#Tector Class

[alphamecha-mkii]

Customs Blockade by Mariusz Gandzel

[armitagehuxsleepschedule]

i think armitage hux has been on that Being Unhinged Grind since as long as anyone can remember. when he was 2 brendol caught him reading technical manuals on tector-class star destroyers. he was an ipad datapad baby; brendol and maratelle thought he was watching space cocomelon, but he was actually drawing up blueprints for a TIE fighter redesign (they were not very good or comprehensible blueprints, but hux was 3 years old so these flaws can be forgiven). 6 year old hux playing with legos = the most ridiculously detailed lego model of the death star you've ever seen. someone lets 12 year old hux get a hold of animal crossing: new horizons and he turns his island into a perfect replica of the eclipse. how did he even do that? nobody knows. (hux himself does not know; he did it while unbelievably sleep-deprived and forgot.)

[septima-severa]

Things getting tangled (Thrawn/reader continuation)

I can't help it. I've been toying with the idea for two days already, and I think it's a high time to complicate things further. I'm getting to the point in the story when the reader is sent to retrieve Thrawn (as per Ar'alani's command), and managed to engage Eli Vanto more. Thing is, yesterday I was *this close* to writing Eli/reader, but something held me off. Then i saw this post by @burningfieldof-clover that gave me an idea for the part in next chapter where I got stuck recently. And I mentioned my dilemma in the comment. Well, I should honour this suggestion - so, buckle up, this is going to be a rather bumpy ride.

I have also thought of the name for this piece, and I can finally announce that you can look forward to THE INBOUND FLIGHT on AO3 in... about a month (although I will not be finished by then, first four chapters have been redacted and transformed to their final form).

EXCERPT:

Senior Commander Ivant was standing inside the Supreme Admiral’s office, waiting for you to arrive once you were released from the medical unit. He was clutching his questis in one hand, scrolling through the data and reviewing it for an umpteenth time.

“Doctor,” Ar’alani acknowledged your presence immediately, making him glance up from the screen before he too was beckoned towards the holoprojection showing the current position of the Steadfast. “Senior Commander, if you please,” she motioned for him to attach his questis to the projector.

Another chart with a new set of marked positions flickered to life beside the first one.

The Supreme Admiral started talking, summarizing the relevant reports she had read through. First sightings dated back to approximately ten years ago, and she had had to sift through them meticulously to pinpoint those potentially crucial to this mission.

“That still doesn’t make any sense,” you frowned. “Are you sure that it was the same ship leading the remnant?” you turned that question to Vanto. It pleased her that you paid attention – and judging by your expression, you suspected the same as her.

“Judging by the size, at least two classes of Star Destroyers were present – the Imperial and Tector, the latter being smaller. Do you think that the Grand Admiral managed to secure allies at Dathomir?”

“I don’t know, I left shortly after the New Republic forces arrived.” Or rather: I was chased out of there. “But it may be possible…” you whispered as an afterthought, scrutinizing the projection closely. “I wish I had the data from my ship. I can’t venture there without any valid imperial identification, they could take me for a hostile. Even if Thrawn contacted them and informed the others… Anyway, it might not be possible to reach them from here in the first place.”

“We are currently underway to their last known position,” the commander let on with a shrug.

“I thought that our course would be set to the Phalanx route?”

“Indeed.”

She could see your mind grinding behind your eyes, and let you speak. “With all due respect,” you started, your breath shaky. “The algorithm you used to filter out nonessential information – couldn’t these,” you pointed out the specific cases on the map, “be just a coincidence? As you said earlier, there have been multiple sightings, but your scouts also reported that every time their crafts were revealed, the ships disappeared?”

“That is indeed correct.”

If Eli could add something to that, he would say that there was no logic in this tactic. Surely, if imperial remnant wanted to find the Chiss, they wouldn’t evade them actively? Although, from his experience, he knew that the term ‘scout’ in Admiral Ar’alani’s vocabulary didn’t always apply to CEDF forces exclusively. There was no way that Thrawn would recognise all the various spacecraft not belonging to the Ascendancy –

“Then the Chimaera couldn’t be among them.” At that single thought, you felt both relief and an immense grief.

[violettathepiratequeen]

June 4th, 2025

Hello there, gentle viewers! Welcome back to Buffy Slays, where I’ll be going through all 144 episodes of BtVS over the course of a year, highlighting as many of the GOOD moments, lines, character choices, worldbuilding moments, etc. etc. as I think people will have the patience to read. 

So, here we go! 

Season 2, Episode 12, “Bad Eggs.”

Willow, Cordelia, Giles and Joyce become drones for an ancient beast after its eggs are mistakenly given out as part of a health class assignment.  (Pulled from Hulu.)

If you're reading along and haven't finished the show, consider this your Spoiler Warning for discussion of future episodes and major plot points in any and all of these posts.

Episode Number: #24 Episode Ranking: #119 out of 144. Writer: Marti Noxon

Top 5 Quotes:

“Good. Well, I don't mean good because I hit you, but I didn't wanna be left out.” —Cordelia

“You boiled your young?” —Willow

“Well, how come she ain't slayin'? And how come he's about to make me blush?” “Well, I don't know, Tector. And how come you's always askin' me so many stupid questions?” —Tector and Lyle

“He’s missing! Presumed dead?” “Presumed by whom?” “Well, me!” —Cordelia and Giles

“Then I thought, hey, I'm the one who started this nationwide craze! What am I ashamed of?” —Cordelia

How “Bad Eggs” Slays:

Buffy’s egg diary. She checks off all her duties in a little notebook before bed, and while feeding and burping are listed off as totally normal, she looks at “diaper-changing” and goes… “Sort of, in theory, I guess.” So feeding and burping an egg she did no problem, it was only the diaper-changing where she went: eggs don’t have diapers, that’s just silly! Plus she names the thing Eggbert, and for someone who was absent from the class assignment and is bewailing her fate as a single mother, she is absolutely taking this seriously!

The eggs in general. I love that it’s assumed everyone would be keeping their unwanted pregnancies, that Xander wants to ask Cordy to be his co-parent, but she found someone else, and that this assignment is treated with dead seriousness by everyone involved. I love how protective Willow and Buffy are of their eggs even before they start getting all sluggish and over-attached due to demon exposure, and how even Giles jumps and gasps in horror when Xander drops his on the ground.

When Willow says her egg is Jewish, Xander tells her to “teach it that dreidel song.” It may not be his religion, but he knows the customs of his best friend’s!

The oh-so-relentless Order of Taraka has been called off the in the wake of Spike’s apparent death, which I love first of all for addressing something that was a major problem in the past two episodes, second of all for being such a simple and believable way, and third because Spike is in fact not dead, but having the Order gun for the Slayer is really not high on his list of priorities right now, lol.

Buffy and her mother in the opening scene at the mall. Their characters spend a lot of these early seasons fighting, or Joyce is trying to get Buffy to talk to her about something Buffy just can’t talk about, so I love moments when they’re just being mother and daughter, when Joyce is telling Buffy she can’t buy an inappropriate outfit and Buffy complains that she’ll be too old to wear it by the time she’s old enough to wear it. “That’s the idea,” her mom says, with no remorse, and I love that kind of banter and warm, firm, teasing-but-serious parenting. Their brief moments like that are golden and should be celebrated!

Buffy spots a vamp in the mall by not seeing its reflection, and… ugh, I love that even when she’s off-duty, she’s on duty! She disappoints her mother by taking a break to slay this thing, but she’s so good to do it, so observant and caring and doesn't hesitate for a second. She doesn’t stop to think whether she should get involved, she isn’t conflicted between going on her mother’s errand and saving this girl’s life. Buffy sees vampire, Buffy slays vampire, and that’s it, and I love her for it.

The Gorch Brothers. Who I enjoy for reasons I could never fully articulate, so you’re just gonna have to take my word that they’re enjoyable in a super lame way. They’re not at all the stars of this episode; they just kind of show up and cause a problem for Buffy when she’s already dealing with a problem. They’re a little cheesy, but also DEAD serious when talking to each other, and that just tickles me so much. They’re affectionate with each other and violent and cowboy-meathead at the same time, and they have a couple scenes on their own that they have NO business having, but hey, the Hellmouth doesn’t stop sending threats for Buffy to face just because she’s got more important stuff going on! The Gorches decided to try their luck with the Slayer in this episode, and end up getting into more trouble than they bargained for, but that’s what they get for encroaching on someone else’s monster-of-the-week slot. 

The morning after Buffy’s egg-creature sucks on her face while she sleeps (my poor girl gets violated SO OFTEN in this show), she groans as she hits the snooze button, doesn’t open her eyes until she’s sitting up, runs her hand through her hair and just goes “oh, God,” in the most burnt-out voice ever. And that’s just a very relatable reaction to waking up, lol, and is pretty much live footage of every single morning for me. 

Giles asks for help in the library when Willow and Buffy are carrying their eggs around. Both of them are sluggish and apathetic after their night of being quasi-possessed by egg demons, and they both moan “no,” and drop to sit on the stairs. But Xander says “sure,” and skips up, full of energy and eagerness, because he boiled his egg and hasn’t been affected. And we’re highlighting this to highlight how he’s willing, he’s helpful, he spends a lot of time complaining about school and learning and thinking but he NEVER balks when there’s a supernatural task at hand that he can help with, and it isn’t because he’s scrambling for crumbs of approval. It’s because one of his friends needs something and he can provide it, demonstrating his big heart. 

The possessed people. Oh my gosh I LOVE IT, because it’s so creepy and subtle and understated. But I love that even without knowing quite what’s going on, we know Willow and Buffy are tired because their egg-demons have done something to them all night, even though we don’t actually see it happen to Willow. When Buffy kills her egg demon, she instantly calls Willow to warn her, and Willow assures her she’s completely fine… before we see her broken eggshell. When Joyce comes to the library looking for Buffy, Giles pops his head up with a cute little “hello?” and then whispers to her that they don’t have to whisper. Even though he’s two seconds away from planting a demon on Joyce’s back.  When Xander and Buffy are looking around for an infected student to follow, they hear Jonathan screaming in the hall as he’s attacked, and run to his aid. But it’s too late when they get there, because when they ask if he’s okay, he says calmly, “I’m fine. I slipped.” In a way that’s both hilarious and eerie. And when the zombified students are revealed, oh baby, I get SUCH a thrill at the music that starts up, and the way they just march, led by Willow and Cordy, dead-eyed and in sync and gathering tools to head into the basement for some reason. And the awkward thing is that everything I just said in this bullet point may sound… I don’t know, saccharine and artificial, like I’m only trying to hype up what’s considered a fairly bad episode in the Buffy world, just because I promised to only be positive in this blog. But I GENUINELY adore this clumsy little episode and I do get a serious thrill of goosebumps and creepiness and admiration watching the possessed students in this one.

Buffy and Xander are the only ones not to be infected; she because she was quick enough to kill her demon before it got her, him because he cheated and killed the unsuspecting egg with a pot of boiling water. This leaves them the only ones left to research and figure out what’s going on, and they struggle and are confused at first, but get there in the end. They sneak down to the basement, they pass as zombified students, and even though Willow and Cordelia both try to fight Xander, he refuses to hit a girl. And Buffy, of course, Buffy saves the day and kills the Mama Bezoar in again what is genuinely such an epic moment, in an episode that is considered such a bad one!

Joyce asks Giles if he has children, and he says no, but he feels like he does, working here. AND IT’S BECAUSE HE DOES, THOSE ARE HIS KIDS!

When the possession is severed and everyone is stumbling around in confusion, Giles stammers out something about a gas leak making them all confused, before asking Xander what it really was, since he is among the confused!

Xander tells Willow that she hit him, and Cordy asks if she hit him, too. When he says yes, she’s glad… not because she hit him, but because she didn’t want to be left out. Cordy also makes an excuse to come to the library and drag Xander off to a supply closet to make out. They still are fighting it and irritated with each other and bicker in a class about sex ed, but oof they’ve got it bad for each other, and them leaning into it more and more as episodes progress makes my heart happy for them.

The way Buffy kills the Bezoar. Being swallowed whole by this giant, slimy thing, and then fighting it from the inside, killing it and climbing out victorious and covered in purple goo. Of all her many actions shots in this show, I think this rises high on the list, because she is a hero victorious, a dragon slayer who went into the belly of the beast and emerged whole. This moment alone is part of what makes this such a great episode for me.

Buffy is grounded… again, after Joyce couldn’t find her in the library, and is forbidden to leave her room. She obeys to the letter, having Angel come to her window to make out with her. And I love that she doesn’t leave when she doesn’t have to; she has broken curfew and groundings more than once in this show but it’s ALWAYS been when she needed to save the world, not when she just wanted to go hang out. She’s obeying her mother… but it’s gotta be pretty great to be a sixteen-year-old who is confined to her room but still has a boyfriend who will come to the window and kiss her boredom and loneliness away. 

The Big Bad Slayer:

I’ve seen, in more than one place that discusses this show, that there are some episodes that fall into a category that we can’t exactly justify as good quality television, but something about them makes us get a kick out of them anyway.

Bad Eggs is one such episode for me. Of course this blog is all about how EVERY episode is good and high quality in some way, but I’m really not scrounging to come up with good stuff for this one. It is a weak Buffy episode, and it’s one I love with all my heart.

And one of the reasons for that is that it very clearly exhibits how terrified the forces of darkness truly are of Buffy. We don’t see that very often; we see it even less with demons that are actually dangerous and evil. 

But the Gorch brothers in this were infamous outlaws and murderers even before they were vamped, and when they come to town, they take their time watching Buffy before making their move. They finally stumble across her when she’s discovering and fighting the Bezoar monster, and they have to take a second to stare at the other monster who is vying for the Slayer’s attention.

The Bezoar eats one of the brothers, Tector, but Lyle is still trying to kill the Slayer, while also trying to prevent himself from getting eaten. Buffy is swallowed by the Bezoar, and she fights it and kills it from the inside, rising out of the pit and the corpse covered in purple slime.

And Lyle takes one look at her… and bolts. He’s a tough, scary monster who was so keen on fighting her, and suddenly he realizes he’s in way over his head. This Slayer is big and bad and not to be messed with because she WILL win, and gahhh I adore the moments that we see that, and we see her enemies quake in fear of this scrappy little blonde highschooler. 

A Year, Five Years:

Angel: You really don't care what happens a year from now? Five years from now?

Buffy and Angel are very much portrayed as a doomed relationship, even when they’re together and things are going well. And I mean that in a Romeo and Juliet kind of way, lol, not in a “so they suck” way! I just mean that from the start, he’s introduced as a vampire, the very thing she has to kill, and from that moment we know they could never be. They’re always star-crossed, there’s always something getting in their way. 

And this episode, where things are going well, is still setting up the stage for their inevitable end. They have a talk about the future, and Buffy’s telling him about her egg project. She’s not planning to have kids anytime soon, she says, but maybe someday. Angel says he can’t have kids, and Buffy backtracks, saying she doesn’t need any of that stuff, all she needs is him. All she sees is him.

And he asks if she really doesn’t care what will happen a year from now, or five years from now.

Well, let me tell you what happens in those years.

A year from now is S3. The year Angel leaves her life for good.

Five years from now is S7. The year Sunnydale blows up, the year she sends Angel back to LA instead of fighting one last battle with her, the year she grows closer in love with Spike and has to watch him die. 

Pivotal times. Moments in Buffy’s life that will affect her deeply, that she will carry the scars and heartbreak of for the rest of her existence. 

And in this episode, this tiny little filler episode where Bangel is happily together and he’s all Buffy can see in her future… it’s a warning, to not get too comfortable, that all of this is fleeting and temporary. That in an episode where the students are given egg-babies as practice in being mature and adult and responsible… this is readying Buffy, and Angel, and the audience, for when someday they’re mature and adult and responsible, and they will be in very different, much harsher situations than they are now. He's only one episode away from losing his soul, after all.

But that isn’t today. Angel isn’t her future, but for now, he is very much her present. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And that’s a wrap on Episode 24! Thank you so much for reading this far!

Previous: “Ted.”

Next up: “Surprise.” 

(Credit for GIFs in this post: @detectivedawnsummers)

[bluetoothschizophrenic]

They called them the Tector class. Said to be created by Nexus Prime himself to stabilize the stirring Primus in the early days of our planet. A dozen behemoths, so in tune with the vibrations of our creator as to weave symphonies from his seismic activity. Or so the legend goes. They were lost of course, as legends often end. Crushed underground, absorbed back into Primus, adrift among the stars with the mythical Titans to stabilize other worlds, driven mad as Primus settled and the vibrations ceased, one story even tells of a Tector simply walking off into the sea of rust to never return. All thought to merely be myth, until today.

- Personal Log, Autobot Anode, Polar Excavation Lead.

As the post war reconstruction has continued, archeological efforts near the poles unearthed a truly historic find. A fully intact, stasis locked member of what is believed to be the mythical Tector class of combiners said to be created by Nexus Prime himself. Representatives have confirmed that plans to extract, refuel, and reactive our ancient sibling are underway.

- Radio Free Cybertron News Broadcast, Autobot Rewind

My name is Tector-03, but if we must, we can use my newfound nickname, Cantus. We, I, was a monument to the ingenuity of the Primes, but of their inflexibility too. We were proud of our purpose, but we were solitary in so doing. We understood of course. Nexus had built us to be efficient, able to function with limbs removed, heads sheered in two, operate continents away from each other. Nexus had no concept of gestalts as all of you do. He was a solitary bot for the most part, but the moment a soul spoke of building, of blending things together, his spark glimmered. If he’d lived to see combiners as they are now, as you have made me, made us, with each limb possessing a will of its own yet working in a more perfect unison with the others, I believe he would be proud of you all.

- Excerpts from Of Five Minds, autobiography of a Tector. Autobot Cantus

Following the completion of Wheeljack’s Nexus Protocol, the threat of a rogue combiner was successfully mitigated. Due to the nature of the Nexus Protocol however, the newfound members must be closely monitored. All relevant dossiers are as follows.

Designation: Tector 3-1

Alias: Inyue (pronounced in-way)

Threat level: Low

Allegiance: Autobot

Bio: Tector 3-1 is likely the least threatening of her team. The team’s vibration based sensory abilities allow her notable perceptiveness when on the ground, but she chooses to use this perceptiveness primarily for medical purposes. Rejected ground based alternate mode in favor of dark green helicopter, removing her vibrational senses in flight. Connection to Autobot Sandstorm noted, monitor for her safety. Could be extremely useful battlefield medic. Recommend recruitment if hostilities resume.

Designation: Tector 3-2

Alias: Vibré

Threat level: Moderately High

Allegiance: Unaligned, Decepticon sympathies

Bio: Tector 3-2 should be closely monitored and all incoming extraplanetary communications should be filtered. Utilizes vibrational sensory abilities for extremely effective melee combat techniques. Sees the motions of Cybertronian society as something that can be forcibly held in place as the moving pieces of Primus were. Decepticon sympathies likely. Selected dark brown wheeled transport as vehicle mode.

Designation: Tector 3-3

Alias: Frémir

Allegiance: Unaligned

Threat level: Moderately Low

Bio: Tector 3-3’s threat profile primarily concerns himself. His psychological evaluations show that the prolonged stasis lock the team endured prior to his being brought online as part of the Nexus Protocol did leave an imprint on his mind. Demonstrates severe fears of the underground and of abandonment. Not very trusting of outsiders with sole exceptions of Autobot Blaster and Decepticon Ambassador Thrust (monitor contact closely), but trusts his team implicitly. Vibration based abilities used as a very skilled mechanic. Dark blue dragster with clearly modified louder engine chosen as alternate mode.

Designation: Tector 3-4

Alias: Avaita

Allegiance: Autobot

Threat Level: Moderate

Bio: Tector 3-4 is the least understood of the group. Only one of the team to maintain original tan and blue color scheme and refuse an alt mode aside from their combined form. Allegiance to Autobot cause seems contingent on connection to the Primes. Their primary point of contact is with team leader, designation Tector 3-0. Brief interactions with operatives have shown them to be defensive, well spoken, and unusually emotionally perceptive. Psychological evaluations indicate the same. Sensory abilities possibly in use in more subtle ways than the rest of the team, but that hypothesis remains unconfirmed.

And that’s a wrap. These guys are some new OCs of mine inspired by a conversation with a good friend. Hope you liked em. Maybe I’ll do something with them in the future.

[renegade0897]

Okay. Let's talk about this.

The star destroyer is by far the best warship in any sci-fi franchise. Aside from the Star Trek ships and that's about it.

I mean, IF I SPEAK...

And then there's Ansel Hsiao (Fractalsponge on Artstation) and his interpretation of the Tector.

I know I know I'm a simp for the Resurgent and it's a Sequel trilogy ship but come on, it is a perfect evolution of the star destroyer. Imagine if that thing was a New Republic invention alongside the Nebula-class and if I may.

Look at the cannons on the Tector. IT IS JUST...

[rakghoul-legacy]

Cregdeath Skull’s Legacy Class Story Cast

Here is the Legacy Class Story Cast of Cregdeath Skull.

Cregdeath Skull = Future Rakghoul Wrath

Havoc Rakghoul = Rakghoul Royal Prince / First Rakghoul Trooper

Boneywench Sunbeing = Darth Fud / First Rakghoul Sorcerer

Carnagebounty Ragesoul = First Rakghoul Bounty Hunter

Blood'eyez = Imperial Sentient Rakghoul Creator

Daydreamz = Republic Sentient Rakghoul Creator

Vanna Skull = Cregdeath’s Sister / Second Rakghoul Smuggler

Wamau = Kidnapper Of Cregdeath’s Sister / Fourth Servant to Rakghoul Emperor

Overseer Gunnror = Overseer Tremel

Josbry = Vemrin

Lord/Darth Waech = Lord/Darth Baras

Emibrax = Dolgis

Taryaja = Eskalla

Jailer Justper = Jailer Gnash

Edeiza = Phyne

Jerjaba = Teeno

Bradtom = Klemral

Cette = Vette

?? = Shunder Ghezz

Commander Yellburg = Commander Lanklyn

Commander ?? = Commander Pritch

Grik Sonasan = Nomen Karr 

Commander ?? = Commander Rylon

Alidar Dicgra = Malavai Quinn

Ensign ?? = Ensign Durmat

?? = Zix

Jedi Knight ?? = Jedi Knight Marshallon

Kana = Treek

Agent ?? = Agent Dellacon

Lord ?? = Lord Rathari

Tamjor Malturn = Heisdrall Setsynn

Eamu = Grik

General ?? = General Kligtron

Commander ?? = Commander Naughlen

Lieutenant ?? = Lieutenant Weggland

?? = ??

?? = ??

?? = ??

?? = ??

Chrikri Stapend = Jaesa Willsaam

Darth Secmech = Darth Vengean

General Bramois Sabi = General Karastace Gonn

Wutto = Fawste

Moff Harell = Moff Hurdenn

Lieutenant Pearnew = Lieutenant Pierce

General Kelred = General Frelka

General Xrink = General Minst

General Baigri = General Durant

General Lodshri = General Faraire

Moff Colfar = Moff Masken

Admiral Soldkin = Admiral Monk

Zeddrick = Jedi Shadow who stealths through Kenjoh Lifshyn's Stronghold to free Vanna Skull and Finds out she had Smuggler Fighting Style Pumped in her / JEDl Council Member

Rana Rakghoul = Rakghoul Royal Princess / First Rakghoul Jedi Shadow

Jedi Knight Lonneric = Jedi Knight Xerender

Ensign/Commander Omarbra Bathay = Ensign/Commander Slinte

Padawan Ricdaw = Padawan Jawlon

Brerkarve = Broonmark

Master Corejoha = Master Wyellett

Oolzark The Talz Leader = Fetzellen The Talz Leader

Xodu Rha = Sith Sorcerer who alerts Kenjoh Lifshyn of Vanna’s Escape / First Servant of The Rakghoul Emperor

Kenjoh Lifshyn = Imperial Agent Owner of Stronghold Containing Vanna Skull / Second Servant of The Rakghoul Emperor

Lord Osceas = Lord Draahg

Brentren Paltur = Controller of The Zen-aku Of The Force Rangers: Rakghoul Squad / Third Servant of The Rakghoul Emperor

Transfer Cell = Smuggler of Angel Material

Nisha Nayan = Transfer Cell's Wife

Mina Cell = Intelligence Agent Used to Help Them Bring the Angels to Quesh

Tector Tyllus = Mina Cell's Future Husband

Angels Of Vanna = The angels of Vanna Skull

Rakghoul Servant 1 = Servant 1

Rakghoul Servant 2 = Servant 2

?? = ??

Rakghoul Servant 11 = Servant 11

RG 38 = HK 51

[doomdays]

lydia has spent the last few months training with her latest weapon --- metal in place of where her arm used to be, sharp edges all around, lacking the spikes aaron wears, her own design crafted just for her, welded from an old bike. in her hand, she holds her nunchucks, modified once she had to put the staff to rest -- at least for now. it was hard at first, as if it was like losing another part of henry, but what he taught her went far beyond the weapon she wields, and once she accepted that, it got easier to fit into her new routine.

getting back to this level of expertise had been a chore, but she's confident now as she looks around at the bodies on the ground, surprised by what she actually managed to do --- and taking pride in the way tector compliments her.

❝ i was hoping for ten,  ❞ she says, letting out a small laugh, and she can't wipe the smile from her features ( one that comes much easier now, more like herself than she's ever even known to be before. ) ❝ --- no, uh, not really. at least, not usually. it's kind of fun now, ❞ she admits, because now, she's had the chance to tae classes, to catch up on all the things she never got the chance to learn --- even the simplest things, like really learning numbers, how to count, how to keep track of things like this. ❝  have you always done that? ❞  

the last of the dead drops unceremoniously— there one second, then not, the last in a pile of limp corpses. the death blow had come with a spray of blood, spattering across tector's cheek — his knuckles rub absentmindedly at the gore, smearing it further, but he both fails to notice, and care — it hasn't bothered him in years, since well before the dead shambled across the earth. his grin is broad and beaming despite it, sharp canines catching his lip as he half-whoops, half-laughs, gesturing to the fallen dead. “that's— four for me,” he counts, “and seven for you. damn.” it's punctuated with a low whistle, genuinely impressed; there'd been some doubts about @doomdays weapon of choice, but they've been thoroughly squashed — though tector can't imagine himself with a staff anytime soon.

the machete he does wield is slotted into its sheath, traded for rifle slung low across his shoulder; the cartridges packed into his pockets are for emergencies only, the weapon primarily carted out on patrol for its scope, which he utilizes now, scanning the road down below — it's been troublesome recently, deceased traveling from somewhere, and it grates at him that he can't seem to pinpoint where.

“you ever come out here with a target number?” he speaks quietly to lydia, the adrenaline trickling out of his voice, gradually replaced with curiosity. “i do. maybe 's a lil' silly. but i like havin' some kinda goal, i suppose.”

[oh-no-eu-didnt]

Tector-class Star Destroyers were a type of starship designed during the Clone Wars. Possessing the signature look of later Imperial-class Star Destroyers, Tectors were heavily armored and lacked a ventral hangar bay, relying on support craft and carriers to deal with starfighters.

Source - Star Wars: The Card Game Imperial Entanglements Card: Customs Blockade (Art: Mariusz Gandzel; 2015)

First Appearance: Return of the Jedi (1983)

Read more on Wookieepedia.

[ravenkult]

Old Republic Tector-class Star Destroyer by Ansel Hsiao https://www.artstation.com/artwork/kD0g3y

[siryl]

A 3D digital model by Ansel Hsiao of a Tector-class Star Destroyer.  More images at source.

[alphamecha-mkii]

[eyeloch]

An honest question:  How do people get in or out of Tector-Class Star Destroyers?  They don’t appear to have any sort of hanger or other docking!

[dangerouscommiesubversive]

We have received the Cho-Dos we preordered months ago. One of the Tector Zeros has already been assembled and is being tightly clutched in Gremlin's grubby little hand. DH is looking forward to assembling karate class later with Leo, Zero, Regulos, and Z.

[manfrommars2049]

Tector-class Star Destroyer by me (Ansel Hsiao) via ImaginaryStarships

[crayolacrayonhalloweenpacks]

I Think We Have Chemistry

Summary: In which Logan is an indirect matchmaker and Roman uses some truly awful puns to flirt with his lab partner.

Words: 2904

Notes: This was Logince before it was Prinxiety, but eventually I realized how much I love writing platonic bantering Logince, so here we are. This is purely self-indulgent. I know only the basics of chem, so please don't murder me, although if you want to make any corrections that's cool by me.If you want some cool music to jam to after reading this try Dissolve by Absofacto. Thanks for reading!

Read on: Archive of Our Own

Roman loved lab days. If he were someone else, he would probably continue by saying that it was the last class of his day before he was allowed to return home and relax, finally freed from academic burdens. But he was him. So even though he loved science in general, the special thing about lab was it allowed him to actually do something. He enjoyed reading and studying as much as the next guy, but after a while, that could only do so much. Even though it only happened once a week, being able to physically perform an experiment, to work out conclusions for himself and see first-hand how the world worked...well, nothing could compare.

He also looked forward to lab because of his partner. Virgil was a “measure-ten-times-cut-once” kind of guy, and usually that kind of excessive paranoia would irritate Roman, but in this case, he found it almost endearing. Without his researching and proofreading skills, their lab reports wouldn’t be anywhere near the level of accuracy and thoroughness that they were. Something that could be annoying, however, was his lack of reaction to Roman’s attempts at flirting. Case in point: their current conversation.

“...and after that, I learned to always bring a change of clothes for combustion labs,” he finished with a triumphant grin. In the eighth grade, he’d damaged one of his favorite shirts, which read “NEVER TRUST AN ATOM: THEY MAKE UP EVERYTHING”, due to his lack of expertise in using lab equipment. It had been embarrassing at the time, but now it was one of his favorite stories to tell: he, a foolhardy yet earnest student, the victim of an overzealous, malignant Bunsen burner. It usually drew out a hearty guffaw from any crowd, but earned only an alarmed grimace from his lab partner. Jeez. This guy was impossible to impress! He slouched back in his chair, trying to maintain a facade of casualness. “Anyway,” he continued, “what were you saying?”

He felt his brother give him a pointed look from across the room. Roman could hear him already. Don’t waste class time, Roman! Pursue non-academic interests outside of school, Roman! He ignored him. Logan had always been a killjoy. He’d make up lost points on the final.

Virgil peered at the clock and cursed under his breath. “Well, I guess Google exists for a reason,” he quipped, dumping the remains of their half-completed lab down the sink.

Roman laughed, perhaps a little more boisterously than was necessary, and started scrubbing the beaker Virgil handed him. “Yeah, totally.”

The bell rang over the intercom just as they finished cleaning up. “I guess I’ll text you later to work on the report.”

“Sure thing!”

Virgil gave him a quick salute and walked out of the classroom, bookbag draped carefree over one shoulder, gait elegantly loose. His hair was growing out. Chestnut roots emerged in stark contrast to the dye, and one aubergine lock curled like a question mark at the nape of his neck. He watched him disappear into the hallway, eventually becoming indistinguishable from the rest of the sea of students.

He hated thinking that--that Virgil was indistinguishable. Virgil was very distinct. Despite not fitting the classic cool guy mold, he was undeniably cool. Maybe not popular, or athletic, or social, or--okay, he was getting off-track now. Virgil was quiet, but never standoffish. He was true to his word and always held up his end of the work, never slacking off or making excuses. He was precise and grounded and paid attention to the little details. Paired with Roman’s knowledgeability, they were a laboratory dream team. Possibly a dream team outside of lab work as well.

“That’s my chair.” A sharp voice crashed into Roman’s daydreams.

He jerked up, face flaming. Right--the AP chemistry class. “Hello! So it is! Well, I will get out of your way, then!” He scrambled for his books and shoved them into his bookbag. He winced when, in his haste, his lab worksheet crumpled under his textbook, but slung it on his back anyway and pulled out the chair with a flourish. “Sorry about that. Have a pleasant day!” he called to his teacher. Some of the students laughed good-naturedly as he strode out, including the teacher, who turned back to his lesson with a grin on his face. As annoyed as they had been, they still liked him, or at least thought he was decent. Was he not charming, funny, all the things a potential romantic interest ought to be? What was he not getting?

~

“I know you like him, but this is not helping your chemistry grade,” Logan said as soon as Roman got home.

“Were you just standing at the door this whole time?”

“I arrived only a few minutes ago.”

“We take the same route!”

“I walk faster.”

“At least give me an opportunity to sit,” he grouched, but launched into a vent as soon as he dropped his bookbag on the floor, ending the soliloquy with “I’ve tried everything--everything!--and he’s still so…” He sighed, pushing hair away from his face.

“Unresponsive?”

"Yes, exactly! He just nods and goes right back to the class!”

“Perhaps that’s because it’s a class.”

“I know, I know, participation, pay attention, bla bla bla. Jeez, Mom.”

“I’m your brother.”

“Don’t be so literal. My point is, you’d think he’d at least laugh just a little bit. Is that not so much to ask? I told him about the Bunsen burner incident, and he just looked at me like--”

“I’m sorry, the what incident?”

Roman snapped and pointed at Logan. “Exactly like that! Just like I was an--an idiot!” He groaned, draping one arm over his forehead and fanning himself with the other. “What am I doing wrong?”

“Hm.” Logan furrowed his brow thoughtfully, trailing off into silence.

“Don’t just sit there, it’s making me nervous,” he said half-jokingly.

“Well, have you considered that he doesn’t understand?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m saying it’s very much possible that he hasn’t noticed your advances. You may need to stop beating around the bush and be more direct.”

“This is as direct as it gets!”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been making normal conversation. Like how you talk to me--”

“Ew--”

“--so are you certain?”

“Quite--” he started, affronted, then stopped. “Wait.” The inkling of an idea that had just occurred to him started to solidify. Of course! He prided himself on his charisma. Why hadn’t he thought of that before? A little miffed that his ironically aromantic brother had just suggested such an obvious solution, he proclaimed, “Logan, you’re a genius!” and grabbed his bookbag.

“What are you doing?”

“Just a little research, so to speak. Nothing too excessive, but!” He paused for dramatic effect. “Prepare to have your mind blown.”

Logan still looked surprised, but quickly settled into satisfaction. “Fantastic. I’m glad to see your spirits are raised.”

“Talk later, Pocket Bro-tector!” His mind already racing with daydreams, Roman sprinted back to his room, plopped in front of his desk, and flipped his laptop open. He could feel the electricity coursing through it when his fingers hovered over the keyboard, or maybe that was just the adrenaline. Either way, it was thrilling. He typed in a quick search and opened a new Word document to record. This was perfect. What could be more direct than a pickup line?

~

Roman waltzed into lab the next week and snapped up two worksheets from his teacher’s desk. He’d debated putting the plan into action through text over the weekend, but eventually decided it would be more effective in person. So here he was, in person, with a fountain of chemistry puns ready to fall from his mouth at the drop of a hat. There was no way Virgil wouldn’t notice now. Roman seated himself, fingers drumming in anticipation. He was golden.

Virgil walked in a few minutes later, placing last week’s lab report on their teacher’s desk. “What’s up?” he asked.

“Oh, you know. Same soup reheated.” On the other side of the lab, Logan was giving him a questioning look. He grinned back before passing Virgil a worksheet. Their fingers brushed, barely. He swooned.

Virgil’s eyes flew back and forth at lightning speed, scanning the paper. “I’ll grab the equipment if you can get the reactants.”

“Ooh, what are they this time?”

“Copper...some other stuff.”

"Ah! Speaking of copper, are you made of it and tellurium? Because you’re C-U-T-E.”

Across the room, Logan facepalmed.

“O...kay?” he said unsurely. “I’ll just. Get that stuff now.”

Roman turned his back, partially to get the samples, partially to recover. He chewed his lip. Okay. Focus, Roman! You got this! He patted his pocket to reassure himself. He’d printed the compilation of pick-up lines at the library earlier, and it was there if he needed it. Which he wouldn’t, obviously! His natural charm would prevail.

And also, he had the entire thing memorized. He supposed there was that as well.

Roman returned with five Ziploc bags of metal samples. The scale squealed on the tabletop when Virgil slid it over. “Is this everything?” Virgil picked up the manual again.

“Indeed! Let us begin.”

Virgil read over the first page again and frowned. “Hey, you know the periodic table pretty well, right? Which one is eleven?”

See? It’s all working out! “You, because you’re sodium--”

“U?” he frowned. “Isn’t uranium, like, ninety or something?”

“Yes--well, yes, but you see--I, uh--” he stuttered before going abruptly silent.

“What?”

Roman ducked his head, hoping his hair would hide his burning cheeks. “Nothing. Never mind.”

“Uh, sure.” He scratched the back of his neck before holding out a hand. “Hand me the copper?”

~

The bell sounded over the intercom, signifying the end of the period. They had managed to get through the procedure on time, mainly because Roman was too preoccupied with worrying to continue with the pick-up lines. If he wasn’t being as straightforward as possible before, he was now. How was it possible for someone to be so oblivious?

“Same time next week,” Virgil deadpanned, getting up to leave.

Come on, Roman, he scolded himself. The period was ending. This might be the only chance he could get. “Wait!”

“Yeah?” He looked at him expectantly.

Roman cursed the stars. His mind had gone completely blank--so much for memorization--and it wasn’t like he could just pull out the reference sheet right now. “Um.” Very eloquent. Come on, something! “If there was no gravity on Earth, I’d still fall for you,” he blurted.

Virgil stared at him blankly, and without another word, left.

What was that? How had things gotten so bad that he’d resorted to physics? He hadn't even researched that! He was paralyzed. He wanted to dissolve like salt in water, until he was part of the air. He wanted to evaporate and catapult himself out of the troposphere. He snatched up his bookbag and stalked outside to head home.

Logan appeared at his shoulder not long after. “What was that?” he hissed.

He scoffed. “I did what you said. Hypocrite much?”

“When did I say to do--” He performed a series of elaborate, meaningless gestures. “--that?”

“You said to be more direct!”

“I didn’t mean like that!”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I meant a heart-to-heart talk or something!”

“So for me to just--profess my love or something? Are you crazy?”

“Oh, so I’m the crazy one? Copper and tellurium aren’t even particularly reactive!”

“It was a creative liberty!”

“There are no creative liberties in science!”

“There are in the science of seduction!”

Logan huffed. “I’m not even going to validate that with a response.”

“Fine! I didn’t need you to rub it in anyway!”

They were so busy arguing they hadn’t even realized they were already home. Logan’s face softened. “I apologize, Roman. I shouldn’t have behaved so harshly. That was...inconsiderate of me.”

“Jeez, don’t say that. Now I have to apologize, too.”

"Did it really go so badly?”

"At least give me a chance to sit down,” he said, but didn’t even wait this time. “I think he hates me. He didn’t even say anything! Just--left.”

“I doubt that. The worse case is you made things very uncomfortable.”

“Thanks.”

“But even if that’s what happened, you should be able to patch things up and act in a professional manner. If things really aren’t working, you could always request to switch partners, but the school year will be ending soon anyway--” He cut himself off. “I’m not helping, are I.”

“Not in the slightest.”

Logan shuffled his feet. “As a gesture of goodwill and comfort,” he started. “Would you enjoy a hug?”

“Whoa, what? Human contact? From Logan Browne?”

“Well, scientifically speaking, it does release dopamine--”

“C’mere,” he said, throwing his arms around his brother’s shoulders before realizing he had no idea how to hug him. The material of his button-down shirt scratched his neck unpleasantly. He patted Logan on the back stiffly before peeling away.

Logan wrinkled his nose. “That was rather awkward.”

“Only if you make it.”

“Do you feel better?”

Roman paused. “You know what? I think I do.”

“Satisfactory.”

“I’m just glad I won’t have to see him for another week.”

"You can’t avoid him forever,” Logan warned.

“I know,” he muttered.

“Well, when you do have to confront him...I’m more than happy to act as moral support.”

Roman laughed. “That may be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me, Isaac Nerd-ton.”

He squinted. “How am I more of a nerd than you?”

“The glasses.”

“You have glasses, too--”

“Not anymore!” he declared, pointing to the corner of one eye. “Contacts now. And my eyes have always been better than yours.”

“We have the same prescription!”

“We do not!” he countered, before both of them collapsed in a fit of giggles.

~

“And that’s a wrap, folks! Great job!” Roman’s teacher clapped his hands. “You’re dismissed.”

Thank the stars. Roman had been filled with dread the entirety of lab and the preceding twenty or so hours. It had both relieved and heightened his anxiety when Virgil barely spoke or made eye contact, flushing red and looking away whenever Roman caught his eye. On one hand, he didn’t have to talk about the previous week’s antics, but on the other, the air felt too tense to so much as look at him. Glad that the period was over, he grabbed his bookbag and started towards the door.

He glanced over his shoulder to see where Logan was--he wanted intensely to beat him home for once--only to see Virgil talking to a taller boy who had a wide grin on his face. Roman recognized him as a Patton something-or-other who’d been in his class in eighth grade. They didn’t talk much, but he seemed nice enough. He hadn’t known he and Virgil were friends.

The two of them looked directly at him, Virgil swallowing nervously. Roman wheeled back around, more intent on leaving this time, as Patton laughed brightly. Apparently, he wasn’t so kind. Humiliation boiled in his gut. FIne. Let them laugh at him. He didn’t care. Or, at least, he could pretend he didn’t.

Logan sidled over to him. “He’s coming this way,” he muttered.

“What?”

“He’s walking over,” he repeated.

“I heard you the first time,” he said between gritted teeth, “but what?”

“I don’t know, I just-- Oh, hello. Virgil, is it?” he said coolly.

Roman’s head snapped up. He immediately wished he’d kept looking down.

Virgil stiffened. “Hey.” Behind him, Roman could see Patton giving a thumbs-up so enthusiastic he feared for his hand bones. What was going on?

“How may I help you?” Logan said.

“I, uh. Wanted to talk to Roman, actually.”

“Go ahead.”

“Uh.”

“Whatever you can say in front of Roman, you can say in front of me.”

Virgil scratched the back of his neck, sighed, and faced Roman. “Look, we have lab together, right?”

“Well, yes. We’re here right now.”

“So…” He groaned, burying his face in one hand and muttering something incomprehensible.

Roman frowned. “Pardon?”

“So,” he said, voice still slightly muffled, “I think we…” He sighed. “We have chemistry.”

Roman blinked. His stomach swooped. Was this a joke?

Virgil groaned again. “Sorry, that was just--absolutely terrible. I’m going to--” He pointed at the door.

“No, wait!” Roman grabbed his elbow before he could turn away. “That was.” He searched his brain for a word. “Uh. Thank you,” he finished lamely.

“Oh,” Virgil said. He stood up a little straighter. As if anything about that was remotely straight, Roman thought to himself with a snort. “Uh. I guess I’ll, uh.” He did a quick finger-guns motion.

“Yeah.”

“Cool.” He saluted him and started walking past them.

“Cool,” Roman echoed.

Virgil turned back and gave a hesitant smile. If it weren’t for Logan standing behind to catch him, he would have face-planted on the floor.

Logan waved a hand in front of his face. “Well?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you all set?”

Roman felt dizzy and a little lightheaded, like someone had filled him with helium and released him into an infinite expanse of blue, blue sky. A slow smile spread across his face. “Yeah. I think so.”

~

Virgil did text him, a few hours later.

Virgil (Science) After next lab? Maybe the park or smth

Me See you then

Roman loved lab days.