#what even is a bothan?

[jenevawashere]

Does anyone who follows me get this joke? It’s ok if you don’t. I just thought I’d share this silly thing I made

[rooksunday]

need a jedi for this fic.

create an oc. what’s the worst that could happen.

anyway i’m now setting them up with another oc and i still haven’t written the scene i actually needed them for yet.

[saphronethaleph]

Volume Pricing

“New information from the intelligence take, Senator, Admiral,” General Madine said. “To summarize… the Empire has begun construction of a second Death Star.”

“That is troubling news,” Mon Mothma frowned. “Do we have any information on where?”

“No, Senator,” Madine replied. “I’m sorry.”

“What about on who is managing the construction?” Mothma asked. “I know I’m asking a lot, General, but I need to know what there is to know.”

“That’s just it, Senator,” Madine told her. “There’s very little to tell – the summary of the report is simply that the Empire has begun construction.”

“Surely we must have more than that,” Ackbar protested.

“I’m bringing up the report now,” Madine told them. “...oh, yes. I see why they’re sure.”

He put the datapad on the table. “It’s an economic analysis.”

Ackbar blinked.

“...explain, please,” he requested. “How can an economic analysis tell us that a second Death Star is being built?”

“The price of quadanium, durasteel, and other major structural metals,” Madine replied. “Their full analysis is in the paper, but to summarize… we know there was a major pause in the construction of the first Death Star, and with hindsight the timing of this can be detected in the market prices for the structural metals and other aspects of the first Death Star’s construction. There is simply nothing else in the galaxy which calls for, among other things, two hundred and forty thousand cubic kilometres of quadanium armour plate.”

Ackbar gasped for a moment.

“Two hundred and-!?” he repeated. “That was the surface armour?”

“That was the surface armour,” Madine confirmed. “The Death Star’s construction involved the delivery of approximately twelve thousand cubic kilometres of quadanium averaged over a year for the armour alone, plus the metals required to build about two million cubic kilometres of battle station underneath the armour. It’s roughly equivalent in terms of volume to ten thousand times the entire Imperial fleet – it’s no exaggeration to say that, in hindsight, the construction of the first Death Star was the economic influence on the galactic economy over the last twenty-five years.”

“I believe I understand,” Mothma nodded. “So… the analysts have spotted the same thing?”

Madine waved his hand.

“Not quite, Senator,” he replied. “They’ve spotted an economic anomaly at least ten times the size. It’s straining the galaxy’s ability to produce durasteel and quadanium, keeping up with the demand is to a first approximation impossible… either this second Death Star is going to be finished in less than two years, or they’re building one even bigger than the first one was.”

The senator and the admiral exchanged a glance with the easy communication of people who’d been working together for a very long time.

“We will need to confirm this,” Mothma said. “No, not confirm that a second Death Star is being built, confirm where it is. Find out all the information we can.”

“Yes, Senator,” Madine agreed.

“We may need to contact the Bothans,” Ackbar suggested.

“Actually…” Madine mused. “I have a better idea.”

“You do?” Mothma asked.

Madine shrugged. “Go into business refining and supplying durasteel,” he said. “We’ll clearly make a good deal of money, and we can track where the shipments go…”

[thesoundofrainbirdwings]

POV you are a Rando Mando from the covert

You spend your days chilling in the covert and supervising foundlings. It's not as if you have anything better to do.

Din walks in fairly often but ONLY to talk to the armourer because he is ridiculously antisocial. You, on the other hand, chat with your fellow Mandos every day. He avoids everyone like he's going to catch Bothan Nether Rot just from making eye contact from you all.

One day he invites a girl to the covert and somehow she ends up being a Mandalorian princess with a fancy ship and fancy paint job. Din also brings an overwrought ship. Maker knows where he got it.

Naturally Din makes a beeline for the armourer because of course he does. The princess meets everyone and is surprisingly social for someone who Din brought over. You have no idea how Din brought a princess to meet the fam though. However, you assume they're together and will get married or something.

You notice next they, for some reason, do everything together. When the covert goes to rescue Ragnar, they go together. But it's a group situation so you think, "whatever". And don't even mention the weird "foundlings" that showed up too. They are easily the ugliest things you have seen in your life. You promise yourself you won't go near them.

But then that rando Blue shows up. For some reason Din knows who he is and goes to talk to him in private. And for some reason Bo-Katan goes to join him. You stay back with the rest of the covert where you feel safe.

You go to the gathering around the fire. She listens very closely to what he has to say. Then he goes and sits SUSPICIOUSLY close to her. This is where you decide they are actually married.

The next day you are going to Nevarro. It seems they just assumed they would go together. You admit they work well as a team and her ship is actually nice. You also realise the starfighter Din owns isn't a mid-life crisis purchase either.

She shows up with her helmet off and realise she is better looking than you expected. It doesn't hurt that she is quite friendly and more cheerful than dingy Din. You can see why Din likes her.

They then go off on some harebrained errand the armourer sent them on. They take the baby and it looks suspiciously like a family trip instead of a mission.

A few days later, a fleet shows up. You start to wonder what Din did for this to happen. They keep sticking to each other though. This seems to be the one constant, even with all the ridiculous things happening around you lately.

The princess announces a mission to retake Mandalore and wants volunteers. You mull it over in your head and do decide on it but before you say yes, Din volunteers himself. You assume this is a formality on his end.

They travel in the same fancy ship though you expected it to happen. You also expected them to disembark together, which also happens. Why are you even surprised anymore?

You end up on this weird ship looking thing. You start to get along with some of the Nite Owls and chat with them. They're not as bad as you initially thought and you think you can make friends with them. You notice Din and his princess talking quietly. You assume they're having an intimate conversation and mind your own business.

The very next day, Din gets captured and you see the princess is shocked and sad. You assume this is what losing a spouse looks like.

[rosethornewrites]

T & G reading since 8/25

Finished

Teen:

Buried Deep, by NeverEnoughWangxian (🔒)

They proceed to play a somewhat staticky audio recording of the teacher in question. “—if it’d just been me in here I’d vote for the underwater tunnel option, but I’ve got kids in here who can’t swim. We have plenty of snacks and water to last us for a while, so please just focus on getting the rocks cleared away, okay? Safely, of course. Oh, and remind the ones out there that I still expect them to do their homework for tomorrow!” He laughs, bright and clear even through the crackle of the bad reception.

Lan Wangji drops the knife.

It clatters loudly on the cutting board, just barely missing his fingers. He hardly even notices. He’s too focused on that voice he knows so well, on the laugh that he still hears sometimes in his dreams even after all these years.

He exhales shakily. “Wei Ying…”

Wei Wuxian disappears without a trace, and then ten years later, shows up on the news during a cave-in...

Many Bothans Died To Bring Us This Information, by sami (part of 2 series)

"Is that wingdings?" he asks, staring at the screen.

"According to my computer that is goddamn Times New Roman," the geek says. "What it is is some nonsense. You gotta give me access to the real code."

The Top Gear Thing Behind The Scenes, by sami (23rd in a series)

"You know my Mercedes?" Jeremy says, eyes on the Zixuan.

"I'm familiar with it, yes."

"What's it for?"

Catharsis, by Starfell123 (6 chapters)

“Look, I know I’m probably foolish. I know that the chances of this not being a business-meeting are slim to none, but I need to know for sure. If Uncle Jiang wants to apologize, I’ll give him a chance to do so. If not, I want to tell him where to stick it in person.”

Thirteen years after being thrown out by the Jiangs, Jiang Fengmian contacts Wei Wuxian and asks to meet. Wei Wuxian goes in the hopes of reconciling with his adopted family, but the circumstances he finds himself in wont allow that to happen. What will he do when his former guardian tries to arrange a marriage for him that will benefit the Jiang-sect?

General:

Strawberry Wine on an April Evening, by stiltonbasket (52nd in a series)

A little less than a year after their wedding, Wei Ying leaves the Cloud Recesses to go night-hunting on his own.

This is not entirely uncommon. It is true that Wei Ying usually night-hunts with Lan Wangji, or with the juniors: but every now and then, he receives news of mild hauntings within a day’s ride from home and goes off alone to attend to them with Little Apple in tow.

On the fourth such occasion, Lan Wangji finds himself waiting late into the night for Wei Ying to return. Wei Ying sent a messenger talisman to the Jingshi earlier that evening, informing Lan Wangji that he had safely completed his night-hunt and started back for home—and though he ought to have reached the Cloud Recesses within the next two shichen, there has been no sign of him yet.

Drag Me Into Your Coffin (I Will Drag Your Sins Into the Light), by the5leggedCricket (🔒)

During the events in the GuanYin Temple, Jin GuangYao tries to drag Lan XiChen into death with him. When Lan XiChen next opens his eyes, he is faced with a—very alive—Jin GuangYao in Koi Tower, and a Jin ZiXun who is trying to force alcohol down his throat. Lan XiChen has a choice: smile and comply or take a stand once and for all—while still smiling, naturally.

AKA: Lan XiChen goes Off™

whatever it is you imagined (i’ll show you everything), by PrismaticAvocado (🔒)

“Why don’t I chop some wood and till the ground while you clean up a bit inside?” Wei Wuxian suggests.

“Mn,” Lan Wangji agrees. “Bring the wood as soon as you’re done. I bought ingredients in town; I’ll cook the fish soup that you like.”

“Aiya, you spoil me,” Wei Wuxian complains affectionately. “A man as pretty as you should really be the one getting spoiled, not me.”

“You are very pretty,” Lan Wangji says seriously. “And it is not spoiling to cook for my husband who will spend the day working on our farm.”

After decades in Cloud Recesses, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji start a new chapter together.

Unfinished

Teen:

so i cut the shackles and changed my name, by MichelleFeather

“A-Ying, should anything happen, should you be separated from us or find yourself in need of help, find Lan Qiren in Cloud Recesses. No matter what’s happened, he will keep you safe. He has sworn to me his home will always be open to you, no matter what.”

Following the advice of his late mother, Wei Ying runs away from Lotus Pier, knowing that if he were to stay, he would likely die at the hands of Madam Yu.

And, he finds, the Lan Clan is the place where he was always supposed to be.

Remember, by Amona

Jiang Cheng was 6 years old when his father got him three puppies for his birthday. His first instinct was to look around cautiously, ready to gather the pups into his arms in case they decided to go towards —

His mind drew blank here.

General:

Blooming You a Garden Inside Me, by xxxMiaHikarixxx

After Wei Ying's encounter with the Waterborne Abyss, he sees the Twin Jades of Lan taking a walk. Curiously, he follows them and hears Lan Zhan's distaste for him. The first flower petal lands on his palm. Does Wei Ying have the hanahaki curse? Or is it something even more complicated?

This story started as an one-shot for a challenge and has been an ongoing multi-pov monster that fixes everything through angst, romance and lore.

Reunion, by Yellowcrane

With a sigh, Wei Ying dropped his chin to his chest and closed his eyes. Why was he even here? He couldn’t talk to anyone he used to hang out with because they had all dropped him and moved on with their lives. Even his adoptive siblings hadn’t reached out to him in the ten years since he was kicked out of the Jiang house. He couldn’t blame them. In their eyes, Wei Ying had got caught up in the wrong crowd and made a decision that almost ruined his life. Why would anyone even talk to someone that they assumed had become a deadbeat anyway?

The sound of the auditorium doors opening drew Wei Ying out of his depressive spiral. The auditorium was already silent from the Wen’s arrival, but this silence tasted different. It had a new kind of buzz running through the undercurrents of the crowd. Curious as always, Wei Wuxian looked up, and immediately all he could think was, ah, I guess this is why I’m here.

-

Or, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji reminisce about their younger days and realize their competitive tendencies may have been a bit more romantically charged than they both thought.

[dingoat]

For Best Girl Ahuska, or someone else if they speak up louder:

🌹 (rose) - What does your oc find attractive in other people? Are these traits found in their friends and/or romantic partners? Are they found in themselves?

🐞 (ladybug) - What does a perfect day look like for your oc? What do they do? Who do they see?

🎒 (backpack) - What items does your oc usually carry? Do they have a bag or just keep everything in their pockets? Do they carry a lot or a little?

🌹- When it comes to physical attraction, Ahuska is definitely drawn to eyes, to smiles, and to hair. She trusts eyes to let her know the truth of a person, she'll believe what she sees in someone's eyes more readily than what comes out of their mouth. She melts for a dazzling smile, a cheeky, toothy grin, for a warm, content and adoring expression. And I think, at this point, I can't ignore the fact that she clearly appreciates a guy who's not afraid to grow his hair! All that said, though, what will really get her attention is a person who makes her feel seen, and pays more attention to who she is rather than what she is - having had more than her share of dealings with typical Imperial attitudes, she's always been somewhat self conscious about being a Bothan in a human dominated galaxy (never mind being a werewolf). This fact is far more important than physical qualities whether it's from friends or romantic interests, though of course if the physical traits ring the right bells for her that will just light up her drive to be intimate even more.

She herself might argue that she doesn't carry any of the traits that she favours, but I think she reflects what she likes/wants to see in others better than she realises.

🐞- Ooof, a perfect day? Would be one that she could share with all her favourite people (namely Blakk, Thirteen and Crow, the people her inner wolf considers her pack). Long and lazy through the daylight hours, full of good food and casual affection unburdened by jealousy, a bonfire through the evening with stories and songs, and then some exuberant, wild animal shenanigans through the night. Racing, flying, roughhousing, exploring the wilds and adoring the moon, feeling earth and snow and the chill wind before piling onto one another to sleep soundly until the middle of the next day.

🎒- Ahuska typically travels pretty light, which is probably the sad result of having to relocate her entire life so many times, not to mention that turning into a giant wolf to deal with a lot of life's problems doesn't lend itself especially well to keeping a lot of personal items on hand on a regular basis. When she does get the opportunity to get around a little more 'normally' for a time, she's fond of coats with deep pockets (to stuff with trinkets and loose credits) but she also has a little satchel that she's managed to hang on to for at least her last couple of moves, just big enough to hold a personal datapad, a holocomm, and a decent supply of snacks. In fact, snacks are probably the most likely thing she'll have on her at any point in time (shapeshifting uses up a whole lot of energy so she's almost always peckish, if not downright ravenous), though it's also not uncommon to find her carrying a hunting knife (nowadays a beautiful ornate blade that was gifted to her by a certain someone) or with a smooth river stone in her pocket, that she'll clutch in her palm or run her fingers over for comfort and for luck.

[queen-scribbles]

Would Tragen have any advice for, say, a little bothan with a very big heart who is struggling with her place as a Force Sensitive?

He has advice, mostly of the 'this is what works for me, I know it's not one size fits all, but hope it helps you, too' variety. ---

Biggest one is to find Your People. Who care about you and you care about them, who keep you grounded and help you have fun, who you trust. (It can be varying levels of trust; while Tragen would trust anyone from the SW crew to watch his back except Broonmark >.>, he has borderline blind faith in Vette, and Jaesa's the only one who knew the full depth of his not-a-Sithness, even before they were a couple. And not in a fight, he's extremely wary around Quinn and Pierce bc they're both Imperial loyalists.) Bonus points if there's at least one or two of them you can completely be yourself around.

It does take some soul-searching, but knowing what your morals are, and where your lines are for things you will always/never do. This will help with picking Your People, bc it informs who you want to associate with/trust, assuming the choice of association is up to you. Sometimes circumstances might make you cross one of those lines. You process it and move on, maybe talk it out with someone you trust. Drowning in guilt will only paralyze you and won't fix anything.

He's less sure of how much help he can be with the Force Sensitive part, since his connection is kinda mid; if she's toward an extreme he doesn't really have anything for helping to muffle or strengthen it. UM. Much as it's a stock line, meditation does help, at the very least with figuring out your limits and if there's a way to alter them if they don't let you do what you want to accomplish. (There's a reason he's Carnage Marauder/Infiltration Shadow spec; he's more about using the Force to amplify physical abilities when needed than relying on it straight-up) It's fine to not lean too heavily on the Force and trust more in physical abilities if you have something that's a special skill/focus of yours.

There's nothing wrong with enjoying the rush of a fight or the challenge of it, or any aspect of fighting aside from the hurting/killing part. He will think there's something wrong if you like that part, lol.😅(he's very aware of the necessity of hurting or killing sometimes, but he does not enjoy it at all. Seriously, Worst Sith Ever)

Trying to think of a happier note to end on and all I can come up with is he's always happy to talk or try to help her if she wants advice again, even if he feels he's not particularly good at it. ^^ He can be a trustworthy listening ear at the very least.

OH WAIT ALSO. Her big heart is a good thing. It's good to care about people, to enjoy life, and she should try her best to stay that way bc people like that are pure joy to be around.

[danceswithsporks]

Omg can I ask 9 with Echo??? Love your works 🖤

So sorry for the delay! I went with Bad Batch Echo for this! Please let me know if that was the wrong version to go with!

Echos disguise is based off of the ‘droid’ disguise he had in the bad batch when Hunter sold him!

Echo x Reader

"You're mine tonight, and that isn't ever gonna change."

Echo watched you flit around the ballroom in a gentle flurry of silk material. You were in your element. Born to a Senator and now following in her footsteps. One of the younger senators in the senate and one of the more outspoken against the war and the use of clones as fodder. How he’d ended up as your bodyguard was still a confusing mystery for him. One day he was working with the batch in the outer rim and the next day he was being shuttled off to Coruscant for a special assignment. That was over a year ago. Now he stood to the side of the room, disguised as a droid, watching you speak with countless other members of the Senate.

You were beautiful, a shining light in the darkness of his life. You welcomed him with open arms when Fox presented him to you. Happy to finally be working next to a clone. Cause that’s what you two were in your eyes, colleagues. Not a bodyguard and his charge, but friends. You’d told him as much in your first meeting too. Never once did Echo feel like you looked down on him, even with his special looks. He’d watched you stand up to countless sexist senators, defend him and his vod with passion, and help those in desperate need of help. Even now, when others were here at the banquet to have a good time, you were here to be the voice that so many desperately needed. While others were drinking and laughing, you were arranging medical supplies for families on the outer rim affected by the war.

Brown eyes watched as you forced a laugh at some joke spoken by the senator on your left. Echo had seen you laugh countless times and had made you laugh as well. That wasn’t a true laugh, that was your ‘I’m doing this for the sake of my program. You’re making me uncomfortable and I’d like you to go away but I can’t say that so instead I’m gonna laugh’ laugh. He watched as the man raised his hand to the small of your back and he seethed. You didn’t like being touched by people you didn’t know and seeing as this guy wasn’t moving his hand, it was time for him to step in.

“Oh, I firmly believe that this program is important. Children and families are being completely uprooted from their ancestral lands because of this war. They need our aid to help them survive.” With a shift of your weight, you tried to pull away from the man’s hand that was trying to stroke your back. You wanted to vomit from his touch.

“But do they require as much aid as you are requesting? Surely if we continue to simply give them everything, they will not survive on their own.” The Bothan senator crossed his arms as he stroked the long fur on his chin.

You fought the sigh that tried to escape your lips. This was always the hard part. So many didn’t care about those in need, they just feigned caring. “Part of the funds you’d be contributing would b-“ you coughed as a hand suddenly grabbed your ass. Did this guy really think you’d suddenly fall for him because of that? You turned to say something to him when you heard your favorite voice.

“Please refrain from laying hands on the Senator.” Echo moved the hand from your ass before sliding between the two, becoming your barrier. “Continued assault will result in removal from the premises.” He spoke in an almost monotone voice, trying to mimic the speech patterns of droids.

It made you smile the way he always seemed to perfectly time his sudden appearances. Just when you were about to go off on someone and probably look bad, he’d step in and save ya. It was hard to think about your life before him or even possibly without him now. In a way, you loved him being around. He made you smile and laugh and feel safe. Sure, safety was the main point of his job. But there was a difference between being safe and feeling safe. Echo made you feel safe and warm. You watched as eyebrows raised around the group at his remark, a few of the senators spoke to their assistants in their private languages.

The male senator seethed at the droid blatantly outing him. “And just what are you!”

“This is EC-HO. My bodyguard and assistant droid.” You patted his shoulder with a pleased smile. He’d definitely be getting thanked for this later.

The Bothan Senator tilted his head in surprise. “Interesting. I have not seen this model before. Is it new? Where did you acquire it?” He reached out to touch the droid but found his hand moved away.

Your hand went out and blocked the Senator from touching Echo. “He is a prototype designed by an acquaintance of mine. As you can imagine, he is very valuable to me.” Dropping your hand, you gripped Echo's wrist gently and squeezed it twice. The signal that you were ready to leave.

“Fascinating, I would love to discuss this droid with its creator. Perhaps you could give me their contact information.” The Bothan looked over EC-HO closely. He was very human-like.

“My creator wishes to remain anonymous until my design is finalized.” He returned the two squeezes, letting you know he understood.

Releasing his hand, you grasped both of yours in front of you. “There are still a few kinks that need to be worked out.”

Echo was so thankful for the make covering his reddening face. How dare you mention his kinks like this. “Madam, it is almost time for your call with my creator.”

You nodded, the hitch in his voice caught your attention. A smile crossed your lips as you tried not to let the blush on your cheeks become obvious. “I’m sorry, I must be going.”

“Perhaps I could escort you back to your room, Senator. It will give me a chance to properly apologize to you.” The male senator tried to live around Echo but found himself blocked once more.

“Thank you for the offer.” A hand was placed on Echo's upper arm as you prevented him from grabbing the Senator. “But I must discuss some important details with EC-HO. Goodbye.” Not waiting for a response from him, you made a speedy exit from the ballroom.

-*-

By the time you’d made it back to your room, it had begun to downpour. The balcony doors had been left open in your suite and the sweet smell of flowers and rain filled the room. That was one thing you loved about visiting Naboo. No matter what kind of weather the planet was experiencing, it was beautiful. While Echo secured your room and checked the adjoining room, technically his room, you made your way to the balcony to enjoy the rain.

The rain soaked your cream gown within moments, your hair sticking to your skin and your heels beginning to slip. You began to reach down to pull them off but found Echo already there. His real hand slipped around towards the latch on your pink heels. “Thank you, Echo.” A content sigh leaves your lips as you lean against the railing and feel your shoes slide off.

Echo ran his hand up your leg as he slowly stood, his fingers gliding across your smooth skin. “Of course, Mesh’la.” He pressed into you from behind as his lips found your shoulder. “Have I told you enough how beautiful you looked tonight?”

A shiver ran down your spine as his lips sprinkled kisses up your shoulder and onto your neck. “Just once more, my love.” Your head fell back against his shoulder when he pulled his teeth across your soft skin.

“You look absolutely stunning tonight. Especially right now.” His scomp slid forward and rested against one of your breasts. The darkened skin of your nipples almost visible through the soaked fabric.

“I bet that senator would say the same.” You felt him squeeze your side tightly, a growl leaving him as he ground the bulge in his pants against your ass. “Perhaps we should ask him to come in, so we can discuss his thoughts.” His grip became even tighter and you let out a pleasure-filled moan.

He knew you were doing this to get a rise out of him. Just like when the slit of your dress flashed his clone number tattoo that you had on your upper thigh at him while you were walking down the stairs earlier. You’d purposely bought the high-slit dress to tease him. “His only focus was fucking you because of how sexy you are in this dress.” His lips wrapped around the skin between your neck and shoulder before he sucked, a lovely mark being left behind.

“Too bad I’d rather fuck someone else tonight.” Stepping back, you rubbed your ass against his bulge. An airy moan left his lips, making you chuckle.

“Mmmm, that’s right.” His lips moved up to your earlobe. His teeth grazed against it as his voice became deeper, darker. “You're mine tonight,” his real hand snaked around your waist and dipped between your legs, playing with your clit. “and that isn't ever gonna change.”

A shaky breath left you as he began to tease you. “Wouldn’t have it…hnnng….any other way.” Your grip on the rail tightened as the rain continued to soak you two. “E-Echo.” A long moan left you as your upper body bent over the rail.

Just seeing how easily he could make you crumble sent a surge of pride through him. That was right. You belonged to him. It was his number on your thigh. His mark on your neck and on one of your breasts from the night before. And soon, it would be his seed inside your womb. “You’ve got two choices, Senator. Here, or the bed.”

Oh, fuck! You loved it when he spoke to you like this. Your room was at the back of the palace, no one else was near yours. The downpour outside was loud and muffling. “Here. Now. Please.” This could be one of your only chances to fuck outside like this, publicly. At any moment a starship could fly by and see you two together and the thought drove you insane.

“As you command, ma’am. Now be a good Senator and spread these luscious legs.” Echo fell to his knees behind you with an oomph, his hand pushing the fabric of your dress up to your hips displaying your ass and your cunt to him. “I believe you may have forgotten a piece of clothing tonight, Senator.” Leaning forward, he placed a long kick across your soaking heat. Fuck, he loved how you tasted. All hot and wet for him.

A squeak left you as you felt his hot tongue dip into your core. What that man could do with his tongue was mind-numbing. You rocked your hips back into him, loving the feeling. “I had plannnnnned” your words slurred as his thumb found your clit once more. Fuck, focusing was so hard right now. “On having…nnng… to fix my heel. Ugh!” Your mouth fell open in an ‘o’ as he sucked against your cunt. “And letting yoooouuuu.” Son of a bantha he was doing this on purpose. Your eyes screwed shut as you tried to focus on your sentence. “See that I wasn’t wearing any.” A scream of pleasure left you as his finger suddenly dipped inside of you.

“Mmm, so you planned on teasing me? You know how much I love it when you do that.” As he spoke, his hand moved from your heat and to his pocket. “I picked something up before we left Coruscant. Up for trying something new?”

“Always.” You forced the word out between ragged breaths. Echo had quickly become one of the reasons you’d started working out again. He was insatiable at times and with his enhanced stamina, you needed to train your stamina up. But even with your new workout regimens, it was hard to keep up with him. Especially when he worked you so nicely. Looking over your shoulder at him, you watched as he pulled something made out of rubber, possibly, from his pocket and slid it onto his scomp. The rain made it hard for you to see exactly what it looked like, but you could see that it was red. “W-what’s that?”

Echo smirked as he rolled the silicon cover down his scomp. “It’s designed to be a stimulating cover for sex toys. But after some research, I figured out that they also fit over my scomp.” Standing up, he moved his scomp toward your face, letting you get a good look at it. “Lick it, so I can try it in your pussy.”

Now that it was closer to your face, you could see all the ridges and textured parts of it. You let out a shuddered breath as you moved your head forward and took the appendage in your mouth. His hand found your clit once more and he began to work you vigorously. Your head bobbed up and down on his scomp until he pulled it away, an amused smile on his lips. “It’s not as big as you.” Your eyes fell on his bulge. Ugh, you wished he would just fuck you with it already. Yes, you enjoyed the foreplay and how he could make you cum with his tongue or fingers. But his cock filled you just right and you wanted to go to bed feeling full tonight.

“Mmm, couldn’t have you wanting my scomp more than my dick.” His scomp slid down your back, between your cheeks, and against your core. “Now, are you ready?” You nodded slowly. “And what’s the safe word?”

A gasp left you as you felt the scomp begin to push in. “F-Fives!” His lips found your neck once more and he peppered sweet kisses against your soaked skin while slowly moving the scomp into your heat.

“Good girl.” Looking down at his scomp, he watched it disappear into you. A groan left him as you keened into his ear. “How’s that feel?” He pulled it out slowly before pushing it back into you.

Another long moan left you as he continued to move in and out at an almost maddening slow speed. “G-good.” You weren’t sure it could feel any better until it suddenly began to vibrate and twist. “Oh, fuck! Echo! Fuck!” Your knees began to shake as the feeling rushed through you. Already that string deep inside you was tightening.

Echo’s hand moved to his pants and quickly pulled out his cock. His hand pumped in time with the chants leaving your lips. The way you were screaming his name and moaning was enough of a turn-on for him. “That’s right. Keep screaming my name. Cum on my scomp.” It was something he never expected to say but stars how he loved it.

That wasn’t going to take you long. Relaxing the railing, you moved your hand between your legs and started rubbing your clit. “C-close. Faster, please.” Your hips rocked back and forth as you chased your release. So close, you just needed that one thing to push you over the edge.

“Anything for you.” He fell to his knees and angled himself so he could suck on your clit while still fucking you with his scomp.

“Oh, shit!” That was exactly what you needed! Your head fell forward as you screamed his name. Your orgasm hitting you in a gloriously blinding light of ecstasy.

He loved watching you cum, loved hearing you scream because of him. The scomp continued to thrust into you as you rode out your high, his tongue running slow circles over your clit. After a few more thrusts, he pulled the scomp out and pushed his face into your cunt. His tongue danced against you, drinking up every drop of honey that he could. “This is my favorite dessert right here. I could eat you every day.” Sitting back on his heels, he watched as your hips sway side to side. Your slick ran down the back of your legs and he couldn’t stop from leaving forward and licking some of it away. “Ready for more?”

“Stars, yes!” You needed him to fill you up already. “Fill me and you can have me every night.” The sound of him chuckling drew your attention. Looking over your shoulder, you watched as he stood and lined himself up with your cunt. “W-wait!” He raised an eyebrow to you in surprise. “Kiss me? You haven’t this entire time.”

“How rude of me.” Echo turned you around and pulled you into a deep kiss. His hand slid into your soaked hair and gripped it tightly. Stars, how he adored you. Adored the taste of your lips and how perfectly both of you fit together. His tongue danced against yours as a happy sigh left you and you melted into his arms. A smile rested on his lips as he rested his forehead against yours. “Want to move this inside?”

“Not yet. Want you to fill me out here first.” Your hand slid down the front of him and gripped his hard cock. He was so damn big with the most perfect curve you’d ever seen. It hit that spot inside your perfectly every time.

Echo chuckled as he rubbed his nose against yours. “Keep talking like that and I might start thinking that ya me to breed you.”

You licked your lips at his words. “Maybe one day. For now, I just enjoy the practice rounds.”

His hand released your hair and fell to your ass. Giving it a tight squeeze, he listened to you squeak before turning you around once more. “Then let’s get back to practicing.” Lining himself up with you once more, he leaned over and whispered deeply to you. “After all, practice makes perfect.”

[rainintheevening]

Slapped by @ablatheringblatherskite, thanks Aster! And @novelmonger! 😘

Are you named after anyone?: My first name comes from the Bible and my maternal grandmother.

When was the last time you cried?: Today at church. But it was good crying. The music really got me today. :')

Do you have any kids?: No, unless characters count. Eric and Casey, my beloved boys. Squatch, my little bothan boy. Addie, my clone son. There's a few of 'em.

What sports do you play/have you played?: Shinny on the outdoor rink at the park in town. Many bastardized versions of things with siblings (soccer with a basketball, baseball with a shoe, show jumping without horses, horse racing with bikes, golf with dirt clods... you get the idea).

Do you use sarcasm?: Sometimes, but I was raised to say what I mean, so even my sarcasm is easy to see coming. Try to only use it on people who will appreciate it and as a joke.

What is the first thing you notice about people?: Footwear is a big one. Tells me a lot. Also handshake (whether or not they do it, how firm it is)

What's your eye color?: Blue mostly. Greyer in some lights, greener in others. But really it's just blue.

Scary movies or happy endings?: Happy endings all the way.

Any talents?: Whistling, writing, herding animals, singing.

Where were you born?: The city I've always lived next to in Sounthern Ontario, Canada

What are your hobbies?: Writing, doing truck repairs with my brother, singing at church, drawing, four-wheeling

Do you have any pets?: Currently, just one, a cat named Lucy.

How tall are you?: 5'4", maybe 5'3"?

Favorite subject in school?: History. I did love history, because we read tons of high quality historical fiction growing up, and the way my mom taught us was by giving us books to read about things. Anyone else crazy about the Adam's Synchronological Chart of History?

Dream job?: Ugh, I don't even know anymore. Currently jobless so this is kinda a difficult question. I mean, homemaker would be ideal, but you need a husband for that. Would not mind being a housekeeper for nice people. (Already am one for the fam, but I don't get paid.)

Let's see tagging... @ionlymadethissoicouldleaveanask @thefinaljediknight @x-rainflame-x @authortobenamedlater and anyone else who wants to do these!

[nicki0kaye]

Star Wars Sentinel Guide nonsense

To make things easier for everyone, I've decided to just lay out how my Sentinel/Guide au works. Please feel free to rip me off entirely and apply these ideas to any blorbo you choose.

I've done a few pics for Pre-Empire bonded Kalluzeb, and started a fic for Post-Empire, Pre-Fall of Lasan Kalluzeb, but there's a bunch of other AUs that branch off of this main premise, and the fic especially drops the audience into the deep end re: how shit works, so lets just go ahead and spell shit out plainly.

First and foremost, yes, the Force is involved and the Jedi do know about these sub-categories of Force-sensitive ppl. Typically, the cultures they exist inside already have accommodations for 'Sentinels' and 'Guides', and these two sub-sets have very limited access to the Force itself, so it doesn't really benefit anyone for them to be picked up by the Jedi, as they lack the access to the Force required for full-on Jedi training, and the Jedi don't really specialize in their care. Only in very extreme cases would a Jedi want to adopt a 'Sentinel' or 'Guide'; ie when they are utterly alone and lack all outside support.

What even are Sentinels and Guides? In the broadest terms, they are specialized Force-users with complimentary adaptations, meant to work as a unit.

Sentinels have enhanced senses, mental capacity, memory recall, strength and speed, but can struggle to regulate their own nervous systems and risk being locked in vivid flash-backs due to their near-perfect recall.

Guides are empaths capable of influencing the minds and bodies of those around them, typically only within their line of sight, although with practice they can widen their range of influence. They are very sensitive to the pain of others, and can become overwhelmed by second-hand emotions without proper training.

Both Sentinels and Guides can sense the Force to a degree, though it's mostly limited to the 'souls' or 'auras' of other sentients, meaning no tapping into nature or inanimate objects (excluding kyber crystals. that shit they can in fact sense.) Guides can interact directly with other's 'auras', that's kind of their Whole Deal, but Sentinels have an acute awareness of their own 'aura', especially when interfacing with another's. This allows Sentinels and Guides to recognize one another, though a Sentinel may inaccurately contribute their awareness of a Guide to another sense, such as 'seeing' their aura or 'hearing' their soul.

A Guide's aura must interact with a Sentinel's aura to properly regulate a Sentinel's nervous system. This can be a temporary arrangement, after which one or both could disconnect their aura and suffer no ill effects. However, it's possible to form a 'bond' after prolonged interaction, especially if the two are 'compatible'. Compatibility between Sentinels and Guides is not a hard science, it's more a vibe that these two get on really well, and it works on a spectrum. The more compatible the pair, the stronger the bond; the stronger the bond, the more painful it is to sever. While super not recommended, you can sever a bond by force--outside Guide/Force-user interference--or by distance. No matter the method, a severed bond is traumatic for both parties, but at least with other Guides around, some of that trauma can be tended to immediately.

Separately, Sentinels and Guides have a few obvious niches they can gravitate to; Sentinels can excel at most any activity they set their mind to, especially physical ones such a sports or warfare, while Guides make talented healers and diplomats. They of course work best as a unit, something recognized and often revered in every culture they appear in.

Sentinels and Guides are most commonly found in non-human species, including but not limited to the Wookiees, Bothan, Cathar, Chiss and Lasat.

[magnetarbeam]

I was recently pointed to a thing on FFN that challenged some of my ideas about post-FotJ worldbuilding, which is useful.

This fic's set 6 years after FotJ, and it has Bwua'tu as the Galactic Alliance Supreme Commander, as opposed to my headcanon, which has always been that Wynn appointed Gavin to that position. My thought process for that has just been that Gavin's more qualified than the idiot who fell for a Space Trojan Horse, but now I wonder...

Wynn's entire arc is constantly ending up in positions of more and more political power that he never wanted, culminating in his appointment as Chief of State. What I want to think is that because of Wynn's relative alienation to politics, he would be less inclined to play whatever game of the Bothan political scheming stereotypes that Bwua'tu hasn't exactly proven himself an exception to, and he'd be more willing to just look at service records.

Depending on how hard you want to go on the anti-Jedi sentiment in the GA post-Abeloth, Gavin's long history of favorable relations to the Jedi might be more controversial. Bwua'tu does have a relative (a nephew, I think) in the Order, and he evidently made what amounted to a command decision based on that, but I don't think that series of events had a chance to become common knowledge. Hamner didn't even know about said relative of the CNO until they randomly met in person.

Generally, I don't go that hard on the in-universe Jedi hate at that point in time. A lot of it hinges on how much the average GA cifizen knows about Abeloth. In this fic here, the other heads of state are throwing around the "alien Force goddess" description fairly comfortably, but they've had a few years to get used to the idea. My longstanding headcanon is that Wynn and Luke's public statement suggested that Abeloth was a tool of the Sith, not the other way around, which is a) more believable in general, and b) frames the actions of the Jedi in a light that the average citizen understands as far as they need to for this.

But then again, the linked fic also has Gavin as still a line admiral, so maybe the author just missed that Gavin's one of the joint chiefs, and therefore Bwua'tu's equal in rank, during FotJ.

If nothing else, I'm sticking with Gavin as the Supreme Commander in Voices of the Force just because he's a character I care about and have emotional investment in.

The Corellian/Bothan/Commenorian/Whatever-It-Is Confederation still being a separate government in this fic is a subject I will examine at some point in the future, when attention span allows.

[stopthatmyhandsaredirty]

Can we talk about Mon Mothma in Andor for a second? Ok cool. 

I’m an Old-ish person, so I grew up watching the Original Trilogy on VHS in the early ‘90s. As I got older I started to delve into books, comics, video games, etc. 

When I first saw Jedi I’m not sure I really registered Mon Mothma. But watching it countless time, I grew intrigued by this woman. Eventually I got Star Wars sourcebooks (I loved the Encyclopedia and the character guides) and learned that Mon Mothma was the leader of the Rebel Alliance.

In the novels, Mon was often the New Republic Chief of State in early Star Wars publishing days. She’s featured substantially in the oft lauded Thrawn Trilogy. She also showed up in video games occasionally, usually to assign the protagonist a top secret mission. The older I got, the more I appreciated this woman who was the leader of the Rebel Alliance. She really was an antithesis to the Emperor. She wears all white, speaks with delicate strength, and isn’t shrouded under a cloak like Palpatine. She is present to brief her troops before an incredibly pivotal mission and is pained at the loss of the Bothan spys. 

Anyway, I asked for her action figure for Christmas one year and I still have it. 

I was super excited when I heard we would be seeing a younger version of the character in Revenge of the Sith. Sadly, all of her dialogue was cut (along with Padmè’s entire subplot....I will never not be bitter) and she appears as a glorified extra. She was used a little in The Clone Wars but only in a supporting capacity. 

When I saw the trailer for Rogue One, I was ecstatic to see Genevieve O’Reilly back to play Mon Mothma...with actual lines! It was so special to see her at such a pivotal point in the Rebellion AND with Space Jimmy Smits! 

Once they brought her into Rebels, I was over the moon. I loved seeing this character get more and more fleshed out over time...even if it was very slowly. I feel I should also note she has quite a large role in Chuck Wendig’s canon Aftermath trilogy of novels. I enjoyed it but it isn’t for everyone. 

So now here we are, and Mon just made her debut as a co-lead of a prestige drama on Disney Plus. Not only that, but the show looks gorgeous, is expertly acted, and features what is certainly the best writing that has ever graced the franchise. I won’t spoil anything, but Genevieve O’Reilly has a few scenes in Episode 4, and she is phenomenal. 

I’m elated. I can’t wait to learn more about this character, especially during a period of her life where so much is on the line. The stakes are so high for her right now (Don’t worry girl, it’s all worth it.) 

I’ve been wanting a political/spy thriller in the Star Wars universe for a while now. I’m so glad it’s finally here and that it’s the best Star Wars has looked in a while. 

[rooksunday]

thinking about fox getting his first poll card after the vode get citizenship. the guard scattered after sithsplosion day, but he and a score or so that were functionally useless without each other, like nervous space greyhounds with military training, all ended up bundled together on some planet in the mid rim.

he’s been working on a book about his years at the senate. no one knows about it aside from thorn, who has been checking his basic, and advising him where he needs to wind the reveals back a little because libel. the rest of the time he does payroll for a number of small businesses, picking and choosing his hours, and delighting in sending invoices for his business: the shiny security fund, he’s called it, to continue the tradition in a more official manner.

(when they’d been on triple zero, the fund had been for rations. blankets. bacta. they’d conned credits from tourists and stolen them from senators and turned those credits into hope for the poor bastards shipped to the city that ate shinies before they could ever earn paint. these days, the fund was for whatever his guard wanted. aside from a pony. fox couldn’t figure out where hound would keep the pony.)

the book had been born from two lists. one was the blackmail and gossip the guard had collected during their stint on coruscant; that was where thorn needed to check for dangers, but since most of those senators had died in sith-related incidents, or had been jailed when the media got hold of their dealings, all fox was doing was providing context.

the other part of the book was fox’s List. thire sometimes called it a manifesto, because he had been studying for his degree and liked to show off occasionally. the list was a suggestion of changes to the republic, some small, some large. it was a silly fancy of fox’s, as the whole book was, but if he couldn’t indulge himself in his own karkin’ book then they might as well have punted him off the high levels back on coruscant.

yet for all that he’d settled—and paid taxes, even—fox hadn’t felt part of the citizenship of the planet. then the poll card had arrived. and suddenly he mattered in a tangible way. just like the bothan baker next door did. just like the twi’lek downstairs, the one with the noisy kriffin’ speeder, did.

thorn found fox in the kitchen, still staring at the scrap of card. he rapped his knuckles on the doorframe.

“you okay there, chief?” he asked. he’d been trying out alternatives to ‘sir’. “noise complaint again?”

fox shook his head. he didn’t look up. “voting thing. there’s an election.”

“oh! yeah, we got ours yesterday. are you— what’s that face you’re making. i don’t think i like it.”

fox raised his head and gleamed his smile at thorn, who backed away slightly, one hand drifting to where a blaster once hung. fox’s eyes felt very wide. he jabbed the poll card like a vibroknife.

“do you know what this means?”

“democracy comes in two postal batches?”

“no! well, yes, apparently, and that’s inefficient, but— no!” fox jabbed the card again. “this means i am a citizen and i am about to make that a senator’s problem. where’s my manifes— list, thorn? it’s time for an update.”

[sullustangin]

Fluffy February Day 1:  Hello (with bonus art!)

Rating: PG

Fandom: SWTOR

Time:  Sometime during KotXX

Pairing:  Background Theron/smuggler, mostly gen fic

Words: 886

~~

At first, Theron thought he hadn’t had enough caf.  Clearly, he’d been so reliant upon it for most of his life, going without it brought on something along the lines of DTs for alcoholics, but for caffeine addicts. He was seeing things.

But when it kept happening, even after the second cup of caf, Theron decided something else was going on.

Whenever it was still and somewhat quiet in the military hangar, something was darting around the underside of the vehicles.  When someone or something moved or made a noise, the motion stopped, and either the thing stopped where it was or it disappeared entirely.  Then the pattern would start again.  

Theron had long tuned out Aygo – he already had the morning report, and Aygo was rehashing something that nobody had the resources to fix at the moment.  

But then something caught Theron’s ear. “Repeat that?”

Aygo squared himself up. “I said, we’ve now had four inventories come up short compared to what’s on the flimsi.  I don’t know where it’s going.  Visz didn’t take well when I went over to her den of thie—smugglers.”  

Theron shook a finger at the Bothan.  “Don’t let the Captain hear you say that.  She’d be insulted that you think she’d dip into her own supply.”

Aygo made a face; given that he was a Bothan, Theron didn’t quite know how to read it.  He’d have to ask Bowdaar later.

“What’s missing?” Theron decided to move the conversation on, even as he caught sight of the … thing… again.

Aygo ticked off the items. “A couple of gear boxes for the speeders, wadding from the armory, an entire set of camo in each pattern we have – arctic, forest, desert, you get the idea --, a few batteries about the size of a thermos, tubing, a ball bearing –”

Theron gave him a look. “A ball bearing?  Not a box – just one ball bearing?”

Aygo threw up his hands. “If I understood the thief, we would have caught them by now.”

Theron furrowed his brow and looked at his datapad. “Are you sure this stuff isn’t just being misplaced? Big base, lots of different personnel---?”

“I had Gibbons reorganize the supply system as a punishment.  Kid improved it out of spite – and I can live with that, as a commanding officer.  And it’s not an error.  I’m sure of it.  Stuff is systematically disappearing, but why?  For what?  No idea.”

Theron nodded.  “Right, then.  I’ll look into it.”

Aygo moved on, and Theron descended the steps down to the main floor of the military hangar and headed straight toward where he’d last seen whatever it was he had seen.

~~

His comm link jingled a familiar tune.  

The motor pool is officially concerned, darling.

I know that!  

Theron kept diving to the floor in order to try to get a look at whatever was skittering around, pressing his face hard against the duracrete to peer under vehicles.

…has it occurred to you that some poor critter has stumbled into the hangar and is terrified?

But that wouldn’t solve the stolen items problem.

Maybe the two aren’t connected?

Gut says it is.

Stars know I won’t question the infallible gut.  But you are making the mechanics nervous.

Theron left Eva on “read.” He would figure this out.

~~

“Hello!”  Theron grabbed it in his hands and held it up triumphantly at the guys in the motor pool, who by this point were taking bets as to how long it took until Beniko showed up to take him to the nearest funny farm.  

The absolutely horrified expressions on their faces made Theron take a second look at what he’d pulled out from under a heavy armor unit.

It appeared to be a half cyborg, half animal abomination….but before Theron followed through on the urge to chuck it out of the hangar, he recognized it.  “Hello, Blizz, wherever you are.  I got your cat droid.”

“Spook is funny. Spook stubborn.  But Spook did catch cat.”  

Then the Jawa himself finally appeared, looking very pleased with himself and with the reaction from the crew.  Theron inspected it.  “It looks at least half animal, now.  Be careful you don’t get accused of cruelty or illegal experimentation.”

Blizz laughed that weird tingly Jawa laugh and clapped his hands in glee.  “Blizz’s designs always improving!  Lady Boss said the same thing.”

Theron raised his eyebrows. “How long have you been on base?”

“Five days.  Blizz nocturnal.  Worked on Hoth, then came when job was done after Lady Boss found him.” Blizz gestured impatiently for Theron to hand back his cat droid.  

“Does Eva know you’re here?” Theron asked.  Surely she wouldn’t have hid this from him.

“Lady Boss said to come. Never needed formal welcome!” Blizz scoffed.

Aha.  He’d shown up unannounced.

…I found Blizz in the hangar.  With one of his droid cats.

!!!!!!!

Theron could almost hear her bolting out of whatever meeting room Lana had her in.

“Spook, give back cat!” Blizz insisted.  Theron finally handed back the now-docile/inactive droid.

Upon contact with Blizz, the animal started to rumble.

A purr, made with tubing, some wadding, and a ball bearing.  

As Theron took joy in a mystery solved, Blizz pat the cat happily.  “Blizz can make more!  Lifts morale! Kills vermin!”

“I bet.”

~~

@fluffyfebruary​

~~

A/N:  While I was writing this, I had this vision of Theron holding up Blizz’s cat droid like Simba in the Lion King, not noticing what an abomination it was was until the motor pool collectively freaked out.  Giggling the entire time, I’ve illustrated this moment below the cut.  Plz don’t steal my art. 

[depizan]

I do have two last thoughts on Shadows of the Empire. I realized I should address the…it’s not really big enough to call a plot…uh… the side plotlet Dash has, since I picked up the book to answer the question of what he was like when written by someone other than the guy who wrote Shadow Games. Also, I’m not quite done being irritated about Roofie Lizards.

Dash Rendar’s crisis of confidence.

During one of the assorted plots that fade out over the course of the book there’s a space dogfight in which several Bothan pilots are killed by a missile that Dash failed to destroy. That he failed for the first time ever and people died gives him a Heroc BSoD for a bit.

*massages forehead*

Okay, two thirds of that is fine, but the middle third just destroys the entire thing. No one gets to the age of…okay, I don’t know how old Dash is, but I’m pretty sure he’s older than, like ten…without failing. I don’t care how hot shit he’s supposed to be, this cannot be the first time in his life that he failed. Or missed a target. Also, given his line of work, this can’t be the first time people he’s working with have died. His plotlet would be more appropriate for someone Luke’s age. Or younger. Not for a seasoned criminal who routinely gets in space battles.

That said, characters are allowed to be upset by things. I’d absolutely have given an “I failed and people died!” BSoD a pass. Maybe it hasn’t happened that often. Maybe it just hits him hard every time. That could actually be a hint of him as an actual person not a random assortment of one liners and ludicrous skills. But it’s written like somewhere between 50% and 75% of his BSoD is because he never fails.

No one never fails. No one. That’s not how anything works!

(Also, his focus on “how could I, the man who never misses, miss!?” makes it all about him and not the people who died, which isn’t a good look. Nor is Luke kind of being glad he was taken down a peg, well, wanting to be glad he was taken down a peg, if not for the loss of life.

I swear to god, Dash has an asshole aura the way Taris has a bad idea aura and Joruus C'baoth has a wisdom and intellect drain aura.)

Anyway, the point is: it’s a plotlet for someone just starting out in life. “Oh no, I can fail.” is not something that an experienced adult should be struggling with. (Again, “oh no, my failure had bad consequences” is something anyone can struggle with. It’s the emphasis that’s fucking the plotlet up, not the events themselves.) Worse, Dash is a character whose brother died and family was destroyed because of bad luck. He shouldn’t be having this struggle with the concept of failure! Bad shit happens! He knows that.

It doesn’t help my irritation that later, after Dash is “dead”*, it turns out that it was a specially shielded missile, so he didn’t actually fail. Or at least, he didn’t actually miss. There was just nothing he could’ve done.

Look, Star Wars writers, the reason people like Han Solo is because he does fuck up. He’s not perfect. It makes him human and relatable and likable. He’s very good at what he does, but he’s not The Best™. Sometimes he encounters someone better than him. And sometimes he just messes up. Because people do.

Han Solo but cooler and edgier doesn’t make for an interesting character. It doesn’t even make for a character at all.

*I don’t know if he’s genuinely supposed to be dead in the book, but I do know from Wookieepedia that he faked his death.

Roofie Lizards

Roofie Lizards irritate me. Quite a lot, actually. They’re also a good example of how I can be a bit inconsistent in what violates my suspension of disbelief. Generally, I’m pretty willing to accept all manner of ludicrous things in the softer end of the fantasy and sci-fi spectrum. I don’t expect actual science in Star Wars. (Or Star Trek or Doctor Who or Stargate or…) I don’t object to people throwing in a bit of actual science, but I fully expect my soft sci-fi/space adventure to run on handwavium. Except when that handwavium only exists to fuel a plot that should be flushed down the galactic toilet.

See, Falleen annoy me. Zeltrons don’t. And that hinges entirely on why the two species exist.

Zeltrons are hot pink near-humans with potent pheromones and telepathic powers that fall on the empathy end of things. They can’t read minds, but they read and influence emotions. They were introduced in the now practically ancient Marvel comics run of Star Wars back in the 80s as, well, Space Hippie Party Kids. They’re big on free love and happiness and having a good time and dress a bit like they wandered out of a rave.

They’ve also been expanded on by a number of authors since then, and were even fleshed out beyond that introduction in the comics. You’ll find Zeltron heroes, rogues, and villains scattered through all manner of Star Wars works. I think they’ve even been recanonized by Disney.

I have never once thought to myself with irritation “I’m pretty sure pheromones are species specific” when reading about Zeltrons. Yes, it helps that humans and near-humans can be assumed to at least be the same class, taxonomically speaking, but it also helps that they never felt like they were designed to be walking Roofies. Or if they were it was a HELL of a lot more subtly.

Falleen are green roofie lizards with insanely potent pheromones who were invented so Xizor could try to “seduce” (consider those the largest quote marks ever) Princess Leia. Also so Xizor could be just that much more Most Special and go on about how his reptilian ancestry meant he was cool and not ruled by his emotions. (Even though he 100% was.)

Why do your pheromones even work on mammals you overgrown iguana!?

Hem.

As I was saying, my suspension of disbelief has a hell of a lot more trouble with Falleen. I mean, I’d find Xizor a Villain Sue and the whole plotline with him becoming enamored of Leia awful even if he’d been a Zeltron. But you created an entire fictional species just to make your character more special and to be a walking date rape drug? Really?

It just underlines Xizor’s Villain Sue-ness, or DMNPC-ness or That Guy’s character-ness. It doesn’t feel like a case of “oh, I had this fun idea for a new species” it feels like the species was designed because Xizor needed to be special.

Also, like…it��s unnecessary, in a sense. It’s just background set dressing. And a way to threaten a female character with rape that it isn’t clear the author realizes would be rape. It’s just so…weird. And requires jumping through more mental hoops than Zeltrons do.

Which feels more implausible? Magic pheromones that work across species barriers regardless of gender or magic pheromones that work across species barriers (larger species barriers even!) but only work on the opposite sex? It’s not just me, right? Adding in that Only Heterosexual bit just begs one to ask questions about how it’s working at all. (Also whether the author realizes that there’s a larger difference between species, much less classes, than between sexes.)

Also, Xizor is a really weird villain. He feels like he should be a buffoon. The kind of villain you’d class with Rich Biff from Back to the Future 2 or the guy in Making Money (Discworld) who wanted to become Vetenari. Granted, this could just be because real life has an over abundance of buffoon rich guy villains at present, but he’s over the top in a way that interferes with him being an impressive villain. Except I think we are supposed to find him an impressive villain. He’s rubbing elbows with the Emperor. He’s treated as an equal to Vader. He’s been wildly successful. (He didn’t just inherit daddy’s money.) I’m pretty sure he’s supposed to be a cool, sexy villain, not a green Biff Tannen.

I can’t tell if the fact that all I see is green Biff Tannen is a me problem or a writing problem.

[dingoat]

hi sorry I haven't gotten around to your ask yet I'm working on it, BUT I'm tossing the favorite SWTOR oc question back your way (and also whether they're following canon or doing their own thing).

I'd also love to know if you have any particular bothan headcanons you like a lot.

Hi hi!! Don't worry at all, please take your time with your response! We're all here for fun and interactions, not pressure, right? And thankyou for asking!!!

Now, part one is easy, haha. Ahuska is hands down my number one best favourite SWTOR OC, even if she appears somewhat differently in game than in my imagination. She's my main toon, the only one actually up to speed with game content, the only one with passable gear, lots of fun pets and mounts and outfits, and is currently working on polishing up her Mojo Dojo Copero Dream House.

(I absolutely need to draw her as her proper bothan self in this outfit!)

BUT, where she matters to me even more than that is in her story/RP, and here things diverge... quite a lot, hahaha. Very very originally she was just a toon that I made to PVP alongside my husband with (I actually did think of her as a bothan right from the start), but when I found myself hungry for RP I fleshed her out a little to join a RP guild in game which is where her life really started (particularly owing to @koboldgirl and the exceptional times we've had writing together). The group's premise was a Mandalorian clan rebuilding itself after all the Zakuul business, but despite that vague timeframe her story never really touched on swtor events or canon characters (the toon is an Imperial Agent but she is not REMOTELY an Agent, even as much as I love the IA storyline). Over time I made a bunch of wonderful friends in the swtor community and Ahuska's story has intercepted a few others here and there, and from that perspective keeping the timeline vague/unimportant and away from key canon characters/moments has really helped with being able to have her interact with others without contradicting their own things they have going on. I think engaging with other characters/writers is what motivates me more than anything and I get a tonne of joy in seeing/considering/plotting how they might interact!

(Read more for things getting weird and werewolfy.)

Now, Ahuska also took a deep dive into an AU with @askshivanulegacy that started as a halloween drabble challenge and has somehow become literal years of very intense worldbuilding and fiction and words can't describe how much I love this story, hahaha. It's still very much Ahuska, and very much swtor, it's just... swtor if the Empire managed to perfect a weird-science-sith-alchemy-intelligence-conditioning combo to create a very star-warsy version of werewolves (and were-any-other-critter). The first generation were designed to be secret soldiers/weapons, but the project failed and Ahuska is the sole survivor, going on a wonderful journey of self liberation and learning what truly makes a monster. The second generation (and all subsequent) came from Intel refining the technology and utilising it as an extra toolset for the most elite of elite Cipher agents, which is where almost all the rest of the cast comes from. Naturally there's a lot of divergence from canon here by the very nature of things, but funnily we also lean on a lot more canon swtor story beats, particularly when we look ahead to the KotFE and beyond time period.

I have so much love for every iteration of Ahuska, honestly, and I know I've mentioned it here and there but she really truly did play a huge role in pulling me out of a pretty grim place, not only helping me rediscover a lot of creativity but also helping to restore my trust and faith in people in general. She's led me to people who are now my absolute dearest friends, which in turn has taken me quite literally, physically across this humble planet we live on. I genuinely believe sharing stories is a massive part of what makes us human and I get very sentimental when I consider what a significant place this silly little bothan holds in my heart <3

Now, it's getting late for me, haha, so I will probably visit the second part of your ask in another post, but I love that as a question! >3 Once again ty for sending this and I can't wait to hear about yours!