#the jedi code for dummies

[sallypejr]

I want somebody to publish The Jedi Code For Dummies, and it's all just four lines:

- do no harm

- take no shit

- the force is your friend

- don't do drugs the dark side, kids

[wickedwitchofthegalaxy]

☞𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒞𝑜𝓈𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝒶 𝒩𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈 𝑅𝑒𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒☜︎

☠︎ 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑜: 𝑅𝒾𝓈𝒾𝓃𝑔 ☠︎

𝒫𝒶𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔: 𝑨𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏(𝑪𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒔)𝑿 𝑭𝒆𝒎𝑷𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒏!𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

𝒲𝒶𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈: Physiological Manipulation, Mature Themes, Mentions of Past Events

𝒲𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓃𝓉: 5.3K

𝒮𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎: This chapter teeters on the edge of transformation, where the promise of something greater begins to feel more like a curse than a gift.

𝒩𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈: Soooo this was totally unplanned but I thought I’d give it a go and see how y'all felt about continuing this storyline and possibly expanding it. Let me know what you think!

As always, banners done by @cafekitsune !

Enjoy 🖤

The sun dipped low, casting long shadows over the training room as you wiped your sweat-drenched face off. The room was crowded, more than usual, as trainees gathered in small groups, chatting quietly as they ran through drills.

“Come on, I didn’t even hit you!” Your friend, Lex, called from across the mat, her grin wide as she swung her training saber, trying her best to make the saber move effortlessly. Trying, being the hint word.

“Lex, you’re a maniac.” Your other friend, Abby, calls out from your side, her face also covered in beads of sweat. She takes deep, dramatic breaths, her back hunched over and hands on her knees as her head falls.

You gave her shoulder a gentle nudge as you passed her, stepping onto the mat.

“You’re getting more and more cocky, Lex. It’s actually becoming quite toxic.” You joke, swinging your own saber around in a quick, fluid motion, mimicking what Lex was attempting to do.

Lex scoffs, watching the way you swiftly twisted the saber in your hand before she blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Toxic? Me? I’m the least toxic person here. I’m like... the chamomile tea of this group.”

“Chamomile tea?” Abby repeats, arching a brow as she dusts off her robes. “Lex, you’re more like... a bottle of spice syrup someone accidentally knocked over into their drink. Chaotic and hard to swallow.”

“Wow, rude,” Lex shoots back, feigning offense as she takes a mock swing in Abby’s direction. “If I was so toxic, wouldn’t I have caused more… I don’t know… damage?”

Abby sidesteps easily, throwing her arms wide. “If we’re talking about damage, I’d like to remind you of the time you thought it’d be a great idea to duel Master Purn to ‘test his reflexes.’”

Lex cackles, the sound sharp and unrepentant. “In my defense, his reflexes needed testing. How was I supposed to know he’d use the Force to flip me into the meditation pool?”

You grin, sliding into your own stance and raising your saber, bringing Lex’s attention back to you. “I don’t know, maybe because he’s a Master and you’re... well, you?”

Lex points her saber at you, her grin widening. “Bold talk for someone who got ‘accidentally’ locked in the supply closet last week. Who was behind that again?”

“Oh, definitely an accident,” Abby threw over her shoulder as she walked around the edges of the mat, her voice dripping with mock innocence. “Totally not orchestrated by someone who thought it’d be hilarious.”

Lex shrugs, clearly unbothered as you both start circling. “Hey, you needed some alone time to reflect. Consider it... a gift.”

You roll your eyes. “Some gift. I was in there so long I memorized the Jedi Code backward.”

“Wow,” Abby says, clapping her hands slowly. “A true scholar emerges. Next thing we know, you’ll be reciting Master Purn’s lectures for fun.”

“Okay, let’s not go that far.” You reply, spinning your saber before faking a quick step towards Lex. She takes the bait and quickly steps back, giving you a small look when she recovers. You grin as you continue, “At least I didn’t blow up the training dummies during practice.”

Lex holds up a hand. “Hey, those dummies had it coming. I was innovating.”

“You overloaded the power cells,” Abby says flatly. “They exploded.”

Lex lunges at you, her saber coming down in a wide arc. You block it easily, the clash of the sabers sending a soft clunk echoing through the room. You push back, stepping into her space as you twist your wrist, forcing her saber downward.

“Come on, Lex, who taught you that move?” you taunt, grinning as she huffs in frustration.

“Give me a minute!” Lex retorts, stepping back and resetting her stance. “I’m just warming up.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” you reply, glancing at Abby, who’s watching with an amused expression.

“Admit it—you’d miss me if I wasn’t here to spice things up.” Lex adds, beginning the circling again.

You follow her lead, as Abby sighs dramatically from the side. “It’s like being friends with a hurricane. A very talkative hurricane.”

“A hurricane with style.” Lex corrects, striking a mock heroic pose.

The banter was easy, familiar—a rare pocket of normalcy in a routine that had grown more intense with each passing week. You could feel the eyes of the instructors watching from the edges of the room, their silent appraisals heavy with expectations.

It had been four weeks since you snuck out to the Underground with Lex and Abby. After the long and painful solo walk home, you had given the two of them a call to let them know you got back to your room before you let the anxiety of the upcoming trials and tests for graduation overtake and consume your thoughts, pushing down anything to do with that man or that bar.

You knew you were close to graduating, closer than most of the others here, and that only made the pressure more tangible. Every step forward felt like a test of its own, every glance from your instructors a challenge you had to meet.

Starting your training late hadn’t done you any favors either. Most Padawans began their journeys as young children—eight, maybe ten if they were late bloomers. At eighteen, you were among the oldest in the academy, and though your peers shared the same delayed start, the stigma wasn’t easy to ignore. It was a constant reminder that you were running out of time to prove yourself.

Before Lex can make another move, the door to the training room slides open with a sharp hiss, and a mechanical voice erupts in the large space.

“Apologies for the interruption,” the protocol droid states, its metallic tone cutting through the lively chatter of the room and echoing off the tall walls. Its polished bronze exterior gleams under the overhead lights as it strides forward. “Trainee Y/N, you are requested to report to the Council Chamber immediately.”

Silence.

You freeze mid-motion, lowering your saber as every eye in the training room turns toward you. Even Lex and Abby look momentarily stunned, the playful energy dissipating like smoke in the air.

“Uh…” Lex starts, lowering her own saber and glancing at Abby. “What’s this about?”

The droid doesn’t answer, its expressionless face making the moment feel draining.

A few whispers broke out among the other trainees, but they were quickly silenced with a sharp look from the instructors.

You shift uncomfortably, a knot forming in your stomach. “Is there a problem?” you ask, directing the question to the droid.

“I am not privy to the Council’s intentions,” it replies curtly, its head tilting slightly as if to gesture for you to follow. “You are to come with me immediately. No delays.”

Abby takes a step forward, her brows furrowing. “We’ll come too,” Lex offered quickly, Abby nodding in agreement as they both moved toward you.

The droid swivels its head toward Lex but doesn’t answer directly. Instead, it turns back to you. “Only Trainee Y/N is required. Please proceed now.”

Lex steps closer to you, her hand brushing against your arm. “Y/N…” she starts, her voice uncharacteristically uncertain and strangely quiet.

You force a smile, masking your own unease. “I’m sure it’s nothing.” The girls exchanged a worried glance, but they stayed where they were, clearly reluctant to let you go.

You nodded, offering them a small, reassuring smile even as your mind warred. You could feel the collective gaze on you as you followed the protocol droid out of the room. The absence of their warmth feels immediate, almost jarring, as if you’ve stepped into another world entirely.

The door hisses shut behind you, leaving the hum of training sabers and soft murmurs far behind. You’ve walked these hallways a hundred times, but now every detail feels magnified, every shadow stretching farther than it should.

The halls are quieter than you’d expected, the usual foot traffic subdued as you walked in step with the droid. “What’s going on?” you asked after a moment, unable to keep the question from slipping out.

The protocol droid doesn’t stop or slow its pace; its polished exterior gleams faintly under the breezeway lights, which is your only form of an answer until its robotic voice speaks up.

“The Council has made a decision regarding your future,” it replies simply, its tone infuriatingly chipper. “How exciting!”

You barely register its response, its tinny enthusiasm clashing with the growing tension in your chest. A decision? Regarding my future? The possibilities churned in your mind as you followed it through the long, polished hallways of the Temple.

The soles of your boots echoed softly against the smooth floor. Each step feels heavier than the last, the sound amplified in your ears like the steady beat of a drum, like each stride was a chance, a choice.

You force yourself to breathe evenly, to concentrate on the familiar surroundings: the intricate carvings lining the walls and the faint scent of incense wafting through the air. The arches and curves loomed larger than usual, their designs etched in stark relief against the soft glow of the lights.

Calm. Control. Focus.

The mantra comes unbidden, but now it felt like trying to hold water in your hands. Your thoughts were as scattered as the low chatter of the trainees you’d just left behind.

The Council’s decision could mean anything—had you done something wrong? The twisting in your stomach tightened with each passing thought as the droid led you around a corner, the Council Chamber doors now in sight.

They appear more daunting than ever; the entangled carvings in the wood glow vaguely, and for some reason this was the first time you had really given it a good look. They seem alive, almost springing with the burden of the decision waiting on the other side.

The droid stops a few paces from the entrance, turning to you with its usual brisk formality. “You may enter. The Council awaits.”

You hesitate, your pulse quickening. For a moment, you think of Lex and Abby, their worried expressions still fresh in your mind. I hope they’re not freaking out too much, you think, a faint smile tugging at your lips before it vanishes.

The heavy doors slid open with the familiar faint hiss, revealing the ominous circular chamber. Your heart rages in your chest as you step inside, the air noticeably cooler.

The semicircle of Council members sits before you, their faces calm but indecipherable. Master Yoda’s small frame is centered among them, barely filling the chair’s width. Beside him, Mace Windu’s gaze scrutinized you with a discreet vigor. Other familiar faces—Obi-wan, Kit Fisto, Plo Koon—flank them, their postures serene and suave while their eyes oozed judgment.

Your steps falter as your eyes catch movement. Seated beside Obi-Wan, arms crossed, is Anakin. His presence was unmistakable, a magnetic pressure that bends the air and shifts the room’s energy, or perhaps just your own. His expression is a collision of smug satisfaction and simmering impatience, the corners of his mouth hinting at something unspeakable.

He wouldn’t be thinking about that right now, would he?

The question roams in your head, but it’s quickly snuffed out by flashes of that night. The scent of bitter blood of the past erupts; you can practically taste it. With a swirl of your tongue, you find it’s not your imagination—the taste of copper is real; you had bit down into your cheeks, the red liquid pooling in your closed mouth.

“Step forward, Y/N,” Master Windu’s voice breaks through the silence, his tone firm but sympathetic as it echoes off the high, windowed chamber walls.

You obey. What else can you do? Taking measured steps, you stand at the center of the room, the Council’s combined stare resting heavily on you. The circle of them feels infinite; their eyes are oppressive as a black hole—nearly strangling, leaving you choking in its merciless pull.

And then there’s him.

Anakin’s eyes are magnets, pulling, trapping, forcing. Though he says nothing, his peering eyes are impossible to ignore. The memories of those eyes—the appetence, the control—crawl over your skin like insects. You resist the urge to recoil, but every step toward the center of the chamber it feels like stepping deeper into his shadow.

Master Yoda begins, his voice low and cracking, as if he were whispering a prophecy. “Decided, your future has been.” His ears twitch slightly as he regards you with wise, ancient eyes.

Your breath catches in your throat, sharp and ragged.

Decided? Already?

You fight to keep your expression neutral, the words and thoughts racing wildly in your mind.

Acid boils up your throat, dissolving the soft tissue it touches, as if your body is rebelling against the air itself. It takes everything in you to swallow it back down.

Master Windu leans forward, his words unforgiving in their clarity. “Your performance has been exceptional, Y/N. The Council recognizes your dedication and skill, and after much deliberation, we have decided that you are ready to take the next step in your training.”

The phrases landed like a gavel.

Ready. The next step.

You blinked, trying to process what this meant.

“You are to be assigned to a Jedi Master,” Windu continues. “A rare honor, especially considering your age and the limited number of Knights available to train Padawans at this time.”

Your heart convulses—a sudden, erratic spasm of exhilaration and disbelief. This is it. I’ve been chosen. The toll of the moment presses hard against you, grounding your excitement, and the master’s next words only bring the cold reality crashing down even harder, the bile rising back into your throat.

“However,” Windu says, the single word slicing through the fragile shell of your nausea as his voice dips, “it has not been an easy decision.”

Your eyes flicker toward Anakin, a mistake. His jaw tightens, the muscle twitching as he shifts in his seat. His eyes trace you—not with curiosity, no, he knows exactly what’s under your robes. He’s cataloging you, committing every movement to memory. His earlier smugness has curdled into something darker, the edges of frustration sensuous against his expression.

“Suggested, Master Skywalker did,” Yoda said, his tone soft but pointed, “that to him, assigned you be.”

Your gut tightens, a vehement twist of nerves, as your blood pummels through you. Your skin suddenly starts feeling unwelcoming, and each breath is a chore, the air scraping against your lungs—a visceral rejection of the words as they take root in your mind.

“But we’re not entirely in agreement on that.” Windu interjects, his hand rising, gesturing broadly around to each of the Council members.

You barely have time to process what Windu’s words might mean before more movement draws your attention.

Anakin’s fingers flex and uncurl against the armrests of his chair. He leans forward slightly, the tension in his shoulders coiling.

“You’re making a mistake,” he says. His voice was hushed and venomous, carving through the space with a lingering chill. “She belongs with me. You all know that.”

Wait—what did he say?

You glance at him, your eyes widening despite yourself. There’s a moment of silence, a heavy pause as the oxygen is eaten up by electric tension. Anakin’s eyes burn into Windu’s, his anger visible, and Windu returns it with a narrowed gaze.

“The decision has been made, Anakin. Your role now is to focus on the war. Not on training a Padawan.” Master Windu’s voice cuts in, his tone stern and slightly annoyed, like this isn’t the first time he’s had to tell Anakin this.

Anakin doesn’t flinch at the rebuke, but his knuckles whiten as he grips the armrests. His shoulders rise and fall with each breath, barely contained fury leaking out in the subtle tremors of his movements. His eyes twist to Yoda’s, “I can do both,” he insists, his voice pointed and more stubborn. “I’m more than capable.”

The Masters exchange glances, a silent conversation passing between them.

“Capable you are,” Yoda replies, his tone taking on an unyielding undertone to his usual laid-back manner. “Ready, you are not.”

Master Windu’s eyes grow empathetic as he tries to find a middle ground. “Anakin, you know we’re considering another master for her. One who has more time and is better prepared for this—”

Anakin stiffens in his seat, his head snapping toward Windu. “No,” he roars, his voice sharper this time, his frustration growing and becoming even more obvious to the other Council members. “You’re shipping her off to sit on the sidelines; she’ll never reach her full potential without the guidance of someone willing to—“

“Assigned you are—to Luther Koth. Final, it is.” Yoda insists, his voice rising and eyes stabbing daggers into Anakin. The whole room seems riled by his defiance, and the feeling seems to be directed at you.

The room tilts slightly as Yoda’s words sink in.

Luther Koth?

You’ve heard the name in passing, but you’ve never met him. The thought is disorienting, a crack splintering through the precarious balance of your emotions.

“Master Yoda,” Anakin persists, his voice rising slightly, and he half-stands, his body looming like a storm cloud ready to erupt. “you can’t just—”

“Enough, General Skywalker.” Yoda interrupts sharply, his eyes burrowing deeper on Anakin, “Strong in the Force, you are, but in check, your influence must be. Your path in the Republic is not to train Padawans at this time.”

“At this time,” Anakin repeats in a low mock, barely above a whisper, as his expression darkens while looking between the Masters. “This isn’t about my ability to focus; this is about her and her future—”

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan’s voice is like a whip crack, startling in its incisiveness. He rises from his seat, his hand raised in a silent command for Anakin to stand down. You glance at Obi-Wan, your heart hammering. His posture broadens and his eyes flash with warning as he continues, “This isn’t the time or place for this argument. You know better.”

Anakin doesn’t back down. His gaze flicks to Obi-Wan, then back to Yoda, his jaw tightening further as if clamping down on whatever he wants to say next.

“Obi-Wan,” Anakin snaps, his head swiveling back to Obi. His vexation is evident in every muscle, every twitch. He looks like he’s about to snap. “I’m insisting.”

“No, I’m insisting.” Obi-Wan steps forward, his body angled slightly toward Anakin as if preparing to physically block him from advancing. His voice is low and punctuated as he follows up, “You need to step back. This isn’t about you or her right now.”

Your breath catches as Anakin’s eyes sweep back to you, searing into you with an intensity that feels almost physical. For a moment, the room fades—the Council, the chamber walls, even the low hum of air. All that remains is the haze of his stare and the unspoken promise it carries.

What the hell is he thinking?

“General Skywalker,” Windu cuts in, his voice colder now, expression solidifying into stone as he leans forward, like he too is getting ready to physically stop Anakin. “This discussion is over. You are out of line.”

Anakin straightens to his full height, his chest rising and falling with labored breaths as his cold edge sliced through the room. For a moment, it seems as though he might say something else, his lips parting—but then he stops. His breath hisses through his teeth as he crosses his arms. His rage coils beneath his skin, snarling, seething to break free, primed to explode.

You swallow hard, your throat dry as sandpaper. You’ve seen that look before; you’ve seen it up close. You wish you could disappear into the stone beneath your feet, to be anywhere other than here.

“You’re wrong,” he finally says, his voice barely above a whisper, but the words slam into the room, and they’re thick, as if they were made of lead and everyone was being forced to breathe them in. “All of you.”

For what feels like the longest five seconds of your life, Anakin doesn’t move, doesn’t speak. He just stands there, his eyes flickering between the Council members before finally settling on you. The room holds its breath.

And there it is again—that unspoken promise.

Your feet feel numb, like you have a gaping wound and are too far gone; the pins and needles feeling of blood loss. If the Council dismissed you right now, there would be zero chance you could pick up your legs and actually walk. That’s what his gaze did; it made your knees jelly and your spine snap in on itself. You weren’t sure if it was the Force or something deeper, nor did you have time to think about what reasons Anakin’s gaze was so different.

He exhales sharply as he lowers himself back into his seat, the large chair scraping against the floor with a dissonant screech. He rolls his shoulders, relaxing them as if dismissing everything that just happened, brushing the entire encounter off, as if the air didn’t crackle with the residue of it.

It's like he’s discarded the weight of the confrontation like a loose garment—yet there’s no mistaking that it’s still there, a rancid pulse between you all, stifling every breath. The others exchange looks, the tense stillness now broken only by the soft shuffle of robes as they all settle back into their seats.

You want to scream; you want to cuss him out like you should have that night; instead, you break the everlasting silence the rest of the council has been stunned into, your voice surprising even you with the confidence it carries behind it.

“If I may,” you state, not waiting for their full attention as you continue, “I’m honored to be assigned to Master Koth, and I don’t take this recommendation from the Council lightly. I will serve the Republic with everything I have. The stars will bend if those are my orders.”

Shock carves itself into the faces of the Council members, all their eyes dawning in on you. Anakin’s eyes are the harshest; you can feel them burning into the side of your face like twin suns. You keep your focus forward, refusing to turn toward him again.

“Strong words these are. Confidence you show, but prove yourself, you must.” Yoda’s tone carries no reproach, only an obstinate expectation, like the galaxy itself will hold you accountable.

“Indeed,” Master Windu adds, his presence back to the practiced ease that all the generals and masters plaster on their faces. “Serving the Republic is not just a matter of bending stars or showing resolve—it requires understanding, discipline, and the ability to make difficult choices. Master Koth will demand nothing less from you.”

You nod quickly, instinct taking over as you bow your head. “I understand, Masters. I won’t fail.” The words spill out, firm but automatic, and you’ve never been more proud of yourself.

Master Obi-Wan, still recovering from the heated debate, sits forward slightly. His tone softer than the others, but his words carry no less gravitas. “Master Koth is a man of principle and precision. He’s demanding but fair. Under his guidance, you’ll learn to navigate not just the battlefield, but the intricacies of what it means to truly be a Jedi.”

And then, like clockwork, Anakin shifts in his seat. His posture is casual, almost disinterested, but his energy is anything but. His gloved fingers drum once against the armrest before his voice cuts through the Council's focus on you. “She’ll be fine,” he says, his tone deceptively glassy. His eyes flick toward you, and you feel the sting of his stare as he adds, “After all, she’s earned it.”

The words stick to you like barbs, digging into every insecurity you thought you had buried. You didn’t want to think it, didn’t want to have it confirmed that the exact and only reason you’re standing in the middle of the greatest Jedi of this century is because you were a slave for a night.

It’s not praise. Not really.

You feel your heart thud painfully against your ribs, and for a split second, you wonder if this is what a heart attack feels like.

Earned it.

The phrase clings to your thoughts like oil on water. His words weren’t an endorsement; they were a reminder, a branding. A mark that would be with you forever, no matter what path you take.

You hold yourself still, despite your mini heart attack, your lips forcing a polite smile, and the quiet resolve in your chest swells just enough to remind you that you are here for more than just Anakin’s twisted perception of you.

The silence stretches until Master Yoda speaks, his voice cold and drained. “You may go. Prepare for your meeting with Master Koth. Tomorrow, it will be.”

You bow again, a little deeper this time, feeling every eye in the room on you. The finality in Master Yoda’s voice motivates your previously jellied legs into a half jog until the heavy doors close behind you. Even then, you don’t stop, your jog turning into a full sprint. Your arms pump furiously, pushing your body forward.

Earned it. Earned it. Earned it.

His voice—the phrase—is a poltergeist, a haunting in its own right. You try to push it away, but Anakin’s words seem to cling to you, like a shadow you can’t outrun, but you’ll be damned if you won’t try. Your feet put more distance between you and the Council’s chambers, but your mind is still trapped in the middle of it.

As you round a corner, you come face-to-face with your two friends. Nearly toppling over them as their arms secure you, both of them speaking too quickly for your already racing mind to grasp.

“Whoa, slow down, Y/N. What happened?”

“Yeah, are you ok? Did they find out about us sneaking out?”

You want to tell them everything—the drunken spill, the velvet-lined back rooms, the violence, the desire, the new position—but the words never leave your lips.

Tell them! Why are you questioning their intentions? They’ve never betrayed your trust. They’ve never done anything to ever insinuate that they would be anything but forgiving.

“Yeah,” you say, the smile you force out too tight, too strained. “I’m fine. Just… just…”

Tears prick at your eyes, and within seconds both girls are steering you to the dorms, both their arms wrapping tightly around either side of you like a blanket of protection.

The familiar, comforting warmth of their embrace is almost enough to make the tears pour out, but the words still lash at your insides, louder now than before.

Earned it.

Your blood pumps furiously through your veins, pulsing in your ears to the point where your friends voices are muffled, their words a jumble of vibrations. You feel the walls closing in, your lungs shrinking with each breath. But you can’t say it. You can’t tell them everything; you can’t shatter what little remains of your dignity. You need to keep it together.

Lex’s voice cuts through the haze, and though her words are soft, they pierce the growing fog around you. “You don’t have to hide it, you know. Whatever happened in there… you don’t have to keep it all in.”

You stiffen, a rush of panic flooding your chest.

How did she know?

But before you can respond, Abby adds, “We’re here for you. Screw them.” Her voice is quieter than Lex’s and holds a hint of humor but is equally concerned.

You find yourself retreating even further inward, madly trying to build barriers, to lock every detail away where they can't see it. Where you can’t feel it. You want to tell them, to let them help, but you can’t bring yourself to. You don't know how to explain the tangled mess inside you.

Your throat feels tight as you give them a small, weak nod, not trusting your voice to sound anything but broken. “I know... thanks, I just... I need some time.”

They guide you to your bed, sitting beside you and just letting the silence fill the space between you.

But even in your safe spot, next to your best friends and a good distance away from any higher up, Anakin’s words continue to reverberate through your mind.

Earned it.

Each time it echoes, it feels like another wound is being sliced into your back, like the physical embodiment of betrayal.

“Whatever’s going on... we’ll figure it out together.” Lex’s hand rests on your shoulder as she shuffles closer to you. You want to believe her. You want to, but you don’t. It’s like your body is trying to protect something, some part of you that’s still... untouched. Maybe it’s your pride, maybe it’s the fear of being completely vulnerable, but either way, the words won’t come out, and you can’t seem to shake the feeling that your life has just been uprooted in the worst way possible.

Instead, you lie back against the bed, your hands gripping the edge of your blanket, and just stare up at the ceiling.

Abby leans in slightly, her face in your view blurring as your eyes unfocus. “We know something’s up. You don’t have to tell us what happened in there, but if you ever want to talk... we’re not going anywhere.”

The words don’t land as they should. They don’t wrap around you the way they always have. They just make you feel heavier, more guilty. It’s almost worse, in some ways—being so close to the answers you can’t bring yourself to give.

Anakin’s words continue to torment your dazed mind, like a private torture session.

I bet he’d love this. Love to know how completely frozen you were. How fucking pathetic.

You turn your head slightly to the side, staring at the wall as if it could give you some reprieve from the chaos in your mind. But it doesn’t.

Earned it.

With every second that passes, that feeling of being trapped deepens. There’s no escape from his voice in your head, no hiding from the truth that it’s now a part of you. But somewhere, deep in the hollow ache in your chest, something else stirs. A sensation, too fresh to name, but oh so familiar.

It’s the flicker of something perilous, something dark and twisted, something that has been waiting for this moment. You try to ignore it, but it's there now, and maybe it always has been, crawling just beneath your feeble ego. It fills the space in your veins that his words froze with a fever that isn’t entirely unpleasant.

Earned it.

For the first time, you let yourself wonder if there's truth in it. Not the way Anakin intended, not the way he made you feel small, but a different truth, a truth that’s far more unsettling: What if you did earn it? What if everything that happened—that night, the Council, even this—was a consequence of destiny, true destiny?

What if you were already changed, and you just didn’t know it yet?

You sit up suddenly, the movement enough to make them both jump. The words you've been holding back, the questions, the doubts—they spill from your lips as they form in your mind.

“I don’t think I can be the person I was anymore,” you whisper, not meeting their eyes, because you know if you do, you’ll see the pity. You can’t bear that.

Anakin’s words have taken root in you, not just as a form of self-torture but as something far more insidious. A seed planted in the fibers that are you, ready to grow into something more dangerous than any of you can imagine.

Something alters. Not in the room. Not in them. But in you. It’s a momentary flicker, a beam of clarity—a glimpse of a hunger that was deeply buried.

You straighten your back, standing abruptly. You feel the energy change, like a charged current is propelling you forward. You turn and face the two of them, their eyes two pairs of shock and confusion as you speak, your voice more confident and certain than ever before.

“But I feel good. Yeah, I feel great.”

[darlingkairos]

Padawan Maul design things.

His outfit is based on a Japanese edoten, and the scabbard idea is from Star-wars visions ( I thought it was cool, hehe)

Maul was taken by Palpatine as a child, but the dummy lost him, and he ended up with the Jedi. Maul is a strict follower of the Jedi code, even going as far as not using lethal force (light lightsaber) as a way to show his extreme commitment (to pacifism). His master is Shaak-Ti because she would mentor the hell out of that boy.

In this AU, Maul's personality is kinda like Gaara from Naruto. Very quiet, convinced he was born to be evil yearning for connection.

In truth, Maul doesn't use his Lightsaber because he is afraid to kill. He thinks that if he kills, even in self-defense, he won't be able to stop killing.

The scabbard is reinforced with lightsaber resistant metal so he can fight with it.

[ninja-librarian]

Scraps...

So, not everything I wrote for “The Many Adventures of Duckburg’s Heroes!” made the final cut. So I have this lovely little document titled “Scraps” where I stuff things that I wrote that didn’t fit. Basically deleted scenes. More under the cut.

Happy New Year, everyone!

1: Deleted Dialogue from Ch 3 of “Star-Crossed Circuits!”

“And you do not want to know about the Rule 34 art I’ve already found,” Della said.

“What is Rule 34?” Raymond asked, genuinely confused.

Drake reached down and covered Honker’s ears--not that the boy was paying attention, too focused on going over the code in front of him. “If it exists, there’s porn of it somewhere on the internet.”

Della’s eyebrow suddenly arched and she let out a low whistle. “Damn. Hey, Gyro, is this a real gizmo, or...?”

“What do you think?” Gyro responded snarkily, looking thoroughly displeased at the idea of NSFW fanart of the Gizmosuit as a whole.

2: Deleted Dialogue from Ch 4 of “The Strange Case of the Mad Ducktor!”, cut from the Mad Ducktor vs Gizmoduck fight scene. At it’s core it’s Fenton and Gyro being nerds, but it ruined the tension of the scene so to the scrap doc it went.

“What are you, a Jedi Knight?” Gizmoduck asked.

“If I had the power of the Force, do you really think I’d be a Jedi, dummy?” Mad Ducktor demanded.

“You know, now that I think about it, your aesthetic does scream Sith Lord…” Gizmoduck admitted.

3: Cut flash-back from “Revenge of the Mad Ducktor!”, featuring Gyro and Natasha, taking place the morning after Natasha fled Gearloose Grotto. It was supposed to be part of the flash-back in Ch 9, with the Gearloose Three after the reading of Fulton’s will but that made it too long.

Gyro had been sitting in the back of the small auditorium where Natasha’s doctoral defense was to take place. There were a few of her classmates and professors and friends in the seats, and of course the thesis committee at the front. They were all waiting. And waiting. But Natasha never arrived.

Gyro felt anxious, and wished Maria had been there; she originally was going to come for the doctoral defense, but after having to suddenly return to Duckburg after the death of their father, she was unable to make two trips in such a short period of time.

Maria really was better at handling this sort of thing…

Gyro slipped out of the back door, pulling out his cellphone as he stepped into the hallway, hoping that she would answer. That something wasn’t horribly wrong. Natasha was wild and unpredictable, but she was never late, and never didn’t show up somewhere she was supposed to be without a reason.

The phone rang and rang and Gyro’s chest got tighter and tighter and then--

“Hey, bug,”

“Natasha, where are you?” Gyro asked. “Are you okay? Are you sick? Do you need me to come over and--”

“No,” Natasha said, her voice firm. “Gyro, I’m… you asked where I was and, well, I’m somewhere in Montana.”

“Montana?” Gyro repeated, his voice raising in pitch.

“Yeah, don’t ask me for specifics. Crossed the state line an hour ago and it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference.”

“Why the hell are you in Montana?”

Natasha was quiet, then she said, “I can’t do it, Ro. I just… I can’t. I’m not going to be Dr. Natasha Gearloose, and I’m okay with that. I just… I need some time. Away from home. I’m sorry I didn’t say good-bye, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was leaving, but I just… I’m sorry.”

Gyro wasn’t angry. Confused, definitely, and okay yes a little angry that his baby sister scared the crap out of him.

But he suspected she left for a similar reason to why he had been so desperate to get an internship anywhere, why as soon as the offer for a position in Toyolk, Japan came in, he accepted. He needed to find himself, to reestablish himself, away from Duckburg, away from his family--both the good and the bad--as he truly came into himself as he transitioned and embarked on a life outside of academia.

He just hoped that Natasha’s experience was nothing like his own.

“Do you need me to tell Maria?” Gyro asked instead.

“No. I’ll tell her. I just got to figure out how without it ending with me turning around and driving home on her orders.”

“So you’re just going to… what, drive around? Sight-see the country?”

“I don’t know yet. I haven’t… I haven’t figured it out. But I was right, Gyro. I’m not meant for a lab, I’m not meant for a classroom. I’m meant for… something. I don’t know what yet. But I need to find it.”

“And you will,” Gyro assured her. “I want you to be happy, bunny, and I want you to find what makes you happy.”

There was a beat of silence and he heard Natasha sniffle. “You and Rye and Clara make me happy,” She whispered.

“And you make us happy,” Gyro told her. “I’ll give you space to figure this out if that’s what you need, but I’m just a call away if you need me. Now, go find a place to pull-over and get some sleep. Wait, no, find a hotel. Do you have money for a hotel? Give me, like, an hour and I’ll transfer some money into your account, okay?”

“Gyro, you don’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I do. I’m your big brother. Let me do this for you, Tasha.”

“I will, only because I’m not in the mood or guaranteed Wi-Fi to play the game of bouncing the money back and forth between our accounts and pissing off the bank in the process. But just this once, okay? I’ve got some savings. I’m going to take care of myself.”

4: Cut scene from “Junior Woodchuck Jamboree!” featuring Graves getting hired by Mad Ducktor.

Getting into the University of Duckburg’s science building was child’s play for a man like Falcon Graves.

When the notification on his phone had come through, asking him to take on a job that would get him out from under Beaks’ blackmail, he jumped on it and felt no guilt whatsoever for leaving the four child actors in the woods.

To be fair, he left them literally five feet beside where one of the Junior Woodchuck officials was stationed—how much trouble could they possibly get in? It’s not like they would decide to wander off on their own, get lost in the woods, and face a bear, right? They couldn’t be that stupid.

Then again, they did agree to work for Beaks…

Graves scowled as he made his way down into the basement—where his contact told him they would meet. He just hoped he wasn’t making a mistake, that this wasn’t some twisted game of Beaks’. After all, as soon as he said that he would agree to meet this anonymous new employer, every bit of contact with Beaks on his phone had disappeared. He didn’t dare hope that it was just deleted—he knew too much about the digital world and digital footprint. It had to be somewhere, right?

The basement of the science building was… creepy. Something was just very off putting about the entire place. Graves’ foot had barely hit the bottom step when he heard,

“Ah, so you decided to take me up on my offer.”

In the dark, Graves couldn’t tell where the voice was coming from. It made him feel… uneasy. In a way he never had before.

“I decided I wanted to hear more about this job.” He responded.

“It’s simple, really. It’s basically gofer work. I need you and your talents to go where I can’t. I’d do it myself, but my face is… well. I can’t show my face just yet. In exchange for a few simple tasks, your record will be clear, there will be no remaining ties to Beaks, and I will ensure that he is never able to contact you again.”

It sounded too good to be true.

“What’s the catch?” Graves asked.

“No catch. You do what I want, I give you what you need. Fair and even trade. Honestly, I’d do all of this myself except…” The person’s voice trailed off.

“Except you can’t show your face just yet,” Graves said. His eyes narrowed. “How do I know you’re not Beaks?”

There was silence.

At the far end of the basement, a light flashed on and Graves could see a shadowy figure.

The light turned off.

A light a little closer turned on, the shadowy figure there once more.

The light turned off…

Graves’ heart pounded.

The light above his head turned on.

There was no one there.

Then he heard whispered into his ear,

“Boo.”

Graves yelped and leapt away, hand going for a weapon that wasn’t there, turning to see the cackling madman who stood there.

“Ha!” The figure laughed. He straightened and spread his arms wide. “Satisfied, Graves?”

“Who are you?” Graves asked, his eyes wide.

The man grinned. “Graves, the less you know, the better off you are. Now, do we have a deal?” His grin grew sinister, his eyes flashing. “Or is there going to be an unfortunate incident that campus police stumbles across in the middle of the night?”

Graves gulped.

He had no doubts that this man before him was capable of murder. And that he stood no chance against him.

Worst of all, Graves was starting to wish he had finished the job with Beaks.

“We have a deal…” Graves said.

Mad Ducktor smirked and tapped his fingertips together. “Smart move, Graves. Smart move.”

5: Deleted scene from “The Strange Case of the Mad Ducktor!”, basically what the other heroes were up to while Duck Avenger, Della, Boyd, and Honker were at the lab.

Scrooge massaged his forehead with one hand, eyes closed.

“For the last time, Flinty,” He said through gritted teeth. “The heroes have everything under control and you’ll only get in their way with your extraneous, extravagant encumbrance.”

“Nonsense!” Glomgold insisted as he put up more barbed wire around the area, occasionally leaping into the air unintentionally as he was zapped with the electrified wire--because of course the idiot had turned on the wire before he started this madness. “Your heroes may be good at protecting Duckburg, McDuck, but I trust no one with my babies but me! I swear, if one dorsal fin is even bent out of shape…”

“I know, I know,” Scrooge sighed. “But you know that the heroes were aimin’ for stealth tonight, yes?”

“They can aim for stealth all they want, but I’m aiming for a kill! I’m not going to let that Mad Ducktor menace get anywhere near my sharks!” Glomgold declared before he got zapped again, this one large enough to fluff out his beard, sparks buzzing in the hairs.

Scrooge shook his head and retreated back over to where Darkwing, Gizmoduck, Pilot, Raymond, Rosa, Storkules, Penumbra, Gandra and Manny were working on their own part of the set-up.

“I tried,” Scrooge said.

“We will still be able to utilize the more significant portions of our plan,” Raymond assured Scrooge. Above them, the lights flickered and there was a pained yell coming from Glomgold, followed by, “I’m okay!”

“That is, if that idiot doesn’t blow the power for the entire block first,” Gandra added dryly.

Just then, Darkwing’s cellphone rang. “It’s DA,” He said, glancing at the screen before answering. “Hey, where are you? We need--what? Why? How do you know? Okay, okay, we’re going, we’re going…”

Darkwing hung up the phone, frowning at the device before slipping it back in his pocket. “We need to go,” He said. “According to DA, Mad Ducktor is going after the university.”

“I haven’t gotten any alerts,” Gizmoduck said, frowning down at his gauntlet.

“Did Duck Avenger say how he knew that is where Mad Ducktor shall strike next?” Storkules asked.

“Said he’d explain later, and that we just needed to get there now,” Darkwing said. He shrugged and said, “But I trust Duck Avenger when he says to go, so, off we go.”

6: Deleted Group Chat conversation in which the fam plans the surprise vacation for Gandra and Fenton in “Star-Crossed Circuits!”

Della Duck has Added You and 23 Others to a New Group Chat: Gandra and Fenton Date Night Planning Committee

Della: So…

Della: Like…

Della: We all agree that Gandra and Fenton really deserve a break.

Louie: Feels like there’s a bad pun there, Mom.

Launchpad: Oh, yeah, for sure.

Launchpad: About the break. Not the pun.

Mickey: Yeah, I think they’ve earned a date night of peace and quiet.

Lena: I think they’ve earned a whole WEEK of date nights.

Storkules: I do agree with Lena. For what our dear friends have suffered this week, they deserve an extended period of romantic interludes.

Webby: Then let’s make it happen!

Dewey: LET’S DEW THIS!

Della: That’s the spirit! One week of date nights, coming right up!

Drake: Okay. BUT!

Drake: If this is going to really, truly work, then we’ve got to get them OUT of Duckburg.

Minnie: I agree with Drake; it’s not enough to just give them a date night, we need to give them space to experience being a normal couple.

Storkules: I can ask Selene if she could host them on Ithaquack for a few days.

Elise: I’m going to veto that because casts and sand/seawater do not mix.

Louie: Yeah, this cast thing is itchy enough as is without adding sand.

Huey: Alright, then, somewhere without sand or too much risk of getting Gandra’s cast wet. I think that rules out Cape Suzette, since it’s a beach town.

Launchpad: A different city, then?

Rosa: You know, I DID happen to overhear Fenton and Gandra talking about some exhibit they were interested in at the New Quackmore Museum of Science.

Violet: I, too, have heard them express an interest in this exhibition.

Boyd: If it’s the traveling exhibit they are interested in, it opened last week according to the museum’s website!

Kevin: New Quackmore is a hub for art and culture as well as science and technology. I have no doubts that Gandra and Fenton would enjoy some time exploring all of the intellectual stimulation that the city has to offer.

Gyro: I will do whatever I can so that they can take care of this not-so-little UST problem as FAR AWAY FROM MY LAB AS POSSIBLE!

Huey: What’s UST?

Louie: UGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhh

Donald: Thank you for that, Gyro.

Gyro: You’re very welcome.

Della: I mean…

Della: He’s right.

Della: He shouldn’t have said it, but he’s right.

Dewey: What’s UST????

Gosalyn: Believe me, if you don’t know, you’re better off not knowing.

[mqgriett]

Paring: Tech x Fem!Reader

Warning: light smut and a little blood

Summary: of course things would go wrong right when you were so close to having him

Notes: this is a part 2 to “Princess” please read that before going into this one! also EEK I haven't posted in a while!! I have spring break next week and then online learning the week after so I should be able to upload more frequently!! Stay safe everyone please!

Oh stars this felt perfect. The feeling of his soft lips on yours, the way he gently tugged at the waist of your dress, his cologne, everything. When he finally pulled back you felt drunk with lust, the small residue of your lipstick on his lips only making it worse. Without your heels on you were reminded of how short you were next to him, your height diminishing by at least three or four inches.

Tech subconsciously bit his bottom lip, subtly looking down the top of your new dress. His hands were still placed just above your ass, an animalistic feeling cascading onto him as he locked eyes with you. He kissed you again, less sweet this time, and practically dominated your mouth with his own. The few times you pulled back for a bit of air, he would suck the tender flesh of your neck and whisper things that had flooded his mind for far too long.

“I’ve waited so- so long to do this.” He whimpered pathetically, cursing himself for how small his voice was in the moment.

It drove you mad how timid, yet rough, he was right now. You could hardly stand it, and the mere thought of him being this helpless when you were only kissing made your mind wander to the most sinful places.

You gently pushed him backwards, hands trailing down his collar bone to unbutton his black jacket. His breath staggered, fingers desperately trying to find the bottom of your silk gown as you continued to walk forward.

The backs of his knees hit the side of your bed, causing him to fall onto his back. You didn’t hesitate to immediately crawl on top of him, sitting directly where you knew he would feel it most. Tech let out a pitiful moan and threw his head back, back arching at only the feeling of your heat on his clothed hard.

You started at unbuttoning his shirt, your fingers shaking from pure excitement. He grew tired of waiting, that animalistic urge making its way back down his body. Grabbing the opened section of his shirt, he basically ripped the last three buttons off. You hummed in delight as he sat up and held the small of your back to ensure you wouldn’t fall.

All it took was one slow and hard grind of your hips for him to hopelessly whine, “take it off, please for maker’s sake take it off.” He groaned the last word, his hand pawing at your clothed ass.

Knees still on either side of him, you sat up and held your dress with the opposite arms. It was halfway up your torso when a ringing went off in Tech’s ear.

Hunter’s voice brought him down from his lust-drunken state, “Main floor’s been breached! Tech where are you?”

Tech raised a finger to his ear, pressing down to reply, “third floor, in the room. She’s still getting, Uh-“ He looked down at your bare thighs, “getting dressed.”

He heard a few shots echo from Hunter’s line of the comm, “Tech you got klankers heading up to you from the south stairs, get her outta here before Kraken finds her first.”

“Copy that Sarg.” Tech said sternly.

He selfishly took one last look at you on top of him before gently pushing you off in a hurried manner. “Main floor has been breached by a droid squad. Got a few heading up here, we need to go. Where’s the closest exit?” He asked, buttoning up his shirt where he could.

“The gardens, there’s a secret stairway that leads down from the balcony.” You replied swiftly, opening your bedside drawer and lifting up a tube of lipstick. The action unlocked the cabinet underneath the drawer, allowing you to type in correct code into the beskar safe.

The robotic clanking of droids making their way up the stairs could be heard through the wall, which was not a good sign considering the walls were thicker than those of the Jedi temple; meaning, there were at least a hundred of those robots.

“Hurry.” Tech stated quickly. You snatched your weapon from the safe and ran past him, grabbing his wrist tightly in the process.

As soon as you two were in the hallway, the droids had successfully managed to get through the locked doors. Tech fired a few shots at the front ones, not noticing that there were B2 droids behind the B1s.

You spun around just in time, the red plasma bullet hitting the bright blue blade of your lightsaber. It deflected it, firing back at the B2 and hitting him in the center of the chest.

“Go!” You shouted, blocking a few other shots from hitting him. You held the lightsaber in a backwards grip, swaying it from side to side to keep a steady momentum going.

Your bare feet smacked against the cold marble floor, making you slide almost every time you turned a corner. Even through the chaos, you found a moment to share a smile with Tech.

“This a little more familiar?” He heaved, both pistols waving in the air as he sprinted. The top of his shirt was still open, his hair a pure mess. If you weren’t on the brink of being kidnapped and/or killed, you would’ve thought he was hot.

Taking the final turn, you busted through the doors to the large balcony garden. The cold wind made your shoulders shiver, your braided hair falling loose. You made a beeline for the control panel, slamming your shoulder into it after it refused to open. It sliced your skin open, a small line of blood beginning to trickle down your arm. The staircase began to appear from the wall, each stair seemingly growing from the castle’s exterior.

Then it stopped.

A gunship full of B1s landed on the opposite side of the doorway, Kraken walked out behind them. Your shoulder had its own heartbeat, an indescribable pain shooting out your neck.

Tech pressed his fingers to his ear, “Sarg, we could use a little backup.”

Blasts from the other end is all he heard for a moment, “we got our own problems here, Tech.”

Dank Farrik, it was truly just the two of you now.

The battle droids started their first wave, Tech and you with your backs pressed together. A few BXs leaped from behind, landing strategically in front of you two.

One Of them lunged for you, latching onto your ankles and pulling you to the ground with a swift hit. You yelped, your shoulders hitting against the stone floor with an indescribable amount of force.

That same BX reached for your knees, starting to drag you towards the gun ship. You writhed and kicked, nailing it in the center of the head; as it went soaring to the ground, so did the bottom of your gorgeous dress. It left a long tear from your right knee all the way up to just below your left hip.

A string of cuss words left your mouth, your lightsaber blade hissing back out of the hilt as you cut the legs off of a few B1s reaching for you.

Tech lifted you up from under your armpits, immediately returning to battle afterwards. He fired straight for the heads of the droids, the two of you back to back as you destroyed each robot coming near you.

“Do you remember that mission on Felucia?” Tech heaved, “the one where that ancient tribe thought the yellow B1 droid was their leader?”

You slashed the heads off of the three enemies closest to you, your shoulder beginning to ache more with every swing. “Now’s not the best time to be all sentimental.”

“Think about that mission. What we did that day, you and I!” He shouted, the circle of droids tightening with every passing second.

You quickly scanned your memory, finally realizing what he was insinuating. Turning to face his back, you cleared enough room to get a running start. Tech ducked, just low enough for you to jump off of his back. As you soared through the air you spun around, reaching your hand out and carrying Tech through the atmosphere with the Force.

You landed smack down on your ass, the wind being knocked out of you while Tech landed with ease on the ground.

The droids turned back around, looking straight at your new location and positioning to attack again.

Just when all hope seemed lost, a 212 gunship landed behind the enemy's line, a plethora of troopers filling out and blasting the remaining separatist dummies.

You sighed of relief, your entire body seemingly having its own heartbeat. “I haven’t... done that,” heave, “done that much since we were last together.”

Tech helped you up again, snaking an arm around your waist after seeing the damage done to your right leg. That BX droid must have scratched through your skin while ripping your dress, a thin trail of blood trickling down your thigh.

“We need to get you to the ship.” He said lowly, “between both those cuts you could bleed out.”

You shook your head, “you know that they need help in the main room. You know that.” Your words were sharp and painful to huff out.

“You are my only priority right now.” He countered, bending down to scoop you up under your knees.

Pushing him backwards, you took in a deep breath, “We’re going back down to the ballroom. That’s an order.” Your bottom lip quivered, the aftershock of the plasma hitting your leg finally catching up.

Although he meant it in a much calmer way, his next sentence was tinted with something more sinister, “you’re not my Commander anymore. You don’t get to tell me what to do anymore.”

“Tech. We are going back to that ball room!” You turned and made your way towards the doors.

He grabbed your uninjured arm, “I can’t let you bleed out and die right in front of me. We need to get to the Marauder.”

Internally, he knew how stubborn you were, and that you would go by yourself if needed. The look you had confirmed his thought, your brows arching and eyes hardening.

“Fine.” He heaved, “fine.”

You nodded, already halfway through the door once he had agreed. The rest of the 212th troopers could handle themselves, but only the maker himself knew what was going on down in the ballroom.

The guests had been evacuated by the majority of the troopers who had previously been in the large room, leaving very few to battle the rest of the klankers still trapped inside.

Of course, Crosshair had somehow managed to smuggle his gun inside. You knew he would, he didn’t go anywhere without it, just as a safety measure. Hunter had resorted to his singular vibroblade while Wrecker only needed his strength to smash the droids together.

As you observed the scene in front of you, Tech tore the sleeve off of his white undershirt and swiftly tied it around your thigh. You raised an eyebrow at him, his face communicating a look of “I had to do something”

You reignited your lightsaber, the sudden pulse against your hand sending vibrations all the way up and down your body. Your weapon stabbed through the stomachs of every droid in your path, this pattern continuing until you reach the rest of the bad batch.

“Just like old times-- Commander.” Hunter smiled, a break in the sentence as he pried his knife out of a droid.

You smirked, gripping the hilt of your saber with both hands, “some things never change, Hunter.”

He returned your devilish grin with his own at the sound of his name, not hesitating another moment before launching his blade across the room.

Within ten minutes of continuous fighting, every droid was broken and dead. Not even a second after, Tech had you in his arms. Your vision was beginning to go a little starry, everything becoming a small blur.

As you zoned in and out of consciousness, you caught snippets of conversations being held. The majority were just Crosshair and Wrecker questioning why Tech’s top few buttons had been ripped off.

Tech set you down on the bench inside the cockpit, immediately barking out a few commands to Hunter for medical supplies. A needle pierced your arm, an echo of Tech’s snapping fingers causing you to slip in and out of your dazed state.

The anesthesia kicked in, your eyes shutting completely. Tech carefully sewed the gash in your arm shut, along with the one in your leg.

“Hunter.” He said softly, not wanting to wake you.

Hunter, knowing what he was on the verge of asking, replied instantly, “I’ll comm into Cody. Let him know what happened. You stay with her.” He tipped his head towards the other two, “both of you with me. Check for anyone else in the room who may have hid.”

Crosshair and Wrecker answered with a nod, following behind the Sargent.

Tech quietly sat next to you, gently lifting you up and setting your head on his lap. He lovingly stroked your hair back, allowing his head to touch the back of the cold bench.

He didn’t even realize that he fell asleep until the other three returned.

Luckily Wrecker had already taken a picture.

[oceanera12]

Fives has the Force (AU edition)

“Ah, Leave him alone. They kept him in his growth jar too long.“ - Cutup (Rookies)

Part 3: The 501st

The 501st is different than expected. Which isn’t necessarily bad, but it isn’t technically good either.

On one hand, their General is a little insane. So a lot of weird stuff happens on and off the battlefield with the 501st. That’s good for Domino because it’s easier to blame anything out of the ordinary on their General, keeping eyes off Fives

On the other hand, their General is a little insane. Therefore, there’s going to be a lot of situations where Fives is probably going to do something with his “gift”, intentionally or unintentionally.

Also, they have to share barracks with a lot of people now. There’s not a secluded room anywhere to duck into, or an empty training room they can invade. So if Fives has a nightmare and random things start floating around-- let’s just say someone is probably going to walk in and/or notice. And it’s not something you can really blame on General Skywalker because he isn’t always on the ship.

It was agreed upon all of the Dominos that Fives was to do nothing Force related for the time being. Meditation in bed to keep some control, but nothing else. (Which Fives was actually annoyed by this because Rishi had been the first time he did something back and it had woken something inside of him)

All in all, it’s a lot of hand-gesturing to one another, silent conversations through facial expressions, note passing, and low key panicking anytime Five’s gets attention from anyone.

Not to say the 501st isn’t bad. Captain Rex is a good man, who checks on the Dominos weekly to make sure they are keeping up with everything. Commander Tano is young, yes, but she is quite fun to be around (and Echo has found it easiest to ask her about Force questions, which is nice) and very loyal to her men. And General Skywalker, despite his crazy moments, is a good General and a good leader in battle. The men are friendly, and although they don’t understand Domino’s aversion to everyone around them, they are patient and don’t push harder than necessary.

At first, everything was fine. Domino fell into the ranks, made a few friends, and managed to keep Fives off the radar (there was a lot of dancing around General Skywalker but they could pretend it was fear of someone of a higher rank, as they were still under experienced)

War kills, that’s just how it goes. Anyone who thinks a squad can survive the war is just kidding themselves. Someone is going to die-- even if you have the Force on your side.

It was on Kamino. The squad had been split up for separate assignments. Fives and Echo were ordered to sniper positions. Droidbait was required in the medical bay (to help keep an eye on the Kaminoans). Hevy and Cutup were directed to help with the assault.

Even across the facility, Fives felt Cutup’s panic, pain, then nothing as his “bond” with his brother snapped, leaving this empty hole in his chest. Fives could barely breathe, let alone shoot. Thankfully Echo was able to pick up the slack to finish the assignment.

99 showed up to help as well and the arrival of lost cadets made Fives push aside the pain. At least for a little while.

Despite Fives and Echo’s best (sans Force), they ended up losing 99 as well. He cradled the man in his arms, for a selfish moment pretending it was Cutup. Didn’t matter to him. Losing a brother felt like a searing hot knife stabbing in his chest.

Fives managed to slip away after the battle for a moment and find General Shaak Ti. She kindly explained what she could about Force bonds (she suspected he had formed something of the sort with his batchmates) and also recited the Jedi Code, encouraging Fives to commit it to memory. Mainly the last line. “There is no death, there is the Force.”

Losing Cutup put everyone on edge. They had lost their brother, and also their main distraction for Fives. Course no one really thought of that until Captain Rex walked into what he thought was an empty training room 

What he found instead was the Dominos, yelling at each other, the situation pressing heavy on all of them. Hevy was trying to get Fives to calm down. “I could have done something!” “Fives, none of this is your fault! I was there! There was nothing you could have done!” “Well you can’t do this!” Fives threw his hands at the training dummies, throwing them across the room without touching them.

And suddenly Rex couldn’t breathe, his datapad dropping to the ground with a clatter.

Cutup would have tried to convince the Captain he had been seeing things. He would have insulted his eyesight, or played the incident as a prank, laughing until he couldn’t breathe. Probably earned some laps around the ship and most likely KP duty for a week. But Cutup wasn’t there and suddenly Domino couldn’t move.

Hevy just stuttered about the weather, Echo started cursing in multiple languages, Droidbait stood in silence and his mouth gaping, and Fives tried to lie (and failed miserably).

Rex ordered all of them to their barracks, asking them to see him in the morning.

No one slept that night. Tossing and turning in bed, the four remaining Dominos desperately searched for a way out of their predicament. Nothing came to mind short of desertion, something none of them wanted to do. They were all loyal to the Republic!

Imagine their surprise when Rex met them, alone, in a briefing room the next morning. He informed them he hasn’t told the General and he doesn’t intend to. In his hands is a briefcase with several shots of something Rex called a “Force-suppressing drug.”

“It’s only for emergencies. Okay? I don’t know exactly how this works but I know it causes disorientation, mental and physical fatigue, and can be damaging to Force users. But if something happens: take one. For the following twenty-four hours, you will register to most tests as non-Force sensitive. Most tests, not all of them.”

Confusion and relief fills the Dominos. Hevy is the one to question Rex’s motives.

Rex explains he had a batchmate who was Force sensitive-- but the clone hadn’t told Rex or anyone else in the squad. One of the Kaminans had found out during their early cadet days and had taken his friend away. Two days later, he had been replaced and Rex never saw his batchmate again.

The revelation is shocking to say the least. Rex promises to help Domino to the best of his abilities, encouraging Fives to keep doing what he can to keep his connection under control. Especially because of what Rex wants to ask of the boys next.

He’d been impressed by their actions on Kamino. As had General Skywalker. Rex carefully explains that he had, with the General’s approval, recommend Fives, Echo and Hevy for ARC trooper training. Droidbait would also be promoted, but as an advanced medic and sent away to train for a time as well, but at a different facility.

With the present revelation, Rex offered to pull the recommendation out, but also cautioned it would rouse suspicion. He left the decision to them, but expressed the need for good men in the ranks.

After talking the matter over, Domino determined it would be best to continue forward with the promotions (and I’m gonna stop there because KRIFF look at how long this got).

((More random notes from trying to figure out who’s who in the episode, “Rookies” (seriously, it’s a problem). Do these boys change their armor number in between training sessions? Because I KNOW Cutup is the one with the hint of irish/scottish accent in his voice. And in their final test, he’s in clone armor #4. But in the test they fail, pretty sure Cutup isn’t the one who wants to stay with Droidbait (who has been shot at this point), and that’s clone armor #4 (pretty sure it’s Echo, but Echo is #3 in their final test... and also in the practice test... wait, what?). Also, Fives is not #5 at the beginning of the episode. Trust me on that because it drives me crazy. But he is #5 in the final test. so in other words: I CONFUSED. WHO’S WHO?))

Part 4: https://oceanera12.tumblr.com/post/615933158444138496/fives-has-the-force-au-edition

[sirloozelite]

What are some of your kaesoka headcanons?

Hey, thanks for the question. I appreciate it. Commencing Kaesoka headcanons: Ahsoka is initially very sceptical about being anyone's girlfriend for several reasons, none of which are to do with the Jedi Order or the code. Kriff the code she thinks. 

 The main reason she is so sceptical is down to the fact that she has spent the last decade and a half being a Rebel spy, hiding in the shadows gathering intel without anyone knowing who she is. She is thus use to the anonymity of her work and of being alone. Having someone around that she has to look after and who in turn will look after her is something she hasn't had since her days as a Jedi... and considering how all that turned out its a wonder she ever trusted anyone ever again. 

 Kaeden on the other hand is incredibly patient and willing to compromise to all of Ahsoka's insecurities and doubts. As a former farmer Kaeden is used to waiting for things to develop and grow. Her relationship with Ahsoka is no different.

 Ahsoka meanwhile has absolutely no understanding of how to do romance whatsoever. She's pretty much making it all up as she goes along. It's likely she has a hidden copy of "Dummies guide to Romance" somewhere in her apartment. Unbeknown to her, Kaeden has already found it and thinks it's hysterical in an adorable kind of way. Kaeden's initial crush on Ahsoka was just that, a crush, not to dissimilar to how Ahsoka viewed Lux in The Clone Wars. When they met up again and Ahsoka decided to go on a suicide mission to save the galaxy, Kaeden's feelings began to resurface. She thus decided to be a rock for Ahsoka, not intending to make any moves until Ahsoka herself did, which was a surprise to Kaeden.

 As their relationship develops, Ahsoka begins to become more confident around Kaeden, and much more outgoing as well. Her stony Fulcrum persona thaws into Snips once more, and she fully utilises her predator background in her relationship with Kaeden, taking the lead more and more as the years go by. Whilst she would never admit it lest she feed Ahsoka's ego, Kaeden is proud to see her girlfriend open up. 

 However, there is one things that troubles Kaeden deeply. She may not fully understand the Force, but she has learnt some things. Togruta lifespan is not too dissimilar to human lifespan, however Ahsoka's connection to the Force, as well her as experience with the daughter on Mortis has increased her lifespan. Kaeden knows that Ahsoka will outlive her, and prays to whatever gods exist that when the inevitable happens, Ahsoka is able to look after herself and not fall into the same pit of despair that her former Master did. To that end Kaeden has taken steps of precaution to ensure that Ahsoka remains happy in the event of her passing. When the time comes, both Kanan and Hera know what to do.

 Despite that fact, Kaeden fully intends to make the years they have together count, a sentiment that Ahsoka shares. Whether or not marriage or adoption of kids is in their future is unknown to both of them as of now, but who knows? 

Maybe one day. So there... that's the Kaesoka headcanons I possess, mainly for my Rebels AU. I'm sure there are more I could come up with, but these are the main ones. Hope you liked this long answer. :) Keep the questions coming.

[chubbyooo]

Blurred Lines : Chapter 6 - The Temple

yaaay chapter 6 is finally here, continuing Kavaraas adventure 

After dispatching the Weequay on the mysterious planet Kavaraa and Theron head inside the planet to search for the dark presence

Kavaraa caught her breath as she stood over the last of the crazed weequay “i think that’s the last of them” she hoped anyway all this fighting was tiring her out

“not exactly a heroes welcome is it” Theron said as he holstered his blaster, the weequay had turned on them very quickly after leading them to the temple. Kavaraa suspected some level of control either from the temple or the presence within had forced them into fighting. As a result she had tried to kill as little as possible but unfortunately some were unavoidable.

“yeah not exactly, let’s get back to the temple we still need to investigate” she said, the temple was clearly made by an ancient force user judging by the structure but the big giveaway was that the door could only be opened by a force user. As they made their way over Kavaraa began to concentrate making sure to think peacefully, she muttered the Jedi code under her breath as she raised her hand and concentrated on unlocking the ancient temple. Her mind began to wonder as she concentrated, to recent events, why she was here and what that all meant, as she did her hand began to close into a fist before she heard a crash which snapped her out of her trance. As she opened her eyes she saw the door was open and bits of rubble were scattered at the bottom of the door.

“you know i probably could’ve done the same with a few thermal detonators” Theron said with a cute grin on his face, oh yeah so much precision in a thermal detonator

“oh yeah i’m sure you could” Kavaraa said with a coy smile where did that rubble come from was it her? probably not this temple was pretty old 

“you okay there Kav?” Theron looked concerned Kavaraa realized she’d just been standing still for a bit 

“yeah fine sorry i was somewhere else for a second” they should probably head in she was already delaying their time off with this little escapade no use in standing around. They headed into the temple and Kavaraa closed the door behind them as she did they were engulfed in darkness “oh woops i uh didn’t think it’d get so dark in here” she began to fumble around in the dark before bumping into Theron and then she lost her balance feeling herself fall onto the ground. Then a sudden bright light illuminated the chamber she put her hands in front of her eyes to block the light.

“is that better” Theron was holding a flashlight with his hand out “how did you end up on the floor?” but she bumped into him what?

“i bumped into you and fell over did you forget” Kavaraa was confused if not Theron then what

Theron shined his light on something behind her “i think you mean you bumped into that crumbled statue” oh god she bumped into a stationary statue she was so embarrassed “is that how you see me” he said with a smile

“no no of course not sorry i didn’t mean to i uh” Kavaraa wasn’t sure what to say

“honey i’m messing with you cmon get up off the floor” he extended his hand out and pulled her back up “one of the most powerful Jedi huh” Kavaraa knew Theron was messing with her but she thought she’d lean into it

“you wanna test that theory” she said trying her best to look intimidating

“ah uh yeah probably not” aw he was so cute when he was flustered Kavaraa gave him a quick peck on the cheek before heading down the corridor. They continued down the corridor until they found a large circular room with a skylight letting the in the sunlight “what do you think this was” Theron said clearly not that familiar with Jedi architecture this was probably a common area for peaceful meditation or a training room one or the other.

Kavaraa however saw an opportunity to get him back for the floor thing “looks like a ballroom to me” she said gesturing some dance moves

“why would Jedi have a ballroom that doesn’t sound right” he said scratching his head

“oh it’s actually more common than you think” This wasn’t true but Kavaraa wished it was true maybe she should add a ballroom to her temple “some Jedi enjoy a good bit of dancing” she said beginning to dance “maybe we should you know to appease the temple” she said turning on her holopad for some music

https://open.spotify.com/track/06rPFgQsKS607RhYIqCmGq?si=pFLhKXC2Tk6afToxAFuCig

“i don’t think that’ll be necessary Kav” This was gonna be a hard sell but she could do it

“cmonnnn it’ll be fun” Kavaraa had began to properly go for it she had no idea if it looked good or bad she didn’t mind “nobody's watching cmonnn” 

“ugghh fine” yessss another win for Kavaraa, Theron began to awkwardly move his arms back and forward aww he was at least trying she should help she grabbed his arms and began to try and dance with him. They began to try to dance with each other both a little awkward but enjoying the idea of it. It took Theron a little while but he began to loosen up and they began to try and do more than just mild arm movments and shimmying on the spot. Kavaraa thought she’d try a spin she went for it but Theron wasn’t concentrating and didn’t catch her oh no she thought as she tumbled onto the floor witha crash.

*music stops*

“oh my god are you ok i’m so sorry” Theron quickly ran over as Kavaraa started laughing to herself

“yeah i’m fine you big dummy” she smiled at him before kissing him suddenly “ make sure to catch me next time we do that” Theron was blushing as Kavaraa stood up and picked a corridor to head down. They continued to explore the tunnels for about an hour before they found a clear direction to the main chamber, Kavaraa could sense the dark presence getting stronger as they made their may towards the main chamber.

“man it’s so dark in here i feel like something is gonna jump out at any second” Theron looked nervous 

Kavaraa knew what she had to do she reared back a bit “BOO” she jumped out at Theron but he didn’t even flinch “what why weren't you scared” Kavaraa said pouting

Theron smiled at her “you do that every time we go to these sorts of place” damn it he was right as well she did always do it “I've kinda grown wise to it, you need to raise your game” he said smiling

“challenge accepted” Kavaraa said with a devious smile

“wait no forget i said that” Therons regret was immediate realizing the mistake he just made hehehe she was gonna eat him alive with her scare. They reached the end of the tunnel and came to an odd door, it was inscribed with planets on circular movable discs.

“oooo oooo oooo a puzzle” Kavaraa could hardly contain her excitement she loved puzzles. She studied it for a second before saying “back in two seconds” 

“wait where are you going” Theron said as she dashed off, she just needed to look through that skylight again. She made her way back there looked at the stars and came back. Without a word she began moving the discs to around until the door clicked and opened. “how did you do that” Theron looked taken aback and perplexed she should explain

“those planets are the ones which can be seen from the sky so i checked where they were in reference to a compass and then moved them around to the right positions” Kavaraa was intensely proud of herself she loved riddles and puzzles and the solve was always the best part but now on to more important matters

“well colour me im-” Theron started 

“BOO” Kavaraa said out of nowhere, Theron jumped back in surprise nearly losing his balance 

“god dammit Kav is that all you’ve been thinking about since i said it” he looked annoyed but in a good way

Kavaraa giggled “hehe yeah you gave me a challenge i had to win” she was now double proud of herself 

“let’s head down don’t wanna wait here forever” Theron said recovering from the fright she agreed and they headed down into the main chamber. They entered a large expanse of a room with a large shrine at the end of it sitting at the top of the shrine she saw a hooded figure kneeling down in front of the alter, she recognized them as the dark presence she could sense this may get ugly she thought...

[jedijourneys]

Kallia’s Journal; Entry Ten

Days come and go. Classes. Meditation. Caring for that thriving plant. Shii-Cho form practice, and the occasional sparring with the practice dummies. Every now and then, I duck into the Archives just to double check something I feel I have forgotten. I also chatter with the others, I recite the Jedi Code before I sleep, and I amuse myself with my own overconfidence before reminding myself that this is probably not the best trait to have. But I'll work on that, too.

I am... happy. What I was before has become one with the force. A history I am learning to separate myself from, but not forget. I will never forget what put me on this path. I am stronger for it.

The council reformation finally finished. Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed not to see my own Master up there, but maybe that just means that, even though she's teaching me, she still has a lot to learn, too! The recently appointed Knight, Tubal, became Captain of the Temple Guard, as well. I was at his knighting ceremony, and I've seen him around since my joining. I don't know him very well, but I'm proud of him anyways. Inspired, perhaps.

So, I approached my Master, and told her of my thoughts. I wanted to join the Temple Guard, too. I wanted to serve, like they did, to protect, to defend the Jedi who took me in with all my might. It might be a bit difficult once my basic training is over. Kethry is a Mystic, and she has already warned me that I'll get dragged all over the galaxy. I'm looking forward to that! But I will also look forward to spending as much time on the Guard as I can. Provided, of course, that I am accepted.

Well, I'll find out soon, won't I? I wonder who else is trying to get into the Guard? Potential new friends, perhaps?

Anyways, tonight I had another joint training session with Tam'a'ryth and Lyceus! She's an excellent teacher, I think, and Lyceus will make a great Jedi one day, I'm sure of it! Tam'a'ryth brought us all to her apartment in the Republic fleet, and after a short tour, our training began. Force push, and force pull. Telekinesis! It sounds a lot easier than it is, trust me. Lyceus and I pushed that training droid at each other for quite awhile, and I... might have struck him in the face after force pushing a little too hard. Actually, it's a lot too hard. But he's okay! And he got me back, anyways. I have a bruised shoulder now from his next force push!

Surprisingly, force pushing was a bit easier for me than force pull. Kethry made some cryptic comment about how much she, as a Mystic, used force pull, so I was determined to learn it. Well, it didn't quite go as planned. Lyceus nearly hit himself in the face, and I'll admit it, so did I. But Kethry stopped the droid before we could break our own noses. After that, the lesson was over, but I left a bit more knowledgeable than before, and I am determined to practice!

I asked Tam'a'ryth if telekinesis could be used for more powerful feats, like tearing a star-ship out of the sky. She didn't seem to have a definite answer other than saying that Masters were capable of incredible things, and she had heard of shuttles being moved before. Not exactly what I was thinking, I was referring to the big ships. The huge ones! Pulling one of those out of the atmosphere would be an incredible feat. But... also probably not the wisest. Unless the planet was unpopulated. A ship that big could cause major damage to everything in a very large area. I suppose I understand why nobody has a determined answer to that question, then. It's because even if a Master did have that power, they wouldn't use it. Not with a risk like that. I know I wouldn't.

The force can also manipulate water! This will come in handy one day, I'm sure. But that will take more time to learn.

Anyways, after class, I returned to Kethry's own apartment, which I share with her now. I nursed my bruised shoulder in the hot tub for a bit, before meditating for a while. I was just getting my thoughts together, and finding peace, like Tam'a'ryth taught me. I do feel a lot better. I was feeling a bit guilty about hitting Lyceus with that droid, but the emotion is gone now. I have given it to the force. I'm going to get some good rest tonight, that's for sure. Which I should probably do now, actually. Good night!

[the-reylo-awakens]

My drunk take on Anakin, Luke and Kylo.

I was drunk last night and wrote some things. This isn’t meta or anything, but I thought I’d post it all the same.

Yo, if this new trilogy doesn’t end well, I’ve realized it will be a huge fuck up on Disney’s part.

Like wot r you saying to audiences if you kill Kylo? Yo yo yo yo, let me EX-plain. Remember the prequels right? Ya know the movies everyone h8′s and shit. HOW DID THEY EXPECT ANAKIN TO NOT BECOME A SITH? wot were ya idiots doing? They like told him every chance they got, that he needed to bury his emotions, WHAT DID YOU THINK WOULD HAPPEN!? You can’t tell young boys (or girls) that the way to be a big cool hero guy is to bury all your emotions??? And like the JEDI who are supposed be our HEROES don’t even do shit about Anakin’s SLAVE mother. Eh slavery whaevs and I right JEDI bros?

STAR WARS has some serious problems with how it treats it’s male characters, (and female) but shit. Stop beating down every positive emotion these young boys have. Yes boys, plural. Yoda does this to Luke as well, the tiny green snot shaped shit. And then, oh boy, then there’s Kylo. Who’s coded as mentally ill, also abandoned by his parents. DO YOU KNOW WHY LUKE TRIED TO KILL MY SON PRINCE BEN ORGANA? Because Luke also went though that bullshit emotional conditioning, that’s what made him stand there and think, I’LL KILL MY NEPHEW!

MORON.

He did it because he was DETACHING HIMSELF. Do you understand how harmful that is to teach kids??? And I think these movies are about that? BECAUSE FOR ONCE REY DOESN’T HAVE THESE SHIT BAGS BREATHING DOWN HER THROAT ABOUT HOW EMOTIONS ARE BAD. IDIOTS.

Let me make this very clear. It took my a while to learn about toxic masculinity in my personal life, despite my femaleness, I bought into it. But the truth is there’s nothing wrong with emotion in moderation, not even anger is bad u guys... and these dummies over here, ugh. You have to be scared, you have to be afraid of loosing people, you have to LOVE. JEASUS. 

REY PLEASE STOP THIS AND BRING MY BOY HOME

[mllfology]

i still want my fucking carmilla star wars au fanfic where

mircalla (carmilla) is the daughter of a powerful sith lord and sometimes does her dirty work but ends up getting captured by the resistance and spends time in gay baby jail where shes questioned by danny......who just so happens to bring her jedi in training laura with her every time.

and danny’s getting fuckin nowhere with answers so laura starts sneaking in to where carmilla’s being held tryna get some answers and at first laura doesn’t get anywhere either but after a few visits and a cookie carmilla accidentally like, spills half her backstory and like 2 secrets but it’s fine. laura also starts calling carmilla carmilla here.

anyway they’re eventually comfortable enough that laura actually? goes in to carmillas cell?? when absolutely no one is monitoring them?? like she deadass distracts security somehow and they have a conversation up close

anyway now laura’s convinced carmillas not a threat and pushes for the jedi to release her. danny and the others are cautious to the idea but lauras like “i’ll be around her 24/7!!”

carmilla is released from gay baby jail. domesticated pre-relationship living begins

“just because shes a luthor karnstein doesn’t mean shes evil”

laura sees carmilla practicing lightsaber moves (they didn’t give her a real one lmao) on a dummy and Boy Suddenly It’s Really Hot In That Room

more plotting against the sith, but this time there’s a goth in the room with nice eyebrows

it’s the night before danny and laura have to trace a lead in a different planet. carmillas not allowed to go. carmilla knows what lauras about to head into is dangerous. she wants to tell laura she loves her but it’s trapped under her tongue. she kisses her instead

the mission goes FINE nothing to really worry about. some scratches and laura smells like smoke for like 2 days and danny’s missing an eyebrow but it’s all good.

“so...we never really got a chance to talk about what happened before--” CUE INTERRUPTION AFTER INTERRUPTION AND NOW WE GOT SEXUAL TENSION

they’re finally alone one night and they’re still kind of dancing around what had happened. lauras doing something she always does (idk) but carmillas ready to explode she just wants to dive the fuck in you know?? and i think laura gets the hint bc she gets a lil flustered and carmillas about to make a move when there’s a knock on the door.

fuckin laf got damn

lafs there asking if they can have blood samples to compare the blah blah blah and carmilla ends up shutting the door in laf’s face. laura’s like Wait A Second That Was Meanmph and suddenly carmillas kissing her again and she doesn’t really care anymore.

secret relationship :)

they bang

but then some dramatic shit happens and carmilla feels like she doesn’t belong and that she’ll never be good enough and she either a) goes back to the sith bc she hates herself. that bitch. or b) is re-kidnapped by the sith and just accepts it

laura launches a mission to get carmilla back with or without the help of the jedi. realization moment for a lot of the gang that lauras in love with carmilla. it goes against jedi code but they would all do anything for laura so they go to rescue carm. fun!

lots o fighting. scooby gang actually gets a few injuries going up against this really good sith soldier and wait--the karnsteins normally wear those deep black battle suits. and the soldier is far too small to be will so it’s....carmilla :0 

carmillas deadass one move away from fuckin murdering danny when laura screams her name

damn carmillas easily brainwashed when she’s depressed. she’s back on her sith bullshit wearing a helmet and laura can’t see her eyes she misses her eyes.

laura talks carmilla down, manages to get her to take off her helmet and turn off her lightsaber

unfortunately carms mom appears with a ton of guards and boy is she a bitch

u know they end up fighting their way out of there

gay happily ever after i guess

[cassatine]

Okay so! THE LAST JEDI. I wanted to do a coherent post and all but hings happened so. Spoilers ahead. Like a lot of spoilers. I recommend not reading if you haven’t seen the movie. No really don’t. 

The [tl:dr]: I loved it! I’m also glad I saw it twice. First viewing felt like a weird mix of things I’d expected (including things I expected two years ago and had started thinking would Not Happen) but the way it all worked together was a punch to the gut. Also I cried a lot, which is not great for visibility. Second viewing was more enjoyable. There’s something very smoke and mirror to the story; it plays with expectations and then turns things on their head. It’s a very clever movie, tho it’s definitely got its flaws. I hardly felt the two hours and a half, could actually have done with a longer runtime because some things moved really fast. It’s also very funny, when it’s not breaking your heart and stepping repeatedly on it. In a (mostly) good way. 

The more or less good:

Starting with that assault on the Dreadnought and Paige Tico’s death, the Resistance plot went where SW rarely does. Poe learning to look at the big picture and the sad economics of war and resistance, the bleeding out of Resistance forces, the unsurprising reveal that god guys and bad guys buy their military hardware from the the same sources, it’s a relentless onslaught. The New Republic is a non-entity, the First Order has weapons aplenty, and the stage is set for a new Empire to be born and a new Rebellion to rise, and it’s all very tragic, but it’s a Star Wars, so of course the good guys live to fight another day light the spark at the end, a source of inspiration for every child escaped from a Dickens novel across the GFFA

Finn and Rose’s plot was lovely - Rose was altogether amazing, and her line about fighting to protect what you love rather than destroy what you hate is... a tad cheesy i guess but in the best of ways. I love that she wants to protect her sister’s memory and that it’s freeing the farthiers that makes the Canto Bight events worth it (i mean they’ll probably be caught again in less than a week because that’s the way of the world, but attagirl!), and that “I saved you, dummy” line. That one reviewer that called her the heart of the movie was pretty much right. 

Luke throwing the saber behind him. Mark Hamill was nothing short of great, but this moment was so very understated and yet so defining, so meaningful. also: Rey’s reaction. 

Actually everything to do with Luke was pretty great. His backstory was kept sparse, but he’s basically following in his master’s footsteps by exiling himself on a nowhere planet after a massive fuck-up, very poetic. Being a Skywalker he’s got to take it one step further drama-wise, with the whole *the Jedi will die with me* thing. Vanity!, screams ghost Yoda. 

I love that it’s fundamentally a movie about failure, and what you do after. Luke’s failure of Ben looms large, and behind it there’s the Jedi Order’s failure but he’s not the only one. Poe fails at being a leader. Finn and Rose’s mission fails. Rey fails to turn Kylo, who kind of fails as a general rule. He failed and was failed by Luke, and he kind of failed Snoke as an apprentice, from a certain point of view. All the Resistance’s plans fail. Snoke fails and die. Chewie fails at keeping porgs away. It’s a debacle left and right, and then the 3D-marionette-Yoda gives us deep words of deeper wisdom than even Rose’s, reminding us that in every failure there’s a lesson. When it doesn’t kill you or you’re not a casualty for someone else’s lesson at least hahahaha. 

The Jedi Order’s founding texts and Yoda’s “page-turners they are not” yes thank you 

Snoke and his playing up Kylo and Hux against each other. From the moment he humiliated Hux publicly to his final words, Snoke is skin-crawling awful, moreso than in TFA. There’s not one moment I don’t want to point to and go “eeeeew” about, srsly.

Chewie eating a porg. I feel so validated. 

Kylo’s epic love story with bad choices. Attaboy. 

Force Bond. CAN YOU PUT ON A COWL SOMETHING thanks for this most cliché scene straight out of a romance novel I AM LIVING!!! fucking hell. On a similar note, Rey and Kylo’s handsex. fingertips sex? whatever, it was just wow, tag ur metaphorical porn star wars, please. also: Luke’s reaction. 

Vice-Admiral Holdo is the lady of my heart and if she had to die I guess her death scene was a crowning moment of awesome at least. I wonder if the discourse will now feature fights about “if it was that easy they’d have done it with the Death Stars” and “why didn’t they.” Not looking forward to that. Not looking forward any of the discourse. At all.

The Rey parentage reveal. The scenes on Ahch-to with the dark side spot calling to her and the vision were some of my favourites, and well, Rey Random’s always been my horse, so! Very satisfying. I’m kind of wary at this point, and not sure how much trust I can put in Kylo’s words tbh, but I’m choosing to believe. 

THE THRONE ROOM FIGHT WITH THE LOBSTERGUARDS??? The beginning with Rey and Kylo back to back was EVERYTHING and the whole thing was just perfect G O D

And then the Kylo/Luke fight happened and wow 

RENPEROR i mean - this is the one thing i wanted and had stopped believing in and i got it, he turned against Snoke in yet another crowning moment of awesome (HIS REAL ENEMY!!) and made Hux go long live the supreme leader - at which point i started to pity Hux. He’s having a no good, very bad, terrible day and he suffers so much it’s all kinds of amazing. Anyway, by the end of TLJ, Kylo’s more sympathetic than he was in TFA imo (for general audiences) and graduating to big bad. I kind of expected one or the other, but both at once? 

Something in me is disappointed at the Force plot - I wanted weird eldritch Force shit, and I guess I got some on Ahch-to, but nothing to do with Snoke. As much as I like pretty much everything, including how Snoke’s death subverted expectations and changed the game, I kind of miss the road(s) not taken. 

Speaking of subverted expectations - I think I need (more) sleep and another viewing or two or three to decide how much I actually like it all, but expectations were masterfully subverted. Who Snoke is doesn’t matter because he’s dead, Kylo is still conflicted, Rey kind of became a Jedi but wow does she flirt with the dark side, and Rey Skywalker was found dead and butchered in Miami. The Resistance ends up in tatters, Luke is busy with self-exile and never technically leaves Ahch-to

REY STOLE THE BOOKS oh my girl lbr i would have too

Luke’s final projection act and how beautifully set up it was and his reunion with Leia. Insert river of tears. 

The more or less bad and the stuff that made me sad:

Yoda looked fugly. I can’t not say it. 

I loved Amilyn, and her death was a crowning moment of awesome, but also, a woman died so a man could learn a lesson

on a similar note, a species (nick)named the Caretakers made up of feminine aliens engaged in (mostly) feminine-coded activities 

DJ was rather underwhelming as a character

Rey went really fast from murderous snake monster to ~touching Kylo’s hand - timeline wise, all this happens in huh less... than... 18... hours?? though Ahch-to is like, a vergence, which means time passes differently there, it’s just never made explicit, and it’s still less than 18 hours for Kylo Ben - head hurts - in any case just one more force convo laden with tension could have helped

*Everything* happened really fast tbh. There were a lot of twists and turns, and as I said it’s very clever, but sometimes at the expanse of character growth? it’s a bit bumpier a road

FUCKING INTENDED BOOK BURNING WHAT IS IT WITH YOU STAR WARS WEREN’T THE JEDI ARCHIVES ENOUGH??

RENPEROR yeah it’s both in the good AND the bad because: i wanted it, i wanted it dearly, but also: what. no really, what. 

noooooo rey don’t close the door on kylo don’t nooooo

Okay that’s not much on the bad and there’s things i’m undecided on but that’s long enough. 

[politicalmamaduck]

The Last Shot

A Smuggler Ben Solo/Dark Side Rey arranged marriage fic for @the-reylo-void. Many thanks to @lariren-shadow for her inspiration and betaing, and @cosetteskywalker for the amazing moodboards!

Read it on AO3 here.

Chapter Five: The Discovery | Chapter Four: The Bargain | Chapter Three: The Bounty | Chapter Two: The Meeting | Chapter One: The Treaty

Rey had never been asked what she wanted before. The smuggler’s question had been unexpected, yet welcome. It got her to thinking.

What did she want?

The Supreme Leader wanted this treaty. The Supreme Leader wanted her to marry the smuggler, to try to turn him to their side. The Supreme Leader wanted her to produce Force-sensitive offspring.

Since he had saved her from scavenging on Jakku, Rey had always done the Supreme Leader’s will. The Supreme Leader never asked what she wanted; he merely commanded her to take her Knights of Ren and do his bidding.

Rey wanted to explore the galaxy, to find ancient relics from the history of the Force, both Jedi and Sith. Rey wanted to learn new languages, to pilot new ships. She had loved practicing with her simulators on Jakku, and she was able to pick up Teedospeak very easily, but neither was quite the same. She wanted to see the forests of Endor, and the deserts of Tatooine, and discover which tongue her parents might have used.

She decided all of this in the minutes after her husband to be extended his hand to her. She would use him to achieve these goals. Certainly, he was well traveled, and she knew he spoke several languages.

She sat for several minutes, meditating to make sure her feelings on the matter were clear. Seeking to travel the galaxy with the smuggler would not be against the Supreme Leader’s express wishes; they would have to cohabitate in order to produce offspring, certainly. They had not communicated much beyond pleasantries and negotiating their recently struck bargain of cooperation.

Rey left her assigned quarters with a renewed focus, and sent a message that she would like to meet with the smuggler again. She hoped that it would not raise any eyebrows after their extended meeting that morning.

Ben had left his meeting with Rey rather pleased with himself. At least he didn’t have the bounty to worry about--for the time being. He knew that Rey’s temper would be as nasty as his own if something were to go wrong.

He headed to a training room, and set up a punching dummy. It would not behoove him to become lazy during this conference. He needed to still be on his guard, even if the situation between the Resistance and the First Order--and him and Rey-- had improved.

He worked himself into a good rhythm with the punching, adding in some ducking and kicking. After he felt satisfied with his warm up, he moved to the weight rack, stretching his arms and legs as he went.

He was working up a nice sweat when his comlink sounded. It was the sound of a high-level Resistance code. Sighing, he returned his dumbbell to the rack and answered his comlink.

“The Lady Rey has requested a meeting with you,” Lieutenant Ko Connix said.

“Did she set a time?” he asked, wiping his brow with the bottom of his shirt.

“She did not,” Kaydel replied.

“Reply to her asking if the conference room in an hour would suffice. And tell her we will exchange comlink codes so that we can communicate without an intermediary from now on.”

“Yes, sir,” said Kaydel, and the transmission ended.

Ben gathered his things and headed to the ‘fresher for a shower--and to plan. He chose to believe that an unexpected meeting with his fiancee was a good sign. He hoped it was a good sign.

Rey arrived in the main conference room before Ben did. She paced back and forth, waiting only a few minutes before he arrived.

“To what do I owe the honor of an unexpected meeting?” he asked, inclining his head to her and sitting down at the conference table, across the room from her.

Even in an empty room meant for ten times the number of people, her betrothed seemed to dominate the space. Even the chair in which he sat seemed too small for him. Rey had not considered his sheer physical strength to much degree before. His Force potential was enormously powerful, and yet the life of a smuggler seemed to suit him.

She would not allow herself to be distracted from her focus, however. There would be another time to negotiate the physical aspect of their relationship in order to beget children.

“I was thinking about our bargain,” she began, standing straight and firmly. She would not allow herself to relax and seem weak.

He nodded, waiting for her to continue.

“You asked me what I wanted. In accordance with our agreement, I would like to travel on as many of your missions as possible. I would like to see more of the wider galaxy, and have more opportunities to pilot my own craft and to learn the galaxy’s languages.”

His nodding along with her words stopped when she stopped speaking.

“That’s all you wanted to add?” he asked, and then cringed at how quickly he had spoken without thinking.

“Yes,” she said, taking a step towards the conference table. “I can speak Basic, and Teedospeak, and understand Binary and Shryiiwook. But even though I am the Master of the Knights of Ren, I am not at liberty to command my own ship and choose our missions. I am still the Supreme Leader’s apprentice. I would like to honor my grandfather’s legacy and learn more about the wider galaxy, and learn to speak his native tongue. Just as you seek to honor your family’s legacy, tarnished as it is.”

Ben shook his head, cupping his chin in his hands and leaning on the table.

“So those rumors are true? You’re old Palpatine’s granddaughter. Dear Force, and they left you on Jakku for all those years? I can’t say I blame you wanting to get the hell off that dustball, knowing about your famous grandfather or not. And how could you possibly have any brain power left to learn anything with Snoke beating at your head all the time? I’m amazed you’ve lasted this long without lashing out at him.”

Rey’s eyes flashed, and Ben knew he had gone way too far. Her brow furrowed, and she leaned forward onto the table, gripping it with white knuckles.

“What do you mean, Snoke beating at your head all the time?” She practically growled his words back at him, through clenched teeth. She had removed her hands from the table to clench her fists at her sides, and she was practically vibrating with anger.

“He doesn’t do that to you?” Ben asked, hoping to put Rey back on the defensive and evaporate some of her anger.

She looked at him, quizzically at first, and then it turned right back into roiling fire in her eyes.

“You say this like you know of it personally,” she said, brows furrowing once more and her shoulders leaning in towards the table and Ben across from her.

He decided honesty would have to be the best policy at this particular moment.

“Snoke started whispering to me before I was born. My mother felt a dark presence reaching for me while I was still in her womb. I’ve had terrible migraines all my life as a result of Snoke beating against my mental shields, trying to sway me to the dark. He nearly won, after the entire galaxy found out about my grandfather. I left my uncle and flew to Tatooine, went out into the desert. Simmered with rage for a long time. My family came for me, luckily enough, before I went ahead and did anything stupid. I told my mother and my uncle I wouldn’t be returning to the public eye at their sides for a long time. My dad and I had it out; we had never gotten on too well, he didn’t trust the Force the way my mother did. But we came to an understanding, and that’s when I decided to join another family business. Just not the family business any of them had planned for me.”

He finished, and held his hands up to her in a gesture of surrender.

“So he left you alone after that?” she scoffed, raising her eyebrows once more.

“I had thought so,” Ben said. “But I realized earlier that’s around the time he found you out on Jakku.”

“So you think he gave up on you because he found me,” she stated, not looking at Ben but rather, up at the room’s ceiling.

“I think so, yes,” he said, as gently as he could.

The water pitcher and glasses that were sitting on the sideboard behind Rey shattered.

Ben flinched, and didn’t say anything for a long moment.

The room was eerily quiet save for the sounds of Ben and Rey’s breathing.

“I’ll call for a droid to clean that up,” he ventured, and grabbed the room’s remote control.

Rey did not respond. Her left hand covered her eyes, while her right arm crossed her chest. He could tell her eyes were closed and that she was attempting to control her breathing.  

“Puc ensenyar-te Nubian,” he said, offering it as a truce between them.

“You speak the language of the Naboo?” she asked, her eyes opening and growing wide as she removed her hand from her face.

“I speak Nubian, Corellian, Alderaanian, Shryiiwook, bits of Jawaese and Ewok, and Binary,” he replied. “They’re a bit more useful than Teedospeak,” he continued, hoping that maybe she’d flash a smile.

She nodded, even though her posture indicated her still volatile emotions.

Ben decided to try again. “How about we train together tomorrow, before lunch and the afternoon session? I’m sure your side will be pleased we’re making an effort to get to know one another so that we can, you know, breed, as you put it.”

She sighed.

“I’ll see you at 0900 hours in training room B100A, okay?” he asked.

“That’s fine,” Rey replied with the notes of finality in her voice.

Ben left the conference room as the cleaner droid arrived. He turned back to see Rey slumped in a chair, her head in her hands once more.

[totallyrhettro]

The Lone Jedi, Chapter 23 (final)

Word Count: 2744 Rating: This chapter: G. Overall story: explicit Warnings: none Summary: Jedi Knight Rhett McLaughlin managed to escape the purge of the Emperor to become one of the last of his celibate order. After years of a solitary life, he finds himself with a former slave for a friend. Despite his efforts to maintain anonymity and the jedi code, he starts to realize that doing either is easier said than done. Notes: Star Wars AU; Events take place between episodes III and IV

First Chapter

Previous Chapter

*See the end of each chapter for additional notes on star wars terms*

Link POV

It was late when Link returned to the house. He was surprised to see the lights in the small hut weren’t on yet, but it didn’t concern him right away. Even as he stepped inside, looking around the rounded wooden structure, and saw that it was empty of life, he didn’t fret. The main room, consisting of the kitchen, a dining area and a living room, didn’t look disturbed. All was neat and tidy, without a trace of any struggle or turmoil. Setting down the large bag of fruits and vegetables that he had purchased earlier onto the stone kitchen counter, he walked out through the back door. It was a short stroll through the long grass to the edge of the nearby beach. There, on the shore, sitting on a long-ago toppled tree with a fishing pole in hand, was his friend. His love.

“You’re going to get sunburned,” he noted, stepped up behind the tall figure. Rhett didn’t turn, but sighed quietly.

“Not one bite,” he complained, ignoring the warning. “On a planet renowned for its ocean life, I haven’t gotten a single bite.” Link chuckled, sitting down next to Rhett, and shook his head.

“Didn’t you tell me this planet has some of the most dangerous ocean life in the galaxy?” Link asked. “Why would you want to catch any of it?”

“So I can eat it,” Rhett answered simply. There was a bright smile in his eyes as he tried to keep a straight face. Link gave a low chuckle.

“How about you make that cassarole you were talking about earlier. What’s it called?”

“Tiingilar. It’s Mandalorian.” Reeling in his empty hook, setting aside the rod, he leaned against Link and put his arm around him. “I think you’ll like it.” Ducking down, he nuzzled against Link’s neck.

“Something tells me you aren’t exactly hungry just yet.” Not that Link would be unhappy about that fact. They had lived here for several months now and he had never been so content. This seaside abode was a far cry from the towering ruins of the academy. The massive complex was long gone, replaced by luscious grasslands on a tiny island in the middle of a giant ocean. Stone and bricks walls replaced by those of wood, straw-filled mattresses by a real bed with cotton sheets and fluffy pillows. It was still a simple life, but a cozy one, and one that Link was thrilled to be a part of.

“Oh, I am,” Rhett admitted. “I’m just having a little bit of an appetizer.” Link pushed him away in a huff.

“I am not an appetizer,” he asserted, looking hurt. Rhett’s smile was gone instantly, replaced by worry and confusion. Then Link smirked. “I’m dessert.” There was a split second were Link saw the light go on in Rhett’s mind before he got to his feet and out of the taller man’s grasp. “Come on,” he said, walking back to the house. “I’m starving.” As he started making his way back home, he walked with a slightly exaggerated swagger, swinging his hips. He knew it made Rhett crazy, and he loved to make that man crazy.

He didn’t make it far. After just a few steps, Rhett was right behind him, his presence like a gathering storm. Link stopped by a large tree near some giant boulders, turning around just as Rhett caught up with him. He leaned against the trunk, casually. This was one animal he was always pleased to have pursuing him.

“Yes, Rhett?” he asked, teasingly. Rhett stepped closer until they were toe to toe, placing his arm against the tree just above Link’s head.

“You’re a tease, you know that?” There was a soft growl in his voice, his eyes looked deep into Link’s, half lidded and dark. Link felt his heart begin to flutter, thoughts of past nights of them together racing through his mind. His love for this man never faded, his desire as fresh as the first time he felt it. Rhett was intoxicating and Link adored him.

“Oh?” he inquired. “I was just walking…”

“You know what your walk does to me,” Rhett accused. Link tried to hide his smile, but it was no use. “I’m not sure I can wait for dessert.” His green eyes gazed over Link’s loose-fitting shirt and matching pants. Even dressed in these clothes Link felt completely naked under Rhett’s scrutiny.

“I think you might be letting your emotions take control of you,” Link teased, raising a single eyebrow. For a moment he thought he had gone too far, Rhett’s expression faltering into a solemn frown.

“Perhaps.” Bending down, the former jedi kissed Link, his lips both gentle and full of passion, his hands holding the other man tightly. He held him there for a blissful eternity before finally taking a breath. It took a moment before Link’s world stopped spinning. “Or maybe I’m controlling them.” Link glanced around, seeing three huge boulders and a multitude of smaller rocks just casually hovering around them. Rhett’s head didn’t turn, his eyes still boring into Link’s soul. The shorter man couldn’t help but feel a rush of something surge through his body; a tiny bit of fear mixed with a great deal of excitement.

“You’ve got to teach me how to do that,” he whispered, unable to hide the lust in his voice. Rhett grinned and kissed him again, this time soft and chaste. The rocks and boulders fell gently to the grass.

“Let’s eat first,” he suggested. “I really am hungry.” Link gave him a playful shove.

“Alright, alright,” he laughed. “I’d hate to keep you from your fancy bean dish.” Taking Rhett’s hand in his own, Link led the way back to their little abode, a smile plastered on his face.

“I do like beans,” Rhett pointed out with an exaggerated nod.

“I remember.” There had been at least ten different kinds of beans growing in the gardens back at the academy ruins. With Link’s help, Rhett had started a new garden when they moved here, but the plants had yet to sprout anything edible. “Hopefully we’ll be able to grow some here and you’ll never go without.”

“Truly, this will be paradise,” Rhett noted, mockingly. Link gave him another shove for that one.

~

After they had left Svivren, the small rebel base there, and found this secluded spot, Rhett continued his daily meditations. He didn’t really consider himself a jedi knight any longer, but that didn’t matter. He still believed that the practice was important; it helped him feel at peace, and more attuned with the Force. Once he managed to craft a new bokken and a new target dummy, he resumed his martial training as well. He enjoyed keeping up with his workouts, both physical and mental. After very little coaxing, Link joined him for the combat portion of his routine. Pretty soon he was quite adept at hand-to-hand fighting. Never again would he fear being taken against his will, and he grew stronger every day.

That evening, once their food was digested and the sun started to get low, Link joined his friend by the water’s edge. He didn’t usually participate in the meditations, getting quickly bored with the whole process, but today he wanted to try. Today he was ready to listen.

“Now, don’t get discouraged if nothing happens,” Rhett told him, sitting down cross-legged on the blanket he had laid out for them. “Communing with the Force isn’t about moving rocks around with your mind, it’s about finding inner peace.”

“How long did it take you to learn how to move rocks?” Link wondered.

“Uh, well…” Rhett flicked the hairs on the back of his neck nervously. “Let’s not focus on that right now…”

“How long does it normally take?”

“Well… Look. Not everyone is force-sensitive, Link,” Rhett explained. “It’s actually very unlikely that you’re ever going to be able to move rocks like that.” Link slumped across from him, disappointed. “It’s not impossible,” Rhett added, trying to cheer him up. “I just don’t want you to get your hopes up for nothing.”

“I understand.” Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath just as he had seen Rhett do a hundred times. ‘How hard could it be?’

After a few minutes of breathing exercises, Link felt himself become very relaxed. The soothing sound of waves gently washing upon the sandy shore was incredibly calming, and just having Rhett nearby always left his mind more at peace then when he was alone.

“Clear your mind,” Rhett instructed. “Feel the Force, its energy flowing through you. Let go of your conscious self. Stretch out with your feelings.” Link tried to empty his thoughts of everything but Rhett’s voice, but instead of feeling calm he felt restless. Despite his efforts to stay focused, he could hear everything all around him at once. The wind, the waves- it all rushed in at him. After a moment his eyes flung open and he panted, overwhelmed and out of breath. Rhett was very understanding.

“It’s alright, Link,” he told him. “Meditating can be its own reward. I think you’ll find it to be quite satisfying, even if you aren’t Force-sensitive.” Link shrugged. Maybe it was naive to think he could be a jedi just like Rhett.

“It isn’t very relaxing,” he countered. “What do you say we just watch the sunset for a while?” Not waiting for an answer, Link flopped onto his back with his hands behind his head. Rhett followed suit with a gentle smile. “This is my kind of meditation.”

“Good idea,” Rhett agreed as he laid down beside Link. “Maybe we can try again tomorrow?”

“Maybe.”

~

Over the next few weeks, Link meditated with Rhett every evening, but he couldn’t seem to move so much as a grain of sand.,though he didn’t tell his friend he was even still trying. Eventually he gave up completely, just using the time to clear his mind of stress and worry. Any day now the rebels were going to make a move on the nearby Imperial base. That was one of the reasons Rhett and Link had moved to this planet after the Hutt’s mining facility on Andasala was put out of business. Lovely and serene though it might be, it would probably just be temporary. Link tried not to think about that, or what dangerous the future might hold. Now that he was out of hiding, Rhett was determined to help the rebel alliance defeat the Empire as best he could, without revealing his jedi past. As far as they, or anyone else knew, he was just a soldier looking to help out in the fight.

“Chances are we won’t have to leave,” Rhett assured his companion. “Though we might have to stay off world awhile in order to keep the imperial troops from finding us.”

“I really like it here,” Link sighed. It had been his home for some time now, and he was just starting to feel like his life was almost perfect.

“Me, too. Believe me, I don’t want to move anywhere either, but I want you to be prepared to leave and find a new home if we have to.” Link knew Rhett only meant to keep them both safe, to keep Link ready for what might happen in the future, but sometimes it made him worry. Meditating helped immeasurably, clearing his mind of unease and negative thoughts. It definitely seemed to help Rhett as he never appeared concerned about anything.

“Are you really not worried at all?” Link asked one night, as they settled into their shared bed.

“Sometimes. I’m just like any other man-”

“-who can lift giant rocks in the air,” Link added.

“Still, I do worry sometimes, but I’ve been meditating for nearly my whole life. Jedi are trained to control their emotions, including anxiety.” Rolling onto his side, Rhett looked at his friend and lover, the starlight that shone through the window sparkled in his emerald eyes. “Besides, no matter what happens, I’ll have you to protect me.”

“I am getting pretty good with a bokken.” Rhett hummed in agreement, pulling Link in close and settling in to sleep. “Maybe someday you can teach me how to use a real sword, or your lightsaber.”

“I think you’d would do better with a blaster, but if you want to learn, we can buy you a metal blade to train with.” Link’s face lit up at the thought. Chances were good that he’d never be able to be a full jedi, like Rhett, but maybe he could live like one. Once Rhett was able to tell him the truth about his past, there seemed to be no end to his tales about the jedi. The legends and passing rumors Link had heard over the years didn’t seem to do the great knights justice and he quickly grew enamored with notion of becoming one himself.

“I almost wish we had grown up together,” he mused, snuggling closer. “Then we might have been jedi together.” Rhett gave an amused nod.

“But we couldn’t have been anything more than friends,” he reminded Link. “Or I probably would have been thrown out of the order as soon as I hit puberty.”

“Still, it would have been wonderful to have those years with you.” Rhett kissed his nose as he wrapped his arms around him.

“We have many years yet to go, and I intend to spend every single one of them with you.” Link sighed contently, holding Rhett’s arms against his chest.

“I love you,” he whispered. ‘With all of my heart.’

“I love you, too.” For a few minutes they were silent, but while it was more than enough time for Link to drift off into dreamland, he had one last question to ask.

“Do you think I could have been a jedi? If I had grown up in the order?” Rhett didn’t open his eyes, but gave Link a cozy hug.

“You would have made a great jedi.”

~

A few days later Rhett and Link were sitting by the ocean meditating, as they did every morning now, when Link opened his eyes. He couldn’t seem to concentrate today, unable to stop thinking about the impending rebel strike on the nearby Imperial base. In just a few hours it would begin, and the two of them would be right in the thick of it. He wasn’t worried about their victory; along with the rebel fighters, both he and Rhett had been making attacks on various targets for some time now. The rebellion was slowly growing in strength and size. It wouldn’t be too long before they landed a great blow against the mighty Empire. No, it was the usual worry that something would happen to Rhett. Link wouldn’t have been able to bear it if his love got so much as a scratch during their raids. He couldn’t help but worry.

“Everything will be fine,” Rhett told him, not opening his eyes. “We must trust in the Force, trust that the light is on our side.”

“I know,” Link sighed. “I just…”

“I understand how you feel,” the former jedi began. “This is why we meditate. So we can clear our minds of these thoughts. Close your eyes.” Link nodded and did just that. “Focus on your breath. See the world around you through the force, not with your eyes. Feel the light flow through you. Embrace it. Make it part of you.”

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Link tried to reach his calming space. He had been practicing these meditative techniques for some time now and he was getting very good at it. Eyes still closed, he reached out with his thoughts, sensing the environment around him. The waves crashed nearby, rolling waters serene and powerful. The wind blew through his hair, gentle and warm, caressing his skin and winding through the long grass. Small animals scurried nearby; Link could feel their life force as well as he could hear them. Reaching out to the small rocks near him, he examined them through and through, fascinated by their texture. Concentrating on them, he could almost feel their rough surface with his fingers, though he had not moved from his spot. He concentrated a little more…

“Link.” Rhett’s voice was a whisper. He was obviously trying to remain calm, but there was astonishment in his voice. “Link… Open your eyes.”

The End

Additional Notes-

None required.

More Fics

[dorotheian]

So finally I can put my own two cents in on what I saw in Last of the Jedi.

I understand why people would be put out by it. IMO, it’s between a rock and a hard place: multiple perspectives, not enough time—barely enough to round it all out at the end (I kept wondering when the endpoint was going to be), and relying on a thematic/mythic approach that slides over certain cause-and-effect holes. But since when has a Star Wars movie not relied on all the dominoes being lined up just so? And is simultaneously trying to show what happens when the dominoes aren’t stacked neatly? It’s taken almost too far. I’m just gonna accept that the timescales were VERY generously stretched.

Poe’s and Finn’s sides of the conflict were comparatively—perhaps equally—weak. Rey carries the movie; but she’s not even doing that much until the end. Poe and Finn are much more active. Rey has the luxury of time and contemplation which they do not have: they, like the Resistance, are moving in “real time,” getting messy, making mistakes, living on a wind and a prayer and the conviction that if they follow their inner compass, it will all turn out right.

The heroes are contrasted with their leadership. Rey/Luke, Kylo/Snoke, Finn & Poe vs. Leia and Harlo; and right up at the end, it’s Hux/Kylo (Hux is doing his best to knock out Kylo—to be continued). ALL of these leaders are deeply flawed, and I think the movie was attempting to explore those flaws. The flaws of too much experience, and too little; of long service, and temporary roles; of not recognizing one’s place, and struggling to impose an unnatural chain of leadership and command (Harlo and Hux).

In Leia’s and Harlo’s cases... *sigh* Yup, they held onto that idiot ball. Leia’s displeasure should have focused more on taking away Poe’s command (if that plot point had to be there to begin with) than a stupid face-slap. If it is in character, a face-slap reveals Leia’s weakness as a commander in using such a crude and despotic crutch. Then Harlo was abrupt, condescending, and overly secretive. There was no need for her to hide her own plans except for extra drama in the late reveal. Admitting in private that she likes that hot-shot pilot in no way makes up for unnecessarily abrading him in public. Whether Poe is ranked as a soldier or not, Harlo made the mistake of treating Poe like a soldier when he is a fully actualized, free-thinking leader. It cost valuable time. It was a rookie mistake; she stepped in to an interim temporary role and held the reins too tightly. I sympathize, because temporary authority is a deuce to handle, but it in no way excuses her. Nor do I think Poe did right in undermining her; but he was making decisions in real time to save the Resistance. (Interesting parallel in Star Trek Discovery, btw.) I don’t like Harlo’s interpretation of Leia’s favorite saying: there’s no need to manufacture ignorance to spur creativity and faith. Creativity thrives on the facts. Faith does not rise on command. It can be encouraged as a culture but not manipulated or demanded in a battle. Leia, meanwhile, seems to have mellowed in her wisdom: she has grown cautious and withdraws her support too early. Nevertheless (in private) she trusts in and relies upon her fully grown, free-thinking pilots to make their own decisions. (Leia. Leia. Come on now. Show some class. You can’t have it both ways.)

Finn’s arc is plain messy. A cantina, again? OK, it’s a high-class one, we’ll call it a casino. WHATEVERRRRRR. How easy it is to hate decadent rich people; they’re dismissible stock villains. It was too convenient, too chancy. Why couldn’t we have gone to the Star Wars equivalent of Wall Street?!! That’s my main huff. I think Finn and Rose as characters were okay. I don’t like that Finn gets pre-emptively attacked so early in both TFA and TLJ. I wish Rose and Finn could have met a different way. Given in-universe reasons, I do understand Rose’s attack because Finn was acting twitchy and evasive, she’s apparently found other deserters, she’s a good soldier, etc.: she’s no dummy and she did the genre-savvy thing. It’s just genre-savvy to the wrong story. Finn, meanwhile, is canonically terrible at explaining why he’s doing what he’s doing—his first instinct is to make excuses and hide his real intentions (he probably learned that for survival on the Death Star, let’s be real) even if those intentions are good and sympathetic. He just assumes that nobody will listen to him right off. So I don’t blame Rose; I blame the writer who put Rose and Finn in that awkward situation. Rose doesn’t taser Finn because he’s black per se, but she is a bit quick to the punch, and that’s the problematic part. Real black people do get killed because they aren’t afforded the benefit of the doubt. In-universe, if she didn’t taser him right quick, she’s obviously a slacker at her job; if she does, she’s a racist bitch. There’s no good outcome to that situation. Oh, another thing I noticed: Finn doesn’t have time to enjoy himself at the cantina, but Rose can take all the time she wants rescuing the alien steeds? *rolls eyes* Yeah, knock that off. Spare me. It wasn’t funny. It looks bad. I will be disappointed if Finn/Rose is chosen as endgame over Finn/Rey. Fandom is of course free to do and enjoy almost whatever it likes, but I think that making that choice in canon would be cowardly.

Poe bought time. He didn’t have a mission to complete. Finn bought time, and did complete his mission. In terms of story impact, Finn has more. Both are equally mixed up in enjoyment and sensibility of plot. Are their plots racist? *takes a deep breath* Yes, kind of. In a “white women wield power recklessly” sort of way, and in a “white woman author wrote some insensitive situations” kind of way.

Now, onto Rey and Kylo. Despite my wishes, they got center stage. To my surprise...I’m okay with what they did with it. I think the directers put enough bait for Kylo and Rey to exist as a dark ship... perhaps unfortunately... buuuuuuut! I still think Kylo/Rey isn’t romantic. Rey is way more fond of Poe or Finn than she is of Kylo. (Personally, I like Kylo’s face, but I did not really need to see him topless? Not a sexy torso? It was plainly framed and barely romantically coded. Methinks it was restrained for a reason.) I like the argument that this movie is about Rey willingly becoming the bridge for Kylo to get out of the abusive hole he’s stuck in: not immediately, but someday. She sticks with her boundaries, and she respects the shaky place where Kylo stands. Rey will not throw herself or the galaxy away for Kylo. Rey will not give Kylo a free pass for his beliefs and choices. The ball is in Kylo’s park. He must see that empire is not the answer to peace for himself before there is any more cooperation. They have reached détente.

Luke carried on in his way like a grand old grizzled idiot. Kylo’s backstory reminds me more of Jason from the Jedi Academy books than anything. Be that as it may... I grasp in concept why Luke fell to the extent he did: he had a serious crisis of temptation and intent. But emotionally speaking, it’s a lot harder to accept. Why was he of all people susceptible to that temptation? I have only two plausible explanations. 1) Time, age, and possibly an inappropriate station for him—teaching seemed right, but it probably wasn’t really his thing for one reason or another; 2) he trusted the Jedi way and its biases too much, and misunderstood Force presentiments, partially incurring his own tragedy. (Kylo was set up, but he still made his own choices.) He trusted the Force more than he did his own knowledge of the people around him. And even acknowledging that on some level, Luke’s still susceptible to those prejudices! Look, if the Dark and Light are part of the same continuum like you say, why’d you freak out about Rey’s and Kylo’s being naturally drawn to the dark? Plain hypocrisy and superstition make Luke unable to keep a level head. Between them both, Rey and Kylo have a better grasp of the proper place of presentiments than either Luke or the Jedi Council ever did. Rey and Kylo both saw a future biased by their own perspectives. But, knowing the possibilities, they carefully acted on a new present independent of both their visions on a foundation of trust in one another. Both were right, but not completely so—and as it should be.

But I am glad Luke died the way he did; letting Kylo make his choice and rage and do his worst, but by also taking the consequences out of his hands. He made sure Kylo grasped the depths of his own brokennness, and kept Kylo from sullying his hands again. Luke chose to die like Obi-wan chose to die—in confrontation with their past, and falling not on their apprentices’ lightsabers, but at peace with themselves and the Force. It is not precisely self-sacrifice. They purposely make death their last lesson, their last gift of peace and hope, to their wayward pupils. Their life and their death are two things their apprentices could not spoil because Luke and Obi-wan chose in the end not to let them. In doing this, they reclaim ownership of their own choices and their actions, of their own burden of responsibility for the path that their lives took, and assert that these hold more power than their apprentices’ mistakes. It is not only acceptance and forgiveness, and a hope that their legacy lives on even after their death, but a confrontation and a refusal to let their apprentices continue to fall down the path of murder. They deny them this step of depravity.

Rey’s parents? Meh.

[vrheadsets]

Luden.Io Celebrates Star Wars: The Last Jedi With VRobot Update

We’ve seen from previous updates that the development team behind giant robot simulator VRobot are a group of unashamed geeks, having created homages to Transformers and Marvel’s Thor as part of content updates. Going a step further is the latest patch, which takes inspiration from a galaxy far, far away.

To celebrate the imminent release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the team at Luden.Io are introducing a new update to city-smashing title VRobot that puts the giant, looming moon-sized weapon of mass destruction the Death Star into the sky.

Though not 100% accurate to the films, as it has been designed to reflect the angular, polygonal style of the rest of the VRobot world, an image of the Death Star hangs ominously in the skybox over the city, adding a sinister presence to the city-smashing action.

The development team also said that one of their game designers has learned how to write code in order to create and implement a health system, a feature which is essential for allowing players to engage with enemy robots. The current goal is to create an enemy AI which will integrate into the game world and allow for fun and engaging gameplay using fighting moves and methods already familiar to the player.

Also being worked on is a new map that will be exclusive for multiplayer, a feature the developers hope to add soon. At the moment the ‘opponent’ is a ‘robot dummy’ who simply hangs in the air, but the team hope to share more details and updates once this feature is closer to completion. Work to bring VRobot to the PlayStation VR is also ongoing, though a release date for this version is yet to be confirmed.

VRobot is currently available on Steam Early Access for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, priced at £10.99. The team at Luden.Io have been keen to engage with the community and are releasing regular content updates.

VRFocus will bring you further news on VRobot as it becomes available.

from VRFocus http://ift.tt/2BUxY0q