#what to do with a problem like the inhibitor chips

[artemisdesari-blog]

Chapters: 125/? Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Dooku & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Dooku | Darth Tyranus, Qui-Gon Jinn, Feemor (Star Wars), Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious, Ahsoka Tano, CC-2224 | Cody, CT-7567 | Rex Additional Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Slow Burn, Glacial Burn, Obi-Wan and Cody won't meet for numerous chapters, Qui-Gon Jinn Lives, Anakin Skywalker is Qui-Gon Jinn's Padawan, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Grandparent Dooku (Star Wars), Eventual Happy Ending, Jedi Culture & Customs (Star Wars), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Battlemaster Obi-Wan Kenobi, child endangerment, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, world building, That's Not How The Force Works (Star Wars), Or is it? Who knows?, Jedi Positive, Mando'a Language (Star Wars), Obi-Wan Kenobi Speaks Mando'a, Mandalorian Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sort Of, Palpatine is his own warning, Bad Parent Qui-Gon Jinn, Young Anakin Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker is Not Nice, Jedi Order positive, Flawed Jedi Order (Star Wars), General Obi-Wan Kenobi, Clone Troopers Speak Mando'a (Star Wars), Clone Troopers Deserve Better (Star Wars), Protective Obi-Wan Kenobi, Unleashed Obi-Wan Kenobi, oblivious idiots, Anakin Skywalker Gets Therapy, Anakin Skywalker gets some character growth, Mutual Pining, Mind Manipulation, Sith Mind Control (Star Wars), Mandalorian Culture & Customs (Star Wars) Summary:

“You show great promise, Grandpadawan,” Master Dooku inclines his head briefly, ignoring Obi-Wan’s surprise that he is aware of his identity. “No matter what edicts Qui-Gon Jinn may have passed upon me in regards to his padawan, I could not pass and not give you the correction that you needed.”

 Dooku takes an interest in Obi-Wan’s skills with a lightsaber shortly before he and Qui-Gon return to Naboo. Qui-Gon lives, but Dooku still leaves and now he has Obi-Wan in his sights.

Or, how family and love changes the course of the galaxy.

[nahoney22]

Poisonous Thoughts***

The Bad Batch PROMPT EVENT

Crosshair X F!Reader

word count: 1.6k

prompts:

Person A: go fuck yourself

Person B: fuck me yourself, you coward.

With your relationship already on the rocks, Crosshair’s jealousy about your friendship with Howzer only adds fuel to the fire.

warnings: NSFW, 18+. sexual themes and explicit language. Jealous Crosshair, name calling, angsty, slight spoilers for episodes 6&7, implied blowjobs, mutual pining, first kiss, enemies to friends to friends to enemies to enemies to lovers. This was pretty bad and messy and all over the place. Order 66 mention.

authors note: part of the TBB PROMPT EVENT by @arctrooper69, @dumfanting & @freesia-writes. Thanks for the tag 🤍 and seeing as most people wanted me to write for Crosshair in my last poll it seems only fitting to do this!

Your relationship with Crosshair was chaotic, to say the least.

From initial animosity to a begrudging tolerance, and finally to friendship within a span of a few months, you found yourself developing a deep emotional connection with the Marksman. A very deep one. He was the kind of person who you would search for in a crowded room, wanting him to get you away from it all.

Your feelings for him left you in a state of confusion for quite some time, thoughts almost poisoned and fueled by a hope that perhaps he felt the same. There were signs���his genuine smiles reserved only for you, his seeking of your advice in moments of need, and the subtle shifts in his demeanor around you.

Then came Order 66.

When it began, you lost him. The moment it was issued, you felt his absence keenly not physically but mentally. He suddenly turned cold. And then he was gone.

And despite the anger that filled your heart for months, you almost found solace in considering his actions to be his inhibitor chip. There was a glimmer of hope but when Kamino fell, his unwavering loyalty to the new Empire blinded him.

The memory of that night alone in your bunk, crying until your throat burned, never faded. You even entertained the desperate idea of pleading with Hunter to turn back and bring him onboard, but deep down, you knew it was futile. Your love for him was over before it truly began.

Months later, as things spiraled from bad to worse, you found yourselves reunited. In that moment, your mind was a blank slate. You didn't know how to react or what to feel. Your emotions oscillated between love and hatred, a cycle that seemed endless. But there was a bitterness in you.

Each day brought another round of tiptoeing around Crosshair. While the others seemed to have moved past his past transgressions, eager to bury the hatchet, for you, it felt like starting over from square one.

He exuded the same coldness and distance that characterized your initial encounters, his silence speaking volumes. That is until Howzer spoke to you.

As you engaged in small talk with Howzer, Crosshair couldn't resist interjecting with his unwelcome remarks. You understood Howzer's animosity towards Crosshair, but what puzzled you was Crosshair's hostility towards him. You shot him bitter glares whenever he spoke out of turn, only for him to leave before any response could be made.

What was his problem?

This scenario repeated itself several times. From the corner of the room, you could feel the weight of that familiar glare from times past, and as your eyes met, Crosshair's stare remained unyielding.

One evening, yourself and Crosshair found yourselves aboard the Remora with Echo. "You and Howzer seem... close," his drawling voice came from behind you, causing you to momentarily freeze, shooting Echo an annoyed glance as he awaited your response.

"I speak to him the same amount as I speak to everyone else," you retorted, rolling your eyes after mustering your voice, refusing to turn around to face Crosshair.

"Funny," he began, "I don't recall you speaking to me that much."

Gazing out of the window, a slow realisation dawned upon you. He was jealous. The absurdity of it all almost made you smirk. Despite the flutter in your stomach wondering why he could be jealous, you relished in the opportunity to make him squirm first. "Perhaps he has more riveting conversational qualities."

Echo audibly inhaled a deep breath, seemingly perpetually caught in the crossfire of arguments involving Crosshair and someone else. Meeting Crosshair's gaze this time, a small scowl etched onto his face, you continued, "I have my doubts."

"No need to," you added, meeting his gaze squarely. "I don't see him wanting to talk to you anyway. And the same goes for me."

"Thought you grew up from being a brat?" His words ignited a fiery rage within you, prompting you to rise to your feet. "And I thought you had some more respect for yourself. But you're just a jealous little man," you shot back, your words laced with venom.

Echo swiftly intervened, positioning himself between the two of you. "Can you guys do this elsewhere? All this bickering is giving me a headache."

Crosshair's gaze shifted away from yours, his demeanor faltering. "Gladly," he muttered before stalking off, leaving you to follow in his wake.

Once out of earshot, you wasted no time in confronting him. "Got nothing else to say, huh?" you challenged. "Are you going to try and deny that you're jealous?"

"I have nothing to be jealous about," he snarled, plucking the toothpick from his lips and slamming it to the ground. "You're not mine."

You couldn't help but laugh, a bitter edge to your tone. "You're right about that. You had your chance, and you blew it."

For a moment, you watched as he froze, his expression betraying a hint of confusion. "What do you mean I 'blew it'?" he demanded, his voice tinged with incredulity.

Suddenly, the weight of your words hit you, and you found yourself looking down, shaking your head. "Nothing. I didn't mean to say that," you murmured, hoping to retract your statement.

"I don't believe you," he countered, stepping closer, his presence enveloping you entirely. "You never liked me."

A sudden pang of realisation struck your heart. With your stomach tied in knots, you met his intense gaze. "Is that what you always thought?"

He continued to stare you down, searching for any hint of deception, but to his surprise, he found none. Yet, his stubbornness refused to accept it. "You're lying," he insisted, his voice firm.

"No," you muttered, your voice trembling with emotion, "but I wish I was."

He scoffed dismissively, turning his back on you with a bitter twist to his expression. "I don't get you. If you had these feelings, why did you never tell me?" His voice cracked with frustration, his shoulders tense with unresolved tension.

"I could say the same," you shot back, your bravery tinged with desperation, clinging to the hope that maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way you did. But as his gaze met yours, a storm of conflicting emotions raged within you.

His frustrated glare softened briefly, revealing a glimpse of vulnerability before he turned away again, his back a wall of defense.

Memories flooded your mind—quiet moments shared between you, moments where unspoken words hung heavy in the air, suffocating in their silence. You remembered the times when he seemed on the verge of opening up, only to retreat into himself.

In that moment, a surge of resentment bubbled within him, fueled by months of unanswered questions and unspoken truths. "Go fuck yourself," he spat, his words dripping with anger and self-loathing. Yet beneath the anger and hurt, there lingered a flicker of longing, a desperate yearning for connection buried deep within both of you, waiting to be acknowledged.

“Go fuck me yourself, you coward.” The words tumbled from your lips before you could even process them, but in that heated moment, consequences be damned.

He whirled around, his gaze piercing into yours as he strode towards you with purpose, until you were backed up against the wall, his breath hot against your face. "Say. That. Again," he demanded, his voice laced with urgency, his eyes searching yours for any sign of sincerity.

It wasn't a threat; it was a plea, a desperate plea for honesty amidst the chaos of emotions swirling between the both of you. Did you mean it? Of course. Of course you fucking did.

Your breath hitched in your throat as tears threatened to spill from your eyes, your heart pounding in your chest.

"Crosshair, I..." you began, your voice faltering as you struggled to find the right words to express the tumult of feelings coursing through you.

"I know," he murmured softly, his gaze softening as he understood, as if everything that needed to be said had already been said.

Leaning down, he pressed his lips against yours in a swift yet tender kiss, his hands cradling your face gently, overwhelming you with a rush of warmth and longing that eclipsed both of your poisonous thoughts.

“Come with me,” he rasps against your lips, a gentle tug on your hand that had you willingly coming with him and far, far away from Echo’s ears.

He guides you through the ship until you both come to the refresher, both of you tumbling inside as your kisses become fervent, desperate and needy.

He pulls back for a moment, gazing down at you as if to see you were real and not a figment of his imagination before his lips latch onto your neck, sucking and bruising your skin. You whine in pleasure, keeling into his body as your hands move down to his crotch.

Softly, you palm against his erection, gasping as you feel the outline of his hardening cock. “I want you Cross,” you gasp as his teeth graze along your flesh.

He growls low and guttural, but understands, “I know kitten,” his hands travel up the underside of your shirt, fingers stroking against your breasts as his hips involuntarily jerk into the touch of your hand, “as soon as we get back to Pabu… fuck, I can’t even begin to tell you what I’m going to do to you.”

You grin, a sultry laugh parting your lips. “Perhaps you should show me.”

“Refresher isn’t big enough.” He grunts, “but I could give you a taster?”

His tone is suggestive and your core pangs with arousal at the possibilities. “How so?”

He gazes down at you, one hand now cupping your jaw with his thumb dancing over your lower lip. There’s a longing, a love in his eyes but unmistakably there’s one of pure lust too. “Get on your knees and find out.”

More Crosshair Works

Masterlist

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[saphronethaleph]

RTKM

“I can’t speak to him until tomorrow?” Obi-Wan checked.

“I am afraid not,” Taun We replied, with a conciliatory gesture. “It is a shame you have come all this way to meet with such inconvenience, but perhaps if you had commed ahead…?”

Obi-Wan nodded.

“That would have worked better,” he decided, thinking. “Would you be able to run me through some of the key decisions made on the specifics of the army? I’m afraid they were taken several years ago, and I’ve only come to this particular project quite recently – I’d like to make sure I wasn’t missing anything.”

“Of course,” Taun We agreed. “In addition to providing the template, Jango made many of the decisions on training – that is not our speciality, as we prefer to allow our clients to make the appropriate arrangements in doctrinal matters.”

“Naturally,” Obi-Wan agreed, pacing down the hallway. “What weapons and equipment are included in the contract?”

“A basic load for the first two hundred thousand units has been procured,” Taun We replied. “All part of the initial purchase, naturally. We are aware that our clients may need to take urgent delivery. Any upgrades, however, will have to be provided by the client.”

She gestured, indicating one of the staging areas. “Rothana Heavy Engineering has provided much of the heavy equipment. Several large orders were made.”

This was getting more and more involved, and Obi-Wan’s worry was only increasing.

How much money was involved with this army?

“You mentioned behavioural modifications?” he asked.

“Naturally,” Taun We confirmed. “Neural inhibitor biochips are a standard installation on most of our clone lines. Our products are designed for maximum obedience through a careful inculcation of a culture of volunteerism, but overrides are always considered useful.”

She took out a datapad, tapping on it, then held it out for him. “A full list of the commands. I hope you’ll find that the details are entirely within the contracted parameters.”

“I hope so as well,” Obi-Wan replied, paging through the datapad.

He’d been wondering how a clone army could work, on a practical level, but seeing some of these commands it was apparent what would be involved. The clones would be trained in all military skills, and in showing initiative, but the dozens of indexed commands would erase or alter specific factors of their behaviour.

They would retain the same skills as before, but their free will would be restricted, causing them to obey as readily as droids. One of the commands on the datapad was to discard their communicators immediately, while another was an order to charge a position, regardless of casualties – and Obi-Wan had seen enough of conflict to know that that would be able to win some battles all by itself.

So long as you didn’t see the ten-year-old clones who’d be doing it as who they were. As much children as adults.

Then he stopped, and stared.

“Is something wrong, Jedi Kenobi?” Taun We asked.

Obi-Wan shook himself.

“My apologies,” he said, turning off the datapad and stowing it in his robes. “While I hope it won’t cause any problems for you, I’m going to need to check something later… are there any exercises going on at the moment?”

“Of course,” Taun We replied, pleasantly. “Would you prefer close combat exercises, heavy weapons, or long arms?”

“You’re going to need to hear this, Masters,” Obi-Wan said. “I’ve arrived on Kamino and found that Master Sifo-Dyas had ordered a clone army that was – supposedly – to be used by the Jedi, at the request of the Senate almost ten years ago.”

“Killed before that, he was,” Yoda replied.

“That was my impression as well, Master,” Obi-Wan replied. “But the clone army has neural override chips in them – standard practice here, I understand – and I was given a list of the commands.”

He cleared his throat. “Order number: 66. Authorized to be used by: the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, voice command, no other authorization required. Approved propagation: Command Clones may spread this order down the chain of command. Effects: Eliminate all previous affection or comradeship towards Jedi subjects of order, specified at time of use. If undefined, all Jedi are subject to order. Order subjects are to be designated traitors and eliminated immediately, maximum priority. Clones not acting in compliance with order are to be designated traitors.”

Mace Windu inhaled.

“That would be-” he began, but Obi-Wan raised his hand.

“Sorry, Master, but I hadn’t finished,” he said. “The effect section continues: redesignate Supreme Chancellor as Lord Sidious.”

Mace and Yoda both stared at Obi-Wan through the scrambled hologram link.

“Hell, kriffing,” Yoda said, eventually.

Mace started giggling.

“Master Windu?” Obi-Wan asked, worried.

“This is why you always read the manual,” Mace said, between giggles.

[payasita]

Good job getting ADHD medication! I’m so proud of you :D

thanks so so much im very happy and so hopeful for the first time maybe ever but also it TOOK ME LIKE. A YEAR. A YEAR.

like yall for real?? for real. for real i have been diagnosed since i was like six. (funny story my teacher thought i was on the spectrum so my parents get me tested with the nodes and shit and according to mom, who loves this story, my neurologist did all that and talked to me and then just turned to my mom and went "she's not autistic. she just hates the other kids" but they DID find an adhd diagnosis in there so net win for all of us)

diagnosed since i was SIX. on stimulants until i turned 8, and you know why i got off em? my pediatrician retired. we could not find another who would take our low-income insurance. so i just had to rawdog The Rest Of My Fucking Life. diagnosed when i was six. legally neurodivergent for 20 slutty slutty angry years.

and it still took me like. a few months to get a psych appointment. a few weeks to reaffirm my diagnosis as an adult. a few more weeks for another appointment for meds. he doesnt Want to do meds first, because i must have been doing fine without them if its been two decades, right? i got a job and a car and everything. well gee fuckin shittickers Dr. Brain Guy, just WHAT was my alternative? would you prefer i be maladapted to the point of incapacitation; is that what it takes for someone to be considered? i cheated my way through school. every day after work i sit for an hour in my car because i dont have the executive function to stand up and walk the ten steps to my house. garbage just appears around me. i have three empty bags of hot chip and two cans of sprite on my desk as we speak, neither from today. at that point i hadnt had a debit card for six months because that would have required me to Drive To The Bank, a location that was new to me in this area, so i just did everything on credit. is this all normal? is this fine? am i GOOD, actually, Dr. WeirdBrain?

so we cordially agree that yes i should probably be medicated. i want to do a stimulant. he does not want to put me on a stimulant. "stimulants can mess with your heart," he says, "and you're young, you don't want heart problems." i say ok because i dont want to make him think im just looking for narcotics. even though i am. because they WORK. i agree to try some kind of antidepressant.

the antidepressant gives me tachycardia. i go to the emergency room after reading a heartbeat of, oh, 140 bpm, which is about like double what it normally is and juuuust below the You Are Having A Heart Attack threshold. i get to the ER and the doctor there is very obviously convinced i'm a local addict having some sort of episode. it is the most ironic experience i've had all year and i feel an abrupt and all consuming kinship with those birds in australia that will swoop you and peck at your face for seemingly no good reason.

so yeah, we narrow it down to the antidepressant. as it turns out, these particular meds are known to, semi-commonly, Mess With Your Heart. i have my next appointment with my psych and somehow refrain from pecking his eyes out. he puts me on a noreprinephrine inhibitor(iirc) that isnt actually FDA approved to treat ADHD specifically(i DEFINITELY rc) but it IS given to smokers to help them quit. i dont smoke. i may very well fucking start before this whole ordeal is at the point where someone listens to me

it obviously does a combined total of jack and shit, and the man waffles with this one because he has "had success" using it as treatment for other ADHD patients. he ups the dose. twice. three months on the smoker meds, which are also apparently notorious for destroying your appetite, but they didnt even do THAT. no change to the average amount of hot chip on my desk.

he wants to try quelbree after that. i finally tell him i'm tired of this shit and would like to have more than two hours of usable daylight to function before it all falls to uncontrollable youtube shorts binges and a daily experience i like to call The Weighted Nothings and i would very much like to PLEASE. TRY A STIMULANT.

he's been friendly enough with me over these past four or five or whatever months but at this he gets suddenly very very business-baseline. gives me the whole spiel about the north american shortage. gives me a spiel about how i absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, lose or sell this medication, because they will not refill it if i do. i am sitting here wondering if he he's telling the truth about having other ADHD patients at all like ever in his career, and also, am i nuts or should the "don't sell your prescription drugs" bit apply to EVERYTHING? i dont fuckin know man i just live here

he says he wants a urine test first. its scheduled for two weeks out. i take it.

"hey uh, your piss came back with cannabis in it" "well it'd be weirder if it didn't, we are in california and i am a kitchen manager" "you can't have weed if you want adderall" "fine i'll stop" "we'll schedule you another test in a month" "aight bet" it didnt go exactly like that but this is kind of what the vibe between us has devolved into by this point.

anyway i wait a month and get a good grade in piss. i get the meds prescribed. i go to fill out the prescription

all i really need to say to you are the words "prior authorization error" for most of you to get what happened next.

the psych isnt even aware. i wait another month for our next meeting, which was yesterday. i do not yell at him. he tells me to take it up with the pharmacy, and yell at them. i am going to yell at them.

so i go, and guess what, it actually went through a while ago! NO ONE TOLD ME OR DR. FEEL-BAD OVER HERE. but we can't fill it right now because its a controlled substance so come back in a few hours. hey it's ready where the hell are you? TAKE YOUR METH AND GET OUT

anyway i started it today, reorganized my pantry, and fixed the fire alarm in my hallway that's been chirping at me for a week. i no longer have to wear earplugs to bed.

and with my newfound executive function superpowers, i will be spraying my weed-free piss all over Reagan's grave.

[niobiumao3]

So another of my tin foil hat theories is, it's not just Omega who can take midichlorian donation--it's all of the Batch. Grab the Reynold's Wrap and some Thin Mints!

At the end of S1 when Nala Se arrives at Tantiss she says to Hemlock 'what the Emperor wants isn't possible'. So, she already knows what Hemlock is up to.

In Season 2, Lama Su suggests grabbing Omega as leverage, because Nala Se has been rotting in a cell, refusing to cooperate. Hemlock snags Crosshair, uses him to bait the Batch, gets Omega. As we know from S3, Nala Se instantly starts blackholing Omega's test results. We find out why in episode 3 when Omega and Crosshair are spared death because due to a series of unfortunate events, one of Omega's samples gets through and is positive for the ability to accept a donation of midichlorians. I.e., Omega can get More Stronger at wielding the Force, which the Emperor naturally would want for himself, for cloned bodies for him to jump into (Rise of Skywalker), etc.

Now, Nala Se immediately began deleting Omega's samples, and per S1, she already knew what this project was about--so she knew that she had accomplished what the Emperor wanted, she was just gaslighting gatekeeping girlbossing her way through 'WOW SCIENCE IS HARD' and while Hemlock suspects her he can't do this without her so he's kinda stuck.

Where the rest of the Batch come into this is part meta and part S1.

In Season 1, Lama Su indicates he doesn't care who out of the Batch they can get back as long as they can get one. This is highly relevant because we're initially lead to believe it's only Omega they want, because Omega is a pure copy of Jango, and thus a source of DNA for them to keep using since Boba is long gone, as is Jango. (This doesn't make sense scientifically but, you know, whatever.)

As we find out, though, she's not. Furthermore, Omega isn't just an experimental clone, she's the first experimental clone. She was made before the Batch, suggesting they might even be derived from her, or, at a minimum share numerous of her traits. For example, the ability to accept midichlorians.

Nala Se's comment to Hemlock implies she knows about the desire for this process which in turn suggests the Kaminoans themselves were already trying to do it (maybe even in conjunction with Hemlock, who later left; he and Nala Se clearly know one another quite well). But the Kaminoans may have undertaken it as a selling point to the Republic. Hey, Jedi numbers low? No problem! Force sensitive clones WITH inhibitor chips so they do anything you want!

But the Emperor doesn't want that, he wants to make himself a new fresh body to live in forever. So they blow Tipoca City to pieces and kidnap Nala Se, wanting her to finish the project. Except she already has, and the results are in the wind. Except...for Crosshair.

Now, Hemlock says Crosshair was ruled out long ago. As we saw, Nala Se was destroying Omega's samples. ...was she also destroying Crosshair's? She might have been; we have no way of knowing, having never seen him be tested. Nala Se may have bided her time, deleting Cross' samples until Hemlock gives up on him and chucks him in with the others to be made into a Clone X. Whew! Bullet dodged. Except then Omega is captured. Fuck! Back at it again.

Meta-reason: when asked about the new seasonal posters, someone noted that there's a red underlight glow on Omega and the original Batch members, i.e. not on Echo. And on no one else. If this is danger, what danger are they all equally in which Echo isn't? Well...Echo isn't derived from Omega...

Final fold for this particular hat: since Cross and Omega have escaped we've been given no insight into what's happening in Tantiss. This isn't, IMO, on accident; it's likely Hemlock got all this information out of Nala Se one way or another. And that could be why CX-1 said 'they're coming for all of you'. He may have meant all of the Batch, since he was talking to Crosshair.

Did Rex and Howzer look at the rest of those targets on the list? Omega is the primary one, obviously, because she can be leveraged against Nala Se, who tbh couldn't give a shit about the rest of the Batch. But as Lama Su said: any one will do.

This works much, much better than Omega being the most specialist girl protected by her younger brothers. That's tired. Instead it becomes 'family created for one purpose decide to do literally anything else with their lives, against all odds'. Vastly more interesting.

And one last thing which is less tinfoil-hat-making and more pondering: those medical records on Nala Se's datapad. They're going to be relevant. Perhaps there's locked or hidden information in there which, once Tech re-surfaces, they can get into. We'll see.

[adhd-coyote]

Please tell me something about Fallen Fox? 👀

Hehehe I loooove this one, I need to start working on it again!!

Fox hasn't slept in days. Thire is in medbay, has been for almost a week now, after a riot went south and someone slipped a shiv through one of the cracks in his armor. And with Thorn- …It's just been Fox and Stone holding everything together. Fox is exhausted. He's in pain. His blood feels like magma in his veins and it hurts. Something is clawing at the inside of his chest, desperate to tear its way out of his ribcage and burst free. There's ice cold slime dripping from the Chancellor's laughter and the Red Guard's bristling thorn bush of a presence feels like it's cutting into Fox's very mind. He wants it to stop. He wants it to stop. He needs it to stop. Make it stop make it stop make it stopstopstopstopstop- The Red Guard is thrown across the room by an invisible force. They hit the wall with a loud crack. And they fall to the floor, unmoving. Fox is still half curled-up, half-kneeling on the floor. He doesn't know what's going on. He wanted it to stop. It stopped. He made it stop? The clawing in his chest feels… satisfied. His boiling blood seems to have calmed. The Red Guard isn't hurting him anymore. The Chancellor is laughing. Footsteps. Familiar. Getting closer. The Chancellor is getting closer. Fox needs to move. He can't move. He needs to flee. He is frozen. He needs to go. He's going to pass out. The footsteps stop right next to him. Fox tries and fails to push himself up. Something invisible does it for him. He is kneeling, now. At the Chancellor's feet, as always. "Well." The Chancellor's crooning voice drips down Fox's spine like slick, icy slime. He can't help but shiver. "This is certainly interesting."

Force Sensitive Fox!!! And, as you've probably guessed from the title, not just Force Sensitive, but he's Fallen as well. Problem is, he never even realized he was Force Sensitive, much less that he's Fallen. What triggered the Fall, you may ask? Well, Coruscant is hell. Fox is constantly on the verge of Force Exhaustion without even realizing it. And then Thorn is sent off to Scipio and doesn't come back, and suddenly there's a gaping hole in Fox's soul that refills itself with ice and magma.

The above snippet takes place a few after that, when Fox is so tired and desperate he stops subconsciously suppressing his connection to the Force for a split second. The Chancellor is delighted to discover he has a Force Sensitive pawn with an inhibitor chip planted in his brain.

I am very fond of this one, but I had to put it down to work on SithyWan week and haven't picked it back up since. Hoping I can do some more work on it soon, though!

[lyaswriting]

Ok I really have a problem I think…

Because I was just writing my Captain Rex x Half Theelin OC Story and just realized a major plot hole in it…

Because essentially she is Obi Wan‘s new Padawan after her old master died (she‘s about 20 in my mind), and over time falls for Rex. And there‘s always the talk about how they couldn‘t be together because if someone found out Rex would get decommisioned.

But then I realized that Theelin are a species that is endangered/near extinct by the time of the clone wars… and that Ki Adi Mundi was also granted an exception to the no attachment rule because of this. And then I realized that if Rex were ever to be decommisioned, for being with this OC, they may be able to make a case of it because I read somewhere that Theelin have difficulties to conceive and as such their species is endangered. But that could be different if the partner was a clone, because then more of the species of the clone‘s partner could come through, like with Cut and Sue and their children.

And this seems to be due to Cut being a clone because other Twilek x Human Children are majorly human e.g. Jacen Syndulla.

And then I realized that if Rex would get arrested for being in love essentially which the Kaminoans would see as a defect, Padme could make a case of it if she decides to help, because then Rex would help essentially „keep an endangered species alive“ and could be granted citizen rights. And if you grant them to one clone, you have to give them to all.

And then I thought how the Kaminoan would want the counter it and maybe they slip up and reveal the inhibitor chips as a reason. And maybe Mace Windu would then start an investigation because a chip to override their free will? That cannot be right, and he‘d find out and then order the chips to be removed.

And the clones would become citizens, but Rex and OC would have to marry for it to hold.

But for this OC would also need the Jedi Councils approval, who are not amused at all, but grant it and maybe even losen the rule on attachments/abolish the rule with a little suggestion from Obi Wan.

And this is then when the chaos starts, and Anakin comes clean that he‘s married.

And then Aayla Secura and Bly also come clean.

And then Quinlan Vos.

And maybe Ahsoka then also wants to give Lux Bonterri a call.

And Mace Windu is already having a terribly no good day becaus what do you mean you lot never followed the code.

And then Obi Wan mentions how he will now fly to Mandalore and visit Satine, and maybe even see his son.

And that‘s it then, Mace Windu faints.

And Palpatine realises years of work have been undone by this, and is so furious he dies of a heart attack.

And once a new chancellor is elected, the war ends within a week and it‘s revealed that Palpatine was the sith lord.

And Rex is just shocked because… he just didn‘t want to die, how did this happen?

And Fives absolutely laughs his ass of.

And now excuse me, I need to go write this, but please tell me I‘m not insane.

[kotemf]

Codywan week - day 5

I'm aware I'm late and I apologize for that, I didn't have much time for writing in the past few days and I'm only catching up now. I hope you still enjoy my story for day 5 of the @codywanweek. You can read it here, on Wattpad or on Ao3, whichever you prefere.

  Prompt: original Kenobi series script, hurt / comfort, only one bed

  A/N: Okay, so, for the record, I kinda forgot how exactly the Kenobi series is so I'll just make this up and you are going to pretend it actually lines up, thanks y'all for your definitely voluntary cooperation.

When Obi-Wan accepted Bail Organa's request and went looking for Leia, he didn't know he wasn't the only one looking for her. He should've expected it, Bail wasn't above sending more people just to be sure. Not when it was about his daughter.

  It was a shock when he met his former commander, the man who betrayed him and shot him in the back during order 66. They met in the clone wars, their friendship grew in the clone wars and the thing that developed between them, whatever that was, ended with the clone wars.

  They were allies now. Because when they were chasing after the same goal once again, it wouldn't make sense to compete. Obi-Wan firmly believed that Cody meant no danger to him now that his inhibitor chip was gone. That didn't mean it wasn't difficult to work with Cody again after everything that happened.

  They still worked well together as a team. Even if the uncomfortable silence between action was the stark opposite of the pleasant moments they used to spend in silence during the war. Even if Obi-Wan's instincts still screamed at him whenever Cody pulled out his blaster.

  Despite everything, they managed to complete the mission. They found Leia, escaped the inquisitor and Vader - okay, Obi-Wan was still recovering from that encounter but no one had to know that - and were just boarding the shuttle Bail sent them to get to Alderaan. How he managed to get an empty shuttle with clearance to their location will forever be a mystery for Obi-Wan.

  "Yay, that's our ship!" Leia cheered as soon as they entered the ship. Obi-Wan wanted to answer something but the little demon of a child was gone before he could as much as open his mouth. "I'm going to my room!"

  "Tubies," Cody muttered to himself. Back in the day, Obi-Wan would probably correct him, tell him that nat-born children weren't called tubies and that clone cadets probably shouldn't have been called that either. As it was, he just pretended he didn't hear. He wasn't sure Cody would still be up to a witty banter. The clone grew older over the years, thanks to the clones' accelerated aging, and with that he grew sadder and more serious, Obi-Wan could feel it in the force.

  "I will just-"

  Before he could finish the sentence, Leia was already back. "There is a butterfly in my room," she announced.

  "Is that a problem?" Obi-Wan asked.

  "Yes. I don't like butterflies," Leia informed him. It was a little odd, most children hated spiders or worms, but what else was there to expect from a Skywalker, right?

  "But butterflies are lovely," Cody tried to object. A huge mistake. Objecting to a Skywalker rarely ended well. 

  "No, they are not," Leia pouted. "Butterflies are ugly little monsters and I hate them."

  "Do you want me to take it out?" Cody offered. He was doing his best to cover his amusement but wasn't entirely successful.

  "Yes. Take it far, far away."

  "Of course, ad'ika," Cody agreed easily and ruffled Leia's hair, earning an outraged huff from the girl, before he went to fulfill his task. Cody was nothing if not efficient and in a moment, the butterfly was gone.

  "Thank you, Cody," Leia thanked because she was well raised. Obi-Wan was proud of her. She was going to make a great politician and diplomat one day, she inherited all the skills needed from Padmé.

  "You are welcome, Leia. Will you be fine on your own now, or do you need something else."

  "I'll be fine," Leia assured him before she jogged off again.

  After that, nothing happened. And Obi-Wan meant literally nothing. He and Cody were just standing there, not saying anything. It was rather awkward. "Shall we take a look at the rest of the ship?"

  "Yeah... Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Cody agreed.

  They explored the ship, found the incredibly small cockpit, Leia's room - they didn't dare to enter -, bathroom, small kitchen and another bedroom. There was one room missing.

  "Where is the other bedroom?" Cody asked but Obi-Wan could tell he already knew the answer.

  "There is no other bedroom," Obi-Wan voiced it for them both. Of course there was no other bedroom. It was the Organas' personal shuttle, made for three people, Leia, Bail, and Breha, his wife. It explained the way Leia immediately labeled one of the rooms as hers. "It's fine, I will sleep in the cockpit."

  "I'm not letting you sleep there, there's no room to sleep comfortably," Cody dismissed the idea.

  "I'm afraid it will be necessary."

  "You take the bed, I will sleep in the cockpit."

  "You just said the cockpit was too small!" Obi-Wan argued.

  "Well, then we will have to share," Cody blurted out. He didn't look ashamed but he did feel ashamed in the force. "I mean... We used to share sometimes. During the war."

  It was true. They shared their bed sometimes, when they were planet side on a campaign and there weren't enough bunks, or when it was cold and sharing heat was the only way to stay warmer. But that's something that used to be. Before Cody shot him. People who shot at each other usually didn't share beds, Obi-Wan was sure of that. "It's okay, I will stay in the cockpit." It wasn't like Obi-Wan could possibly get a good sleep either way, he was too anxious with his former commander around.

  "With all due respect, you need sleep too, general."

  "I have the force, I will be fine."

  "Ten years, general. Ten years and you are still the same self sacrificing di'kut. I guess it was too much to hope you got some self preservation instinct.

  Now that was just insulting. But not in a bad way. Cody used the same annoyed but fond tone he used during the war when he had to convince Obi-Wan to take a break from paper work or to get something to eat. It felt like the good old times for a moment. And Obi-Wan knew that Cody wasn't going to budge until he got what he wanted. "Fine."

  "I'm glad we found a solution convenient to both of us, general," Cody said. He had the audacity of smirking at Obi-Wan.

  "Not your general anymore."

  "You will always be my general." Cody shrugged. It sounded like there was a deep meaning behind those words but Obi-Wan didn't have time to think about it. "I will get the shuttle flying."

  Everything was fine for the entire duration of an hour and half. Until it was time to get some sleep. How was Obi-Wan supposed to sleep with someone who tried to kill him sleeping next to him, he didn't know.

  "I suppose it's time to go to sleep," Cody voiced his thoughts. He started taking his armor off, piece by piece, following the same routine Obi-Wan saw him perform many, many times, until he was stripped down to his blacks. Obi-Wan removed the outer layer of his robes and his tunic but kept the rest of his clothes on. The shuttle should be relatively safe, with shields and alarm, but war has taught him to never be unprepared. And he wouldn't feel all that comfortable sleeping in just underwear with Cody there either.

  "Where did you get those?" Cody asked. Obi-Wan had no idea what he was talking about. "The scars. They are new."

  Right, it wasn't all that long ago that he fought Vader and almost burned in lava. Bacta could fix a lot of things but it had it's limits. "I fought Vader."

  "Yes, I am aware. You just forgot to mention you almost died."

  "Don't be dramatic! It's nothing serious."

  Cody gave him his infamous unimpressed stare. "I'm not even going to ask you if it hurts because I know you are going to deny it. I will get you some pain meds."

  "That won't be-"

  "Stop lying, Obi-Wan." Obi-Wan. The last time Cody has called him that was the faithful day on Utapau. "You know you don't have to lie to me."

  Obi-Wan knew. Before Utapau. He wasn't so sure now.

  Cody wasn't force sensitive. Yet he still seemed to pick on Obi-Wan's feelings. "I'm sorry you can't trust me anymore."

  Maybe it was Cody's sad smile. Maybe it was the pain that radiated from Cody in the force. Maybe it was something entirely different. But it did the thing. Because no matter what, Obi-Wan couldn't bear to be the cause of Cody's pain and sorrow. "I trust you, Cody." Obi-Wan was surprised to realize that he actually meant it.

  There were no words for the way Cody lit up in the force, like the gold sunbeams that used to decorate his armor. He repainted it, made it gray. Obi-Wan wasn't sure if the color was picked simply because Cody deemed it more appropriate or as a sign of mourning, because that was the meaning of gray in mandalorian culture. It wasn't the first time Obi-Wan wondered how Cody did it, how he escaped the empire, made peace with almost all of his brothers being gone. Obi-Wan lost everything too but he was a Jedi. Jedi were always prepared to let go.

  Wordlessly, Cody passed Obi-Wan a pill he fished out of his med kit. Obi-Wan just hoped it wasn't a poison. Nothing in Cody suggested that he was trying to get rid of Obi-Wan but Obi-Wan was rarely sure nowadays.

  "Let's go to sleep," Obi-Wan suggested. There was no reason to make it more awkward than it already was. He settled on the bed, as close to the edge as he dared. Cody did the same. This was just awkward.

  "Good night," Cody whispered as he covered himself with a blanket.

  "Good night."

  Obi-Wan couldn't sleep. He rarely could. Everytime he closed his eyes, he saw visions. Visions of the past, visions of how things could have been. What if he hadn't fucked up so bad with Anakin, what if he noticed that the chancellor's interest in the boy was starting to be suspicious, what if he fought more against Ahsoka being expelled from the order, what if, what if, what if, wha-

  Cody put a hand around Obi-Wan's waist in his sleep. Obi-Wan's first reaction was panic. He tried to shuffle further away from Cody to which the other man grumbled unhappily and pulled Obi-Wan closer to him. The emotions were overwhelming in the beginning. Then Obi-Wan allowed himself to relax in Cody's arms. He closed his eyes again.

  There were no nightmares. No memories. No visions. No what ifs. No. This time, the only thing Obi-Wan saw was the sun, warm and bright, just like the man besides him.

[captainkirkk]

✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

All the fics I’ve read and really enjoyed in the past week-ish. Reminder: This list features any and all ratings and themes. Please look at tags and warnings on ao3 before reading.

DC

Persistence Is A Sin by PlotlessWanderer

Part 1 of Persistence Verse

He stared Bruce Wayne in his dead blank eyes with the full force of his conditional training behind him and told Batman exactly what he was doing wrong. Clenching shaking hands, praying he wouldn't vomit, Tim faced the demon his hero had become and refused to be moved.

Persistence won out over apathy in the end. Tim wore Batman down through sheer stubbornness and blunt honesty. He wasn't looking to replace what Bruce had lost, wasn't trying to be the stand in for a dead boy. Sometimes he wasn't quite sure what he was doing, exactly, but he always knew that whatever it was, it was necessary.

(Tim won't let his heroes fade away without a fight. Even if he has to bring it right to their doorstep and insist they fight too)

Slipping by incogneat_oh

'There is a small plaster on his arm where Bruce had taken a blood sample. It itches. And the computer runs tests.

They don’t believe him when he says he’s fine.

“It was Ivy,” Dick says, tossing Tim a ball.

Tim just shrugs, says, “I feel fine.” '

(Tim is not fine.)

Catch and Release by snackbaskets

There's a tradition among the family: when in danger, you grab the smallest Robin and hang on tight. But like all traditions, this one had to start somewhere, right?

Alternately: three times Dick bodily attacks his father (with love)

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K

Local Gods by EsteriaSilversmith

Saiki may have been able to keep anyone from finding out about his psychic abilities, but enough wierd things have happened around PK Academy that the students had to come up with /some/ kind of explanation.

(Aka Saiki's love of sweets comes back to haunt him in the strangest of ways)

Shades of abnormality by TimesBeingWhatTheyAre

Some days Saiki didn’t feel comfortable in his skin.

Canon-compliant AU in which Saiki is genderfluid

The Sandman

The Cat of the Endless by Salmaka

Hob sighs, content to see the cat there and closes his eyes, ready to fall asleep again. He is not quite willing to wake up fully just yet.

But then it hits him.

He doesn’t have a cat.

Clone Wars

The Trouble with Tookas by thosenearandfarwars

Never trust somebody a tooka dislikes.

despite all (despite everything) by never_going_home

Cody is a mess. Obi-Wan is also a mess. They should probably kiss about it at some point.

Featuring: awful horrible terrible siblings, multiple people being So Fucking Done with codywan's pining, an all-inclusive couples' resort, and shenanigans to the extreme.

//

Sometimes, Cody lies awake in the ship’s night-cycle and thinks about the holo Waxer had found in some forgotten article in the depths of a ‘net archive. It had been grainy and out of focus and half-corrupted, but still clearly the general, comforting some wounded child, twenty years younger, hair long and matted, chin bare of beard, cheeks hollow with hunger and grief. His eyes, though, haunted and full of flinty resolve—his eyes had been the same, the only recognisable part of that child-stranger’s face.

(Nobody could fault Obi-Wan Kenobi for his leadership. The problem, then, lies with Cody.)

hear the silence in your head by firelord_zutara

Despite how wrong wrong wrong his Commander feels in the Force, it’s still a relief when Obi-Wan rounds the corner and sees Cody running towards him, there and whole and alive. That is, until Obi-Wan’s entire universe crumbles in an instant when Cody starts shooting at him.

Or: Instead of Tup being the one with the malfunctioning inhibitor chip, it's Cody.

[celestial-specter]

Here I am again, for more in-depth analysis of The Bad Batch!!

Here you go, @skellymom :))

Aftermath’s battle simulation: How one scene reintroduces us to Clone Force 99, and possibly foreshadows later events in the series.

(Part 2)

As the simulation begins, Hunter orders Crosshair to ‘take the towers.’ Crosshair is thus the first to split off from the rest of the group, quickly climbing one of the towers. As I discussed in part 1, the higher levels in this scene represent the empire. To explain this idea further in reference to the towers themselves, in literature, towers have been used to represent strength, success, and power - all things which Crosshair personally craves. With all this in mind, this movement provides an early indication of Crosshair’s upcoming departure to climb the ranks of the empire. The climb itself is treacherous with no equipment, but Crosshair manages it with ease, quickly reaching the top level - just as he manages to rise to the level of Commander of his new imperial squad.

Once in position, Crosshair makes quick work of shooting and disabling the four towers. I have thought through several interpretations of what these four towers could represent, but my two personal favorites are:

The towers are a representation of Crosshair’s relationships with his four brothers; his disabling attack on each tower shows the severance of his ties to each brother.

The towers have a much more literal meaning, representing the four members of his own imperial squad that Crosshair later kills on this same training ground.

Meanwhile, at Hunter’s order, the rest of the squad push further into the training ground, leaving Crosshair behind on the tower.

When the battle seems to be taking ‘too long,’ Wrecker charges in alone to take down the droids, unconcerned about the danger to himself. Tech does briefly reach out to stop him, but then does not seem to be worried for his brother either, rolling his eyes as he watches from behind the barrier. While we do not see the reactions of the others during this moment, I assume they also were largely passive towards Wrecker’s antics. To me, this carefree attitude is similar in tone to the first few episodes of the series, in which the batch remain largely unaware of the danger they are in from the empire, and Wrecker begins exhibiting symptoms of his inhibitor chip activating. They remain unaware of this huge risk until the episode Battle Scars, in which Rex reveals the truth about the chips.

The composition of the shot in which Wrecker asks Tarkin for more droids to battle is also interesting - Wrecker is naturally larger than the rest of his squad due to his strength-based enhancements, and most shots we see of him are composed to enhance his size (e.g. placing him beside much smaller characters such as Omega). As far as I am aware, this is the only shot we have seen which purposely makes Wrecker look physically small - the height from which Tarkin is viewing him at does most of the work, but this is furthered by none of his brothers being beside him for comparison.

Tarkin himself is not a man of physically imposing stature - this is made obvious when the audience sees him beside the Kaminoans. So, the framing of this shot, with Tarkin appearing to be much bigger than Wrecker, makes the usually giant clone appear almost… doll like.

This shot, as seen below, could be interpreted simply as Tarkin looking down on all clones, viewing them as unworthy of service in the new empire. While I agree this is definitely relevant, I believe it is only a piece of a larger problem. Even in the time of the Republic, many nat-born officers viewed clones simply as cannon-fodder - as in, they were created and thus, expected, to die for their army. But, as we saw in The Clone Wars, many Jedi formed close bonds with their clone battalions, and were instrumental in the clones forming their own identities outside of their lives as soldiers.

Now, with the Jedi order destroyed, imperial officers such as Tarkin, and later Hemlock, are free to treat clones as they wish; simply as toys to be played with for their own entertainment, and to be discarded as soon as they are no longer useful.

When Tarkin then orders the use of live rounds, Wrecker encounters a force even stronger than himself, which the audience can see takes him by surprise. This definitively foreshadows the activation of Wrecker’s inhibitor chip - as the ‘muscle’ of the team, it is likely rare he ever encountered an opponent he couldn’t fight off before, and yet both here, and on Bracca, he was caught off guard and suffered as a result.

When Wrecker is shot by the droid in his right shoulder and flung to the ground, it is Tech who puts himself at risk to move from behind the barrier and drag Wrecker out of danger. This mirrors how he is the first member of the squad and the most at risk of physical harm when Wrecker’s chip first activates. Interestingly, Wrecker is shot in the exact same place that Crosshair later shoots him in during their standoff in the hangar. As Wrecker would be viewed by many as the heart of the squad, having him end up injured in both of these scenarios is a good way to highlight that these moments are strong emotional turning points for the batch and their story.

Seeing that his brothers are now in active danger, Crosshair begins to shoot the new droids firing live rounds, still in his position atop the tower. When the droids then turn their attention on him, the shots they fire damage the tower Crosshair is standing upon. He abandons his post, hanging precariously over the edge of the tower for a moment before sliding down to the ground level. These moments could reference Crosshair realization that the empire does not care about any of the clones, leading to his decision to shoot Lieutenant Nolan, thus abandoning his imperial service and falling back to the very same low societal level that he began with, and that his brothers still occupy.

Once back on the ground, Crosshair returns to Echo and Hunter, but they immediately must move behind a barrier to avoid being shot. Pinned down, Crosshair’s sarcastic commentary during this moment shows he is beginning to lose faith in their ability to complete the simulation successfully. Echo comments that their training blasters are useless against the new droids- each member of the team is already aware of this fact, yet Echo being the one to vocalize it shows he likely accepts new information faster than the rest of his brothers (a notable progression in Echo’s character development since his first appearance in The Clone Wars). As such, Echo is the first member of the team to recognize the breadth and power of the new empire, and the consequences it will have for the clones. He is also the first to begin actively fighting against it by joining Rex’s clone rebellion.

[moonstrider9904]

I don't want to go "that's literally me omg" but

Seeing Crosshair throughout the first two seasons and this first episode of season 3 had always felt like a reflection. Season 1 he clearly had the effects of the inhibitor chip making him do things he couldn't control, and ultimately it led him towards making a decision that would put distance between him and his family. In Season 2 we see him living with the consequences of the choice that he made and he tries and he tries to keep telling himself he made the right decision, and yet the more he does, the more it blows up in his face. In this first episode of season 3, he's trapped, convinced he's going to remain there where he's miserable and won't get away from it.

And if to this we add the Omega factor, where we see the tally marks of the day's she's been there, the growth of her hair, the way she goes from believing she'll make it out the next day from seeming a little more resigned, just performing her tasks until the next opportunity shows up - it was mostly just the tally marks and that time skip that hit me, tbh.

Due to mental illness, I convinced myself moving away from home and living independently was where I belonged. It was cool when it started and I've learned a lot and there have been great things and what I've learned is never going to leave me, but I've also had more family problems and more mental breakdowns than I ever had back home. It's been blowing up in my face over and over again to the point where it feels like this city is flat out rejecting me and I don't want to anymore. But now there are actually things that are tying me here and leaving isn't that easy anymore.

From the trailers, it would seem Crosshair eventually makes up with his family and returns home. I hope I can see a parallel between us in that aspect too sooner rather than later.

I'm shaken after watching that first episode, this is mostly just me rambling and being emotional because that episode hit some very sensitive fibers lol please go ahead and keep enjoying the premiere

[dystopicjumpsuit]

Stars Beyond Number - Chapter 8

In the Wind's Singing

Rating: M - Minors DNI

Pairings: Echo x Riyo Chuchi; Gregor x OFC Cerra Kilian

Wordcount: 2.6k

Warnings and tags: fluff; bonding; discussions of autopsy/corpses; Coca-Cola is canon in Star Wars; no, I'm not joking; SMUT; masturbation

Suggested Listening:

Summary: The strike team returns from scouting Balmorra.

A/N: This story shares continuity with Martyrs and Kings and "Do It Again," but all three fics can be read as stand-alones.

Start here | Previous chapter | Next chapter | Masterlist | Sign up for my tag list | Read on AO3

Voices are in the wind's singing

More distant and more solemn than a fading star.

—T. S. Eliot, “The Hollow Men”

The hologram flickered off, and Rex stared thoughtfully at the empty space where it had projected. Slowly, he said, “I want you to start looking into the clone assassin’s identifying code. Find out how it was wiped, and see if you can replicate the process.”

Cerra  wrinkled her nose. “Does that mean I’m going to have to dissect his arm?”

“That’s for you to find out. I know you’ll do whatever it takes,” Rex said. “In the meantime, I’m grounding you for a few days. No sparring, no supply runs, no missions until your hand is healed.”

She felt a surge of impatience, but his tone brooked no argument, so she simply nodded. Some battles were simply not worth fighting, and she knew Rex would win this one anyway. 

“I need to leave this afternoon to meet with a contact,” Rex continued. “Will you be all right alone?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Hand isn’t that bad.”

“Good,” he said. “Then you can get started on that ID code today.”

“Aye, aye, Cap,” she said with a mock salute.

Once Rex was gone, Cerra opened the stasis pod and examined the dead clone assassin’s forearm. Unlike the inhibitor chips, the identifying codes were not an implant; instead, the data was coded directly into the clones’ wrists. Nothing on the surface indicated how the ID data had been wiped. There was no scar, no wound—nothing except cold, smooth, brown skin. When she scanned it, a hologram appeared, but the contents were empty. She had a sinking feeling that she was going to need to remove the skin and examine it under a microscope to learn more.

Mechanical repairs were no problem for Cerra, but she was wildly unqualified to undertake any kind of medical examination, let alone an autopsy. For the thousandth time, she wished Kix were there. She worried that she would compromise the evidence, and the longer she had the stasis pod open, the more the clone assassin’s body would degrade. With that in mind, she sealed the pod again and began researching autopsy techniques on the Holonet. She watched autopsy vids for what felt like hours with a kind of gruesome fascination, barely noticing when the proximity sensor alerted her that the freighter had returned.

Echo, Fireball, and Gregor entered the garage to find Cerra sitting cross-legged on the couch, utterly engrossed by a vid projected from the holotable as she ate from a promising-looking container. Echo’s stomach rumbled.

“Boys,” she greeted them without looking up.

“Something smells good,” Echo said.

“I got takeout from Dex’s,” she said. “There’s more in the kitchen.”

“Is that brualki brisket?” Gregor asked.

“Yeah, I got extra for you,” she said. “There’s also brakkenback stew, nerfburgers, and two orders of each kind of protato on the menu.”

A woman of taste, Echo thought, heading to the kitchen to examine the options.

“Ugh, what are you watching?” Fireball demanded.

“Autopsy vids,” she mumbled around a bite of brisket.

“While you’re eating? Gross,” Fireball said.

“Gotta figure out what to do with our friend over there,” Cerra said, pointing at the stasis pod. “Besides, it’s not like I’m eating directly off a corpse.”

Echo pulled a face. Gregor went to the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets until he found a small medkit. Then he swiped the remaining container of brisket and a bag of fried protato wedges and flopped down next to Cerra on the sofa. 

“Next time, you can buy dinner, and then you get to pick the holovid, Fireball,” Gregor said. “Cerra, did you take your antibiotics?”

“What antibiotics?” she asked distractedly.

“That’s what I thought,” Gregor said drily. He extracted a couple of pills from the medkit and handed them to her. “Take these.”

Cerra automatically took the pills and swallowed them, then handed Gregor a tub of glockaw sauce without taking her eyes off the holovid. “Ooh, look, they’re about to peel off the skin!”

Fireball gagged. Gregor dipped a protato wedge into the sauce and popped it into his mouth, chewing happily. Echo looked down at the container of stew he’d selected, and his stomach lurched, cheeks going even grayer than usual.

“I, uh, think I’ll hit the shower,” he said, setting the stew back on the countertop.

Cerra and Gregor didn’t respond, too immersed in the holovid. Despite himself, Fireball drifted closer, leaning over the back of the sofa with his eyes glued to the vid. He absentmindedly reached for a protato wedge, and Gregor slapped his hand away. Cerra wordlessly handed her half-empty bag of shoestring fries to Fireball. 

Echo shrugged and headed to the refresher. He took his time in the shower, knowing that the rest of the group was likely to be distracted. The hot water relaxed the muscles in his back and soothed his aching limbs where his prosthetics connected. His mind drifted to Senator Chuchi—Riyo, as she’d insisted he call her. He couldn’t imagine the beautiful, gentle Pantoran watching holovids of corpse dissections. When Rex had opened the stasis pod to show Echo and the Batch the clone assassin, Riyo had carefully avoided looking at the man’s face. She hadn’t become desensitized to death and violence the way Cerra and his fellow clones had, but she was fearless, even in the face of Rampart’s attempts on her life.

She was so lovely. Sweet, but strong. As he pictured her smooth, cerulean skin, her soft lilac hair, and the subtle curves of her body, he felt his cock stiffen. Seizing the rare moment of privacy, Echo soaped up his hand and began to stroke himself, careful to keep silent. He braced himself against the shower stall with his scomp arm, tilting his head back to let the warm water flow over his neck and chest. 

He envisioned Riyo around him—her mouth, her body, her sighs of passion and her enveloping warmth, her wide golden eyes glazed with need. His breath became ragged. It had been months since he’d been with a woman, he was acutely conscious that any of the team could walk in at any moment. Gritting his teeth to hold back his groans, he squeezed harder and increased the speed of his hand. Before long, the surging pleasure overwhelmed his control, and he spilled hot, white jets of cum onto the shower floor.

All his breath left him in a rush, and his head sagged to rest on the arm that braced against the shower wall. The water started to run cold, so he finished washing and toweled off, dressing quickly and returning to join the others.

Echo suppressed a laugh when he saw Fireball sprawled on the sofa with the other two. The two clones had removed their armor and now wore only their black body gloves. The holotable was cluttered with empty wrappers and takeout containers, and somebody had filled a bucket with ice and several bottles of ale, two of which Gregor and Fireball were already drinking. Echo noticed that the bulky bandage on Cerra’s hand had been replaced with a neat bacta patch, and the medkit had been put away. The group had turned raucous, and Fireball kept up a running commentary on the vid.

“You call that a primary incision?” he jeered. “I could do better blindfolded, with a vibrosword!”

“If you’re so confident, maybe you should do the autopsy,” Cerra said.

“No thanks,” Fireball said. “It’s one thing to watch a holovid. It’s something else when it’s a brother.”

“I know,” Cerra said. “That’s why I’m not drinking. Gotta keep my head clear so I can focus on the techniques.”

Echo grunted as he heated up a bowl of stew. “I can’t believe you’re still watching that. Why not put on something like the Great Galactic Bake Off instead?”

Cerra twisted around to look at him. “You’re a Bake Off fan? Have you seen this week’s episode yet?”

“No. I usually watch it with Omega,” Echo replied.

“Hmph, Charo Intan was robbed last week,” Gregor grumbled.

“You’re just saying that because the Sullustan got Galaxy Baker,” Cerra teased.

“His technical bake was a disaster!” Gregor exclaimed. “The judges are out of their minds.”

Fireball listened to the exchange with a look of utter bewilderment. “What are you even talking about?”

Three heads swiveled to stare at Fireball.

“You haven’t heard of the Bake Off?” Gregor asked incredulously. “Do you live under an asteroid?”

Fireball shrugged.

“Oh, my sweet summer child,” Cerra said, punching the control panel of the holotable. “Prepare to lose your sanity and any hope of a social life.”

Echo was surprised at how nonchalant Cerra seemed, especially after the previous night’s disaster. He took his bowl of stew to the sofa and nudged Fireball out of the way as he sat down. It was a tight squeeze with the four of them, so Cerra scooted onto Gregor’s lap to make room. Fireball picked up her legs to drape across his thighs.

Echo couldn’t quite figure out what was going on between Cerra and Gregor. He had assumed they were a couple when he’d first arrived, but he had second-guessed himself when their obvious affection for each other never seemed to go beyond platonic demonstrations. But Gregor’s reaction to Cerra’s distress the previous night; the tender, intimate words he’d whispered as he comforted her; and in particular his anomalous hostility toward Rex made Echo reevaluate his assumptions yet again. But now the commando seemed utterly unfazed as Fireball joined their little snuggle pile, even as the younger clone settled in cozily beneath Cerra’s calves.

Fireball rolled up one of Cerra’s pant legs and began to doodle on her skin with a marker, drawing complex, abstract swirls in black ink. The familiar opening jingle of the Bake Off started to play, and Echo gave up on trying to unravel the complexities of—kriff—whatever was going on at the other end of the sofa, turning his attention instead to the holovid.

Once again, it seemed Echo was the odd man out. It seemed strange and wrong to watch the show without Omega, and he missed his brothers’ familiar camaraderie. He didn’t think Cerra was intentionally excluding him, but he couldn’t help feeling a little stab of envy at how easily she and Gregor had allowed Fireball into their little circle. The younger clone hadn’t needed to work for it at all; they’d simply absorbed him. Echo frowned as he wondered if he had done something to make Cerra hold him at a distance.

As if on cue, she rummaged through the bucket of ice, retrieving two bottles of ale and cracking them open. To Echo’s surprise, though, she held one out to him, and when he took it with a silent nod of thanks, she clinked her bottle against his and took a sip. Echo reflexively drank his as well, watching out of the corner of his eye as Cerra settled back against Gregor. The commando shifted to wrap his arm around her, tugging her closer to him and easing her head onto his shoulder.

“This is the week that useless Garr Tevv goes home,” Gregor declared. “I can feel it.”

“I don’t know, buddy,” Cerra said. “The judges don’t seem to share your opinion of Sullustans. I think he’ll make it to the finale.”

“What’s wrong with Sullustans?” Fireball asked.

“Heh, it’s a long story,” Gregor chuckled.

“You can’t judge all Sullustans by what Borkus did,” Echo said.

“Oh, can’t I?” Gregor asked. “How do you feel about Skakoans?”

“Fair point,” Echo conceded. 

“Why are there so many contestants from Separatist worlds?” Fireball asked.

“Something about bringing the galaxy together after the turmoil of war,” Gregor said. 

“By making them compete against each other?” Fireball sounded confused.

“Friendly competition,” Echo clarified. “Although it hardly seemed friendly when Timi Riniath stole Runa Mone’s conservator and left her custard out to curdle.”

“Ugh, I can’t believe they let Timi stay in after that,” Cerra complained. “Such a cheater.”

“I still think it was an honest mistake,” Gregor said.

“No way,” Echo and Cerra retorted in unison.

“Jinx, you owe me a Coke,” Cerra said automatically.

Echo inhaled sharply, and Cerra’s face went rigid as they both realized what she’d said. How many times had Fives repeated that sentence? He and Echo spoke jointly so often that it was practically their catchphrase. Fives and Cerra must have shared the same tendency for her to have picked up the habit.

“Kriff,” she whispered. “Sorry, Echo. I wasn’t thinking. It just slipped out.”

“That’s all right,” Echo said uncomfortably. “It was bound to happen sometime.”

Gregor rubbed a soothing hand on Cerra’s back. Fireball looked more confused than ever, but he wisely didn’t ask questions and went back to his drawing. 

“Good to know you shared the same brain cell with Fives as I did,” Echo said to diffuse the tension. “Feels like there’s still part of him with us.”

For once, it seemed he’d said the right thing, because Cerra visibly relaxed, and a small smile crept over her face. “Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?”

The recap segment of the show ended, and they all turned to the holovid. Fireball occasionally asked questions about how the competition worked, which Gregor answered enthusiastically, and soon the group became fully captivated. They cheered for their favorites and booed the contestants they disliked. At some point, a second round of beers was passed around, and by the end of the show, Fireball had already downloaded the old episodes onto his datapad so he could watch them next time he was on a long hyperspace jump.

Cerra looked haggard and was probably feeling the lingering effects of the sedative Gregor had administered as well as the aftermath of everything else that had happened the previous night. She didn’t manage to stay awake through the whole episode, lulled to sleep by the way Gregor absentmindedly rubbed her shoulders and the soft drag of Fireball’s marker against her leg. 

“I’ll take first watch,” Fireball said quietly.

Gregor nodded, standing cautiously with Cerra in his arms and staggering a little under their combined weight. Cerra jostled awake with a startled grunt.

“Shh, go back to sleep,” Gregor said. “I’ve got you.”

She blinked owlishly at him and looked around.

“Good night, Cerra,” Fireball said.

“G’night, Tup,” she murmured as she burrowed her face into Gregor’s shoulder.

Fireball and Echo exchanged confused looks with Gregor, who just shrugged and turned away to carry Cerra to the barracks. Echo and Fireball cleaned up the detritus of their impromptu watch party, and then Echo headed for the barracks as well. 

“I’ll take the second watch,” Echo told Fireball. “I don’t think Gregor has slept at all in the last two days.”

Inside the barracks, Gregor had already tucked Cerra into her bunk and was changing out of his body glove into a pair of sweatpants. Echo eased down onto his bunk and detached his leg prosthetics with a sigh of relief. Gregor climbed into his own bunk, and the barracks descended into silence.

By some miracle of fate or the Force, Echo slept. When Fireball shook him awake to stand watch, Echo flinched away, his heart racing. Fireball held up his hands placatingly and returned to the main room. Echo dressed quickly and reattached his legs, then went to join him.

“All quiet?” Echo asked.

“So far,” Fireball said. “But I got a comm from my brother Nemec. He wants out. Do you think Rex will help?”

“I know he will,” Echo said firmly. “We’ll start planning the extraction as soon as Rex gets back.”

The anxiety in the younger clone’s face eased, and he nodded gratefully when Echo told him to get some rest. Before he returned to the barracks, though, Fireball had one more question.

“Echo?” he asked hesitantly. “Who’s Tup?”

“No idea,” Echo said.

---

Next chapter

[mamuzzy]

I only wanted to answer in reblog but it got so long i decided to make a separate post. But it had me thinking about media consumerism and how it could affect the open-mindedness for different shows soooo...

Here is a guide to...

HOW TO GET SOMEONE TRAPPED IN THE CLONE HELL

... not entirely a guide but more like an observation.

If we want to look at the problem with the fast-paced media consumer viewpoint, I think starting with the Bad Batch it's actually not a bad idea for someone who never watched Star Wars animated media before. It's sad but cartoons, animations can repulse people to watch things because they link them to child stories, something only a child would watch, also most of the people prefer live action instead of animated stuff. Especially if the said movie/series is quite old. cont. under the cut...

There could be a reason why people are not interested in clones

If a friend, family member, boyfriend/girlfriend/whatever only saw the movies and were not interested in TCW before, had not seen it as a child on TV, they will probably have prejudice against the clones. - They weren't the main characters in the movies therefor we have not seen them interacting that much with the main cast. - But even if you don't know star wars, you will probably know the clones for Order 66, white armored assholes who murdered the jedi aka good guys. And when the movies came out, inhibitor chips weren't in the picture. ---> this observations came while watching TCW with my dad who didn't like the clones because for this exact same reason: the clones basicly serve antagonist without question in a world where rules were set: jedi are good, sith are evil. -> I don't care that it is more complex that. It is what was shown. While he enjoyed the clone-centric episodes, he still stood at his point. They killed the jedi. End of story. - People have different interests :'(((((((

THE CLONE WARS 2003

Why do I recommend this first.

You can always say it's made by the same guy who made Samurai Jack. Strategically speaking Clone Wars 2003 would be a good starting point despite not being canon anymore because TCW is adapting some of the stories shown here. It recaps well what happened between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Also this is the first media where Asajj Ventress and Grievous were introduced, and where you can actually see Grievous in his prime, an absolutely terrifying foe who actually can mop the floor with the jedi. Lots of jedi were introduced here which later also appeared in TCW. Why is this important: Having familiarity with the characters shown in memorable scenes helps that you will recognise them later in other media. Like... Hey it's the jedi dude who stripped in the middle of a fight! Hey, aren't these the same guys who mutated an entire village out of fun who kidnapped Echo??? And so on. TIME: 25 x 5 minutes episodes full of action so it keeps up the interest, and... FORDO. 5 minutes of full clone badassery. While TCW emphasises on the theme that the clones are living, feeling human beings who can die exactly like a human, in CW2003 they are shown like really the badass super soldiers (especially the ARC Troopers) who were bred for war. How much time it takes an episode to watch is an important factor. Because someone who binge watches 10 x 1 hour long netflix series under one day without sleep, drink, eat is not a guarantee that they will be able to sit through 133 x 22 minutes episodes. The sheer numbers will scare them away, nobody has a time watch 133 episodes when you can watch like... 5 different series instead! STORY TELLING COMPARED TO TCW: CW2003 goes for mostly visual story telling instead of talking. It's suspenseful, it's scenic, it's extreme, sometimes silly (rocket-launcher clone in the elevator with zero fuck given is still my favorite) but it's guarantee that you will remember. TCW episodes are varying from episodic to two-to-four episode arcs, it has silly comic relief episodes, it has serious dark episodes, obligatory beach episode, obligatory valentine day episode, obligatory school festival episodes obligatory-just kidding lol , so the lenght of one story can be varying, so is the quality of them. So unless you have a hyperfixation, or are a completionist, or interested enough, the episodes - in psychologycal term -, won't urge you the continue. Because in one 22 minutes episode you got a complete story without cliffhanger it won't make you think, because all the questions asked in the beginning of the episode was answered at the end. It won't rush you to continue, because you know that probably the next episode will be about an entire different conflict. You can stop anytime without the feeling of "just one more episode, just one more episode". Also, it doesn't help that you know how the story will end if you saw Revenge of the Sith. The forementioned uglyness... It took me years to finish TCW. I hated when it came out back in 2009 despite loving Star Wars and CW2003 and only after a decade picked up my interest again, it still took me years to finish it anyway. Back then, I really hated how everything got quickly 3D in neglection of 2D. But can't say it's ugly because it's old, it was ugly when it came out! You really have to force yourself to accept how it looks until you are fine with it, because your eyes got used to it. Also some episodes were boring, not entertaining, I just lost interest and only came back later to continue and I even forgot what happened before. I can't remember most of the arc expect those I was interested in to rewatch it again in the last years. Yes, the quality will improve. Season 7 is beautiful. The visuals of Bad Batch is also beautiful. But between season 6 and season 7, years passed.

THE BAD BATCH

Why do I recommend TBB for someone who ain't got time for shit™:

- TBB season are 16 episodes long. It's friendlier than 133 number wise. - There are only a few main characters to follow. It's important because when there are a large cast of characters, it's easy to get confused who is who and with literal CLONES as main characters, it's hard to distinguish them from each other. I know I can distinguished them, because I'm so fixated on them that every single verbal and non-verbal gesture they make will shoot me into outer space. - The Batch uses popular character tropes, different looks, different voices and tones, so they are recognisable, therefore, you will remember them for the rest of the show. So it will be a chance that you will fall for at least one member of the batch. And then you'll be thirsting mess over one character and eventually you'll be staning all of them, and eventually you will seek out more contents,fanfics, fanarts, headcanons with them that will attract TCW characters or events as well that will lead further deep down into the clone-hell. --> You can start showing the Bad Batch arc TCW where Jesse, Kix, Rex, Cody is also present, so there are plenty of topic and characters to talk about later. Also... Who is this Echo guy, how did he end up here? You can show the Domino Squad episodes, Kamino arc, citadel arc... - This could be a double-edge sword, but TBB are shown resemblance to Delta Squad, Omega Squad and Null ARC troopers. You know Delta Squad from the Video Game, Republic Commando, while the Omegas and Nulls are the main characters of the book series with the same name by Karen Traviss. I say it's double edged, because without these fantastic characters we wouldn't have The Bad Batch, but also I can understand the fans who wanted the Deltas adapted properly instead. - In season 1, the "fillers" add to the story and the characters as well and they won't get episodic-amnesia. (they may have TCW amnesia though... yes, I look at you Echo.) - In Season 1, there is a clear conflict which shadow always lingers even if the plot of the episode does not directly touches it. - Returning characters from TCW like Rex and Gregor could make the consumer ask the questions: who are these guys and why are they important? Rex is cute, is there more episodes with him? Oh yes, my dear prey friend, there is a whole series about him. - I only say season 1 because I'm not entirely satisfied how season 2 were handled while I enjoyed the first one. My hyperfixation for TCW last year literally started with Bad Batch. The trailer was so misleadingly awesome I wanted to watch it before season 2 would come out, but I wanted to finish TCW first (finally!). Season 6 and Season 7 were basicly binge watch and it got me interested again in the previous seasons too.

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS 2008 (movie)

Why do I recommend this before TCW - It has Fox - Because sitting through a one-night movie is still easier than watching 133 episodes while maintaining the same quality of the show. - It has Fox - It shows the story how Ahsoka is introduced as Anakin's padawan the first time and we get a glimpse of their initial relationship and dynamic. - It has Fox - Basicly two arc in one movie but the introduced characters stay the same the entire time so you have time to get to know them, recognise them, and later you can remember them. - It has Fox - It has Fox.

TALES OF THE JEDI

It has that one episodes with the clones where they train Ahsoka. Possible questions could be asked: wtf happens at the END? Where is the rest of it? You can instantly show the last arc of season 7. Which would lead to another questions: wtf are the mandalorians, why Maul is here, wtf happening with Rex during O66, why is he hesitating to shoot Ahsoka? Now you can show the Chip conspiracy ARC with Fives! This Fives is a nice guy, is there more episodes of him? Oh boy~

And if they are interested in watching TCW with you..

- Watching together as spending time together usually helps. I think discord also has a function where you can stream movies to others. - You don't have to watch it in the exact order the episodes came out - Show arcs. There are lot of clone centric arcs. I literally collected all the episodes where Echo and Fives are present. --> Dad remembered Echo the whole time and he felt sorry for him. I showed the episodes in such order that his story could be followed easely. ------------- I know. I get it. Every episode is awesome. Every character is awesome. They are. They are all blorbos. They are our blorbos.

[sammys-magical-au]

Ok so I’m doing more Star Wars au development atm (spoilers if you wanna wait the two years it’ll take for me to actually write these fics 😭) so here’s how Fives (and Tup) lives.

Fives’ storyline progresses pretty much as normal up until Tup’s death - instead of dying, he was kept alive by the Kaminoans similarly to how Echo was kept alive on Skako Minor, but for the purpose of having a series of tests run on him to find out why his inhibitor chip malfunctioned. During this time, Fives still uncovers the conspiracy behind the chips and Order 66, and attempts to put a stop to it the same way as in canon. Only difference being, when he’s about to be shot down by Fox a certain golden-haired Coruscanti commoner steps in (and by that I mean leaps from the rafters and knocks about three Corries to the ground) and the shot goes wide, ends up hitting Fives’ shoulder instead.

So, Fives lives, only problem is, when he got hit with the blaster shot, he got knocked over by said shot and hit his head before Rex or Anakin could break the fall, resulting in complete memory loss of everything he’d discovered about Order 66 and the inhibitor chips. He still has this nagging feeling that he was trying to do something important when he got shot, and that it had something to do with rescuing Tup from Kamino, but he can’t remember what.

In my verison of the timeline, this all happens before the Wrong Jedi arc, so shortly after all of this, Ahsoka and Rex leave to start the new rebellion on Alderaan, until Rex hears word of the way the Seperatists seem to be using the Republic’s own battle plans against them and realizes it has to mean Echo’s still alive. Because of this, he and Ahsoka return to Coruscant briefly to attempt to find and rescue Echo, along with Anakin, the Bad Batch, and Lionel, who goes back undercover as Sibling to do so. Anakin insists that Fives not get involved in the rescue mission since it hasn’t been that long since he recovered from his injury, but Fives ends up hiding out on the ship to Skako Minor anyway.

After Echo is rescued and recovers, Fives becomes determined that he has to try and rescue Tup as well, but now that Rex and Ahsoka have returned to Alderaan and their rebellion, he’s very much alone in this effort except for Echo’s support - until Lionel passes word on to Cody, who at first is skeptical, but realizes that Fives’ feelings for Tup are the reason he’s so desperate to save him (feelings that parallel Cody’s own feelings for Rex). Thus, yet another mission is launched, this time to Kamino, where Fives, Echo, Cody, and Lionel find and free Tup with the help of a Clone cadet who takes Lionel’s undercover name of Sibling.

Seeing Tup’s face is what brings back Fives’ memories of the conspiracy behind the inhibitor chips, so he decides to convince both Echo and Tup to defect with him and join Rex on Alderaan so he can help them stop Order 66 from happening - HOWEVER, right after the three of them leave Coruscant, Anakin and Lionel confront Palpatine, Lionel is almost killed, Anakin falls to the Dark Side after killing Palpatine, Obi-Wan manages to turn him back, and the war is officially declared over.

After this, Fives spreads word about the inhibitor chips to Clones all across the galaxy, and the process of removing the chips and bringing the Kaminoans to justice begins. And then they all lived happily ever after and nothing hurts, yada yada yada, the end.

I literally feel like this whenever I ramble about this kinda stuff but if at least one of you out there is entertained by this I can die happy

[nimbus2224]

The dawning realization that the clone assassin could be Cody and every atom of my being going

For real though. :( ][warning, salty rant ahead x_x 🧂)

I saw the assassin clone get up after being blown up and being a defiant little shit to Wolffe and was like, "Oh, shit. Is that my boi?" 😨 Overall, I just don't trust the show not to throw him under the bus like this.

First we had the curse of 'by the book' and "Haha, Cody boring! Nobody (Jedi) wants to bring him along on missions because he's dumb!" Then we had the entirely of Clone Wars show where he never once got to use his jetpack or do basically any paratrooper stuff, train anybody, or be part of the breakthrough of clones being allowed to have names/identities (the show literally never explains how this went from being illegal and neigh punishable by death or 'reprogramming' to "All the good guys call clones by their names cuz they're human beings."). History with Bad Batch, nah. Squad Seven, nah. How he went AWOL from the Empire, nah. Then the inhibitor chips taking away any nuance or grey areas of Order 66 ...

At this point, I'm just waiting from them to take the very last shreds of his agency and personality away and basically turn him into the Phase 0 Dark Trooper that I was so afraid I was going to see when this series began. There's a reason why I keep watching "The Solitary Clone" from last season. Not only does it showcase some of the best parts of who Cody is and what he does, but it got to the core questions and subtleties of who the clones are and the problems they face. (basically everything I wanted from this show and Clone Wars)

It's such a weird feeling knowing that a character that quickly grew into more than just a flat background character, and built the foundation (alongside Alpha) for opening the door to all anti-war themes and other clone characters, could be back in the picture purely to receive more punishment as a mere plot device. And, I know that Cody's story is not one that the showrunners were interested in telling at any point, but it's such a bummer for me if this is how they plan on bringing his story to its canonical conclusion. Especially after the absolute gem of his episode in season 2 giving us snatches of these deeper existential themes of war, power, and being trapped in a system that harms people.

In essence, I have a bad feeling about where season 3 is going.

Ugh, sorry, I'll stop ranting now. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk! ;p

[fanfictasia]

Whumpuary Prompt 4

“Help me”

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from The Nighttime Fear

Going under is… strange. Hunter’s been sedated before, but this is different. He feels like he’s floating like there’s something pulling him in.

“I know who you are,” a familiar bright voice says, “You’re Crosshair.”

“How do you know me?” Crosshair snarls back, and the image slowly drifts into focus. Kamino. The brilliant white light is something Hunter would recognize, anywhere.

The image shifts before she can answer. It shudders, darkening, and he sees flashes, fleeting images. He sees Crosshair. He sees the girl.

The surroundings are unclear when it settles again, but it’s dimmer. Crosshair – dreseed in black, and it looks so wrong on him that it hurts – is standing, facing her. His lightsaber blade is ignited and red. That hurts, too.

Her eyes are wide.

She’s wearing a forehead-pendant thing that reminds Hunter of the one Nala Se used to wear, though it was such a long time ago, he couldn’t say if the markings are identical. He’s seen it before, but never so vividly.

“My mission is to find them,” Crosshair says, voice silkily smooth enough that it makes Hunter’s skin crawl. He only talks like that when he’s about to react with violence. “And that’s what you want. I don’t see why that should be a problem.”

“What does the Empire want with our brothers?” she demands. She sounds angry and terrified at once.

“What’s it to you?” he snarks back, stalking forwards.

The girl backs away from him, eyes wide.  “Crosshair, this isn’t you!” she yells as he grabs her wrist. “It’s your inhibitor chip!”

She knows about those, too, Hunter thinks numbly.

“Don’t make this difficult,” he snarls, “They aren’t worth hurting for.”

“Yes, they are!” she yells back at him, defiant and angry. “They’re our brothers!”

“Hunter!” She didn’t speak, because he didn’t see her say it, but he still heard the echo of his name in her mind, calling him. Crying for him.