Gay and lesbian relationships can be distinct from straight relationships, sure. Gender roles have a lot to do with it, whether one embraces or rebels against it. Two lipsticks are likely to behave in ways few hetero couples will. I take DarkPara's point and illustration to heart. There's at least two decent ways to go about it. 1. The expensive way. This means investing in and developing distinctly different content. This fits the overall unique playthrough experience each time you play but takes a lot more work, careful writing and costs more. 2. The cheap way. Write the character inclusively. Maybe for Atton Rand, that means he'd talk to Bao Dur about the Exile regardless of if the Exile was male or female. Some men can be like that. Some women can be like that. Leave it to the player to interpret and enjoy their behavior. Perhaps some players may like Atton when they play a female character but won't like him when they play a male character, because they don't like the gay or possibly what interests the player about male male relationships is different than female male relationships. My point is both of these scenarios are better than industry standard. The expensive way is obviously more ideal. So is providing a greater pool of choices so you can have the sensitive guy option AND the stoic option with different characters. But the cheap way still offers a bit of promise. Most of us read books as kids and developed our imagination, most of us are decent at filling in the blanks. Just getting rid of those things that break immersion (like the wrong gender pronoun, damnit) would be an improvement. If all I can get is Atton Rand acting like he's dating a girl when he's dating a guy, that's still better than what I actually got.

Now that I've killed the last 45 minutes of my life slogging through all the replies, two observations. #1: It seems pretty clear that this thread has not been left open by Bioware because they plan to give an official statement or ETA. It's probably open because of its inherent gameplay-oriented focus. I'd encourage participants to discuss 2a, 2b, or the other proposed variants including the gift approach. They're probably interested in seeing/counting how many people want 2a vs. 2b vs. something else. Given the logistics of implementation differ between those options, the best thing readers and posters can do is post their thoughts on what they'd like to see as a solution. Once they've collected enough data, they'll pick one and that's when you'll see an official statement or ETA. #2: I continue to be baffled by this reoccurring theme around exclusion. Making gay content is exclusive for hetero players, making hetero content is exclusive for gay players, etc. My proposal: Turn the paradigm around. My hope is Bioware and other game companies make every character they develop potentially romanceable. Let the player decide who they want to hook up with. Let the player decide what it means. Ultimately, whether or not a given NPC is straight, gay or bi is (and should be) irrelevant because they're not a person, they don't need some kind of objective label. Imagine playing KOTOR where a male or female player character could romance Bastilla Shan, leaving it up to the player to decide if that made Bastilla straight, gay or bi. Why do we limit ourselves by demanding some kind of universal objective playing experience where we get 'our way' at the expense of someone else? Is the only way to enjoy your hetero romance with the Atton Rand or your gay romance with Juhani is if you know that no one else can make Atton or Juhani gay or straight? It's 2012, video games have been around for half a century. I think the game development world can move towards a model where every player who plays their game gets to decide who they want to hook up with and leave it at that.

Trained reflex alone saved Navia's life. Her mind was in the middle of talking the Sith Warrior down when he lunged at her. The Jedi Shadow arched backwards to evade the first sweep and rolled to avoid the second. He followed like a typhoon of destruction, relentless, determined to destroy her. Then he stumbled when she reached out with the Force, caught the couch behind them and swept him off his feet with it. Another gesture made the box of wine fly open. Three bottles lay within...three bottles and a double-bladed lightsaber. Navia reached forth her hand, caught the hilt as it soared into her fingers and then ignited both ends as she pivoted. Just in time. Both of the Sith's lightsabers snarled against hers as they crashed together. The Diamond Heads took one look at the twin lightsabers and wisely chose to flee the scene immediately. Navia whirled through a series of combat katas, each expertly parried and riposted with the flawless skill of the Force by the Sith adversary. It bought her time to move, time to think. The Loft would be theirs in a moment. Was that good for her or bad for her? -Navi, roll!- Through the Force, Navia brought the world to a grinding crawl as her precognitive senses lit up. Dozens of crimson red blaster bolts flew in from the windows. Rather than roll, though, the Jedi Shadow spun her double-bladed sword in a hissing spin that battered the volley in all directions. Her Sith opponent tried to take advantage but lost his chance when one of those bolts flew right at him, forcing him to parry. She spun her whole sword around. One sweep cleared his swords. And then she kicked him solidly in chest. Navia felt the Force Scream before it ripped over her. Her kick turned into a push-off and she jumped backwards, clearing two sets of couches before tumbling across the floor. Cloth and shattered wood sprayed over her in the wake of the Sith's lethal blow. Another scream and she ground her teeth as he flew across the room, sudden as lightning, swords furiously pounding against hers. She gave ground. She parried, parried, counterattacked, parried, ducked and then leaped backwards onto the bar counter. One savage downswing sundered the antique wood, setting it on fire. She couldn't pierce his guard. Too fast. Just too fast. So Navia swept her lightsaber through a dozen bottles of alcohol and swung it at him. The liquor ignited as the plasma blade shattered the glass. In a second, the whole wall was on fire as was the spray of liquid fire she flung at him. Startled, the Sith threw himself backwards. Not enough. The fire sprayed him, clung to him and he yelled hoarsely. Then that yell turned into a roar even over the crowd. With one clenched fist, he smote himself with the Force, using pure telekinetic force to smash the flame to an inch of compression, burning through its fuel in a second to extinguish it. The Jedi Shadow didn't wait to admire his cleverness. She'd already jumped off the bar counter and crossed the lounge. A simple hop onto the railing, then a Force-enhanced leap through the air took Navia right off the side of the Loft. "Lia, catch me!" she hissed with quiet intensity, spinning herself backwards as she flew. Despite a dozen men with guns and optic shrouds on the windows, Navia had moved too fast for them to track. The Sith was the real danger. Sure enough, he'd jumped right after her. Faster. Harder. Just as planned. Heedless of the cries of the crowd below, Navia whipped her sword into a guard position and blocked the first half dozen raging attacks of the Sith in mid-air. Inertia carried them across the room towards the windows, he faster than she. The Warrior expected her to stay defensive. She went offensive instead, wildly slashing at him from every side. He blocked, redirected and then cut her across the cheek with a blistering stroke of a sword. Navia fought through the searing pain, suppressing the elation that followed in its wake. In his need to kill her, he'd neglected his environment. The Sith's body suddenly hit the window hard. Cracks sprayed out in every direction from the impact point. Then she slammed right into him and broke both of them right through the nearly impervious glass out into the Coruscant undercity air. Golden sunlight filled her senses. Navia basked in the sensation of free fall. Above was the glorious blue skyline of the greatest world in the Republic. Rising like the fingers of giants were towering edifices of old. Famous starscrapers, great anti-grav suspended parks, legendary museums, centers of government and works of art. A thousand ships flew above her carrying tens of thousands of people about their lives. None of them knew about the Jedi falling below them. Most wouldn't care. The Jedi had been a curse on Coruscant since the Treaty, since the Republic blamed them for the Sith Empire's victory. Their feelings seemed distant now. Navia closed her eyes in quiet contentment. Serenity was simply seizing the moment, any moment, and making it yours. The great engines of the Luckless boomed below her. Navia's eyes flashed open and she braced for impact. Durasteel hull plating flew towards her and she landed, rolled and crouched with lightsaber in hand. On came the Sith, fury and rage against her peaceful contentment. Stab, stab, slash and Navia fell backwards. The hull groaned as the Sith Warrior's lightsabers missed her and scored across their surface. She frowned, then held up the holocron. His eyes went to it instantly and followed when she tossed it over her shoulder. On cue, the maintenance airlock spiraled open and swallowed the ancient Jedi relic inside the ship's hold. "Lia, we're about to have company," Navia said. She leaped to avoid a double-handed stroke that'd either bypass the tip of her blade and sever her leg or hit the center of her double-bladed lightsaber and break it. Instead, the Jedi Shadow fell through the air right down into the same service airlock. Crouching on impact, she kicked the holocron through the interior door and rolled inside after it. The Sith's swords pierced the ship's flooring where she'd just been a second later. Furious, he tore them free and dashed through the doorway after her. Right into Navia's extended elbow from where she crouched, hidden, just beside the doorway. All the air in the Sith's lungs rushed out. His heels and hands went forward but the rest of him stopped against the Jedi's full strength. The Sith fell in place, right in the arch of the door, completely winded. A moment later, Navia was on her feet, her blazing yellow lightsaber blade pointed an inch from his throat. "Not bad...Jedi," he gasped, almost smiling where he lay. Dropping his lightsabers, the Sith pressed a piece of his glove with his thumb. A flap of leather slid back, exposing a slowly pulsing magenta button. "Whole club. Wired. Holocron. Or I push." Navia stared at him and at the button. The man radiated a sense of grim triumph. He could do as he said. She bowed her head. Then she lifted it and gave him a small serene smile. "You have a nanite-replicated toxin in your system. If you want to live longer than the next thirty hours, you'll put your hand down and listen to everything I say."

A simple kind of editing you can do before putting any writing up for readers: Skim for multiple uses of the same word. 1. If you find the same word at the beginning of two sentences in a row, consider rewriting one of them. 2. If you find the same word appearing twice in the same sentence, consider using another word for one of them. 3. If you find the same word at the beginning of two paragraphs in a row, consider rewriting one of them. Doing this makes reading less distracting for the reader and avoids a feeling of repetition. Talbot's a clever bounty hunter. I'm curious why he wondered about the captain of the freighter being a good fire, given the captain was in a suit of imposing armor and had two body guards. If anything, I might wonder if the man in the armor was really the captain! Crackling can of fireworks. That's a new one for taking a blaster bolt to the head. Nicely evocative without being gory. If you're going to shift points of view, I might recommend more spacing or perhaps a breaker between sections like a ____________ or something. Using italics vs. normal text looks a bit strange. Wow, I totally didn't expect Lily to turn out to be the captain. Very nice trick on the reader's perceptions and biases, bravo. A decent read, overall. The opening blocks of text were a bit dense to read through but once you get to Lily's part, it flows better. Look forward to the next part. Thanks for writing!

Great opening sentence and opening paragraph. Nailing an introduction is an art and I rarely see intros this attention-getting. Suggestion: This part seems to be from Annash's point of view. Given she's four, would she know that her nanna lied when she said "It'll be alright?" I might change 'the woman lied' to 'the woman said' or something like it. Great pacing of dialogue and description, really breaks up the visual flow and makes the story easy to read. Good movement of action, dialogue, action too. Another suggestion: You might give a sentence or two to Annash's interaction with the other children on the truck ride or at least her observation. It's the first time since capture that she's left alone by the soldiers and left alone with the other kids. Even superficial might add a bit of appropriate flavor. The Sith are appropriately brutal, rough, uncaring of children but not ridiculously evil. I approve. The depiction of how they use these slave kids feels authentic and believable. What a great first chapter. By the end, I'm hooked and keen to know what happens next. You have solid writing chops. Thanks for posting it!

The first part isn't a bad part by any means. That I had comments or critique to offer as I read illustrates that I found the story compelling enough to read it through! Receiving critique can be a painful experience for a writer, no matter how well meant, so props for accepting it. Rewrites are also painful but usually a good thing. Wish I was better at them myself. Anyway, your story is yours so take any of my comments and address them or not, as you see fit. Look forward to part 3!

First post: A decent opening, if a bit confusing. Is he in his house? He's on the second floor, in a balcony, comes inside and hears the blasters downstairs? A bit of clarifying would be nice. Love the "One carried a light saber. One of them smirked." Your second full paragraph with all of the action might be a bit easier to read if you broke it up a little. I'd split at "Darting into the hallway". Or, even better, make a new paragraph beginning with "Quickly he changed into his padded armor" and make a third paragraph starting with "Stopping, he could see two at the other end of the hall." "Curse my rotten luck" sounds slightly cheesy, just from this reader's point of view. I like that you write action. A lot of writers don't. My suggestion to make it more readable and even more enjoyable is to take your time with it. Space it out. It makes it read less mechanically, makes it read more organically and avoids awkwardness. Make your viewpoint character the actor, not the bystander, not the witness of what others are doing. A man like Vos should always be doing something, physically or mentally. For example: You could instead do something like this: See what I mean? Your next four sentences all begin with Vos. Rewrite to make it less visibly attention-catching. ...okay, when did Rez meet another Sith? Is it the Sith upstairs? Consider writing a bit more active voice instead of passive voice. For example: Becomes In general, Yoda's advice is good for a writer; "Do or do not, there is no try." A character isn't trying to rip the side of a building off, he tried. No beginning needed either. Good opening, middle and conclusion for your first chapter. Bravo. Your pace keeps up, doesn't lag anywhere and moves the story along. Second post: First paragraph is long enough to break into several. Something to think about. I like your conversation here. It's a little confusing to follow in places but the exchange is interesting, given she calls him master but they clearly have different philosophies. And yet, similar purposes. Nice setup!

01 - Backroom Face Time: You have a nice sense of pacing and spacing. Larger paragraphs broken up by standalone lines of dialogue are a nice visual way of drawing reader attention to points while not making the reader's eyes glaze at wall'o'text. Candidly, my eyes glazed a bit anyway at the first three paragraphs. Lots of descriptive detail isn't to my taste, though, and I'm hardly representative of the average reader. I do like how you establish the fugitive status of the Jedi from the get go. Does a nice job of making the whole fiction feel consistent. A suggestion in the detail; show instead of tell. Which is to say, use dialogue as a way of revealing what she knows and the reader doesn't. Good use of Jedi Mind Trick. Not especially cheesy but actually appropriate, judicious and wisely used. Great use of dialogue in general to move the story's action from the opening description chunk into the character knowing where to go and what to do. I totally was expecting a trap. I like the way you tricked me with the good kind of ambush there in the presence of the Jedi Master. Nice touch on Revan's backstory and the telltale omission/gap in her knowledge. The reader who's played the games is in the know but the character is appropriate puzzled, which makes the story feel authentic and leaves the reader feeling rewarded for having done their homework. I like it. I'm not sure if your take on Jedi Shadows and their 'barely legal' approach lines up with mine. That's okay. Your writing is solid and pleasant enough that I don't mind the difference in perspective. And your interpretation is perfectly legitimate so no worries there. Great opening chapter. I'll read the rest when I get the time. Thanks for writing!

Haven't played a Trooper yet and have no idea what the story's about. So, here's an objective reader's point of view. Your opening line cuts off in the middle of the second sentence and leaves me a bit confused about who is there. You have six rapid fire sentences back and forth without anyone identifying who they are. It's a bit confusing. As for content, is Havoc Squad a squad from the Empire that went to fight for the Republic but is now going back to the Empire because the Republic has lost the will to fight? That...doesn't make much sense to me, just to be honest. Guildrum's scream of rage seems a bit off since there's not much emotional context set up here. You do have a well set stage, for a prologue. A bit more fleshing out and explanation can do wonders for making it even better for a reader. Thanks for writing!

Interesting and somewhat surreal opening. Paragraph 1 contrasted with paragraph 2 and 3 was an interesting juxtaposition. Very surreal to read as the first chapter progresses. Mihel's about what you'd expect from a Sith's kid but it begs the question why the Sith father is letting this slave manipulate his kid. Props to you; it wasn't until after she headed to the kitchen that I realized I didn't know her name. Phoebe isn't called Phoebe until halfway through the first chapter. Also, the whole seeing-several-moves thing at once is an intriguing mystery that catches the reader's attention even as the story moves forward. ...a Jedi? Or someone with the Force? I've never seen a story with a crippled Jedi in it before. Bravo. A terminal addiction to life. That's an amusing turn of phrase. Good first chapter. Great reveal. I do wonder where the other two Sith went that were fighting with Makni. Chapter 2 opens from Makni's perspective but then it switches to Phoebe's without warning. Try to minimize that and hold to a consistent narrator, less confusing with your audience. Chapter 2 continues the themes of chapter 1 nicely and the conversation between Phoebe and Makni is playful in its own way. It ends a bit short, though, and feels more like setup than a standalone chapter. Chapter 3: Okay, Triara is right and properly creepy. A psycho Miraluka is a terrifying thought and you pull off crazy well. I can't decide if I dislike the bleach reference or not. It feels a bit inauthentically Star Wars, like it's something real life people think about or use where in Star Wars they'd probably have some mechanical gadget that does the same thing. On the other hand, it does a wonderful job of continuing to establish her as the Jedi Maid. Which is too funny to pass up. The cut to Phoebe is a bit strange; it's more of the same "yes she's on a journey" but doesn't seem to significantly progress her. I might suggest cutting it and merging the top of Triana's first part to the larger second section, letting Phoebe just pick up with her. Or if you want to keep Phoebe's section, join it to the point of view shift I mention below. Love the 'Touched' reference. Interesting that she's aware she's crazy. The 'touchy' and tactile references reinforce the Miraluka she is while setting her apart from any other I've ever read about. The "Beggin' y our pardon, Miss, I-" "Am in awe, yes" made me chuckle aloud. Great banter. Once more, you seem to shift narrator/point of view in the middle of this section. It's a bit disorienting and something to watch for. It does make for a nice spot to break off and transition to Phoebe, though, if that's what you want to do and you might want to just move the brief part near the beginning from Phoebe's point of view down here and tack it together. ...okay, fantastic ending there. Unsuspecting Sith falls prey to a lightsaber being switched on at an inopportune moment? Hilarious. Not done nearly enough, I think. Great set up for another part. Thanks for writing!

Assuming I understand your question, there's a couple of answers. 1. Firmly, powerfully establish the story element in question so that when it comes up chapters and chapters later, people remember it. Chekhov's gun only works when people remember there's a gun. Being heavy handed about it makes it obvious, though. 2. Point of view helps. In your story's case, if the first half is from the Jedi and the second half is from the Sith, then when you get to the elements that tie back to the Jedi, reread the Jedi's piece over again and remember the flow. Another trick; write a few paragraphs from the Jedi's point of view just to establish freshness and new perspective, even if you don't intend to post them. 3. Try not to do this often. Asking for readers to hold on to something and remember it's significance is always a leap of faith. With fanfiction in particular, written over long spans of time, it's even worse. Some readers won't make it to the end, obviously. Most people who do would be the kind of people to read the whole thing over a few days, not over a few weeks or however long it takes to write. Plan accordingly and try to minimize this, if you can. One way to mitigate it is to just space out a few reminders throughout the Sith's story so it stays fresh. Just my two cents.

The redhead had one of those faces. Azim Siddig lingered on that face as he took his time leaning forward out of the couch. Wine glass in hand, he stood and set it on the coffee table before facing Nass Tanner. Head of the Diamond Heads, the big street fighter was a brute. Oh, there was a kind of wary intellect lurking below that thick brow. He hadn't reacted to the feint Azim made towards his pistol. Nass was smarter than he let on. But he wasn't as smart as he thought he was. "Have a drink at the bar, boys, while we talk business," Nass said to his men. The dozen gang members he'd brought was a good show of force for what otherwise promised to be a one-on-one meeting. Sending the two women hanging off of him along with the walking muscle and their handful of women was a smart move. Hard to object to since they'd have privacy for their conversation but the muscle was on hand just in case. Pity Azim already had his men in place. "Do you have the holocron?" he said, facing off against the Diamond Heads' leader. "The latest and greatest." Nass tossed and caught a small glowing cube with one hand. "Wasn't easy to get." "You'll receive your money as soon as I've verified its contents." "Hold up. What's in it?" Smart but not smart enough. Azim sighed deeply. "Are you a student of the last 1,000 years of Jedi history?" "No." "Then what makes you think you'd understand the answer if I gave it to you?" "Don't play games with me," Nass said. He crossed his arms, tucking the holocron under. "I've been doing some checking up on you." "Now that really is unwise. I thought we were friends." Nass snorted. "I don't know your name. Found out you have half a dozen people collecting Jedi junk for you. I'm just the latest tool. That's fine, I don't mind. I'm pragmatic. Yeah, I know what the word means. It's why I'm better than the others. You're a foreigner. I can handle the local market for you better if you go through me. And it's why I want you to cut me in." The redhead just barely drifted in range of his perceptions, refilling his wine glass the way a good hostess would. Something about her was so familiar. Azim's attention drifted towards the twenty-something waitress. Her most outstanding feature besides that gorgeous face was that vibrantly red hair of hers, pulled back in a ponytail that fell to her shoulders. Rich, vibrant green eyes lit up beneath black eyelashes as he caught just a glimmer of her attention. Curvy girl. It didn't matter that she was fit, it was in her frame, her build. Probably a prostitute with those qualities. Or she'd been one, Coruscant being Coruscant. She had one of those faces that could put her on a model billboard but she just wasn't trim enough to pull it off. The bust and bottom would make her every pose seem ****ty rather than seductive. Pretty girl but the kind you might pay 10 credits to see naked rather than 1,000 credits to see her with her top off. Then again, someone like Darth Aguise looked the same way. Not that he'd ever dream of seeing her naked. Azim knew what happened to her lovers, usually. "Am I boring you?" Azim's attention snapped back to the scowling face of the heavily muscled thug in front of him. Nass had about four inches and maybe forty pounds of muscle on him. No doubt, Diamond Heads' leader thought he had the advantage. "I was waiting for you to change the subject back to our agreed upon arrangement." "Tell me what this cube's about." "No." Nass responded by cracking the knuckles of one hand just by clenching it. Azim grinned appreciatively at the display. A nice bit of intimidation to go along with that size and those muscles. He felt almost wistful, with a hint of jealousy. Too bad the thug wasn't a bit smarter. Jealousy was a powerful emotion but only if your target meant enough to evoke it. A roar went up from the crowd below. He swore violently as he put one foot up on the Loft's railing and leaned over. Nichols was down, a leg and an arm bent at unnatural angles. Damn, his favorite fighter would be out a week at least if he received kolto treatment. Azim's mind briefly calculated how much he'd lost in wagers. Then he shrugged. Victory was everything but he was a reasonable man. Nichols would get another chance. And then he'd die if he didn't deliver. "You know, ignoring me once is cause for breaking an arm," Nass said. "Ignoring me twice is both arms. Your back's next if you don't start taking me seriously." "I'm a man of means, Nass," Azim said, pushing off from the railing back to a proper stance. He left his eyes on the panoramic view of Coruscant's golden starscrapers, though. "Enough means to meet in Four Fists loft. The cost of securing this lovely little view is more than your gang takes in a week. Do you honestly believe you're in any position to deal for me directly?" "Fine. Get the ***** you work for on a holocall with me. Now." "I tire of this." Boredom, irritation and anger at being challenged were more than enough fuel. Azim took a step towards Nass, gripped him by the front of his coat and jerked his face down until they were eye-level. With a thought, he reached into the thug's mind, delighting in the sudden horror that bloomed inside of it as Nass realized his suspicions were true. "You want to give me the Holocron in your possession." "I want to give you this Holocron after all," Nass said, trembling in the grip of the power that had invaded him. Azim took the holocron, studied it briefly and smiled as the glyphs shifted before his eyes. Exactly what Darth Aguise needed. He set it on the table next to his wineglass. Taking up that glass, he swirled the beautiful red liquid before taking a slow, luxuriant mouthful. Coruscant's hard liquor was shoddy but the imported wine selection was nearly unmatched. Wineglass dangling from his fingertips, Azim said, "You see, Nass, I like men with a little initiative in my interests. The thing of it is, those interests are concluded. I have what I came for. I don't need you or your gang now." He took another sip. "Sadly for you, you got curious about me. I know you've been looking at the lists of suspected Sith Empire agents. Even you could be considered a hero if you turned over someone like me to Republic security. That makes you a liability. How would you handle this, friend? Tell me what you'd do if you were me." "I'd throw me off a starscraper." "I knew you were smart. Now, I have a shuttle to catch and can't be bothered. Do me a favor, friend. Follow your own adv-." Azim's bottom lip froze against his teeth as his winding path around the Dominated gang leader took him back within sight of the coffee table. The holocron was gone. Standing behind the table and the couch was the redhead, glowing cube in hand. He met her calm, serene face with one of raging anger. Azim struck out with one arm. She was too far away to punch but the Force served him. He caught the holocron in an invincible grip and tugged. Will met will. She resisted him, resisted the Force. Jedi! The snapping hiss of his concealed blue lightsaber vanished over the joyous racket made by hundreds of spectators watching the next pit fight. A moment later, his partner lightsaber burned the air in a matching resonant hum. "There's no need for this to come to violence, Sith," the Jedi said, her voice high, sharp and cold with an artificial lack of emotion. Azim could feel a mix of fear and anger bubbling beneath the imposed calm. "Let me explain the situation. You've b-" Azim ended the conversation when he launched himself over the coffee table and the couch, both blades aimed right at her.

There is no passion; there is serenity. The roar of the arena drowned all other thought. A deep throbbing, pounding bass and drum from loudspeakers joined with the raw screams from the spectators. The smell of it was nearly as strong. Hundreds of bodies of all species, tightly pressed against each other. Burning ozone from activated energy shields almost washed out the sharper, darker nostril-flaring scent of blood. Even here, in the midst of the action, the spectators recognized the Diamond Heads. The mood shifted as the thickly muscled enforces on the flanks broke through the crowd. Nass Tanner took each step down the stadium at a measured, deliberate pace. No doubt, part of it was to balance the ungraceful art of walking with a Twe'ilk dancer on each arm. Mostly, it was to maintain his appearance. Nass wore the same glossy black leather as the rest of the Diamond Heads but the gang insignia worn on the back of their coats wasn't there on his. Nass was the Diamond Heads. He needed no badge of rank beyond the one he received from the crowd; fear. Almost everyone who laid eyes on the unshaven, scarred former street fighter was afraid of him. Except for Navia, who followed in his wake. There is no passion; there is serenity. The willowy Jedi Shadow skirted just behind him, just ahead of the press of the crowd closing in behind. An optic shroud worn on her wrist would have made a tail job easier but not here. Not when there were so many people that the push of the crowd would reveal in an instant a body where the eyes saw nothing. -You realize if they see you, you'll have a lot of explaining to do.- "I'm aware," Navia murmured to the comlink she wore as an earring. She spotted a tired looking woman in a brown dress with an employee pin heading up the steps and brushed against her. Apologizing, the Shadow deftly attached the pin to her own top as she left the woman behind. -I should be the one doing this, Navi. I'm the smuggler here. I've never done business with the Diamond Heads but I do have connections that can vouch for me. If I couldn't talk my way in, at least I'd be better at sneaking in then you.- "It's a Jedi holocron, Lianae," she said back to her partner as she snagged a box of wine off of a cart pushed by another employee. "Master Rahariel gave me this assignment. You're here as my pilot, not my risktaker. I won't endanger you." -Awwww, I didn't know you cared.- The image of her blonde partner danced through the Shadow's mind. That familiar smirk, the lilt of an eyebrow, that bubbling laugh. There is no emotion; there is peace. With effort, Navia returned her mind to the task at hand. That kind of speculation was not only unproductive but dangerous. Forming emotional attachments was always dangerous. Especially to a flirtatious, irreverent smuggler who couldn't keep her eyes off everyone else she met. Ahead, Nass Tanner reached ground floor and circled around the pit. Electrostatically charged bars kept the audience out and the pit fighters in pain if their opponent knocked them into it. Two men, shirtless, traded blows with brutal deliveries. Blood wet the ground in more than one place, much to the delight of the crowd. All eyes were on the contest now. Once the average spectator realized the Diamond Heads weren't after them, they did everything they could to avoid noticing the gang further. One more reason no one reacted when the Diamond Heads reached the Loft elevator and stepped on. The Loft was a prestigious balcony with an exclusive bar for the founder of Four Fists Fighting Club. Only guests, usually high-rollers, were allowed up. Why a gang had business up there would have given rise to considerable speculation if anyone had the courage to look where they went. "Pardon me, sir," she said as she stepped onto the lift next to one of Tanner's lieutenants. "What's a cute redhead like you working at a place like this?" Navia glanced down, seemingly out of politeness. It gave her an excuse to ensure her nondescript brown skirt with matching top still had the pin marking her as an employee properly in place. With the box tucked under one arm, Navia handed the lieutenant the extra bottle she had left over. "Compliments of the owner, sir." She feigned a smile as he slid an arm around her. Nass glanced her way but didn't react. Why would he? She was just an employee resupplying the bar being felt up by a lieutenant. Nass Tanner had his own women to worry about and more besides. The sober look on his feared visage told of how distracted he was. Then the lift stopped and the Diamond Heads walked across the spacious floor. The wall on their left was lined with a full bar done in antique wood instead of the more common plassteel countertop. Rows of computer screens kept several employees of the Four Fists Fighting Club well informed of fights in the audience, drink shortages and any stabbings that needed quick attention from the staff. As for the right, Navia's eyes looked over the bars of pit fight below, rows of audience and then out across the rising ceiling that left this two-story side behind for a four-story shatterglass view of Coruscant's underside. A tug on her hip was an unexpected bonus for her mission. Navia demurred at first, then acceded to the lieutenant's wish that she come with. Carefully, she set the box of wine on the table. The Diamond Head lieutenant was too distracted by her bustline and backside to notice the winebox was on its side, pointed at the lounge on the opposite side of the Loft from the elevator. With luck, no one else would either. -How's it going?- Lia's cheerful voice chirped in her ear. "Mmmmm." -Can't talk? That's fine, just listen. I'm docked under the club. Local parking registry thinks I've been here for four days so it shouldn't draw any attention. I'm linked in to the galactic net here and watching you on camera right now. Your directional microphone's working, good placement, I should be able to hear everything they say. Navi, I've also looked at the log. I can tell you that Tanner's contact showed up here an hour ago but he had a dozen boys with rifles and optic shrouds take up point on those big big windows across the way. If you ask me, he's planning an ambush. Be careful.- Navia's eyes drifted back to the panoramic view of Coruscant. Nothing. Good quality shrouds then. Temptation danced within her perceptions, to simply reach out with the Force and find their minds. Given the suspected Sith involvement Master Rahariel had briefed her on, that wasn't an option. Active Force manipulation would be a pebble dropped in a pond. Yes, the ripples would reveal the presence of those invisible soldiers but they would also reveal her at the same time. The Diamond Heads approached the far lounge. A man half reclined in a couch, idly swirling a glass of wine as he spectated. Navia didn't follow his gaze to the match below. There was something about him, about his face. Their contact suddenly looked away from the arena and directly into her eyes. A shock of recognition flashed through the Jedi Shadow. Whether she'd live or die in the next handful of seconds now depended solely on whether or not he recognized her too. Then he reached for the blaster he wore in a holster on his leg.

Disclaimers: This story is written for audiences 18+. Mature themes are likely as the story progresses. Multiple parts, multiple characters, primarily focused around a Jedi Shadow. The author has played KOTOR 1 and 2 and, at the time of this post, has a 15th level Jedi Shadow but otherwise hasn't read any Star Wars fiction and is largely unfamiliar with the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Apologies. Critique of any kind is welcome, either to help me improve as a writer or as feedback on what you think would make the story more interesting. Posting schedule will probably be several times a week, likely Mondays and Fridays.

Thanks for the candid response. I'm not interested in testing the limits, just establishing what they are up front so there's no surprises on either side. I'm curious if any stories ever have been moderated or shut down, actually. Still, a pity about the lack of disclaimer efficacy. Marvelous. First base fade to black it is, then. I'm not terribly into torture myself but you never know where your characters will go when you write them. Again, nice to know the limits up front. Hopefully this shouldn't be an issue based on your response. There's a profanity filter? Bummer. Solves that one. I fall into the camp that finds substituted profanity to be inauthentic. Usually. PG language it is. Thanks for the plugs, self-interested or not. In all seriousness, it's good to get the pulse of a community you've just joined and one way to do that is to see what the established members are doing. Appreciate the direction! And I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my questions. Much obliged.

I'm new to the community but not new to fanfiction writing (I've written about 1.5 million words of Exalted fiction, for example). I bought the game about a week ago and I've had so much fun with it, I've felt inspired to start writing some again. However, I have a few content questions after reading the rules of conduct and the fanfiction forum guidelines. Specifically: 1: By sexual content, are we talking PG, PG-13, R, etc.? I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume any physical romance action should be kept at the first base level and fade to black before getting to second base. Any sense or experience from the community or from forum moderators on where the line is? 2: By excessive gore, again, are we talking PG, PG-13, etc.? I'm assuming a paragraph of describing the severing of a limb or a page of torture is too much. Y/N? 3: Regarding profanity, I assume the seven dirty words are off-limits? What about the "d" word? Anything else I should know to avoid? 4: Does putting a disclaimer in the story's title and/or in the header to a story waive or mitigate any of these rules? Is there a way of flagging a story for mature audience or should I always assume I need to be writing for a 12 year old audience? No, I'm not a writer of smut (though some of my stories have had sex in them) nor do I intentionally write offensive or controversial subject matter with the intent of offending or creating controversy. I am a writer who typically writes people rather than characters. Some people swear, some don't, some turn the lights out, some don't. That's why I'm asking up front to avoid any unintended aggravation of the community or its moderators. Thanks in advance for your thoughtful reply.

My vote is for 2a AND 2b. If I have to pick one, I'd pick 2a. It would be lovely if romance writing in general was gender neutral. It's not that difficult to do if you plan ahead for it. Additionally, it would also be lovely if every character was theoretically able to be romanced. I liked the suggestion one poster had of letting someone pick their orientation upfront during char gen (or better yet make it a menu option that you can click on and off in preferences). I'm not interested in male romance options, personally. If I play a male character, he's straight. If I play a female character, she's gay. It's a personal taste. It's also in theory an easy taste for a game designer to satisfy if they choose to. Yes, I like romance in my rpgs. There's a reason I've never played an MMORPG but I started playing this one; because of my good experience with and therefore faith and trust in Bioware as a company that could deliver more entertainment than simple hack and slash or fetch quests. I hope Bioware continues to justify that faith by expanding this line of content.