#tico and the triumphs

[tfc2211]

Tico And The Triumphs

[moonage-dancer]

I just found out about Tico and the Triumphs (very late)

apparently, it was a band with Paul Simon (as Jerry Landis), Marty Cooper (i swear I've heard his name before somewhere 🤨), Gail Lynn, Mickey Borack, and Howie Beck in the early 60s— at least that’s what I got off from comments on youtube (very credible indeed)

I couldn’t find much but their discography (with about a dozen songs- the motorcycle was their most famous) just scratching the surface (I'll dig deeper later)

the first song I listened to by them was Motorcycle, which gave out a lot of Baby Driver vibes(?), just with more doo-wop in it

not my type of music, but I can appreciate Paul’s rock star phase

[artist-issues]

back then prequel trilogy got received hate from fandom mence and bullying of jake llyod and ahmed best left me heartbroken

OH you meant Rose Tico! Yes, I love her! Sorry, sorry, I wasn’t sure which Rose character you meant in your earlier ask.

I love Rose Tico. She’s literally the perfect character for Finn’s character development. Rose goes from hero-worshipping him (the thing he initially liked about Rey, that she “looked at him like nobody else ever had”) and then moved BEYOND that to forgiving him even when she knew he was running from a cause her sister just died for, then on to saving his life and teaching him about what to fight for, over and over again.

Rey is Finn’s big obsession after he’s escaped from the Stormtrooper corps because she A) Believes in him and B) Can relate to him. She’s never had a friend before, either, and she’s easily attached to people who care about her, just like he is.

But where Rey might just challenge Finn to grow a little bit—as in, care about someone outside of himself—Rose takes that a step further and challenges him to grow a LOT. Rey id awesome, and an awesome influence on Finn, but not as awesome as Rose. Rose is 100% selfless and puts all her faith in the greater good. Rey is still figuring that out. Rey has never lost anyone; Finn watches Rose as she chooses to go on fighting after her sister is killed.

Which is so perfect. Because to him, losing the person closest to you is unthinkable at the moment he meets Rose. He’s getting into that escape pod because he’s so focused on keeping Rey safe. But Rose? Rose just lost her “Rey,” her “someone closest to me.” And she’s not giving up. She’s not running away. In fact, it makes her fight harder—but not for revenge. That never shows itself in any of her interactions. And that’s so important for Finn the Stormtrooper to learn.

Plus, as far as Star Wars characters go, Rose is excellent. She embodies that whole “anybody from anywhere can be a force for good, even a farm boy, even a droid, etc.” thing, because who is she? Just an engineer who works on the cruiser. Nobody special. That humility is what’s excellent for a Star Wars hero. She’s already learned the lesson that Rey needs to learn, too—it’s just not about herself and who she is. It’s all about doing whatever the next right thing, big or small, you can do, and trusting a higher power with the rest.

But she’s still relatable. She still has moments where she gets so passionate about wanting good to triumph and bad to lose that she does lose her temper. That’s why Finn thinks she’ll be happy when they wreck Canto Bight. But you get the idea that even if she does struggle with righteous anger and bursts of outrage, she’s learned to focus on what she loves instead of letting hate consume her. She’d make an incredible Jedi.

She’s a great character. And Kelly Marie Tran did a great job playing her. She delivered her lines with vulnerability and genuineness and didn’t over-do it and gave Rose just enough rawness to make you believe she’d been through something world-shattering (losing her sister) recently, but not so much that she distracted from the focus of the scenes she was in. And she perfectly captured that whole “Rose is at rock-bottom, but she hangs on to her faith, because this is the kind of person she’s been even before the audience met her” vibe.

I hate that they basically wrote her out of TROS. And anyone who dislikes her character or her portrayal just doesn’t know how to watch a movie, that’s all.

[koremakaria]

Wish (Gingerrose Holiday Prompts)

Commander Rose Tico stepped inside a dimly lit turbolift that seemed to be moving upward without end. Arrth-Eno Custodial Complex II stood tall on the planet Coruscant and housed the most high profile prisoners. Darth Sidious destroyed the original building during the Galactic Civil War in a bid to rid himself of the detained Rebel spies but in the end the Empire did not win. Hoping to rise from the ashes of the fallen Empire, the First Order birthed a new army and started a new war. But like their predecessor, the First Order suffered the same fate.

Defeated by the Light.

With the collapsed of the First Order, the New Republic faced a new dilemma … being overrun by defeated enemies. What to do with your former enemies? Some called for their execution to pay for the war crimes committed. Some called for mercy and rehabilitation believing that there was good in every soul. And some fell somewhere in between.

Rose couldn’t really say for certain where she fit in. Some days she wanted all of them to die. Why should they live when they had hurt so many? But then on other days … well.

It was complicated.

Many prison complexes across the galaxy such as the Arrth-Eno were rebuilt to accommodate and house these defeated enemies as the New Republic contemplated their next political move.

The turbolift slowed then halted. The door slid open and Rose made her way down the lone corridor to an armored officer manning a station of security switches.

“Commander Tico,” the armored officer saluted her rank.

“I’m here to see prisoner Armitage Hux,” Rose spoke with a sort of satisfaction at the turn of events. The former General, at one point, had her on her knees while he ordered her execution.

But now … now things were different.

Rose was free as bird while the former General was detained at a maximum security facility. She couldn’t resist the small smile. She shouldn’t take pleasure at the misfortune of another but for Armitage Hux … she’d make an exception.

The officer punched in a few code and the large door slid open. They walked inside and reached another locked cell. This one held one very important prisoner.

Before the officer put in a clearance code he turned to the petite commander. “Are you sure you don’t want a blaster with you, commander. This prisoner … he’s dangerous.”

“I’m sure. You may return to your post, Sergeant. I need to talk to the prisoner, privately,” said Rose.                                                                  

“Roger that, Commander,” the officer dutifully pressed a series of code before the locks clicked and the steel door slid open. Commander Tico stepped inside and the door closed behind her with a thud and a loud clicked indicating that the locks were back in their intended location.

Armitage Hux, the loathsome general of the now defeated First Order, sat on a steel bench with his back resting up against the steel wall of his cell.

His ankles shackled. His wrists bound together in front of him with a pair of binders.

Another wave of satisfaction washed over her. This was good. The light side triumphed.

Hux slowly opened his eyes. He never had visitors but then again this particular meeting was long overdue.  Commander Tico stood stiffly before him with her arms crossed and a prominent frown on her face. 

“I wish you wouldn’t be so cross. That frown is quite unbecoming … to be perfectly honest with you.” Hux’s voice was dispassionate giving a mirage that he was unconcern about the visit from an official representative of the New Republic.

“Oh shut up!” Rose seethed loudly, stepping closer to the prisoner.

Despite his height, the fact that he was sitting down meant that he had to tilt his head back to look up at the approaching petite woman. A moment of complete silence passed between them.

“Commander Tico. I know why you’re here. And more importantly what the New Republic wants,” Hux dragged his vowels with the mention of the new government.

Rose quietly seethed and simply stared at the fallen enemy before her. Rose was here on behalf of the new government. Her superiors had made a decision and she was just doing her job complying with her order. Following through with her new mission.

“You wish that Pryde’s blaster had pierced my beskar armor.” Hux asked as Rose continued to glare down at him.

“Yes, I wish that.”

Hux bit his lower lip to prevent a victorious smile. Finally, Commander Rose was being honest.

“You wish that you could just kill me here, right now, without consequence.”

“Yes, the thought did cross my mind.”

“You wish that I was an insignificant fallen enemy … that I was not a spy … that I had no role in your victory over the First Order.”

“Yes!”

Rose shouted then heaved out a big sigh. She hated this man. How could he be so … so condescending and arrogant when he’s cuffed and detained inside a maximum security facility?

Hux stifled another smile. It was too easy.

“Let’s hear it then … what are the terms of the New Republic?”

“Full cooperation. We want to know everything you know about the First Order, the weapon systems, trainings, battle plans and especially the names of your former associates.”  

“Another wish of yours?” Hux asked sardonically.

That was when Rose lost her self-control and jump on the steel bench with her hands on Hux’s neck effectively strangling the prisoner. She shrieked out of pure frustration.

Hux had limited means of self-protection given that his ankles and wrists were bound and the attack was unexpected. He successfully scooted back but ended up in a corner of his cell.

“I’m done playing your stupid game! So, I’ll ask again. Will. You. Cooperate!!!??”

“Alright! I’ll cooperate!” Hux managed to wheeze out with his windpipe crushed by two small but very very very strong hands. Rose applied more pressure on Hux’s neck out of sheer spite before willing herself to let go.

“Ahhhh. Dank Ferrik!” Rose promptly stood up with her hands fisted tight over her chest as she paced the cell’s floor.

“You crazy woman!” Hux brought up his bound wrists up so that his hands could pat away the pain. Then he brought up his legs and folded them against his chest in a fetal position.

Rose couldn’t believe her luck. That the council would assign this mission to her. That in the foreseeable future she’d be working with this demented, arrogant, self-importance fallen enemy to extract information in order to aid the fledging new government.

“That’s right, I’m crazy,” Rose stopped pacing the cell and returned to face her new partner, “we’re going to be working together. That is … you’re going to confess EVERYTHING to me. Soooo … the next time you play your stupid game,” Rose raised one fist in front of Hux’s face and he instinctively recoiled back, “remember this!”

This was not how Hux had imagined the negotiation for his release. Shouldn’t the New Republic send someone professional? At least someone sane.

Hux chanced a look at Commander Tico. Kriffing A.

He was in trouble.                

[enkisstories]

The match's pace then changed. The "Star Destroyer" stopped merely defending against the "X-Wing" and fought back at his full skill level.

A couple of times the audience gasped, when Armitage was close to disarming Rose, but she pushed through and eventually delivered the "killing" blow.

But then...

...the moment the red lightsaber left Armitage's hand, thus fulfilling the victory condition, the yellow one de-ignited. Unfortunately that, too, fulfilled the victory condition.

A weapons malfunction. In the moment of triumph.

"A draw", the announcer whispered into their microphone, then repeated it louder: "The match has ended in a draw! Winners of the first lighsaber tournament, category non force sensitives, are Rose Tico and Armitage Hux! But from what we've seen in town, these two won't mind sharing their new landspeeder, haha! Be sure to tell us where you’re going to drive for your victory date, you two!"

Armitage: "I heard a brizzle before the saber went out... You short-circuited it with your shock pad!"

Rose: "But no one else noticed or needs to know. The cute couple won the tournament together. That's the story Black Spire will remember. The kind of story the world needs."

Rose: "Now listen! You were right, there will be people who will hold your half of our shared victory against you, and who will never accept you back into society. But I promise to protect you. I will be the shield from behind which you fire. I'll be the blade that cuts down our enemies, while you build our home. And we will be happy."

---

Note: A glitch at the perfect moment. Normally the winning sim towers over the loser with a fully extended lightsaber.

[honeyleesblog]

Providing In-Depth Horoscope and Personality Analysis for May 9 Birthdays

These individuals are loaded with thoughts and undertakings, and they have what it takes to carry out them. They are very lovely in character. They like solace and extravagance, yet are hesitant to be new and unprecedented. They express open talking abilities that they can grow brilliantly, and they can proceed to become political pioneers. They are held and sure of their power. In any case, they have created and superfluous convictions of their own significance, some of the time totally outlandish. That presumption tracks down no premise in anything, and can make the climate unfriendly towards them. They like to investigate, yet they additionally need to act with constancy and outcome. They have an incredible compassion toward human expression, particularly the applied kind or singing. They battle perseveringly for riches and are exceptionally fulfilled. In business, they generally leave a protected outlet. The imperfections related with this birthday incorporate, most importantly, exorbitant crabbiness. At the point when bothered they become extremely hesitant to think twice about. They are not extremely wonderful to others as a day to day existence friend. What undermines them: That their work in life may not be compensated, either in light of their pointless obstinacy or, in actuality, as a result of their hesitation. Providing In-Depth Horoscope and Personality Analysis for May 9 Birthdays 

 Assuming that your birthday is on May 9, your zodiac sign is Taurus May 9 - character and character character: laborer, liberal, ethical, enthusiastic, loquacious, curious; calling: pilot, veterinarian, engineer; colors: green, cream, blue; stone: spinel; creature: ostrich; plant: Zinnia; fortunate numbers: 5,10,42,49,53,59 very fortunate number: 25 Occasions and observances - May 9 Goku Day in Japan. Triumph Day over Nazism. Long periods of Recognition and Compromise (in celebration of WWII). Europe Day. May 9 VIP birthday events. Who was conceived that very day as you? 1904: Grete Harsh, disenadora y fotდ³grafa alemana (f. 1999). 1905: Lilდ­ დ?lvarez, tenista espanola (f. 1998). 1907: Baldur von Schirach, oficial alemდ¡n nazi (f. 1974). 1912: Pedro Armendდ¡riz, entertainer mexicano (f. 1963). 1918: Mike Wallace, periodista estadounidense (f. 2012). 1920: Richard Adams, escritor britდ¡nico (f. 2016). 1921: Sophie Scholl, dirigente y activista antinazi del movimiento Rosa Blanca (f. 1943). 1923: Carlos Bousono, poeta y filდ³logo espanol (f. 2015). 1924: Fernando Vidal, magistrado espanol, presidente del Council Predominant de Justicia de Asturias (f. 2012). 1924: Bulat Okudzhava, poeta, novelista y cantautor ruso (f. 1997). 1927: Manfred Eigen, fდ­sico y quდ­mico alemდ¡n, premio nobel de quდ­mica en 1967. 1928: Colin Chapman, ingeniero britდ¡nico, fabricante de automდ³viles (f. 1982). 1928: Pancho Gonzales, tenista estadounidense (f. 1995). 1928: Barbara Ann Scott, patinadora canadiense (f. 2012). 1934: Alan Bennett, escritor britდ¡nico. 1936: Albert Finney, entertainer britდ¡nico. 1936: Glenda Jackson, actriz britდ¡nica. 1937: Rafael Moneo, arquitecto espanol. 1939: Dolores Abril, cantaora espanola. 1939: Ricardo Aguirre, mდºsico venezolano (f. 1969). 1940: James L. Streams, productor, guionista y cineasta estadounidense. 1942: John Ashcroft, polდ­tico estadounidense. 1942: Mirko Sandiე‡, waterpolista y entrenador serbio (f. 2006). 1944: Richie Furay, mდºsico estadounidense, de la banda Bison Springfield. 1945: Jupp Heynckes, entrenador de fდºtbol alemდ¡n. 1946: Candice Bergen, actriz estadounidense. 1947: Vდ­ctor Ullate, bailarდ­n espanol. 1949: Marდ­a Eugenia Dდ¡vila, actriz y dramaturga colombiana (f. 2015). 1949: Ibrahim Barდ© Mainassara, militar y polდ­tico nigeriano (f. 1999). 1949: Billy Joel, mდºsico estadounidense. 1949: Andreu Martდ­n, escritor espanol. 1949: Adriდ¡n Paenza, matemდ¡tico argentino. 1950: Cristina Tejedor, actriz argentina. 1952: Adriana Varela, cantante argentina de tangos. 1955: Kevin Peter Lobby, entertainer estadounidense (f. 1991). 1955: Anne-Sofie von Otter, mezzosoprano sueca. 1955: Meles Zenawi, polდ­tico y preliminary ministro etდ­ope (f. 2012). 1956: Ludovica Squirru, astrდ³loga argentina. 1959: Christian Bach, actriz mexicana de origen argentino. 1959: Dis Berlდ­n, pintor, escultor y fotდ³grafo espanol. 1959: Miguel დ?ngel Gambier, futbolista argentino (f. 2016). 1960: Richard Horne, escritor britდ¡nico de libros infantiles. 1961: John Corbett, entertainer estadounidense. 1962: David Gahan, cantante britდ¡nico, de la banda Depeche Mode. 1962: Beatriz Gimeno, activista espanola de los derechos de LGBT. 1963: Emilio Maillდ©, chief de cine argentino. 1964: Genar Andrinua, futbolista espanol. 1964: Nacho Mastretta, mდºsico y printer espanol. 1964: Kevin Saunderson, DJ de mდºsica electrდ³nica. 1964: Miguel Tapia, mდºsico chileno. 1968: Marie-Josდ© Perec, atleta francesa. 1968: Ruth Kelly, polდ­tica britდ¡nica perteneciente al partido laborista. 1969: Golden, cantante holandesa. 1970: Ghostface Killah, rapero estadounidense, de la banda Wu-Tang Family. 1971: Paul McGuigan, bajista britდ¡nico, de la banda Desert garden. 1972: Daniela Silivaვ?, gimnasta rumana. 1973: Francisca Merino, actriz chilena. 1975: Juan Antonio Bayona, cineasta espanol. 1976: Tamia, cantante canadiense. 1976: Mდ³nica Godoy, actriz chilena. 1977: დ?nigo Landaluze, ciclista espanol. 1978: Bebe, cantante espanola. 1978: Joscha Sauer dibujante de cდ³mics alemდ¡n. 1978: Daniel Franzese, entertainer estadounidense. 1978: Leandro Cufrდ©, futbolista argentino. 1978: Marwan al-Shehhi, terrorista emiratდ­ que participდ³ en el 11S (f. 2001). 1979: Pierre Bouvier, cantante canadiense, de la banda Straightforward Arrangement. 1979: Rosario Dawson, actriz estadounidense. 1979: Matt Morris, cantante y typesetter estadounidense. 1980: Award Hackett, nadador australiano. 1980: Nicolae Dicე?, futbolista rumano. 1980: Estდ­baliz Martდ­nez, gimnasta espanola. 1981: Josდ© Luis Garcდ©s, futbolista panameno. 1981: Johnny Herrera, futbolista chileno. 1983: Gilles Mდ¼ller, tenista luxemburguდ©s. 1985: Audrina Patridge, actriz y modelo estadounidense. 1990: Jace Peterson, beisbolista estadounidense. 1991: Oswaldo Arcia, beisbolista venezolano. 1993: Ryosuke Yamada, entertainer y cantante japonდ©s.

[lookwhatilost]

film critics are also completely complicit in this too! when you write these think pieces or articles in the nyt or vulture or vanity fair and are getting hundreds of dollars from disney or warner brothers to write out of your ass, you're the generals leading this culture war.

like. i'm sorry but look at this shit. "Star Wars: The Last Jedi Offers the Harsh Condemnation of Mansplaining We Need in 2017"

That Holdo is kind yet dismissive of Poe only enrages him further. She urges him, for the safety of all concerned, to “stick to your post and follow my orders.” He doesn’t; as a result, many rebels die. Speaking about her character’s stylish-yet-firm leadership, Dern told Vanity Fair: “[Rian is] saying something that’s been a true challenge in feminism. Are we going to lead and be who we are as women in our femininity? Or are we going to dress up in a boy’s clothes to do the boy’s job? I think we’re waking up to what we want feminism to look like.”

One might argue that if Holdo had filled in Poe on her plan—to evade the First Order fleet long enough to get within range of an old base on Crait—Poe would have listened and fallen in line. But to borrow a phrase from Poe himself, this mission was a “need-to-know.” And as soon as a frustrated Holdo and Leia let Poe in on the plan, he blabs about it over the comms to Finn loud enough that Benicio del Toro’s D.J. can hear—and, later, sell them out. If Poe had just listened to Leia and Holdo from the start, the rebel fleet wouldn’t have been quite so decimated by the end of the film. Poe does clearly learn his lesson by the final frames of The Last Jedi—and only then do his admiration for Holdo, his respect for Leia, and his realization of just how much he doesn’t know position him to finally become the leader these powerful women hoped he’d be.

It’s clever for Johnson to have put this story on the very likable Poe. (Both Leia and Holdo are careful to reassure audiences that they, too, like the guy.) We expect dismissive sexism from the First Order (how many times do they refer to Rey as “The Girl?”), but to see it from a friendly face is even more instructive. Any female boss in 2017 or American still nursing the hangover of the 2016 presidential election can tell you that even nice guys often have trouble taking orders from women.

This message—women being largely right, and men being mostly wrong—extends to most but not all aspects of The Last Jedi. Rose Tico was certainly right to insist that Finn stay and fight, and right again to save him when attempts to needlessly sacrifice himself. Rey and Leia were right that Luke should join the resistance. But Luke still has some things to teach his young student. When they fight on the rainy cliffs of Ahch-To over her desperate hope that she can save Ben Solo, Luke is correct in telling Rey that “this is not going to go the way you think.” And in the end, no matter how Poe and Finn may have stumbled—or Holdo, Leia, Rose, and Rey may have triumphed—it’s still Luke Skywalker who gets the film’s big damn hero moment.

why is she making this stupid ass dig about luke skywalker getting a big hero moment? it's one of the few meaningful and interesting things that happens in this movie! "big damn hero moment" is literally a tv tropes phrase that comes from a line from firefly. is she aware that she's making a joss whedon reference lol?

[saintheartwing]

May the Force Be With You, Pt.21: Cruelty and Kindness with Rose Tico

"I have to say, I'm SO impressed with how far you've come." Luke cheerily told Rose Tico as he bowed a bit at her. He and Rose were currently standing at a waterfall, for the very top of the roaring "beast" of water was a distinct swell of natural Force. The living force flowed as freely around them as the water did into the gigantic, deep lake below, Rose slightly jiggling her leg as she sat on a rock, Luke pacing back and forth in front of her.

"I have to say, your mastery of lightsaber combat really is wonderful, Rose. You're already so far along in the ways of a jedi knight. Because of that…I'm giving you this." He held up a slightly faded rebel jacket. "My sister, Leia, said I could give you this. It's the jacket SHE wore when she was fighting on the front lines on Endor." He said. "It has a lot of sentimental and symbolic value to us. Endor was our greatest triumph, where we finally ended the horror of the Empire and all it wrought for good."

Rose looked it over, holding it in her hands. It felt weighted and warm as she slid it over the slim white shirt she had on.

"Consider it a symbol of you graduation and skill. I've given special, sentimental gifts to ALL of my students who complete Jedi knight training as quickly and as well as you did. You've earned it." Luke warmly intoned. "Do you like it?" He asked.

"It's…very warm and nice." She confessed. "I like all the pockets it has inside, that's helpful."

"You're almost fully ready to join me on missions. There's just one thing you need to work on." Luke admitted as he gestured at her. "I sense a lot of…resentment in you. I thought, the more time we spent together and the more we trained, you'd open up about it, but it's been quite a while, and you never came close to volunteering it, so…I wanted to ask you directly. Is everything alright? Is there something you want to ask of me? Something more you'd like FROM me?" He wanted to know. "You do know you could just ask if you feel you're missing something from our lessons."

"I do have a question, Master Skywalker. Do you remember an anacondan alien by the name of R'ohrs Tey'koh?" She inquired, as her body began to shake. All of the lingering anger and rage she'd been trying to keep inside her was bubbling up.

"Rose…?" Luke asked quietly, his eyebrows raising up slightly.

"He was the strongest of the Anacondan army that was stationed where you found me. He was my father. And now…today, I have my revenge on you for killing him!" She roared out, drawing her lightsaber, and diving at Luke, swinging it!

"Rose, wait, let me explain!" Luke tried to say, blocking her strikes. The harsh sizzling hiss of saber echoed through the air, drowned out quickly as the waterfall continued to pour down into the deep lake below. Rose swung her lightsaber again, as if it was a hammer, and Luke was the nail she was trying to pound down into the ground. The faint sharp hissing strikes of lightsaber hitting lightsaber rang out every couple of seconds, splitting the droning drum of constant waterfall cascading in two over and over!

Luke continued to inch around, avoiding striking back at Rose in return as her face as alit with a furious rage. Her eyes were narrowed, her usually-ruddy cheeks becoming redder still as her pleasant face became filled with hatred. She was practically spitting bile as she kept launching herself at Luke, trying to knock him into the water! But then Luke decided to get a LITTLE serious, in the hopes that he could disarm her. He tried to swing at her saber, to cut it off at the top, hoping to destroy her weapon!

The good news was it worked, he managed to slice off the top of the hilt, and her saber crackled and sparkled and the blade of light vanished, but Rose, caught by surprise, reeled back, and in doing so, she fell down into the water, into the strong current, and before Luke could catch her, THWOOSH! She'd fallen right off the waterfall!

"Oh no. Oh, good heavens, no! NO!" Luke cried out. "ROSE?! ROSE!" He screamed out, trying to make his voice heard over the roaring of the waterfall as he reached out with the force, concentrating hard, extending a hand. But…try as he might, he couldn't FEEL her force presence. The living Force around them was interfering, it was practically choking him. It was like trying to listen for a specific voice among a crowd, and as good as Luke was, he wasn't THAT good. Worse still, Rose's presence was fading away as the oxygen began to leave her lungs, she was tossed and jostled about in the water, bruises manifesting all over her frame as the current battered her! She was swept down, down, down the river, far away from Luke, out of his reach.

But…

NOT out of reach from the being that had been down the river, and on his way to do a bit of spying upon her and Luke. The being had eyes that never stayed the same color, always shifting, wearing a hooded, cloaked, armored frame that looked as heavy as the thick, clawed gauntlets he wore. Yet he plucked Rose out of the water with astounding gentleness as he looked down at her, examining her closely. Upon his black was a distinct symbol, an enormous vibro-axe with a protective, decorative and very fancy wooden covering around the middle.

"…well what have we HERE?" He inquired.

"…who…who are you?" Rose moaned out, finally managing to cough out a question, feeling oxygen flowing back into her lungs as the world stopped spinning all around her.

"You may call me…the Axe of the Sith." The Axe intoned. "You and I have much to discuss. What's your name?"

"…Rose Tico, sir."

"Well, Rose. Why don't we have a talk about Luke Skywalker?"

"That was how I met my new master. The Axe taught me everything I'd need to win, helping me bring out my TRUE power!" Rose proclaimed. L'ezz, Finn, Poe and Omarosa were currently locked up, stuck inside of Rose Tico's little dungeon she'd made. She knew that, very likely, that Darth Mendax would be back to save Omarosa, and she was also counting on the Dyad trying to get back their precious apprentices. So she'd sent out a message to the Dyad, informing them that SHE had the two now, and if they wanted them back alive and in one piece, they'd come…and quick.

Meanwhile, Zack was currently having HK-47 patch him up. They'd abandoned the ship for obvious reasons, knowing that Rose would undoubtedly come back to inspect it…and they were right. Once she'd sent out the message to the Dyad, her and her little goons had practically stripped the ship apart. Luckily, they'd not found the two, who had already taken off with some medical supplies and the like so Zack could be healed up…and plan a way to rescue his friends.

"Observation: you are not holding still."

"I know, I know. Doctors and nurses make the worst patients…" Zack confessed as HK-47 applied the bacta to the last spot NOT tended to as he sighed a bit, hanging his head. What stung worse than any injury was the plain and simple fact that he had failed. Totally and utterly failed to beat Rose Tico. He'd lost fair and square, and now…he had a sinking feeling he'd have to unleash his inner Sith to win. HK-47 had collected a nice variety of weapons for Zack to look over and he laid them out on a patch of grass as Zack rubbed over his side, letting the bacta softly tingle against his wounds.

He'd fallen clean all the way through the air, through a tree or two, then collided, at last, with a river…a river that, of all things, led to a waterfall. The very waterfall that Rose had fought Luke at! He'd barely managed to get out of the current in time, desperately lashing out with the Force, using it to tug a downed tree towards him and clinging to it for dear life as he slowly lifted himself out of the river and onto safety on the shore. He'd found HK-47 shortly after and now as he stared at the collection of weapons, he wasn't sure what to use.

Because…in all honesty he didn't want to fight Rose. Rose sounded like she had good reason to hate Luke. Luke had, evidently, actually killed her dad. There'd been nobody else there, fighting the Anacondans, after all. Her dad clearly hadn't just tripped and fallen and broken his neck. He'd been cleaved in two by a saber! It hadn't been an accident. And it wasn't like he'd been stealing antiquities from a Jedi grave like Omarosa's mom, and had picked a fight. He'd just been following orders from the Dyad. He was just on the wrong side…

And yet…there was a part inside of him, a perhaps naïve sliver, that kept saying "Luke would never just kill somebody. He'd always give them a chance. There HAS to be more."

"Information: The flamethrower would be an excellent weapon. It is a highly effective tool against Jedi and Sith alike. They never see it coming." HK-47 commented.

"…I need to go back to that waterfall." Zack remarked. "I could feel the living Force flowing there, and every time before we've tapped into it, we've been able to see through the Force, to know the past. If there's even the tiniest chance I could use it to see back in time, see what Luke did…maybe I can prove he's not the killer Rose thinks he is."

"Observation: I could call such an idea foolish, but given how the Force seems to be useful in peering into the past, and you've done it before, the idea is not the most stupid thing I've heard you say." HK-47 admitted. "Further analysis: There is one issue. It may, perhaps, be possible to use the living force to look back into the past, but when you did it before with my mistress Omarosa, she was present, and you could use her, in essence, as a tether to a specific point in time that you wanted to observe. Rose is not going to be there. Luke is not going to be there. Her father will not be there. Conclusion: This is a shot in the dark. A desperate hope that the Force may show you something you want. A leap of fath."

"…you're right." Zack admitted as he looked up at the sky and the darkening clouds rolling in. "…but perhaps it doesn't HAVE to be. Could you…take a message?" He asked of HK-47 with a grin coming across his face as he looked back up at the sky. The beginnings of a plan were forming. "Also, I'm going to need some VERY special metal…"

…

…

…

…Rose couldn't believe the gall of him. Not only had The Eye of the Sith shown up, the robotic, cycloptic being with a powerful, steely body inspecting him from top to bottom but…so had the Body of the Sith, their youngest-looking and most irritating member. The Body was a super smug-looking little shit who had short cut hair, the human having a usually big, shit-eating grin on his face, wearing his usual nice, fancy necklace that indicated his allegiance to Darth Plagueis the Wise bouncing on his chest as he made his way down the hall towards her and those big, rather empty eyes with little pupils. He looked positively cartoony, it was almost ludicrous, but what astounded Rose was that HE got to be the Body.

Him?! Really? She didn't get why their master had chosen him. She was all for the idea that children were the future of the Sith, fine by her. The next generation and what they learned would be invaluable but…him?! THIS child? This selfish, irritating, and frankly SEXIST pig?

"Now come on, slap me some skin!" He said as he held up a hand.

"No way. You smell like you haven't bothered to take a bath lately." Rose grunted. She REALLY didn't want them to be seeing her here, in the prisoner wing. She could feel the judging stares of the others on her, more fierce and piercing than even the Eye of the Sith's. "What do you want?"

"I heard you're more into taco than sausage. That true?" He asked.

"…yes, so…?" Rose wanted to know.

"IIIII'VE fully developed the perfect charm technique. Literally!" The Body bragged as he jabbed his thumb at himself. It was a good thing he was there!...as a DISTRACTION. He and the Skull of the Sith had had a nice little talk and had decided to have some…insurance…ready in case Rose failed. "And that Omarosa, WHOOOOOO." The Body winked knowingly at Rose.

Rose twitched a bit. "…yeah, she's…she's fine, she…she looks alright." She confessed.

"You should let me help you. I'm good enough to turn a lesbian hetero. My "lightsaber" even got sued for copyright infringement because it's strong enough for a man, but made for a woman." The Body bragged proudly as he smacked his fist on his chest. He was really enjoying the clearly uncomfortable "what the flying f—k are you on about" look on her face that Rose was beginning to develop.

"…wanna say that AGAIN?" Rose quietly, dangerously asked. The Eye had no mouth, but if it had, it would have tsk-tsked as it stepped back and to the side as the Body winked at Rose.

"Come onnn, let me help you. I've got a foolproof Force Manipulation technique that I've managed to make practically permanent. See, how about I teach you the ways of the…how you say…the ROMANCE?" He asked in a lousy fake foreign accent. "I'll help you get in her pants no problem if you ask nicely."

Rose decided she'd heard enough and THWA-THWAM! She stomped right on his foot. He howled, clutching it, bouncing up and down as he cringed and wailed and whined. "You filthy, disgusting little pig! You're MORE of a pig than the literal fucking pig in my prison cell right now! Get out of my sight or so help me, I'll rip your foreskin off with a pair of tweezers and frame it on my wall as a trophy!" She snarled as The Body cringed, and hopped off, grumbling furiously under his breath.

"How DARE she…how DARE she!" He growled. "I'm gonna make that bitch regret that. She can't pick on me just cuz I'm a little kid!" He whined to the Eye. "EVERYONE underestimates me just cuz I'm young. I'll show them. I'll show them all! When I get a bit taller and stronger, THEN she'll HAVE to take me seriously!"

"I sincerely doubt that. Rose Tico only respects success. You're the least accomplished of all of us because of your age." The Eye intoned. "You will have to, as you organics say, "Step up your game"…"

Rose stomped off, fuming, heading for the front gate of her base, deciding to get some fresh air, when she saw HK-47 emerging from the bushes. Her guards already had their blasters drawn, but HK-47 was wielding a white flag made up of a blanket. "Announcement: I come bearing a message from Darth Mendax. A challenge to a duel."

"…oh really? Where does he want it?" Rose asked as she cracked her knuckles. "I'm in a super foul mood right now and I REEEEAAALLY wanna take it out on somebody!"

"Statement: Come meet me at the waterfall, where the Force flows as freely as the water."

Rose immediately flinched. Her face blanched slightly, the memories of that day swelling up for a brief moment before she forced them back down, and then nodded curtly.

"Fine. Go. Tell him. I'll be there in an hour…"

Indeed. It didn't take her long before she and Darth Mendax were there. Zack had put his disguise back on and he held his lightsaber up while wearing…

Nothing. Absolutely NOTHING on him but a simple robe to cover his lower body. His surprisingly-well-built upper frame was there, his empty eye sockets staring out at her. HK-47 kept back, keeping Zack's things behind him in the medical supplies box they'd emptied out as Rose cringed a bit. It was incredibly creepy, seeing this Logosian without eyes looking at her all the same. Those empty, deep, reddish/brown sockets were haunting to gaze at and so she kept her head slightly lowered, looking at his chest instead.

"Well. This is unusual. You're gonna try to fight me like that?" She asked, decked out in her majestic armor, swinging her sword about. Zack waited, calmly holding up his lightsaber, taking in slow, steady breaths before he closed his eyelids over those empty sockets.

"Like a river over stone…" He murmured. "I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me." Zack murmured.

"I hate that fortune cookie SHIT." Rose grumbled. "Lemme guess what you're gonna say. "There is no death, there is the Force"? Then where is my father?!"

"No. Emotion, yet peace. Ignorance, yet knowledge. Passion, yet serenity. Chaos, yet harmony. Death, yet the Force." Zack spoke softly. "…go on. Strike at me with all your hate."

Rose decided to do just that. She leapt at him, swinging her fancy ebony metal sword, swinging it right at Zack! Zack braced himself, blocking her strike as a loud, echoing hiss rang through the air, piercing briefly the steady drum of the waterfall pouring down, down, down into the lake below. Rose began to swing at him as he continued to block her strikes, but she noticed that he was…clearly barely putting any effort into it. His face seemed screwed up in concentration, she had SEEN him move much more quickly before when they were fighting, why was he being so slow now?!

"Are you holding back out of PITY?!" She snarled angrily, a furious look coming to her face. She couldn't believe the audacity of this "Darth Mendax". She began to strike more harder, as if she was wielding an axe, not a sword, and wanted to cut him up into bloody chunks! THWAM-THWAM-THWAM, down it came again and again, and Zack kept blocking, cringing, building up all the strength he had in him for his plan. It was a long shot, but as the pouring rain began to cascade down and the crack of thunder rang through the air, he felt a renewed sense of confidence rise. He could do this, if he was just…careful.

KRAKA-KAA-KOOOM! The thunder made it clear the harshest parts of the storm grew ever closer and closer! Rose kept slashing and slicing away at him as he felt the pitter-patter of the rain on him. It was obvious to "see" in front of him now, she wasn't even remotely hiding her Force presence and the rain prickling onto every part of her armor spelled out where she was as easily as if he was seeing with his actual eyes. Then the moment came. She decided to swing horizontally in a big, huge, SWOOOSH!

He ducked, and then tugged something out of the robe, and slammed it onto her chest armor. She stupidly stared down, briefly stepping back before looking angrily up at him, but before she could speak…that's when he did it. He summoned all the Force power he'd been holding onto and forcibly launched her into the sky with his force powers, holding her up in the air, one hand slightly clenching its fingers, cringing harshly as she snarled, trying to manifest her own force abilities to break free.

However, the damage was done. He'd smacked a HIGHLY conductive piece of metal onto her that had attached to her chest, a little party favor from one of Omarosa's bag of Sith Tricks, and a very useful technique to direct Sith lightning at. Or…well…regular lightning.

And THAT was exactly what happened. The lightning struck Rose Tico with the auditory roar of a lion in the sky as her shriek was cut off. The distinct hiss of burning armor and flesh filled the air as she flopped down, out of the sky, Zack using his powers again to get her to land on the side of the river, to ensure she didn't drown, as he wiped his brow, and made his way over to her, HK-47 joining him, giving him back his eyeballs.

HK-47 began to remove the singed, ruined armor along with Zack, and sure enough, Rose had been burned horribly. Third degree burns were everywhere, save, thankfully, her upper chest and most of her face. She'd lucked out, in a sense. It was bad…but she wasn't dead yet, and Zack was not giving up on her as he began to administer the heavy duty medical topic they'd kept. The strongest bacta possible was now being poured over her wounds, her voice croaky and filled with pain that was barely suppressed.

"Now you try to save me?" She managed to mutter out. "Good. You're conscious." He said as he gently took her cheek. "I want you to open up your mind to me. And your mind to the Force. I want you to think about that day as hard as you can as the Living Force flows through us like a breath of fresh air." Zack reasoned as he reached up…and took off the blindfold he had on, showing his normal eyes.

Rose gasped. This moment of pure shock, the sheer…BLUENESS of his eyes stunned her, her mouth agape, a strange, odd coolness flowing through her, and in that instant…the Force showed them exactly what they needed.

There he was. Luke Skywalker had faced down all of the other Anacondans and he held his lightsaber up, with only R'ohrs left. "G-Go on, human!" He said, his body shaking nervously. His weapon had been cut in half, none of his comrades had lasted more than a minute. He was dead meat, and he knew it. "I won't accept your mercy! I have my pride! I have my dignity!"

"You have to LISTEN." Luke said. "I wouldn't kill you even if you kept insisting." He remarked as he put his lightsaber away, R'ohrs staring stupidly at him. "I gave you the same fair chance to leave I gave the others, but I'm also letting you walk away…because of THAT." And with that, he pointed right at the necklace on R'ohrs's neck.

"…wh-what?" R'ohrs gaped. "Wait, y-you mean…"

"I can tell that wasn't made by an adult, it's obviously a child's handiwork. What's their name? I've a feeling you have a baby girl? I don't know many boys who like making jewelry for their parents, they make stuff lik cups and bowls or little statues."

"Rose." The anaconda found himself saying. "I adopted her when we first came here, her real parents abandoned her…at least, I think so. We never found out…" He admitted as he looked nervously to the side.

"When I saw you clearly had a kid, I just can't think of fighting you any more."

"…OHHHH." R'ohrs groaned. "Darn it, darn it, darn it! Defeated in battle AND spirit. How humiliating…" He muttered as he shook his head back and forth. "…still, I…I don't know if I can just let you go fight my mistress."

"Look. I'M not gonna tell her you ran off with your kid. Go find Rose. If you wanna wait until you're sure Darth Furiosa's beaten before you get her, just stay hidden out of sight, then I'll come back and let you know its safe to take off. In fact, you could even come with me if you wanted." Luke offered warmly, extending a hand before he retracted it. "Oh, wait, do…snake aliens SHAKE hands?" He nervously asked as a blush came to his face.

Rose, meanwhile, watching all this unfold was…stunned. Zack looked at Luke's blushing face and chuckled a bit. "Wow, kind of a bit of a dork, huh?"

"He…DIDN'T kill him?! Well…well then who…?" Rose began to ask as Luke took off, going to fight Darth Furiosa. And, sure enough, her father stayed hidden, waiting for the sound of Furiosa's loss. But after hearing her cry, believing she was finished, he slithered out from hiding, glancing around…

"Okay. Just gotta find Rose and get out of here…" He muttered, making towards the exit when…

"YOU!"

It was SHE. He turned pale, turning around, a VERY badly wounded, snarl-faced, angry Darth Furiosa gazing at him.

"You were going to take off?!" She hissed out. "The nerve of you! The audacity! The…the…" Her eyes went wide as he felt something prickling at the back of his mind, and her face turned colder than before. "…you were talking with Skywalker." She hissed out. "…so. You chose to betray me…" She growled as she began to hobble towards him a bit, drawing her saber, the foul SSSSZZZZ of the lightsaber rising up as she advanced on him! One hand held out, freezing him in the air! He tried to squirm and thrash to get free, his eyes going wider, wider, Darth Furiosa advancing, the saber held high-

"DON'T LOOK!" Zack immediately pulled her to the side, forcing her head away just in time, covering her ears, almost completely GLOMHFING her head with his arms to do so. In an instant, the scene was gone…and they were in the present, as Rose laid in his arms. Gently, Zack let go, and Rose covered her face with both hands, taking in harsh, deep, erratic breaths.

Zack just gently stroked her back, massaging it a bit. He said nothing. What could he say? The words would be the hurt. His gentle stroking was the best comfort he could give, as if she was a baby in need of rocking. But despite all this, Zack thought he felt something…was off. Was it him or…did the ground just…faintly shake a little? And…

Was it also him or…did it seem…to get very humid all of a sudden?

Then Rose spoke. "…let's…go get your friends. Then I need to be alone for a while."

"I don't think I can let you do that." Zack said quickly. "No offense, but…you KINDA sound like you're gonna hurt yourself if I just let you go." He admitted. "I can't just leave you on your own. You could use a friend right now."

"I don't HAVE any friends." Rose whispered as she wiped the tears on her arm, Zack patting her shoulder, letting the warmth of his hand rest on it.

"You can start with me. How about I tell you my real name?" Zack asked gently, before a voice rang out.

"Heh…heh-heh-heh…I can't BELIEVE it. You went as soft as a baby in her mother's arms on us! I'm so disappointed! I mean, granted, you always had adorable cheeks but STILL! This is so pathetic! I really thought you'd do way better!"

The voice had a distinct, ethereal, yet rough quality to it, as if somebody was trying to speak through a wall of fire. The two looked up in surprise, the distinct form of an armored humanoid emerging from the jungle as HK-47 held up two power rifles, aiming it at the being.

"Announcement! State your name!"

"I am the Skull of the Sith!" The Skull proclaimed. Indeed, it wasn't hard to see why. His entire head was just a big, burning, fiery skull, the skull blazing a creepy color of unnatural blackish/purple as the embers flickered and coalesced about him.

"Observation: You are about to be a CORPSE of the Sith." HK-47 commented dryly as he held his weapons up, as the Skull nonchalantly held up a single fist…and then flicked the bird right at HK-47.

SCHAA-THWOOSH! Before the robot knew what was happening, a slicing blow of burning, intense, laser-like fire shot out and sliced right through HK-47! He was cut in half, looking at his separated body parts as the Skull chuckled evilly and laughed at Zack and Rose.

"I'm gonna separate your skull from its shoulders! I could not believe YOU got chosen to fight this guy. You were just as big a pushover as I thought. No, worse! You had to go and be even more of a pussy than I thought you were! You didn't just lose, you got all…MUSHY. Yeccchhh." He groaned, rolling his eye sockets. "I shoulda been the one to beat him. Luckily, my friend the Body and I agreed on a little plan in case you did lose. It woulda been a win/win. If it looked like you were winning, I'd come in, finish him off, and get a nice share of the glory. But since you lost, we go with plan B. Did you know there's actually a dormant volcano buried waaaaaaaaay far below us right now?"

Rose turned pale and Zack's eyes bulged wide as they shot up, lightsabers held up.

"Oh, don't get any dumb ideas. You think I'm gonna just tell you "I'm gonna press this button and you all get blown sky high unless you do what I say" or something like that?" The Skull snorted. "I may not be a genius, but I ain't that dumb. I did it five minutes ago."

And with that, a loud, horrifying KRAKKA-SCHAA-THROOOOOM rang out, and they turned to look. Burning, horrifying plumes of black smoke were erupting from the ground not far away, as the Skull laughed. "No need to thank me for sparing you a life of total failure. Now I can go back to our master and tell him you tragically perished while fighting Darth Mendax and the others in a glorious volcanic fight." He chuckled.

Then Rose threw her sword at his head. Zack was amazed. It literally soared through the air with astounding swiftness and struck right in the center of his neck, coming right out the other end, his head popping off his neck bone! Zack grinned as he whistled. "DAMN, you've got great aim!"

"Yeah, no…BONES…about it…"

Zack turned paler than Rose as she snarled, the Skull picking his head up and putting it back on his neck as it simply reattached. "You know if I was a normal being that really woulda been something amazing. Buuuuut, well, I'm special. Still, I get it! I get it!" He held his hands up. "You don't want guests. Fine be me. You just relax. Take it easy. Enjoy a nice…bath…" He said evilly as he cackled madly, and pressed a button upon the fancy belt he had around his waist, as he teleported away to, presumably, his ship in the skies above.

"The bastard!" Rose grunted out. "We've got to get back to the prisoner's wing post haste or your friends are dead!" She insisted as she picked up HK-47's top half as he looked down at his bottom, Rose picking THAT up next, slinging both onto a shoulder each. "Where'd you park your ship?"

"HK can tell you. Can you give me the keys to their cell?" Zack asked as Rose shook the belt she had on, gesturing down at a little pouch as Zack rifled through it, getting out a couple of keys. "OK, let's meet at the ship in ten minutes." He said as the earth began to shudder and quake, Zack struggling to stay steady before he took off, racing at top speed towards where his friends were. "Crap crap crap crap crap craaaaaaaaaaaap!" He screamed out. "Stupid scary skeletons!"

Meanwhile, the Eye rolled its singular eye as it piloted it, the Body and the Skull's ship back to their home territory. "Oh, such a dreadful tragedy that that volcano just happened to erupt when it did." The Body commented as he chugged a beer in a nearby chair, hiccupping a bit. "Such a dreadful, dreadful-HIC! HIC HIC! HIC HIC HIC HIC!" He eventually hiccupped so much he fell clean out of his chair as the Skull sniggered.

"Lying snake." The Eye thought inwardly. "Truly, birds of a feather do flock together."

"So…our next target would be Nar Shadaa, correct? Aren't they in the middle of an election?" The Skull wanted to know. "Which means, whoever wins…I just need to take their head right after they do. What an election night coverage THAT'S gonna be for their city!" He laughed. "The whole place'll be thrown into chaos!"

"We're talking about THE Leia and Han of the original Rebel Alliance. The Dyad themselves. We must prevent the prophecy our Master has foreseen. One of those couples will undoubtedly be our end, and facing them shall not be so easy." The Eye intoned. "You underestimate them at your peril. After all, many have fallen before them. They are not fools."

"You are right…I admit it. They've beaten people far bigger than me. And I admit, there's plenty of people who are smarter than me." The Skull confessed before he held up a hand…and a single, darkly burning flame manifested, forming into the faint shape of Leia before he squished it on the spot with a THWOMPHF. "But you know, I've yet to meet somebody who can outthink a bullet!"

[obiking]

Fast and I'm deadly, you'll never outrun.

[duffertube]

▶️ Motorcycle - Tico And The Triumphs (1961)

Source: wheremuz.ru

[missy80s]

undefined

Bon Jovi playing "You Give Love A Bad Name" with Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog, from the Conan O'Brien Show 😂😁 https://www.instagram.com/p/BUpJvnNF3JJ/

[strangedreamings]

23. a kiss in relief

Sweet Relief (AO3)

(sequel to More Than Life Itself)

Poe watched with a huge grin on his face as Hux paced back and forth. The hangar had plenty of room to pace as long as anyone could want, but Hux restricted himself to just five steps before turning and pacing back to his starting point. His hands were clasped tight behind his back and his scowl was almost as dark as his First Order uniform.

Poe had asked Hux once why he didn’t simply ditch the uniform since he had switched sides and the man had replied, “In case I ever tire of you idiots and decide to switch back.” The pilot knew it was just a front then, but it took a little poking and prodding before he realized the truth – after being in a military uniform for so long, Hux didn’t feel comfortable in anything else.

Leia approached him. “How’s our resident thundercloud?” she asked, nodding in Hux’s direction.

“Ready to smite anyone who so much as breathes within three feet of him,” Poe said, smirking. “He’s got it bad.”

“Go easy on him, Poe,” Leia said with an indulgent smile. “He thought Rose was sacrificing herself.”

“Yeah, but since she’s fine,” he said, grinning ear-to-ear, “I get to roast him into next week for how he’s acting.”

Leia walked away, rolling her eyes, and Poe looked over at Hux. “Hey, Hux, why don’t you actually man up and tell Tico how you feel?”

Hux glared daggers at him but didn’t say anything and continued pacing. Poe just laughed.

When the Millennium Falcon arrived, Poe was amused to see that Hux didn’t even let Rose get halfway down the ramp before he ran up to her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her like there was no tomorrow.

“Are those tears in his eyes?” Poe asked Leia, who was suddenly at his elbow.

“He’s relieved, Poe. Ease up. It’s not like anyone teases you about your love life.”

“They wouldn’t dare,” he said, smirking.

“So, don’t tease Hux.”

“Is that an order, General?”

She smirked back. “It is, General. Hux’s love life is off-limits. After all, you wouldn’t tease Rose about it, would you?”

“No,” he admitted reluctantly.

“Then don’t tease Hux.”

Poe turned back to the pair on the ramp in time to see they were done kissing, but the matter was clearly not settled.

Hux had Rose’s head in his hands, the look in his eyes completely serious. “If you ever do that again-”

“What, save your life?” Rose demanded.

“I’m not worth saving! I’m certainly not worth sacrificing yourself for!”

“Well, I think you are! You were willing to do the same thing for me!”

“I’m not a good man,” he insisted, his quiet voice barely audible from where Poe stood.

“Then why did you do it?” Rose asked, grinning.

“Because I love you,” Hux said simply.

Poe let out a whoop of triumph and Leia elbowed him hard in the ribs. Before Rose could say anything, Finn, Rey, and BB-8 appeared at the top of the ramp.

“Hey,” Finn said, grinning, “I know you two are busy reuniting, but would you mind letting the rest of us off the ship?”

Hux shot him a dirty look then he scooped up Rose into a bridal carry, despite her protests that she could walk perfectly well, and carried her off the ramp. When he didn’t set her down, she demanded to know where he was taking her.

He smirked at her. “That is up to you, Rose – your quarters or mine?”

She blinked at him then grinned. “Whichever one is closer.”

[elopez7228]

Scenic Route 41/47

Read on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268208/chapters/43229774

Start over : https://elopez7228.tumblr.com/post/620919089893933056/scenic-route-0147

From the minute she got into Rose’s car, Rey realized that unlike the time she spent with Ben, the next five hours were going to be exceptionally long. San Francisco seemed a world away. Rose stared straight ahead, cheeks still flushed and lips pursed in consternation. Rey pretend to be engrossed in her phone. Suddenly, Rose held out here hand, palm up, without even turning to look at her. Rey’s eyes widened, unsure. “The microchip. Hand it over.” Her companion ordered. “No way, I risked my life for this thing; I’m keeping it. I won’t give it to anyone but Leia Skywalker herself.” Rose gave her an exaggerated eye-roll. “Let’s just say I don’t exactly trust you,” she said through gritted teeth. “Given that I spent a long sleepless night worrying about what happened to you, only to find that you’ve been having a great time in Kylo Ren’s arms!” “Come on! As if you or Leia ever even bothered to warn me about the massive risk you were exposing me to. You can sulk all you want. I almost died, on three separate occasions! Is this what you people always do? Take some poor unsuspecting passerby and throw them into No Man’s Land?” “It was for an important cause,” Rose stammered. “You gave no idea what this trial means to us, and to Leia Skywalker...” “More than a stranger’s life, in any case,” Rey retorted dryly. “You sacrificed my life without hesitation. No wonder Ben ran away. Did his mother throw him to the wolves too, in the name of the ‘greater good’?” “I won’t let you talk about Leia like that!” Rose snapped, her bottom lip quivering with rage. “You have no idea the hardships she’s been through, none!” “I have a very good idea of what she did to her son, though. Pardon me if I can’t find enough compassion for the woman who considered Ben and I negligible losses!”

Rose took a deep breath before answering in a low voice : “He did this to you. He filled your head with lies without you realizing.” “Kylo Ren lied to me. Ben Solo would never. Ben was willing to sacrifice everything to make things right. No one can convince me otherwise.” “And there’s another one,” Rose sighed, visibly exasperated. “Oh really? He was the one who brought me here, did you ever see him hurt me? If he wanted to kill me, didn’t he have a thousand perfect opportunities to do that already? How do you explain that?” Rose hesitated, uncertain. “What if he...put a tracker in you bag! You’d lead him right to the Earth Soldiers HQ!” “Stop the car,” Rey demanded. “What?” “I said, stop the car. Do you want to search my belongings? Park the car and do it right now. If that’s what will get you to stop imaging whatever nonsense, do it now and save us the argument!”

The other woman turned red. “You know what?” She raised a brow. “Okay. Okay, we’re doing that!” True to her words, she flashed her signal and turned to park just off of the highway. It wasn’t a rest stop per se, but an emergency parking area just large enough for a vehicle. Rey wasn’t sure if this counted as a real emergency, but she didn’t want to push her luck today. After days of being hunted by FORCE she’d imagined finding some comfort in the company of an Earth Soldiers op, not another trial by fire.

Rey stomped angrily out of the parked car and shouldered her bag out of the trunk, dropping it on the ground. “Go ahead, take a look. I’ve got all day.”

Rose walked up, her head held high. She began to carefully unpack the bag. She searched every garment she withdrew, using her fingers to trace the fabric and feel every inch for abnormalities before moving on to the next one. When the bag was empty, she checked the every corner of the lining and the straps too. Finding nothing, she turned to Rey with her fists clenched at her sides. “Your handbag too.” “Very well.” Rey surrendered the other bag.

Rose’s eyes widened at the sight of the box of condoms, but she said nothing. The soon-empty handbag was subjected to the same thorough investigation, yielding the exact same results. Nothing. Rey repacked her things, her expression hovering somewhere between triumph and annoyance. But Rose was still determined. “Undress yourself.” “Not even in your dreams.” “Then I’ll search you myself.” Rey rolled her eyes. “You’re wasting your time.” “I’ll be the judge of that. I lost plenty of time coming all the way to Winnemucca to wait for you. I wonder if you made up the story about the fire to spend more time with him, that wouldn’t surprise me. Hands up!”

Rey begrudgingly raised her hands, hoping to be done once and for all. As soon as Rose realized there was nothing to see, she would leave her alone. So she let the agent search her hair, her t-shirt, her bra (cringe) and her jeans. Rose stuck her fingers in the denim pockets, where she would soon find the microchip that Rey had refused to hand over earlier. They would have it one way or another in the end. She paled however, when she fished yet another condom from the girl’s back pocket. Rey flashed her a cynical smile. Oh yeah, that was for exactly what she thought. Still curious, Tico? Apparently so, because the next thing Rose unearthed was the microchip. Rey maintained a neutral expression. Behold! The prodigal microchip. Could she leave now, and go find Ben...whenever he was? They could be together somewhere else, anywhere else, hopefully far away from these lunatics.

But Rose’s face fell as she looked at it. “It’s ruined!”

Rey held her breath. What did she mean, ruined? Rey had carefully inspected it earlier this morning with her own two eyes and it looked fine! Rose was a furious scarlet as she held the plastic square right under Rey’s nose. “It’s damaged, you broke it! You sabotaged the mission on purpose!” “What? No, it’s not,” Rey protested incredulously, her blood pressure spiking. “Show it to me!” Rose placed it in the palm of her hand and she bent to look at it up close. Shit. Rose was right, the chip was thoroughly warped. Rey looked up, mortified. How was it possible? Did Ben actually double-cross her? But how, when she had kept the thing on her person at all times throughout— Suddenly she understood. Her thoughts flashed back to that morning in Elko, where she had struggled to take her jeans off. She’d been in such a rush to undress, bouncing from one foot to the other, trampling her jeans between her feet and the craggy, rock-studded ground...completely forgetting that the microchip was still in her pocket. Rose had been right all along: her desire for Ben had lead her to betray Earth Soldiers in the end. Rey’s face was impossibly pale. She died a little on the inside as she passed the chip back to Rose, who was still waiting for an explanation. “Yes, it was me. I damaged the chip but...” “But?” “But I have no way to prove it was an accident.” It was almost exactly what Ben had said, when she’d caught him red handed. She could now empathize with the position he was in—the feeling of helplessness and fateful injustice. She would be condemned by Earth Soldiers, and hunted like an animal by FORCE. Rey had never felt more alone, yet again. And yet she knew that the only person who could ever understand her, could ever commiserate with her empty, aching heart, was Ben Solo—who was some hundreds of kilometers away. The two of them stood alone against the world, linked by destiny. And all hell was about to break loose. “There’s nothing for it,” Rose declared solemnly. “You’ve clearly chosen your side.” She punctuated the last word with a swing on the car door. “I would leave you here but it’s up to Leia to decide your fate. And mine.” Rey’s eyes widened. Hers too? “I was the one who sent you to her.” The other woman explained. “It’s my fault if we made a bad choice. I thought I saw loyalty and grit in you, but I was wrong.” What a drama queen. Rey could practically feel the thinly-veiled anger behind her dismay. The girl was full of herself. She wasn’t the unsuspecting mule on the frontlines and yet she wanted pity as she fancied herself on the chopping block. “Right, then.” Rey held her head up. “I’ll talk to Leia Skywalker myself. Maybe she’ll understand. Let’s go.”

The rest of the journey to San Francisco was long and silent. Rey gnawed on the sandwich Ben had bought her. He’d left her the water bottle too. BB8 whined uneasily in the back seat, clearly design the tension in the air. With nothing better to do, Rey contemplated the surrounding landscape. After Reno, the desert was slowly replaced by a coniferous forest that wound around a mountain road. They had reached California, the west end of the world. Tahoe boasted wide, tree-studded prairies, Sacramento was surrounded by acres upon acres of fertile farmland. Napa Valley was full of rolling green hills that slowly but surely led them to the sleek skyline of San Francisco. Rey perked up as they got on to the Oakland Bay Bridge, which offered them a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. And beyond that, the endless blue of the Pacific.

Rey had never been so far from home. Nor so alone. She took out her phone and typed a message to Ben:

Arrived in one piece at the end of the world. Wish I could share this moment with you. I’m lonelier than ever. Take care of yourself — Rey

He responded immediately.

You’re not alone. Be strong, we’ll see each other soon. I love you —Ben

“Who are you talking to, Kylo Ren?” Rose snorted derisively beside her. “Yes,” Rey answered, unmoved. “Do I need permission to text, now?” “If you’re talking to FORCE, the answer is yes. We’re at war here, in case you’ve forgotten. Your double-crossing has to end somewhere.”

Rey put away her phone, forcing herself to remain calm. “We're going to win this war not by fighting what we hate, but saving what we love, Rose.” “Still,” Rose shrugged, “we’re not going to disarm FORCE with tickle attacks.” “You’d be surprised,” Rey mused.

The car continued into the city, and Rey took a moment to admire the skyscrapers and winding streets. Despite her bad mood, she marveled at every new sight like a child. Cable cars, Victorian houses...if she ignored the feeling that she was about to walk into the gallows, she could just about enjoy the city’s charm. Rainbow-colored pride flags adorned many a building entrance, and on the wall of one particular church, Rey spied the words REFUGEES WELCOME written in large, bold letters. She would have loved to discover the city with Finn. In the meantime it was vital that she soak everything up to describe to him later. One day he would get better and see it with his own eyes. By the time the car finally stopped somewhere, Rey had lost track of their location. They were in an underground parking structure. Rose buzzed past a security checkpoint, and then another, before they finally parked in the darkest, lowest level. The whole place was mildly claustrophobic to Rey. “Are we there yet?” “No comment,” Rose replied.

They unloaded the bags and let BB8 out. Rose opened a metal side door to reveal a long corridor lined with yellow fluorescent panels. They passed many rooms as they reached the end of the corridor, where another door stood, practically identical to the last. Rose used her badge to open this one, which lead to...another parking garage. With a press of her thumb on a key fob, the vast space was illuminated with a flash of light from yet another car. “Another car, really?” Rey asked. Rose gave no answer. Another car, another interminable drive through the city. Rey yawned. Who did these overall-clad ecotypes think they were? Super heroes? Ridiculous. The next parking garage was better. Rose typed a code into the intercom. Rey didn’t recognize the voice on the other end, but she heard Rose whisper the password (“resistance”, she rolled her eyes). The door opened. Corridor, elevator, corridor. If this setup was meant to intimidate newcomers, it was certainly effective. The prepared speech that Rey had come up with during the long hours on the road seemed to wither away with every row of corridors and armored doors that they passed. Finally, Rose motioned to her to enter a room. It was a dark room littered from floor to ceiling with boxes upon boxes of documents. Little windows let in little daylight. A coffee machine bubbled away in the corner. And sitting on a large futon was a blonde woman Rey had never met. Her fingers tapped impatiently against a tablet. In the middle of it all sat Leia Skywalker herself, dressed in a long grey dress and a matching manteau. She was commanding despite her small frame, and Rey felt intimidated already, knowing she was almost a divinity to these people. Behind Leia sat a tall, thin woman with strangely elegant pinkish-purple hair. Rey stood, frozen for a moment and unsure of what to do. Was this her grand trial? Who were these people? Was Leia going to crucify her on the spot? It was Leia who crossed the few steps that separated them to hug Rey, holding the girl in her arms.

[ao3feed--reylo]

Episode IX: Hope Triumphs

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3fn73Pk

by typewriter_in_galaxy

Hope is a light brighter than the deepest darkness─but only we can keep it lit. -Breha Organa, queen of Alderaan

in which women win the star war.

Words: 1416, Chapters: 1/6, Language: English

Series: Part 1 of The Wives of Star Wars

Fandoms: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F

Characters: Rey (Star Wars), Kylo Ren, Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Breha Organa-Solo, Leia Organa, Armitage Hux, Rose Tico, Finn (Star Wars), Poe Dameron, Maz Kanata, Chewbacca (Star Wars)

Relationships: Rey/Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Leia Organa & Rey & Han Solo

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Post-TLJ, Genderbender Kylo Ren, she is Breha Organa-Solo, Episode IX was supposed to be about Leia Organa, In Memory of Carrie Fisher, The Author Rejects The Rise Of Skywalker, the HEA we deserve

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3fn73Pk

[kathyswizards]

THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY CONTAINS SPOILERS.

With contributions by @astrospian​

The Rise of Skywalker is the final installment of the nine-movie cycle of the Skywalker Saga that began over 40 years ago with Luke, the farmboy who yearns for bigger, better things. During his adventures, he learns that he’s heir to an unexpected legacy that began with Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One who was supposed to bring balance to the Force. With this arc in place, you’d expect the final movie to end with the Force in balance and Ben Solo, the last Skywalker, instrumental in bringing about this balance and ensuring its continuance.

You’d be wrong.

As fast-paced entertainment full of exciting special effects and the appearance of familiar old faces, the movie certainly delivers. However, all the flash and bang come at the expense of the story. It’s more like watching a two hour-long video game than a coherent narrative. There is very little plot and no character development. It’s hard to care what happens when it isn’t clear where the film is going and we’re given very little time with each of the characters to understand what motivates them.

In fact, new characters are introduced at the expense of existing characters who’d previously inhabited those roles. Why do we need General Pryde when General Hux was already a suitably menacing opponent for Kylo Ren and the rest of the galaxy? Just for a twist that ends almost as quickly as it was introduced? Why was it necessary to replace Rose Tico with Jannah as Finn’s companion/possible love interest? Why is Poe suddenly turned into a Han Solo substitute when in canon, he joined the Resistance to follow in his Rebel parents’ footsteps? Inexplicably, the movie sidelines and changes interesting characters we’d already become invested in.

Even Rey and Kylo/Ben are given short shrift. Kylo is once more the evil, one-dimensional dark lord we met at the beginning of The Force Awakens. Rey sort of drifts through the film as the Force-User-On-Our-Side until she confronts Palpatine in the final act.

As an ending to the entire Skywalker Saga, the film fails. Instead of tying up the threads of the previous eight movies, it offers fan service in the form of brief appearances by the characters from the Original Trilogy. With the exception of Han Solo’s contribution, none of them do much to advance the plot. Leia’s inclusion via cut-and-paste of unused footage from The Force Awakens is stilted and awkward. Even Luke does little more than raise his old X-wing fighter from the ocean (perfectly preserved and flyable after six to ten years submerged in saltwater).

As the final installment of the Sequel Trilogy, the film fails. It almost completely erases the events and characters of The Last Jedi and in some cases, even from The Force Awakens, leaving us adrift and confused. How is the legacy Skywalker lightsaber whole and undamaged? Where is the rapport Rey and Kylo had developed? She snarls and slashes at him like he’s the mortal enemy he was at the end of The Force Awakens. How does the Resistance go from being abandoned by a fearful galaxy to being joined by a fleet of hundreds if not thousands of ships?

As its own story, The Rise of Skywalker also fails. The story goal isn’t apparent until more than halfway through the film. The film is full of contradictions, the most obvious of which is Palpatine’s intent. He begins by telling Kylo to find and kill Rey (as Snoke, who was supposedly his avatar, did before him) and ends with Palpatine intending Rey to kill him so he can possess her. Does he want Rey dead or alive? Which is it?

Speaking of Palpatine, the big reveal of Rey’s decent smacks of more fan service, bizarre and unnecessary. Not only does it undermine the entire theme of the Sequel Trilogy, that anyone can be Force-sensitive, it also creates huge problems for both plot and character. How could Luke and Leia possibly have known of her heritage? Further, if they did, why would they agree to teach the descendant of the most notorious and reviled dark side user in generations after turning their backs on Ben? In addition, Luke most emphatically did not teach her anything in The Last Jedi other than the Jedi needed to end. The reveal doesn’t even work in the context of the story. Introduced at the beginning of the film, it neither functions as a last-act surprise, nor does much to propel the plot forward.

Character is the biggest sacrifice in the name of excitement. Few of the characters are on screen long enough to care about. Many are out of character, especially Rey, who frequently comes across as vicious and cold. Kylo doesn’t bat an eye when he discovers that Palpatine has been the one messing around in his head ever since he was a child. Even after killing Snoke for his years of manipulation and demonstrated abuse, he’s perfectly willing to do Palpatine’s bidding like a well-trained dog. What a sad and baffling turn for the most complex, fascinating character in Star Wars.

Furthermore, the arc between Rey and Kylo/Ben is poorly developed. Through over half the movie, they’re fighting. Kylo/Ben clearly wants Rey by his side, but Rey shows nothing but hatred toward him until she suddenly Force-heals him at the end of one of their numerous, pointless fights. When they finally kiss after the climax scene, it’s beautiful, but jarring considering the dynamic between them through most of the film. Strangest of all is Rey’s almost total unconcern with Ben’s death. After he dies, she shows little sadness, and what she does show, the cause is ambiguous.

The Rise of Skywalker abandons the theme of the entire Skywalker Saga, which was to bring balance to the Force. The Prequel Trilogy marked the rise and dominance of the dark side of the Force. The Original Trilogy marked the triumph of the light side. Yet the Force remained unbalanced. In the Sequel Trilogy, the dark side rose once more, and with it the First Order. The Last Jedi introduced Rey and Kylo’s Force bond, hinting that an alliance between the avatar of the dark side and that of the light would bring balance. The Rise of Skywalker adds to the idea with Rey and Kylo/Ben being elements of a Force dyad. Yet one half of the dyad is killed off at the end of the movie. By definition, this leaves the Force unbalanced, inexplicably dropping the overarching thread of the entire saga.

Most egregiously, the film fails to provide satisfactory closure. Rey is defined in the first two movies as a young woman yearning for love and connection. We’re introduced to her marking the days of her abandonment as she waits for her family to return for her. She ends the trilogy isolated and alone, the one person who was her equal, who fully knew and understood her not only gone, but unmourned and forgotten. The ending we’re given is empty, bleak and nihilistic.

The entire film reeks of a lack of vision, poor planning, last minute changes, trying to check off too many boxes and the influence of too many cooks in the kitchen. It turns its back on what a Star Wars movie should be—not only a thrilling ride, but also a message of hope.

In the end, The Rise of Skywalker is a sad, disappointing finale to the two generation-long mythology of Star Wars.

[thegreatestwriter1]

Chapters: 23/23 Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo Characters: Rey (Star Wars), Ben Solo, Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron, Rose Tico, Finn (Star Wars), Kaydel Ko Connix, Phasma (Star Wars), Armitage Hux, Amilyn Holdo Additional Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Age Difference, Size Difference, Rutting, Past Relationship(s), Childhood Friends, Miscommunication, Boss/Employee Relationship, Alternate Universe - Office, Alpha/Omega, Omega Rey, Subplot StormPilot, Rey is Poe’s Little Sister, six year age difference, Misunderstandings, Office Sex, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Alpha Ben Solo, Masturbation, Mutual Masturbation, Sex Toys, Jealousy, Dominant Ben Solo, Scenting, Dry Humping, Oral Sex, Masturbation in Shower, First Time Blow Jobs, Crysturbation, Phaydel, Phone Sex, Mating Bites, Mating Bond Series: Part 1 of ABOhHoHo Summary:

“I was happy you’ll be working with someone you know. He’ll take good care of you.”

Take good care of you.

The words send a shiver down her spine, sparking memories that flood her with embarrassment. She feels a strange itch just below her ear, her gland giving a phantom pulse as if her body remembers the incident even still.

Suddenly her triumph fades into dread, the idea of working here leaving a hollow pit in her stomach. Poe is still talking, but she doesn’t hear most of it. Her mind is firmly trapped in the vivid memories of six years ago— in a moment she wishes she could forget.

By the time she hangs up the phone— she isn’t sure anymore if she can do this.