#jorgan gets mad

[picturejasper20]

Do you think Hazel is a bad friend to Dev now don't me wrong Dev and Hazel's friendship in A New Dev-elopment and lost and fairy world and Operation Birthday Takeback (before their fight) is great but in the lost founder's day where Hazel saw Dev was sad she chose to get her hat first and to see Dev after and Dev had to go to Hazel first and I know Hazel was rightfully mad at him but she could have let him at least explain first and in the finally i saw this kinda again where Hazel was like "you totally deserve it" did she know that he would go back to his old ways and be the same again (probably) and "he may have been a jerk, but he got my name right" I was like did none of the episodes where you were friends mean anything to you or was it just Dev but I sort of did like the scene cause they both smile at each other but that just mad me mad in the end where Hazel chose to let Jasmine, Winn, and Antony know about her secret where Dev will just probably go back to being the same old Dev in the end

Their whole relationship is complicated, i wouldn't say that Hazel was ¨a bad friend¨. It is that there was quite a lot of miscommunication between them and this brings problems to them. They are 10 year old kids, one of them not being the best when it comes to reading other people and the other being traumatized and not understanding how friendship works.

But honestly, it does frustrate me how Hazel refers to Dev in the Season 1 finale. She is entitled to be angry at him, of course, but it feels very off with what we have seen of their relationship so far. Her calling him ¨a jerk but at least got my name¨ doesn't fit because they both have multiple episodes of hanging out as friends and getting along. It just another issue of the rushed mess that the season finale is.

On Dev: There is the possibility he does his memories back based on previous FOP lore from the original show. Another possibility is that the memory eraser ray got blocked for him because he was wearing sunglasses just like Jorgan was. This is a way to block the memory light/eraser from what i understand.

[slime-sandwhich-nom]

I keep forgetting that godparenting isn't just a job in fairy world.

Like the fairies that decide to become godparents have to go through so many things before becoming one, I'm only gonna assume godparenting is like when you apply to the military.

You get sent to this academy that gives you military training to fasten your reflexes and trains you to make specific kind of magic that is stronger than what a normal fairy has and is something exclusively godparenting have, you also learn academically on top of it.

(and they aren't nice with it either.)

(and if you fail you have to repeat ALL of it all over again.)

If you manage to become a godparent after years and years of training like that, you basically signed yourself for:

- won't be able to see fairy world again, or even if you do it's either because you're on a tiny break (but knowing jorgan I doubt they have them.) or because your godchild asked you to come there.

- won't be able to see family, if you're lucky they'll come to you but knowing how much fairies have to hide I doubt jorgan even allows non godparent fairies on earth.

- you're stuck somewhere with beings that you barely understand, constantly hiding and on the job 24/7 and sometimes with kids like dev that drive you mad

- and the job overall sucks. we saw how Cosmo and Wanda are the exception and they actually suck at the job according to jorgan, the actual role model is fuckin cookie.

They aren't supposed to be attached, they aren't supposed to be there long and they're a temporary wishing machine for max a few months.

Like godparenting is definitely considered a hard job and good luck on anyone who decides to be one in fairy world

No wonder I'm the og at a certain point jorgan says that there aren't enough godparents around and that's why Timmy has to share because he has two, I bet no fairy actually wants to go through all that.

[a-new-wish-6-3]

I really love the new fairly oddparents show.

Season one will probably end with an anti-fairy plot and dev and peri getting together again. As well as dale pressing the return button and seeing the Bord before dev drew over the answers, figuring out that fairy’s exist and the neighbors are magic.

Season 2 could than start with dale using his money to buy magic experts. Meaning hazels dad and Mr. Croocker. While dad gets sent to cosmo and Wanda since he lives next door and is younger, croocker stays behind with dale to build capturing devices for him. There his detector goes off and he finds out about peri. While we could have two different chase plots I think it would be more interesting if the plots vary. Dad try’s to unsuccessfully capture the duo throw multiple episodes with it ending on him not being able to hurt them because he is a good guy and not capable of such evil, especially if his daughter asks him to stop. ( he doesn’t know their are her godparents only that their are magic and nice people hazel loves, so this is not against the rules ( Timmy parents know about fairy’s when croocker took over, but their were only taken away once they know the fairy’s belonged to Timmy ))

while croocker finds peri in the first episode and release its his junior, refusing to capture him. Croocker, dev and peri actually get time to bond while trying to keep croocker machines from outing peri to dale. This works because croocker was actually nice to baby poof and has a good hearth deep down ( as a kid ), so him getting some friendship and love could help him feel better ( he still try’s to help capture cosmo and Wanda, so he hasn’t given up his madness just yet ). And dev could get an actually adult in his live who could love him. Peri acts more like his older brother and he will not be able to stay around forever. Besides both dev and croocker actually lack the same thing in their lives, with is acknowledgment from their one parent, giving them something to bond over which peri lacks since he has good parents. The peri group could start by trying to get dale to love dev, by saving dale from Vicky as an example ( getting her finally arrested ). During those try’s croocker accidentally gets to bond with dev ( he originally only intended to spent time with peri ). By the way croocker is the only adult who the fairy’s will never erase their knowledge of existence from, since his believe is necessary for their power. Him knowing that dev has peri will not be against the rules. ( it never was with Timmy )

This could lead to one of croocker machines nearly capturing Wanda and cosmo with peri pushing them out of the way and getting captured himself. Dev and peri would feel betrayed by croocker. Who would get the credit he always wanted but lose the friendship he build with those two. Actually realising he doesn’t want this anymore ( croocker never succeeded where the consequence of this win would negative impact his live, so him getting the love he always wanted in the beginning only to lose it because of his madness is the only thing able to break him out of this habit ).

Even worse dale will have peri and he will be pissed at dev for not telling him about his fairy. When dev asks for peri release dale will discard him and show once and for all that he doesn’t care about dev, not matter what ( reverse of hazel dad actually listening to his daughter ). Dev will have been crushed by his dad, betrayed by croocker and lost his fairy.

Cosmo, Wanda, hazel, dev and croocker all want peri back save and sound so the last battle will be them combing their power to save peri.

Once peri is save, croocker could either stay as a servant for a mind erased dale or actually live in the fairy world as a fairy trainer against capture devices. He is after all quite famous there, so i could see them making an exception for him. Croocker could also be rough with them because his Extrem curse is actually helpful in the long run and jorgan is okay with a little violence in testing exams.

This way we get an goodbye for our old characters in Vicky punishment and croocker redemption. Plus a new easy villain in hazel dad and terrifying villain in dale.

[queen-scribbles]

gut feeling

So of course the first time I write the immediate aftermath of CoU it's a) almost seven years after it dropped and b) not one of my NINE Theronmancers but Keme. :) In Jorgan's POV :) ----

Jorgan was wrapping up an op when Aygo commed.

He frowned a little as he answered, bad feeling in his gut and pace slowing on the way through the spaceport. "I was just about--"

"I wanted to give you a heads up, Major," Aygo cut him off, words clipped with stress. "Things on Umbara went sideways."

Jorgan froze midstride. "Sideways how?" Keme had given him some of the details; crystal recovery, hopefully finding the traitor, Lana and Theron were with her, for something to go wrong with all three of them there--

"It's Shan," Aygo growled. "Turns out he's our traitor; tried to kill Beniko and the Commander."

"Tried?" It was the only word he could get past the strangling disbelief in his throat, past the icy claws digging into his lungs, grip tightening on the holo like he held it personally responsible.

Betrayed, again.

"Crashed a train. They're fine and en route to Odessen," Aygo said, and Jorgan let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "But the news made the base a bit of a mess, as I'm sure you can imagine, and with you being married to the Commander, I didn't want you walking into that unprepared."

"'Preciate that," Jorgan managed, shaking off the haze as he ended the call. He headed for his shuttle double time, the ghosts of the old Havoc(not his, not Keme's, Tavus) rearing their heads in his wake.

He should let Keme knew he'd heard. No matter how hard he pushed the blasted shuttle, it was still almost a whole day's travel home and he couldn't imagine how bad this stung for her. But what could he even say?

One of her best friends... Well, that's what hoping gets you.

---

Dorne was waiting when he landed, which really shouldn't have surprised him.

"Sparring ring," she said, hand out to take his gear.

Jorgan passed it over with a grateful nod. "Figured as much." He barely even slowed his pace, heading for the outdoor sparring and workout area.

"See if you can get her to take a break," Dorne called after him. "She's been at it for hours."

I'll bet she has. He waved a hand in acknowledgement. A susurrus of whispers and furtive looks followed him, and he wondered just how bad a mood Keme was in.

She was the only one using the space, which was something of an answer. Her posture was thick with tension, her hands wrapped and one gripping a practice shiv as she beat the living daylights out of a training dummy.

"I got your message," she said, breathing hard, without turning around.

Jorgan walked closer, taking in her clenched jaw, the damage she'd inflicted on the dummy, looking her over for injuries. Nothing he could see. "I'm glad you're alright."

Keme gave a hollow laugh as she pivoted and launched herself at him for a hug. "I dunno about alright," she mumbled into his chest.

She was hugging him almost fiercely enough to bruise and he returned the favor. "Unhurt work better?"

Keme nodded wordlessly, her grip intensifying before she let go. "I don't think it's sunk in yet," she admitted as she stepped back a pace, her voice even more hollow than the laugh had been. "I got back mad enough to punch somethin' and the knee jerk solution was to see if he wanted to spar before... I remembered." She sighed and raked loose hair back toward the ponytail it had escaped. "I didn't see this coming, Aric..."

He pulled her in for another hug, kissing the top of her head. "Did anyone?"

She shook her head. "Not even Lana." She stood there a minute, not returning the hug, just savoring it, if the way she shuddered when he started rubbing her back was any indication. "I can't believe he'd do this..."

"Me, neither," Jorgan muttered, kissing the top of her head again. She and Theron had hit it off from the first time they worked together, and been thick as thieves by the time they finished on Yavin 4. And it was readily apparent by the time Jorgan arrived on Odessen that working together on the Alliance had only made their friendship stronger. Beniko might be the de facto second in command, but Theron was Keme's go-to. For him to betray her like this had Jorgan a special kind of furious. Ready to join Beniko on her rumored warpath, in fact.

Keme shifted at his tone, pulling back again so she could pace as she talked. "I mean I literally can't believe it, Aric. I can't, he wouldn't."

"But he did, Keme," Jorgan growled. Don't do this to yourself, sweetheart. "You've said yourself the man's a damned good spy, makes sense he'd keep it under wraps--"

"But he wouldn't!!" she burst out, hands curling into fists.

"But he did!" Jorgan repeated, hating the look on her face. I'm gonna kill him for doing this to you. "He betrayed the Alliance, betrayed you, and Aygo said he crashed a train trying to kill you! Can't be much clearer!"

"Shot at me, too," she grumbled, half-heartedly punching the training dummy's shoulder.

He tensed at that additional tidbit. "Keme-!"

"He missed," Keme said dismissively, taking another nothing swing at the dummy. Like it was no big deal her best friend had shot at her.

"And thank the stars for that," Jorgan bit out. "I won't. What?"

She'd frozen mid-swing. "He missed," she repeated, slowly. Something flickered in her eyes. "Aric, he missed."

"And?"

"And you've fought alongside him! You know he's a hell of a shot. Theron wouldn't miss, not from a meter away, not unless it was on purpose--"

"Keme, do you hear yourself?!" he demanded. He understood the desire to rationalize, the difficulty of a hurt like this. It was far deeper and more personal than when Tavus' Havoc went rogue. But she was pushing toward something else.

"I can't think of any other reason!" she retorted, throwing up her hands.

"Didn't account for movement of the train. One last shred of decency shaming him for betraying his best friend. You moved. Just off the top of my head." He crossed his arms.

"Which is why his 'miss' just happened to take out the window Lana and I used to escape," Keme drawled. He knew that look; the gears were turning in her head. "If he hadn't... hadn't done that I dunno if we would've gotten off the train in time."

He could see her coming to wrong conclusions and it broke his heart and infuriated him in equal measure. Damn Theron for doing this to her. "Sweetheart, don't credit to conspiracy what's actually coincidence. Especially if that's all you have."

Her jaw went tight again, and she threw a few more punches at the dummy before whatever she was chewing on was too much and she spun back to him. "There's one thing he said I can't get out of my head. It's just wrong."

Just one? "Don't suppose it involved trying to explain himself."

"For peace." A muscle in her jaw twitched. "He's trying to destroy the Alliance, everything we worked for, together, for peace. Because it's rotten." She gave a stilted laugh as she dropped onto a nearby bench, shoving her discarded jacket aside. "And that's not even the part I'm stuck on."

Jorgan just waited her out, knowing if it bothered her this much she wouldn't need prompting to share.

"He said that if millions died for this, so be it. And that's been buggin' me."

"Hearing a sentiment like that from a friend would bug anyone," he muttered, wondering how the hell they hadn't seen this coming, any of them. Not a single clue. He really is good.

"But Theron?! Theron who almost bit Lana's head off over Master Surro after Ziost? Theron who I had to talk out of a self-flagellating sulk when we couldn't save Ranken? Theron who has always pushed for low to no casualties, who wants to save as many as we can, saying deaths in the millions is okay?" Keme shook her head. "It doesn't add up."

"People change," he growled.

"That much? That fast?" She shot him a skeptical look. " I'd've sworn by Theron almost as strongly as I would you. This feels wrong."

"Maybe we missed it happening; everything's been busy-"

"Jorgan, come on--"

"No, you come on," he cut her off, moving to sit next to her. "You're weighting your gut feeling against the man's own words and the fact he tried to kill you." A thought hit like a kick to the gut. "Does this mean... Iokath was him, too?"

He'd seen that report; Dorne hadn't tried terribly hard to stop him, and it had been a terrifyingly close call.

"....Maybe," Keme said, voice small. "We can't know for sure...."

"Seems pretty damn likely to me, you're just-" He stopped himself before he said something he'd regret and wouldn't be able to take back.

"In denial? Lana gave me that speech already." Keme started unwrapping her hands, gaze on the task rather than him.

Maybe I agree with her for once. "In other words you don't need-"

"Want."

"-to hear it again?"

"Somethin' like that," she muttered. The wraps came off and she dropped them with her jacket. "I just can't reconcile it, Aric," she said softly, cracking her knuckles. "I'm furious at him, too, but... We were joking around three days ago. He threatened to swipe my caf to pull an all-nighter an' I countered I'd make him take a vacation if he tried to pull another all-nighter, he works too damn hard and I just... He worked as hard as I did to build this, maybe more, it doesn't..."

Make sense.

"I know, sweetheart." Jorgan reached over to rub her back. "And I'm sorry for being a hardass about it; the thought of losing you, again, because of someone you trusted scares the hell out of me."

"Which I get." Keme ran a hand down her face. "Believe me. But whatever the evidence says, whatever Theron said, something doesn't sit right."

He really didn't want to fight with her about this. She clearly wasn't going to budge any time soon. "Alright, say I believe you. Can you think of any other reason he would've...done everything he did?"

There was a protracted moment of silence before Keme shook her head. "No. I can't." Her voice shook. "He wouldn't but I can't think..."

Jorgan pulled her close, tucking her in to his shoulder. "Whatever the case, you know I've got your back, right?"

She nodded. "Love you."

He kissed the top of her head. "Love you, too."

He didn't know what was coming, what this meant for her or the Alliance, just that they'd get through it. They always did.

Call it a gut feeling.

[unitchiefs-blackbirdphoenix]

What do you think about Jorgan, Jarcia, Jemily, Jelle, Jara, Jeid, Jalex, Jate and Jalvez?

Jorgan

A hot ship! A friends with benefits type of situation, but they still care deeply about each other. They’re also work out buddies and have little competitions about who’s stronger and faster.

Jarcia

I don’t really ship it. I see them more as sisters/BFFs, but I’m not super mad about it.

Jemily

My all time favorite, my OTP!! Such a healthy relationship platonically and otherwise, and they have a huge amount of trust in each other.

Jelle

I don’t have a strong opinion on this, but I like it. I’m into the idea of them having a thing before Elle left or JJ having a crush on her.

Jara

I love this ship, but love it more in fic than in actual canon only bc Tara doesn’t have a lot of screen time (unfortunately). Absolutely love the fan works for them and they’re such a good and hot ship.

Jeid

I hate this ship. They wouldn’t work together as a couple (not on the same level emotionally or mentally), and JJ has never seemed interested in him like that, so it’s pretty much one-sided from Reid’s pov despite canon efforts.

Jalex

I don’t have a very strong opinion on them either, but I like it. JJ also having a thing for her older female colleagues (Alex, Emily, Elle, and Tara) is a hc I have lol. They would be great moms together, too!

Jate

Don’t get me wrong, I love JLH, but I don’t remember much of s10 tbh so I don’t have much of an opinion on them. I love JJ and Kate bonding with each other about kids and being moms, though, it’s really cute.

Jalvez

Not a ship I’ve put too much thought in, but I kinda like it. Similar to JJ/Morgan, Luke/JJ are one of the jock ships haha. I love their little team-ups in cm and Evolution, and I feel like they would have a lot of inside jokes with each other, mostly inappropriate ones.

[cinlat]

Blood in the Breeze: Ch 17 (Choices)

Parts one and two of this series linked.

Read every chapter on FFN or Ao3.

Summary: LOTS of hard choices to make, some tangible wisdom, a little bit of fun on the firing range, and one pissed off dead emperor...

Chapter Word Count: 7,200 Chapter Rating: M Characters in Chapter: Fynta Wolfe, Aric Jorgan, Theron Shan, Zolah Holran, Lana Beniko, Shillet Jorgan, Keshal Vaak, Balic Cormac...

Author’s Note: Whole chapter under the cut. Better formatting on Ao3.

Odessen Private Quarters

Jorgan tossed the empty bottles into the bin while Cormac and Fynta hazed each other about who drank more. Tayl yawned as Elara said her farewells to Shillet. The girl promised to come stay with them soon, then hugged the only mother she'd ever known before bidding him and Fynta good night. All things considered, the night had gone perfectly. Yet, Aric felt more restless than ever.

The skirmishes on Nathema sat clearly in Jorgan's mind. Force-mad guardian and the way his blades sparked off Fynta's armor. Jorgan had taken the shot. He'd missed. If not for Fynta's beskar, that bastard would have cut her in two. Because Aric had missed.

Jorgan pulled the patch off his eye and rubbed it. Fynta had given him his sight back, but when it mattered, he hadn't been good enough. The world still looked like a white haze when Jorgan closed his good eye. Tech might have been able to get Fynta back on her feet, but it couldn't make him a sniper again.

Sighing, Jorgan swept crumbs from the counter into the tash. He'd find some other way to be useful, even if it meant hanging up his scopes. The pain of that thought stole his breath.

Strong arms snaked around Jorgan's waist from behind, and the familiar weight of Fynta's head resting against his back brought a sense of peace. For her, he'd give it all up. Maybe they should. Turning, Jorgan wrapped his wife in a hug. "We should retire."

Fynta chuckled and let Jorgan pull her closer. "You keep saying that."

Jorgan tightened his hold until Fynta looked him in the eye. "I'm serious. What if we just…stopped."

The smile that a pleasant evening had put on Fynta's face slipped. "Are you serious?" Jorgan held her gaze, and familiar frustration replaced it. She pushed away and flailed her hands. "I can't just stop, Aric. I have to get him out." The last line was delivered with a sharp slap to her forehead.

"Why?" Aric crossed the room and gripped Fynta's shoulders. Every time his panic felt under control, something sparked an attack that made him feel like it was all slipping through his fingers. It didn't matter that it wouldn't work, Jorgan argued. "What power does he have if you keep him bottled up? Some bad dreams and whiplash when he stops time? We can handle that."

Fynta tried to turn away, but Jorgan held her fast. "Damn it, woman." Every fear from the last six years crashed over Jorgan all at once. His fingers tightened, desperate to hold onto a past that he saw fading with each day. They were growing apart, him settling into life as a husband and father first, her always the reckless soldier.

Unbidden, anger replaced his fear and Jorgan snarled. "What more do you have to lose to see that this war will never end. Your other leg? The rest of my sight?" Fynta glared at him, but Jorgan couldn't stop the torrent of accusations even though he knew they weren't her fault. "For fuck's sake, Cormac's still walking with a limp. Havoc squad is gone. Vik is dead. When will it be enough?"

Jorgan regretted those last words even as they left his lips. Fynta's eyes widened, and for the first time he saw true, unadulterated emotion on her face. He'd crashed through her shields while she was vulnerable and left her exposed. That had never been his intention.

Slowly, Jorgan lifted his hands. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. This was the second time in as many days that he'd fucked up what could have been a civil discussion. "That didn't come out the way I meant."

Watching Fynta's mask slide back into place left Jorgan cold. "I know." Her whispered words hurt more than any slap could have.

Jorgan took one of his wife's hands and studied it against his. It was smaller, the fingers more delicate despite the years of calluses and scars. Fynta projected herself as a giant, and sometimes even he forgot that she was only human. Without looking up, Jorgan blew out a breath. "Will you at least hear me out?" Now that the heat of the moment had faded, Jorgan felt like shit. "Please."

"Of course." Jorgan winced at the distance in Fynta's voice, but it was no less than he deserved.

"I need to show you something." Jorgan pulled Fynta to their room. She sat on the end of the bed while he dug out the ruck sack that he had neglected to unpack earlier. He'd warred with himself all night about when to bring up the black box from Nathema. Now seemed as good a time as any.

Sighing, Jorgan turned. "I found this in the vault."

It happened too fast for Jorgan to react. Fynta had been sitting on the bed, then he was tripping over the desk chair, landing on his ass with her on top of him. The face hovering above Aric didn't belong to his wife. It twisted in rage, fingers clawing for his throat.

"Fynta." The knee she drove into Jorgan's gut drove a grunt out of him. He growled and squeezed her wrists so tight that he felt the bones grinding under his fingers. "Stop."

With a shout, Fynta threw herself backwards. The nails that had clawed for his throat were now tangled in her hair. She cried out, more of a belligerent curse than tortured scream. Jorgan scrambled to her and wrapped himself around her. He muttered nonsense, holding her stiff body until it began to relax. By the time Shillet appeared at the top of the stairs, Fynta was sweaty and panting.

"It's alright," Jorgan assured the girl, though he didn't loosen his hold. He couldn't imagine what they must look like, sitting on the floor with Fynta curled into his body. "Nightmare."

"You're sure?" Shillet didn't sound convinced, but she wanted to be. Jorgan nodded, and the girl half turned. "I'll go get her some water."

Fynta shivered, then lifted her head. "Fierfek." Jorgan let out a relieved breath, that word becoming one of relief instead of the curse it was meant to be. It meant his wife was back.

At the sound of returning footsteps, Fynta pushed away from Jorgan. She managed a weak smile at Shillet. "Thanks, Shil'ika. Sorry to wake you."

The girl wore her favorite pajamas, consisting of an old SpecForce shirt that Jorgan had given her years prior and a pair of shorts that she'd proudly lifted from under the quartermaster's nose. She'd been supposed to return those. "You good?" Shillet asked, keeping her distance with thin arms wrapped around her middle.

Fynta drank deep, then let out a shuddery breath. "I'm good. Thanks."

Though Shillet didn't look convinced, she turned and went back to her room. Jorgan waited until she was gone to open his mouth, but Fynta beat him to it. "What the hell?" She pressed the heel of her hand to her eye as she gestured at the box he'd dropped. "Why did you bring him with us?"

"He gave me an idea." The ghost living in Jorgan's box claimed to be Valkorion's father. Trapped for an eternity in a lonely vault by his petty son.

Fynta winced. "The old shabuir doesn't like that."

"Good." Jorgan took Fynta's face into his hands. They'd need to discuss what had just happened and why she had reacted so violently, but first— "Ever wonder why he didn't want you in that vault?"

Eyes widening, Fynta's lips parted. "You want to trap him." She hissed and squeezed her eyes shut, nails digging into Jorgan's forearms. No doubt that old Sith was raging inside her head.

Jorgan brushed loose strands of hair from Fynta's face. "It won't be easy." Hell, he didn't even know if it would be possible. What Jorgan did know was that their current life would lead Fynta to the grave. That wasn't something he'd survive a second time.

"We'll need help," Fynta rasped. Her spine straightened, life entering her eyes once more. "And a galaxy's worth of luck."

War Room Emergency Council Meeting 02:14 Hours

"You're mad." Lana waved a hand at Fynta while speaking to Zolah. "Tell the woman she's gone absolutely insane."

The Chiss shrugged narrow shoulders. "Since when has she ever listened to me?"

Arguments erupted, all the while Fynta watched the hope drain from Aric's eyes. She couldn't say that she disagreed with Lana's assessment. This was one of those grasping at straws plans. The sort that only the truly desperate made up. Fynta hadn't realized that they'd reached that point until Valkorion's rage over the holocron took over.

Fynta knew what, more specifically, who was in that box. She had ordered it to be left behind, to let the old bastard who sired the dead bastard in her head rot for all of eternity. Apparently, her husband had other plans.

A shiver traveled up Fynta's spine at the memory. It hazed, becoming more cloudy as the moments passed, but the rage lingered. Valkorion had roared in her mind, awakening some deep part of her that needed to kill. That old blood lust from childhood that Fynta had buried so long ago. Valkorion hadn't so much taken control of her body, but he'd unleashed the beast within, and she'd gone after the nearest target. That couldn't be allowed to happen again.

"We could use the same technique on Fynta that was used on me," Zolah suggested. Fynta's attention snapped back to the conversation. Zolah rarely spoke about her conditioning, only that it had been unpleasant, but she wouldn't hesitate to use that knowledge to better their position in the war effort.

Vector shook his head, his jaw taut with what Fynta assumed was disapproval. "We will not be a part of such tactics again." Zolah's eyes rolled towards the ceiling, evidence of a years-long argument between the couple. Vector continued without acknowledging his wife's chagrin. "Furthermore, that was an absolute loss of autonomy. Fynta would become a powerful weapon in the wrong hands."

Voices clambered for attention, and Fynta lost interest again. A yawn built in the back of her throat, and she clamped her teeth together to keep it caged. Finally, Notiac interjected with a calm that silenced the room. "I would like to speak with Felix about this."

Only the uncomfortable shuffle of feet answered. Felix Iresso had been a prisoner of war more than a decade ago, the only surviving member of his squad. Only later did the Republic learn that he'd been implanted with experimental holocron tech. No one knew how it worked or what knowledge lay dormant in his mind. Not even the Imperials. And, not for lack of trying. By the time he joined the Alliance, Felix had as many or more scars than Fynta.

"Is that a good idea?" Theron asked. He cleared his throat, and Fynta noted the intentional way he didn't look at their Imperial allies, specifically his girlfriend, the former Cipher Nine. "We promised that he wouldn't be prodded here."

Somehow, Notiac projected peace. Her lips tipped up, a matriarch indulging a child's concern. "No prodding. I simply wish to hear his thoughts on the matter. Fynta, Jorgan, I believe you should accompany me."

"Do you see a way for this plan to work," Lana hedged, eyes narrowed at her Jedi lover. Fynta didn't bother pointing out that Notiac didn't have eyes, though her fatigued thoughts snagged on that bit and refused to let it go.

As Fynta looked around the room, she realized how odd they were. Discounting her, a born Mandalorian, marrying a Cathar. That left the two pairs of Sith/Jedi couples, and a handful of intelligence agents from opposing sides settling into a foursome of domestic bliss. Technically, Theron had surrounded himself with Imperials, but he was stubborn enough to keep whatever loose morals guided him. What had started as a paltry group of radicals had merged into a single force, with no room for Imps and Pubs. They were simply the Alliance now.

Notiac dipped her head. "Possibly. I understand the idea behind Major Jorgan's proposal. Vitiate's father has been trapped for eons, unable to do harm. They want to do the same with Valkorion, trap him in Fynta's mind where he can no longer sway the growth of our galaxy. If done correctly, when she dies, he will simply cease to exist."

Fynta noted that the emperor in question had been silent since his outburst in their quarters. She didn't know what to make of it, but assumed there would be dreams and visits in the coming days to talk her out of this plan.

"I would also like to include Kaeto and Kozen. His skillset could prove useful," Notiac continued. Then, she looked at Fynta. "On second thought, I believe perhaps you should not be there. Major Jorgan can relay any pertinent instructions to you, and I have little doubt that he will base every decision on your wellbeing."

"Sure." Fynta didn't doubt it either, but she made a mental note to remind Aric that they were doing this for the sake of the galaxy too. That there would always be risk.

Zolah nodded, then added her concerns. "Say that we cage the mad emperor. What then? He will always be privy to our plans, even if he's rendered impoten—"

"I retire." Fynta saw Aric straighten, and Zolah let her sentence go unfinished. "We lock him in, then throw away the key. Take me off the board. Without access to fancy weapons and galactic armies, I'm just a Force blind human with a short temper and good aim. He can't do too much with that. Aric and I leave the Alliance and find somewhere remote to live out the rest of our lives." Now that she'd said it out loud, it didn't seem as terrible a plan.

"And what of the Alliance?" Zolah asked, her tone more clipped that Fynta expected. The Chiss had never sung Fynta's praises; she assumed Zolah would be pleased to have her out of the way.

Fynta gestured at the gathering. "It's yours. I was a figurehead, a way to draw people in. You've outgrown me." It was true, she realized. The Alliance was bigger than Fynta Wolfe, in truth it always had been.

Lana sighed and rubbed her temples. "That is—a lot to process." She dropped her arms and addressed the room. "It's late, and we all need rest. Before making any decisions, we must figure out if this plan is feasible. Once that question is answered, we can deal with what comes after. All in favor of dismissal?"

Three hands raised at once, Fynta's being among them. Aric and Vector seconding. It was no surprise that Theron, Quinn, and Zolah wanted more time to argue. "Motion carried." Fynta clapped her hands, then rubbed them together. "Good night, everyone. I'll see you at lunch."

Fynta angled for the door, speeding up when Aric joined her. They turned the corner before he leaned close to her ear. "Thank you."

Somehow, Fynta found a weak smile in her exhaustion, even though she felt hollow. Retirement had never been a concern for Fynta. She'd never expected to live long enough to see it. Now that it loomed on the horizon, Fynta didn't know what to think.

Odessen Officer's Quarters 10:00 Hours

Even as large as the Odessen was, it was hard to find privacy. Jorgan was used to the constant press of bodies and movement after years in the military. Still, there were moments when he felt the invasion more keenly. Jorgan hadn't meant to eavesdrop on Fynta's conversation, but Keshal's voice snagged his attention when he stepped into their quarters after a training session with Bey'wan.

"I hear that you've been questioning the Resol'nare." The woman hefted her daughter, who'd reached the age of non stop wiggling. She sighed and shifted Jodi to the other hip. "Care to hash it out?"

Jorgan pressed himself to the wall and ignored the guilt that gnawed at his gut. He knew that Fynta had been struggling with her identity lately. So many things had changed for all of them, but time had been compressed for Fynta, and she felt the ripples of his more keenly. It was part of why Jorgan had pushed for retirement. They needed to separate themselves from the constant battle that had become their lives.

"What makes you think that?" Fynta's tone sounded guarded. Then, she signed. "Verin's got a big mouth."

"Only when it comes to those he loves." Keshal blew air through her lips, and baby Jobi giggled.

"I'm not questioning the Resol'nare," Fynta admitted after a moment of silence. Jorgan's brows lifted. He'd never seen anyone bully Fynta into sharing her feelings as fast as Keshal did. Then again, few people said no to the matronly Mandalorian. "Just my place in it."

"Explain what—shab, let go you greedy little strill." Jorgan heard a scuffle and fought the urge to look around the corner. He assumed it involved one of Keshal's many braids and Jodi's tiny fingers. With a huff, Keshal continued. "You've got Cinlat's armor. You speak the language and put clan above all else, and—"

Fynta growled, and Jorgan heard the heavy clatter of her metal foot as she paced. "And no colors for that armor. A child that I can't raise in our culture because her father is Cathar, a Mand'alor that I'll never answer the call of…" She trailed off, footsteps falling quiet. "I'm dar'manda now." The horror in Fynta's voice twisted Aric's stomach. He knew what the term meant, but had never expected to hear it from his wife's lips.

Keshal hissed. "Hold your tongue, girl." Jodi's cooing paused while the girl puzzled out her mother's shift in temperament. "You take these things too literally. Colors will come. The Mand'alor is your alley, who you will aid if she calls. And as for Aric, well, he married a Mandalorian. That's on him."

Fynta didn't answer, but Aric heard the mattress squeak as she settled on it. Keshal's words echoed through his mind. He had chosen Fynta, knowing how integral her culture was to her. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to let her instill some of the better aspects of Mandalorian culture in their daughter. Thirteen wasn't an adult, though, Jorgan wouldn't budge on that.

"When my husband died," Keshal continued, her voice softer than before. "I felt lost. Do you remember that feeling? When you learned that you were married?"

Fynta must have nodded because Keshal only paused briefly. "That feeling of spiraling out of control. Of the universe plotting a course that you can barely hang onto. I felt that. I had a young son, my clan had scattered, and there was no way out."

"What did you do?" Fynta asked. Jodi squealed, and Keshal swore again. Fynta chuckled in reply. It reminded Jorgan of the way Cormac used to laugh when Shillet flung her food everywhere. Stars, Aric missed those days. "Assuming there's a moral to this story," Fynta continued, but there was a note of laughter in the biting words.

"I shaved my head," Keshal growled. "Something I'm considering doing again before this child rips my hair out by the root."

There was a scuffle, then Keshal sighed. "It was a small change, but something I could control. I felt empowered, and that stupid haircut breathed enough life into my sorry shebs that we survived."

"Not sure Aric would approve of me shaving my head, but I get the point." Fynta chuckled again. "Thanks."

"Now, about your brother." Keshal launched into a tirade about how long Verin had been gone and the trouble he could get into. Aric excused himself, giving Fynta the privacy that he should have from the beginning. He needed to find a way to approach the subject of Shillet and apologize for being an ass about it. If he wanted Fynta to be a part of his daughter's life, then he needed to give her that freedom.

Two days later, Jorgan poked the fire he'd built at their mountainside retreat and sighed. Fynta had run late in meetings and commed to say that she would meet him at their campsite. It had been his idea, a way to get Fynta alone so that they could work out some of the tension building between them.

The weather was forecast to be warm but comfortable. Jorgan had planned a mountain climb and maybe a late-night swim in the spring. That was hours ago.

Fynta arrived well after sunset, making enough noise to announce her presence. Jorgan poked the fire again, letting the knot that had squeezed his chest burn off. He'd begun to wonder if she wouldn't come at all. "Thought you'd forgotten."

"Never." Fynta's tone perked Jorgan's ears. He turned with dread to see what fresh hell the War Council meetings had heaped onto them this time. Jorgan paused half standing when Fynta stepped into the light.

Jorgan didn't remember crossing the campsite. Fynta kept her eyes low in an uncharacteristic scowl. Aric reached for a dark strand of hair that had worked its way free of its binding, then paused. "This is…different."

"I needed a change." Fynta tugged at a lock of hair, then squared her shoulders and looked Jorgan in the eye. "I needed to take control of something."

The defiance in Fynta's eyes barely hid the fear behind them. Jorgan remembered her conversation with Keshal, how one small detail could mean the difference between confidence, and the breakdown that Fynta had been creeping towards for weeks. At least she hadn't shaved it.

Taking Fynta's hand, Aric pulled her into the firelight where he could see her better. Fynta didn't fight or speak as he tugged the tie free so that he could run his fingers through the now black strands. He'd only known Fynta as the feisty blonde, with hair caught between pale highlights and brown undertones with no direction as to where it would end up.

The black complimented her skin, bringing out the bronze hues, and making her eyes blaze brighter. Jorgan had always known his wife was beautiful, and had spent many a grumpy meeting glaring at the men who threw themselves at her. The new color amplified that, contrasting where the blonde had blended.

Jorgan smiled and tucked the strand behind Fynta's ear. "It suits you."

Odessen Training Room

"You sure about this, boss?" Cormac blocked two high strikes and a dirty kick. His hips almost had full range of motion, and his left knee didn't give out anymore. Which was good since Fynta wasn't holding back.

"Of course not." Fynta ducked beneath Cormac's jab, then stabbed two fingers into his ribs. He grunted, and she danced away. "But, Aric has a point."

Rubbing his abused torso, Cormac put some distance between him and the agile not-blonde. He liked the new hair color and thought it brought out the light in her eyes. He hated seeing how dull they had become lately. "That means you'll be stuck with him for the rest of your life. Is that what you want?" If Cormac had his way, they'd fight to the throne room of Zakuul and find a way to be rid of the old emperor once and for all.

Fynta blew out a breath, and Cormac used that opportunity to box her ears. He managed to get one before she stomped his foot. With a curse, Cormed limped back to his side of the mat. Fynta waved at the ceiling, and damn it, Cormac looked up even though he knew she was being rhetorical. "I don't know. You weren't there. You didn't see him."

"Pretty sure I was," Cormac responded, dragging his gaze down from the nothing above them. Fynta's features clouded, and he shrugged. The poor woman had gotten a healthy dose of reality from a lot of people lately, and it looked like it was his turn.

Cormac started unwrapping his gloves and jerked his head towards the bench where their bags were stored. He flopped onto the metal seat, pleased that it didn't hurt. Fynta joined him, focusing too hard on her gear. She sighed. "Tell me."

They'd never spoken about the time when Fynta was away, not at length. He'd been so damn grateful when her memory returned that rehashing those emotions didn't seem worth it. But, Cormac was good at reading people, and right now it seemed that the bosses were out of sync. That was bad for everyone.

Leaning back, Cormac took a deep breath. "It was hell." Fynta winced, and he patted her leg. He didn't want to hurt her or betray Jorgan's worst moments, but she needed to know in order to make the best decision for everyone. "He stopped eating, dropped maybe ten kilo. He's never been a jolly bloke but all the life was gone from him. Jorgan woke up, did his duty, then went to bed. Shillet was the only thing keeping him going after they declared you dead."

"Yeah." Fynta breathed the word and leaned against the walll. Her shoulder pressed against Cormac's, but she still didn't look at him. "I've never seen him like this."

"He's scared." Cormac knew the feeling. It was worse with Elara and Tayl on Odessen than it had ever been while they were apart. "I don't think he'd survive losing you again." Cormac stopped short of voicing his opinions on how that end would come, only that he had doubted the Cathar would outlive his mate a second time.

They sat in silence for a moment, then Fynta dropped her face into her hands. "I need to figure him out again." Her voice was muffled, but Cormac understood. "We are so different now. I don't know how to get us back on the same page."

Plastering on a grin, Cormac nudged his best friend's shoulder until she looked at him. "Go back to the basics. Find something that you can connect with and build from there." He wiggled his eyebrows for added effect.

Fynta chuckled and shoved Cormac away. Then, she straightened. "Actually, that gives me an idea." She reached beneath the bench and snatched her gear. Fynta took two steps, then came back and planted a kiss on the top of Cormac's bald head. "You're a genius. Give Elara and Tayl my love."

Cormac lifted a hand to wave his friend off, then set about gathering the rest of his gear. Maybe he should take his own advice and treat Elara to a nice night at the cantina. Shillet probably owed him a favor, and she wouldn't turn down time with her little cousin anyway. By the time Cormac stood, he had an entire evening of dancing and relaxation planned. Now, all he had to do was pry his wife away from the medical bay long enough to enjoy it.

Odessen Alliance Base Indoor Rifle Range 0023 Hours

Jorgan followed Fynta into the rifle range and flipped on the external light to warn others that it was occupied. It was late, after midnight, and he felt the weight of the day wearing on him. They'd enjoyed a day in the mountains, but had been recalled early to deal with a new development in Vaylin's plans. Since then, Jorgan had barely seen his wife.

Stifling a yawn, Jorgan set his kit down and flipped through the target options. Fynta had refused to leave until Shillet was asleep, which the girl seemed to recognize and found every reason to stay awake. That was after a run with Iresso, a fresh batch of recruit testing, and general fretting over things he couldn't change. Jorgan had dozed once or twice on the couch while the girls had their battle of wills.

"What are you up to?" Jorgan didn't want to be on the firing range, but could tell Fynta had planned a special evening for them. He just hoped they could get through it without another argument.

A hand settled over Jorgan's, jerking him out of his glum thoughts. Fynta nodded to the far lane. "Come on, I've already got it set up."

"Been planning this?" Jorgan aimed for flirtatiousness and was rewarded with Fynta's signature grin. Her gaze traced along the blacks he wore, stirring a twinge of excitement in his gut. A quick glance towards the door revealed that she'd unplugged the security camera. Her grin widened when his lifted brows found her again.

Instead of the blankets he'd hoped to find behind the dividing wall, Jorgan's sniper rifle perched on the flat countertop and a target blinked at the hundred yard mark. He shifted a wary glare towards his wife. "I could probably hit that without the fancy new eye patch."

"Gotta start somewhere," Fynta answered with a wave for Aric to step up. "We need to calibrate it better so that there are fewer unknowns in the field." She didn't say it, but Jorgan knew that she'd seen his mistake. He was a liability now.

Sighing, Jorgan pressed his shoulder into the rifle butt and propped his elbows on the table. The patchwork of lines flickered to life the moment his eyepiece touched the scope. Shapes formed, creating the other half of what his good eye saw in a precise, green grid. The target appeared last, though the entire process took less than fifteen seconds. Even though he didn't need it for such a short distance, Aric ran through the routine of relaxing his muscles and counting heart beats. He squeezed the trigger on an exhale and the target flashed a sequence of colors to mark a bullseye.

Straightening, Jorgan smirked at his wife. "Satisfied?"

Fynta bent forward and unlaced her right boot. "Eventually." Jorgan watched the woman gracelessly relieve herself of the shoe, tipping so far to the side that he reached out to steady her on instinct. Fynta batted his hand away. "No touching."

Jorgan withdrew and gestured at the firing lane. "What's this all about?"

Fynta kicked the offending boot to the side, then nodded towards the target. It had moved out to one hundred and fifty yards. Jorgan attempted one of her brow raises in response. "For every hit," she continued, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms in a way that lifted her breasts for his appreciation. "I'll drop an article of clothing."

"Now the security camera makes sense," Jorgan replied, hoping that his voice didn't give away the speed of his racing heart. Fynta didn't respond, which set his nerves on edge.

Carefully, Jorgan set his rifle on the table and folded his arms to match Fynta's stance. "What happens if I miss?"

Fynta's shoulders lifted. "Nothing, but I'll pull the target in closer." Pushing off the wall, she slinked closer, hips rolling and eyes dancing with challenge. "You either get me naked, or prove that you can't hack it as a sniper anymore." Her voice dropped an octave, and she stopped short of touching him. "The choice is yours, Major Jorgan."

"Damn you, woman." Aric spun around and snatched his rifle from the stand. Echoes of a similar conversation a lifetime ago rolled through his thoughts. A time when Fynta entertained the prospect of giving up the life she loved instead of trusting in technology. Fynta was making her point in the same way he had after losing her leg. Accept the hard truth that his fighting style had to change, or retire. There was no room for half measures on the battlefield.

This time, Fynta rested her hand on Jorgan's arm, but he couldn't make himself look at her. "There is no one I would rather have at my back. We do this together, or what's the point?"

Swallowing his pride, Jorgan nodded and sighted on the next target. Fynta had agreed not to bench him again. Now, he needed to prove that he could still be counted on. When Jorgan executed another perfect shot, Fynta removed her sock, then her jacket, leaving her in just the casual blacks she wore around the base. When the target hit three hundred yards, Jorgan felt the warm press of breasts against his back. "Don't miss," Fynta whispered against the shell of his ear. A shiver ran the length of his spine, but Aric pushed it down.

The kaleidoscope of color announced another perfect shot, and Jorgan looked over his shoulder in time to see Fynta pull her belt free. He let his eyes trail over her before finding her face. "You're running out of clothing." Glancing back at the target, Jorgan estimated how far he could make it out before she was out of bargaining chips. "You've only got until five hundred yards before I win."

Fynta shook her head. "Don't worry about me." Something in her tone made Aric hesitate. He stared at his wife, trying to peer past the smug exterior to work out her plan. Eventually, he gave up and found the target again.

Three-fifty wasn't a difficult shot, but he'd never taken it with the eye piece. An uneasiness settled in Jorgan's stomach, and he flexed his hands to work out the stiffness. Insecurities that he hadn't felt since his rookie days creeped into the back of his mind until warmth slid around his ribs.

Jorgan looked down to find Fynta's hands splayed across his stomach. "What are you doing?"

"Distracting you." Fynta nipped his ear, making Jorgan start. He heard her laughter when she spoke again. "Is it working?"

"No." Jorgan didn't believe his gruff answer any more than Fynta would, but her touch gave him something to focus on more than his fear. Something to conquer.

The rifle kicked, and Jorgan let out a relieved breath when the target signaled a hit. Fynta's hands unwound from his body, but Aric felt movement as his back. When the target positioned itself at four hundred yards, he leaned forward to let the instruments read the field.

Tan skin slid into Jorgan's peripheral, a naked leg that rubbed suggestively alongside his. Aric cleared his throat and squinted down the line. His best shot was more than twice this, but the range only went to one thousand yards. He could do this, and prove to himself that his career hadn't ended.

Fynta's hands returned to their positions on Aric's stomach, the warmth of her exposed skin seeping through his pant leg made for a better distraction than enemy fire. He huffed a breath and focused on his heart beat, listening to a rhythm that was faster than he'd have liked. Another shot sparked cheerful colors from the target.

Straightening, Aric turned to his wife. "Fynta, this isn't going to—" His words dried on his tongue. After so many years together, the sight of her wiggling out of a shirt still brought him up short. He was mesmerized by the seductive way her hips twisted while she worked the fabric over her head and the flex of abdominals when the shirt finally cleared.

Fynta dropped the cloth on top of her pants and boot, then stretched. "Sorry, riduur, you were saying?"

Jorgan growled low in his throat, a primal sound that he'd hidden from other women. Fynta loved it, often coaxing more from him. She stepped back and held up one finger when Aric started towards her. "Remember? No touching."

With narrowed eyes, Jorgan returned to his perch and leaned forward to peer down his scope. Before he could find the target, Fynta's body pressed against his back, her hands toying with the hem of his shirt. Aric's body was more than aware of the change in her scent and how little separated their skin.

Target acquired, Jorgan's finger tightened on the trigger until the drawstring in his pants loosened. "That's. Cheating." He bit the words out through gritted teeth while Fynta wound her fingers in the flimsy ties.

Fynta's hand slid into the loosened waistband of his pants and offered a tantalizing massage through his underwear. "I never specified my rules," Fynta husked, fingers squeezing and flexing around his clothed shaft. The combination of heat and coarse material made for a dizzying sensation. "Think you can make the shot under—" her fist tightened, stopping short of pain. "Duress?"

Air wheezed between Jorgan's lips. Fynta's heady scent filled his nostrils, clouding out everything except removing that final barrier between his erection and her heat. Teeth bared, Aric met those deep, blue eyes over his shoulder. "Watch me."

The target flashed a hit, and Fynta rewarded Aric with several, quick strokes. He yelped in surprise, gripping the table with one hand while trying not to send his rifle clattering to the floor. When she released him, Jorgan felt like he could breathe for the first time. Until he saw that she'd removed her bra. His mouth went dry, attention drawn to the two perfect peaks that he wasn't allowed to caress.

Fynta pretended not to notice, nodding down the line. "Five hundred yards, Major. Make this shot, and…" Her thumbs slipped into the elastic of her underwear, dragging one side low enough to expose her hip bone.

Snapping his attention back to that infuriating smirk, Jorgan's eyes narrowed. "I'll have you when this is over, woman."

The impish grin widened. "I'm counting on it."

With rolled eyes, Jorgan forced himself to bend forward and press the high tech eye patch to the scope again. Visions of what he planned to do to Fynta after this shot played out in distracting clarity. He'd bend her over the stall and take her from behind until she was panting in Mando'a, then—

The brush of fabric caught his attention a second before Aric's thoughts splintered into a hundred shards of light. Wet heat enveloped him, wrapping his mind in cotton while his body hummed to life. Even when he looked down to find Fynta on her knees, head bobbing while her mouth made delicious sucking noises, his mind couldn't make sense of it. He'd had a fantasy like this a long time ago and was almost certain that he'd never mentioned it to Fynta.

Fynta took Aric into the back of her throat, gripping his hips when he tried to push for more and glanced upward. The damn woman smiled, and somehow it was all the more radiant with his cock in her mouth. "What—" her throat flexed and his words scattered.

Pulling back, Fynta smiled with an innocence she'd never possessed. "Take the shot, riduur." Her tongue flicked out to tease him, and Aric shivered. "If you can."

The defiant note in Fynta's voice battered against the haze of pleasure she'd lured Jorgan into. It reminded him of his purpose. With one hand, Jorgan cupped Fynta's chin, his thumb brushing across her bottom lip. "You're on."

Odessen Alliance Base Command Quarters 03:47 Hours

Fynta should be asleep. Her body ached in that delicious way it always did when Aric let loose in bed. She'd never been more grateful that Shillet chose to stay over with Elara and Cormac. There were some sounds that a girl should never hear her father make.

The man in question sprawled on his stomach, one arm draped over Fynta's torso. He'd meant to cuddle, no doubt, but had succumbed to exhaustion before completing the act. Smiling, Fynta scraped her nails over Aric's scalp. It had been a good night, a way to reconnect over what they did best. Probably not what Cormac had meant with his pep talk. But, Fynta felt more in sync with her husband than she had in months. She hoped that their unorthodox exercise had bolstered his confidence behind the scope too.

Fynta stretched, then settled closer to her husband. Aric pulled her against his body without opening his eyes, sliding one hand under her shirt while burying his face in her hair. It reminded Fynta of those stolen moments back on the Thunderclap in between missions. Their romance had been fresh and forbidden back then. They'd risked their careers to be together. Now, Fynta worried that they risked more.

You can't do this without me.

Valkorion had been sedate since Aric's reveal of the mad Sith's long trapped father. He muttered ominous warnings in the back of Fynta's mind, but had yet to approach her outright. Fynta didn't think he was scared. More like the chakaar was plotting, biding his time until an opportunity presented itself; a way to take away her choice.

Fynta's comm buzzed across the room. A second later, Aric's joined it. Muttering a curse, Fynta wiggled out from under her husband's arm. Aric grumbled and rolled onto his back. "Thought we'd banned those things from the bedroom."

In the second it took Fynta to open her mouth for a snarky retort, the floor lifted her into the air. There was the feeling of weightlessness, a moment to think of some choice words, then her weight drove the air from Aric's lungs. Their eyes met, and Fynta's comm flickered to life at the end of the bed where it had landed. Theron appeared in muted blues, shirtless and typing furiously.

Fynta scrambled off her husband while he rolled to his feet to find his gear. "Theron, what the hell was that?"

Fynta had known Theron for a long time. She'd seen him in all manner of circumstances from exasperated friend to cold blooded murderer, even a desperate lover once or twice. She'd never seen fear on his face, not until his hazel eyes met hers through the holo. "It's Vaylin. She found us."

[sunderedazem]

Deitente and Jorgan: Obligatory OTP ask #s 5, 12, 17, 31 and 51

OHHHHH These are gonna be such fun answers!!! Thank you for the ask!

5. Describe their cozy night in. Dei curls up on the couch in front of a trashy holodrama with a cup of tea and three blankets, sticks her head in Aric's lap, and starts doing the Cat Thing where she huffs if she doesn't get head scritches. Aric, for his part, is usually completely engrossed in a book while also dutifully stroking wife's hair and agreeing with every comment she makes about how garbage the movie is. They're sort of doing their own thing, sort of not, they both love it.

Occasionally they watch Republic war movies together to pick everything apart, critique the stupid propaganda to high hell and back, and make fun of the directors incessantly.

12. Do they have many heated arguments? How do they smooth things over? Every five fucking minutes, it sometimes feels like. They're both extremely strong willed, and as Dei's Executive Officer and right hand man, Jorgan feels very strongly about providing alternatives, and they're both full of ideals and passion and things can get Spicy in the unfun ways very quickly. But they're both also extremely mature people, and when they're getting heated, they're both likely to realize it, mutually agree to step back for a little while to calm the fuck down, and then resume more calmly. Their relationship is good communication in action.

17. Who's more likely to pull the other in by the waist and kiss them passionately? Somewhat surprisingly, Aric is. He low-key loves embarrassing Dei like this - she always gets super flustered, but she likes it too so he doesn't have to worry about her getting mad at him.

Dei gets him back with the occasional ass-smack - he jumps about a mile, lmfao!

31. Can they sit side by side without touching the other or are they handsy? (lacing fingers, touching knees, etc.) They're both very disciplined people, and they both know that a commanding officer being married to someone in their direct chain of command is an EXTREMELY slippery slope, so they're extremely careful to remain professional in public at all times.

At home though? Ass smacks for DAYS. Deitente is a little shit sometimes, but Aric loves her anyway.

51. What’s a non verbal way they say I love you? Deitente purrs- I mean. I didn't say that. She'd eviscerate me XD. But she also often completes Aric's reports for him when she knows he's had a hard day, and she's the kind of person to spontaneously gift him with a day alone at the shooting range...with whatever that entails OwO

And Aric? He puts Dei to bed a lot of the time when she falls asleep working at her desk, and makes her breakfast in bed the following day. He's also defends her and her decisions to death - even if they've gotten into a shouting match and still disagree about it, he will be damned before he lets any karking moron disparage Deitente, even if that moron is a general. He's the ONLY one allowed to think she's a dumbass sometimes (lmao)

[kunoichi-ume]

Courting Disaster: Chapter 4

Chapters: 4/? Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Torian Cadera/Female Jedi Knight | Hero of Tython, Aric Jorgan/Female Republic Trooper, Kira Carsen/Male Republic Trooper, Male Bounty Hunter/Mako (Star Wars) Characters: Noara Starspark, Aric Jorgan, Darvic Lewton, Juliaddi Lewton, Braxtol Lewton, Kira Carsen, T7-O1 (Star Wars), Corso Riggs Additional Tags: Family, Friendship, Adventure, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Romance, Non-Canon Relationship, cross faction relationship Summary:

Aric is made a scapegoat, but isn’t as mad about it as he could be. Braxtol gets a shocking report, even if he had strong suspicions. And he would really like the universe to stop trying to kill his kids. 

Link cause I fucked up the first time. 

[keirangoldenwatch]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game), Star Wars: The Old Republic Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Aric Jorgan/Female Republic Trooper, Corso Riggs/Female Smuggler, Female Smuggler/Every [Flirt] Option Avaiable Characters: Female Republic Trooper, Female Smuggler (Star Wars), Aric Jorgan, Corso Riggs Additional Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Relationships, Smuggler flirts with EVERYONE, Trooper Storyline Spoilers, Smuggler Storyline Spoilers, Sith Pureblood (Star Wars), Miraluka (Star Wars), Author's Interpretation of Miraluka "Sight", Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, some canon divergence Summary:  Sergeant Rezhek Iaseed solves most of her problems with her assault cannon. "Captain" Tivvea Easdel is a wanted smuggler and a runaway Sith Pureblood. These unusual women start with a mutual enemy, and end up creating the strangest team the Republic has ever seen. -- A written version of a playthrough myself and my partner did as a straight-laced Trooper and exasperatingly thrill-seeking smuggler. Hope y'all enjoy the madness!

Rezhek Iaseed stepped down the ramp that led up to the half-destroyed ship at a brisk jog, the heavy gun on her back thudding in time with her heavy boots on the metal.  The damn thing had been shot down by separatist forces before they’d even reached Fort Garnik.  Where had they even gotten that sort of heavy artillery anyway?  With what she’d been briefed on, they shouldn’t have that level of firepower.  But every source had its blind spots and sometimes the enemy got a lucky find or a new sponsor to get them new toys.  What mattered right now was finding them and destroying them.  She felt the soft ground beneath her feet and turned her head towards the sound of blaster fire and the smell of smoke.

Finding anything in this warzone was going to give her a headache.  There were too many factors at once.  But she didn’t sign up for this yesterday--she was trained, she knew what she was doing.  She just had to focus.  Focus, and not get herself shot.

First time I’ve written any manner of fanfiction in so long, but hell, I’ve got to get my creative outlets somehow right?  Enjoy!  I’ll update as I get more out.  

[the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond]

Random ideas/ headcanon for kofte and kotet :

• Deoris Jorgan (main Republic Trooper,) and « Luhcy Kallig »have both been caught into the carbonnite; Valkorion was only on Luhcy’s head and he silenced Horak-mul, nearly destroyed him.

• Valkorion also doesn’t only show what we can see on the canon chapter. He throw her into her childhood and her teenager days, when she was a slave, and also all of her various failures, significantly the event on Darvannis.

• With the force bond between Luhcy and Kirka, and the constant torture of the Sith mind, Jedi began to fall into madness slowly.

• Luhcy had confess to Lana and Theron that Valkorion was on her mind. She only accepted his power one time, when they have been in danger on Zakuul Swamp. And none of them was happy about it.

• She tried to « fixed » Valkorion influence on Voss before Vaylin attack. It failed, but it had helped Kirka to gain some sanity back.

• They have stayed on Asylum for one month, the time to recruit, made some « official » link with underworld members. During this time, they put Luhcy in lead.

• Deoris had been choose as military leader and Alliance sub-leader.

• They Alliance military base had been built before the destruction of Asylum, and they have keep expanded it until Onslaught. The first civilian have settle on Odessen some weeks after the destruction of Asylum.

• The natural « park » of Odessen had been knows in the whole galaxy as one of the most beautiful and various one. They also have a huge medicinal plant part on it.

• The farms on Odessen are enough to supply the planet population, and cover the tiers of The Alliance Protectorate.

• Twelve Eternal fleet ship are still under their leading after Nathema event, even if officially they have all been destroyed.

• Theron was there on the rescue team. It wasn’t go as planned..

• Theron had built a little « home » on Asylum, on a container. When Luhcy get freed, she began to draw on the wall, when he was away for the Scorpio mission. She wasn’t an artist so Theron laughed a lot when he comes back and see it. But he joined and they both draw random things on the wall.

• Also, the container makes Theron remember the one they have shared on Yavin.

• They were hiding their relationship (more or less) so most of the Alliance was thinking that Luhcy was just hardly flirting with him with no result.

• On Odessen they have separated bedroom until Iokath.

• Cassilda joined the alliance on the beginning of Odessen, and Andronikos after the infiltration mission on Vailyn party. He arrived with a whole pirate fleet.

• While she has still flirty words toward Cassilda, they remain friends only; it wasn’t the case with Nik, where they still have a deep affection for each other. But as she choose to « protect »her relationship with Theron, no physical contact or loving words were shared. They takes cares from each other on distance, partying together like normal friends, and sometimes they just shared affection like training together or Luhcy falling asleep on his shoulders on the cantina.

• Luhcy was wearing Lana, Khellerin and Theron’s clothes on Asylum.

• Khellerin and Lana was already on an official relationship since Ziost. They moved together/stay together after Zakuul invasion. They get married after the fall of Arcann reign.

• Tiania, Malavai and their 4 children joined the Alliance when Acina offered to help the Alliance to fight Zakuul. Their 5th and last child born around Copero event.

• Luhcy, on Odessen Cantina, sometimes to sing with Senya, Tiania and Khellerin. Tiania had a opéra voice that doesn’t really get along with the other, but it makes some song very interesting.

• That’s probably what helped to makes Lu and Senya closer. That and the protectiveness and mom acting toward people they likes.

• She helped Arcann to redeem and makes Zakuul a republic under the protectorate of the Alliance.

• She helped everytime Zakuulian until the event on Nathema. She had choose to imprison Vinn and sended him to Zakuul. But everything had changed for her this day.

[annakie]

An Annotated Mass Effect Playthrough, Part Seven

List of Posts: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Wherein we... talk to the crew. I didn’t quite make it off the ship.

Still, a lot of words.

Aka the nearly All-Gif update.

Didn’t get a chance to play ME at all this week, so I’m going to spend a few hours this weekend (double-checking to make sure screenshotting works :p) and have some real updates later.

So making it back to the ship from Therum, it’s time to talk to the crew.  I maybe could have gone and talked to them after getting on the ship after the Citadel, but they don’t really have any unique lines then so, I usually wait til now to go chat.

First, let’s talk to Liara.

The thing that sucks about talking to Liara (or Kaidan, or Ashley, if you don’t want to romance them) is, you know, the accidental romance.  Making “picking the Paragon-place choices = romance by default with NO WARNING” design was very Not Good.  They fixed this in later games, well moreso in Dragon Age games than ME, (and Andromeda is done very well for this) but still.  In ME3, the BackOff mod does a great job of making romance dialog more obvious and intentional.  

Liara’s dialog choices I feel like are even LESS obviously flirting I feel like than Ash and Kaidan’s.  Honestly with Liara’s most of the lines can be read and even said aloud as friendship then BOOM, all of a sudden she wants a threesome.  I choose middle dialog options whenever possible with Liara just to avoid this.  I’m not interested, never have been, don’t want Kaidan to think he has any competition.  But seriously, it’s poor game design here that you literally have to be a jerk to a companion at some points to avoid having them think you want to bang.   God, half of the reason I’d love a remaster would be to hopefully fix shit like this to avoid some of the pitfalls.  

I hate that some people use this as a reason to dislike these characters more.  And I’ll admit, in my early days as a ME fan, I held it against Liara, too, until I realized how dumb that is.  I especially hate it when you get to the “confrontation scene” and people use Kaidan not wanting to be in a threesome as a reason to dislike him more?  It’s not a bad thing to want to be monogamous?  (And of course, it’s not a bad thing to NOT want to be, assuming everyone is open and OK about it.)

I just prefer to not get that scene at all now, and to avoid “leading anyone on” accidentally etc.  My Shepard knows early on what she wants, and sticks with him all the way through.

I was going to talk more here about my feelings about Liara in general but uh, I guess I’ll do that later.  This is already really long.

Here’s a great post about how to avoid romancing Kaidan while being rude as little as possible to him.  

Well since he’s right outside the medbay anyway, let’s go talk to the LT.  

Have I mentioned how much I hate the orange glow?  

So anyway, I thought maybe I’d talk here a little bit about Why Kaidan?

I will point out here that I am mostly a hetero woman, so my choices in video game romances lean towards men first, though I’m also very cool with doing non-m/f romances in games, and often do on subsequent playthroughs of games I love, but that’s almost never gonna be my primary romance.

I’d already mentioned my love for Carth Onasi, one of the most hated companions in video games, If You’re A Guy.

By today’s standards, even the Carth romance isn’t that great.  But at the time, it was the greatest romance I’d experienced in video games.  There were a few others that were really good -- Valen Shadowbreath in Neverwinter Nights: Horde of the Underdark was the other really great one, but we also got nightmare fuel like Anomen in Baldur’s Gate (though that gets better with mods + the final BG expansion) or just under-written characters or romances like Casavir in NWN2 (who was much better with mods) or hell, either of your choices in KotOR2 imho.  But I used to play KotOR over and over for many reasons, such as holy shit a Star Wars game(!!) and one where you can actually be a female main character AND has that great Bioware storytelling... but a big reason was Carth.  

A funny thing about Carth Onasi... if you play a male main character, you have a very different experience with Carth than if you play a woman.  And even I can agree that hoo boy Carth gets tiresome quick if you play a male, as a female you at least get to flirt and that calms him down and evens him out a lot. But the one time I tried playing as a male, I didn’t make it off Taris because.. yeouch I could actually see what the guys playing were so mad about.

But hey, that voice.  Raphael Sbarge, I love that voice.  So like I said early on in these posts, I immediately knew I was going to romance Kaidan the very second I confirmed he was romancable, before I even ran back into the ship and met anyone on the crew aside from Joker and Kaidan.

And... that only got confirmed more and more as I went through ME for the first time.  The character is smart, and capable, and respected you, and never questioned your command, but made his feelings pretty clear along the way.  He could be a little doofy but in an adorable way with some of the things he said, honestly there was almost never anything I didn’t love about this character.

I realized some time ago that I have a thing for the Paladin archetype personally. 

This is Casavir, from Neverwinter Nights 2, and in NWN2, there are two romance options for women.  An under-written Lawful Good Paladin in his late 30′s who is willing to buck his superiors to do what he thinks is right but also places you on a pedestal and holds back all his emotions.  He’s a romance option. Or....

Bishop, a chaotic evil ranger who insults you a lot, threatens to rape an NPC under your protection, and ultimately betrays you.  

Most people who played NWN2 seemed to prefer the CE Ranger.  I loved the paladin so much I wrote fix-it fic that I never have gotten around to publishing anywhere to retcon his terrible dumb ending.

There’s a fan-made romance mod that helps with the romances in this game, though I dislike a lot of what they did, ultimately I always use it.

In Dragon Age?

Ah yeah, the Templar-Warden.  Love him.  He does have that “Oh I’m so young and experienced tee-hee” thing going on that isn’t my favorite, (at this point mostly because I’m actually in my mid-40′s so uh, I’m just Old) but otherwise, yeah, love Alistair.

Dragon Age 2, I mean I usually romance Anders but... I’m not real excited about either him or Fenris, or even either of the ladies, though I have done Isabella’s romance (as well as Fenris’) and enjoyed it.  I’d probably romance Avaline (or Varric!), if she were an option.  But yeah, Anders mostly because he IS trying to do what’s right, even if he... well.  You know.  

But Dragon Age Inquisition?

Give me that Blackwall-angst.  That stoic guy trying to be a Warden who comes undone for you.  You’d think I’d go for Cullen, but hey this game gave us two paladin archetypes, though one is merely pretending, he still atones and becomes what he was trying to be, one way or another, if you let him.  I picked this paladin archtype first because I did not like Cullen based on interactions with him in DA1 & 2.  I like him well enough in DA:I but Blackwall is my guy here.

Out of all the many, many companions in SWTOR, who’s my fave?

If Aric Jorgan isn’t a Paladin-type I don’t know who is, especially since any romanceable Jedi are uh, all your female padawans (don’t get me started) until Lana (also female) comes along. 

Hell, in a very long-running 4e D&D game I played from around 2009 to 2014 where my character fell in love with our party leader’s son, married him and fought the final boss 4 months pregnant with our twins.  That character’s husband... was a paladin.  I mean look at this art my friend picked out for his character’s son:

I mean dang, who (of those who are attracted to men of this type) wouldn’t?

I always pick the Paladin.  The guy who is gonna Do What’s Right no matter what it costs him, the guy who’s gonna be loyal, the guy who may bottle up his emotions or keep them under control all the time but ultimately does what it takes to get the girl... that’s my fave.  And that’s Kaidan.

I will also say my second fave archetype is rogue-with-a-heart-of-gold, and that’s more of a Garrus or Varric (if only he were a choice!!! :( ) type.. aka my second choice in these games.

Well that was a lot more words on that subject than I meant to do, so I’m going to just say real quick here that what I love about this first conversation with Kaidan is that he’s already no dummy, he knows something is up, and warns you about it.

We’ll save talk about his backstory for another day.

Let’s head downstairs.

Yay for sped-up elevators!  What used to take like 20 seconds now takes like, four.

URDNOT WREX.

This another place where Shepard starts out just sticking their foot in their mouths completely.  I feel like this is something the game definitely has problems with here.  Shepard should know a lot more about the Genophage, like they should have about say, Spectres, even if the player doesn’t. So basically every response you can give to Wrex about the genophage and what his people are going through sounds really insensitive.  Comparing the relatively minor First Contact War with the entire galaxy more or less uniting to keep the Krogan from taking over after the Rachni war seems pretty dumb, and also like something Shepard should already know.

Loredumping on the Krogans a bunch with Wrex is necessary, but  I think it could have been done better.  Though I think there are a lot of questions about the Krogan and the Genophage that ultimately are important but go unanswered. I’m going to be honest, because generally I want my companions to be happy and ultimately I want the happiest ending I can get, I usually cure the genophage and leave Wrex in charge.  But also I don’t think that ends up with the happiest ending for the galaxy.  Everything about the genophage is terrible, how it works, how it was administered, what it’s done to the Krogan as a people, but let’s be honest, the galaxy will also be in huge trouble just from a resources perspective if each krogan woman can have hundreds (or even just dozens) of babies a year, who are gonna all live a thousand years.  There’s got to be a compromise that, eventually, hopefully Wrex works out if he’s alive at the end of ME3 or the council figures out with Wreav or whoever.  

It is kinda funny though that here, I basically met Wrex at C-Sec, told him I’d help him with Fist, sent him to my ship, and basically just kidnapped him to go help with the rest of the mission.  He wanted to be here, right?  I can only assume I’m paying him a lot.

Ashley!

I do love Ashley Williams.

I’m not going to turn this into a “Is Ashley Racist” thinkpiece.  I’ve read a lot of both sides of this argument and no, I don’t think she is.  Some pieces of her attitude do need to be kicked up a bit, for sure.  She’s got about the same issues with aliens as most of the species of the galaxy have with each other, which sometimes isn’t great, but she’s far from supporting Terra Firma.

She’s smart, she’s funny, a hell of a shot, she’s being held back due to her family name.  I would love for if someday a Wilshenko OT3 were possible.  I’d do that in an instant.  I despise the fact that you can only keep Kaidan forever if you lose Ashley forever, though I don’t see that changing even in a remaster.  Please Bioware, for the super ultra remaster?

I know I need to do another run through the game with Ashley alive. I don’t remember too much of what happens in ME3 when she’s there.

I also love that her story is so much one of family.  From her stories of her sisters, to the point that it’s her own grandfather’s legacy that’s holding her back.  She’s so grounded, she reminds us that there are civilians out there we’re keeping safe, a whole world we rarely see, up in space and in the middle of so much military conflict.

GARRUS.

First of all, whew Garrus looks amazing in the lighting and with the textures with ALOT/MEUITM.  Very handsome.

Interestingly, Garrus does not really loredump on the turians.  We absorb a lot of what we find out about the turians more naturally.  Garrus is more all about C-Sec and the general politics of the Council, of Spectres, of C-Sec.  Gonna be honest, I expected C-sec to play into the game as a whole a lot more than it did based on Garrus’ talks about it.  I mean it was always there, but Bailey ends up being the face of C-Sec 

Garrus’ Law vs. I Do What I Want attitude is a nice way to do a non-goody-two-shoes companion story without having to go evil.  I love that Garrus’ story kinda mirrors our own as players, how are we going to get things done?  Shove a blaster in people’s faces, accept collateral damage, and do whatever it takes to get it done?  OR play by the rules, compromise, and see if that fixes things.

The thing is though, Mass Effect actually is great at giving us the illusion of choice without making a huge difference in the end.  Like I mentioned before... not bringing Garrus to ME1 makes little difference in how he acts in ME2 outside of a few lines of dialog.  Lots of things are like that, like pick Ash or Kaidan on Virmire, and yes one is always gone, but 80% of the content is basically the same from there on out for either character.

There are games out now that do that choice better.  Pathfinder: Kingmaker is one I can think of.  Or Tyranny.  Things you choose can alter the endings of those games drastically, locking entire paths out of the game.  

I used to think that was what I wanted.  Until I played Kingmaker and locked myself out of things I really wanted without realizing it.  I stopped playing the game, sad that my LI dumped me and wouldn’t come back without reloading many, many hours worth of game.  Despite enjoying the game overall, I still haven’t gone back.  When I do play again, I’ll probably keep a lot of tabs open of walkthroughs and tips on how to keep things going how I want.  Kind of defeating the purpose of the game.

Anyway, I got super off track again.  The point is, Garrus is the companion that gives us the most Choice in who he is.  Which is cool.  He illustrates our Paragon vs Renegade dilemma.  And it’s neat that it does make changes in some of the things he says in the future, but overall, his story doesn’t change much no matter what you do (Unless you, ya know, get him killed in ME2).

And therein lies a problem with Mass Effect, and video games as a whole.  It’s neat to see the little changes, but it’s rare for anything to be an actual Big Change, because... that’s a loooot of work for a developer and how much more money is all that going to cost him.

At some point in the future I’ll point out how lucky we are for what we did get, though.

Heeeey it’s Chief Engineer Greg Adams!  I wonder how many people don’t even know he has a first name?  Anyway, thank you for your one short conversation in which you explain how the Normandy works (honestly, great job with explaining this, Bioware, even if the science is ???) and like three sentences on who you are.  Wasted opportunity to give you an actual character.  Glad you like Tali, though!  See you in ME3.

TALI!

Okay, I will totally accept that Shepard doesn’t know much past the basics of quarian society.  That makes a lot more sense than Shepards not knowing much about asari.  

The quarians are so much more of an original creation I feel like than a lot of what we’ve seen in the galaxy so far.  Krogan?  Basically Klingons.  Turians?  Space Romans. Asari?  Twilek/Space Elves but ALL Hot Ladies.  Qarians feel like something new though.

I mean, I guess before they had to live in suits they were pretty normal, but their entire culture doesn’t feel like something we’ve seen everyplace before.  I mean I’ve seen space (g-slur)  but, eh not really.  

And Tali herself is such a good character.  I mean, she does suffer a little from being Very Important with her father being one of five admirals in a population of six million people but, I’ll allow it.  Nobody else on the crew has Very Important Parents.  I mean Garrus’ father is a little high up in the ranks but that’s a non-factor, Ash’s grandfather was but he’s dead and never seen, Wrex’s father is a chieftan but none of those is central to their current story or as big as this one. I mean, Spacer Shep’s own mother is a captain of a ship.  Tali herself in-game isn’t that sexualized -- most of that was the fandom’s doing.  She’s young but also confident and has her shit together.  

She shoulda been a same-sex romance in ME2/3 though, damnit!

Joker. Is. Amazing. And uh, also shoulda been a romance option. 

Hey first of all, how great was it that they put in disabled representation in this game.  I have read a few posts on how it could have been better, and definitely agree, but it’s also been so important to have say, Geordi LaForge as chief engineer of the Enterprise and also Joker here, in space, being awesome on spaceships.  And he really earns his the right to his bravado in calling himself the best pilot in the galaxy.  

Also?  Casting Seth Green was such a great choice.  I couldn’t imagine Joker as anyone else.  I mean this is Bioware so we expect, and definitely got, great voice acting (except for... ugh you know, we’ll get there in ME3) but honestly Seth Green was a particularly good choice.  I don’t care that he’s covered with sixteen layers of plot armor, he deserves it.

He’s the companion that we don’t ever get to take in the squad.  (I mean, except for that brief amazing moment in ME2)

I only wish in ME1 he had as much to say as in ME2/3.  At least he gets cool snarky lines after all the major missions.

One last thing before we get off the ship for awhile, I love that the crew is actually comprised of both men AND women in ME1.  With different hairstyles and faces, and even skin tones.  It’s nice to see they didn’t just reuse the same guy over and over for the nameless NPCs.  

Well, I guess they get names in ME2. :v

Anyway, I would like to point out, that there are seventeen nameless NPCs on the Normandy.

Then there’s Adams, Tali, Garrus, Wrex, Ashley, Kaidan, Chakwas, Liara, Pressley, and Joker.

That’s twenty-seven people and eight sleep pods.  Let’s remove the aliens, who couldn’t fit in a sleep pod (Garrus and Wrex), twenty-five people.  Are there people sleeping in the sleep pods now?  There must be, right?  Everyone can’t be awake when we’re on the ship just because we’re there?  How does that math add up?  Who is sleeping where, HOW DOES IT WORK!?  

Well, that’s their problem. I got my own bed.  Kaidan can share.

Also just... don’t get me started on how stupid this is.  I mean it’s nice having a shop on the ship but... the justification is terrible.  We all know it.  He was counted as one of the 17 nameless, btw.

Okay well, I was going to get off the ship this update but this is already stupid long and honestly I don’t have too much more content to post so, I’m gonna go actually play this game!

[cinlat]

Blood in the Breeze: Ch 5 (Betrayals)

Parts one and two of this series linked.

Summary: Fynta learns that Dromund Kaas is a creepy planet. Theron experiences a truly, furious Cathar and decides that he’d rather stay on Jorgan’s good side. Torian isn’t used to being caught off guard, but can’t seem to keep up with how often Fynta dies, oh, and he should probably stop betting against Verin.

Chapter Word Count: 6,057   Chapter Rating: T Characters in Chapter: Empress Acina, Fynta Wolfe, Aric Jorgan, Theron Shan, Lana Beniko, Torian Cadera, former Republic Chancellor Saresh, Zolah Holran, Vector Hyllus, and guest appearance by @kunoichi-ume​ Noara Starspark

The Thunderclap En route to Odessen

Theron didn’t usually follow Fynta to her room, but with Aric returning to their quarters with a headache and the meeting with Acina having gone to shit, he had pulled Fynta away to touch base on matters. Namely, how they planned to handle Saresh once they reached Odessen. 

“You can’t shoot on sight, Fynta,” Theron called to the stubborn woman ahead of him. Fynta had gotten fed up with the impromptu meeting and announced that she was going to take a nap. However, Theron wasn’t done arguing. “It’ll destroy morale for the Alliance to see their commander—” 

Something shattered against the wall, halting both Fynta and Theron for a heartbeat outside her door. She moved first, rushing open it while Theron readied his blaster even though he knew that they were alone on the ship. Only Lana had traveled with them, and she was piloting.

Stepping in, Theron swept the room for hostiles before settling on a haggard looking Cathar beside the rumpled bed. It didn’t take long to identify the source of the sound. A lamp lay against the wall, broken into three pieces with the bolts that had held it to the desk still clinging to pits of wood and metal shaving.

“Aric?” Fynta hurried to her husband, cupping his face to check for injuries. Theron hadn’t gotten used to seeing the Cathar with his rough eye patch yet. It made him look more feral than usual, unhinged even. The snarl that he answered Fynta with only solidified that image.

“Did you know?” Jorgan growled the words, teeth dangerously close to Fynta’s throat. Theron would never get used to that, either. He’d always thought Fynta was the more dangerous of the two, but the hatred in that pale, blue eye made Theron question his earlier assumption.

Find the entire chapter on Ao3 or FFN.

[captainofthefallen]

🔥🌼🌗💕 for whichever two of your OCs you most want to talk about right now, please ^_^

I’ve legitimately been sitting here debating this for a solid five minutes. I think I’m going to go with my latest SWTOR character, my trooper Cimbri, and my brand new shiny D&D character Aurelia, who if I had to describe her in a sentence, would be, “I took this sweet innocent little elf girl and asked myself how much trauma I could reasonably heap onto one person.” The answer was a lot. (I’ll find a questionnaire or something to do for both of them later since I haven’t actually introduced them yet but I can start with this.)

🔥 If your OC known for having temper tantrums? If not, what gets them really angry? What makes their blood BOIL? Is there anyway to calm them down or are they unstoppable? What are they like when they’re angry? Do they take it out on their loved ones? 

Cimbri: She’s generally pretty good at being cool-headed. The main exceptions to that are a) when people are threatening and/or condescending toward the people she cares about, and b) when people are being hypocrites. Havoc defecting to the Empire in response to the Senate not caring about their soldiers/seeing them as cannon fodder was a big one. When she starts getting angry, she usually tries to rein it in, but the angrier she gets the less control she has. Not that she turns to violence, but that she can’t really think straight anymore. She gets to the point where she’s so mad she can’t form coherent sentences, which is not super great for her stance in an argument usually, which is one of the main reasons she tries to keep a lid on it. But there’s only so much she can do.

Aurelia: (Keeping in mind that she’s basically a brand new character and has a great deal of developing to do, but I like her too much to keep my mouth shut.) She’s been trained for about half her life that her emotions are secondary to her duty, if they even matter at all, so she doesn’t have a whole lot of emotional processing available. So far, when she’s angry, she goes absolutely silent. Cold, somewhat calculating, and trying to figure out the most efficient way to get rid of whatever’s pissing her off. She also has been taught/taught herself to respond to fear with anger, to the point where the two emotions are nearly indistinguishable for her.

🌼 Write a short drabble from your OCs POV meeting their LI (or if they don’t have a love interest, their best friend. If you don’t want to do a drabble, describe their first meeting instead!) 

Cimbri: I created Cimbri wanting to romance Jorgan again. Cimbri decided to be uncooperative and fell in love with Elara. It was very inconvenient. That said: I don’t feel like looking up the actual dialogue so I’ll do first impressions: respect and admiration, and then very shortly thereafter a sense of ‘if you’ve got a problem with her you’ve got a problem with me and my assault cannon.’ She has a huge amount of respect for Elara’s decision to defect and the courage (and moral courage) it took to do so, she admires her dedication and efficiency, and later on she definitely thinks she’s cute when she’s nerding out about requisition forms.

Aurelia: Since we’re one session in, she doesn’t have a LI, so I’ll do her impressions upon reconnecting with her best friend (the entire party knew each other as children): She was never expecting to see any of these people again. Saphir was the only one she recognized right off the bat--she’d been older, the last time they met, and time had been less cruel to her than the rest, it seemed. Saphir didn’t recognize her. None of them did. But they were going to find out eventually. Saphir’s voice changed when she talked to her, as it always did. Aurelia was the only one she was ever soft with. Saphir had been her protector, her sister, and now... She wasn’t a child anymore. She didn’t need a protector. Saphir’s presence made her feel... small. She wasn’t small. She was a weapon, she was strong and skilled, and she didn’t need her. But she didn’t have the heart to reject her outright. Apparently there was enough of that child left alive for that. So she kept her distance. It was the best she could do.

🌗 Early mornings or late nights? What do they spend their time doing during these hours? 

Cimbri: Mornings, thanks to that military discipline running in the family. She likes to have quiet time to herself for at least a few minutes, have a cup of caf (if it’s available), collect her thoughts. She makes sure she’s prepared for whatever the day has in store, then she’ll address the squad.

Aurelia: Mornings as well. Her training was on a similar level of discipline to the military (she’s basically a Navy SEAL monk, is about the closest I can get to describing it). She’s not used to be able to take time to herself, though, or really to develop her own routine. She just does whatever’s required to prepare herself for the day ahead. When her team was undergoing their trials out in the wilds, they would talk together sometimes, get to know each other. But now she’s been thrown into a whole new situation with people she knows but doesn’t know she can trust, and she’ll be keeping to herself at least until she can get a read on them.

💕 How is your OC with physical affection? What are their boundaries? Do they enjoy being touched or is that a no-go? Is there any reason behind this? 

Cimbri: She’s not huge on physical affection, but she’s not opposed to it once in a while. She will usually let someone else initiate if they want to--she doesn’t initiate physical affection, as a general rule, but she enjoys it when someone else does. No particular reason--she has a forceful personality in a lot of ways, but this is one of the things she’s more relaxed on.

Aurelia: She has been hugged twice in the last 24 hours, and before that she hadn’t been hugged in at least 8 years. She’s not technically opposed to it, but she’s so unused to it that she kind of freezes up at anyone else initiating it, and does not know how to respond. She will... tolerate it, if that’s what’s necessary for group morale (and in both of those cases it seemed to be helpful at least to an extent), but she is not really a big fan. And that’s mostly due to her training, personal needs and emotions were always secondary and attachment/affection was generally discouraged (it’s kind of like all the worst parts of being a Jedi combined with a few of the worst parts of being a Sith, with a religious cult of personality who worships the ruler of their nation as a god-king and abhors all magic. It’s real bad.)

[vespertine-legacy]

I finished the Trooper, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I had mixed feelings all the way through, mostly because of my own personal stuff, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I’m writing this on mobile, so I can’t do a read-more, so apologies if this gets long.

There were a lot of times when it felt like decisions were pushed onto the trooper character purely for the drama of it that would never realistically have been the character’s call (though, I don’t know, I have no real point of comparison). There were also calls that Garza made (and some other high-ranking Republic peeps) that made it seem like she was flip-flopping a bit on some issues and/or making some mistakes in ways that felt out of character for her, and it felt like it was just to Cause Drama.

There were decisions that I picked that I know my character wouldn’t have chosen if she was a real person let loose on the world, but I’m not living that life and I never will, so I don’t have to deal with the consequences of those choices, so I can comfortably make said choices (and still feel bad about my character’s companions judging me for it, but that’s beside the point).

The ending was kind of unsatisfying, but I’m kind of okay with that? The awkward talks with your crew at the end were awkward. I liked the conversation with Vik—he and Cershaa built a pretty decent friendship, where as long as he didn’t tell her too many of the details of his side hustle she allowed it to keep going, and they had the same kind of gallows humor that didn’t really fly with the rest of the crew. She just didn’t really ever take him on missions, because he was a little too bomb-happy. Yuun’s conversation was touching, but felt out of place for Cershaa, because she really didn’t actually connect with Yuun that much. Forex is... Forex. He amuses Cershaa to a point, but he’s a little much even for her.

I followed through with the Jorgan romance, because otherwise there was always gonna be a yellow triangle over his head. So Jorgan and Cershaa are gonna get married or whatever and they’re both assholes about it. And I thought it was interesting that he asked her if she had ever thought about adopting kids. Not having kids, he specifically said adopting. Is there some backstory I’m missing there? Are Cathar and Togruta not compatible? Elara asked her if she’s planning on having kids, because a) she thinks Cershaa would be a great mother, which, Elara ARE YOU HIGH, and b) if Cershaa does have kids, Elara wants to teach them every science ever because she’s an adorable little nerd. But now I want domestic Jorgan-Cershaa-Elara love sandwich with like two baby cathruta running around, and the kids are freaking mad scientists because they’ve got Jorgan’s tactics, Elara’s brains, and Cershaa’s smartassery.

But anyway. 6/8 stories done. Just the two Jedi class stories to finish now.

[inquisitorhotpants]

It should have been Kryn.

Not that Ca’ii would wish Vitiate on any of her sisters - or anyone, really - but of the three of them that answered Darth Marr’s call, Vitiate taking up residence in Kryn’s head would have made the most sense. Already tied to the Force, an astonishingly powerful Sith in her own right. 

It should have been Kryn but Kryn died side by side with Darth Marr, advancing on the former Sith emperor with murderous intent, in an explosive lightning strike that lit up the top of the Spire. 

Surely Force bonds aren’t as fanciful as they’re depicted on the Holonet, and it’s not like Ca’ii is exactly an expert on the things, but the holodramas almost universally depict those who suffer a severed Force bond as half-mad, almost feral, driven over the edge by a malady of the soul for which there is no remedy. 

Yes, perhaps it’s for the best that Kryn didn’t survive. 

Raitlia, of all the Sartoris clan the most natural leader, is who Arcann turned to for an alliance - an alliance that turned out to be shorter lived than even Ca’ii expected - and whose mind Valkorion chose to inhabit, as Ca’ii found out after Lana and Koth mounted quite the exciting rescue of the carbonite-frozen Havoc Squad major and her smuggler captain sister. 

As Raitlia drew allies to her side, stepping into leadership of a ragtag coalition as naturally as she herded her younger sisters in a former life that now seems impossibly distant, Ca’ii remained by her side, lending help where needed, speaking for mercy when Raitlia’s jaw was too tight, her green eyes too angry, her knuckles pale with the strength of her grip on her assault cannon. 

Ca’ii is angry too, but Ca’ii has seen enough death, enough fear, enough misery. Too many people stripped of their humanity, too much of the smell of carbon and smoke and blood. Of all her sisters, even her Jedi sisters, Ca’ii has always been the most positive, the most relentlessly upbeat, the diehard believer that things will get better if everyone just tries hard enough. And so she stops her sister from taking out her enmity on Zakuul, on anyone who crosses her, because Ca’ii won’t see her principled, honorbound oldest sister turn into a mirror of the hatred they’re trying to fight. 

Truth be told, even with all that Ca’ii didn’t expect Raitlia to show Arcann mercy, nor Senya for stealing him out from under their noses. Not after Kryn’s death and his attacks on the galaxy and his attempts to kill both Raitlia and Ca’ii. But after a pause that felt like an eternity, Raitlia snapped a clipped let them go, Ca’ii, and fly us back to the Gravestone, her hands clenched into fists, the words forced out from between gritted teeth. 

--

Ca’ii sits alone at a table in the cantina, idly swirling her subpar ale in her mug. 

Her childhood, by and large, was happy. Fardon and Sai’rah may not have been flush with credits, but there was never any doubt that they loved all eight of the girls they took in off the streets of Nar Shaddaa, never any doubt that they would support whatever the girls chose to do with their lives. 

She almost can’t fathom a childhood where one parent cared for nothing but making his children into weapons, while the other seemed content to do nothing but stand by and watch this travesty happen. 

Her gaze, once again, drifts to the figure in white, solitary and silent at a hastily erected table in the back, a fair distance from the rest. His attention is focused on a datapad in front of him, rather than the frivolity around him, and he exudes a distinct air of a person who doesn’t wish to be alone with their thoughts but has no choice in the matter. 

Of course, she understands why people won’t sit within two tables of Arcann. He’s been the boogeyman of the Alliance since the alliance was formed. Everyone remembers what he’s done. There isn’t a person on Odessen who hasn’t lost someone to an attack he ordered. Consequently, there has been no small amount of dissatisfied murmuring about Raitlia’s decision to allow him to join the Alliance, even after he bent the knee and pledged his fealty to her on no less than a galaxy-wide Holonet broadcast. 

Ca’ii shuts this complaining down, naturally, before it gets to Raitlia; no one is going to question whether her sister is doing the best for this alliance on her watch. Indeed, Raitlia commands a truly astonishing amount of respect from an incredible cross-section of ideologies; they’ll accept her decision, if not necessarily throw a parade for it. 

But then again -

She’s run this mental path more than once. What he’s done against what he’s trying to do now. Being good at what she does, though, is due in no small part to her ability to judge character and sense ulterior motive, and there’s no gain for Arcann to have faked his way into the Alliance. With everyone assuming he’ll turn on them, either he’s playing the longest con she’s seen since Darmas Pollaran … or there is no con.

Arcann stands, seemingly oblivious to how conversation dies when he does, and strides out of the cantina. 

After a moment of fierce internal debate, Ca’ii slides her chair back and follows him. 

--

She finds him on the walkway leading to the landing pad for the Felicity, leaning against the railing and staring out at the Odessen wilderness; she stops a polite yet companionable distance away and mimics his stance. “You must be the most un-rowdy patron that cantina has ever seen.” 

His only answer is a noncommittal hmm. 

“I’m sure Qarac appreciates it, especially after she’s had to clean up after Mandos, Sith, and me on occasion,” she continues. When the silence following this stretches out into discomfort, she clears her throat. “I’ll leave you to your ruminations, shall I?”

“Why did you follow me?” he asks, quiet. 

Why did she? 

Ca’ii shrugs. “People haven’t exactly been lining up to welcome you to the Alliance. We all have our differences - I don’t know how Sana-Rae keeps that enclave of hers in line, just from watching my Jedi and Sith sisters interact in the past - but I imagine it’s a bit harder for people to overlook this particular difference, as it were.” 

“That didn’t exactly answer my question.” 

“Well … I know what Raitlia has told me about Valkorion. I know what a monster he was when he was known as Vitiate; I saw what he did to Ziost. I can’t imagine being raised by someone like that, and it’s obvious how he mistreated you and Vaylin.” Though mistreated feels inadequate. “I think that you’ve demonstrated your loyalties, and -” She stops, well aware of how ridiculous her next words are going to sound. “I guess I just thought maybe you could use a friend. Or at least an acquaintance. Especially while Senya is still in her coma, you’re pretty alone here, and no one deserves that.” 

For a long moment he doesn’t answer, and she starts to wonder if he’s going to at all. 

“So I’ve tried to murder the Outlander - who I have since learned is your sister - more than once, not to mention frozen you both in carbonite, waged a scorched earth war against the galaxy ... and you want to be my friend.” One eyebrow arches. “I’m a bit surprised you’re not more of Major Jorgan’s mindset.” 

His eyes really are quite a pretty shade of blue. Damn. Why does she always notice these things? 

She chuckles. “You may be lucky Aric isn’t Force-sensitive, or you might have taken a nasty tumble off a walkway by now. But as much as he glares at you, he won’t cross Raitlia. If she says you stay, you stay. He’ll just be grumpy. But he’s always grumpy. He was even grumpy when he met me, and I’m the most charming of the Sartoris sisters. Don’t take it personally.” 

“He’s right, though.” 

She considers. “I can understand where he’s coming from, yes. Normally anyone who hurts my sisters gets a personal asskicking from me. It likely didn’t escape your notice in the times that our paths crossed that my aim is nothing to sneeze at.”

“But?” 

“But like Aric … if Raitlia says you stay, you stay. And that means I’m not going to treat you like a pariah, if you’d rather not do everything alone. Of course, if you want to be left alone, I won’t force you to enjoy my scintillating company.” This time she grins. “But I think it’s possible you have better judgment than that.” 

Slowly, almost unwillingly, the corners of his mouth pull upward into a faint suggestion of a smile. “One might suggest that I’ve ably demonstrated my judgment is questionable, at best.”

At this surprise bit of self-deprecation, Ca’ii laughs out loud. “Fair point. But so is mine. Ask Raitlia sometime. She had a list a few years ago; knowing her, she still has it. Anyway, I’m going to go back to my quarters and have a good drink and see what’s on the Holonet. If you want to join me.” 

Did that sound flirty? She didn’t mean it to sound flirty, but sometimes that just happens without her trying. 

She isn’t sure she’d be unhappy if it did, which isn’t something she’s going to unpack tonight. 

Arcann shakes his head. “No.” A slight pause. “Not tonight,” he amends after a moment’s thought. He opens his mouth as if to say more, then closes it. “I … thank you for the invitation, however.” 

Ca’ii nods. “Consider it standing. Perhaps I’ll find you out here again.” She just can’t help herself. “You know, that’s my ship.” She points, somewhat unnecessarily, toward the XS sitting on the landing pad. “Doesn’t look like much, but she’s a beauty. I can understand why you’d want to come hang out with her.” 

To her shock, Arcann actually chuckles, low and rumbling. “You caught me,” he says, deadpan and with no attempt to sound genuine. “I’m out here because of your ship, not for the solitude.”

“And here you said you don’t have good judgment.” Ca’ii steps back from the railing. “I’ll leave you to your thoughts. Have a good night, Arcann. Prince Arcann? Former Em-”

He holds up a hand. “Really,” he says, somewhat pained. “Just Arcann.”

“Have a good night, just Arcann.” 

Now she’s sure she’s not flirting, not with that line. It’s the galaxy’s oldest joke, and Ca’ii can still hear her father using it on Kryn, eliciting a groan from the Miraluka every time.  

“And you, Captain Sartoris.” 

“Just Ca’ii is fine, if you prefer. I only make you call me Captain if you’re on my crew.” 

This is an absolute lie. The only person who still calls her “Captain” is Corso. 

Maybe she is flirting. Shit. 

“In that case, enjoy your evening … just Ca’ii.” 

“Did you just -”

Arcann inclines his head and strides past her, leaving her on the walkway and grinning after him. 

This is going to be a problem. 

Pretty eyes are bad enough; he cannot also be secretly funny and somewhat inscrutable and clearly suffering from Lost Lonely Nexu Cub Syndrome. 

Raitlia is going to kick her ass.

[anchanted-one]

Eternal War Chapter 25 Battle of Asylum II

Read on AO3

Arro fought to keep his breath steady. If his concentration wavered, the debris would break through his shield. His hands trembled, his chest felt tight, and he was starting to have difficulty keeping his composure. All around him the walls closed, tighter, deeper… The Force was slipping through his grasp, soon he would lose his grip entirely, and he would get crushed. A soft, dry sob escaped his lips.

Hush, my love. The voice was soothing, powerful, energizing. I’m right here. I’m right beside you, always. His eyes shot open. The link! Lana!

I will always be here with you, and so will the Force. Here, hold my hand… There was no hand to hold, and yet all it took was a thought, and he felt her hand in hers. Warm, comforting just as he remembered.

His eyes shot open, and power briefly surged through his veins like sunlight over a mountain spring. He took a deep breath, and Pushed outwards hard. The debris threatening to crush him suddenly flew off of him. And why wouldn’t it? Lifting rocks was something a Padawan was taught. And now he was free!

“HK!” He scrambled forward, clambering over chunks of ferrocrete and metal. “HK!” He Lifted the debris in front of him, moved it aside, and found the Droid he was looking for. “No, no, no, no!” he muttered, running up to him and taking the Droid into his arms. The Bodyguard Droid had been hit not only by debris but by shrapnel from a missile and his head had been blown off. His Memory Core was beyond repair. He was gone. Arro started gasping, tears clouding his vision.

“Are you going to cry over a Droid, Outlander?”

Arro looked around and found Arcann, who had also risen out of the rubble. Both his remaining Knights were also free but hadn't escaped the collapse unscathed. One of them had evidently broken both legs, while the other her left arm, which she held gingerly with her good arm.

Arro looked angrily at Arcann. Had he just risked his Knights’ lives to kill him? He had to have called in that strike while Arro was still fighting his Knights, so at the very least he had been willing to sacrifice their lives.

Arro got to his feet, setting HK’s body down gently. He reignited his saber and tried to get the tight feeling out of his chest. “Request: Surrender, Meatbag!”

Arcann backed away, looking wary. He did not ignite his own Lightsaber, instead, seemingly playing for time, hoping to think of a way out of this predicament. He wanted some time, eh? Well he was welcome to it. Arro knew that could use a few moments himself, to give his exhausted body some time to recover. His hands were shaking like mad despite his attempts to steady them. The pain in his throat and chest increased, and his vision began to swim in a way completely different from tears.

Ehh— ? Oh. Dammit. Shit . It wasn’t the exhaustion or the panic. It was… not now, please, not now!

*

As Arcann tried to think of a way out he wondered why the Outlander was letting him bide his time. Perhaps he wasn’t completely unharmed? Maybe it would be wise for a tactical retrea— oh what was this, now?

The Outlander seemed to be having difficulty alright. As he watched, his enemy swayed and fell over, dropping his weapon. He started coughing hard; deep, hacking coughs that brought a stream of blood out of his mouth. This was more than just exhaustion, or even injury from the cave-in. Arcann remembered that it hadn’t yet been two weeks since the Jedi had been released from the Carbonite. He tried to recall the details on the final scan done on the Jedi, in the report that stated the state of his body following his long slumber.

Hibernation Sickness. Carbonite Poisoning.

Arcann couldn’t believe his luck. His mind flashed back four years, recalling a different formidable enemy whose body had failed them just at the right time. Darth Prowle.

He shivered. Even today, he could still see the woman’s shade behind him in his mirror. He still recalled the feel of extinguishing her life in such a cowardly manner, still had nightmares about her and her haunting grins. She chuckled at his every attempt at honor. She was cackling even now.

Go on! She seemed to be saying. You can’t beat him fairly. Kicking a dog when it’s down is exactly your style!

Arcann raised his fist and the Jedi was raised into the air, invisible fingers clutching at his throat with the vise-like grip of a Tarisian Crocodile. Arcann marched forward, igniting his saber at last, and stabbed the Jedi straight through his midsection.

“Feel that, Father?”

*

Arro! NO! NOOOO! Lana appeared just in time to see Arcann run him through. Because of her link she knew how this had happened; Arro had begun to lose consciousness from his symptoms and Arcann had seized his chance like the opportunist he was. He couldn’t defeat him in a straight up duel—it was clear that he’d realized that firsthand, given the number of dead Knights she saw in the debris. So he had tried other methods, and then gone in for the underhanded kill. Underhanded, but that was of no consequence. He’d struck her husband a deathblow.

She felt Arro losing the last of his consciousness, and sank to her knees in despair. No, please. Not like this.

Suddenly, she felt her husband awaken, panicked. His thoughts were a loud shriek in her head. What? No! Valkorion, what are you doing? Stop!

Arro rolled around and propped himself on one arm. He pointed the other at a bewildered Arcann, who seemed too stunned to move.

With the sound of a thousand thunderclouds exploding, a dense, thick stream of lightning shot out from Arro’s outstretched arm. It was power beyond anything Lana had ever felt before, far beyond what she had even imagined possible.

She cried out and shielded her eyes, the image of Arcann being Pulled away and Thrown to safety by one of his remaining Knights burned into her eyes by the intensity of the light. The air before her shimmered and sparkled; all of her hair stood on end, and goosebumps erupted on her skin. The thunder was so loud it drowned out all else. Oh, Force have mercy…!

*

From the viewport of the Gravestone’s bridge, SCORPIO looked in awe at the massive outpouring of energy as it rose from the port all the way through the sky, spearing a dozen or more refugee ships, through a whole column of Eternal Warships, and disappearing into the distance.

“Such incredible power…”

*

Silence… the thunder had stopped, and in its abrupt absence Lana could feel her ears ringing. Moaning, she tried to stand, only to lose her balance and fall over, heaving. Sounds were muted. Were her eardrums damaged? Taking it more slowly she tried to blink but her eyes were still dazed from that burning light. Her Force senses were also abuzz.

Then she felt a curious tingling in her ear as though it was being Healed, crudely but powerfully. Her other senses followed and she blinked to adjust to her reawakened world.

“Lana Beniko. We meet at last” A majestic voice, deeper than the depths of space itself. The ghost of a tall man with white hair and beard stood before her, arm outstretched. His armor was also white. His eyes burned cold.

“Valkorion.” She didn’t realize she had spoken aloud. He nodded. “Your Jedi husband is dying. I am doing what I can to save him, but I have never bothered learning Force Healing. Carry him to safety, and see to it that he gets the attention he needs.”

“Thank you,” was all Lana said, scrambling forward and hurrying over to her fallen husband. He was still alive, holding on by a thread—but that thread was holding firm. She tore off his robe to see how bad it was and her breath caught. It was terrible! If not for Valkorion—!

“Not the best moment to be doing that—”

Her head jerked as she looked up. “Arro!” “Lana!” He grinned. She leaned forward and placed a grateful kiss on his bloody lips, then stood up cradling him in her arms. She picked her way through the rubble, keeping note of Arro’s shallow but steady breathing. Every fifteen seconds or so, he touched her cheek with a hand to indicate that he was conscious—as though she needed it, with their bond! But the gesture comforted her, and she couldn’t help stifling a giggle behind her teeth as she walked. She heard the sound of jets behind her, and turned her head to see three dozen Skytroopers landing in formation.

Fortunately, she was not facing them alone. A trooper dropship landed between her and the Droids, and a  Kel Dor standing at one of the doors with a heavy cannon opened fire on the Droids. At the other door, a woman with nut-brown skin leaped out to help Lana with Arro. “C’mon!” she yelled to be heard over the engines and cannonfire. Together, she and Lana got Arro onto the ship.

“All aboard?” A familiar voice called from the pilot’s seat. “Theron! Your timing is impeccable!” Lana cried, and the soldier impatiently shouted “All aboard, cast off already!”

*

“That’s the last of em!” Lem called proudly. “I think they’re regrouping for now! Well done lil Kitty!” The brusque Cathar soldier who had turned up with three soldiers and almost single-handedly crushed the incoming wave of Droids turned and growled. “That’s ‘Major Jorgan’ to you.” He listened to a transmission on his earpiece and nodded. “Alright everybody, they’re on their way back, ETA 30 seconds! And the ship is—finally—ready for takeoff! Get onboard, now! Move it, people!”

“Wait, we still gotta wait for—” Lem stopped short as he saw Senya round a corner and make straight for the ship. “Never mind, she’s here!”

*

Lana had jumped out of the ship before it had even touched down. “Medic!” she yelled. “Medic!” Theron couldn’t blame her—Arro was badly wounded. But still, Kanner had examined him and said that his vitals were holding for now, so she could afford to do this nice and slow!

She led a small group of Medical Droids and techs to Arro and they carried him off on a stretcher.

Captain Kanner tossed a salute to her CO. “Mission accomplished sir!” “I see it, good job Kanner!” Jorgan responded. “Havoc, good job, all of you! At ease now. You’ve earned a break.”

Discarding his thoughts on Lana being overly affectionate, Theron jogged up to the Cathar soldier and threw his arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

“Can you believe it? We just gave Arcann a black eye!” His lips held Jorgan’s for a firm kiss. “Stop it, you moron!” Jorgan chided him. “Can’t you see I’m working?”

The ship lurched forward and everyone almost got thrown off their feet. Koth helpfully called over the comms “We’ve made the jump into Hyperspace folks!”

*

Vaylin stood watching as Soldiers and Knights of the Eternal Fleet poured out of dropships to secure the now mostly-abandoned Starport. Between the Gravestone’s single attack and that awful white Lightning, a massive opening had been created in the blockade through which most of the port’s denizens had escaped. The few that were left behind—those whose ships had been damaged, or unlucky refugees who cowered while the others fled, or people who had been too slow or inebriated or detained to move—these were rounded up, identified for records, and shipped off. Some would be executed, those who had fought the invasion for example. Some who might have a talent for violence might be offered a chance to serve Zakuul, or die.

But most would be released and sent back into exile elsewhere.

Vaylin awoke to find that both she and Akahte were still alive. Her face felt numb and swollen, and she suspected that there would be a bruise there, but for now that didn’t matter. She crawled to Akahte and, sobbing, gratefully took her into her arms. On Akahte’s pained gasp, Vaylin eased her grip a little. “Anything broken?” “Just my ribs, thankfully,” she’d answered with a grimace. Whatever Mother’s motivation she had spared Vaylin… but she had also spared Akahte, for which Vaylin was desperately thankful.

Vaylin had gently walked Akahte back to their landing point with several Knights and Skytroopers arriving at her position to provide an escort. Akahte was now being tended to. But where was Arcann?

Shortly afterwards, a small guard of Skytroopers and Knights escorted Arcann back. One of the Knights was helping him walk, and Arcann was showing all the coordination of a drunk. There was blood oozing out from his right ear, and his eye appeared dazed. The left half of his face was hidden behind the mask, of course. But it, along with his upper robes, had been heavily charred.

Vaylin walked up to him and adopted an expression of utmost horror. “Oh, Brother! Can you hear me? What happened to you?”

Arcann blinked. “Force Lightning…” He ran his mechanical arm over his robes and mask.

“No not that!” She abandoned her shocked voice and shifted to teasing. “Why is half your face covered up?” She laughed at Arcann’s dazed expression, then stood tiptoed to give a sweet kiss on his exposed cheek. “Just teasing! I’m glad you’re not dead yet!”

“Yes… thank you, Sister. Thank you.”

*

“So Senya…”

“She’s against us.” Vaylin chuckled darkly. “Our own Mother helped the Outlander escape. She’s against us. And she gave me this pretty bruise too.” Her face hardened “I’m going to kill her… except… she spared me. And she spared Akahte too, which is odd.”

Arcann sat silently, still exhausted. It had been a long day. “Senya was always strong willed,” he said eventually. They were in the VIP medbay now. Private. Away from eavesdroppers.

Vaylin sighed and spoke again. “Do you think she knows? Do you think she’s working with Father against us? Has she betrayed us for Him?”

“It doesn’t matter. If she doesn’t make amends, she will face the consequences when I finally defeat the Outlander and put an end to our Father.”

“And speaking of the Outlander, and Father…”

Arcann hesitated. “I… I uh— I ran the Outlander through, but Father emerged and saved him again. That burst of Lightning was his doing.” That pause was significant, as was Arcann’s quick attempt to ascertain that no one was hovering behind his right shoulder.

Oh Brother, every time you do that I know you are trying to cover something up!

She glowered at him and Arcann broke. “He was suffering from other afflictions. He was already half unconscious when I struck him.” His face turned red with embarrassment. No, shame, more likely, given his love of tales of honor and integrity. “Ah!” Vaylin nodded. That made more sense.

As Arcann lay back to rest, Vaylin mentally replayed the day’s events. What should have been an easy trap and capture mission had turned into a desperate fight for their lives. Quite a debacle, one that many had escaped to talk about. It would only get more hairy from here.

Oh, and speaking of— The thought made her suddenly look at the mirror. Yep, I definitely need to get a haircut.