#though not so much the details on how padme and vader took over...

[zoryany]

Hi! I REALLY liked that Skysolo AU where Han has to meet the royal family, if I prompt you ‘8. I know of your reputation all too well.’ could you possible continue it so he meets Vader? 🥺 (totally understand if not, great AU either way!!)

I’m glad you enjoyed it and I ABSOLUTELY can continue it with that prompt, thank you !! (I’ve definitely blurred the line between “ficlet” and full-blown fanfic at this point tbh…)Imperial Royal Skywalker Family AU Pt 1 || send me ficlet prompts – optionally include characters

After they’d finished their tea, Luke was quick to excuse himself and Han, ushering his guest towards the suite he’d prepared earlier. A wave of relief rolled off Han the moment they left the parlour, and Luke couldn’t help but share the sentiment. Everyone had been civil enough for the duration, but Luke had felt the tension that lingered beneath the polite conversation. Mother and Leia were both furious with him, he could tell, and though both would maintain a proper amount of decorum in front of their guest, Luke knew exactly what he was in for once Father returned.

That was not something he was looking forward to.

As he led Han through the corridors between the parlour and the guest room, Luke tried to stay relaxed and exude as much nonchalance as possible. “Well, that wasn’t so bad, was it? I’d say you’ve won over two out of three already. Probably helps they’re both so upset with me that it’s easier for them to speak to you without snapping right now. Though I will be getting an earful later…”

“Gee, that makes me feel real great about this whole thing,” Han grumbled. Luke couldn’t help but feel sheepish at that, which Han instantly noticed and grimaced in response. “No, I just meant that – look, I’m sorry you’re in this mess, and I’m sorry if it’s ‘cause of me…”

“Hey,” Luke said sharply, “none of that. You didn’t make me leave home in the first place, and while I’ve definitely been enjoying our time together, don’t flatter yourself into thinking you’re the reason I’ve stayed away this long.” Chuckling lightly at the look of offense he was getting from the smuggler, Luke continued. “Don’t get me wrong, there’s no way I would’ve stayed on Ord Mantell as long as I did if not for you, but truth be told… well I actually would’ve stayed away longer if we hadn’t met – just on some other planet.”

He could feel the curiosity burning within Han. They never really talked about why he ran away or what he was doing on Ord Mantell. That was part of the reason the two of them had gotten along, initially – no obligation to speak about their pasts, just focus on the present and the future. Even now, Han wasn’t pushing him despite his clear curiosity, but Luke couldn’t avoid his responsibilities forever.

Reaching the door to the guest room, he let out a sigh as he pushed the door open and gestured for Han to enter first. The smuggler hesitated slightly before breezing past the threshold and into the suite. It was not nearly so resplendent as the Royal Rooms, but it was still the height of luxury. Luke had been sure to select one of the smaller rooms and furnish it modestly enough so Han wouldn’t be overwhelmed, but he was all too aware of how extravagant it was. Simple yet tasteful artwork lined the walls, a large window revealed a magnificent view of Coruscant’s upper levels, and the bed that dominated the space was a plush four-poster with a dreamsilk canopy draped over it. Most of the bedding in the Palace was expensive and made of some form of soft, silk-like material, but Luke had managed to dig up a set of lighter sheets made of Alderaanian cotton that would better suit Han’s comfort level. And, sitting on top of the bed was –

“Mother…” Luke groaned as Han held up the finery and examined it. “She wants you to dress for dinner. Probably sent Threepio to set these out for you while we were distracted by tea, and I’m willing to bet my lightsaber that those will fit you perfectly. I’ll throw in my speeder and guess that I’ve got an outfit set out, too.”

“She seriously expects me to wear this?” Han was holding the dark-coloured suit as though it was made of tissue and would shred if he gripped it too tight. “I’m pretty sure the shirt alone cost more than I’ve made – or ever will make – in my entire life.”

Grimacing, Luke felt a pang of embarrassment, knowing full well that he couldn’t deny that. It was part of the reason he’d left in the first place. He’d never felt comfortable with his status, preferring instead to tinker with mechanics or get to know the people or practice flying over the city. Being a prince just never sat quite right with him. But his parents insisted on nothing short of the best for their children, and nothing quite surpassed their desire to keep the twins safe. They meant well. Luke knew they meant well. They were just… stubborn.

He wasn’t ready for that conversation with Han yet, though, so instead he just let out a breezy laugh and shook his head. “I think you’ll look dashing in it. Mother does have impeccable taste, after all. You don’t gotta put it on yet, though. We still have a bit of time before dinner. I can give you a tour, show you all the places I hid and the secrets I discovered growing up.”

***

Tugging lightly at his collar, Han shifted in his seat, hoping he didn’t appear too awkward as he tried not to stare at Luke sitting across from him. When the two had met, he never would have guessed that the scruffy blond with grease on his cheek and dirt under his fingernails could possibly be anyone even remotely noble. He looked like just about every other down-on-his-luck scoundrel just trying to scrape by, even if the kid had a lot more enthusiasm than most. But if Han thought the difference in his voice when speaking to his mother was jarring, seeing Luke dressed up and put together was staggering.

Though his hair wasn’t quite slicked down – Han wasn’t sure if that was even possible, anyways – it was obvious that Luke had at least put some effort into making it presentable, and it lay a lot smoother than usual, framing his face. A white shirt was visible beneath a black tunic, and he wore matching black trousers, all made from the same, expensive-looking material. The real highlight of the outfit, however, was the deep blue cape secured around his neck with a bright golden clasp and a silvery pattern woven throughout the material like constellations. Luke wore the night sky, which only served to make his features appear even more like a radiant sun.

Han had been mostly quiet through the meal in an effort to keep himself from saying anything overly foolish, sticking to polite acknowledgements and general courtesies. He was so caught up in maintaining decorum that he didn’t even really hear much of the conversation around him, catching only snippets here and there.

Luke looked much more at ease than Han was, and he even appeared to have relaxed since the tense tea session they’d had earlier. He was sharing lighthearted banter with his sister (who kept shooting Han suspicious glances, albeit less frequently than before) and chatting pleasantly with his mother (who seemed far warmer and more genuine than earlier). It was clear that, despite the conversations the family still needed to have, they maintained a strong bond and genuine love for one another.

(Han was decidedly not jealous of that. Not at all.)

The pleasant air in the dining room carried on into dessert, by which time even Han had relaxed a bit and would make the odd remark or share the odd barb with the Princess. They had almost finished working their way through the decadent assortment of cakes and pastries when the atmosphere suddenly shifted.

The change was most obvious in Luke, whose eyes blew wide and a shudder rippled through him as he stiffened in his seat. Gasping with a shaky breath, he lifted his gaze and fixed it on something behind Han’s chair.

“Father.” Oh. Kriff. He probably should have been able to guess that. “I, uh – you weren’t due to return home until after dinner.” It was incredible how quickly the kid’s composure could crumble, switching instantly from the picture of Imperial Royalty to the naive, stammering vagabond who could not lie to save his life.

“No, I was not.” The basso tone produced by the vocoder seemed to fill the entire room, and Han had to suppress a shudder as the towering dark form crept into his field of view like a shadow. Darth Vader loomed over Luke, who looked absolutely tiny next to him, and Han had to give the kid credit for not cowering when a gloved finger was pointed between his eyes. “I do, however, have every right to alter my schedule when matters arise concerning my son.” Luke did cringe a little bit at that. Vader wasn’t done. “My son, who I have not heard from in several weeks, who has returned home with… company.”

Han could not say he deserved the same credit as Luke as he cowered the moment that death mask turned to face him. “Ah yeah, hi, that’s me, uhh nice to meet you, Mr. Vader, sir, I’m –”

“Captain Han Solo.” His jaw dropped and he gaped at Vader as he cut him off. “Yes. I know of your reputation all too well.”

Luke’s eyes had gone wide again, and his jaw dropped down as well. Even the Princess seemed taken aback, though the Empress seemed unfazed.

“You – you know who I am?”

“I make a point to know who the Hutts choose to have dealings with.”

Oh. Kriff, he’d forgotten about Vader’s vendetta against the Hutts. “Hey, hey, I don’t go makin’ a habit of it or anything, just a few jobs for Jabba – who didn’t even like me, anyway. Put a bounty on my head when I dropped a job after realizing the cargo wasn’t spice. I don’t smuggle people. Far’s I’m concerned, the galaxy’s better off without him.”

Vader inclined his helmet slightly while keeping his gaze fixed on Han. The dark, deep crimson of the eyeplates felt like they would burn twin holes right through him. “I must admit,” Vader finally said, “that I can agree with you in that regard, at the very least.” For the briefest second, Han got the impression of amusement before the temperature in the room plummeted again and he had to work to keep his composure. “That does not, however, change the fact that you are still a criminal, nor does it excuse the rest of your misdeeds.”

“Well,” said Han, silently cursing his uncontrollable disregard for his own wellbeing, “ya got me there. But I’m a changed man, honest. I’m pretty aware of your reputation, too, and I got no interest in experiencing it firsthand.”

From across the table, he caught a glimpse of Luke’s expression, which was a confused jumble of amusement, horror, mortification, disbelief and resignation. Beside her brother, the Princess concealed a snort, passing it off as a cough. Han was pretty sure he was done for when Vader took a step forward, his arms uncrossing from his chest as he reached a hand towards him, but the Empress had fluidly risen from her seat and appeared at his side.

Resting her hands delicately on his arm, she gazed up at him with a gentle, soothing expression and whispered something that sounded like “Ani.” Her next words were clearer while still remaining gentle and placating. “Captain Solo here is Luke’s guest, and I have personally offered him our hospitality. Please refrain from terrorizing him tonight. You know how our children feel when you frighten off their company.” Luke and Leia both flushed pink and sunk in their seats.

On the surface, it was a standard family interaction, mother holding back father, father upholding authority, children doing all they could to mitigate their embarrassment, but Han could not think of anything more surreal. The mother in question was the most politically powerful person in the galaxy, dressed in resplendent garments of deep crimson as she looked lovingly up at her husband. The father was the most dangerous man in the galaxy, cutting an intimidating figure and dwarfing his wife while still, somehow, managing an unexpected level of tenderness. The children were set to inherit the galaxy, twin Highnesses -- one of whom he was involved with -- and no less dangerous than their parents.

And Han... had no idea what to do with himself.

Far more gentle than he would have ever expected possible, Vader rested a hand on his wife’s cheek and the two shared a brief embrace, seeming to exchange something entirely private and intimate. In their seats, Luke and Leia flushed deeper, and Han found himself wishing he was anywhere else. Withdrawing his hand, Vader seemed somewhat reluctant as he took a step back. 

“Very well. This is clearly not a conversation for the dinner table. I shall retreat to my study to tie up what loose ends I can while you conclude your meal. However,” Vader turned to face his son, “your mother and I have much to discuss with you, boy. Do not attempt to needlessly delay this discussion.”

Luke, who had slid about as far down in his seat as he could without falling right off, grimaced and looked up at his father with an expression of contrition. “Yes, sir,” he mumbled before stuffing a small pastry in his mouth.

Vader turned on his heel and swept out of the dining room, leaving it in a thoroughly uncomfortable silence. The Princess was resting her hand on Luke’s shoulder and giving her brother, who appeared mortified, a sympathetic look. The Empress had returned to her seat, looking nonplussed, though she had regained some measure of her former severity. 

Once again, Han shifted in his seat and avoided everyone’s gaze. He was starting to get a clearer picture of what he’d gotten himself into. Now he found himself wondering if he’d finally manage to get in over his head.

[helbertinelli]

How do you think Anakin and Padme are like when they make love? As in who is the dom and the sub? Who is in charge and who isn't? I know that relationship-wise, they're equals, but in bed, how's it like? No need to get into a lot of details though

I like to believe that Padmé often took charge early on because Anakin didn't have any experience. He knew what to do, but he didn't have a lot of confidence. As time passed by though, Anakin grew more confident and took charge more.

I also like to think that whoever is in charge can depend on the circumstances. For example, if Padmé is streessed out from senator work, Anakin takes charge but focuses more on pleasing her, and if Anakin comes home fatigued from battle, Padmé does the same thing for him.

I think that by the time they'd settle down on Naboo, it'd turn into them taking turns a lot more often because they care less about being in charge and more about having sex with the hottest person in the galaxy.

Padme had exactly as much experience as Anakin had when they first made love, which was exactly 0. I don't think that either of them think of their sex life in terms of dom and sub, and it's honestly kinda weird how often "dom and sub" pops up lately when it comes to sex. Neither of them are in charge or both of them are in charge. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you mean and you're referring to which one initiates the love making, then I also think it depends on the circumstances and on whoever decides to make the first move. But if I didn't misunderstand, then they don't care about being in charge and care more about having sex with the hottest person in the galaxy, as you put it. Neither of them are the type to seek control. People like to think Padme is some sex expert and has a control fetish, because she's older and she's in politics, but I didn't hear GL say Padme had sex with anyone before Anakin so there's no reason to think otherwise and if there's any "new canon" material that claims otherwise, I don't think it's very valid as it wouldn't fit in the story of SW (and Anakin and Padme) as George told it. I always considered the movies to be the main canon and other new canon stuff can be accepted but only if it fits in with the rest of the already established story (for example if a new canon book or show comes out that says that Anakin saw Padme again when he was like 16, then that's not really valid because in AOTC, Anakin is 20 and says he hasn't seen Padme in 10 years, so that new canon doesn't fit in with the already established story... or if Vader just decided to go to Exegol for some reason and see Palpatine's entire fleet and army that he'd use like 30-some years later and then Vader just didn't say a word about it to Luke, that would also not be valid, because it doesn't fit in with the established story). Also Padme only went into politics to help people not to seek any control over people. Neither Padme nor Anakin want control over other people, and they definitely wouldn't want control over each other. The thing about their relationship is that they're free when they're together and they're doing things that they both enjoy. Their sex is less about one being in charge of the other and more about enjoying being together and feeling the other pressed against them and being able to kiss and pleasure each other before they get dragged back into reality. I think that during the war, their love making is very rushed and hungry because they've been apart from each other, they don't know when's the next time they'll see each other again, and they don't know how much time they have together. They both long for each other and when they meet they want nothing else than to be together and to be as close as possible and basically make the most of every single second they have together. Once they move to Naboo (in a world where ROTS ended in a different way), they start taking their time when they make love. Their kisses are less sloppy and their lips linger longer (lol alliteration) onto each other, every touch is more careful and with more purpose. Making love becomes less about getting to feel as much of the other person before it's too late and more about exploring and enjoying each other's body. It becomes less rushed and there's definitely way more foreplay involved since they now have the time for it. I know in ROTS Anakin and Padme weren't together much, but in a world where ROTS ended differently, I can see their reunion on Coruscant being a transition between the really rushed and intense love making to the more relaxed and longer sessions. Like their first few nights it would be like it always was when they'd meet during the war, but after a few days they'd realize that they really get to be together now and they can finally enjoy themselves and take their time. Of course in the back of their minds they both know this moment can soon end too, but they get more comfortable with each passing day when Anakin gets to be at home.

[avengersassemble-fics]

Ashes

part 07/?? “a trap is set”

previous part // next part

masterlist

word count 2.1k

Alderaan was just like the stories you had heard over the years. Though it was no Coruscant, it definitely held a sense of sophistication and peace. From the minute the Mantis set itself on the ground though, you were uncomfortably aware of the security force presence that appeared. As the ramp was lowered and you joined Cal’s side, you recognized the man who approached with the security detail.

Even all these years later, you would recognize Bail Organa anywhere.

There were deepened wrinkles around his eyes, patches of white hair grazing the sides of his face, but one thing hadn’t changed: the warming smile he gave the Jedi next to you. You remembered seeing the same smile when you passed him in the Senate building long ago. Cal and you stepped down the ramp nearly in sync, as Bail Organa met you at the bottom. “Thank you for accepting our invitation. I hope you travelled well.”

“We wouldn’t miss the chance of learning more about the Alliance,” Cal replied and glanced your way. “And thanks to some unmarked hyperspace routes we’ve slipped through any Empire detection.”

“That’s good to hear,” Bail said. His eyes glanced your way when Cal spoke of the hyperspace routes, but you stayed stoic. The less people knew of your existence the better. He glanced up at the entry of the ship, where the others were coming out. “I’m sure you’re all needing a chance to relax, I’m more than happy to show you the way.”

“That would be great-”

“Father, how much longer do I have to wait before we can go to Cloudshape Falls? Oh-”

A little girl with braided hair had run up from behind Bail and clutched at his cape when her eyes fell upon the weapon on Cal’s side. In her eyes they held bewilderment and awe, but something hit you hard in the stomach as her eyes soon shifted to the strangers before her. The way her eyebrows furrowed just slightly, the slightly unruly baby hairs… This was the other twin. This was Anakin and Padme’s daughter.

“Please forgive my daughter, she’s never seen a Jedi before,” Bail explained as he rested a hand behind her back. “Leia I told you we’d have to go another day.”

Her frown deepened and she huffed at him, and you closed your eyes shut behind your helmet. It reminded you of Anakin when you were children. “But we always go on Primeday.”

“Please don’t let us stop you from going,” Cal cut in. You watched as Leia’s frown turned into a grin and her father wiggled his eyebrows at her.

“I like him,” she told her father, and earned a snicker from him.

“I bet you do,” Bail told her and moved behind her to place both hands on her shoulders. “While you rest I guess I have other duties to see to.”

“Of course,” Cal agreed and looked back at the others and motioned for them to follow. As you stepped off the ramp and Bail Organa turned to lead the way, a familiar sensation filled your chest. It was enough to make you pause, to glance around you in search of the source of the warmth in your chest, which made Cal stop to check on you. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” your modulated voice  said lowly. “I’m going to stay behind for a moment.”

Cal nodded in understanding, but hesitated before catching up with the rest. Your eyes focused on the group slowly disappear into the crowds, and you inhaled deeply. You wondered if it was possible..?

“Never thought I would see the day where we met again,” a voice said close by. You fought all urges to smile, but couldn’t help it when you came face to face with the source.

He was not the man you remembered from five years ago. Adjourned in the same uniform of the other security forces, he held his helmet on his hip as he came up to your side. But his eyes were more calm, as well as the aura surrounding him. You accepted his handshake and clasped your other hand over the back of his hand.

“Dash.. You look like you’re doing well,” you greeted. He grinned and looked down at himself before meeting your gaze behind the helmet.

“It’s been a journey but I’d say it’s been worth it,” he replied before you two removed your hands from one another. “And I go by my given name again, never really liked what he proclaimed me as.. Chordan.”

“Chordan,” you thought over before giving a firm nod. “I like it. Definitely better than what he gave you.”

Chordan motioned in a direction and you began to walk side by side one another. The pace was slow, you basked in one another’s presence and the familiar feeling that radiated off of each other. He led you towards a building that seemed to gleam against the falling sun. “What brings you to Alderaan?”

“I’m accompanying a couple of Jedi on their journey. I’m.. Looking for someone,” you replied cautiously. You both came to a stop as Dash looked you over with a raised brow.

“You don’t mean..?”

“I do,” you cut him off. You couldn’t help but look past him towards the scenery that surrounded the city. “I have to find him without Palpatine finding out.”

The use of the Emperor’s name was quiet, just for him to hear. Chordan had to understand your need to find Anakin, the one in question. He had seen how broken you were that day on Korriban, and the two weeks you spent together after the Purge first occurred. You noticed he straightened himself, nearing you to lean down and whisper something. “I knew I sensed a change in you.”

Before you had a chance to reply someone came up from the building you were nearing, which caused you two to separate. You kept your gaze firm on the distance, to allow Chordan to speak with whoever was coming up from behind. “Sir, we’ve intercepted a message-”

No. It couldn’t be.

You spun around faster than they could finish, impulsively unhooking the holster on your leg and taking a step back. You couldn’t help it, it was yet another person who had attempted to kill you (though it could be argued they had no choice.)

CT-27-5555. Distinguishable by his personality and the faded ‘5’ tattoo on the right side of his temple. One of the ones who saved your life from “Governor” Shuule now six years prior. Setting your hand on your blaster was enough to warrant him to react as well, but Chordan stood between you both.

“I don’t think that’s a wise move,” Fives familiar voice registered in your ears. Your eyes darted between the two men who stood before you, and Chordan focused on you harder.

“Calm down,” he warned you. Fives grew antsy behind him but Chordan narrowed his look at him. “Stand down.”

“Who the hell is this anyway, Sir,” Fives questioned.

Chordan hesitated, which was noticeable by Fives (if that’s what he went by now) who was growing more guarded by the moment. You felt like your breaths were heavy, weighing what you wanted to do, but there was no decision to be made. With a shaky hand you reclaspsed your gun holster and reached up to feel for the latch on your helmet, which for some reason you couldn’t remember where it was. But when you finally got the latch undone and the hissing that sounded after, you lifted it off your head.

You wondered what you looked like to those you haven’t seen in years. Fives had always been one to give his thoughts and feelings away with his facial expressions, and it appears that hadn’t changed. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, eyeing you then Chordan, before his face softened in recognition. “General.. Sir- I mean-”

He was unsure how to address you, given your last encounter with one another, but he stopped speaking the moment you took a careful step forward. He was nervous as you tried to gauge his reaction, maybe to see if he was going to attack you, but his stomach twisted as you stood before him. Fives wasn’t one to get nervous, but there was a first for everything. What startled him the most was when you reached your free hand up to his face, the leathery feeling brushed over his right cheek and traced over the tattoo on his temple. It seemed to confirm something for you. “It’s really you.”

“I.. I’m so sorry,” Fives erupted, earning a frown from the one who had him in awe. “Palpating he installed chips in us Clones.. There was no way to fight his command-“

“It’s okay,” you reassured him while dropping your hand from his face. “You only just grazed me.”

“I thought.. Thought you were dead,” Fives said lowly. You glanced towards Chordan and came to rest your hand again on his shoulder.

“We had to make it believable.. I asked him never to tell anyone, I had to wait until the time was right before-“

“(Y/N),” Chordan interjected, his tone warning you of what you were doing. You glanced at him and shrugged slightly.

“I trusted him with my life, you’ve trusted him all these years it seems.. I can trust him with this,” you reasoned. Fives watched the exchange in confusion, before you let out a small sigh and turned back to him. “I’m trying to find Skywalker.”

Anakin and you had worked hard to conceal your relationship because of the Council and the ways of the Jedi. But almost like how Obi-Wan knew, there must’ve been others unknown to you. You didn’t know if any Clones had figured it out, but by the expression on Fives face it seems like he had figured it out at some point. But there was another hint of urgency that now clicked for him. “The message-“

“What message?” Chordan asked. Fives explained to him he’d want to hear it himself, and with a stolen glance of understanding, you put your helmet back on and followed the two towards your next objective.

The Inquisitor's incompetence was making Vader irritated. It irked him that his training seemed to befall on those who couldn’t even carry out the simplest task: tracking down any remaining Jedi. He knew there were more out there, he could feel them himself. And with his encounter with Cal Kestis on his own turf.. Vader wanted him to be brought before him once more. He would finish what was started if Kestis didn’t comply.

With his Star Destroyer still hustled amongst the stars, Coruscant was still in sight. Standing at the head of the bridge, Vader looked at the distant planet and was silent. The officers below him didn’t bother him, and it was just the way he liked it. He heard the footsteps of a commander approach, before stopping behind him. “Sir, we’ve got the message transmitting to the parameters you’ve requested.”

“Good,” Vader’s voice loomed from behind his helmet. He knew that if anyone heard this message, they would be sure to come.. They’d fall right into his clutches.

“This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Jedi Order is rising again. This message is for any surviving Jedi, and those trained in the Force.. We’re awaiting you on Coruscant.”

The message replayed on a loop after that, transmitting on the same frequency that Ben’s real, original message had played on. There were six people listening to it in the command center on Alderaan, but silence befell them. Finally, Fives shut it off and the silence grew to an uncomfortable level before someone finally spoke.

“It’s obviously a trap,” Bail said. Chordan had called him away from his family, while you had called on Cal and Cere, who both looked lost in thought. Bail looked at the group he invited, and furrowed his brows. “Why would Vader go to this length for just you two?”

“He’s probably hoping for more to fall for his trap,” Cere responded, rubbing her chin in thought. “He probably knows that the younger ones may believe the message.. Can’t believe he managed to cut it so believably.”

“We can’t risk him getting a hold of any more Force sensitives,” you remarked behind your helmet. 

“What do you plan on doing? Get captured?” Chordan asked.

“We have to at least try and stop that message, and destroy his chances of creating more,” Cal said. You nodded in agreement, but Bail seemed more hesitant.

“Are you sure about this?” He asked the young Jedi. Cal glanced your way, and you shared a knowing nod.

The Mantis was returning to the fallen temple.

- - - - - - - - - -

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[mneiai]

The summons came for Vader in the middle of the hunt for his son and, if not for the very first sentence clearly stating "Obi-Wan Kenobi" he would have ignored it.

For all Obi-Wan had been lax about his own upkeep, it seems that he'd been obsessed with proper bureaucratic processes until the end.

The office he came to was out of the way, cramped, and on a moon just Outer Rim enough to not have any real Imperial presence--all the better, if that meant Sidious would have less knowledge of what Vader was doing.

There was one person on the other side of a crowded desk who must have been a solicitor, two others on the side that Vader was on. Both were wearing Mandalorian armor, one with his helmet off and tucked under his arm, looking so familiar even if Vader couldn't quite place him, and the other still completely covered and standing still as a statue.

The solicitor stared, glanced back down at the flimsy in front of him, then look back up with wide eyes. "Oh, uh, yes, that...that does make more sense." He gave a nervous laugh. "Mr. Kenobi insisted that all three of you were still alive."

He frowned behind his mask, skin stretching, as he wondered what he had to do with these other two. Looking them over again, feeling them in the Force, he stiffened as he realized who the pale haired man without his helmet on was.

"Kryze." There was the faintest thrill of fear from the man, though none of that showed on his face or movements. "Who are you?" he asked the other man.

"Vizsla," he said, after a moment and where Korkie Kryze was like a calm ocean that showed ripples of emotions, this man was a durasteel wall that gave nothing away.

Interesting, from a non-Force sensitive, but for all Vader knew there was beskar hidden in that helmet that was keeping him out.

He turned his attention back to the solicitor. "What is the meaning of this, then? What did Kenobi want?"

The nervous man shuffled the flimsy, looking between them."Yes, well, um, you see--" he hesitated, his fear filling the room, "I have it from a reliable source that Mr. Kenobi has...passed on." His tone was consoling, now, as if he expected any of them to be mourning.

Vader spared some attention to the Mandalorians on either side of him and realized they were upset. He could perhaps understand it of Kryze, Obi-Wan had nearly been his family, but from a Vizsla?

"Yes, I can confirm that." He would tell of the death in great detail, if they pushed, even though the end result had been less than satisfactory.

"...He...that is to say..." the solicitor glanced between the three of them, then back down at the flimsy, "he had a modest amount of property left that had not been, uh, collected by the Empire due to...sound investment strategies. In the event of his death, such property was to be...split between his...between his three children."

Roaring filled Vader's ears. He would have checked on the audio devices of his suit if he was slightly less than aware of his own emotions.

Shock, this was shock.

Obi-Wan had still considered him his son? Had not written him off immediately? Had he been holding back during their fight not just as a distraction, but...but because he still could not land a killing blow against Vader?

Then the rest of the news crashed over him and he stiffened, head turning to glare first at Kryze.

"...You are Satine's son," he gritted out, realizing suddenly how much more sense that made--he hadn't spared much effort to considering Satine Kryze's relatives, but he'd never actually heard about anyone but Bo-Katan.

Kryze narrowed his eyes at him, his thoughts clearly working through who Vader must be, and then shock echoed from him. He'd not shown any fear at being in the same room as Darth Vader, but now he took a step back, almost stumbling, as he realized who Vader had once been.

He supposed it didn't matter now, what was said or done in this room, he'd have to kill the solicitor and Kryze to keep his secret, and most likely the other one, too.

Vizsla tilted his head to the side in a way Vader knew had a meaning, but had always relied in the past on Obi-Wan to explain to him.

There was something like a smirk in Vizsla's voice was he explained, "My buir was Pre Vizsla. When Kenobi was seducing his way across Manda'yaim to protect Satine Kryze, they had some...trysts."

It was like he wanted to make Vader angry. A more traditionalist Mandalorian than Kryze just might. He might have realized he was going to die either way and decide to go out fighting.

Vader could imagine Obi-Wan, eighteen and innocent, being seduced by the young woman he spent so much time around during a year-long mission. Certainly, he'd thought himself in love with that ridiculous woman even when they'd met during the war. But Pre Vizsla?

And the implication that Obi-Wan had more sex than even that?

Unacceptable. His old Master had been a flirt, but he never went further than that.

"So, I...I just need signatures, from the three of you," the solicitor continued with the charade of any of this mattering, holding up a pad towards Kryze.

Who took it and glanced it over, eyebrows rising before he signed and handed it back. Vader's suit held still, not showing minute movements, but inside he was near-trembling wtih anticipation. What did it say? Was there a message from Obi-Wan? Was there more secrets being revealed?

Before he could reach out and grab the pad, it was in Vizsla's hands. He was silent and mostly still as he scrolled through it. Giving nothing more away, he signed it and handed it back over to the solicitor.

The solicitor only had a few seconds to switch it over to whatever section Vader was supposed to read before it was yanked out of his hands with the Force and floated to rest in front of Vader's face.

He thought it must be old, somehow, but the date on it showed that Obi-Wan had updated the will just a year before, Vader still clearly in his thoughts. The property...his heart ached when he realized it was a small cottage on Naboo that Obi-Wan had forced him to "stay" in to "keep up appearances" whenever he visited Padme on the planet during the war.

It had been set up through five different shell companies, if he recalled correctly, ones he...just never bothered looking into, after everything that happened. Obi-Wan had most likely never been able to return, not to the Emperor's home planet, and Vader wondered if it still looked as it had the last time he'd left--some lightsaber parts cluttered on the kitchen table, a mismatched throw from Obi-Wan's one and only attempt at Naboo-style crochet bundled on the couch.

Something inside ached. A rare pain he wasn't used to.

Would Luke like the cottage? He was from Tatooine, as well, and there was a lake so close, and so much greenery....

The solicitor ruined Vader's melancholy by daring to speak again. "If you would please just...just sign the document...uh...my Lord?"

Staring at the solicitor the whole time through his foreboding red lenses, Vader signed with the Force, then slammed the pad down on the desk.

"Will that be all?"

"Y-yes, sirs. Thank you for your cooperation."

Vader slammed out of the room, fists clenching and unclenching as his emotions whirled around him. His ship was already entering hyperspace when he realized he'd been so caught up in the memories that he'd forgotten to murder everyone in the room.

"Curse you, Obi-Wan," he rasped, sure that had been his old Master's plan for making his section last all along.

[stardustkenobi]

A Former Confidante

Darth Vader x Reader

Request: @dcrthbaeder “Would u be able to write a one shot with darth vader?? Xx”

Warnings: Angst, canon typical violence, unrequited love, pining

A/N: Hiii everyone! I’m so sorry for the lull in posts— it’s been a crazy few weeks but I’m trying to settle into a routine that will (hopefully) allow me to get on a regular posting schedule. As always, thank you so much for reading!

You had been fairly young when you first met Anakin Skywalker. A few days shy of your fifteenth birthday, in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. A budding Jedi with promise, you and your master had been on your way back to your quarters after a long morning of training.

The eye contact you made lasted no more than a millisecond, but it was enough to be seared into your brain forever. You had heard the whispers amongst your peers- he was the Chosen One, supposedly. Destined to end the Sith, bring about the balance that you all desperately ached for. The war raging with the Separatists had kept you from ever laying eyes on him yourself.

Mentally scolding yourself for the blush that rose to your cheeks when he passed, giving your master a nod and you a smile, you drew in a sharp breath and immediately reminded yourself of why you absolutely could not allow your mind toward that place that continuously got you into trouble with your master. You refused to allow your mind to convince you that you were in love with yet another man at first glance. Not again.

But you couldn’t help yourself as you sat meditating on one of the quieter balconies facing the skyline of the city later that evening, flinching a little when the doors open with a mechanical whoosh.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you, my apologies.” A steady voice came from behind you, followed by quiet footsteps. “Do you mind sharing the space for a little bit?”

You turned, glancing over your shoulder, mouth immediately going dry at the sight of Anakin Skywalker standing just over you. “Not at all.” You whispered, trying to keep your voice even.

A little bit turned to a whole evening as the two of you talked quietly, meditation long forgotten after sitting in silence for less than thirty seconds. He told you stories of adventures he had been on with his own master, how he had received word that he would be serving as a personal guard to Queen Amidala, an old friend of his. He asked why he had never seen you before, how your training was going, question after question that made your heart race a little bit faster with each moment.

It was one conversation, one night. But, again, you were always one to fall easily. It took everything in your power to clear your head to make sure Anakin was none the wiser as you sat next to him, wishing that the two of you had met in some other life time under different circumstances.

Your relationship in the following years was friendly, never actually professional. He became your biggest confidant and you became his, so you thought. You weren’t aware of budding romances, conflicting feelings, the subtle toeing of the line between light and dark on his behalf. All that mattered to you was that you had a friend and he sometimes brushed your hair from your face while you sat in the gardens, eating fruit and making each other laugh.

He told you about Padme just weeks before everything changed and your world came crashing down. Your time together had been dwindling over the past few months, what with you getting ready to take the trials and his…You weren’t necessarily sure what he had been up to that had suddenly taken up all of his time, but when he showed up in your quarters late one night you didn’t care. You couldn’t be angry because you loved him and try as you might to push it away, you couldn’t.

After settling down on your bed, sitting across from each other, you decided that you would tell him the truth. That it only made sense to before you attempted to complete your training because you would give it all up and run away with him if he asked you. “Can I tell you something?” You whispered, glancing up into his face.

“You can tell me anything.” He whispered back.

As you opened your mouth to speak, you caught what seemed to be the smallest hint of fear emanating from him. Your eyebrows furrowed as you caught his gaze- it was somewhat hardened, his whole face was. “What…Are you all right, Anakin?”

And then the flood gates opened. He told you every single detail of his secret life, eyes filling with tears as he held your hands shakily. He told you about the horrible dreams he had been having- that was why he had come to you that night. He couldn’t tell Obi Wan and he didn’t have it in him to wake Padme for the fourth night in a row, especially when he knew she would tell him it was only a dream.

Like the good confidant you were, you nodded, listened, buried your emotions as best you could. It took all that you had not to scream at him to get out of your room and to never speak to you again because how could he not know how you felt? Did he really have no idea how it was wrenching you apart to hear that everything you had wanted with him from the moment you set eyes on him five years prior could never happen, not because of the rules of your profession, but because he had it already with someone else?

Reassuring him that while dreams sometimes foretold of the future, he still had control of the situation, of his emotions and his actions, you ushered him back to his own bed, desperately needing the opportunity to let go of your own frustrating and anger. He thanked you and, not uncharacteristically, pulled you to his chest, hugging you tight. Your lack of reciprocation was left unnoticed by his own self absorption.

“Oh, I forgot.” He said quietly just before he turned to go. “What was it that you wanted to tell me, Y/N?”

Your head snapped up as your hand hovered over the button to close the door. Without hesitation, your lie spilled from your lips as smooth as the mechanical whoosh your door made after he left just a moment later. “Just wanted to tell you that I think I’m finally ready to take my trials.”

Ten years had gone bye and you had left those fleeting moments far behind you. None of that longing seemed to matter anymore, not after what he did. Not after he had taken so many friends away from you.

After nine years of wandering on your own, trying to figure out where you had gone wrong and whether or not you could have stopped the monster that was Darth Vader from rising up, you decided to do something with your life. You found the rebellion and in turn found a home and a purpose. All of your energy was channeled into bringing down the Empire and bringing down the people that had destroyed the only family you had ever known. You hadn’t planned on ever having anything close to what you knew at the temple you grew up in, but you quickly found a close second in the rowdy bunch of freedom fighters you now shared close quarters with each night.

Rubbing elbows with them on missions where you barely made it out alive by the skin of your teeth was your new favorite past time- gone were the days of carefully planned out schedules, hours of silence, subduing of emotions that just felt so right regardless of what the Jedi Code was telling you. You had quickly traded your lightsaber for a blaster, let your hair grow long, and traded late night conversations with the fallen Chosen One for stolen kisses from your new lover between briefings and meals and training and missions and sheets.

Needless to say, you were happy.

Three weeks into your latest mission with your crew found your small, inconspicuous transport ship being pulled into the tractor beam of an Imperial Star Destroyer. Though this had happened to many other groups of rebels over the past few months or so and prisoners were rarely ever taken, you couldn’t help the rise of nervous energy in your chest as you prepared to be boarded. The people who typically interrogated the crews of the small transports typically bought the story each crew had been taught to spin. Before embarking on a mission of this nature, one had to be familiar with the ins and outs of their alias and the alias of the group as a whole- if the story wasn’t second nature, you weren’t getting on it.

“Don’t sweat it.” Your pilot said as she came out to join the rest of the crew standing just outside the cockpit. “We’re prepared for this.”  

Prepared. The word repeated like a prayer in your head as your fingers flexed in the pockets of your pants. Up until this point, not one person in the rebellion was aware of the fact that you were force sensitive. Nobody had ever seen the hilt of your lightsaber, nor did you practice the force in any other space other than in the privacy of the woods just a little ways from your bunker back on the base. Despite this, you wouldn’t hesitate if a mind trick or two got your crew of ten out of this situation alive. Attribute it to the force or just plain old intuition, for some reason you couldn’t shake the fear that continued to grow as the group of Imperial officers inevitably approached the ship after you had finally been brought into the docking bay of the destroyer.

Blasters drawn and faces stoic, four officers stepped on board- you hardly heard the conversation that ensued because the feeling that continued to nag at you only grew stronger. It set you on edge, made you squirm in your spot and tug at the collar of your shirt as you waited for them to get get out of your hair already.

Your fingers began to twitch just as the officer who had been received a transmission on his comm link. “You’re being taken on board for further questioning.” He said after a moment, glancing at your pilot.

Heart racing, your hands flew to your blaster, ready to put up a fight. However, there wasn’t much you could do, as two of the officers were on you already…The only one not to comply with their orders.

Needless to say, you had flagged your whole group with that simple action. A normal civilian transport would have no problem joining the officers on board for further questioning because they had nothing to hide. You had just damned the whole group to at least a day of detainment and the struggle of a life time to keep your story straight, as you only had been given enough information to cover basic questions. To stave off any further questioning.

The plan had always worked, what was different this time?

With a blaster pressed to the small of your back, you followed the rest of your crew, led by the two remaining officers that weren’t sandwiching you. Weapons were confiscated at one checkpoint, personal belongings at the next. You were divided up into pairs and tossed into detainment cells a little while after.

“This is bullshit!” You called after the guard that had locked you away while you slammed your fist into the door of the cell.

Your companion, the co-pilot of your crew, shook her head. “That’s not going to do us any good, you know.”

Turning on your heel, you raised an eyebrow skeptically. “I’m getting us out of here. All of us.” Your confidence emulated from the words as they rose from your chest. Sure, it was dangerous to reveal your abilities, but at that moment it was a hell of a lot better than being trapped on an Imperial Star Destroyer for an indefinite amount of time.

The co-pilot scoffed. “Oh yeah? And how do you expect to do that, blaster brain?” She rolled her eyes, propping her feet up on the wall across from where she sat. “You don’t have any weapon or a key or anything else to get us out. What would you even do after you got us all out, stare a bunch of stormtroopers down and hop they just back off because you look intimidating?”

Mirroring her expression, you moved your hand effortlessly. The door slid open and so did her mouth, in complete and utter shock. Offering her a hand, then moving toward the exit, you quipped, “I think that I’ll check around for some blasters, but I’m also willing to take my chances on your idea.”

She stayed rooted to the spot, in total shock at the fact that you had opened the door with a simple wave of your hand. With a frustrated sigh, you pulled her out of the room, starting to creep down the sterile looking hallway. You made it to the end, feeling somewhat victorious, and then waved your hand once more, opening the second door with as much ease as the first time.

“Your senses aren’t what they used to be.” A modulated voice rang out through the silent hallway just as the two of you began to step through the doorway.

Freezing up, you refused to turn around as footsteps echoed menacingly through the hallway. They sounded eerily familiar. So did the voice, despite its distorted echo.

“I sensed that it was you as soon as your ship landed in the launch bay.” The voice continued as you finally turned around. Eyes widened as you were faced with the face of a monster— Darth Vader. “But you seem to be out of practice.”

Try as you might, you couldn’t bring yourself to fight back as he continued toward you. “I don’t know you. You don’t know me.” You spat, trying hard as you could to keep your lip from trembling. The man you once loved was dead— the man in front of you had sought to that.

“I demand that you take us back to our cell for questioning.” The co-pilot began, clearly not realizing the gravity of the situation.

“Stand down.” You hissed to her as he got even closer. You averted your eyes, refusing to look at him straight in the face.

He tilted his head as he watched you both— one woman refusing to look him in the the eye, the other staring him down defiantly.  “But apparently not that out of practice if you were able to escape your holding cell.” With a flick of his wrist, your co-pilot was on the ground writhing in pain.

“Stop.” You said sternly, voice wavering as you finally glanced up to face the mask. The metal glistened in the bright lights of the hallway and try as you may, you were unable to get a read on him. You tried desperately to reach out to him, clinging to to the force as if it was the last thing anchoring you to the floor of the ship. It wouldn’t be a lie if you said it was. Your eyebrows furrowed as you struggled, trying to break in and understand what was going on in his head.

The tsk that left his lips was as artificial as it was superficial; his voice was mechanic and the sound was almost patronizing. He didn’t care that you were trying as hard as you could muster and he certainly didn’t plan on entertaining your attempts for much longer. “I tried to find you that day, you know.” He began to say, walking even closer. “Tried to reach out to you and tell you it was okay, that you were safe with me.”

You spat at the ground, then glared up at him through your eyelashes. “You would have killed me, too. Just like you killed every single damn person in that temple.”

“Not you.” He said immediately, refusing to let you continue. “You never had doubt in your head when it came to me. No.” You could practically see the smug smile on his face as his head tilted menacingly. “You were so fixed in your affection and would have turned immediately had I asked you.”

Despite all of the time that had passed since the last time the two of you stood face to face, your cheeks burnt like the surface of Mustafar, reminding Darth Vader of the heat that had licked his skin and distorted the face you had loved from the moment you laid eyes on him. “You don’t know me.” You replied, trying to keep your voice from betraying the emotions that threatened to bubble up. Not that it would make a difference, you knew he was well aware of the affect that he had on you. That this encounter was having on you. “You never knew me.”

The laugh that left his lips was low and grainy. “I know you very well.” He finally stopped just a mere few feet away from you. “I know that you love me, as hard as you tried to push it away.”

Your eyes widened as you shook your head in disgust. “I don’t love you. I can’t even stand to look at you right now.” You hissed, eyes narrowing. “You took everything from me, okay? Just let us all go. We haven’t done—“

“Stop groveling.” He snapped, flicking his wrist again. The strangled sounds coming from the woman next to you ceased and you refused to look down at your feet, knowing all too well that she was far gone. “I’m going to offer you what I would have offered you had I found you that day.” He began.

“Don’t do this.” You tried to stop him, shaking your head once more as tears pricked at your eyes. “You know what my answer’s going to be.”

He stepped forward, touching your chin and glancing down at you. “Join me.” He said simply. “You were once a powerful Jedi— I see the power in you still. You could be great.” He continued, tilting his head once again. “You could finally have what you always wanted.”

Your jaw dropped at this assertion; the fact that he still continued to believe that your love would have lasted through the horrors that he had put you through and the atrocities that he had committed would have made you laugh had you been in a different situation. Somewhere safe and far away, wrapped in the arms of your lover in your shared bunk. Laughing at this dumb story and talking about how what you had trumped any “love” that the lonely shell of a man wrapped in metal could have attempted to give you had you said yes.

Swallowing the lump threatening to rise in your throat, you spit once more and hit his helmet dead center. “Read my lips, Vader.” You said, voice cold and calculated. “Strike me down if you want, but I will never, ever join you. I have what I always wanted, and—“

Darth Vader didn’t give you another moment to continue speaking. His hand rose up, using the force to apply just enough pressure around your throat to push you into unconsciousness. A trooper finally emerged from the door behind you after you had fallen to the floor beside your comrade, now stiff and lifeless.

“Sir, what should we do with the Jedi?” She asked, tilting her head as her studied the two bodies laying at her feet.

Vader was already turning, unwilling to look at you for another second. “Bring her to the holding cell and dispose of the other one.” With a mechanic whoosh, the door at the opposite end of the hallway closed and he was gone. Despite your protests, he would have you on his side some day. He wouldn’t lose you again.

[chidoriis]

Ok just hear me out. Starwars is known for its symbolism and parallelism, so every detail must be planned to the dot right? From the camera angles to the tiny relic props. Let's review what happened in tros:

- In a festival of ancestors, Rey is given a necklace: a symbol to carry on he legacy of the ancestors

- She gazes at a group of children wistfully

- carry on the legacy + gazing at children = produce offspring that will carry her own legacy??

- Remember in TLJ how rey and kylo touched their fingertips and it was enough to reduce rey to tears? Their force bond is that powerful even when ben was still kylo supressing his true self (his resolve was already crumbling then), so imagine the strength of the bond when ben is fully himself.

-His hand on her waist as he gave her his life force? Her hand grabbing his after getting revived? That mustve been total euphoria and some dyad twin flame soulmate shit

- He offered his hand before (twice) asking her to rule with him (marriage proposal - how can you rule together in a very structured heirarchy like that). When Rey finally put her hand over his, she accepted (=i do in marriage)

-Rey seals it with a kiss

-Ben smiles that Anakin smile when Padme reveals her pregnancy AT THE EXACT SAME CAMERA ANGLE MAN (what did i say about camera angles)

-And here we go again, if they felt that much with just fingertips touching for a second, imagine that kiss that lasted more than that. An interaction full of love and acceptance, without pretence or hesitation.

-They probably lived an entire lifetime in a matter of seconds with just that one kiss

-If their single life force (dyad: two beings that share the same life force) can revive someone as ancient as palpatine and give him life, it sure as fuck can create life man (Im telling you, that waist touch created a baby man)

-Rey and Ben dont need to fuck to make a baby (but they do need to bone man), their kiss and that tsukuyomi-eye sexed each other during that lightsaber scene prolly did the trick

-palpatine called ben as the last skywalker. also if that hand in waist/kiss/I do scene is indeed a wedding thing...

-it makes total sense that rey took the skywalker last name bc she married ben seconds before he died

-ben didnt show up as a ghost so hmmm? Vader turned back to anakin moments before his death and he got to appear as a force ghost. Ben turned even way before just mere seconds and there isnt any force ghost watching over the literal other half of his soul? Nuh-uh not dead (give be a break im grieving)

-leia finally disappeared and became one with the force right after ben gave his? So leia could've given her life force to ben? I mean that quote by maz?

-if ben died then the original trios sacrifices wouldve been for the nought. He is literally their legacy, all three of them. His parents and his master all died because they loved him, and you kill him before he gets the chance to lice the life they wanted for him? What a bunch of bullocks. Disney, george wouldn't want it this way. And Disney, you were created to give joy, happiness, and hope, so why take it away from a person who's been decieved all his life seconds just after he got a taste of the happy ending he so rightfully deserved? This is why I believe that ben is alive, disney is just milking us for money

So in conclusion (even though I dont like the ending), in those last moments of ben, he had his first kiss, married rey, possibly produced an heir, and can come back in the future.

[redrobinhoood]

no choir | chapter 3, pleasure of your company

AO3 Link | 2500 words (approx) | Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 4

Chapter Summary: Riyo decides to pay some old friends a visit and realizes how much things have changed.

Fox stalked through the halls of the Senate building. It was quieter now than it was during the time of the Republic. No one trusted anyone anymore. Which may have been for the best. Many senators who had spoken out against the formation of the Empire now backstabbed each other to gain favor with it. Fox despised them. There was no point in having morals if they were discarded and reformed every time they were challenged. And everyone had been challenged. Perhaps that was why he hated those anti-Imperialist senators with a passion, because they had been willing to compromise their morals in the face of destruction while he had stuck to his morals and regretted it all the same.

Fives had been right about the inhibitor chips, and while Fox had wished that he had listened to him it wouldn’t have changed a thing. He had no chip; the fault was his own. Perhaps it wasn’t him. The dreamlike state he found himself in at times could not be the real him. Yet all the same, it had been his hands.

The Royal Guard let him into the Emperor’s office without protest, he was well known to them. He had spent the first week following the formation of the Empire going in and out of the Emperor’s office. Or at least, he thought he did. It was all a blur.

“Commander Fox.” The helmeted shadow that was Darth Vader acknowledged his arrival, though he did not turn from the window to face him.

“Lord Vader.” He addressed the man as he’d been taught, though he couldn’t remember when the lesson had occurred. A quick glance around the room told him that he and Vader were the sole occupants. He could’ve commented on the Emperor’s absence, but thought it best to leave it unspoken.

“You have prepared your men for the lockdown of the Jedi Temple?”

“Yes, Lord Vader. Sir, I don’t want to overstep my bounds, but a little more information about who we’re facing may give us a tactical edge.”

When Vader turned around and their helmeted eyes met Fox’s blood ran cold.

“You already know all that you must, Commander Fox. In the past, have you not given more than enough effort in cases that you knew less about?”

“I don’t follow, Lord Vader.”

“The Tano case.”

Fox bit down a protest. The taste of blood filled his mouth as he bit down on the inside of his lip to prevent himself from speaking. There had been ample evidence to indict Ahsoka Tano for the deaths and mutilations of his brothers. Except for the accounts later given by his wounded brothers that the fallen Jedi Barriss Offee had committed the acts. But those had never gone to the trial. He remained silent as he tried to remember why they had been blocked from speaking at the trial. Growing impatient, Darth Vader crossed the room in a few swift strides until he stood right before the commander. Fox flinched as the Sith raised a hand to shake a finger at him.

“I trust you to do better this time, Commander. Do not fail me again.”

Again? To the best of his knowledge, Fox had never served this man before. Although, he mused, it was not unlikely that he just didn’t remember it. “Yes, sir.”

Darth Vader turned back to the window, and Fox took that as his cue to leave. As Fox walked out of the Emperor’s office he had a sinking feeling that Riyo’s dream may have been a prediction.

---

Riyo left the halls of the Senate as soon as she could. It had been a long morning of meetings and the drab atmosphere of the Convocation Chamber was wearing her down in a way it hadn’t before. Then again, before she’d had friends. She’d had Padme. Now, she barely spoke to her fellow delegates for fear of being labelled a traitor to the Empire. She could not abandon the Empire so quickly, and she could have never dragged Fox down with her. Perhaps she would be imprisoned, but he would certainly be executed with no trial. She tried to bury her thoughts of poison vials and firing squads as her speeder descended into one of the many markets of Coruscant and she made her way to the stand she knew so well.

“Senator Chuchi.” The elderly Pantoran woman greeted her. Riyo would’ve been embarrassed to admit that after all this time she still did not know her name. “What will you be purchasing today?”

“The usual, ma’am.” Riyo said, pulling out the credits from a pouch at her hips.

“You have fine taste, my dear.” The woman said as credits and tins were exchanged. One full of ‘those golden ones’ that the Guard enjoyed so much, and the other an assortment of whatever other sweets the stand had that day.

“My friends do. Thank you.” Clutching the tins to her chest as if they were made of gold, Riyo made her way back to her speeder and set off to the Senate. She wished Fox were with her. He’d be sitting in the passenger seat laughing about how she was going to ruin their cover story but doing nothing to stop her. She’d give anything to take a casual ride around the city with Fox, to watch him lean back in the seat with his hair flowing in the breeze. But their chances of being caught were too high.

Once she was back within the confines of the Senate, she made her way to the offices of the Coruscant Guard. The office was emptier than usual. They used to always have at least ten men in the foyer, most at work, a few on break, but now only two men sat in front of the many computer terminals. Neither one looked up at her entrance.

“Knock knock?” She asked as she came to stand behind Rys.

“Senator Chuchi!” Jek exclaimed as the two men jumped to their feet.

With a laugh she set down the tins and wrapped her arms around Rys, then reached over the desk to hug Jek. “Do you mind if I join you?”

“Not at all!” Rys gathered up the piles of datapads and flimsiplast next to him and dumped them on the other side of the desk so that she could sit beside him. “How are you, Senator Chuchi?”

“I’m well, all things considered. How are you two?”

“Horrible, we’ve been promoted.” Jek shrugged.

“Congratulations! How is that a bad thing?”

Jek held up a datapad. “Captains do more homework.”

“Captains.” She mused. “Captain Rys and Captain Jek. I like the sound of that!”

“So we do.” Rys assured her. “But it was a rough transition.”

“Says the man nominated for ARC training.” Jek scoffed. “I reckon Rys is in line to be commander. There’s no way we can continue on with only Commander Fox and Commander Thire, they’re wearing themselves to the bone. Though I am sure you’ve heard all about it.”

Riyo took a moment to open a tin and pop a sweet into her mouth. “I have no idea what you are talking about. I barely see Commander Thire.”

Rys elbowed her softly. “And Commander Fox?”

“Whom?”

“Surely you’ve seen him around, ma’am. Red armor, power-walk, permanent look of disappointment?” Jek asked.

“The first two ring a bell, but that ‘permanent’ look of disappointment sounds like it’s reserved only for you two.” She teased. “Oh! I have a question for you. What does cyar’ika mean?”

She watched as the blood drained from their faces.

“He’s not calling me a rat, is he?” She prompted.

“No, ma’am.” Rys managed. “But, that’s a little above our paygrade.”

“Well, I won’t bring the wrath of permanently disappointed Commander Fox down upon you.” She brought up the datapad that she had tucked into the waistband of her pants. “Do you mind if I stick around for a while?”

“Please.”

So she stayed. Occasionally the three would make light chatter, or ask someone to pass one of the sweet tins, but their focus had turned back to their work. After the past month of lonely days in her office, Riyo found it nice to work with friends- even if they were all working on different things. Rys was working on sitreps for the Coruscant Guard, Jek was going over the necessary security details that would be needed in the upcoming month, and Riyo was trying to open a channel of communication between textile artists on Mygeeto and silk farmers on Pantora. It would’ve been easier if either side had an updated comm-station, and she made a mental note that she would have to request one for the Pantoran silk farmers as part of the new Imperial regulation. The Empire was determined to bring everyone into the current century. Though she agreed with the ideals and regulations as far as they brought aid to worlds in poverty, it hurt her to see the traditional ways of so many beings discarded.

She stayed at work there until Rys was summoned by Fox over comms. With a final embrace, she left her two friends and went back to her own office to finish her day. There, she sat down and kicked her feet up on the couch she kept against the window on what had formerly been the entertaining side of her office. She didn’t think that she’d entertain guests anymore, at least, not for a very long time. She was able to remotely connect to her computer terminal from here and lay back while waiting for her datapad and terminal to sync. The sound of her office door opening surprised her, but that turned to delight when she saw a set of red armor step in and lock the door behind him.

“Fox.” She stayed seated as he set his helmet on her desk and made his way across the room to her.

“Riyo.” He perched on the couch next to her, careful not to crush her legs under the weight of his armor. “I heard I missed you at the office earlier.”

“Yes. Not to worry, I didn’t distract your captains for too long.”

“I wasn’t worried. They need a break, which is more than I can give them.”

“You weren’t lying when you told me that you’re understaffed. Is it really just you four in the office now?”

“Most days.” He admitted. “Though I’d say three. Thire’s with the Emperor most of the day.”

“That’s not good, Fox. Are they sending you more men?”

“They will. The Emperor knows that we’re stretched too thin. He’ll give me more men when the time is right.” Fox turned to look out the window across the city. Riyo took a few moments to appreciate the golden glow of the afternoon sun across his features. The Pantorans worshipped a moon goddess, but Riyo found herself gravitating towards the sun, her lover. Surely, that sun god was Fox.

“You’re beautiful.” She said.

He turned to look at her, one eye still golden in the sun, the other brown in the shade. The shiny scar across his lips and those on his neck reflected light like gold veins running through his skin. “I’m nothing special.”

“Yes, you are.” She protested. “You’re mine, and that makes you special.”

“Thank the Kaminii for picking a good genetic donor.”

“Maybe I will.” She reached over and grabbed the top of his blacks to pull him into a kiss. He followed her lead without protest, tangling a hand in her hair as their lips met. Even after all this time, he still kissed her like he had the first time; soft open-mouthed kisses that almost frustrated her in their tenderness. “Will you be back tonight?” She asked after he had pulled away.

“If all goes well, yes. I should be back around midnight.”

“I’ll wait up for you.”

---

And she did. When the chronometer read 23:50 she rose from the couch to prepare herself for bed, leaving behind the view of the Jedi Temple from her window. Tonight, she had stared at it until the sun went down and she could no longer pick out the little white shapes that moved around it. A month ago, she had sat here in her living room and watched the Temple burn through the night. She hadn’t been concerned for Fox at the time, but the following week had tested her resolve as the Republic was replaced by the Empire and her only glimpses of Fox were fleeting glances across the room as he went about his duties by the Emperor’s side. He had finally come to her a week later in her office, empty eyed and quiet with a row of stitches across his lips. The marks had faded well, and the stitches had never stopped him from pressing the unwounded side of his lips against her.

She wondered if she was the moon goddess tonight, waiting for her lover to return with the dawn. Perhaps not literally dawn, but she felt like she had been waiting all night for him. She knew there was a myth putting the moon goddess in the same situation, but she couldn’t remember now if the sun had returned to her. But that was how the world would end, she remembered that much. The sun’s injuries would be too severe for him to rise again, and the world would be plunged into eternal darkness as the moon goddess scorned her creation. She had never understood that when she was a child. Now she did.

She was pulling out the last of her bobby pins when she heard the muffled explosion. She ran to the living room to watch as a plume of smoke rose from the side of the Jedi Temple. She could’ve sworn she saw a green blade dancing with a red one amongst the smoke. She bit down a rush of fear at the sight of the red lightsaber. She could see the clones firing too, and she prayed that they wouldn’t fire on the red blade as they did now on the green one. She turned away from the sight, returning to the bathroom to brush out the unnatural curls that her senatorial hairstyling left behind. She had just picked up her brush when the mirror rattled with another explosion. She ran back to see smoke rising from a neighborhood bordering the Temple. Abandoning her hair, she turned on the HoloNet in search of answers. She found none.

It was now past midnight. She grabbed a blanket and curled up with pillow in her lap to watch the smoke billow into the night sky. Sleep would not find her tonight. And perhaps, the sun would not rise with the dawn.

[starwarsfic]

Odious.9

Originally posted September 3, 2020

Summary: After Order 66, the world moves on.

Details: Sidious/Obi-Wan. Imperial Consort verse.

xxxxxx

"Imperial Consort," Obi-Wan muttered, stabbing the off button of his datapad to hide the Holonews report he'd just seen. "I never thought I'd dislike a title I could be given more than 'General'."

Technically, he hadn't married Shee--Sidious. Darth Sidious. Though the Emperor had the final say in such things and as far as all the records were now concerned, they were spouses. He supposed once he'd agreed to Sidious' blackmail, to exchange himself for safe passage of the Younglings in the creche to the suitably neutral-enough Guardians of the Whills, he couldn't expect him to move slowly. Or give Obi-Wan the chance to make a scene at an actual marriage ceremony.

"I know you're not much of a romantic, but you seem upset, Obi-Wan."

He stiffened, turning slowly to see Anakin hovering just outside the door--and the Sith runes that were keeping Obi-Wan's Force senses dulled. "About not even getting a say in my 'marriage'? Imagine that."

Anakin--Vader, that was another name he had to remember to use, to detach the Sith from the people he'd known and trusted (and loved)--sighed. "If it were up to me, you'd at least get as much as Padme and me. The Naboo don't expect a lot and the Emperor is from Naboo."

It looked like Vader was considering suggesting it, so Obi-Wan hurriedly shook his head. "No, I don't need anything. Maybe to have been one of the people to sign the actual paperwork, but it's not like I had any fantasies about getting married that are going unfulfilled."

Once, what seemed like ages ago, he'd thought of exchanging armor with Satine. But both of them had moved away from those ideas in different ways. And now Satine was dead. Nearly everyone Obi-Wan had cared about was dead. Or worse.

"Right, yeah, that...that makes sense." Or Anakin, who was somehow both a Sith Lord and still an awkward disaster.

"Has...the Emperor decided when he'd be visiting me?" It had been nearly twenty days since what was now apparently being called Empire Day and Sidious hadn't even sent him a message.

Anakin frowned. "He's been super busy, Obi-Wan. But! I'm here to take you to your new home!"

He hadn't thought he'd stay in this slightly comfortable cell forever, but was surprised nonetheless by his fast that seemed to be moving. As Anakin turned off the security features of the cell, he contemplated trying to make a break for it--until the Force crashed into him and the despair-fear-pai -death that had been blocked along with it.

By the time he had worked through that and reassembled his shields, they were in an enclosed speeder, members of the 501st surrounding them.

"Sorry about that," Anakin mumbled, "I didn't think through how long it had been for you, I should have come up with some way to...muffle everything."

Obi-Wan shrugged, attempting to look less distressed than he'd been. "I should have been prepared. I knew what it was like, from the...that day. And we were still close to the Temple."

He knew enough about the Force to know the impression made by the near-annihilation of the Jedi Order might never be gone from Coruscant. In the heat of the moment, terrified and righteous, Obi-Wan had managed to block the worst of it out as he confronted Sidious, but it was impossible to fully forget.

So many people dead. His family. He could only hang onto the faint impressions of the few people who might have survived--like Luminara, Quinlan, and Oppo--and have hope.

"Yeah, um, about that."

Glancing out the window, Obi-Wan realized they were going closer to the Temple. "Anakin."

He flinched, having not meant to say Vader's old name and certainly not in a tone he'd once used to express frustration to his Padawan.

"It's okay, Obi-Wan, I don't mind if you call me that in private. Padme does sometimes, too." He pointedly did not ask after Padme, he had enough to worry about and no power to help her. "But, you see, the Temple is...did you know it was built on an old Sith shrine?"

"What?"

"Yeah! The Emperor says that's one of the reasons the Jedi were declining so badly, none of you were actually maintaining the shields or whatever on the shrine and its Darkness had been leaking out for centuries."

Obi-Wan shuddered in horror. There had been children living there. He'd been a child there. Had it influenced them?

"So, She--the Emperor has...made it the site of the new Imperial Palace. They've been working on it since Empire Day, non-stop, and the residential wing is ready for you and the Emperor to move in."

There were so very many things to dissect, most of which he didn't even want to think about. Instead, he latched onto the word "wing" and the implication it was a large amount of rooms--he and Sidious would surely have their own private spaces.

That didn't actually make him feel much better as they flew into a private hanger and the Dark side seemed to physically coalesce around them. A Sith shrine fed with the genocide of the Jedi Order was powerful enough to corrupt the entire planet, now, and this was the nexus of its power.

The Temple had been elegant, beautiful, a celebration of art and culture that filled Obi-Wan with comfort and joy. The Imperial Palace, even just from the parts that had been finished and Obi-Wan was experiencing, was the opposite. Aggressive, harsh, dark and foreboding.

He had no doubt that a Sith had approved the design.

Next to him, Vader was stiff, his footsteps heavy on the black stone floors. Arrayed around them, the troopers marched with carefully controlled movements, as though they were a group of shinies trying to appear perfect.

It took them silent, tense minutes to reach their destination and Obi-Wan braced himself for whatever his rooms would look like.

Except...it was like stepping into another world. They were bright, airy, with tall windows letting in the light and low, plain furniture made of wood and what looked like natural fibers. The room screamed of wealth, but in a completely different way than the rest of the palace he'd seen.

He'd thought Sidious would want him constantly surrounded by reminders of Sith dominance, not comfort. It was disconcerting.

That was probably the plan--making him think that Sidious actually cared about his piece of mind, making him more malleable to whatever the Sith wanted from him.

When he saw a shelf with the knickknacks from his own room--the river stone from Qui-Gon, the box that held both his and Anakin's braids, the pressed lily that was his remembrance of Satine, his steps faltered.

He had the sinking feeling that Sidious was going to win him over, somehow. The Sith knew him too well, knew how to pull at his heart, knew exactly where he was vulnerable.

Obi-Wan sank down onto the comfortable couch on the side of the room, staring blankly at a wall, desperately releasing his panic into the Force.

[lukeleiahan]

Ripped at every edge but you’re a masterpiece

I read an AU, and I had to follow up...

Essentially, the Empire falls when Luke and Leia are five, and now their parents figure out how to go from here. Lot’s of appreciation for Bail and Breha Organa and Owen and Beru Lars, a generous helping of Sabe, and precious baby!twins Luke and Leia.

Also on AO3, read the fic that inspirated this here.

 Five weeks after the fall of the Empire

It starts, like many great things, with a knock on the door.

(No, that's not right. It starts with an old man, who isn't really that old at all, bringing a baby in the middle of the night. Or maybe with a freedwoman dying in the arms of her son. Maybe even with that same slave woman, not free yet, giving birth to that same son.)

Beru is standing in the kitchen, preparing a small dinner for her family. Luke is sitting to her feet, quietly playing with the spare mechanical parts Owen organised for him. He likes mechanics, that boy of theirs. Likes playing and tinkerin g and building and fixing things. He's got a talent for it, like Shmi always said her son, Luke's father, had.

It's the thought of Luke's father that makes Beru tense up. She isn't really expecting anyone, and while that doesn't have to mean anything...

Well, Beru's never really been a trusting person. She's freeborn herself, but her mother had been born a slave, and she's never really felt safe from the slavers. And ever since Old Ben gave them Luke, that little boy that is both Beru and Owen's sunshine, and told them only that Anakin was dead and the Empire wasn't to know about the boy...

Well, Beru's tense. She wishes one of her friends was here, or Owen. But wishing for something won't make it true, and so she puts down the bowl and bends down to Luke.

“Stay here, darling, please. I'll be right back.” She tells him. He nods, and then he smiles at her. He shines, whenever he smiles, that precious boy, and Beru drops a kiss on his forehead.

The woman at the door doesn't seem particularly dangerous, but that doesn't have to mean anything. Her clothing is dark blue, practical but with intricate details that remind her of water flowing. It's a beautiful effect, and one that immediately makes it clear that this woman is not of Tatooine.

Then Beru's eyes reach the woman's face, and she gasps. She's staring, she realizes distantly, but this... Old Ben said...

“I'm not Padme.” The woman says, sounding both resigned and sad, as though this is not the first time she's said it. “I know I look like her, a lot, but I'm not. She was a dear friend of mine, though.”

That's why she sounds sad, Beru realizes, and tries to get herself under control. It can't be easy to look so much like a dead friend.

“Come in.” She says, and steps aside. The house seems so small, so dirty and cheap, with this woman inside, but she doesn't seem to notice it. Now that the first shock has passed, Beru can see the differences between this woman and Padme. Padme had been... less purposeful in her movements, maybe, and her face hadn't seemed quite this sharp.

“What is you name?” She asks, once the woman is sitting down at the small table and she's brought her a milk. Luke is still in the kitchen, playing quietly. She doesn't want him to come out. Not yet.

It might not be the fair, or even particularly likely, but it has always been Beru's fear that one day, one of Padme's family would come and take Luke away from them. He's her boy, her son in everything but name, but she is very aware that there is no official adoption, nothing to stop rich offworlders from taking him away.

But that's not a reason to be impolite, at least not yet. So she smiles and sits down next to the woman.

“Sabe. Sabe Nertay.” The woman says, taking a polite sip of the milk. Her face is like a mask, completely unreadable. Then she takes a long breath, and looks Beru in the eyes.

“The Empire has fallen. I don't know if you've heard about that, out here, but it has. The Emperor is dead, and so is Lord Vader.” She says it in a rush, as though she has been waiting for a long time to say these words.

Beru has heard rumors, of course she has. But there are always rumors. She doesn't usually put much stock into them, and this time... well, it's not like life was so different under the Empire than it was under the Republic.

But it is important to the woman in front of her, and it caused her to come all the way to Tatooine, so Beru stays quiet.

“Padme... she fought the Empire, you know. She fought it before it had ever been founded, and she died... It was clear that the Emperor, that he'd want to use the kids, and Vader...”

Sabe stops for a moment, trying to regain her composure. In that moment, Luke comes in, smiling at Sabe, but heading for Beru.

“I made something for you!” He says with a smile, handing her the mechanics he was tinkering with before. They fit together, somehow, and when Beru takes it, she realizes it's a small holo recorder. She doesn't quite know how he made that out of some small junk parts, but that's her boy.

“Thank you so much. It's amazing!” Beru tells him, hugging him close. She is very aware of Sabe's eyes on them, but she doesn't look. She just looks at her boy.

“This is Miss Sabe Nertay.” She tells Luke. “Say hi to her.”

Luke goes over to Sabe, holding out his hand to great her. “Hi Miss Sabe.” He says, smiling. The woman seems shocked for a moment, then she takes Luke's offered hand, and smiles at him. It looks fairly honest, too.

“Hi Luke. It's nice to meet you.” She says, something almost... amazed in her voice. Luke looks at her. Beru doesn't know whether he realizes the tension in the room, the weirdness of this woman here in her kitchen, but she thinks he might. He's five, but he's also a perceptive sort, her boy.

“It's nice to meet you too.” He says, shaking her hand seriously.

“How about you go get your uncle, darling?” Beru says, and Luke runs off. Sabe looks after him, that amazed look still on her face. Beru can relate.

“He has her smile.” Sabe whispers, almost to herself.

She debates staying silent. Sometimes, she knows, listening is the best thing to do, but yet... she has to know.

“Are you going to take him away?” She asks, voice steady. She's not going to let the woman know her terror.

“No.... no, of course not. I would never... you have raised him for five years. He's yours. I'm not … I'm not going to steal him... He's Padme's son, but he's... he's yours, too.” Sabe says. She seems... insecure is the wrong word, but she doesn't truly seem to know how to handle this, either.

“Is he safe?” Beru asks. Another terror rises. If Sabe is not there to take Luke away, then why is she here? Is there anything else, something more terrible than even the Empire, coming for her boy?

“Yes.” Sabe says, louder than she was probably intending. She looks Beru in the eyes. “He is safe. Vader... Vader was the danger. Vader and the Emperor. They're dead now. They can't get him. They're dead.”

It shouldn't cause so much relief, Beru thinks, that this stranger, this offworlder, tells her Luke is safe. But it does.

“Why are you here, then?” Beru asks.

“I think... I think your husband should be here to discuss this?” Sabe sounds insecure now. It causes Beru's nerves to ratch up again, but she tries to control that. She thinks of what Shmi would have done.

“How did you know Padme?” She asks. Luke has asked about his mother. Not that often, but it's natural for him to be curious, and Beru knows so little.

“We were little girls.” Sabe says, sounding grateful to have something to talk about that she is comfortable with. “On Naboo, we do our civil service young, you know? We elect our princesses when they are about twelve, and out of these prinesses, we elect our queens.

“I started training as a handmaiden at the academy when I was twelve, and two years later I was sworn in to become handmaiden to the new queen. That queen was Padme. She was fourteen, like me, and she took the ruling name Amidala.”

“That's very young.” Beru can't help but say. Fourteen. She remembers being fourteen. She'd been a child. Of course she'd been. To imagine being in charge of a planet at that age... it's terrifying.

“It's how we do it on Naboo.” Sabe says, sounding unconcerned. “You have noticed we look the same. That's why I was chosen to be one of her handmaidens, you know? Us handmaidens, we are not just there to help the queen with her clothes and hair, we are also there to be decoys in dangerous situations. I was always the one who looked the most like her, so I was usually the decoy.”

“That sounds dangerous.”

“It was, I suppose, but I knew what I was signing up for. It was a huge honor, you know. To impersonate the queen. And it was an amazing thing to share, with a friend such as Padme. She wasn't just the queen to me. We were all close, all of us handmaidens and Padme, but the two of us, she was... I never had a sister, but Padme became my sister. I served as a handmaiden for both her terms, and we stayed friends afterwards. She still had handmaidens as a senator, but... I left the service. I became a teacher. I've always wondered.... if I'd stayed...”

Beru takes her hand. There isn't really anything she can say. She wants to tell this woman it's not her fault, but she doesn't even know how Padme died. It would feel like lying to promise something like that.

The door opens, and Luke's chatter fills the room. He's telling Owen about building the holo recorder. Owen is listening, but he's also looking at Sabe with suspicion. Of course he is. Strange offworlders appearing isn't usually a good sign on Tatooine, and he's just as afraid of someone taking Luke away as she is.

“How about you look at those vaps in the garage.” He says, voice gruff but affectionate, running his hand through Luke's hair. Luke grins and runs off.

“So, what's going on.” He says, looking at Sabe. He's not quite glaring, but it's a near thing. Sabe does not seem intimidated, though.

“The Empire has fallen. The Emperor and Vader, they are dead.” Sabe says, looking him in the eyes, the way she did with Beru.

“So what? You gonna take Luke away from us now? 'Cause that's not happening.”

“No. Nobody is going to take Luke away. You are his family. But...” Sabe looks like she's trying to find the right words.

“But what.” Owen says flatly.

“He has a sister. Luke. He has a sister.” Sabe says, and she's looking at both of them now. Beru covers her mouth with her hand.

“Leia.” She whispers. Sabe's head wips around to her.

“Obi-Wan told you?” She asks.

“Old man told us jack shit.” Owen gruffs. He is willing to be nicer, though, now that Sabe told him she's not going to take Luke. “It's a Tatooine thing. Twin names. Luke and Leia... they're only given together.”

“We thought she might have been stillborn. Or died later, something like that.” Beru adds. Luke has asked for his sister. He has asked for her a lot. He was convinced she was there with him, he's dreamed of her. She thought it might be the knowledge that she had existed at one point, or that touch of the desert that allows him to see things others don't, allowing him to communicate with his dead sister. To know she lives...

“I didn't know that.” Sabe says, looking slightly fluxomed. “The thing is... I'm here because it's safe now. As long as the Emperor and Vader lived... if the twins had met, the danger was too high they would have found out.”

“So you do want to take him.” Owen says, defensive again. Beru hears the fear, but she doesn't think Sabe does.

“No! But … they are twins. They should be able to meet. Just meet. Bail and Breha... Leia's adoptive parents, they understand. Leia is theirs, the way Luke is yours. They'd never expect you to give him up. But we thought... we thought they should meet. They have a right to know the other exists. And Leia... she's asked about him. About her brother.”

“Luke's asked, too. About Leia.” Beru says, before Owen can say anything. His hand finds her, warmth and protection and safety.

“We thought they should meet. If you agree. You could come visit, bring Luke. Bail and Breha would be happy to welcome you. And Obi-Wan, of course.”

“I don't see what the old man has to do with anything.” Owen growls, but there is considerably less bite in it. A second set of adoptive parents... Beru can believe they understand.

Sabe seems confused. Beru wonders whether it's the hostility towars Old Ben, or the fact that they refer to him as an old man. He isn't, not really. Beru doesn't think he's much over forty, but he holds himself like a man at least twice his age. He behaves like that, too, so to think of him as Old Ben just feels more natural than anything else. And well... Owen's never liked the man. Too close to Anakin, to the Repbulic, to the sort of things and people that would endanger Luke. Beru doesn't share the dislike, but she understands it.

“He doesn't have to come. You are Luke's parents, not him. But he is an old friend of Bail's so I'm to invite him as well.” Sabe says diplomatically. For a moment, there's silence.

“What is she like, Leia?” Beru asks, and for the first time since Luke left, Sabe truly smiles. She takes out a small holo, places it on the table and let's it play. A small girl, Luke's age, with dark eyes and brown hair in braids, is sitting on the floor, flipping through the pages of a book. After a moment, she looks up, smiling at whoever is recording the holo, and Beru's heart melts. That's Luke's smile on that girls face.

She looks at Owen, and knows that they've both decided in that very moment.

     Four weeks after the fall of the Empire  

It's a day of celebration. It should be, by all rights.

The End of the Empire, and the Beginning of the New Republic, capitalized for importance, and what it means, now, after a month of celebrating and working and organizing a new government, should be a celebration.

And yet, the mood in Bail's brand new chancellors office is somber. They've all seen too much war, lost too many friends.

“To the lost ones.” He says, raising his glass. Breha, Mon, Carlist, Garm Bel Iblis and Sabe mirror the gesture silently, each of them deeply in thought.

The new government is running, sort of. Bail has been elected the new chancellor, more or less happily. The senate has it's old powers back, and there are three different motions started that should, if they go through as planned, at least put up some strong protections against another Palpatine. Nothing is guaranteed to stop a determinated, manipulative, powerful being like Palpatine to come and take over again, but at least with these new laws it should be more difficult. Bail hopes.

He'd once thought that there was no way for the republic to fall, either, and he'd been wrong. He won't let himself be sure of anything like that anymore.

“Padme should be here.” Mon says, looking at the empty spot at their table wistfully. They always leave a space for her, when they're together like this. The Empire tried to ignore her, but they won't. They won't forget her.

“She knows. In the Endless Sea, Padme knows what has happened.” Sabe says, a quiet conviction in her voice. It's a Nabooian belief, the Endless Sea of the afterlife, but Bail has always found comfort in the idea that Padme is there now, watching over them.

“She deserves her rest. Her and all the fallen.” Garm says.

 For a moment, they all stay silent, remembering all their lost friends. Too many of them, Bail thinks. Too many good people died in this fight. Then, Garm gets up.

He looks tired, Bail thinks. They all do, tired with exhaustion and grief and a sense of fear that doesn't seem to want to disappear, even though the Empire is defeated. And his marital troubles won't have gotten easier, either. How someone so passionate about democracy could marry a supporter of the Empire, he'll never understand.

It makes Bail all the more happy about his own marriage. He smiles at Breha, and feels warmth in his heart when she smiles in answer.

“I have an early morning tomorrow. The Imperial forces don't decomission themselves, after all. I'll turn in. A good evening to all of you.”

“Don't remind me. I'll come with you. Good night.” Carlist sighs.

“I'll go, too. My son has been having nightmares these last weeks, all the changes, probably, and the battles, and I promised him I wouldn't be out too late.” Mon says, standing too. “Winter and Leia don't have that problem?”

“Not yet, though it might still come. Currently they're still fascinated by all the changes, especially Leia.” Breha says.

“Consider yourselves lucky, then. We'll see us in the morning. Good night.” She says, smiling, and together they leave.

Bail waits until they're out of the room, then he stands up and picks up one of the holos of his daughters he has standing on his desk. Winters white hair shines next to Leia's brown, and both their smiles glow. They're healthy and happy and safe, he tells himself, just a few rooms down, guarded by Artoo, in hearing distance. Protected by Artoo and two guards in the corridor, to make sure no vengeful imperial gets any ideas.

“There is something else we have to do.” He says. It's been on his mind since the Emperor and Vader died, and now is the time to start doing something about it.

“Luke.” Breha says, putting down her glass. Bail nods.

Sabe seems confused. He never outright told her about Leia's biological parents, never sat down and told her the whole sad story of Padme's last days, but he didn't have to. Sabe knew Padme so well, knows him so well, had prepared Padme's body for the funeral, and Leia just looks like Padme. It wasn't difficult for her to piece it together, as he knew it would be.

But because they never talked about it, she doesn't know about Luke. Doesn't even know enough to suspect anything like this. Maybe he should have told her, but … well, people have always said that the Jedi can read minds. Obi-Wan had denied it, when Bail asked, years ago, but nobody ever truly explained the Sith to him, either, so he couldn't be sure. And though he trusts Sabe with his life, and more importantly with both his daughters lifes, the first rule of espionage still holds: One can't reveal a secret one doesn't know.

Breha knows, though, because she is his wife and he could never keep something like this from her, and she takes the lead.

“We need to call Obi-Wan.” She says.

“What are you talking about?” Sabe asks. She knows Obi-Wan, of course she does, but neither Bail nor Breha ever corrected her assumption that he died with the rest of the Jedi.

And she'll have assumed they'd contact the Naberries first, probably. They'll have to do that, too, Padme's family has a right to know, but it can wait a bit longer. Just a bit.

“Luke is Leia's twin brother.” Bail tells her. Sabe stares.

“It wasn't... it wasn't safe, to raise them together. Obi-Wan and Master Yoda... they said something about... I don't know, combined Force presence? It didn't make very much sense to me, but they were absolutely sure that if the children were raised together, the Emperor and Vader would find them. So Obi-Wan took Luke to be raised by Anakin's stepbrother and his wife on Tatooine.”

“Leia has... Padme had...” Sabe stumbles over her words, clutching her glass of wine as though it would provide her safety. Breha walks over to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

“Twins. Yes. Now that it's safe, they have a right to know.” Bail says. They had a right to know since the beginning, he thinks, but now is the first time since their birth that it's a possibility.

“Are we sure? That it's safe. Are we sure?” Breha asks. Her voice doesn't betray it, but Bail knows she's scared. He is, too. Leia has never quite been safe, never really been out of danger. Neither of their daughters have, on account of being the princesses of Alderaan and the daughters of two rebels, but with Leia it has always been more immediate, the danger. The thought that she might be safe now is so strange. What if they've overlooked something?

“As far as we know, the only people who would pose a direct threat to Leia and Luke due to them being Padme and... Anakin's children are Vader and the Emperor, and they are dead.” He hesitates over Anakin's name, only briefly, but Sabe notices. Of course she does.

“What about Anakin? He died when the Jedi fell, did he not?” She asks. She's not asking whether he is Luke and Leia's biological father. Of course not. She'd known of Padme and Anakin's relationship before even Bail had. But there are things he'd never told her. Things he never wanted to speak about to anyone. He takes a deep breath, seeks stability in his wife's eyes.

“No.” He says, and tries not to get caught up in memories.

(Fire and smoke, Padme on a table, a child being murdered by clone troopers, Obi-Wan and Yoda suddenly broken old men, a newborn's cry)  

“Anakin Skywalker did not die when the Jedi fell. He died with the Emperor, a month ago.” Bail says. No one knows exactly how those last hours went inside the Imperial palace. All Bail knows is that the Alliance forces won the battle against the Imperial forces, and that when they came to clean up the palace, Vader and the Emperor had both been found dead. Bail himself had done the identification.

Anakin Skywalker had looked somehow both so old, scarred and tired and dead, and so very young. He'd only been 28 years old.

“What are you talking about?” Sabe asks, shouts, really. He's happy that the girl's room is far enough away that they won't hear. They're too young for this conversation. Much too young.

He should have explained all of this to her before, but he hadn't dared risk it. Hadn't dared take the risk that she'd get caught and talk, hadn't had the strength to deal with it himself.

He's only ever talked about it once, when he told Breha the day he brought Leia home. He'd broken down then, completely, and he hadn't ever talked about it again.

But he'll have to do it again. Now, and then at least once more.

“Vader. Anakin... was Vader.”

“What? How?” Sabe is pacing, he notes distantly. Breha has moved to stand by his side again, a supporting presence he's grateful for.

“I don't know. I thought … I thought, when Master Yoda called, that we were there to pick them up, Padme and Anakin and Obi-Wan and even Master Yoda. They survived the … the purge, they're calling it, aren't they? They'd survived, and when Master Yoda called I thought I was going to pick them up, and we were going to figure out what to do next.

“But then... Padme was giving birth, and when I asked Obi-Wan about Anakin, all he would say was that he'd 'fallen'. That was the word he used, 'fallen'. Didn't really understand it until I was introduced to Vader.

“And Padme... the med droid said she was fine, you know? I kept asking, because she was pale and so damned silent, but the med droid kept insisting she was fine. She named Luke and Leia, and then she... I don't know. She slipped away.” There are tears in his eyes, and he can't break down again, he can't. He focuses on Breha's hand in his, willing himself to focus.

“Slipped away? What does that mean?” Sabe asks, tears running over her cheek, but she's refusing to break down, too, just like Bail, and isn't that a testament to how much they're all politicians, all spies, that they won't let themselves break down over the death of a friend?

“Master Yoda said she 'lost the will to live'. As though that's a cause of death. I … you and Dorme and Yane, you were the ones who prepared her for the funeral. You saw how... you saw that there were no obvious injuries. Nothing to indicate what could have killed her. I still don't know how she died.”

It's something that's been bothering him since that day.      Lost the way to live    , what      bullshit    . Padme was desperate, and she was grieving, and she might have given up, but one doesn't die of that. Not without other things happening. And the med droid said she was fine...

And yet, the Sith... He's never voiced this thought out loud, but well... the Jedi were never open about the extent of their powers. And the Sith are supposed to be worse...

“That doesn't make any sense!” Sabe yells, throwing her hands up.

“We've been puzzling over it for years.” Breha says, calm and compassionate. “There is no answer we can see, but we can't help her now. We can help her children, though.”

 There's a long silence. Then.

“Where is he?” Calm. Focused. She was a handmaiden to the warrior queen Amidala, a spy for the Rebel Alliance against a fascist empire. It shows.

“Tatooine. Beru and Owen Lars are his parents now, at least that's what Obi-Wan said he was planning. We'll have to talk to them, make plans with them.” Bail says.

“I'll go. I'll talk to them. Bring them here.” Sabe says, running her hand over her dress. She wipes the tears of her face, resolute in the face of having a mission. Bail knows he won't talk her out of this, and he doesn't want to. He can't go himself, the new chancellor leaving would be seen as weakness. And Breha as the queen of Alderaan would draw way too much attention. Sabe though, a gouverness and former handmaiden, she can go wherever she wants whenever she wants.

“Bring Obi-Wan too, if he wishes, but the important ones are Beru and Owen and Luke. We need to figure this out, all of us. We're in this together.” Breha says, equal parts queen and friend.

Sabe nods.

“I'll be leaving in the morning.”

      Six weeks after the fall of the Empire  

The air is tense when Sabe leads the Lars' through the halls of the chancellors residence.

They had considered having Bail, Breha and Leia meet them at the shuttle, but it had been decided that it would be less weird for the children, if they didn't meet each other for the first time in a crowded and busy station. Not to mention the possible media attention that would be the new chancellor of the brand new New Republic, his wife the queen of Alderaan and one of their daughters meeting a family of poor moisture farmers from the territories.

Beru and Owen are holding hands, and every now and then they whisper in a language Sabe doesn't understand. She's fairly sure that they're talking about the wastefullness of such grand halls standing empty. If this were Naboo she'd argue, probably, if only out of patriotism, but after having seen their home on Tatooine, warm and small and lovely and      enough    , she can't quite disagree with them.

Luke, though, is running around them, always either a few steps ahead or behind them. He sticks close enough to them that Sabe always has him in her sights, and she knows that Beru and Owen, too, always watch him, but he doesn't seem to feel the tension.

He seems so fascinated, by everything, just like he'd been on the flight here. Sabe's ship, Nabooian build but stationed and customized on Alderaan for the last few years, had interested him just as much as the grand houses here, and the art that decorates the wall. He's staring at it all in childlike wonder, and Sabe can't help but smile at his genuine amazement.

Finally, they reach Bail's office. She opens the door and let's the Lars' go in first.

Leia is sitting on the floor, a book in front of her. Sabe wonders whether she was truly reading it, or whether she was just pretending. Leia is good at picking up on tension, so she might have just been trying to put her parents at ease. She's looking up now, though, staring at Luke.

It must be so weird for her, Sabe thinks. Five years old, and suddenly she's moving to another planet, and the Empire is gone, and her father is the new chancellor, and on top of that she now has a brother whom she's never met.

Then again, it must be quite weird for Luke too, to suddenly leave Tatooine, if only for a week, and visit a sister he never knew about on Coruscant. Though... he had been so excited about it. She turns to look at him, and finds him clutching his aunts hand tightly. He looks shy, suddenly, in a way he hasn't been with her … ever, she thinks. Maybe it's because she came to him, to his planet, into his house, and was offered milk and hospitality by his aunt. Maybe it's just this place that must be so strange to him.

“Welcome to Coruscant.” Breha says, straightening and holding out her hand to Owen and Beru. For a tense moment, they don't move, then Owen takes the hand. Sabe breathes a quiet sigh in relief.

“I'm Breha Organa, I'm Leia's mother. This is my husband Bail, and this is our daughter Leia.” She says, smiling at Beru and Owen. She offers her hand to Beru, and Bail steps closer.

“I'm Beru Whitesun Lars.” Beru says, her voice not betraying any nervousness. “This is my husband Owen, and this is our nephew Luke.” She shakes Bail's hand, too, and Owen follows suit.

There's a silence, again, and the Leia moves. She's up to her feet and running to Luke before anyone truly notices, and then she's hugging him. It's an absolutely adorable sight, and Sabe has to bite her lip not to break out in tears.

Padme would have loved this, she thinks. Padme would have loved seeing her children together.

“I'm Luke.” Luke tells Leia, looking at the floor, mostly. He doesn't seem to be too scared, though, and he's let go of Beru's hand when Leia hugged him.

“I know that.” Leia says, smiling, her eyes warm. Any worry about how they'd get along disappears in that moment, and Sabe feels a little bit of the tension leaving the room. They're all different people, from completely different backgrounds, but they'd all do anything to see these two children happy. It's quite something.

Leia takes Luke's hand and starts showing him around the room. Luke let's her. They'll be best friends before dinner, Sabe thinks. She hopes Winter won't be jealous. But then, she's spend some time with Luke now. He'll be Winter's best friend, too. At least he'll try.

“Come sit with us.” Bail says, leading Owen and Beru towards the table. There are some refreshments there, water and wine and some biscuits. “Did you have a good journey?”

Owen's not looking too happy, grim and worried and probably scared, but it's Beru who speaks.

“Yes. We have never been off Tatooine, and Luke has been fascinated by it all. And Sabe has been very kind.” It's awkward. Incredibly awkward. But Luke and Leia are running around the room together, holding hands, so... that's that.

Bail doesn't ask after Obi-Wan, and Sabe is glad for it. It had been strange, to realize just how much Beru and Owen distrust Obi-Wan, but Sabe accepted it. She'll have to ask about it at some point, but she had been relieved when Obi-Wan had decided to stay on Tatooine for the moment, to make plans, he'd said. He'd probably realized his presence at this meeting would only make things more difficult.

“What's your plan here?” Owen asks, gruff and hostile. He's scared, Sabe thinks, terrified of losing Luke to some rich coreworlders he doesn't know and doesn't care about. She hopes that Bail and Breha see it too. But she shouldn't have worried.

“For the moment, just to let the children play.” Bail says, looking at them. “For the future... that's for us all to discuss.”

“We're not taking him away from you.” Breha says firmly. “He is yours, like Leia is ours. But they are siblings. Twins, even. They have a right to know each other.”

It reassures Beru, Sabe thinks, though Owen is not quite convinced.

“What does that mean? Are we supposed to come live here? Because I'm not leaving Tatooine, that's for sure.”

“You don't have to.” Bail says. “Nobody would ask that of you.”

It would be easier, Sabe thinks, if they moved here, and closer to Naboo, too, but it wouldn't be fair. They have their own lifes, and nobody is expecting Bail and Breha to move to Tatooine, so why should the Lars move?

“We could just have them visit. Every few months, at least, you bring Luke here or we bring Leia to you. And com calls work too. We could set up a permanent holonet connection, so that the kids can talk to each other as often as they want.” Breha adds.

“We don't have to decide now.” Beru says, taking her husbands hand. “We're here for the week, and we've had a long journey.” She looks at the kids, talking quietly. They're still holding hands, and are intensely focused on some game Leia is showing Luke. They look different, blond and blue eyed with tan skin to brown hair and eyes and pale skin, but their expression is the same. It's one of Padme's expression, the one she always had when reading some complicated law proposal. For a moment, the resemblance almost takes Sabe's breath away.

“Luke asked after her, you know. Leia. He's asked after her since he could talk, and the last few days, when he knew she's alive and there and he can see her... he's only stopped talking about it once we reached Coruscant.” Beru says, her eyes never leaving the children.

“Leia too. I don't know how she knew... she's always talked about her brother. We didn't tell her, but … she'd dream about two suns and the desert, and her brother. We never knew what to tell her.” Breha says.

“Now we can just tell them the truth.”

                                                          xxx

The adults are still talking, important things and meaningless small talk, but that doesn't matter.

 In a corner in Bail Organa's office, two children sit, a girl and a boy, a princess and a farmboy, twins. They have never met each other before today, yet they have known each other their entire life.

They hold hands, and soon they will not need words to communicate anymore. At the moment, though, they still do.

“I missed you.” One of them says.

“I missed you too.” The other answers.

They are five years old, and yet, for a moment, they are more wise than any of the adults.

“We're together now.”

[irinapaleolog]

As we head toward the conclusion of the Skywalker saga with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’s Dec. 20 release, one of the big unresolved questions is the fate of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Will he, like his grandfather before him, redeem himself and resume his former identity as Ben Solo? Or will he, mask newly reformed, remain on the Dark Side to be defeated by Rey (Daisy Ridley) and the rest of the Resistance?

For such a major character in the series, Kylo remains somewhat mysterious, masked or not. When his parentage was first revealed in The Force Awakens, the biggest question was how exactly did Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), our heroes of the Rebellion, wind up with this petulant mini-Vader as a son? We saw that Kylo idolized his grandfather but had none of his cool-tempered menace, hacking away at ship consoles with such abandon that you wondered if the First Order had a permanent Kylo Ren repair line in the budget. At first, his brattiness seemed almost comical until he killed his father in a mistaken attempt to drown the light in himself. For anyone who ever thought Leia and Han would be cool parents — and that certainly includes the parentally neglected Rey — Kylo’s presence was a bit of a head-scratcher. How exactly did the former Ben Solo turn into this destructive and emotionally turbocharged Dark Sider?

The Last Jedi went a bit further in explaining Ben’s turn to Ren as his uncle, the legendary Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), revealed that one fateful night a terrifying Force vision got the best of him and sent his nephew hurtling down toward the Dark Side. It was this betrayal that haunted Kylo and left him both vulnerable and achingly lonely as his Force bond with Rey revealed. And despite the murder of his father, he still remained conflicted and couldn’t do the same to his mother when he had the chance, her love for him staying his hand. Even though he refused to rejoin Rey on the Light Side, Kylo turned out to be far more complicated than he initially seemed when he descended as the masked and hooded villain in The Force Awakens.

While the films have sketched the broad outlines of Ben’s fall and Driver has done fantastic work in suggesting the turmoil roiling under Kylo’s mask, there is a lot more we’ve learned about Ben Solo/Kylo Ren’s past from the various novels and comic books that make up the current Star Wars canon. If you are not familiar with them, read ahead to get a fuller picture of the character and what his past may portend for his future.

In Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath trilogy, which takes place in the year after the Battle of Endor, we discover that not only are Han and Leia now married, but that Leia is already pregnant with Ben. While we saw that Leia definitely had Force powers in The Last Jedi, it’s during her pregnancy that she really starts to explore her abilities. She can feel Ben’s Force presence in the womb, and that it’s mostly light but shot through with veins of darkness. She worries about that darkness but takes comfort when Luke tells her all people have that. It’s poignant to think how the darkness eventually overwhelmed that child, but the fact that there was so much light to start with shows he can turn back to it if he wants and that the Dark Side was not his destiny, but a choice he made. While the Empire is in its last gasps during Leia’s pregnancy, Ben is born on Chandrila the same day that the Empire formally surrenders and the war ends. In fact, his mother is already in labor as the peace treaty is being signed. Because of his family’s fame, his birth was accompanied by a flood of rumors, everything from being born with a full head of black hair, to a full set of teeth, to Luke attending the birth himself. For a child with so many expectations placed on his tiny shoulders, Ben just seems to be a normal, if somewhat fussy, baby, though one his mother seems much more comfortable tending to than his father.

On that note, Aftermath: Empire’s End, the final book in the trilogy, establishes the difficulty Han has adjusting to fatherhood and how that foreshadows the gap that will grow between father and son despite Han’s deep love for the boy and the boy’s deep love for his father. Han’s usual cocksure confidence is shaken by the helpless baby before him and he feels insecure that he doesn’t have the same Force connection to Ben that Leia has, thinking that’s the only way his son can be soothed. Leia, to her credit, thinks that their son just needs to feel his father’s presence to feel comforted.

But Han’s insecurity continues in Last Shot, by Daniel José Older. While the book is mostly about an adventure between Han and Lando in the early years of Han and Leia’s marriage, Ben makes an appearance as a 2-year-old toddler, one that Han is still a little baffled by. Here we see how Han’s restless spirit will eventually cause a problem in his relationship with his son. Ben idolizes his father and “Wanwo” (fingers crossed someone gives Kylo and Uncle Lando a scene in the new movie) and misses his father terribly when he’s gone on his mission. While his mother works to build the New Republic, Ben is in the care of droids and in what might be a key moment for a person with a lifelong abandonment complex, a malfunctioning kitchen droid almost kills him. Ben survives, but Han continues to struggle with being a parent and the responsibilities that come with it.

There isn’t a ton of information about Ben’s late childhood and teenage years, but The Last Jedi novel details that Ben’s epic temper tantrums and growing Force powers left many objects in the Organa-Solo household destroyed. Kylo recalls with bitterness an incident overhearing his frightened parents talk about him as if he was a monster and it’s obvious that his anger became such an issue that Leia felt it necessary to send him to Luke in the hopes that training to be a Jedi would help tame his darker instincts. Neither his parents nor his uncle realized that Snoke had gotten his claws into Ben at some point during this time. As the films and comics like Star Wars: Age of Resistance — Supreme Leader Snoke #1 make clear, Snoke abused and manipulated Kylo for years, twisting the young man’s feelings toward his family and nurturing those resentments until Kylo finally took his revenge upon his Master in the throne room.

We get a little more information about Ben before his fall from the novel Bloodline, by Claudia Gray, which moves the story forward to six years before the events of The Force Awakens. There are no direct scenes with Ben, who is about 23 years old in the book, but he is often on his mother’s mind as she works as a senator living on the not-yet-destroyed Hosnian Prime while Han is off sponsoring various racing championships across the galaxy and running a shipping company. Ben is traveling around the galaxy with Luke, still training to be a Jedi. Han and Leia seem to have a warm marriage but one that is marked by long absences from each other as Leia understands that Han’s restlessness would make him a miserable Senate husband and Leia’s duty to the faltering New Republic comes before even her personal preference to be with her family. The book suggests that Han and Ben have a strained relationship at this point, in that Han does not understand his son and that Ben’s Force abilities have created a wedge between them. Frustrated by not being able to parent their son, both Han and Leia mentor many of the young people in the orbit, a desire we see reflected in the films as Han mentors Rey and Finn (John Boyega) and Leia treats Poe (Oscar Isaac) as almost a surrogate son, the three seeming more like their spiritual children than their actual son.

Though Ben does not appear in the novel, the book contains a key event that dramatically shapes his life to come. Over the course of the novel, we learn that no one outside of Leia, Luke, and Han ever learned that Darth Vader was Anakin Skywalker and also the true birth father of Luke and Leia. While Luke had witnessed Anakin’s redemption personally, Leia did not, and to her, Vader remained the monster that tortured her and helped destroy her beloved Alderaan. She had kept the secret that Vader was her father for decades and was still coming to terms with her true parentage, never finding the right time to tell Ben who his grandfather really was. Unfortunately, the knowledge fell into the hands of a political rival who outed her to the whole Senate before she had time to tell Ben first. We don’t learn what Ben’s immediate reaction to this news was, but considering he must have learned this information shortly before his turn to the Dark Side, it must have cracked the already shaky trust in his family that Snoke had help splinter, a trust that would be completely shattered by that fateful night with Luke in his hut.

Looking over these parts of his past, Kylo just didn’t inherit great Force power and Leia’s fabulous hair from his powerful bloodline but everything else that went with it, good and bad. That meant Han and Leia’s mutual hotheadness, Luke’s impulsiveness, Anakin’s brattiness, and Padme’s penchant for falling for the wrong people — though that last one might wind up saving him in the end depending on how his complicated relationship with Rey works out.

As we move closer to The Rise of Skywalker, we will be getting a few more missing pieces to the puzzle when the first issue of The Rise of Kylo Ren, by Charles Soule, is released Dec. 18. Though the project has been mostly kept under wraps, one tantalizing cover revealed that Ben Solo and Luke Skywalker actually battled the Knights of Ren at some point, so Ben Solo’s past might be even more complex than we expected.

All this leads back to what will become of the Skywalker heir? Will the Bendemption, as some fans have taken to calling it, actually happen? Will Rey’s vision of Ben’s future, that solid and clear picture that convinced her he would turn back to the light, finally come to pass? And if he does turn back, what will be the trigger? Repentance? His mother’s love? His own? Although it would be quite bold to leave Kylo on the Dark Side, it does seem unlikely that a saga that deals so much about redemption would end on a sour note and leave the once and maybe future Ben Solo unredeemed. Let’s hope the Skywalker saga gets a happier ending than that and that this tortured figure finally turns back to the light.

[overcaffeinated-creative]

So, since Solus and Anakin had a Thing in some verses, may I propose: an AU with Dark!Solus and Vader?

Okay, this got stupid fucking long. Like, holy hells is this a long post but I’ve outlined like an entire AU with this.

Dark Side AU featuring Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Solus Vetra, and Lumi Kirrin 

 Rating Wise I guess I would call this an M?

+ In this Verse, Solus and Anakin would have been Actual Friends for about 6-ish months before Geonosis. They met during the same detail (watching radars and patrolling Coruscant) and it off. Jokes passed easily between them along with tips and tricks (and bragging) about starfighters and piloting as well. Spars got mixed into that before Spar became code for “Let’s make out.” They still only called themselves “Friends” but there was a lot of tongue and wandering hands involved in being friends.

+ After reuniting with Padme and then surviving Geonosis, their canons kept on the original paths. Anakin got secret married, fought a War, had a baby (he never got to meet), “killed Padme” and then became Darth Vader. Solus defected to Death Watch, married Pre, had her twins, and then suffered the crippling blow of Pre’s death at the hands of Maul.

+ The big difference comes in how things progressed after that. Word got out (via a Saxon who was promptly executed with malice when found out) that Clan Vizsla had two Force Sensitives babies among them. This prompted the Inquisitors, and Sidious, making a request for those children. Having already lost her riduur, Solus offered herself instead.

+ “Why take children who need to mature when you have a fully grown Force Adept ready to carry out your will? One who already turned her back on the Jedi.”

+ Unexpectedly, Lumi offered herself in this madness to help. Where Solus went Lumi was sure to follow. It also balanced out the trade two trained Force Users in place of two infants. Lumi also knew that her having been Mace Windu’s Padawan sweetened the deal even more.

+ So, Darth Vader suddenly had two willing Force Users at his side. Compared to the other former Jedi they held a certain wildness to them. Lumi would delight in the chaos of battle. Her heart thudded while viciously tearing opponents apart. In the Force she would *glow* at getting to go all in.

+ Solus? Solus always put Mandalore and her Clan first. Turns out that made her willingness to hunt down Jedi arrive even easier. The Jedi could rebuild when Sidious plans faltered (and they would because he planned far too grand while alienating too many) but her People would not be touched by this chaos. Outside Force Users never boded well for them.

+ Falling into a new role, Solus ended up as the Moff of the Mandalorian Sector in place of Gar Saxon’s puny governorship. He met an untimely demise from death given former. Lumi became her “bodyguard”.

+ Bo-Katan (Solus’ other riduur) and Fenn (Lumi’s not-boyfriend at the time) did worry over them. Getting mixed up with the Empire was a dangerous game to play. Bo witnessed first hand what happened when her riduur tangled with dar-jetii and did not want Solus to meet the same fate. Fenn doubted the whole thing in general because Lumi had already survived so much. Yet, she continued to put her in the line of fire.

+ For everyone’s safety, Jazari stopped interacting with them at all. She could not bring that kind of chaos to her family’s doorstep and in case it blew up. Well, the Twins would need a home and she would provide for them.

+ Sidious, of course, planned on Solus and Lumi to double cross him. Solus would always be more loyal to Mandalore than him or anyone else. And Lumi was loyal to Solus. But, he let them pretend to play their brilliant games and try to one up the Empire.

+ Solus and Lumi were making moves against the Empire but the thing was, Sidious never exactly how they were doing it. Solus put effort into being overtly crooked to cover her tracks with how covertly she was running things.

+ He also underestimated who would be their biggest weapon or the fact that he handed said weapon to them.

+ See, his idea of “instilling cooperation” in Mandalore involved attaching Solus and Lumi to a lot of Darth Vader’s projects. His oversized, caged wardog would make them think twice of fucking him over. If they so much as twitched the wrong way they would be ended.

+ It was exactly what Solus wanted him to do. With her best friends knowledge of what had happened during Order 66, Solus connected a lot of dots. Getting to spend time with Vader to witness his mannerisms and movements coupled with feeling him within the Force answered her question: This was Anakin Skywalker. But, it was not knowledge she could just out and say without revealing her hand. So, her and Lumi played The Long Game.

+ It took several months for them to grow almost friendly with Vader. Solus and Lumi bantered with one another in front of him. Even bantered with him if they felt like pushing their look. First, they had to give him a reason to trust them and that reason became inclusion. When they did things they included him and respected him. Basically gave “Vader” what Anakin Skywalker wanted.

+ Sidious underestimated that bit because clearly he gave Anakin the Power he wanted.

+ Next, came Solus gently broaching the topic of cybernetics with Vader. But, that could not be something said outright. She let him overhear things instead. She would tell Lumi about injuries some of her soldiers sustained (not unlike Vader’s) and how she treated them. It gave him a little trail of breadcrumbs to discover just how needlessly Sidious left him in pain.

+ When he finally started to banter back and train full on with them things shifted. Solus nor Lumi called him Anakin but they did reach the understanding they had shared a Past before. Both would speak with disdain aimed at the Jedi Order (neither really fabricating flaws) to strengthen their mutual bridge of the past.

+ By accident, Solus did open up about what losing Pre was like. She had loved him almost more than anything in this Galaxy or the next. Finding out he died because she was not there to protect him broke her. It was the Truth. This, Truth, however, was also one that Vader had lived.

+ Sidious still let them play their game. He knew they were stoking and putting out rebellions in Mandalore. Solus was a great spy and tactician but he was better. She would lose to him in the end. They all would.

+ Later on, Solus did explain exactly what was done wrong with healing Vader’s body. She sat next to his hulking form to point out where the mistakes were made. The glaring design flaws, the points where comfort was skipped in favor of pain, and more. Her little side comment of, “Physical Pain can fuel a brief rage. It brings the Dark Side more within reach. But, that’s nothing compared to a deep-seated emotional pain that you can draw from. That one provides infinite power.”

+ During these years, Solus and Lumi did venture back and forth to Mandalore. Bo-Katan and Ursa spent the most time with the twins. It hurt but it was better that way. If she died they would not have to mourn her as deeply. And if she lived, then they would have a Mandalore worth growing up in. The childhood she so sorely lacked.

+ Both had discussed with their partners (and had more or less secured some layer of understanding) that seduction could come into play against their enemies. Emotional Manipulation was Emotional Manipulation. It also gave them the chance to fall in with one another again. Because Solus and Lumi would forever be Solus and Lumi.

+ Seducing Vader did happen to shock of all three involved. It started as an emotional affair more or less. Lumi and, especially Solus, provided him the companionship he craved. They offered an intimacy he had been denied for years and it was willing.

+ The physical push to their affair came after a hard won victory. Raiding the Sith Temple had been easy enough. The same could be said with acquiring multiple Jedi artifacts. All of the work came with them putting various tidbits of knowledge together to get a complete picture.

+ It turned out that there was a way to free him from his metal prison. See, the Sith had a very well hidden and high reward means of moving the conscious of one body to another. Overtaking the consciousness of an already occupied body was hard. However, a clone, created specifically for this purpose, would lessen the difficulty of the process. And they happen to know a whole planet of cloners who would easily accept encouragement to help out their cause.

+ Before this victory, Solus and Lumi remained considerate of the types of affection they displayed. Their rule of thumb was nothing that Vader could not be involved in. It was limited to hand holding and quick pecks more or less. Kissing his visor not exactly the same but it was the best they could do.

+ Things went different after the victory though. They moved from quick pecks to full on making out. When they went to stop themselves Vader told them to continue. Turns out what he can’t physically feel on his skin he could feel within the Force or experience through his other senses more of less.

+ Further experimentation revealed that even through leatheris gloves cybernetics have some sensations, especially pressure, and they’re both rather experimental and up for anything twice.

+ (There were promises later about how they would celebrate with his flesh body)

+ Vader, much like the flesh person he was named Anakin, retained many of his strengths and flaws. Namely, he still trusted Sidious too damn much. To combat that Solus and Lumi worked really hard to convince him acquiring a new body would be great surprise to hold on to because they were really out of options. If Vader blew it then they would have fuck all to work with.

+ In the interim of collecting a new body for their unexpected lover and their next discovery (a.k.a. The final nail in Sidious’ coffin) Solus caught up with Maul. Torture is too loving of a word for what she did to him.

+ Solus had years of realizing she had to make two years with one of the loves of her life last for the centuries she would probably live. He took her Manda’lor, her riduur, the father of her children before they could ever knew him. He also displayed no honor in his fight and picked the opponent he knew he would win against. Because she would have destroyed him.

+ Lumi gets in on the torture because she is so done with everything that’s happening. The Dark Side, the Jedi, everything and everyone took and took and took from them. To see the cackling mad failed Sith gave her a target to pin some blame too.

+ Maul lived many weeks on Mustafar in one of the lowest cells. Solus toyed him over and over again. Drug him to the edge of death then brought him back again and again. She suffered and so would he. More than that, he would break. He thought it impossible but she had faith in her skills.

+ In the mornings, she attended to her work with Lumi or Vader or whoever was sent to deal with. Afternoons, when she was around, were devoted to toying with the overgrown pest. While the evenings were spent with her lovers.

+ Her obsession with Maul and how she toyed with him traveled back to Sidious. He took it as confirmation both her and Lumi had slipped over the edge with no hopes of returning. The Dark Side had eaten away at their minds giving him mastery over them as well.

+ Unlucky for him a number of things went off at once that became the beginning of the end. Maybe if he had spent less time full of his ego and more time watching the little pieces move then he may have guessed what was going down.

+ First came Solus pulling off her deepest intention of breaking Maul: learning the location of the Dark Saber. It was never his to take, no matter what he claimed, so it belonged to her. If she did honor his claim with his cowardly version of Kyr’tsad…well she had to beat him to capture him and it passed to her.

+ Next came the actual retrieval of the Dark Saber from Dathomir. With it came a slew of Sith Artifacts, Nightsister regalia, and also the knowledge that a particularly powerful holocron could be found on Malachor.

+ Setting her sights on Malachor with Lumi they nabbed the holocron. During a deep dive of reading the contents they learned another very important thing: Sith practiced an art that allowed someone to convert one’s life force into fuel for a different person. However, it would kill them.

+ Returning to their second home on Mustafar, they began a second deep dive into Vader’s medical records. It quickly became apparent that he should have died. Burns of that caliber combined with the loss of limbs and everything else left Solus certain that not even the blessing of the Force could have saved him. But…a wrinkled Sith Lord with delusions of grandeur could help.

+ Before presenting their findings they made one final hunt for information: the death of Padme Amidala. Which turned into a lot of digging and searching to find anything nearing truths. But, they found enough to draw conclusions. Anakin did not kill Padme but Sidious did.

+ New body ready (with the help of several detained Kaminoans kept in an undisclosed location) they helped Vader make the transfer to his new body. Both blocked out their concerns because they needed this to happen. Yes, it had started as revenge against Sidious but now it was something more. They loved Vader and he deserved reparations for what Sidious had done to him.

+ Once he’d safely adapted his Clone Body next came the truths spilling out one after another. They told him how they thought Padme had died with proof of how a Sith could channel life from one to another. Solus broke down the exact flaws in the suit and his medical procedures he received. Where he was intentionally fucked over to better serve Sidious’ grand plans. Her final point being that he intention trapped him within a metal body, dependant upon a life support system that could be destroyed by the Force Lightning Vader was barred from using.

+ Lumi added in that the asshole may have even thought himself strong enough to conquer his mind (the one he so carefully corrupted to the Dark Side) in hopes of gaining his body in the beginning. A cherry on top of everything else that happened.

+ Darth Sidious never stood a chance. Vader he could control and that had always been his intention. But, a flesh and blood Anakin Skywalker? He had no hopes of surviving that. As Solus had mentioned to him years before: Emotional Pain causes a rage Physical Pain will never match.

+ Lumi and Solus laughed as Sidious died. Solus was capable of a power the likes of which he never understood and possessed a mind he had underestimated.

+ From there, the Empire does fall quickly into shambles. Solus is granted full control of Mandalore with all soldiers of the Empire to be removed immediately. She quickly turns over control of Mandalore to Bo-Katan. As checkered as her past had become she held true to the belief that “I am meant to guide the Dark Saber but never truly wield it.”

+ Anakin trying to lead anything was Interesting. Lumi made not so subtle suggestions of exactly what the could do for Ryloth and planets ruled by the Hutts. Solus winced while trying to explaining politics to Anakin “The General Disaster” Skywalker and Lumi. Granted, Lumi was fully prepared to return to Mandalore and watch this chaos from afar.

+ Lumi was the one who suggested trying to patch things up with friends of the past i.e. Captain Rex, Ahsoka Tano, or even Obi-Wan Kenobi. Basically anyone who could help positively influence Anakin into a subtle transition of power.

+ It really took hold when it came with the suggestion that he very much still had time to become a fantastic father. He would just have to work on some things. But, the best one would be starting with setting the Galaxy right again by handing power back to the People.

+ Relationship wise they kind of maintained their own little Thing. Solus and Lumi knew they were never fully step into what the Jedi Order considered the Light again. But, they were fine with that. They’d never been very good Jedi anyway.

+ Solus returned to spending the bulk of her time with Bo-Katan and her children happily handling Clan Vetra things as well as offering her political savvy as needed. When Anakin had adjusted well enough she even began to bring the Twins around “Ani’ba’vodu”.

+ Lumi finally got the relationship with Fenn she had waited for. It took a lot of time and work to get a point where they felt comfortable but it did happen.

+ Anakin was free to seek out whatever relationship he so wished. They loved him with an ultimately true, honest love. But, they would help him seek out other relationships if he so choose. It would be unfair to demand he twist himself to fit entirely into the relationships and lives they were returning too.

+ Anakin Skywalker was finally free and deserved to truly experience it.

[theabominableblogger]

Rewatching “Revenge of the Sith”

Ohhhh yeahhh, I’m going there.

My apologies in advance because this post is so long...

*silently boogies out to 20th Century Fox jingle and ends up throwing popcorn everywhere*

*mouths along to opening theme*

WAR!

“Evil is everywhere.”  Dude, this is Star Wars we’re talking about...

Just a heads up, I am so freaking glad that we have The Clone Wars because honestly, it has a lot more flowing character development when it comes from jumping from “Attack of the Clones” to this movie, especially Anakin.

Lens flare!

Holy snot how many Republic ships are there?!?  Did the Separatists come with every single ship imaginable?  Is that why?

Aaaaand that’s a dead body.

The hell are those things?

“Nothing too fancy.”  Says the man [Obi-Wan] who dramatically drops his robes whenever possible.

*imitates the buzz droids*

“IN THE NAME OF-”  Finish the sentence, Obi-Wan!

R2′s taser thingy looks like the Twelfth Doctor’s sonic screwdriver.

What if they didn’t notice the shield in time?

Boom!  End of saga.  Cue end credits music.

Ohhhh this asshole.

WHAAAATTT’SS THE SITUATION, CAPTAINNNN???

*imitates the droids saying “Roger roger”*

How come Anakin and Obi-Wan aren’t getting jostled around when the elevator car first stops?

*quotes the entire “No loose wire jokes” conversation in the elevator*

Is that the same freaking chair that’s gonna pop up in “Return of the Jedi?”

Anakin and Obi-Wan fight Dooku but every time their lightsabers clash, it’s Obi-Wan going “Hello there”

Did Dooku just backwards kick Anakin away?  Oh my God...

DEW IT

 *Anakin kills Count Dooku*  Well done, prequels.  You done didn’t use your Christopher Lee effectively enough.

ALL BATTERIES FIRE, FIRE!

Wilhelm Scream!

*imitates droid saying “Reversing stabilizers...”*

Holy crap, you can actually see Grievous’s face kind of twitching with anger when he commands the droids to level out the ship.  Dang.

Freaking Obi-Wan’s little yell of horror when he wakes up...

*ugly cackles*

*quotes the entire ray shields scene*

I cannot freaking believe that the TV show took the time to make freaking sure that Anakin never met Grievous until this movie.

Actually, yes I can.  They have a goddamn script continuity department.

How come one of them didn’t take one of the electrostaffs?

The Separatist flagship just tore in half when it entered the atmosphere and yet I remain completely unfazed.

“8 plus 16...”  Pfftt, what the heck does that mean?

Guys, I think I found the origin for the Dramatic Hair Flop of Angst in TCW

Pretty sure that’s the Millenium Falcon at the bottom hangar

“Oh, I’m not brave enough for politics.”  *cough cough*

Obi-Wan gets a whole freaking bus to himself.  Chaos will ensue.

How has no one noticed Padme just hanging out next to one of the pillars?

“There were whispers... that you [Anakin] had been killed...”  Really?

Anakin’s reaction to Padme telling him that she’s pregnant is actually really good.

Wasn’t there like a deleted interaction where Anakin first accused Padme of sleeping with someone else while he was gone but then they decided that was not that great of an idea?

The music that plays when Grievous exits the shuttle is pretty sweet

*imitates Grievous saying “Yes, Lord Sidious?”*

*claps with each word*  This is not how you write romance, [George] Lucas!

Oh I didn’t realize that you could actually hear Anakin’s robotic arm move when he puts his face in his hands

“How long is it gonna take before we start being honest with each other?”  You [Padme] should have asked that before you two got hitched in the first place.

Ladies and gentlemen, the absolute worst therapy lesson in the history of Star Wars:  Yoda telling Anakin to basically get over himself and accept the sudden, incoming death of the people he loves.

“What must I do, Master Yoda?”  MOTHEREFFING IGNORE HIM!

“Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”  NOOO, OH MY GOD...

There’s actually a whole video by Pop Culture Detective that went into detail how terrible the Jedi Council were when it came to giving Anakin emotional support.

“Be careful of your friend Palpatine.”  And your pal, Friend-patine.

I just noticed that there are less chairs in the Jedi Council room

“The Council doesn’t like it when he [Palpatine] interferes with Jedi affairs.”  Then why the heck don’t they confront Palpatine about it?

Holy crap, I just realized that this movie came out 13 years ago.

“Hold me, like you did by the lake on Naboo...” Was that really “holding” though?

Anakin’s delivery of “At last!” sounds like Darth Maul when he said “At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi” in the first movie.

This entire opera scene should be a dead give away to Anakin learning about Palpatine being the Sith Lord.  The minute Palpatine even said the word “Sith” should have raised a few red flags...

This entire Darth Plaguesis explanation is so good and ominous.  Just the minute Palpatine finishes the story and tells Anakin that there are other ways to gain that sort of power, you can just gradually feel the dread setting in for the rest of the movie.  You just know something bad is gonna happen (besides Anakin becoming Darth Vader)...

Look at the way Obi-Wan’s sitting in his chair!

Oh my God... the Wookies just did a Tarzan yell...

Headcanon:  he’s [Anakin] checking for updates about the Siege of Mandalore

OK, everyone craps on the Utapau storyline with the fight scene between Obi-Wan and Grievous but I actually think this is one of the best parts in the movie.

I love the design for the Pau’ans

GUYSSS I LOVE BOGA SO MUCH YOU HAVE NO IDEA!!!

Someone get me a plush animal of her on my desk pronto!

HELLO THERE!

GENERAL KENOBIII... YOU ARE A BOLD ONE...

That pose though!

That spinning helicopter move Grievous does while stalking toward Obi-Wan was always really cool to me.  A little extra, but still cool.

ARMY OR NOT... YOU MUST REALIZE... YOU ARE DOOMED!

Oh I don’t think so!

*imitates Obi-Wan using the Force to throw Grievous*

Wait, so how many times has Cody had to hold onto Obi-Wan’s lightsaber when Obi-Wan freaking drops it?

Death Star plans?

Big question:  so how old is Anakin here?  He’s 19/20 in “Attack of the Clones” and there’s at least a one or two year time jump in S3 of TCW.

Yo, that means he was like late 30s/early 40s when he died in “Return of the Jedi.”  Well shoot, man...

Yeah, Obi-Wan, let’s freaking kick the crazy homicidal cyborg.  Great idea.

Is Grievous just covered in gasoline or something because he just went up in flames *snaps* just like that.

Ohhhh this scene with Anakin and Padme looking at the windows of their respective places is really good...

Look at freaking Anakin here! 

George Lucas deserves any and all sins for the bad dialogue for Anakin because Hayden Christensen can really act when he’s not given any dialogue and he’s just told to react. 

So, with that, henceforth, there shall be no dissing Hayden Christensen on my blog.

I AM THE SENATE!

Dramatic window break!

Palpatine’s lightsaber just freaking deactivated as soon as Windu kicked it out the window

Wowwww... the prosthetics on Palpatine look.. bad....

UNLIMITED.... POOWEEERRRRR!!!

I just realized that Anakin kind of walks over to Palpatine on his knees before he pledges himself to Palpatine

Why Darth “Vader” though?  Is there any special reasoning for that?

AN:  Holy crap, there’s an hour left and Anakin has just turned to the Dark Side...

Pfftttt....

THESE SHOTS THOUGH

Man, I need to download more tracks from this soundtrack...

You can tell that that’s green screen behind Cody

*in best Palpatine impression*  Execute Order 66!

Nooooooooooooo, Boga!

Aaaaand everyone dies and it sucks now!

Ughh, Aayla Secura...

NOOOOOOOOOO PLO KOONN!

What planet is that?

Here’s my question:  in Rebels, how the heck did Thrawn get Gree’s helmet?  Was there an imperial campaign out on Kashyyyk and he found it somewhere?

That small matte painting shot of the Jedi Temple burning is actually really pretty now that I see it again

Yooooo can we talk about this padawan though?

Kashyyyk has twin moons...

So what happens to Chewie after this and before the Han Solo movie?

Heeeyyyyyyy I know that kind of ship!

“Have faith, my love [Padme]...”  Uhhhh... Padme should have picked up on how... off that line was

How has NO ONE in the Senate (besides Organa and probably Mon Mothma) picked up on Padme’s pregnancy?

*imitates Palpatine*  Mustafaaarrrrr....

“Could be a trap.”  It’s Star Wars.  There’s always a trap.

What’s that planet right next to Mustafar?

Random xylophone scales!

Yoda is taking no prisoners!

Where are the lightsaber/balster holes in the younglings?  Yoda said that they were probably killed by lightsaber so where are the marks on their bodies?

Yellow eyes...

“So this is how liberty dies:  with thunderous applause.”  Best.  line.  Ever.  Someone send flowers and chocolates to Natalie Portman.

“I've recalibrated the code, warning all surviving Jedi to stay away.”  Aaaagghh and we see it in Rebels and in the Last Padawan comic!

Don’t mind me casually dying

I just noticed that gradually throughout this movie, you can see Obi-Wan get grey hairs in his sideburns

*Obi-Wan sneaks onto Padme’s ship to Mustafar*  Where did he come from?!?

“You [Darth Vader] have restored peace and balance to the galaxy.”  *in best Anakin voice*  OK... now what?

“And together, you [Padme] and I [Anakin] can rule the galaxy! We can make things the way we want them to be!”  Wow, “The Last Jedi” is just smackin’ me in the face right now

Anakin... you’re breaking my heart!

That is just extremely bad timing on Obi-Wan’s part

YOU HAVE DONE THAT YOURSELF!

Your new Empire?!?

DEMOCRACY!

“Only a Sith deals in absolutes.”  A what?

That’s a pretty nasty lisp you have there.  Might wanna do something about that.

You know how this Yoda vs. Palpatine fight could be more amazing?  Just add helium

Honestly, for the BIG DEAL fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan, it just goes on for a little bit too long.

Plus when it’s intercut with the Yoda vs. Palpatine, the latter is way more entertaining (hello, two most powerful peope going head to head with actual Force lightning being involved?)

Are they [Anakin and Obi-Wan] just kicking each other with the Force now?  Wow...

NOT EVEN HITTING EACH OTHER!

Seriously, they’re just banging their lightsabers together and calling that a fight.  C’mon... actually try to hit the opponent!

Duel of the Fates!

*Palpatine throws the Senate chairs at Yoda with the Force* So I threw the Senate at him!

Honestly, you could cut out this whole balance thing on the sinking balcony and mining buildings/walkways

Commander Fox?

ExPLOsions...

Noooo... cut this out...

“Into exile, I [Yoda] must go.  Failed, I have.”  And yet people complain about Luke doing the exact same thing in the sequel trilogy

You’re not even trying to hit each other!

FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, THE JEDI ARE EVIL!

IT’S OVER, ANAKIN!  I HAVE THE HIGH GROUND!

YOU WERE THE CHOSEN ONE!

“You were my brother, Anakin.  I loved you.”  Uuuggghhhh....

I actually read somewhere that Ewan McGregor actually asked George Lucas to change the line to past tense instead of the original present tense.  Which is sad, so thanks Ewan.

Can’t you just put out the fire with the Force?

How did 3PO and R2 get an unconscious Padme on board?

Where is this?

*Palpatine’s shuttle lands in Coruscant*  It was a dark and stormy night...

Y’know, at this point, me comparing Anakin being repaired and transformed into Darth Vader and the creation of Frakenstein’s monster is almost inevitable at this point...

Stupid question, but what’s the significance of the names “Luke” and “Leia” concerning the themes present in the movies?  Or is that up to people like me who enjoy the meta to find that out?

He [Darth Vader] just killed that medical droid next to him...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Do not want....

“...[Qui Gon] learned the path to immortality...” In the TV show!

I like how the last line in this freaking movie is “Oh no!” and it’s from 3PO...

Triceratops rams!

The design for Padme’s funeral garb is actually Iain McCaig’s favorite concept art

How did they develop TIE fighters so quickly?

Oh my God, the dude they got to play Tarkin... oh God...

Definitely not Peter Cushing

*gasp*  Leia’s theme!

Random eopie noise!

Oh my God, “Binary Suns”...

Obi-Wan’s like “Great, now I gotta help a pair of random, separate Force-sensitive teenagers and their astromechs in the near future...”

Wait, they put Ewan McGregor in top billing?

“With Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu”  Thamuel El Jackthson!

Holy crap, I forgot Joel Edgerton plays young Uncle Owen

[starwarsconnectionarchive-blog]

Pablo Hidalgo’s Many Revelations About The Last Jedi at Comic Con Chile

Pablo Hidalgo, he of the witty Tweets wrecking Reywalker (exhibit 1), cat lover and Lucasfilm Story Group top banana, was recently at Comic Con Chile for a panel called “Mysteries of Star Wars”. One of our Spanish-speaking members from Reylo Skyforum has made a recap/translation of the panel. Behold the wisdom gleaned from this video.

Pablo (PH) opened by revealing that he wrote the captions that appear under the Annie Leibovitz photos in the Vanity Fair spotlight of The Last Jedi. He went on to scroll through the photos and added commentary about the characters and filming process as follows:

About Kylo Ren:

“Here are the bad guys in The Last Jedi -  Kylo of course, carrying the scar that he got from Rey. Kylo has a lot to prove. Even though the First Order was successful in a lot of what it did in TFA, you can't forget that Kylo was defeated by a newcomer. The Last Jedi starts off right where TFA ended, and he has to go visit his boss. We can all imagine how that's gonna turn out."

Audience member question: “Does Kylo Ren know that Darth Vader turned good in the end?” PH: “I think Luke would have told him. He may only have heard a certain side of the story from someone else, and he decided to choose what he chose to believe.”

About Luke/Mark Hamill:

Luke's gloved hand is touching "an ancient Jedi book" in the trailer.

Ahch-To is the site of the first Jedi temple, but the stone hut featured behind Rey and Luke in the VF picture is not a temple. PH: "The island is home to caretakers, and these aliens live in those huts - so Luke hasn't been entirely alone."

“The space siblings (Luke and Leia) have moments (in The Last Jedi) as well.”

Audience member question: “What can you say about Mark Hamill's displeasure with the creative direction of Lucasfilm? He has talked about this in a lot of articles.” PH: “Mark has been quoted out of context. He said he had disagreements with how his character was shown because he didn't think it was going to work out, but then he said ‘I was happy to be proven wrong.’ I think that Mark gives an amazing performance in TLJ and he has nothing but incredible things to say about Rian Johnson. I think any reports about him being unhappy are probably being framed that way for some reason.”

About Rey:

Rey has inherited Anakin's saber and the pilot's seat in the Millennium Falcon, and Chewbacca is a loyal co-pilot. 

     That’s it, wop wop :(

About Carrie Fisher/Princess Leia

"Carrie Fisher's role is much bigger in TLJ than in TFA. We didn’t intend for it to be that way at the time, but TLJ will be an amazing tribute to Carrie Fisher and Princess Leia.”

“Even though we lost Carrie Fisher it doesn't mean we're done telling stories about Princess Leia. There's chapters of her life that haven't been told yet. We have a book coming out by Claudia Grey which follows sixteen-year-old Leia. I think we have opportunity to tell more stories about her.

About Snoke: 

Audience member question: “Was Snoke's first appearance in TFA, or have we seen him before? Is he related to Darth Plagueis?” PH: “Snoke was first seen in TFA. He is a new character we have never seen before.

About the new characters:

“Kelly Marie Tran’s character Rose Tico is a mechanic in the Resistance, her sister Paige is a gunner on a bombing ship.”

Laura Dern’s character: “You had best not underestimate Vice-Admiral Holdo."

"Here is Benicio del Toro as DJ. There are all sorts of rumors about DJ on the internet; he is so shady that there's probably all sorts of rumors about him in the galaxy as well. If you shouldn't judge Holdo by her looks, you can probably judge DJ by his looks."

About Phasma:

"We'll learn a lot more about Phasma this year": there is a new comic about how she arrived on Star Killer Base. There is also a forthcoming novel from DelRey which “talks about how the First Order came to find her in the first place, her past, her home world.”

The picture of Phasma in Vanity Fair “is Gwendolyn behind the scenes, not what Phasma looks like without the helmet.”

About the filming process of The Last Jedi and episode 9:

Rian Johnson went to Skellig Michael to film the continuation of Luke and Rey’s meeting scene for start of The Last Jedi about 2 weeks after JJ wrapped up filming the end of TFA - so before TFA was released.

Audience member question: “Did Carrie's death affect The Last Jedi?” PH answer: “No, because she had already completed her part in its entirety. It did create a challenge for Colin in episode 9, because we all wanted her to feature quite prominently in it, but that can't happen anymore. We are evolving the story from the loss of that, to tell us where it should go.”

About the Force:

“If the Jedi have existed for thousands of years, they would have explored all aspects of how the Force works, from the spiritual to the biological. Only thinking of one side of the equation is an incomplete understanding.”

General Star Wars questions from the audience:

“Was Anakin Skywalker created by Darth Plagueis? PH: “All clues point to yes. This is just a theory, everyone can believe what they want; I think Sidious and Plagueis tried to provoke the creation of The Chosen One so that they could control it, and it didn't work out.

“Did Palpatine have any involvement in Padme's death?” PH: “You can theorize about it; I doubt we're ever going to get any more detail as to exactly how she died. That is a story George presented and we'll leave it as is in the movie.

“Did Palpatine influence Anakin's dreams?” PH doesn't think so. “He is a fearful person, and Palpatine took advantage of it.”

“How did you guys get over the criticism of the PT?” (lol) PH: “Lots of kids love the PT. That generation will get a chance to get out of the shadow of the previous generation. Then they also have to deal with the next generation, who have staked out episode 7, 8 and whatever comes next as THEIR Star Wars. That's healthy.”

“Is Return of the Jedi plural or singular? PH: “People should figure it out for themselves, it's magical that we're still arguing about what it means 30 years later. This is like our religion and we are not done studying it; it doesn't matter what I think about that, it matters what you believe."

“Is Jango Fett Mandalorian or just a mercenary wearing Mandalorian armor?” PH: “All we have to go by is Prime Minister Almec's word. if Jango is Mandalorian he has to be of such shaky standing that someone like Almec can say "No he's not," but there's more to come about this.”

“Are you going to make movies about the survivors from Order 66?” PH: “The era of the early Empire while Jedi were being hunted is an area of storytelling we're interested in. We just launched a new Darth Vader comic series that takes place right during that era. We're not done telling those stories, so it's always a possibility.”

“We saw Mace Windu fly out the window but we never saw his corpse. Is he alive or dead?” PH: “Depends on who you ask. Sam Jackson says he's alive and well, and I don't want to argue with Sam Jackson.”

PH: “Dave Filoni wants to do something special with stories he didn't get a chance to tell. I'll leave that for him to describe.”

“Is Disney interested in doing films about the Old Republic era?” PH: Creative direction for Star Wars is under Lucasfilm - we are always looking along the timeline to see what stories to develop, if we find a filmmaker passionate about that era we may consider it but for now the story is told through the video games.”

“There's a rumor that the First Order will fight against an external galactic threat like the Yuuzhan Vong; will there be something like the YV in the Sequel Trilogy?” PH: The First Order has its hands full trying to take over the known galaxy... The Yuuzhan Vong where going to appear in Clone Wars, they were going to be different than what we read in the books, and it was going to be mysterious aliens encountered by the Jedi - but it was never produced. In our mind there is a version out there where the Jedi encounter Yuuzhan Vong.”

“What do you think about the "Jar Jar is evil" theory?” PH: “Poor guy, he's been through so much but still has  a heart of gold.”

If you made it this far, we regale you with our quick-fire impressions:

As discussed in our podcast analyzing the The Last Jedi teaser trailer, we believe events shown in the teaser will be occurring in the first 1/3 of The Last Jedi. Pablo’s comments about continuity and Kylo having something to prove after just being defeated support that. Don’t expect to see Kylo Ren appeased at the start of TLJ, he will probably be a hot mess. (Hot because he’s attractive, get it? u_u)

The picture of Rey and Chewbacca in Vanity Fair + Pablo’s brief comment about Rey inheriting the Millennium Falcon and a loyal co-pilot in Chewie point to her eventually leaving Ahch-To in The Last Jedi. Some have speculated she will probably spend the entirety of the film on the island, but we disagree.

We are relieved and thanking the Maker after hearing Pablo say “WE are evolving the story (episode 9)” - it’s not just riding on Colin Trevorrow’s shoulders (sorry, Colin). This should also be reassuring in light of PlotGATE: the filmmaker has freedom, but Lucasfilm is always a part of the process. 

They have more Princess Leia stories to tell! And Claudia Grey is involved, huzzah!

Barely any questions about Kylo Ren and zero questions about Rey - but y’all ask about Darth Jar Jar? Get it together, my dudes. -___-

[no-s-estelle]

Final thoughts on the prequel trilogy:

Basically, I don’t hate it. In fact, I think Revenge of the Sith is a good movie. It’s (mostly) well paced, it hits the emotional points, and it does a pretty good job of showing Anakin’s descent into Vader. 

Putting the rest of the post behind a cut, because it got loooong

The Phantom Menace is pretty ubiquitously terrible though. Like, except for the podracing sequence and the last maybe 20 minutes, which were actually interesting (exclusively due to the action sequences) it was just so. badly. paced. I had to watch in 10 to 20 minute increments, taking breaks, because otherwise it just was incredibly boring. And I don’t want to rag on a kid who was most likely just doing his best, but the kid’s performance was kind of awful. Except for the moment where he ran back to Shmi when he was supposed to leave with Qui-Gon, I did not believe a minute of his acting. I don’t expect too much from child actors, because they’re kids, but I can’t help but think that they could have found a better kid to play child Anakin. And then, of course, most egregiously, there’s the veritable list of racist, antisemitic, and especially orientalist stereotypes this movie is rife with. It’s like George Lucas took every negative racial and ethnic stereotype he could find to create the aliens. I almost turned the movie off within the first 15 minutes, when it became apparent that only human characters (and droids) would get to speak without American and English accents, while all the alien characters got vaguely Middle Eastern/South and East Asian/South American accents. Watto was such an antisemitic stereotype and was incredibly uncomfortable to watch. Jar Jar Binks was just... I have no words for how annoying I found Jar Jar Binks. I could go on, but this is not an essay on racism in Star Wars, so I won’t. And I have to mention the CGI. Mostly, I get it, it was a new and exciting technology and they wanted to use it, but it was also 90s CGI and it was fucking terrible and obvious. It was really jarring to see what looked like video game sequences in a live action film.

TBH at this point I don’t remember all the details of Attack of the Clones; I just powered through it without writing anything down or stopping to think about it too much, and right now my brain is mostly full of Revenge of the Sith. Mostly what I remember about AotC is that while the pacing was still kinda bad, I appreciated the way the story unfolded. Going into this watchthrough, I knew only the basic shapes of the Star Wars storylines. I vaguely knew that Palpatine was bad and there would be war at some point, but I had no idea of the specifics. For me, at least, AotC did a really good job of muddling up the motivations for war on both sides, and keeping the truth of the extent of Palpatine’s manipulations until the very end. Throughout the movie there was this increasing sense that both sides had only a very vague idea of what they were afraid of and why they were going to war. It wasn’t exactly clear who the separatists were or why they wanted to separate, or even why that would be a bad thing, except that it would lead to war. Maybe this will become clearer if I ever rewatch this movie, but I like that I was left with the impression that the entire Clone War is absolutely pointless in that both sides really just want peace and the only reason they don’t just sit down and talk it out is that Palpatine is being a manipulative evil fuck.

I also have a lot of muddied feelings (a running theme with this post) about the introduction of the Padme/Anakin romance. Honestly, mostly to me it felt creepy and forced, but I have a tendency to see romance as forced so I’m not sure I trust my feelings in that regard. I do feel I’m justified in being creeped out by Anakin’s fixation on Padme, but that’s coherent as I can get about it right now. I don’t think they’re some kind of epic destined love, except for the part where Anakin is unhealthily fixated on Padme and needs all the therapy in the world.

RotS was definitely the best movie of the bunch, and like I said up top, I (mostly) really enjoyed it. I spent the first half being incredibly frustrated with the way the Jedi Council was treating Anakin and giving him absolutely contradictory and unfollowable advice about how to deal with his feelings, which I already wrote a post about, and then I spent the second half of the movie being progressively more horrified, interspersed with eye-rolling at the unnecessary drama of the big final fight. Like, really guys? you’re swinging on cables over a literal lava pit, and you can’t put down your giant lightning swords for a minute just so you can get to safety? And then that all went away very quickly at the conclusion to that fight. I obviously knew where things were going, but I wasn’t prepared for Anakin/Vader being burned alive. I just wasn’t. 

Probably the worst part of RotS is the wrap-up. It just went on for so. freaking. long. There were about five points where they could have cut it off and it would have been appropriately dramatic.

I think if I ever do rewatch these movies, it will be so I can listen to the music more carefully. I tried, but at the really important parts I was mostly too busy actually watching the movie to think about what the music was doing. There was definitely some interesting development of the main musical themes, though, and I would like to eventually go back and analyze them.

[templeofgeek]

Light Side? Dark Side? Which side will you join? That’s the question every Star Wars fan must answer. Personally, we’re swearing our allegiance to the Galactic Coven.

This group of stylish, Star Wars-loving social media friends met on Instagram and formed a group chat to discuss the Disney Plus series The Mandalorian. Their conversations evolved to include Star Wars in general, theories about the fandom, and even subjects not related to Star Wars.

Eventually, there were so many members and so many discussions going, they had to move the chat to the Slack app, member Tina Estrella said. The Coven began as a safe space for women and nonbinary individuals to talk Star Wars and became a welcome source of support and solidarity when the coronavirus pandemic hit.

“We have like seven to nine channels on (Slack) because we all have so much we want to talk about,” Estrella said.

“Especially during this unnerving time where many are either struggling mentally, personally, or otherwise, we have this group of amazing people who are ready to defend, support, and cheer up anyone that needs it.”

The group organized a meetup in February at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge. Several members gathered in Batuu. They created a stir when they showed up wearing bold, red outfits inspired by the Nightsisters from The Clone Wars animated series.

“We’re not all bounders, but wanted something fun to wear as a group without getting too complicated,” group founder Solanah Hernandez recalled.

“When we all got to Batuu, we realized just how much we stood out, a group decked out in red against the sandy architecture. We would’ve had fun regardless, but the outfits got such a positive reception, from travelers and cast members alike. It was a completely unreal experience, but the highlight was really just hanging out together.”

“Truly, it was such an incredible day,” Estrella agreed. “I’m so glad that we all had that weekend with each other before the pandemic took over.”

Estrella said the Galactic Coven’s day out in Batuu included lots of laughter, an encounter with a skeptical Kylo Ren, attention from Stormtroopers, an arrest by Chewbacca, and reservations at Oga’s Cantina.

Shortly after the meetup, epic photos of the group’s vibrant, witchy bounds began circulating on social media, garnering buzz and catapulting the Coven to Star Wars fashion icon status.

Their status was further cemented when, a few weeks later, the group participated in the #passthebrush challenge on TikTok. Members showed off their best Dark Side looks in “Don’t Rush the Dark Side,” a video edited by Epi Erichsen. Lightsabers, force pulls, a dyad pass, and a force choke were involved.

“This challenge was so fun to do because each of us brought our own style and personality to our ‘reveal,’” Estrella said.

“So many people commented and messaged us about how they loved it and were inspired to make their own and it truly warms me up just thinking about how so many people enjoyed it! … We truly tried to sprinkle in so many little details we hoped Star Wars fans would appreciate, so it was great to see the video be so well received.”

“It was a really fun thing to do during isolation that made us feel more connected, and I think that came through,” Hernandez agreed.

The name Galactic Coven was coined by member Nina Penalosa. The group’s original title was “Mandalorian Bitches.”

“We were all like, ‘Wow,’” Estrella said. “That sounded so much better fitting for us, as The Mandalorian was already over and we had moved on to discussing so many other aspects of Star Wars, such as the novels, movies, and animated series.”

The Coven made a major impression on social media while rocking some serious Star Wars style. It’s not surprising, considering many members of the group make fashion based on the fandom and run geek fashion businesses. Other members are artists and/or work in creative fields.

Hernandez began hand-painting leather jackets for herself and a friend to wear to Star Wars Nite and the May the 4th celebration at Disneyland in 2018.

“A year later, I took a chance and asked if any of my followers would like a Star Wars-themed jacket and, unexpectedly, orders poured in,” she said. “It’s really fun working with people and discovering what Star Wars means to them, because it’s so different for everyone, and I’ve really learned a lot.”

Estrella hand-paints purses, inspired by Eliza Sidney and Hernandez. Members of Galactic Coven include a film stylist and designer, a zine maker, an illustrator, a hair stylist, several writers, lots of vintage fashion enthusiasts, and cosplayers and makers of all kinds.

“I think (the group is) really just artistically oriented,” Hernandez said.

“Each of us loves Star Wars-inspired style, music, visual art, writing. We all bring something different to the table. It’s such a vast and varied universe, there’s a little something for everyone, and so many ways to be inspired and bring that into everyday life.”

Fashion is a natural fit when it comes to Star Wars, Estrella said.

“With Star Wars, some of the most prominent and iconic features of the films are the fashion and styling. From the sleek lines of a general’s uniform to dramatic statements, such as Padme’s entire wardrobe, Star Wars iconography is very fashion-based. Being able to create our own interpretations of Star Wars fashion is what makes our group very unique and I appreciate the talent of the many members.”

More than the killer fashion they’re putting out into the world, the Coven members say they appreciate the group’s “respectful and supportive” vibe.

“One thing I’ve heard over and over from, mainly, young women is that our openness and positive take on the subject has inspired them to delve more into Star Wars,” Hernandez said.

“It’s an incredibly intimidating fandom from the outside, but creating a small space to freely discuss one of the most divisive movie sagas there is, without judgement or gatekeeping, is the reason I still love Star Wars. Without a positive community, it wouldn’t have the same appeal.”

According to Estrella, the Coven planned to meet up in person this summer at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim (which will likely be postponed) and will gather at some point for another group bound in Batuu.

“Truly, I want to stress that we are a coven, not a club,” she said.

“We are friends who have bonded for months over Star Wars and we want to encourage everyone and anyone to find their own ‘galactic coven.’ We saw a void in the community where diversity and inclusion of non-male fans was missing and so we harbored a space to fill that gap. This is just the beginning!”

In honor of May the 4th (known as Star Wars Day), Temple of Geek Chic spoke to members of the Galactic Coven about Star Wars fashion. Read on for their favorite fandom fashion icons, Star Wars style inspo, and more. You can follow the group on Instagram, @galactic_coven.

Solanah Hernandez

@solanah

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

I vaguely remember my family watching the originals but I wasn’t too interested as a kid. But then Anakin Skywalker comes outta nowhere in my early teens and suddenly his poster is on my wall. I became interested again after The Force Awakens, but obsessed after The Last Jedi.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

No one can compare to Padmé Amidala.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

I love finding old prequel tees secondhand. They’re something I can enjoy daily!

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I find so much vintage wear I love that I haven’t experienced too many geek or Star Wars-based brands, but I love the pins Rather Keen releases and the tees Super Yaki does!

Tina Estrella

@megadiabla

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

I had casually seen the films growing up, but I did not start to become a true fan until high school. Being a foolish kid that wanted to maintain my “cool” appearance, I suppressed my love of fandoms like Star Wars and Harry Potter because I did not want to be seen as a geek (mind you, I was an honors student and helped stage our production of Little Shop of Horrors, so I was def a geek whether I wanted to accept it or not, lol).

Then after high school, I was kind of like, “Who even cares?!” and I fully embraced my fandom love by wearing merch and attending fan events at my local AMC theater. Now I’ve attended two Star Wars celebration events (Anaheim and London) and am looking forward to continuing to immerse myself into this community of fans!

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

I love me some baddies! So I am all for the dark side fashion. Darth Vader will always be the most iconic to me (maybe because I love wearing black so much). So definitely Darth Vader, he might not have the range of Padme but he definitely is the most iconic character that I think many instantly recognize.

Even just seeing the character at Disneyland, something about that giant suit exudes power and I can’t help but gush over it!

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

My favorite item that I own is an item that I’ve kept for seven years. Again, because of my love of Vader, it’s an old H&M knit sweater with Darth Vader’s helmet prominently in the middle. It’s simple but I love it. Even though it fits a bit snug these days, I don’t think I will ever part with it.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

While she may not be a “brand,” I think Solanah is doing things that haven’t been done before. She truly has a way of incorporating the most brilliant designs into her jackets. As a fellow painter of clothing items, I am in awe of her every time!

I think that Super Yaki is also a brand that stays so current to geek and pop culture. Their shirts are so fun and many are those “if you know you know” type of designs and I think that it’s awesome when you can have a bit of fun with shirts like that.

I also think that Hot Topic is a brand that is so easily accessible and continuously makes amazing Star Wars and other “geek” collaborations. I especially love their artist’s tees. It’s where I go shop every Christmas because they have something for everyone.

Curstie Prater

@missvintagelady

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

The prequels. My father is a big Star Wars fan and when I was younger, he introduced me to the character Queen Amidala and from there on I was obsessed with Star Wars. I had this really amazing Queen Amidala paper doll book growing up and I remember playing dress-up quite often, trying to recreate her iconic looks.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

Oh, that is a tough question because there are quite a few characters that inspire me but if it isn’t my own version of a Sith look, I would say Leia Organa and Padmé Amidala. Leia has a lot of looks I can see myself wearing in my everyday life, especially her Endor look. I love that cape. I also wouldn’t mind owning Jyn Erso’s outfit. I really loved that look.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

I LOVE my Kylo Ren Hooded Capelet. I bought it for my first trip to Batuu and I wear them all the time. Even for looks that are not Star Wars-inspired.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I would say Her Universe because they have released some amazing t-shirts featuring lesser-known Star Wars characters and I really appreciate that. I also really enjoy thrifting at vintage stores or small businesses that carry simple pieces to create my own Star Wars inspired looks.

Ren Rice

@stitchcrvt

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

My introduction to Star Wars was when I was a kid and my babysitter at the time tried to get me to watch it and I absolutely made a fuss about it. I didn’t care. Then, it came again in my early 20s when a friend at the time was incredibly obsessed with Han Solo and I didn’t get it, so she sat me down to watch one of the original trilogy films, couldn’t tell you which, and again I was just like, “What is this? This is boring!”

What really got me was the trailer for The Force Awakens. I remember when it was announced and everyone was so excited about it and I couldn’t figure out why. To say I was annoyed was an understatement. Looking back, it was definitely one of those, “I am not in on it and because I’m not I’m pissed everyone else is excited” situations.

So when the trailer came out and we see John Boyega’s head pop up, that’s when it hit me. I knew him from Attack the Block, so seeing him in a franchise where my only introduction was to a bunch of non-POC characters, I was just … immediately attached to him. That ended up being my first Star Wars theater experience and I’ll never forget it. Once I saw the trailer, I went back and watched all the previous six films by myself and the rest is history.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

It’s funny because I feel like if you asked anyone they’d have a clear-cut answer. I could say Padmé but honestly, while iconic, she’s not my favorite. I honestly don’t think I have a favorite? I think for me, because I am moreso on the back end of fashion, meaning I’m a designer. It’s my job.

I design and wardrobe style for film and for fun and I don’t really dress myself up. I’m really casual with hints of nerd in my day-to-day. But if I’m designing and creating for fun and I look to Star Wars, a lot of my inspiration comes from things like the tech, the helmet designs, the one dress a background character wore, the planet Crait … things like that.

If I do a round-up of things I’ve designed, I’d say a lot come from the First Order or the Siths. Currently, my obsession is translating Padmé gowns to scarves. In short, I’m all over the place. My own personal style, I suppose, is like that tomboy next door who is obsessed with Darth Vader.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

Probably my denim jacket. I used to work for Levi’s at their cooperate office in San Francisco. I bought a black denim jacket and had it embroidered to say “First Order” and then there was a shop in the lobby where you could buy clothes and I bought up all the Dark Side Star Wars patches to have them put those on for me too. Now it’s just decked out in First Order/Sith/Dark Side pins too. It’s fun to wear.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I don’t think I have a favorite one. I tend to shop all over the place. Currently, I’m obsessed with Super Yaki stuff though. They have a bunch of cool tees inspired by film and their Star Wars ones are great. I own the “The Prequels Were Great” tee.

Janey Ellis

@atomic_redhead

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

Sadly, I can’t remember my first viewing of Star Wars. It was kind of just always present in my house. My brother and sister are 14 and 16 years older than me, respectively, and so they were children when the first films came out. At some point, I saw it and started playing with my brother’s original action figures. I remember when the re-releases came out, followed by the prequels, which continued my passion for the universe as a child.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

Even though I’m not a fan of the prequels, there is no denying the style of Padme. And even though she may only appear for a brief moment and in one outfit, General Holdo’s ensemble is one of my all-time favorite looks in the saga.

What is your favorite Star Wars fashion item you own?

Far and above, my Han/Lando jacket that Solanah made me. Lando is my favorite character, followed by Han, and I have always loved their relationship, so I wanted a jacket that showcased that relationship. I also recently made a dress using my brother’s old Return of the Jedi sheets. In terms of accessories though, I would say the Poe X-Wing fascinator I made from one of the Revell model kits is one of my favorite pieces.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

Geek fashion brands are something I need to explore more. Sadly, there are only a handful out there, and I’m personally not a huge fan of any of them. I buy most of my clothing secondhand, and try to piece together Star Wars-inspired outfits using regular pieces of clothing. Or I like to sew my own stuff.

I do own a handful of Her Universe items, however, I have always struggled with fit with their stuff. While their items are cute, often the bust-waist-hip ratio is off, and the waist far above my natural waistline.

Alyssa Bradley

@miss.lys

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

One of my earliest memories was watching A New Hope with my dad when I was 4 or 5. I have loved Star Wars ever since.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

It’s a tie between Padme and her grandson Kylo, the best fashion icons in the galaxy.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

A gorgeous custom bag inspired by Queen Amidala, hand-painted by Solanah.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I honestly have so many brands and creators I love that I can’t list them all. Jordandene is responsible for getting me into geek fashion and I love all her stuff so much. Also, so many members of this coven make the most beautiful clothes and accessories, like Ren, Solanah, and Janey, just to name a few! I love supporting independent artists when adding to my geek wardrobe.

Allison Erland

@damfino

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

I found a Leia figure in the dirt in my back yard. I asked my dad about her and saw the original trilogy then at 6 or 7. I liked them but my dad wasn’t much of a fan so I didn’t really have the opportunity to delve back into the films until the prequels came out. I had a huge crush on Hayden Christensen and I instantly wanted to be Padme so it definitely instilled the love for Star Wars that came back full-fledged with this new trilogy, dressing up at Disneyland, and wanting to bring these strong, wonderful women to life.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

I don’t think there’s anyone in the galaxy who can hold a candle to Padme as far as I’m concerned. But I do have a soft spot for Qi’ra and find her style just a little easier to attain out in the real world.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

That’s a toss-up between my Japor snippet necklace, like the one Anakin made for Padme (I wanted one for so long, I was ecstatic when Disneyland sold one) and my custom jacket, painted by our founder Solanah.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I always try to find vintage or secondhand items first, when I can, since I find it brings a more unique, interesting story and obviously is great for sustainability. I definitely have a weakness for custom clothes. One of my favorite small shops is 1138 Clothing. (I was lucky to have a chance to model a Star Wars wedding party look for them a few years ago.) On top of that, many of our Coven members sew and I hope to guilt them into letting me commission some pieces soon.

Brittany Alyse

@brittanyalyse

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

I was very young, probably around 4 years old. My parents had the original trilogy VHS box set on display in our living room and I was always fascinated by the cover art. The original trilogy was always playing on TV in our house. I have these various vivid memories of my cousin Jessica and I always watching Return of the Jedi and pausing the (original) scene in Jabba’s palace just before the Max Rebo Band came on.

Jessica and I would run from the living room to the bathroom to put our hair in high pigtails and slap some lipstick on and then rush back to the living room to resume the film. We would then dance our hearts out and sing along with Sy Snootles. I really wish our parents had caught that on video. It was a bizarre and special little thing we did.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

In terms of fashion, it’s always Padmé for me. Her range was truly incredible. I really, really hope we get to see characters in future Star Wars projects that follow in Padmé’s footsteps when it comes to her iconic wardrobe.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

It definitely has to be the breathtaking Padmé leather jacket that Solanah designed for me. It’s a work of art. I knew I wanted something Padmé, because she has so little merchandise available and I wanted to represent her adequately. I let Solanah design it free range and she blew me away with the end result. It’s definitely the Star Wars jacket of my dreams!

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I really love Jordandené’s unique slogan shirts. I wear my “This is the Way” top so often. The fabric is so soft and the quality of her shirts is incredible.

Obviously, Solanah’s designs are out-of-this-world good. I am SO happy to see her thrive within the community and witness her craft evolve. I also really love fellow coven member Ren’s Star Wars-inspired hoods. Ren is so talented and their attention to detail is exquisite and precise. Right now, they are creating a double Padmé hood design and I absolutely cannot wait to see how they come out!

When it comes to Star Wars fashion, I really love taking subtle pieces and using accessories to make a “normal” outfit more of a galactic fashion statement. Shopping from small brands that aren’t at all affiliated with Star Wars has really been fun for me.

For example, I recently commissioned a piece from a shop called Sacred Crystal Co because Solanah had a beautiful red crystal necklace made that looked like a kyber crystal, so I commissioned a white crystal piece inspired by Ahsoka Tano and now it’s my favorite piece of jewelry that I own.

For my Nightsisters outfit, I wore this incredibly badass waist belt made by AELYSE and it really pulled my outfit from being just a normal, everyday thing to looking more like a Nightsister.

Madeline Grace

@madduhlinee

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

When I was 9, Episode I just came out and my dad took us to see it. I remember sitting in a packed theater with people carrying lightsabers and having no idea what was happening. I remembered thinking how amazing Padme was. I had little to no idea that there were other Star Wars movies! I actually watched them chronological because of it!

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

Fashion-wise, Padme always. However, my favorite character is Hera Syndulla from Star Wars Rebels. She is who I relate to the most and feel the deepest connection to. A woman in the galaxy just trying to do what is right.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

Purchased, my Godspeed Rebels jacket from Solanah. But my favorite me-made item is my Clone Wars dress that I designed and made for May the 4th last year!

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

Oh, this is hard. Her Universe is one of my favorite major labels. I own so many pieces from their collections over the years. I also love Elhoffer Design and Jordandené.

Angie Coronado

@suzymissq

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

I was introduced to Star Wars by my older brother when I was a kid. The first scene I ever saw was one of the final scenes of Return of the Jedi, when Luke is burning Vader’s body, so I guess you could say I got spoiled, haha!

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

Favorite fashion icon is for sure Padmé. That’s really the only right answer. My favorite characters are definitely Obi Wan, Han, Leia, Poe and Rey.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

One of my most prized Star Wars fashion items is definitely my Solanah original jacket. We worked together to find the perfect design for a Poe Dameron jacket and I love it.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

Super Yaki makes one of my favorite Star Wars tees and they’ve been putting out so many cool geeky tees recently.

Also I mentioned Solanah original jackets earlier. She’s been pumping out jacket after amazing jacket with so many unique designs. She really makes the design unique to the wearer.

Catherine Fanchiang

@catherine

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

My introduction to Star Wars would have to be the Star Wars-themed Muppet Babies episodes. I think I always knew about Star Wars as a child from random images I’d see of C3PO and R2-D2, Jabba the Hutt and, of course, Darth Vader, but I don’t think I ever really knew what they were or where they were from. I remember watching Muppet Babies a lot as a child and the Star Wars episodes were fascinating to me. I can still see Kermit Luke and Miss Piggy Leia so vividly in my mind.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

My favorite Star Wars fashion Icon isn’t necessarily a specific person. It’s basically the entire Dark Side. I just feel like the Dark Side has all the great looks that are flattering and never go out of style. But as I’ve gotten older, I do have say that Padme and all Naboo Queens really have some amazing looks.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

My favorite Star Wars fashion item that I own has to be my leather jacket done by Solanah. I just have so many things to say about Solanah and I don’t even know how to express them. Solanah is just so extremely talented and really puts in a lot of thought into her designs. She might not know the references you give her but you wouldn’t even be able to tell once she’s done with something.

She really cares about what you want and is open to all ideas you might have. I trusted her 1000% throughout the whole process and I got an amazing one-of-a-kind piece. Like, my jacket glows in the dark! How cool is that?

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I don’t really have a favorite geek fashion brand. I kind of just randomly search for my geek clothing based off of characters I like and go from there. But, one brand that I’ve always loved just for its simplicity and comfort is Jordandene. I love that they’re more subtle in their geekiness so you can wear it anywhere.

Courtney J. Nelson

@dinosaurdame

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

Star Wars has always had a presence of some sort in my life, as it is in most, but I wasn’t drawn to it given the toxic fandom that was around it. I got the “not for you” message loud and clear. The Force Awakens is when it finally clicked for me, and I’ve dived into the fandom since then, and I love all of it so much.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

My favorite character is Ahsoka Tano, her character development has struck me the most. I really appreciate and relate to a lot of her personality traits, especially her loyalty and grit. But most of all, that she has come to represent thinking for yourself and really being your own person.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

The one I wear the most is my Japor snippet, but the most special piece is my fringe leather jacket painted by Solanah, another one of the coven members. It’s dark vs. light themed, and has a glitter rebel symbol on it. It’s the best.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I don’t particularly have a favorite brand. I pick up pieces here and there, but the best outfits are from a mix of that, thrifting, and supporting small shops/artists who make one-of-a-kind pieces.

Alice Fanchiang

@akangaru

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

I honestly didn’t sit down and watch a Star Wars through until high school, but I knew about it since I was a kid. I remember seeing parts of Star Wars movies on TV and parody forms of it in cartoons. Star Tours was also an early experience of the galaxy far, far away.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

I have to say Padme for fashion. Every single one of her outfits is different and beautiful. My favorite character is Obi-Wan Kenobi though, and I do appreciate the earth-toned Jedi aesthetic and boots. I’m about the boots.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

My favorites are all from small shops/creators. I have to mention the Jedi Fallen Order jacket I commissioned my friend Solanah to custom paint for me. Her work is so detailed and beautiful. Before that, it was two necklaces made by and gifted to me by my friend, @sparklingrampage on Instagram. One is a simple Rebel Starbird pendant; the other is a Lothcat.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I don’t know if I have a favorite Star Wars specific brand, but my go-tos have been Jordandene, BlackMilk, and Elhoffer Design. More recently though, I’ve been looking at small shops that aren’t geek specific, but they have clothing styles that are great for styling in geeky outfits — like Church of Sanctus and Nuit Clothing Atelier.

Liz Lund

@ondinira

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

I was introduced to Star Wars by my father. He had been a fan for a long time and couldn’t wait to show me and my three brothers the original trilogy during family movie nights.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

When I was growing up, my favorite Star Wars character was actually Oola from Return of the Jedi. Although she was only in a small portion of the movie, her brief arc completely transfixed me.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

My custom-painted leather jacket by Solanah is my absolute favorite piece I own. She was able to take my love of so many elements of Naboo, including both Queens Amidala and Soruna, the N-1 Starfighters, and the architecture of Theed, and design a gorgeous work of wearable art!

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

Some of my favorite geek fashion brands that have done fantastic Star Wars lines are RockLove Jewelry and Han Cholo.

Epi Erichsen

@ladyepi

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

I inherited love for Star Wars from my mother. I remember as a young girl, sitting down with my very excited mother to watch the prequels. I still remember to this day when she saw Anakin building up C-3PO, she jumped off the couch and yelled, “That’s C-3PO! He’s my favorite!“ Ever since then, she’s always indulged my Star Wars whims. She even made me a Queen Amidala costume from scratch for Halloween once. And she’s no seamstress, but it looked great.

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

This is such a hard question. It kind of feels like you’re asking me if I would rather dress like a Hobbit or an elf for the rest of my life. I think, more than characters, the fashion of this Galaxy far, far away is what inspires me. Whenever I put together a Star Wars look, I just try to tell the story of the character through my clothes, and it really depends what character I’m trying to portray.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

I don’t really own many Star Wars fashion items. I did just purchase a beautiful hooded scarf from Ren. They made it with such love and such quality, it’s amazing! I’ll be wearing it for all sorts of looks, you can count on that.

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

I don’t really buy from many “geek brands.“ I’ve recently been trying to lower my environmental footprint, and I’m trying my hand at plus size thrifting or ordering handmade custom items I know will fit me for a long time and just right. I can’t imagine Queen Amidala going to a mainstream mall, so should I?

Nina Penalosa

@lefancygeek

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

My proper introduction to Star Wars was when my aunt took my sister and I to watch the original trilogy’s theatrical re-release in ‘97. Before that, I vividly remember — around the age of 4 or 5 — walking into the living room at the part in The Empire Strikes Back where Darth Vader dismembers Luke’s hand. I was traumatized for quite some time but, ironically, Empire ended up becoming my favorite among the Star Wars films!

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

Padme Amidala and Lando Calrissian, without a doubt! I’m enamored with both of their styles. I mean, how can you not?! But I can’t help but gravitate towards the Dark Side when it comes to my own sartorial choices. From the clean lines, tailored coats, mock necks, and overall color scheme, the Empire and the First Order is a smorgasbord of style inspo.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

I have an incredible Admiral Ackbar statement necklace that I purchased from Jennifer Landa a few years ago. She upcycled an old Micro Machines toy and it’s by far the most extravagant piece of Star Wars jewelry I own!

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

Her Universe really helped pave the way for geek fashion — a lot of my Star Wars clothes came from them at first, but I really love smaller brands like Jordandené for their subtly geeky hand-lettered tees, Utinni Bikini for their fun skater dresses and enamel pins, Po-Zu for their comfy-stylish-eco friendly Star Wars shoes, RockLove for their beautifully detailed jewelry, and Lantern Pins and BB-CRE8 for enamel pins. I love finding geeky t-shirts on RedBubble, TeePublic, and TeeTurtle as well.

Britney Waite

@magiquemaker

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

To be honest, I don’t remember a time when Star Wars wasn’t in my life. Growing up, I watched the Original Trilogy with my family. Then, as I got older, I went opening night or weekend to see the prequels come out. My sister always loved Star Wars too, so marathoning all six movies was something we would do regularly!

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

Even though it could be seen as the obvious answer, I HAVE to say Padmé. All her looks are so incredible with all the textures and details. Her hair and makeup are phenomenal as well and super inspiring to me as a hairstylist. In one of the Star Wars books, they even explain how her looks aren’t frivolous, they have cultural symbolism and even feature things to keep her safer. I do have to say that my favorite character overall is R2-D2! I always love the droids but I especially love R2 for his sass.

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

Last Christmas, I got one of the CoachxStar Wars purses and it is my favorite for sure, I use it every day! I had been on the hunt for a certain size of purse for my new everyday bag and the fact I got it 70% off AND it shows off my love for Star Wars, it’s an all-around win. Plus, it’s sparkly and the strap is super extra!

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

This one is hard to answer because I love sewing and making my own clothing as much as I can. I do love Loungefly and Danielle Nicole handbags, I love novelty purses so much. A lot of the time though, because I am always looking for sewing inspiration, I love looking at designers like @adria.renee, who makes some of the greatest couture gowns. Her Star Wars collecting is SO GOOD! Such amazing inspiration for how to add special fandom details to my every day clothing!

Sylvia Clarino

@syllykay

What was your introduction to Star Wars?

I first saw Star Wars on the big screen in 1977

Who’s your favorite Star Wars fashion icon/character?

My favorite Star Wars fashion icon is, of course, Padme Amidala, but my favorite characters are Jyn Erso and Ashoka Tano

What’s your favorite Star Wars fashion item that you own?

My favorite Star Wars fashion items I own are my two original painted leather jackets I commissioned from Solanah!

What’s your fave geek (or Star Wars) fashion brand?

My favorite geek brand is Jordandene — she’s the original — but I love supporting all my creative indie friends, like Solanah and @stvchcraft!

Other Members of Galactic Coven:

@ravenzahara, @sacredsomethingbykara, @vexxing, @k.in.your.book.

For More Star Wars fashion see:

Temple of Geek Chic: Star Wars Geek Gear from Musterbrand

Temple of Geek Chic: Galactic Apparel by Elhoffer Design

Temple of Geek Chic: Galactic Coven forges fashionable bond of Star Wars sisterhood @galactic_coven #galacticcoven #starwars #maythe4th Light Side? Dark Side? Which side will you join? That’s the question every Star Wars fan must answer.

[starwarsfic]

II.5

Originally posted September 24, 2020

Summary: Obi-Wan has to be a thorn in Vader's side one last time.

Details: Post-ANH crack.

xxxxxx

The summons came for Vader in the middle of the hunt for his son and, if not for the very first sentence clearly stating "Obi-Wan Kenobi" he would have ignored it.

For all Obi-Wan had been lax about his own upkeep, it seems that he'd been obsessed with proper bureaucratic processes until the end.

The office he came to was out of the way, cramped, and on a moon just Outer Rim enough to not have any real Imperial presence--all the better, if that meant Sidious would have less knowledge of what Vader was doing.

There was one person on the other side of a crowded desk who must have been a solicitor, two others on the side that Vader was on. Both were wearing Mandalorian armor, one with his helmet off and tucked under his arm, looking so familiar even if Vader couldn't quite place him, and the other still completely covered and standing still as a statue.

The solicitor stared, glanced back down at the flimsy in front of him, then look back up with wide eyes. "Oh, uh, yes, that...that does make more sense." He gave a nervous laugh. "Mr. Kenobi insisted that all three of you were still alive."

He frowned behind his mask, skin stretching, as he wondered what he had to do with these other two. Looking them over again, feeling them in the Force, he stiffened as he realized who the pale haired man without his helmet on was.

"Kryze." There was the faintest thrill of fear from the man, though none of that showed on his face or movements. "Who are you?" he asked the other man.

"Vizsla," he said, after a moment and where Korkie Kryze was like a calm ocean that showed ripples of emotions, this man was a durasteel wall that gave nothing away.

Interesting, from a non-Force sensitive, but for all Vader knew there was beskar hidden in that helmet that was keeping him out.

He turned his attention back to the solicitor. "What is the meaning of this, then? What did Kenobi want?"

The nervous man shuffled the flimsy, looking between them."Yes, well, um, you see--" he hesitated, his fear filling the room, "I have it from a reliable source that Mr. Kenobi has...passed on." His tone was consoling, now, as if he expected any of them to be mourning.

Vader spared some attention to the Mandalorians on either side of him and realized they were upset. He could perhaps understand it of Kryze, Obi-Wan had nearly been his family, but from a Vizsla?

"Yes, I can confirm that." He would tell of the death in great detail, if they pushed, even though the end result had been less than satisfactory.

"...He...that is to say..." the solicitor glanced between the three of them, then back down at the flimsy, "he had a modest amount of property left that had not been, uh, collected by the Empire due to...sound investment strategies. In the event of his death, such property was to be...split between his...between his three children."

Roaring filled Vader's ears. He would have checked on the audio devices of his suit if he was slightly less than aware of his own emotions.

Shock, this was shock.

Obi-Wan had still considered him his son? Had not written him off immediately? Had he been holding back during their fight not just as a distraction, but...but because he still could not land a killing blow against Vader?

Then the rest of the news crashed over him and he stiffened, head turning to glare first at Kryze.

"...You are Satine's son," he gritted out, realizing suddenly how much more sense that made--he hadn't spared much effort to considering Satine Kryze's relatives, but he'd never actually heard about anyone but Bo-Katan.

Kryze narrowed his eyes at him, his thoughts clearly working through who Vader must be, and then shock echoed from him. He'd not shown any fear at being in the same room as Darth Vader, but now he took a step back, almost stumbling, as he realized who Vader had once been.

He supposed it didn't matter now, what was said or done in this room, he'd have to kill the solicitor and Kryze to keep his secret, and most likely the other one, too.

Vizsla tilted his head to the side in a way Vader knew had a meaning, but had always relied in the past on Obi-Wan to explain to him.

There was something like a smirk in Vizsla's voice was he explained, "My buir was Pre Vizsla. When Kenobi was seducing his way across Manda'yaim to protect Satine Kryze, they had some...trysts."

It was like he wanted to make Vader angry. A more traditionalist Mandalorian than Kryze just might. He might have realized he was going to die either way and decide to go out fighting.

Vader could imagine Obi-Wan, eighteen and innocent, being seduced by the young woman he spent so much time around during a year-long mission. Certainly, he'd thought himself in love with that ridiculous woman even when they'd met during the war. But Pre Vizsla?

And the implication that Obi-Wan had more sex than even that?

Unacceptable. His old Master had been a flirt, but he never went further than that.

"So, I...I just need signatures, from the three of you," the solicitor continued with the charade of any of this mattering, holding up a pad towards Kryze.

Who took it and glanced it over, eyebrows rising before he signed and handed it back. Vader's suit held still, not showing minute movements, but inside he was near-trembling wtih anticipation. What did it say? Was there a message from Obi-Wan? Was there more secrets being revealed?

Before he could reach out and grab the pad, it was in Vizsla's hands. He was silent and mostly still as he scrolled through it. Giving nothing more away, he signed it and handed it back over to the solicitor.

The solicitor only had a few seconds to switch it over to whatever section Vader was supposed to read before it was yanked out of his hands with the Force and floated to rest in front of Vader's face.

He thought it must be old, somehow, but the date on it showed that Obi-Wan had updated the will just a year before, Vader still clearly in his thoughts. The property...his heart ached when he realized it was a small cottage on Naboo that Obi-Wan had forced him to "stay" in to "keep up appearances" whenever he visited Padme on the planet during the war.

It had been set up through five different shell companies, if he recalled correctly, ones he...just never bothered looking into, after everything that happened. Obi-Wan had most likely never been able to return, not to the Emperor's home planet, and Vader wondered if it still looked as it had the last time he'd left--some lightsaber parts cluttered on the kitchen table, a mismatched throw from Obi-Wan's one and only attempt at Naboo-style crochet bundled on the couch.

Something inside ached. A rare pain he wasn't used to.

Would Luke like the cottage? He was from Tatooine, as well, and there was a lake so close, and so much greenery....

The solicitor ruined Vader's melancholy by daring to speak again. "If you would please just...just sign the document...uh...my Lord?"

Staring at the solicitor the whole time through his foreboding red lenses, Vader signed with the Force, then slammed the pad down on the desk.

"Will that be all?"

"Y-yes, sirs. Thank you for your cooperation."

Vader slammed out of the room, fists clenching and unclenching as his emotions whirled around him. His ship was already entering hyperspace when he realized he'd been so caught up in the memories that he'd forgotten to murder everyone in the room.

"Curse you, Obi-Wan," he rasped, sure that had been his old Master's plan for making his section last all along.

xxxxxx

A/N: There's a somewhat popular theory that Korkie Kryze is actually the son of Satine Kryze and Obi-Wan (aka the "Korkie Kenobi" theory) and a theory that Paz Vizsla from The Mandalorian might be Pre Vizsla's child, so this is sort of mixing that up and having it be that during his Mandalore mission, Obi-Wan had a kid with both Satine and Pre lol

I don't really think of Anakin as Obi-Wan's son (I'm old enough to have been into TPM when it first came out, so in my mind Obi-Wan is eternally only 11 years older the Anakin lol), but it was appropriate for this part.