It Should Have Ended” videos ;)

But, seeeriiouslyyy…

Ahsoka using the Force right and left in the Martez Arc, while Rafa and Trace don’t notice A THING… are they deaf and blind, or something?

Is Anakin blind as well? Does he REALLY not notice Padme’s baby bump? Was he too busy’s with his wife’s beautiful eyes, or what?

And – AGAIN! – Ahsoka grabing Maul’s ship with the Force. Since when grabing a  (MOVING) ship with the Force became a canonical skill of anyone other than Yoda (or maybe Palpatine)? No, wait, even Palpie and Yoda didn’t grab a MOVIG ship. Why Anakin and Obi-Wan couldn’t Force grab Dooku’s ship, when he was escaping Naboo? There were TWO of them, for Force’s sake, and one of them was the Forcedamn Chosen One! Why couldn’t they? Oh, wait, I know! Because it was BEFORE “The Rise of Skywalker”. In THAT movie Forcegrabing the ships became a canonical skill, especially for prodigical women loved by the audience (again – sorry about the sarcasm, guys). As a woman who used to train martial arts for YEARS, I’d like female protagonists to actually LEARN their super skills, before they use them. Okay?

But, well, Star Wars suddenly canonizing new amazing skills after years is a material for a different article.

And, like I said, it’s really not that big of a deal. The Clone Wars were still amazing and enjoyable to watch – especially the newest season.

Besides, well, I can’t get what I want all the time, right? Felloni and Co had to CHOOSE, whom they want to make happiest, and they’ve chosen Ahsoka’s fans. I don’t blame them. Maybe they’ll choose my preferences next ;) One can always hope, right?

Conclusions?

Yeah, I think that’s all I have to say about the newest season. And I repeat – once again – that in spite all this complaining, I really loved that season. And I loved reading about other people’s opinions about it. May the Force be with us all!

Thank you for reading this long, looong post!

If anyone’s up to the discussion, feel free to contact me.

[keensers]

ALL THE EVEN QUESTIONS!!! And any process questions!!! Ok goodnight

hello j!!!!! this is many questions but i will skip the ones i did already (all from here)

6. What character do you have the most fun writing?

right now in star wars land, quinlan vos and also every single clone. i love the clones. also, i love writing everyone in the obi wan-anakin-ahsoka chaos lineage. i love writing banter, and that lineage is banter all the way down. at least, in the post-empire world, where imo anakin and obi-wan are back to being ahsoka’s super annoying brothers, except they’re ghosts, so she can’t even fight them to make them go away.

8. Is what you like to write the same as what you like to read?

generally yes, at least with fanfic. most of the time when i write fanfic it’s because i desperately want to see how those characters behave with a particular narrative or with different situational constraints, or i have a worldbuilding idea i think is really cool. so i love reading fic where other people do that work so i don’t have to! especially with worldbuilding, there are fics where i’m absolutely just in awe of what the authors have managed to do, whether it’s a shift in one aspect of the characters that has a kind of domino effect on every single relationship they have and every action they take, or whether it’s a new, slightly off-tilt universe that they’ve built from the ground up and populated with brilliant new versions of the same people. i write a lot of canon-divergence-by-intervening-circumstances, so i’m a big believer in this, and i love reading it. other writers are much, much better at it than me.

9. Are you more of a drabble or a longfic kind of writer? Pantser or plotter? Do you wish you were the other?

i think this is a process question! i am a longfic writer because I have a hard time saying anything in less than 1000 words, and i’m mostly a plotter, if by “plotting” you mean “vividly hallucinating focal point scenes and stumbling through figuring out what happens between them to get from one to the next, with occasional flashes of insight or inspiration.” i wish i was a better plotter than i am… which is part of why i'm trying to really hash out a lot of the details of atr4 in an attempt to exert some semblance of control over the story.

10. How would you describe your writing process?

scream into a pillow + frantically type 2000 words in one day + lie awake in bed thinking about the next scene + do nothing for a week or a month + get hit over the head with how much this fic/concept means to me personally + start typing again + type 500-1000 words every day for two weeks + repeat until done or abandoned

12. Do you want your writing to be famous?

hm… only insofar as “famous” means “impactful,” “good,” or “makes a lot of people feel things.” so i guess no, not inherently.

14. At what point in writing do you come up with a title?

at the beginning, and then again at the end! because the one i start off with is always wrong by the time i finish… 

16. Tried anything new with your writing lately? (style, POV, genre, fandom?)

well, for the last 8 months i've been in star wars hell because i got so mad at tros that i wanted some actually-good star wars content so i watched all of tcw and just wildly, wildly overprojected onto obi-wan “exhausted but tenacious” kenobi. (i wonder why??? no i don’t.) then i had a great many Thoughts about how to link the prequel trilogy/tcw with the sequel trilogy, which has resulted in me seriously contemplating writing 300k+ of one ‘verse, which i have never ever done. i think the longest thing i've ever written was 75k, and that was orig fic. so my “new thing i'm trying” is plotting out 10+ stories in the same ‘verse and then actually writing them… or at least trying to. 

22. Do you reread your old works? How do you feel about them?

sometimes! really old stuff feels like someone else wrote it, which is very strange. but, yknow, sometimes you read through the entire body of work that exists on ao3 for what you want to read about, and you lace up your clown shoes and go read your own damn fic.

24. Would you say your writing has changed over time?

i think it has, and i definitely hope it has. i think i used to overdescribe and maybe now i underdescribe, which isn’t good either, but i do feel like i've gotten better at plotting and at character arcs that make sense and, generally, at getting a handle on characters’ behavior. also, high school me wrote in a very flowery yet rudderless kind of way, and i think now i have a better sense of both direction and show-don’t-tell.

[lexiseigneur]

Part 2 Chapter 1: The disappeared

2800 B.C.

The queen fled through the trees and the cursed thing followed. She cried out in anguish when it struck, leaving a bloody welt on her shoulder. But she escaped its grasp and ran on. When a river blocked her way, she plunged into its tumultuous waters. On the shore, the thing screamed and paced. She swam fiercely because she had to live. For her people and for her unborn child.

----

Quinlan dreamt. It was obvious as soon as he stepped out of the trees’ shadows. They lined a familiar cobbled road. In dreams, the false sunlight never burned. It gently warmed his skin. On the horizon, the hills and vineyards were blurs, like an impressionist painting. Were he to explore further, the details of this imaginary world would solidify around him. He had done it at times, just to see how intricate it could become.

It had dawned on him recently that the ability to control one’s dreams was uncommon. After Lexi had asked if he missed Europe, Quinlan had explained how he often visited his native Italy and sometimes summoned people from his past to talk to. Her answer had been “You do WHAT?”

While she sometimes noticed she dreamt, she could not influence their course. But Quinlan could, for most of his long life.

Fifty years after their deaths, Quinlan met Tasa and Sura at will. They had been his first motivation at acquiring this ability. Then his pragmatism had taken over.

Mostly, he would use dreams to hone his skills in combat or war tactics. Training was training, whether in dreams or in body.

Quinlan picked up a stone which he rolled between his fingers. Looking, smelling or feeling helped stabilize his dream and assert his control. It had taken a great deal of time to achieve that level of proficiency. Still, the dream could slip away.

Today, he would practice opening his mind further. It frustrated him how he still lagged behind Lexi in that regard. He blamed peaceful times. His quest was over, and some of his drive for perfection had fanned.

For this practice, he elected to summon a guide. It was always the same person. It had been for two thousand years.

“Mother?” he called.

“Quintus.”

He turned around. Ancharia grinned. The intense sun reflected in her grey hair. When she appeared, it was always in the clothes she wore the night of their first encounter.

“You have neglected your training,” she said, surprised.

“I have. Would you like to know why?”

“I cannot imagine a valid reason behind such frivolity.”

This version of Ancharia did not know of his success. Her level of knowledge changed between her appearances. Quinlan failed to understand why. This time her ignorance was agreeable. Who did not enjoy sharing good news?

“Because the Master is dead. Defeated forever.”

Ancharia covered her mouth with a trembling hand. Her eyes turned shiny.

“Oh, my son! You did it! You slew the beast!”

Ancharia hugged him. Quinlan marveled at the warmth of her body and the scent of olive oil in her hair.

“We did. It’s over and we won.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much.”

“You taught me so much, could you help me once more?

“Anything! What do you wish to know, child?”

“I cannot open my mind as much as I wish.”

“I see.”

She took his hand and the countryside melted, replaced by a silver world. His own soul lied ahead and Lexi’s next to it. Everything shimmered with their light.

“Yours is brighter but captive. A firefly in a glass bottle,” said Ancharia with a nod.

Lexi’s soul rippled and danced, free. His was tightly enclosed within a transparent armor.

“How can I break the bottle?”

“You wished it here, simply wish it away.”

“If it were that simple…”

“Oh, but it is that simple. You haven’t done it yet because you are afraid.”

What could that possibly mean? She was part of his mind, so she couldn’t be mistaken.

“You let your light shine through and the feeling terrifies you. It feels like falling. You are scared of breaking once you reach the bottom. As she did.”

Ancharia gestured toward Lexi. Quinlan scowled.

“She is not broken.”

“I said she broke, not that she is still broken. Pay attention, child.”

The tone, soft but full of authority sent him into a whirlwind of nostalgia. Those dreams were wonderful. Those dreams were horrible. Her face turned gentle.

“You love her, don’t you?”

“More than anything.”

“Then why do you hide things from her?” she whispered.

A man appeared behind her. Sprawled on a concrete floor, his neck bent at an unnatural angle. Quinlan knew him because he had killed him. Ancharia peered at Quinlan’s face like a mother would look at a disobedient toddler. He took a step back.

He did not wish to continue this. Quinlan shut his eyes and the dream disintegrated. He awoke. It was not fleeing since this was not really Ancharia.

His Strigoi senses informed him that the sun was still high. Lexi slept deeply, undisturbed by his malaise. He preferred keeping it that way and attempted to fall back asleep. Her cell phone emitted a shrill sound. Lexi slammed her hand on the device then grunted when it rang on.

“This was not the alarm, someone is calling you,” Quinlan said.

She dragged the phone across the nightstand then her pillow. The glow of the phone made them squint. The screen was now shattered but still functional.

“Ha crap…not again,” she mumbled.

Gus’ name was barely visible between the cracks webbing across the glass.

“Gus? What’s happening?” she asked after taking the call.

She slurred her words from sleepiness.

“Yo…Did I wake you? It’s business hours ya know? Not very serious if you don’t mind me saying.”

“Screw you.”

He laughed.

“We’ve got a mission. It’s one of those collab settlements. Argentina this one. They had just started building stuff so it’s just a handful of people. They didn't give news for the last three checkups. This morning, their families went to find them. They cracked their car windows open, smelled ammonia and high gated the fuck out of there.”

Due to constant persecution, which had turned systemic after the passage of discriminatory laws, collaborators of the Strigoi regime sometimes chose self-exile. They built villages in remote areas with elaborate anti-Strigoi protections which required considerable preparations. Healthy and capable settlers arrived first and more vulnerable members of their families followed. Lexi looked at Quinlan and grimaced.

“Hey, Gus…I’m sorry but…”

“No,” he said instantly.

“I’ve got to be at the lab tomorrow…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“It’s not something I can postpone.”

“Fine…fine. You gonna owe me for this one again. What about Q?”

Quinlan took the phone. Lexi buried her face in her pillow, and he stroked her back.

“The locals say there are caves nearby, a whole maze of them. We think they hide in there. A damn death trap.”

“Are those caves mapped?”

Gus had a sardonic snort.

“Not even a little.”

“I can still manage by myself and Eva can take Lexi’s team. When do we depart?”

“In six hours. See ya.”

He hung up which prompted Lexi to bury her face deeper.

“He will forgive and forget eventually. Not that there is anything to forgive. Having both of us for such a simple mission is redundant,” said Quinlan.

“He is so pig-headed…last time I missed a mission he called me ‘ma’am’ for a week.”

“Perhaps I should miss missions more often…”

Just a week prior Gus had called him a “snarky stuck-up party-pooper”. Whatever that meant.

Lexi looked at him with one eye and her cheek rounded from a smile. Of course, she would remember as well. It had been a source of great hilarity.

“I guess I should get ready and leave with you if I don’t want to run to New York,” she said and stretched out of bed. They had only one car.

“We still have plenty of time…if I drive.”

The mission might take anything from two days to a week. It sounded short and in the scope of his lifetime, it was laughable. But every second out of each other’s light felt like an eternity. Quinlan gently pulled her back to bed.

****

Raul was quiet and grave after he picked Quinlan up from Manhattan. He should have been sharing the details of the mission and the plans he had no doubt already devised with his cousin. Something was bothering him, and Quinlan detailed his face for a clue. Unshaven and dull-eyed, the Sun Hunter formed a sorry picture.

“You are distracted,” said Quinlan.

“Yeah, you can say that.”

Quinlan would not ask for more. It did not appear like the issue was relevant to the mission. It was likely a personal matter.

“Eva and I broke up. She wants kids and I don’t. T’was mutual but shit it still sucks.”

There was a moment of silence. Lexi would have described it as ‘awkward’. She also would have encouraged him to support Raul in this trying time. Humans liked to have their choices validated.

“It sounds to me like you both made a sensible choice. Procreation is not a subject that allows for compromise.”

Raul looked at him in complete disbelief then burst out laughing.

“Are you kidding me? You’re the one who actually gets it. Everyone from Gus to my fucking mailman thinks I’m an idiot, and I should just have a kid with her because I would end up liking it anyway.”

His lips rose in disgust.

“What kind of fucked up advice is that? Like what if I don’t end up liking it? I can’t return the kid, can I?”

“No, I do not believe there is such a thing as a return policy on offspring.”

“Thank you! They all act like I’m some kind of monster. And I want to scream at them that they are the messed-up ones.”

Quinlan did not want to encourage Raul’s ranting but this last point picked his curiosity.

“How so?”

“Those guys from Iceland…you read their report? Yeah, so they say we won’t get rid of the Strigoi at this rate. Except if we make a vaccine. And the handful of brainiacs left say it won’t happen. I’m not having a kid if there is a single chance they might end up infected and then they’d have to swallow a fucking pill and I’d have to hold their hand while they die. Or worse.

“They would not swallow that pill and they would turn and I would have to hunt them down and look in the face of my kid, with their brains too scrambled for them to understand who I am. Then I’d have to kill them. Like when Lexi killed Amir. I’m not doing that.”

“You think the others irresponsible for not having such considerations?”

“You bet your ass I do. But I’m not gonna tell them that. Would be social suicide.”

Raul shook his head.

“And I get it, you know? I love Angela, and I would die for her but she ain’t even mine and I worry all the fucking time.”

Quinlan worried about those humans as well. And above all, he worried about the Sun Hunters. But his fear was different. Humans did not expect to bury the children they loved while he lived with that certainty. He worried their ends might come too early or too painfully. Quinlan considered his fellow Hunter under a new light and with more respect.

“You know Amir would have been twenty-five tomorrow?” asked Raul.

Lexi had told him, but he found it too crushing to keep track of such anniversaries. Should he maintain that habit, his entire year would be spent grieving.

 The airport was almost empty. Few New Yorkers were willing to leave the safety of their city. After the first checkpoint, Raul and Quinlan waited in the quarantine area for two hours. In that room, the walls were covered with various instructions and information. Posters gave advice on avoiding Strigoi abroad (staying inside at night, avoiding forests and countrysides etc…). In a corner, a smaller placard showed the faces of collaborators on the run, including the two doctors who had so far escaped their execution following the Manhattan trials. The larger posters encouraged travelers to report any person showing symptoms of infection to the dedicated hotline of their destination countries. Such telephone numbers were listed underneath.

Raul took this time to share all that he knew about the mission. Seventeen men and two women were missing and drone sweeps had found nothing. The locals would direct them to the caves but were instructed to remain put for the moment. Quinlan agreed with that order. It would be stupid to send humans to their deaths when this was a trivial task for him.

Nurses came with U.V. lights. Unsurprisingly, Raul was not infected and they did not attempt to check Quinlan for worms. The flight would last fourteen hours and to prevent Raul from opening up about his feelings once more, Quinlan extracted a book from his pocket.

“Watcha reading?”

“A Tale of Two Cities.”

“Dickens, huh? A bit modern for you, no?”

Quinlan looked up, mildly surprised Raul knew about that novel. Then he read on as Raul took out a familiar comic book from his bag.

“You read this drivel as well?”

“Lexi is right you know, this is tight.”

-----

Their New York apartment was small, but the simple decoration made it feel bigger. Though the population in the city had decreased dramatically after the Fall, real estate was still rare despite laws promoting their availabilities. Buildings close to the blast of the atomic bomb had been deemed too structurally unstable and were being demolished one by one. Other flats and houses still required thorough decontamination. No one wanted another plague because a worm had managed to survive in a carpet.

Lexi waited for opening hours by watching TV. Since Quinlan did not care for this form of entertainment, she took advantage of his absence to enjoy shows. Some of them had laugh tracks, and she could only imagine the judging looks Quinlan would have given her. It was soon time for her to go.

The neighbors often rushed to their doors to watch her leave. She pretended she could not hear their hurried steps and their breathing when she locked her door and made her way to the elevator. It was time to abandon this flat. Humans here had grown too curious. Perhaps this time they could find something more isolated. She would insist on it.

A delivery man grunted a hello without looking up from his phone when the doors slid open. Somewhere after they passed the tenth floor he must have looked up because his heartrate became deafening. She also ignored him.

A few years ago she might have attempted a nod or a smile, but she had since learned it was pointless. Adults stared or attempted too hard not to. Children old enough to have seen Strigoi sometimes cried and once a very old woman had fainted.

Fortunately, Lexi could drive from her building parking lot to the one in her office of her company, Lifeline. Her assistant welcomed her with a pile of papers to sign. The red circle logo of the company and its name, Lifeline, was printed on each page.

“Could you get me a replacement phone and send this one out for repair?” she asked.

She took her sim card and memory card out of the phone before handing it out to him.

“At this point, you might want to consider buying screens in bulk.”

“Or they could make them sturdier.”

“I doubt anyone is making anything of this brand at the moment. The prices increase all the time.”

“Thanks for the info. Look up if they are any companies making phones and get me one of those.”

It was a common problem. Qualified workers and infrastructure were used for essentials and as long as old electronics were available from the pre-Fall times, resources were rarely spared to produce more. For her own company, it had also been a struggle. Most of their equipment during the first year had come from local universities whose labs were deserted. Three-quarter of the staff working with this equipment had been trained on the job.

Things were finally running smoothly. Now they were producing blood locally in other countries. Today a German envoy had come to open another lab in Munich. They had the equipment and needed cell cultures and know-how.

Lexi stood behind a two-way mirror, a small microphone against her cheek. The receiver was tucked neatly in her employee’s ear and hidden by her thick dark hair. Her name was Claire. The prospective client entered and they greeted each other then sat on each side of a large desk. Humanity was not ready for a Dhampir selling blood.

“So you are interested in opening a production facility with us…” said Claire with an impassible face.

“I believe there’s been a mistake.”

The man smiled without any sign of confusion. Lexi decided she did not like him.

“You’re not interested in buying blood? We don’t sell anything else,” said Claire without returning the smile.

“We are interested in all of Lifeline. The entire company.”

He took out a folded sheet of paper from his pocket and deposited it ostensibly within Claire’s reach. She didn’t acknowledge it.

“It’s not for sale.”

“My employer has the infrastructure to produce and distribute blood to half the world.”

Lexi rolled her eyes. The half of the world in question being the one that could pay generously for it.

“It changes nothing,” said Claire as she got up and pulled down on her blazer jacket.

“Your unwillingness to expand this enterprise kills people.”

Claire tilted her head and Lexi stopped herself from growling.

“What we’ve done so far has saved plenty, and we‘ll continue doing so by ourselves.”

“Make him leave. You don’t need to be polite,” said Lexi.

“By coming here under false pretenses, you wasted your time. Worse, you wasted my time. Security is on its way.”

Lexi chuckled. Unless Claire had telepathic powers, no one was on their way. The man shrugged, tossed a card on the desk and strutted out of the room. He did not linger in the building but he also did not rush.

Claire sat back down, undid her tight bun and kicked off her shoes.

“We were preparing for this extension for weeks. You should eat him.”

“I cannot eat people just because you don’t like them.”

“Not with that attitude,” she mumbled.

Lexi removed the earpiece and returned to the office.

“Let’s hope the next one isn’t a capitalist pig,” Claire said as she picked up her shoes.

“I’ll close the file and join you at the lab when I’m done.”

Lexi took the card and sat down. It was the man’s name and number as well as the name of his company, Axatus Inc. and its symbol, an infinity loop. She shoved it in a drawer on a pile of dozens of such cards. Lexi ground her teeth. Quinlan had gone on a mission without her because of a dick who thought he could make money on the backs of the sick. She opened her laptop and searched for the next flight for Argentina. Only the next day. At that time, the Sun Hunters would be at the mission site in the middle of nowhere. Possibly already finished. Today would be another day of boring lab work and phone calls. She held her head. It felt so empty. Of all days to be alone, this one sucked. Lexi took a deep breath and went to work.

***

The Belvedere Castle’s exterior had changed since the Master’s head had rolled on its terrace. The Mayor had converted it into a museum about the Fall. Or rather a warning that betraying one’s race would not be forgiven nor forgotten. The only “frivolous” spending authorized by the city’s administration.

With a handful of flowers bought from a nearby vendor, Lexi strolled the path leading to the open-air theater. As the sun set, the clear skies were more golden than ochre. Facing the pond, slabs of granite stood erect. The names of the fallen were etched on the stone. Those who had fought the Master but not lived long enough to see victory. The list was not in alphabetical order. On the first stone at the very top, she read the name Abraham Setrakian. Followed by Dutch Velders, Vasily Fet, Nora Martinez, and Ephraim Goodweather. Next to the names were holes just large enough to accommodate the stem of a flower. When she knew the name, even vaguely, she deposited a white rose. When she reached the last name, a stone weighted her stomach. She spoke to him in her mind, and she imagined the words forever lost in the silver place.

“Happy birthday.”

She could almost hear Amir laugh at her. Others were coming and she left before fearful humans could spot her.

Lexi needed to run an errand then she could return to Greystone. There was no way she would face Gus without an apology. And those worked better in the form of a gift.

Lexi seldom shopped in New York. She also took care to never do so with any regularity or discernable pattern. At every gate leading to the city and at the main exit at the airport once could read the city’s motto: “New York, safest city in the world.”

And it was true by any measure. Little to no crime, no homelessness, and above all, no Strigoi. But Lexi had not felt safe in the city since the Manhattan trials.

Only a handful of people roamed the supermarket when Lexi entered. She made a detour in the aisles to avoid them and reached the back shelves. Bright red and with random goods carefully displayed. Some were secured down with chains, others were attached to bulky anti-theft devices.

Lexi had noticed with the years that while Gus shared liquor or wine readily with other Hunters, there was a bottle he didn’t. In a state of drunken cheerfulness, he had shared how his mother had given him his first drink on his eighteenth birthday in the form of cherry liquor and coke. Of course, it hadn’t actually been his first drink but still. Every birthday, they toasted with it. By Lexi’s estimate, Gus had two birthdays worth of cherry liquor left, and the coke was long gone.

After calling half a dozen shops, this was the only one still stocked with those products. With a satisfied grunt, she grabbed the bottles. Finding the perfect present was always a thrill.

Only one person stood at the cashier’s desk and she waited with her head down. Under those lights even with her hood and her tinted glasses people would notice her skin if they paid attention.

“That’ll be 75 dollars,” said the cashier, a young man, with an empty expression.

“But no…I used my food card. This is all food.”

Lexi sighed quietly and took a step back. This would take a while. The cashier rolled his eyes and pointed at the groceries.

“Green labels go on food cards but not blue or red ones. If you put back the steaks and the pancake mix then you’re golden.”

“But…”

“Look, you can either pay for those or put them back. There is no haggling here.”

“Fine,” he said and tossed the two items toward the cashier. Then lower he added “stupid commie system.”

The cashier looked at him with the wounded pride of a New Yorker.

“You can go back to Chicago and starve with the rest of them.”

The customer turned bright red, almost swelling from his anger. Until the security guard walked by as if taking a stroll. After scanning the food card once more, the total fell to zero dollars but a warning appeared.

“Are you aware this will max out your card for a week?” said the cashier in a rehearsed tone.

“Yeah, fine.”

“Are you aware your choice of items lacks sufficient intake of a vital nutrient?”

“That’s ‘cause you took my damn steaks.”

The cashier clicked another button and a table listing vitamins popped on the screen.

“We advise you to consider switching to the iodine enriched bread or including serving of seaweed salad. Both those items are currently available here, for your convenience.”

“Fuck you,” said the man and left with his groceries.

“Charming,” whispered Lexi.

For a moment the cashier nodded in agreement until he looked at her face. He made a strange strangled sound, but still scanned the items.

“It’ll be 205 dollars,” he said. “Please.”

His voice was suddenly high-pitched. She paid and left quickly. With a stone in the pit of the stomach, she rushed out of the city.

-----

The situation perturbed Quinlan. Details stood out as soon as they reached the cave.

Its entrance formed a wound in a wall of sharp stone and bled a trickle of water. The Sun Hunters stayed behind and stared at the wet sand with similar apprehension. The soil stretched undisturbed, save for Quinlan’s boot prints. For good measure, he closed his eyes and focused. Sterile water and the mineral scent of old places. In the depth of the cave, the rushing of an underground river. Strigoi could not inhabit that maze and he would not risk venturing deeper.

“Is there another entrance?” asked Quinlan as he returned to the hunters.

“The locals say that’s the only one,” said Gus.

“They assumed the villagers were gone but I doubt they searched their houses thoroughly. If their first idea is that Strigoi are suddenly able to cross streams, I’d think twice about trusting their every judgment.”

Raul waved over their local guide and asked him in Spanish if they had searched the village. He looked at them with incredulity.

“Ni en pedo,” he said. He maintained a good distance between him and Quinlan.

“What did that mean?” asked Quinlan, unfamiliar with the expression.

“Don’t know but it doesn’t matter, we’re gonna check anyway,” said Gus.

Then he grumbled about “weird-ass vanishing Strigs”.

 A dozen houses surrounded a hangar. The buildings nestled within the confines of high fences surmounted by U.V lights. The gate hung wide open. The Sun Hunters divided into units to search the habitations. Piles of beams, bricks and power tools stood by most. Half the buildings lacked windows. One didn’t have a roof.

Quinlan squinted despite his sunglasses and hood. Sunlight fell mercilessly on his head. In the distance, a chain of mountains appeared almost as blue as the sky. Not a trace of civilization as far as he could see. The vegetation was sparse but the settlers had had no intention of cultivating the ground classically. Even with more regular sunlight than up north, indoor farming remained more reliable.

The teams emerged from the houses empty-handed. Unsurprising. The ammonia scent was diffuse and he could not hear the savage sounds produced by Strigoi.

Only the hangar remained unsearched.

“Get the spikes,” he asked a Hunter.

For Strigoi hiding in soil, they used javelins coated with silver. The hangar reminded him strongly of the lowest level of the bunker. It smelled of wet dirt and fertilizer but not of sap. They had not yet planted anything. Soil filled half a dozen elevated beds deep enough to accommodate trees. And slumbering Strigoi.

Eva and Raul’s units had the spikes. It satisfied Quinlan to see them work together without a trace of awkwardness. When he glanced at Gus, he could tell he was making the same observation. Quietly, a dozen hunters spread and lifted the metal spikes above the black dirt. The rest stood at the ready with carefully aimed rifles. Quinlan also prepared, wounding up his leg muscles and drawing his sword.

Eva and Raul looked at each other, and she raised one finger, then two then three. At that mark, the Hunters stabbed down as one. The spikes pierced the soil. Quinlan tensed, his gaze sliding across all the visible earth. Nothing happened.

Strange.

Gus pinched the base of his nose and exchanged a look with Quinlan. He slashed at his own neck with his hand and Quinlan nodded.

“Listen up, guys! Pack all the gear except for the drones. Marcus, we do a last sweep, I’ll drive.”

The Hunters just as disappointed as their boss returned to the SUVs and loaded back all their equipment. Marcus tweaked with his drone by the jeep.

“You can smell them, right?” Gus asked.

“I do but only in the settlement and its repartition is unfocused. Rather unusual.”

“This shit ain’t right.”

“Agreed. I will investigate the houses.”

Gus departed with Marcus. The buzzing of the drone soon crisscrossed the clear sky.

The houses were Spartan and all identical. Merely blocks of wood and concrete built for safety without any regard for aesthetics. Inside each finished house, he found signs of struggle. Broken furniture, smears of dried blood already swarming with flies and the diffuse stench of ammonia.

Something about the blood also bothered him. He could not put his finger on the exact reason until he reached the kitchen of the last house. There had been a fight in there. The table was broken across the middle and the floor spattered with the remnants of an uneaten meal.

Quinlan ignored those distracting scents. He followed a faint trail and found his target under the fridge. Without much effort, he tossed the piece of furniture aside. Underneath, he found dust, more spilled food and a thin metal cylinder the size of a battery. It ended in a vicious barb covered with blood. The probe of a Taser.

Quinlan brought the object up to his nose. Now he knew. This was what he should have been smelling until now. Pure human blood, this one O negative. In the other houses, the blood had been what he expected from a bag. Old blood with the tinge of a mild anti-coagulant used for preservation. He had spent so long consuming such treated blood that his nose had grown accustomed to the perfume of the drug. Quinlan put the probe in his pocket and went back to the SUV. He hailed Raul.

“I need a UV lamp.”

Raul, without question, rummaged in one of the trunks and tossed him a heavy torchlight.

Quinlan returned to the kitchen and closed all blinds. He switched on the lamp and the purple glow filled the room. Fluorescent yellow specks covered the floors and the lower parts of the walls. Strigoi guano. Like a mist. It made little sense for a Strigoi to release its waste that way. It also made little sense for Strigoi to use weapons on their prey.

“Call Gus and tell him to come back,” he told Raul as he handed him the UV lamp back.

“You found something?”

“I found evidence that no Strigoi ever stepped inside this settlement. This is a simple case of human on human violence. Not our problem.”

“What the fuck?”

He showed him the Taser probe. Eva stared with keen interest.

“I don’t recognize the brand. Must be a new one,” she said.

“Someone sprayed Strigoi guano inside the houses as well as bagged blood. This was staged.”

Eva made a wry face.

“You think someone didn’t like the idea of collabs living the high life?”

“A highly trained and resourceful someone then,” said Quinlan.

“Yeah, so they won’t ever find them and if they do it’s gonna be in tiny pieces.”

“Possibly, but it does not involve us.”

When they informed their Argentinian guide, he was relieved.

“So there are no Strigoi here? It’s safe?” he said in Spanish with an accent that made it difficult for Quinlan to follow.

“Yes, but you might want to call the police since…” said Raul.

“Of course,” said the guide insincerely.

“Give them this,” added Quinlan and he handed the probe which the guide took reluctantly.

He held the object as if ready to toss it away as soon as he was free of their gazes.

“We’ll call in a few days to check that you do,” said Raul.

The guide waved impatiently and after more pushing from Raul, promised to inform the local authorities. Quinlan doubted the investigation would amount to anything. After all, who cared about a handful of missing collaborators?

***

Quinlan was not in a pleasant mood when they landed in New York. None of the Sun Hunters were. They dragged themselves out of the plane and toward the luggage retrieval area. No satisfaction of a job well done counterbalanced their fatigue.

“Maybe I should just retire,” Gus said after sipping at a cup of cheap coffee bought in the airport.

A few white hairs peppered his temples and looked away. By human standard, Gus was young, merely in his thirties. By Hunter standards he was well within his rights to quit and enjoy a comfortable pension.

Of the Sun Hunters who had celebrated the cleaning of New York, few remained. The crowd of Hunter attracted looks, friendly nods and a few cheers. Quinlan cared little for such attention but it helped his human companions.

When they made their way to the parking lot, they stood straighter. Quinlan took the wheel and Gus sat in the passenger seat while in the back Raul and another Hunter snoozed.

“Will you? Retire?” asked Quinlan.

“Dunno. I always feel like that when something goes to shit. Let me finish my coffee. When my brains start back up, maybe I'll know.”

He raised his cup and took another sip. When Quinlan pulled up in front of the Sun Hunter headquarters, he could not feel Lexi within the city. Quinlan checked his phone. She had gone back to Greystone as her work deal had come short. On the last line of her text, she wrote,

“If you focus I'm sure you would be able to see me from New York.”

He borrowed a car then left the city. The canals running through the streets had been decommissioned threes year after New York’s clearing. It was dark but the streets were bright and bustling with life. It was always jarring when they traveled to other cities. In most of the world, humans stayed inside their homes at night. Most shops opened and closed depending on sunlight hours.

New York was free of those concerns. While here humans felt safe, it did not change how hideous those buildings and streets were.

He stopped in a deserted road still hours from Greystone, cut the engine and used the silence of the countryside to look within himself. Dream Ancharia’s words distracted him for an instant but he succeeded in pushing them away.

Lexi had told him to find the door that would lead to the silver place. But its doorknob was round and smooth and slippery. The whole exercise frustrated him. Through this door, he would be able to see but most of the time he didn't. He simply attempted to relax until he felt warm all over. When he did that near her then he felt her as though touching her with invisible hands.

He tried both. Failed at the first then also at the second. He tried again until the frustration made him growl. It was pointless. Quinlan took the road again.

When he reached the familiar forest of Greystone, he still could not feel Lexi. He was surprised since at that distance the Bond should have been back. The deeper he drove, the more his surprise morphed into worry.

“Lexi?”

There was no answer because she was not there. But her car was. When he entered, her bag sat in the entrance.

The wooden floor of their bedroom creaked. He focused on that sound and found another. A heartbeat. Someone was in the house. He tried again to find the Bond and failed.  

This was his home and someone had violated it with their unwanted presence. A burglar? Or someone with more nefarious intentions? His thought went to the terrorist who had almost blinded Lexi.

Quinlan growled lowly, unsheathed his sword and ran up the stairs. A body smashed into him and his sword left his grip. As they tumbled down the stairs in a mess of limbs, Quinlan noticed several things.

White hair, inhuman strength and the perfume of limes with a sweet finish. Their fall ended abruptly as they collided against a wall. Both jumped to their feet in a eerily similar fashion. She stared at him with wide eyes and he gawked back. It made no sense.

As thought in pain, she touched her temples and shook her head. She looked the same, smelled the same but she could not be here because the Bond was not. Their home, the real one, the only that mattered, was gone. If he had been able to vomit, he’d have done so.

“How?” whispered Lexi.

----

The woman tossed a piece of paper on the table. It was a police report in Spanish.

“They were sloppy. This can’t happen again.”

“If this new formulation works, there won’t be any need for more subjects,” said the man.

“You actually think we are going to find a formulation that works?”

“Well, yes…you don’t? Why the hell did you accept this then?”

“Because I was tired of hiding and if another rich idiot wants to waste his money on this wild goose chase, who am I to refuse?”

He shook his head.s

“If we manage we won’t need to run. It would dwarf the invention of vaccines or the discovery of antibiotics. We could help peop…”

“Shut up. Don’t give me the help people crap or I swear I’ll kill you.”

“Fine. But at least tell me you understand this is our way out of this mess.”

“I do, I also think it’s not the only way out.”