#zaara ven

[ohlawsons]

having some faction swap au thinky thoughts

rei and cori have existed for a while (since the DvL event ages ago) but i miss doing the class stories so there’s. more now.

lys (originally sw) will be... interesting. i’m not sure if she’ll end up light side or not, just bc i don’t see her putting up with the jedi’s bullshit for long. we’ll see! one thing is for sure: she absolutely will not romance doc lmao. possibly koth later on?

rei (originally inquisitor) is definitely not avoiding the fractured alliances story arc atm, so she’s relatively caught up as far as story content goes. light side, still a nerd and a menace on the council -- just a different council this time -- and still with theron.

zaara (originally agent) is who i’m working on atm. tentatively lightside?

cori (originally jk) is somewhere in kotet, abandoned once i realized her lana romance had bugged out :( she’s the second of three coris that have failed to properly romance the sith wife and i’m over it!! she’s smooching jaesa though bc i think we can do that now? anyway lord coryn “bad with feelings” ven is more cool calm and collected than her jedi self but also more inclined towards murder

t’sereen (originally jc) is fun bc even in her canon, she studied at korriban before being captured by the jedi and eventually joining them. considering she’s dark side even as a jedi she’s gonna be a mess as a sith. absolutely romancing andronikos

davri (originally trooper) is uh. well... she’s... look i have no clue how the fuck it’s gonna go, given that she’s as subtle as a brick. it’ll be fun, it’ll be messy, i’m excited to just let it happen and figure it out as i go

[ohlawsons]

guess what time it is

[ohlawsons]

agent zaara ven || cipher nine || commander of sith intelligence

» zaara’s handwave-y military uniform. i like it better on her than the actual uniforms in game so we’re just gonna headcanon that it’s somehow legit. basically it’s what she wears in imperial space and while not undercover.  » typical day-to-day attire. it’s lightly armored and good for maneuverability and also what you’ll find her in 99% of the time » pirate outfit! » she doesn’t get super attached to her weapons -- they’re just rifles and vibroblades and are better off being regularly updated and/or replaced. i however do have preferences. » i’m starting to piece together her post-timeskip outfit and it’s gonna be Good

[ohlawsons]

aegis | 03

03. COLD

SUMMARY. KotET fic, in the form of loosely connected drabbles. AU in that multiple classes are involved and Vaylin gets the redemption arc that Bioware so beautifully set up in the trailers and refused to follow through in-game. NOTES.  in which val is still a dick, zaara still misses home, and rei still misses her near-tyrannical power levels LINKS. [ AO3 ] [ FFN ] [ Fic Tag ]

Zaara braced herself against the holoterminal and squeezed her eyes closed, both nauseas and nostalgic at seeing Saganu again — even if only over holo. He’d called her Cipher Fourteen when he’d realized who he was speaking to; it was an old title, and not even really a title at all but a lie, like everything else from that year she’d spent at the mercy of the SIS.

Well, not everything. She’d learned to trust Vector during that year, and she’d met Raina, and the two of them had become an undeniable truth, a light in the darkness, an anchor while her entire world was being turned upside down, and every other imaginable cliche. She loved them both, and they were lost to her and it hurt, in a way that made it hard to believe and harder to breathe.

(Was it love, or was it the fleeting passions of a woman trying to find stability and safety in a life filled with disappointment and sacrifice? Valkorion asked, his voice nothing but a whisper at the back of her mind as he dredged up a memory she thought she’d locked away.

Legs tangled, body pressed up against Raina’s back as the scent of her shampoo filled Zaara’s nose. Vector laid still on the other side of Raina, a lock of sleep-tousled hair falling over closed eyes that flutter with what Zaara was certain was one of his vibrant dreams. There was nothing, no sound save for the faint hum of the ship’s engines and no light save for the thin line that marked the lower edge of the door to her quarters. Their quarters — and for the first time the thought brought her nothing but peace, because it was the first morning that they’d woken up free, nothing but ghosts in the Empire with no ties and no obligations. It won’t last, and they’d be negotiating a proper return to Intelligence — what was left of it, at least — by mid-afternoon, but for now there’s nothing but the three of them and an entire uninterrupted morning.

They’d shared breakfast in bed, once they’d woken. Raina had worn nothing but the top of one of Vector’s intricate robes, Zaara had taken charge of every run for more caf or tea, and Vector had tried — not for the first time — to explain to them the differences in their auras.

It had been a good morning, and the memory left Zaara’s chest aching and hands shaking. She tried to calm herself but it was so damn hard with the way Valkorion slithered through her mind like an insect, crawling amongst her thoughts and her memories.

He laughed, and the sound made her cringe.)

[ Read the rest ]

[ohlawsons]

aegis | 02

02. BATTLE

SUMMARY. KotET fic, in the form of loosely connected drabbles. AU in that multiple classes are involved and Vaylin gets the redemption arc that Bioware so beautifully set up in the trailers and refused to follow through in-game. NOTES.  in which the alliance makes some decisions, everybody Fucked Up on voss, and rei has a flashback. set pre-kotet. me: wow "battle" is a great prompt to ease into voss and the actual kotet storyline also me: time for some Family Drama LINKS. [ AO3 ] [ FFN ] [ Fic Tag ]

"Kzuroc." He held out a gloved hand to shake. "Kzuroc Kahzri. Joined up with your group back on Belsavis. I'd just been looking for a way off-planet, till I spoke to that Assault Specialist of yours — the one who took down that star fortress."

Belsavis. Right. The group of criminals they'd recruited to help push back the Zakuulan forces. They weren't supposed to actually be on Odessen. "Look," Theron sighed, already running the name Kzuroc Kahzri through the Alliance's database, "let's go talk to Cera and get this all straightened out, then maybe I'll see if the Commander's available." He led the way back through the base to the security center, doing his best not to let the entirety of his exasperation show; ever since Arcann's defeat, the Alliance had been nearly overwhelmed by the multitude of new arrivals and it was getting more and more difficult to keep track of who all was on Odessen. The overlay from Theron's implant wasn't showing any results for the name, but that didn't really mean much; it would take a far more thorough check to get any information on a former Belsavis prisoner.

Cera was nowhere to be found at the security center, but Mako stood at one of the terminals, hands planted on her hips as she stared down at the information that flitted across the screen. Theron announced their presence by clearing his throat loudly. "Does your wife try to make my job more difficult, or does it just come naturally?"

Mako turned to offer a thin smile before she cleared the screen. "It definitely comes naturally, but I think she puts in extra effort just for you. And don't worry," she assured him, nodding towards the rattataki who stood behind him, "she had me run a full background check on our new friend. She figures nothing short of Vaylin could be too much of an inconvenience for you and Rei and, really, can you blame her?"

"Maybe you could at least remind her that I prefer unexpected visitors after I've had a cup of caf."

"Don't mean to interrupt," Kzuroc interjected, "but I'm just here to talk to the Commander. Doesn't even have to be in person."

[ Read the rest ]

[ohlawsons]

aegis | 01

01. AIR

SUMMARY. It's been a long ten months for the Alliance. What began as a clandestine meeting in a Nar Shaddaa safehouse has transformed into a shaky -- but ultimately successful -- rebellion against Zakuul. Lord Reiyaxa, the Commander at the Odessen base, has plans to eventually turn the Alliance into a powerful, far-reaching faction capable of rivaling the Empire and Republic. But they still have a long way to go, and Empress Vaylin has begun to turn her attention from her wayward family to the growing thorn in her side. As alliances are made and secrets are revealed, Rei realizes that the Tirall family is far more complicated than she'd originally thought. [KotET fic, in the form of loosely connected drabbles. AU in that multiple classes are involved and Vaylin gets the redemption arc that Bioware so beautifully set up in the trailers and refused to follow through in-game.] NOTES.  so this fic kinda happened on accident. like everything involving rei and theron does, tbh. anyway. instead of an intricately planned out longfic like i'd thought i'd do, i'm instead doing a chronological one-shot collection based off of a set of alphabet prompts from tumblr. so here's the first chapter, or as i've been referring to it: "the accidental lazy morning makeout chapter." "accidental" bc it was supposed to be a political/infodump chapter and it got so, so far off track.set prior to chapter one of kotet. LINKS. [ AO3 ] [ FFN ] 

It was calm and quiet out, and she chose to stay in the glade for another hour and left only when the first hints of sunlight began to creep up through the trees. She stood, stretching, groaning a bit as her half-asleep limbs awoke. Still stiff, she padded back through the base to her quarters — making a point to ignore everyone already awake, with the exception of Talos, who she greeted with a little wave — and locked the door behind her, hoping for a relatively uninterrupted morning.

Still shivering, she slid back into bed beside Theron; Rei felt a flash of guilt as he stirred, but it was soon replaced with a grin and a bit of inspiration. With the most innocent good morning she could muster, Rei draped an arm around his waist and let her still-freezing fingers run along his bare skin.

Grumbling something into his pillow, Theron rolled over onto his stomach and put a few inches between the two of them. With a little sigh of surrender, Rei decided she hadn’t had enough sleep to push any further, and settled for curling up beside him, covers pulled all the way up to her chin. She had nearly fallen back asleep when Theron shifted again, turning so he was facing her. “What was that about earlier?”

“Zaara,” she answered simply; he would know what she meant, and Rei wasn’t in any mood to discuss it further.

“Everything okay?”

Rei answered by propping herself up and leaning down for a quick kiss, nothing more than a soft brush of her lips against his. “Perfectly fine,” she said sweetly. “As much as it ever will be fine, at least.” Not the whole truth, but close enough, for the moment; she’d been hoping to avoid the subject entirely, but Rei had a sneaking suspicion she wouldn’t be getting any more sleep either way, not with the way that worry was beginning to etch itself into Theron’s expression.

“And with you?” he pressed, brow furrowing.

“Cold.”

“I noticed.”

[ Read the rest ]

[ohlawsons]

“I’m not jealous.” for Rei and Theron because they are great.

last time i tried to write this it turned into the beginning of a three part family drama fic so let’s try again. (it got away from me again oops)rei/theron, set early during kotfe. on AO3 and FFN as ch. 8 of Parallels.

A flashof lightning lit up the hangar bay, and the resulting thunder rumbled ominouslythrough the mostly-empty room. The occasional gust of wind drove rain into thehangar, leaving the floor wet for a few meters at the entrance.

Rei and Zaara were much further inside, inno danger of getting wet; the area they’d set up to spar in was closer to the backof the hangar, not far from where Beywan typically oversaw what little militaryforce the Alliance currently had. Theron himself was up on one of thecrosswalks, looking down into the hangar bay. He’d originally stopped by tospeak with Beywan, but had found himself somewhat distracted by the sparringpractice going on.

He hadn’t known that Rei had any skill inhand-to-hand combat, though he’d practiced with Zaara, a few times, when shewas still trying to get back on her feet after being released from thecarbonite. Theron watched as they went back and forth, unable to keep frommaking notes to himself; they were both quick, but Zaara was more precise andRei never missed the opportunity to make a strike.

As another crack of thunder boomed throughthe hangar, Zaara took two quick hits that knocked Rei off of her feet — Theronwinced; it was a hard fall, even with the mats they’d set up to train on —but Rei rolled and popped up, still grinning.

“I’mdone for the day,” Zaara surrendered, holding her hands up and taking a stepbackwards. “But it was good.”

Theron couldn’t make out Rei’s response, but shedisappeared off to the side as Zaara slowly made her way up to the crosswalk. “Somethingtells me you’ll be sore in the morning,” he guessed, giving the agent anunderstanding smile as she joined him.

“You’rejust—” a groan, as Zaara sat down beside him, “—jealousthat I got to spend—”another groan, this time accompanied by a pained laugh as she leaned backagainst the wall and closed her eyes, “—the entire afternoon with yourgirlfriend.”

“Consideringshe just kicked your ass? I’m not even a littlejealous.”

“Giveme some credit,”she defended weakly, one eye cracking back open. “And how can you say that? Youdon’t want the pleasure of having a Sith lord leaving you all bruised and sore?”

Theron raised an eyebrow, amused by Zaara’s theatrics. “I’m smartenough not to let her,” he shot back, turning back to lean on therailing. Below them, Rei had reappeared, dragging one of the training dummiesout into the center of the hangar; it was taller than she was and probably atleast as heavy, and after a few steps of awkwardly struggling, Rei gave thedummy a push with the Force and stomped off after it. She was still facing awayfrom them, but Theron could easily imagine the little scowl she no doubt wore,nose scrunched and brow furrowed.

“Besides,”he added, eyes still locked on Rei as she perused the collection of trainingweapons, hands planted firmly on her hips, “we get enough of bruised and sore without the extra sparring sessions.”

With as loud as the rain and thunder were,Theron almost missed Zaara’s low, quiet laughter. “Getting a bit personal there, aren’twe?”

Theron rolled his eyes, even though he wasstill facing away from her; Rei had no interest in sleeping with him or anyoneelse, and Zaara — whether because she was nosy or because she was friends withboth of them — knew that. “Very funny.”

“Ithought so. Have—” Her words were cut off by a particularly loud crack ofthunder, and when the hangar returned to relative quiet, Zaara repeated, “Haveany of the others shown up? There was a betting pool for who would last thelongest in a match against the commander, and I have credits on that Sithinstructor with the good hair. You know, the one who used to be an overseer?”

“JustRei, for now.” She was back in the center of the room, circling the trainingdummy and holding what looked like a simplified electrostaff. “And there’sreally a betting pool?” Theron asked with a shake of his head, glancing back atZaara before turning back to where Rei was rolling her shoulders, taking thestaff in both hands.

Zaara scoffed. “Of course there is. You know, as worried as everyone was about putting aSith in charge, she’sreally brought the whole Alliance together. Not... quite how we wanted,” sheadmitted, “but it’s a start.”

There was a loud, echoing thwack as Rei gave the training dummy anexperimental hit with the staff. She took a step back, and — evidentlysatisfied — dropped into a lower stance and began a series of complex steps andmaneuvers; her movements were practiced but far from graceful, and the attackswould’veseemed almost sloppy if not for the ease with which she performed them and thepower that she put behind each hit. It was different — almost startlingly so —than how she typically attacked with her light-saber, where each movement wascrisp and sharp and deliberate.

This was… desperate. It was little more than bruteforce.

“Neverwould’ve guessed anything but a lightsaber would be a Sith’s weapon of choice,”Theron commented, thinking out loud more than making conversation.

Zaara sat up straighter, glancing out intothe hangar bay. “Doesthat really look like something they teach at the academy?” she asked, voicedripping with sarcasm. “That’s from before. So is everything she knows aboutvibroblades — which is as entertaining as it is embarrassing to watch.”

“Before?”

She cocked her head to the side,hesitating. “Reihasn’t told you,” she guessed.

That was enough to fully redirect Theron’s attention. “Told mewhat?” He didn’t know much about Rei’s life before joining the Sith — and as hethought about it, he realized he knew nothing abouther life before the Sith. It hadn’t bothered him up to that point; afterall, Rei had been on the Dark Council when he’d met her, and any informationthe SIS had on her and anything she’d been willing to discuss had all involvedher being Sith. Logically, he knew there had been something before then, but he hadn’t put too much thought into it.

“Notmy place,” Zaara said with a shake of her head. “And I’d suggest waiting untilshe doesn’t have a weapon in hand before asking aboutit. It’snot exactly her favorite topic.” Before Theron could ask anything else, shepulled herself up and began making her way back down the crosswalk. “Reiyaxa,dear,” she called out, voice just loud enough to be heard over the storm, “Theron’sfeeling neglected. I’d remedy that, if I were you.” She turned to give him agrin and a wink before disappearing through the door to the rest of the base.

At any other point, Theron would’ve been grateful. Butconsidering whatever secrets Zaara didn’t want to spill, he couldn’t help butfeel a bit uneasy. “Don’t worry about me,” he assured Rei. “I’m more than happyto stay up here and enjoy the show.” She grinned up at him, and Theron was leftalone to mull the situation over in his mind as she continued with the trainingdummy.

There couldn’tbe anything in Rei’s past that was much worse than being Sith, and Theron wouldhave to take that little bit of comfort until he decided to breach the subject.

[ohlawsons]

also

so i started makeb with zaara, bc i did makeb once imp side before kotfe came out and never even finished it pub side but since kotfe? i’ve done it like six times bc it’s better than losing zaara’s four best friends and lokin

(she doesn’t like lokin)

anyway. the beginning cutscene is probably the most canon, in-character conversation i’ve ever had with zaara? i mean i’m pretty sure i’ve actually written some of those quotes in fic bc it just fits so well

i love my tiny bitter agent

[ohlawsons]

Zaara - 58,25; T'Sereen - 46; Reiyaxa - 53

Swtor OC ask meme 

Zaara Ven25. Do they have any deep dark secrets? mostly related to jobs she did with intelligence. probably the biggest one would be wrt to the mental conditioning from act 2 – zaara did destroy any files intelligence had on the process, and confirmed it later on once lana was named minister, but she keeps copies. yknow. just in case. 58. Did they recruit Arcann or kill him? i’m not there with her yet, but she’s gonna recruit him probably. not bc she wants to ~redeem~ him or anything but bc he’s a good resource. he knows more about zakuul and vaylin than even senya does, which makes him useful.

T’sereen Neiri46. Did they kill or arrest any of the companions? If so why? I… don’t think so? i’m trying to remember and the only one i can think of is kaliyo. i don’t think t’sereen killed her though, just exiled. she was……. not Impressed with kaliyo’s inability to follow orders

Reiyaxa53. Did they trust Empress Acina at first? What about later? so, in her fic!canon, rei actually has a prior alliance with acina from back when they were both on the dark council, so yeah she trusts her pretty easily. 

game!canon, though, rei’s a bit more skeptical, but not much. she’s pretty excited just to be back home and around sith and working with old colleagues that she doesn’t ask as many questions as she typically would’ve. 

in either situation, the deal with lorman doesn’t sway her much at all. underlings betray their superiors all the time, and it wouldn’t surprise her if acina knew it was coming or even set it up so that she and rei were caught in it. 

[ohlawsons]

THE ALLIANCE the karris legacy canon worldstate/characters

note: “current” is between kotfe and kotet. 

or: brooke has too many ocs and is trying to get back into writing things so here’s the incredibly shortened version of my notes

[ ALLIANCE PERSONNEL ]

Commander Reiyaxa Kahzri: Former Sith Lord Darth Nox, frozen in carbonite in 16ATC. Currently acting as the leader of the Alliance. Assault Specialist Davri Sohms: Former CO of Havoc Squad, frozen in carbonite in 16ATC. Currently acting as an assault specialist tasked with bringing down the star fortresses. Cera, Chief of Security: Former bounty hunter, recruited by Lana Beniko at the Alliance’s inception. Handles internal security and threats where blasters and brawns are more efficient than covert measures. One half of the team formed by herself and her wife Mako. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Yvara Nadal: One of the Alliance’s many doctors, and the primary medical specialist. Recruited by Lana Beniko in 18ATC due to a dossier left behind by Zaara Ven, citing the doctor’s unknowing assistance to Imperial Intelligence nearly ten years before. Agent Zaara Ven: Former Cipher Nine, frozen in carbonite in 16ATC. Currently assists Theron Shan in managing the Alliance’s intel, though much of her focus remains on meditation and other mental techniques meant to lessen the effects of having Vitiate locked within her mind. Master Cori Ven: Jedi master recruited in 19ATC by Lana Beniko after a failed attempt to keep the Jedi from falling apart after the disappearance of Satele Shan. Officially, she acts as a liaison between the Alliance and the Order, though most of her time is spent training her adopted daughter Karina or seeking out the remaining Jedi.

[ IMPERIAL ALLIES ]

Darth Occlus: Lord Vrynn Malius, former apprentice of Darth Nox. Took advantage of her master’s tenuous alliance with Darth Acina following the Zakuulan invasions, and quickly rose among the ranks of the Sith, being titled as a Darth upon Acina’s rise to Empress. She has had few dealings with the Alliance, but is more than happy to help out Nox. Darth Evris: Lord Lys Sala, the Empire’s Wrath. Has lived a relatively quiet life in Kaas City with her husband Malavai and daughter Adalynn after receiving a near-fatal wound in 17ATC. Was convinced to return to her duties after re-establishing contact with her lifelong friend Zaara Ven, and now acts as a liaison between the Empire and the Alliance. Zhaire Maisar: Apprentice to Darth Evris. 

[ REPUBLIC ALLIES]

T’sereen Neiri: Former Barsen’thor and advisor to Chancellor Saresh; estranged from the Jedi Order and heavily involved in Republic politics. She lives a relatively quiet life on Coruscant with her husband Felix and daughter Suraa, and it’s only a heartfelt plea from her old friend Tai Corden that begins to change her mind on the Alliance. Agent Talavi Nadal: SIS agent, brother of Yvara Nadal, and longtime friend/coworker/it’s complicated of Theron Shan. Provided assistance while the Alliance was in its early stages, but has resumed working solely for the Republic since 21ATC. Captain Rhys Sohms: Republic military, serving on Corellia, and brother of Davri Sohms. Eager to assist the Alliance in any way possible, but as of yet, unwilling to leave the Republic. “Captain” Margaret Sala: Smuggler and estranged sister of the Wrath. The one time the Alliance attempted to contact her, she ignored the call and continued to focus on three things: retirement, fruity drinks with umbrellas in them, and Corso.

[ohlawsons]

so the way i’m going about writing aegis, the kotet fic, is by using a list of alphabet prompts to get each chapter started, which leads to great results and it’s only way more off track than ostensibly ever was

“i’m gonna have a brief mention of rei and talos being Nerd Friends then finally get to the actual kotet stuff” has turned into 2k of sad zaara rambling and writing the spy ot3 for the first time

also the kazhri family drama took a turn i did not expect but hey, i actually have no say in where this fic goes

[ohlawsons]

consider: zaara/vector/raina ot3

[ohlawsons]

“Recompense” Outtake [SW, IA, Lana]

This is a piece I'd written a few months back when I started rewriting Recompense. It takes place after ch. 1 -- towards the beginning of Forged Alliances -- and doesn't quite fit in with the condensed outline I'm working with now. However, it's got a couple important plot tidbits in it, and honestly I really like how I wrote Lana here, so I figured I'd go ahead and post it. on AO3 and FFN as ch. 6 of PARALLELS

Lana hated pacing. Ultimately, all it did was expend an unnecessary amount of energy and didn’t do anything to increase productivity.

And yet, she found her self doing precisely that — pacing around Arkous’ office, pausing every so often to check for new messages. Lana had little else to do until Arkous returned, and the time-sensitive nature of their mission was beginning to test her nerves. Arkous himself had gone to greet the Wrath; he considered it to be only proper to be there to meet her in person when she arrived. There had been no further word from Cipher Nine — Arkous had confirmed her identity, it seemed — only that she had agreed to meet with them.

As Lana slowed again, picking up her datapad, she was stopped by the appearance of two women — one togruta and one human — in the doorway to the office. Gently placing the datapad back down, Lana cleared her throat. “Agent Ven, I presume?”

“Miss Beniko, I presume?” the togruta echoed, tone serious but expression playful. “I spoke with Arkous when we landed. He said his advisor would be waiting for me.”

“Yes.” She gave a curt nod. “Darth Arkous should be returning momentarily. I can brief you, in the meantime, but your associate—”

“—is part of an incredibly classified Intelligence initiative,” Agent Ven finished. “This is Ensign Temple. She’s training under me. She goes where I go.”

The ensign glanced over at the agent, but said nothing. Lana supposed she could accept the explanation, and chose not to pry about the woman’s connection to the Force — it was well-hidden, faint but still unmistakable. A curiosity, but ultimately irrelevant.

“The final decision will be up to Arkous,” Lana cautioned, “but for now, she may stay.”

“Good. And I don’t think he’ll have any objections. We met earlier,” Ven explained, voice nonchalant, as if working with esteemed members of the Dark Council was an everyday occurrence. Which, given her reputation, it might’ve been. “He wanted to have a few words with the Wrath first, but they should be along soon.”

“Understood.” Lana once again checked her datapad for messages — this time suppressing her urge to pace — and, as Ven had suggested, it was only a few moments before Arkous arrived, followed closely by the Emperor’s Wrath. Instead of the sleek red and black armor she was known to wear, Darth Evris was in simple crimson robes, her loose blonde hair cascading down her back. She was accompanied by two other humans, both of whom Lana recognized — one was Darth Evris’ apprentice, the other was her husband, a captain who’d served with her for as long as she’d been in the public eye.

Lana supposed it would be in poor taste to comment on their recent wedding, given that they’d gone to such lengths to avoid the continued public interest in the affairs. Instead, she gave a quick bow. “My lord, it’s an honor.”

Evris nodded in acknowledgment. “The honor is mine. Darth Arkous speaks highly of you.”

“I’m only doing my duty to my lord and my Empire, same as anyone.”

“Indeed,” Arkous commented, “but there are those who serve because it is what they know, and those who serve with unmatched dedication and tenacity. The two of you — Darth Evris and Agent Ven — are the latter, and will bring glory to the Empire today.”

[ohlawsons]

recompense | ch. 1/4

SUMMARY. Assaulting a Jedi temple, reclaiming the Sith Academy, uncovering a massive, galaxy-wide conspiracy -- all in a day's work for the former Cipher Nine.But that doesn't mean that she, or any of the old friends and new allies she finds herself working with, are prepared for the consequences. NOTES. This is a re-write of the forged alliances fic i wrote last year. it was my first real swtor fic, and honestly was a bit of a mess. so! it's been reworked to flow better and line up better with ostensibly, both stylistically and plot-wise. it's also much shorter, so there'll be less focus on the in-game events we've all played through a dozen times and more focus on anything new/changed. LINKS. [ AO3 ] [ FFN ] [ other chapters ]

Lana’s original dossiers had deliberately not included Darth Nox — she was volatile, and far too quick to act for such a delicate mission. But Arkous was fond of his fellow councilor, and had insisted on arranging a meeting with her regardless. From the looks of it, he hadn’t been successful in convincing Nox to join them.

“I’d hoped to take advantage of her hands-on approach,” he stated simply, not quite admitting that Lana was correct. “She did, however, speak quite highly of an Intelligence agent she worked with recently. Ven, I believe the name was. If memory serves, that was one of the names on your list, wasn’t it?”

Well, it seemed there was a positive outcome to Arkous’ meeting with Nox.

Pulling up the information she’d collected on the agent, Lana crossed the room to where Arkous was now sitting at his desk, handing her datapad over with a sharp nod. “Agent Zaara Ven. She worked with Imperial Intelligence for several years before it was disbanded. Her… unique achievements have put her in an unusual position — she declined the position as Commander of Sith Intelligence, and has since worked as an independent agent in collaboration with the Empire. Her accomplishments are quite extensive.”

Arkous scrolled through the information thoughtfully. “Assume you’re right, and this is the Cipher Nine… I may be more familiar with her accomplishments than I had realized.” After a moment, he set the datapad on his desk. “She’s worked alongside the Wrath.”

“Yes.” Clasping her hands behind her back, Lana paused as she tried to recall the details. “A few years ago, on Tatooine, and more recently on Makeb. Both collaborations were extremely successful.”

“I see.”

[ Read the rest ] 

[ohlawsons]

ostensibly | ch. 29/30

SUMMARY. Monumentally terrible ideas are what Darth Nox does best – and going to Rishi is her worst one yet. Between the Revanites, Theron Shan, and trying to navigate increasingly complicated Sith politics, Nox finds she may have gotten more than she’d bargained for. Will follow Shadow of Revan through Ziost. NOTES. in which zaara has thinky thoughts, davri bonds with theron over being walking disasters, and cori manages to still deny she's head over heels for lana also me, screaming: i’m almost done we’re almost done there’s just one chapter left ahhHHH LINKS. [ AO3 ] [ FFN ] [ other chapters ]

“You okay?”

Cori had the sense that the question was in reference to Vitiate and to Ziost, but that wasn’t where her mind was at the moment. She nodded, enough to assuage Kira’s concern, then breathed deeply and concentrated on the ebb and pulse of the Force on Tython.

But, as had been the case in the weeks since her return, Cori was unable to focus entirely on Tython; there was a presence, like a beacon, shining at the edge of her awareness. She shied from it, not wanting to acknowledge it. Not yet.

“You sure?”

“Kira, I—” Cori stopped, sensing a shift in the presence. It blinked, like a spark of inspiration or a sudden revelation. Letting her hands rest still in her lap, Cori opened her eyes and turned to Kira for the first time since she’d arrived. “I’m fine. I’ve been thinking about Ilum.”

Kira’s brow furrowed and Cori could sense the dull spark of doubt that ran through her. She sat, cross-legged, on one of the stone benches, a knowing edge to her voice as she spoke. “About Ilum, or about after?”

“After. But it’s different this time, I think.” She wasn’t alone, for one. And they would — mostly — be working with the Empire, instead of against them. But the biggest difference, this time, was that the crippling sense of being chosen, of being the only one capable of striking down Vitiate, had lessened if not vanished. “I’ve still got you,” Cori pointed out affectionately, “but there’s plenty of other Jedi this time, too. And Zaara and Lys and… lots of capable allies.”

She didn’t say the name at the tip of her tongue, the name that filled her mind and her chest and the presence that was just outside of her reach. She didn’t say Lana, didn’t trust herself to confide in Kira and spill every secret, every conclusion she’d come to while meditating.

“Capable allies,” Kira repeated thoughtfully, her voice remaining level but a teasing smirk beginning to tug at the edge of her lips. “Is that what they call it these days?”

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[ohlawsons]

ostensibly | ch. 28/30

SUMMARY. Monumentally terrible ideas are what Darth Nox does best – and going to Rishi is her worst one yet. Between the Revanites, Theron Shan, and trying to navigate increasingly complicated Sith politics, Nox finds she may have gotten more than she’d bargained for. Will follow Shadow of Revan through Ziost. NOTES. in which the council calls a meeting, cori lies to satele, and theron does not have a work interruption i’ll have you all know i have been sticking to my schedule, just... elsewhere. ch 29 is actually already up on ao3/ffn but i’ll post it here tomorrow. but like.... guys.... we’re so close to the end. i’m gonna finish a thing LINKS. [ AO3 ] [ FFN ] [ other chapters ]

Zaara stepped forward. “I’ve been offered the position of Intelligence Commander several times over the past two years, and I’d like to formally accept.”

“If I recall,” Ravage mused, “your original assessment of Minister Beniko’s performance on Ziost was satisfactory. Has something occurred to change that?”

Zaara didn’t waver, standing at perfect parade rest and meeting Ravage’s gaze; it was a convincing charade, but Rei knew her well enough to know she was hesitating. “No, my lord. I stand by my original assessment. However, the Empire should strive for more than satisfactory, wouldn’t you say? I have full confidence in Minister Beniko, but I believe she could benefit from my experience with Intelligence.”

Zhorrid said nothing, but shifted in her seat to lean forward; Zaara continued to watch Ravage, but she flinched at Zhorrid’s movement, barely visible but just enough for Rei to catch. Enough for Zhorrid to catch, as well, if the councilor’s slow grin was any indication.

“Then if Minister Beniko and Darth Zhorrid have no objections…?” Ravage looked somewhat nonplussed, but deferred to the two women at the head of Sith Intelligence.

“I have no objections, my lord,” Lana offered with a nod.

“Agent Ven was a delightful Cipher,” Zhorrid almost crooned. “I would love for her to work for me again.”

Zaara’s lips pressed into a tight frown. “Thank you, Council.” She stepped back to stand with Lana, deliberately avoiding Zhorrid’s eyes.