The Short Fic Weekly Challenge Thread!

[Magdalane]

Welcome Syncrosect! Loved the inner turmoil, and the external calm/inner struggle. Well done!

Tatile, the details of the crash evoked detailed mental images. Makes you wonder why any of them get in those ships!

[irishfino]

Prompt: Anniversaries

Characters: Ald and Quinn

 

 

Saying Goodbye

 

 

 

“My Lord,” Quinn said as he entered the room.

 

Ald rolled over to his side, stretched, and smiled. “That was an amazing nap.”

 

“No dreams?”

 

“No, not yet anyway.”

 

“Perhaps, this year, you won’t have any.”

 

“Did you get what I asked?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And the arrangements are made?”

 

“Did you expect any less of me?” Quinn asked, quirking an eyebrow.

 

Ald smiled. “Of course not. You’re my answer man.” He ignored Quinn’s eye twitch at that comment. “Shall we?”

 

“Once you get dressed, yes.”

 

“I like sleeping naked,” Ald said with a grin of impossibly pearly white teeth.

 

Quinn blinked at him, turned on his heel and left. Ald giggled to himself. The man was still stiff in ways, but he had gotten better. A little, at least. Sort of. He was still exacting though and, today of all days, Ald needed that. He needed Quinn’s stability to help him get through this.

 

It wasn’t every day you shot someone’s remains into orbit.

 

 

[alaurin]

Welcome Syncrosect!! Yay, I am not the new person anymore!!

 

Sorry for no comments at this time, I will catch up on my reading and comment ASAP!!

 

Now I'm going to take a break from Bella and Mallay's misadventures on Ord and move way ahead. This next piece is actually in 4 parts, same story, different perspectives (hope it isn't too repetitive) and takes place exactly 9 years after The Lauren Legacy. The first two parts are kinda long, my apologies for that. Anyways, here goes:

 

Title: Sometimes You Just Have To Let It All Out

Prompt: Anniversaries

Character: Belladonya-Smuggler

Setting: XS Freighter, just before Hoth

Spoilers: a mention of Smuggler Ord Mantell, and companions up to Hoth

 

***warning: violence and mention of rape***

 

Corso awoke to find himself alone in Bella’s bed. They had been slowly getting closer since she confessed her feelings and fears to him on Alderaan. He loved her with everything in his being, but had yet to tell her that. He had promised her that he wouldn’t pressure her and was content to keep things going at her pace, hoping that eventually her heart would overcome her fears. She had every reason to be hesitant with relationships and love after what she had been through, all he could do was be patient and let her be the one in control.

 

After the first time they had made love, Corso and Bella spent most nights together. Corso was hesitant about that at first, but Bella admitted to him that it was comforting to have him sleeping next to her. Surprisingly, they had received little teasing about it from Risha and neither Bowdar nor Akaavi seemed to mind.

 

Corso was a little concerned by Bella’a absence. Normally if she woke in the night, she would snuggle up to him and fall back to sleep or she would wake him pleasantly and sleep would be forgotten altogether. She had seemed unusually restless these past couple of days, but hadn’t attempted to talk to anyone about it. He didn’t want to push her, but he was worried. He finally got up, dressed quickly and went out to look for her. He didn’t have to look long. Bowdar, Risha, and Akaavi were in the corridor outside the med bay looking in. His heart stopped for a second, wondering why Bella would be in the med bay.

 

“What’s going on?” he asked.

 

“I don’t know,” Risha replied, looking concerned, “Akaavi heard her in here and came and got me. Bowdar heard us and followed. We have been here watching her for the past few minutes.”

 

“I don’t know her that well yet,” Akaavi explained, “so I came and got Risha when I found her. She hasn’t moved.”

 

Corso went in to the med bay. Bella was sitting on the bed, staring at the kolto tank, tears running down her face. “Bella?” he whispered, “Please tell me what is wrong. I know I promised not to pressure you, but it breaks my heart to see you like this. We all care about you and want to help if we can.”

 

Bella finally turned to Corso, and noticed the rest of her crew in the doorway. She motioned them in and finally spoke. “Today is Mallay’s birthday. Nine years ago today, our father was killed and she almost died in this very tank. She was only fifteen, and I still feel responsible.”

 

“Does this have to do with Jackson?” Corso asked and Bella nodded.

 

“Bella, you were only sixteen!” Risha tried to reassure her. Akaavi and Bowdar looked confused, but kept silent.

 

Bella saw their confusion and decided to tell the whole story. “Yes, I was sixteen, and fell too quickly in love with a man that in hindsight, I really didn’t know that well. Jackson was so handsome and exciting, so very different from the other boys I knew. When he started paying attention to me, I never even gave it a second thought. He was older and a smuggler so I knew my parents wouldn’t approve. We snuck around for a couple of months. I was so in love with him, he was the first guy I slept with.”

 

She looked over at Corso and patted the bed next to her. He sat next to her and she leaned on him and went on.

“We were celebrating Mallay’s fifteenth birthday, Dad wasn’t home yet. Dad was ex-military, he retired when Mom became pregnant with me and they moved to his farm. He did volunteer to help local law enforcement when they needed it though. He had been out on night patrols since there had been recent trouble with pirates and wildlife.”

 

C2, hearing everyone up, brought in drinks and snacks. Bella accepted hers gratefully and went on, “Mom was watching for Dad, worried, but trying to hide it. Kit, who was four, was upstairs napping, Lissa and Ros were nine at the time and doing silly dances with their cartoons on the HoloVid, and Mallay and I were talking about clothes and boys. She was finally starting to notice boys, but was shy and felt awkward because she was so thin. I was going to help her pick out new clothes to make her feel more attractive. Mom always took us shopping the day after our birthdays to spend any credits we got. We were looking at catalogues on the HoloNet when Jackson called.”

 

She paused to take a drink, the warm tea soothing. “He wanted to meet my family. We had talked about him meeting them soon, but I didn’t think he meant this soon. I told Mom and left to go get him.”

Tears started forming in her eyes as Bella continued, “When I got back to the house with Jackson, two Imperial solders were there, holding my father between them and they were threating to hurt Mom if Dad didn’t talk. Dad looked as if he had been tortured badly. Then the soldiers looked over at me and nodded. I felt a blaster barrel pressing against my temple and Jackson was telling my father, with a very Imperial accent, to talk or I was going to die.”

 

Corso put his arms around her and stroked her hair, trying to stay calm, but raging inside at the thought of that man hurting Bella. She wiped her eyes and continued.

 

“I was in shock, and Jackson laughed at me for thinking our relationship was real. He was just using me to get to my father. He told me that I was just a job and that sleeping with me was a bonus for him. He was disappointed that he wouldn’t get the chance to ‘have me’ one more time. I felt sick inside. I was so ashamed that I had let hip dupe me so bad and that it was my fault he got to my father. Something in me snapped and I felt a cold rage. The next thing I knew, I was grabbing the vibroknife from Jackson’s belt and stabbing him in the gut.”

 

Bella took another drink, “Everything happened fast after that. I think everyone was taken by surprise, but the soldiers quickly recovered and let Dad go to grab their rifles. Mom started shooting at them with a blaster she’d hidden in her belt. I picked up the blaster Jackson dropped when I stabbed him and started shooting at the soldiers with Mom. Dad tried to grab one of the soldiers’ rifles but was shot in the process. Mom and I managed to kill both soldiers without being injured ourselves. Mom ran over to Dad and I walked over to Jackson. I can’t explain exactly how I felt looking down at Jackson dying, but it was a cold, calm, hatred. He was shaking as I looked him in the eye, charged up the blaster, and shot him in the face.”

 

Tears started forming again as she went on, “I heard Mom crying then, so I went over to where she was holding Dad. He saw me and told us how sorry he was that everything happened. He wanted me to know that I wasn’t to blame for any of this and that he loved us all very much. He died in my mother’s arms. I yelled to my sisters, who were still in the house, to come out.”

 

Corso had a feeling that it was about to get worse when he felt Bella shaking and held her tightly as she went on. “Lissa and Ros came running out first, both looking scared. They saw Dad and started to cry. Mom asked them where Mallay and Kit were and they told us that Mallay had to go get Kit from upstairs. They had just started explaining to us that soldiers had come into the house when we heard the door bang open and saw Mallay race out of the door holding Kit. She had barely gotten out of the house when it exploded. The blast knocked her down and she covered Kit with her own body. We could see debris hitting her and the fire burning her, then another explosion went off and Mallay went unconscious. Mom told the twins to get back and she headed toward the burning house. I followed her. We saw Mallay struggling to get up and finally Kit was able to crawl out from under her. Mallay then vomited and passed out. We looked Kit over and thanks to Mallay, she had only a few minor scratches. Mallay, however, was another story.”

 

Bella took another drink to try to calm herself, “At first Mom and I were afraid to even touch her. Her shirt was in shreds and all we could see was her bloody, burned back. We grabbed her arms and she came to as we were lifting her to her feet. It was then that we saw that the left side of her face looked like her back and there was a large piece of metal near her eye. She shook as we helped her over to where Kit and the twins were sitting. I could tell that she was in a lot of pain, but she was strong, tears came, but not once did she scream. We sat her down and Mom told Kit and the twins to stay with her while she took me to the tool shed. At the shed, Mom went in, and had me help her move the large crate in the back. As it slid out, I saw a large panel in the floor. Mom put a code in and the panel opened up to reveal a hidden storage area. She pulled out a travel case and a data pad. Then we grabbed the two speeders and hurried back to the rest of the family.”

 

Bella actually noticed that she felt better getting the story out and continued, “When we got back to the rest of the family, Mallay wasn’t looking too good at all. Mom told us that there wasn’t time to explain because they needed to get out of there before more soldiers came. She was worried about how we could get off planet with Imperials looking for us and Mallay so injured. Then, I realized that with Jackson dead, we could take his ship and make our escape. I told Mom that Jackson had taught me how to pilot his ship and that it was at a nearby launch pad. It was not busy like a spaceport would be and we would only have to get by the ground crew. Mom agreed and we put a cloak over Mallay to hide her injuries. We figured if anyone asked, we would just say that we were taking Mallay for a birthday surprise. We took the speeders to the launch pad, and boarded the ship with little difficulty. I flirted with the one guy that stopped us and gave him credits to make ready for launch. I told him Jackson was on his way. Luckily, he fell for it and a short time later, we took off.”

 

Bella smiled at the memory of how sloppy her flying was then, “I had forgotten how hard flying was for a beginner….I feel like I have been doing it for so long now. After we were in hyperspace on our way to Coruscant, Mom and I spoke with the twins to find out what happened in the house. The twins told us that Mallay protected them and killed one of the soldiers that came in the house. The other soldier was too fast for her though and captured her. He realized she wasn’t a child, but a teenager and intended to rape her. The twins used the force to knock that soldier out before he got the chance. Then Mallay sent them out to us after she heard me yell while she went to get Kit."

 

Bella was starting to get cold and snuggled up to Corso. "Mom and I went to tend to Mallay. She was unconscious when we got in here. We sedated her further and went to work. It took a while, but we got her stripped, got the shrapnel out of her, and put her in the tank. Mom had a little bit of medical training, but not much. We just hoped that we could get her to Coruscant before it was too late and it almost was. Mallay was dying when we got docked in Coruscant and we were out of medication to sedate her with so she was also awake.”

 

Bella choked up a little, “I think the image of her thrashing in this kolto tank will haunt me forever. Mom had made contact with an SIS agent and he promised to bring a medic with him to the spaceport. As it turns out, Dad wasn’t just ex-military, he was former SIS. A mission he was sent on in Nar Shaddaa a few months back went wrong and that is why Imperials were after him. Jackson was an Imperial Agent and Dad had info the Empire wanted.”

 

Bella got up and walked to the kolto tank. “When the agent and medic arrived, Mallay was critical, alarms were going off and Mom and I felt so helpless. The medic called for another medic and a Jedi then he and the agent got Mallay out of the tank and sedated her. When the Jedi and other medic arrived, they told us that the shrapnel had blinded Mallay and she needed an implant to restore her sight. The Jedi was a healer and he used the force to heal her while the other two put the implant in. I used the cargo I had found in the ship to pay them for treating Mallay and they gave us credits for the rest. It was spice that could be used to manufacture pain killers. After Mom turned Dad’s information to the agent, we were finished. The agent told us that he checked the ship over and it was safe for us to take and advised us to change our family name as a precaution in case the Empire was looking. Mom had a farm on Dantooine that an aunt left her and that is where we went.”

 

“Mallay spent four days in this tank, but recovered for the most part. She still gets nightmares around her birthday, but doesn’t like to talk about them. She hates her birthday now and won’t celebrate it. She was also determined to spend the rest of her life fighting Imperials. Lissa and Ros studied with the Jedi on Dantooine until just a few months ago when they went on to Tython. The last I heard from them, they had their own ships. Kit is thirteen now and has little memory of what happened since she was only four at the time. Mom was pregnant when this all happened and finally had a son that we all decided to name after our father. I decided to keep Jackson’s ship and started making local deliveries to bring in extra credits to help support us. I eventually started making deliveries further away,” She looked over at Corso, “and one of those deliveries landed me on Ord Mantell, where I met this wonderful man. I just didn’t realize it at the time.”

 

Bella looked at her crew. Risha came over and hugged her. “You need to stop blaming yourself. If Jackson hadn’t gotten to you, he would have found another way. You acted like any normal sixteen year old girl would have.”

 

Bella hugged her back, “I know and I think I started realizing that more recently. Thank you all for listening to me. I think I feel better talking about it.”

 

Akaavi put her hand on Bella’s shoulder, “You and Mallay were very brave to fight the way you did. You both would make fine warriors and I am proud to know you.”

 

Bowdar barked his agreement, hugged Bella and left to return to the crew quarters with Risha and Akaavi.

 

Corso hugged Bella close to him, tears in his eyes, “I am sorry your family had to go through that. I know what losing your family to violence feels like and know how much it must have hurt to lose your father. Thank you for trusting us well enough to share what happened. I know it wasn’t easy for you to talk about.”

 

“No Corso, it wasn’t. Thank you for being so patient. I know how you feel about me,” she smiled at his nervous look. “Don’t worry, I am not afraid of your feelings for me. It is my feelings for you that scare me. I meant what I said, you are a wonderful man and I know in my heart that you would never hurt me the way Jackson did. My mind is finally starting to realize it as well and I am not as afraid of my feelings as I was the first time we had this conversation on Alderaan.” She kissed him and led him back to her quarters where she showed him with her body what she was afraid to tell him with words.

 

 

Title: Not All Birthdays Are Happy

Prompt: Anniversaries

Character: Mallayse-trooper

Setting: Thunderclap, just before Hoth

Spoilers: brief mention of trooper Taris, Nar Shaddaa, and Balmorra, companions up to Hoth

 

***warning: violence and mention of rape***

 

The crew, with the exception of a powered down 4X, aboard the Thunderclap woke to screaming coming from their CO’s quarters. Elara, Aric, and Tanno ran out of the crew quarters, Elara pulling a robe on, Aric and Vik clad in only shorts, grabbing shirts to cover themselves. They were outside Mallay’s door when they heard her screaming again. Mallay never locked her door in case something came up and they needed her. The three of them looked at one another and Aric opened the door. They could see Mallay thrashing around in the dim light, tangled in her sheets, crying. None of them knew what to do.

 

“That isn’t a nightmare,” Tanno started. Aric and Elara looked at him in surprise. “I saw the same thing on Balmorra, she’s reliving something.”

 

“She has been under a lot of stress lately, we all have with preparing for the Gauntlet.” Jorgan started, “That could be setting her off.”

 

“I noticed she was a little restless before going to bed and offered her a sedative, but she declined,” Dorne admitted, “She seemed troubled by something.”

 

Just then Mallay cried out, “Please, just let me die! I can’t take it anymore….just let me die!”

 

That was enough for Aric, he went in and gently spoke, touching her shoulder as he did so. “Mallay, wake up,” He wasn’t prepared for what happened next. Her eyes opened wide and she grabbed his arms, pulling him closer.

 

“I just want to die, please, just let me die. I can’t take the pain anymore. Please help me die!” she pleaded hoarsely.

 

Aric looked over at the other two, Elara had tears in her eyes and Vik looked upset. Vik was right, Mallay was reliving something….something really bad. It tore at Aric to think about what she had been through that would cause that kind of reaction. He had yet to admit his feelings to her, but he was falling in love with his CO. He gently touched her face, “Mallay, wake up….its Aric. You're safe, in your quarters.” He whispered repeatedly. Finally she blinked her eyes and focused.

 

“Aric?” she whispered, then noticed the others in the doorway, “Elara, Tanno? What’s wrong?” Then she recalled her dream, “I'm sorry, it was me. I woke you didn’t I?” She let go of Aric and untangled herself from her sheets. She got out of bed and made her way to the crew rec/galley area in her short shorts and tank top, unusual for her not to cover herself with a robe. The rest of her squad followed her. She grabbed a glass of water and turned to them. She knew them well enough to know they would want an explanation and decided it was time to finally talk about it. They're your squad mates and they care about you as you do them….even Tanno.

 

She took a deep breath and finally spoke, “Today is my birthday,” she started sadly, “Nine years ago today, my fifteenth birthday, my father was killed by Imperial soldiers and I nearly died in the escape with my mother and sisters.”

 

“Oh Mallay,” Elara whispered, tears in her eyes as she sat down. Aric and Tanno sat as well and waited for her to go on.

 

“My birthday started off okay. Dad wasn't home yet. We lived on a farm, but Dad was ex-military so he volunteered to help the local law enforcement when they needed extra people for patrols. We had breakfast, then Mom took four year old Kit upstairs for her nap. The twins, nine at the time, were watching the HoloVid and Bella and I were talking about boys and clothes. I had finally realized that boys were cute,” she smirked at Aric and Tanno, then sobered as she went on, “Bella had offered to help me pick out clothes to help boys notice me. I have always been small, thin, and very shy. However, Bella assured me that with the right clothes, and some makeup, I would be every bit as pretty as her.”

 

She snorted at that memory and went on. “Bella got a call from her new boyfriend, Jackson, and left to go meet him and bring him back to meet our family. I met him once before and didn’t really, but to sixteen year old Bella, he was ‘the one'. She had been sneaking around with him for the past month. She knew that Mom and Dad wouldn’t like him because he was older and a smuggler….kind of ironic right? Anyways, she had been gone for a little while and I had just come downstairs from checking in on Kit when we heard shots fired.”

 

Mallay got up and started pacing, a clue to the others that the bad part was coming. “Mom grabbed a blaster, told me to watch the girls, and ran outside. Lissa, Ros, and I went to the window to see what was going on. I could see two men dragging someone towards the house. As they got closer, I saw that they were Imperial soldiers dragging Dad between them. I didn’t have time to see anything else though because we heard noises in the house. I turned to the kitchen doorway, knocking over a vase, and gathered the twins behind me. A moment later, two Imperial soldiers came through the doorway and saw us.”

 

Mallay kept pacing, running her hands through her long hair that she rarely wore down, “I was so afraid of what they would do to us. Despite being older, I wasn’t much bigger in size than the twins. That turned out to be to my advantage though because the solders thought they were dealing with three small children. We heard more shouts and shots outside and I knew those soldiers were not going to let us go. I needed to get us out of there. Luckily, I had always been strong and athletic despite my size and even then, I was a quick thinker. Those soldiers had their weapons holstered and weren’t wearing helmets, I just needed a weapon and I could at least distract them long enough for the twins to get out and maybe for me to run upstairs and get Kit. Then I felt Ros put something in my hand. It was a shard from the vase I had knocked over. It wasn’t much, but it was sharp enough to cut deep.”

 

Mallay smiled coldly and went on, “One of the soldiers crouched down and talked to us like we were scared children. I slowly approached him, shaking a little to make him see me as no threat. They didn’t see the shard in my hand. When the crouched soldier reached for me, I cut his throat open and tried to grab his blaster. Unfortunately, his partner was too fast for me. He grabbed me and then realized I wasn’t a child.” Mallay shuddered, “He told me he was going to have a little fun with me and make my sisters watch. He started tearing at my shirt and grabbing me. I struggled and fought as hard as I could, but he was so much bigger and stronger than I was. I was going to be raped in front of my sisters and there was nothing I could do to stop it!”

 

Mallay paused a moment and looked over at the others, ashamed at her weakness. Elara walked over to her and hugged her. Aric and Vik looked like they wanted to kill someone. “The next thing I knew, I was hitting the floor and the soldier was being thrown into the wall. As he got up, a small statue flew across the room and knocked him out. Ros and Lissa were force sensitive and strong despite their age. They had saved me. The other soldier was dead. We heard Bella yelling for us outside and I told the twins to go to her while I ran up to get Kit, grabbing a dropped rifle on the way. I found Kit hiding under her bed. I took her hand and led her downstairs. I heard the soldier the twins knocked out coming to, I pointed the rifle at him in case he was trying to stop us. He just laughed, held his hand up and whispered ‘Boom!’ I saw the remote in his hand, picked Kit up, and ran as hard as I could out the door. I barely made it out the door when the house exploded. I was knocked down and covered Kit up as best I could while I could feel my skin burning and shrapnel tearing into me. Another explosion went off and I blacked out for a moment.”

 

Mallay shuddered, “I came to when I felt Kit wiggling under me and I tried to get up. Stars, the pain was sickening, and I was blind in my left eye. I was able to get up enough for Kit to crawl out. Then I threw up and blacked out again. Next thing I knew, Mom and Bella were helping me up and getting us away from the house. The rest is a little fuzzy because the pain was so bad that I was in and out of consciousness. Mom and Bella left for a few minutes and came back with speeders and some other things. Mom asked me if I could walk with help and I was being put in a speeder. I blacked out again and when I came to, we were at a launch pad. Ros and Bella were helping me onto the ship and I was taken to the med bay. They had to leave me there to get ready for take-off. The pain was getting worse every minute and I got sick again and blacked out.”

 

Mallay sat back down, “The next thing I knew, I was floating in a kolto tank in so much pain. I could hear Mom and Bella trying to calm me. We were almost to Coruscant, but the medication had run out. They couldn’t sedate me anymore. Mom was crying and trying to sing lullabies to me.” Mallay was crying then, “The pain was so bad, and I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t scream, I couldn’t cry. All I could do was feel that horrible pain. I wanted to die, I wanted to scream at them to let me die. I wanted it over so the pain would go away. Then I heard a little voice in my head. It was Lissa. She was sharing my thoughts and begged me to be strong a little longer. She was sorry she wasn’t strong enough to take my pain away. I felt ashamed of myself. I wanted to die and my nine year old sister felt guilty that she couldn’t help me. I vowed that I would be strong, I would live, and I would make every Imperial I came across pay.”

 

Mallay looked at Elara then and smiled, “It wasn’t easy for me when I first met you, but I am glad that I had the maturity by then to realize that not everyone who spoke with an Imperial accent was my enemy.”

 

She took a deep breath and went on, “Luckily, Lissa stayed with me…in my head. She might not have been able to take my pain away, but she was very calming. I told her never to tell anyone that I was begging to die. I didn’t think that my mother or Bella would take that well. Shortly after landing on Coruscant, two men came in and took me out of the tank. Luckily, they sedated me before taking the mask off, because I don’t think I could have held my screams in. The next thing I knew, I was in a strange bed in a strange room.”

 

Mallay took a drink and continued, “Over the next few days, I was filled in on the details. Dad had been former SIS and had been killed by the Imperial soldiers that were outside. Apparently, he went to Nar Shaddaa on an assignment a few months earlier and things went wrong. He escaped with information that the Empire wanted. Jackson was an Imperial Agent who used Bella to get to our father. Jackson and Bella showed up and Jackson put a blaster to Bella’s head to get our father to talk. I guess that pissed Bella off pretty badly, because she killed him before anyone could react. Dad was killed trying to get a weapon from the Imperials holding him. Mom and Bella killed the Imperials. Mom got the information Dad had hidden in the tool shed and we left on Jackson’s ship to go to Coruscant. There was an agent on Coruscant who took the information and brought medics and a Jedi to care for my injuries. I ended up in the kolto tank for four days, and was given a cybernetic Implant,” she touched the implant that curved around her left eye, “to restore my sight. I had been blinded by a large piece of shrapnel that got embedded near my eye. We were on Dantooine with a new family name, a precaution in case Imperials were looking for us. Mom had been left a small farm there by an aunt and it was to be our new home.”

 

Mallay sighed, feeling a little relieved to get the story out, “We were as close as ever and for the most part, resumed our lives as they had been before. Mom had been pregnant and we got a new baby brother a few months later. We gave him our father’s name. Ros and Lissa went to the Jedi temple on Dantooine to study there until a few months ago when they went on to Tython. They have their own ships now and are off on their own adventures. Lissa kept her promise and never told anyone that I wanted to die in that tank. Kit was uninjured by the blast and has little memory of what happened since she was only four at the time. Mom is doing well. She hates us being away, but is proud of us. She misses Dad terribly, but is certain he is watching over us. Bella kept Jackson’s ship, it is what she is using now. She started making local deliveries to bring in extra credits for our family and branched out after that. Bella is still her outgoing, funny, flirty self, but a little more hardened. She swore she would never fall in love again because she didn’t trust her judgment after Jackson. She kept her relationships to brief flings, but I think that might be changing.”

 

“That is crazy,” Elara insisted, “She was only sixteen and he was an Imperial agent. I know full well how they operate. They will do anything to complete their missions. There is no way she could have known what he really was and even if she had, he would have just found another way.”

 

Mallay smiled, “Please tell her that sometime. Maybe she will believe you better than anyone else because you have witnessed it. We have tried to tell her, but I don’t think it helps. I do think she is falling in love with Corso though and I am sure he loves her,” she saw Aric nod at that and smiled at him, “Good, I just hope he is patient because it is going to take her a while to let go of her fears.”

 

“What about you boss?” Tanno asked. Mallay smiled at him. Despite his rough exterior and less than honest ways, she was fond of her new demolitions expert. He reminded her a little of Bella in some ways. He irritated the crap out of Aric though.

 

“Me? I guess I am the same in many ways. Dad had always told me that I would make a good soldier despite my small size and I was more determined to be the best soldier that I could be after that. I would like to think I have done well with that. I was always more serious than the rest of my sisters, perhaps a little more after what happened. Bella still manages to talk me into getting in trouble though.” She smiled at that, looking over at Elara and Aric, “I was always shy around new people, men that I am attracted to make me nervous and tongue tied, but much of that is due to me being self-conscious of my looks, more so now. I always hated being small, thin, and plain looking….just look at me, then look at Bella and you know what I mean. I still hate being small and thin, but now I hate my scars and this ugly metal on my face as well. I know that sounds selfish, but I was so angry about that for months afterward. Part of me had given up on ever being able to attract a man until Jonas Balkar flirted with me on Nar Shaddaa. I know he wasn’t serious, but it made me feel like there was hope for me yet. I especially hate my birthday, all I can think of on that day is that my father died and my family was changed forever. I typically get nightmares the night before and usually try to avoid people that day.”

 

Elara hugged her then, “Well, I am glad you didn’t avoid us. You and Bella have made me feel like part of a family and I am greatly fond of you both. I am so very sorry that happened to your family. I know it isn’t a happy occasion, but you are not going to hide out today. I can’t speak for the guys, but I intend to do whatever I can to help you through the rest of the day.”

 

“Thanks Elara, and I may take you up on that, but for now, I think we all need to sleep a little more. I am so sorry I woke you all and I should have taken a sedative before going to bed. In the very least, I should have warned you. I do feel a little better getting it out though, so maybe I will be able to sleep without nightmares now.”

 

Tanno gave her a big bear hug as Elara left to go back to bed, “I hate the thought of you going through something like that either. I know I am new to the squad, but you made me feel welcome from the start and there are not many that see past my rough exterior to do that. I have only met your sister once, but she seems like a good sort and no one deserves what that Jackson guy did to her. If it helps cheer you up, I will make sure to annoy Jorgan more than usual for the rest of the day!” They both laughed at that and glanced over at a scowling Jorgan. Vik went back to bed as well, leaving only Mallay and Aric in the rec area.

 

Mallay looked over at her XO, wondering what he was thinking. He looked angry. “Thank you for listening and for waking me earlier. I was remembering the pain I felt when floating in the kolto tank on Bella’s ship,” she told him. “I am sorry I woke you.”

 

“Oh Mallay, you don’t ever have to be sorry for that,” he told her as he approached her.

 

“You look angry….I was worried you were mad at me.” She admitted nerviously.

 

“I am mad at you,” he told her gently, “I am mad at you for not seeing yourself for the remarkable woman that you are. Do you want to know what I see every time I look at you?”

 

Mallay nodded her head, her eyes shining.

 

“I see a strong woman, who fought off two Imperial soldiers, killing one of them at age fifteen. I see a woman who would do anything to protect those she cares about from harm, even if it means sacrificing herself in the process. I see a beautiful woman with a body like a graceful theater dancer. That same body that made me shake with wanting when I had to help you out of your armor after finishing up on Tatooine. This woman has such a beautiful face with expressive deep blue eyes and creamy skin that shows off the most attractive blush when embarrassed. This beautiful woman has long thick hair that reaches her waist. I can’t tell you how many times I have dreamed of running my hands through it.”

 

He reached out and ran his hand through her hair, and felt a thrill as she leaned to his hand. “Yes, you have a scars and an implant, but that doesn’t even come close to taking your beauty away. Shall I continue?”

 

Mallay nodded, lips parted slightly. He couldn’t resist cupping her face and running his thumb along her bottom lip, “Yes, your gorgeous mouth that could drive a man mad with desire, especially when you're biting your lip. I've wondered, often lately, of what it would feel like kiss you.” He saw his need mirrored in her eyes as he leaned down closer and whispered, “I don’t want to wonder anymore.” Then he finally brushed those lips with his, tentatively at first as he waited for her reaction. Much to his delight, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him so he could deepen the kiss that he'd been wanting for so long.

 

“Happy Birthday Mallay,” he murmured against her mouth as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. The last thing she thought was that maybe it would be a happy birthday after all, then he gently nipped her lip and she didn’t think anymore, she just enjoyed the wonderful sensation of kissing the man she was falling in love with.

 

 

Title: One With The Force

Prompt: Anniversaries

Character: Alissya- Jedi Consular

Setting: Defender, early JC act 1

Spoilers: Tython and Qyzen

 

*** warning: violence and mention of rape***

 

Lissa was meditating, her usually serene face showing great sadness and tears fell from her closed eyes.

 

“Herald?” Qyzen asked as he finally approached her. He had noticed she hadn’t been herself today and was concerned for the small Jedi that he’d come to consider a friend.

 

“Hello Qyzen,” Lissa replied sadly and, wondering if she was projecting her sadness and keeping him awake, asked him if he was alright.

 

“Is fine, Herald, only concerned for you. Is unlike Herald to show such sadness.”

 

“Thank you, Qyzen. I will be alright. Today is Mallay’s birthday.”

 

“Why does sister’s birthday make Herald sad?”

 

“It is also the day our father was killed nine years ago and Mallay almost died. I remember singing to her and we were all so happy, she was fifteen that day. Our family was always close so birthdays were very fun times. Dad wasn’t home from patrols yet, and Bella left to meet her boyfriend. We heard shots and Mom ran outside, leaving Ros and I with Mallay. Kit was upstairs napping, she was four and Ros and I were nine. We tried to see what was going on when we heard a noise coming from the kitchen. Mallay shoved Ros and I behind her just as two Imperial soldiers came in the room. We were so scared, I could feel the fear coming off of Ros and Mallay and the malice coming from the soldiers. They were there to kill us. They saw no threat from us, but Mallay was strong despite her small size and highly intelligent. I could easily read her thoughts, Ros could as well. Mallay was worried for us and knew we needed to get out of there. She knew she needed to get upstairs and get Kit. That meant she needed to subdue those men. Mallay thought like a soldier, even then. Ros spotted a large shard from the vase Mallay knocked over when we heard those men in the kitchen. Ros put the shard in Mallay’s hand and we both felt the calm come over her. She had a weapon and was going to use it. One soldier crouched down, trying to get us to come to him. Mallay complied, and I could feel her determination….that soldier was going to die. She was fast, as soon as he reached for her, she cut his throat open and reached for his weapon.”

 

Lissa paused, a dark look coming over her face and her silver eyes cold, “The other soldier was fast to recover though and he grabbed Mallay. He realized she wasn’t a child, but a teenage woman and I could feel his joy at the thought of taking her in front of us. It was sickening and I could just feel the force come alive in me in outrage of her innocence being so violently taken. Mallay was fighting as hard as she could, but that man was so much bigger and stronger than she was. He was trying to tear her clothes off when he was thrown up against the wall by the force, Ros was just as strong as I was. I spotted a metal figurine nearby and used the force to throw it at his head while he was trying to get back up. He wasn’t getting back up after that. We heard Bella yelling and Mallay told us to go to her while she ran up to get Kit.”

 

She paused then, feeling the outrage in Qyzen at the thought of soldiers hurting innocent children and the pride in her, Ros, and Mallay in fighting those soldiers off. “Ros and I ran outside and I could immediately feel the great sadness coming from Mom and Bella. I could also feel strong shame and anger from Bella. Then we saw our father, lying dead in Mom’s arms. We cried for our father, but Mom told us we needed to get away before more soldiers came. I then noticed two dead soldiers near Dad and Bella’s boyfriend dead a little ways away. Mom asked us where Mallay and Kit were and Ros was just telling her when we heard the front door bang open and saw Mallay running out as fast as she could, carrying Kit. They had barely made it out when the house exploded.”

 

Lissa clutched her chest, “I have never felt such fear coming from so many people before. It was almost painful. Mallay was knocked over in the blast and tried to cover Kit as best she could when another explosion went off. It felt like forever, but was only a moment later that we saw Mallay try to get up and Kit crawl out from under her. Mom shouted at us to take Kit and get back away from the house while she and Bella ran to Mallay. Ros and I took Kit to a small bench at the far end of the yard under a big tree. Mom and Bella helped Mallay to us and I could feel that she was in great pain. Unfortunately, my abilities were too undeveloped to help her. Mom left her with us and took Bella to the tool shed, returning with the speeders and other stuff. We got in the speeders and Bella took us to a ship she knew how to fly and we left the planet. Bella and Mom took care of Mallay as best as they could and we went to Coruscant. Mallay almost died before we got there and the medicine had run out, so she was awake. We weren’t allowed in to see her, but I could feel her agony.”

 

Tears came to her eyes as she remembered sharing Mallay’s thoughts. Mallay kept begging to die. She never told anyone, just as she promised Mallay and somehow found a way to comfort her. “Mom had contacted a man when we landed on Coruscant and he came to the ship with a medic for Mallay. The medic called another medic and a Jedi. The two medics had to give Mallay a cybernetic implant to restore her eyesight. She had been blinded by a piece of shrapnel from the house. The Jedi, Master Ny’laan, used the force to heal her. It was Master Ny’laan that discovered our force abilities that our parents had been keeping a secret from anyone outside our family. He talked to Mom and reassured her that we didn’t have to leave her right away. We would be able to study on Dantooine, where we were going to live on a farm that Mom’s aunt left her. It was Master Ny’laan that made me realize I wanted to heal people with the force.”

 

“Was powerful Jedi to find Herald.” Qyzen said.

 

“Well, I wasn’t very powerful then, but he was a powerful Jedi, he still is.”

 

“Is good thing. Herald’s family survived, grew stronger, stayed together. Herald has powerful sisters, good hunters. Is sad to lose father, but showed Herald her strength.”

 

“Thank you Qyzen. I had never thought of it that way. Who knows when or if Ros and I would have studied with the Jedi if our father hadn’t been killed. I do miss him, we all do, but I feel him sometimes, as one with the force. I feel his pride in all of us and his son that he never got to meet.” Lissa went back to her meditation and felt her father in the force and her sadness was gone. Qyzen reminded her that her father was never really gone….not from her and Ros.

 

Qyzen left her to her meditation, noticing the sadness that had been coming from her was no longer there.

 

 

Title: Droids and Padawans Are Good Listeners

Prompt: Anniversaries

Character: Roslynd-Jedi Knight

Setting: Defender, early Act 1

Spoilers: just companions from Tython/Act 1

 

***warning: violence and mention of rape***

 

T7-01 and Kira watched the restless Jedi pace. Ros was usually smiling and cheerful, but that was replaced with sadness and tears today.

 

T7 + Jedi = friends

Jedi = happy//now Jedi = sad//T7 = help?

 

“Yeah Master,” Kira chimed in, “you aren’t your usual upbeat self….what gives?”

 

Ros stopped pacing and wiped her eyes. “I am sorry Teeseven, Kira. I should have told you earlier,” Ros began sadly, “Nine years ago today, my father was killed and Mallay almost died. It was her fifteenth birthday.”

 

“Oh Ros, I am so sorry! I had no idea,” Kira said, shocked. She hadn’t expected that.

 

“It’s ok Kira, how would you have known? I don’t talk about it much to anyone.”

 

“It might help you know.” Kira told her.

 

Kira = right//Jedi = talk//Jedi = better

T7 + Kira = listen

 

Ros smiled, “Mallay’s birthday started out well, I think Lissa and I were trying to see who could tell her Happy Birthday the most during breakfast. Then Kit was taken upstairs for her nap, Mom was watching for Dad who wasn’t home from volunteer patrol duty yet, and Bella was talking to Mallay about boys and clothes. Bella’s Holo went off and she left to meet her boyfriend. She hadn’t been gone long when we heard shots fired outside.”

 

She paused when Kira gasped, then went on, “Mom ran out and yelled for Mallay to watch us. We went to the window and were trying to see what was happening when we heard noise in the kitchen. Mallay shoved Lissa and I behind her, knocking over a vase. Then Imperial soldiers came in from the kitchen. I am not nearly as good at sensing emotions as Lissa, but I could tell that those soldiers wanted to hurt us and that Mallay was scared. Nothing ever scared Mallay, so I knew it was bad. Mallay was smart though and despite being small, she was very strong. I could feel the adrenaline pouring off of her. I knew she was planning to fight those soldiers as soon as she could find something to fight with. I noticed a large shard from the broken vase next to my foot so I picked it up and put it in her hand. I felt another spike in her adrenaline and I knew she was ready to fight. Lissa and I already had some force ability, so I made myself ready. One of the soldiers crouched down and tried to get us to come to him. Mallay went and as soon as he reached for her, she used the shard to cut his throat open.”

 

Ros paused again, anger flashing in her silver eyes, “Unfortunately, the other soldier was fast and he grabbed Mallay before she could get the blaster she was reaching for. When he grabbed her, he realized she wasn’t a child, but a teenager and even I could feel his intentions. He was going to rape her in front of me and Lissa.”

T7 beeped angrly at that, but Ros went on, “I felt the force surge in me and I let it explode out, knocking Mallay down and throwing the soldier up against the wall. He tried to get up, but Lissa used the force to hit him with a statue, knocking him out. We could hear Bella shouting for us and Mallay told us to go to her while she went upstairs to get Kit. As soon as we got outside, I could tell that something awful happened. I saw four bodies in the yard, two were Imperial soldiers, one was Bella’s boyfriend, and one was Dad.”

 

Ros wiped tears from her eyes and continued, “Mom said we needed to get away from there before more soldiers came and asked where Mallay and Kit were. I started to tell her when we heard the front door bang open. We saw Mallay carrying Kit and running as fast as she could when the house exploded. The blast knocked Mallay over and she was covering Kit with her body when another explosion went off. That blast must have knocked her out because she didn’t move for a minute. Then we saw her try to get up and Kit crawl out from under her. Mom told us to take Kit and move away from the house while she and Bella ran to where Mallay was. They helped Mallay over to the bench we were sitting on and then she took Bella to the tool shed, returning with speeders and some case. We took the speeders to a launch pad where Bella’s boyfriend’s ship was. She said she could fly it and we use it to get off planet. I helped Bella get Mallay on the ship and into the med bay. Mallay was not doing too well by that time. She had burns and shrapnel all over her back and face. Bella took us to the rec area and left Lissa, Kit, and I there while she took Mom and the ship’s droid to the cockpit. We took off and flew to Coruscant. Mom and Bella took care of Mallay as best as they could, but she almost died before we got there. When we landed, an agent and a medic came on board. The medic called for another medic and a Jedi and as soon as they showed up, they tended to Mallay. The medics put a cybernetic implant on her face to restore her eyesight and the Jedi healed her with the force. Lissa and I were awed by the Jedi, Master Ny’laan and for the first time, I realized that I was willing to leave my family if it meant that I could learn to use the force to help people like he did.”

 

Jedi = good//T7 = glad found Ros and Lissa

 

“Me too Teeseven, I just wish that my father’s death and Mallay’s injuries hadn’t been the reason he found us. Master Ny’laan spoke with Mom and reassured her that we didn’t have to go far when he heard we would be making our new home on Dantooine. There was a Jedi temple on Dantooine and Lissa and I would be able to study there until we were advanced enough for trials on Tython. We all miss Dad very much, but Lissa and I are lucky. We are able to feel him in the force when we meditate. He is proud of all of us and of the son he never got to meet.”

 

“Why were the Imperials after your father?” Kira asked, “Did you ever find out?”

 

“I guess Dad was SIS at one point and went to Nar Shaddaa about six months before he was killed to help them with something. The mission went badly, but he escaped with some information the Empire wanted. Bella’s boyfriend turned out to be an Imperial agent who was using her to get to our father.”

 

“Ugh, what a creep, I am glad he is dead!” Kira snorted.

 

“Yeah, I don’t know the details, but I guess Bella was quite angry about being duped….she was the one that killed him.”

 

T7 beeped,

Imperial Agent = bad//

Bella = kill agent//

Bella = good

 

“That’s right, Teeseven, good for her! I hope he died painfully! Anyways, I am sorry that happened to your family. I understand why you are not yourself today and if there is anything I can do to help, just say the word.”

 

“Thanks Kira, I actually feel better talking about it and it helped remind me that Dad isn’t completely gone, at least not for me and Lissa. I think I will go meditate now….I am sure Dad is waiting.”

 

 

Note:

 

Despite having played all of the classes in SWTOR, it has been a while since I have gone through the Jedi stories. I hope I did decently at capturing Qyzen, Kira, and T7. Also, who knew Jorgan could be so good with words....

 

Edited August 11, 2015 by alaurin

[kabeone]

Index up to date!

 

Comments

 

 

@Adwynyth First the prized droid's head in his bed. Next a box with his uniform and some Dac seaweed and the words "Malavai Quinn sleeps with the Mon Cals..."

 

@alaurin Oh, poor Mallay. She sure does put her foot in it when it comes to Jorgan doesn't she

 

@bright I love how Wynston gave T7 a logical argument he could accept even though trusting Pasty Imperial will never fit into any logical program. Also, Prodigy is Larr Gith's ship, right? That is so perfectly pretentiously her.

Mellekor/Vette/Ananz - I can't wait for the three of them to be in the same rooooooom. Also, I can't help but feel sad-ish for Mellekor. He's trying so hard to be the Sith he's thinks he's supposed to be and he's pretty good at it, I just wonder if he enjoys it at all when he's thinking about it. I'd love to see what Ananz!Ashara and Ananz!Xalek are like and what they'd think of Vette.

 

@Euphrosyne Poor Marade, they don't show any aftereffects of the difficulties any of our characters face. I like your take on it.

 

@Lesaberisa Malicineve is delightfully Sithy

Groundquake? Is Baras attempting to move?

hahaha

Olympia's confessions, I started clapping at the first part and by the time I got to the chocolate eggs part I was giggling madly. I love it.

Also, I'm glad Ayrs finds some happiness and I love that Revenge of the Sith quote.

 

@Magdalane Corso and Miriah are so sweet. I'm glad Miriah could finally be happy.

 

@marissalf aaaaahhhhhh cliff hangars! I'm on the edge of my seat. Part 1 and 2 had me completely enthralled.

 

@YoshiRaphElan A lisping Rodian?

 

@Tatile

"F*cking really?! I thought Balmorra needed a hug! F*cking thrusters!"

I might be terrible but despite the situation I laughed at this for quite a while. Poor Randy, we hardly knew you.

 

@Syncrosect Welcome! I liked this piece reviewing the decisions made in chapter one. Interesting that she let Bengal go, I prefer the haymaker, you get to keep him and it's just so satisfying.

 

 

 

 

Prompt: Anniversaries ~600 words

Remi, Scourge, their son Koa, and Doc. No spoilers. Takes place after the main Remi story, Koa is about 4 years old.

 

 

The alarm beeped, its annoying wail insistently prodded Remi into consciousness. She reached out groping for the clock on the table next to the bed. A large arm crossed over her and slapped the device into silence. Then the arm grabbed her and dragged her under its owner. She smiled as Scourge kissed her awake.

 

"Good morning," she whispered between kisses. His fingers interlaced with hers as he pinned her down.

 

"It is now," he murmured into her neck.

 

"Good morning!" A voice called out as the bedroom door opened.

 

"Doc?!" Remi yelped as she grabbed for the sheets.

 

"Mommy!" Another voice squealed happily.

 

"Koa!" She said pulling the covers over herself and Scourge. "Doc, what are you doing? Get out of our bedroom."

 

"What?" He said jovially ignoring their angry expressions. "It's nothing I haven't seen before." He held up a hand before anyone could Force-choke him. "I meant professionally, as a doctor, for either of you for that matter." The angry stares continued. "Fine, fine, I'll wait outside. But this little guy escaped from his nursery and managed to destroy one of his nanny-droids." He bounced the happy toddler on his hip as he retreated down the hall. "You should thank me." He called from the kitchen.

 

Remi wrapped herself in a fluffy bathrobe and quickly joined Doc in the kitchen. She scooped Koa into her arms and kissed his tiny red cheeks. She carried him toward the nursery asking how he destroyed his latest set of guardians. The little Sith described the battle animatedly including sound effects and slashing motions. Together they investigated the wreckage of the unfortunate droid.

 

Doc filled three cups with stimcaf and handed one to Scourge. The Sith glowered at the doctor but the man had grown immune to his anger as long as Remi was within screaming range. He waved his hands in a shooing motion.

 

"Out of my kitchen," he grinned, "Since the two of you were so kind as to put me up for a while, making breakfast is the least I can do. Besides, you’d rather have my cooking than hers and you know it."

 

Remi returned with a triumphant Koa who wore a part of his nanny on his head as a trophy. She stuck her tongue out at Doc but sat down without argument. Scourge took the seat next to her.

 

"How long is he staying?" He growled too low for the doctor to hear. Not that it mattered; Doc had put on a headset and sang along with the latest Twi'lek pop song.

 

"Just until Kira cools down. An angry Jedi is a dangerous thing and she wanted time alone to think."

 

Scourge snorted but focused on the doctor rather than his estranged wife. "Why can we not find him another apartment? It is not as though we lack the means to do so."

 

Remi made a face and sighed, "I know, but he's here so we can keep him out of trouble." She gave the oblivious man in the kitchen a significant look, "If he's running around on his own, he's bound to do something stupid. Then Kira will never take him back."

 

Alarm flashed over Scourge's features. "Fine." He said with resignation and ate the breakfast the doctor prepared. With his humor moderately restored by his food being edible for once, he retreated to his office away from the man’s singing. There he placed an order for a protocol droid, a very special droid with a singular purpose.

 

Doc would never forget his and Kira's anniversary again.

 

 

Edited June 4, 2013 by kabeone

[Striges]

Quick drive-by post since I am hopeless at doing anything on time it seems:

 

Very belated Happy Birthday SFC thread and thanks so much Kabeone for My Chibi Avatar. Wish I could use it as a forum avatar.

 

Welcome new contributor Syncrosect! I liked the comparison between the Force and the tide. The description of the sand pulling away from Ankyra's toes with the waves was very evocative.

 

I'll catch up with more commentary, really.

[Adwynyth]

NotLP: Fame

Character: Ualane (Jedi Sage)

Timeline: Just after Quesh class mission

Spoilers: Consular Ch1 and Ch2

 

 

"Oh my, what happened?" Tharan started pulling out medical supplies, intending to start on healing the myriad of small cuts, bruises, and lightsaber burns visible all over the Mirialan Jedi Master's body.

 

"Not yet," she said as she pushed past him to the large holocomm at the rear of the ship. "Qyzen needs you more. He crashed four times, and the only way we got out of there alive was the sheer number of kolto packs and stims I had to revive him with."

 

Tharan saw the bedraggled Trandoshan come up the ramp next, chattering incoherently in his native language far faster than the medic could translate. He was saying something about iced stimcaf and...a need for facial tissue*? No, not quite...

 

Nadia Grell was the next to ease up the ramp, looking as if she was trying to stay invisible. Tharan noticed that she looked as immaculate as when she'd left. She took his regard as an accusation. "She wouldn't let me fight. She actually threatened to knock me out if I tried to help her with anything more than the machinery."

 

After making sure the large lizard was going to be okay, Holliday interrupted. "Tharan dear, I think you'd better see this..." About the same time, he could hear loud voices coming from the aft common room. He hurried to make sure Ualane was alright. He entered to see the shocked face of Satele Shan on the holocommunicator.

 

"You want what?"

 

"I want a raise!" the Barsen'thor of the Jedi Order fairly yelled angrily. "Do you realize how many kriffing Sith there were crammed into that one warehouse?! There were a pair of karking Dark Council members, for frell's sake!" Tharan was impressed. He'd lived on Nar Shaddaa for years, and she could obviously curse with the worst gutter trash he'd been exposed to. "And no, they didn't just hide by themselves in every varping dark corner; they teamed up in twos and threes, and as I fought each group, the other Hutt-crinking sleemos watched and pointed and laughed!"

 

"Did you really think it was such a good idea to send the announcement of a new Barsen'thor to Imperial media outlets one shabuirt day before I hit Quesh, where the Empire is already trying to start a karking war!??! That just screams, 'hey, come kill the high-profile Jedi.'"

 

Wow. Mando'a curse words, too. He raised his estimate of her another notch.

 

"Barsen'thor, please calm down. You're out of balance, and..."

 

"Balance this!" she yelled, and reached with the Force to destroy the holocomm. C2 entered at the explosion and was apoplectic at what had been done to 'his' ship. Zenith led him out and politely explained how much less well-put-together he was than the holocomm.

 

She appeared to have run out of steam at that point, and simply sat down and let Tharan treat her wounds. She would call Master Satele and apologize later, after a hot bath and a few hours of meditation.

 

 

Notes:

 

This is very out of character behavior for any Jedi, but especially my Sage, who's about 95% light-side in her decisions. But after I was literally yelling at the screen about which sadistic di'kut had designed that Quesh class mission battle, I felt I had to write something. Suffice to say, I was really, really angry.

 

The thing played like a karking Heroic!

 

I would give real money, though, to hear Athena Karkanis and Jennifer Hale act out that sequence in-character.

 

*

. Sorry...big fan back in the day. With that many revive stims and adrenals in his system to keep him fighting, he wouldn't be far off.

 

 

And here's a picture:

 

http://www.darthdzl.us/SWTOR/Ualane.jpg

 

Edited June 4, 2013 by Adwynyth

[Magdalane]

Kabe, that was perfect! I can well imagine Kira on the warpath over that mistake, and since I'm exploring writing a force sensitive child, I love what you're doing with Koa.

 

Adwynyth, when I was playing Mags, that Quesh sage part was the only class mission I ever had to have help on, and I'm sure I was swearing more profusely than Ualane. It seems ridiculously hard for that level.

 

Alaurin, moving pieces, each with a different viewpoint but the people around the sisters coming to the same conclusion. Nicely done!

 

Yay! I'm keeping up this week!

Edited June 4, 2013 by Magdalane

[YoshiRaphElan]

@ Adwynyth, my brother told me he took a very extended leave of absence from his Consular (in fact, he stopped playing the entire game for a while) after he did that mission. It is definitely most annoying...what were they thinking?

[marissalf]

Incoming wall ‘o comments!

 

Magdalane, Miriah and Corso have one of the most stable, loving relationships, and I love them for that. Stories like this one make me think I’d melt into a puddle of sad if anything ever tore them apart.

 

Kabe, Doc forgetting an anniversary and needing to be watched so he won’t do anything stupid to further jeopardize his relationship — perfect. And Koa destroying the nanny droid made me smile.

 

Lesaberisa, I love that Arys seems to eventually find some lasting peace and happiness.

 

Syncrosect, Welcome to the thread! I loved the imagery of this story and the way you relate the Force to the ebb and flow of the tides. Very nice.

 

Tatile, OK, so I’m with Kabeone here. I laughed really hard at “I thought Balmorra needed a hug.” And somehow the name Randy seems fitting for your ill-fated pilot. I don’t know why, but it just does.

 

Irish, Oooh, who are we shooting into space? Who? Who?

 

Alaurin, I like the different perspectives on a very difficult day, and I’m glad that Mallay finally got a happy birthday in the end.

 

Eversteam, Aurdra’s practically dying and still cracking jokes with Corso — a smuggler through and through.

 

Euphrosyne, Marade seems wonderfully human, and I enjoyed her wrestling with her guilt and emotions.

 

Adwynyth, I enjoyed Ualane getting so fed up she cursed out her superiors and demanded a raise. Also, Zenith taking C2 out to explain that it might not be the best time to chastise the Jedi about harming his ship made me laugh.

 

 

Now for the last part of Sisterhood for Kinka, part 4 I believe. Spoiler from the IA's late Act III.

Links to Part1, Part 2 & Part 3.

A big thanks to all of you guys that have enjoyed it so far

Note:

 

This will wrap up Sisterhood but not the story arc by any means. ('Cause there's a lot left unanswered.) I just needed to find some sort of ending point while I figure out how to write where I'm trying to go with this. I have plans, but they're still in the, uh, planning stage.

 

 

I can’t breathe! I’m drowning! I-wait. Wires — no, tubes...feeding me air. Kolto tank. How long have I been here? How bad—

 

“She’s showing signs of consciousness on the neuromonitors. Should we bring her out of the tank?”

 

“No, it’s too soon. Up the sedatives. It’s not been long enough for—”

 

*

 

The disquieting hum and whir of machines were the first things Kinka noticed upon waking. She felt tired, stiff, off somehow — but she felt things. That was important. The last sensations she could recall from before were sharp and searing, and then everything went blank. She was still alive, of that much she was certain. Everything else was up for debate.

 

The absence of smell told her she was some place sterile, and when her eyes cautiously fluttered open, the theory was confirmed. She was in an infirmary, on Hoth most likely. She tried to tease the dull memories from the dark places in her mind to get a clear picture of what had happened. Vekkz. SIS. Explosion. It had been bad, and she reasoned that her injuries were probably extensive. They likely wouldn’t have been able to transport her off-world if her condition was too critical.

 

A man’s voice at her bedside drew Kinka further from her groggy state. “She’s waking up, Talos.” He sounded more worried than relieved.

 

“I’ll be right back,” Talos whispered. His quick footsteps grew faint, and Kinka peered up at the man perched at her

bedside.

 

“Vector?” She could barely make out his face with everything still blurred, but his eyes she would know anywhere. “I-”

 

“Shhh. You should rest,” he said quietly. “We thought we were going to lose you.”

 

“Where am I?” she rasped. “Vekkz...”

 

Vector stroked her head in silence, not wanting to tell her something that might only hurt her further. She had no idea how close to death she’d come or how weak she still was. But he couldn’t tell her any of that now. “You’re on Hoth. You’ve been in the medical center for the past three weeks.” It hadn’t escaped her notice that he ignored the latter part of her question, the one she really wanted the answer to.

 

“Vector, tell me.”

 

“Kinka...” He avoided her penetrating gaze, his eyes cast toward the floor. Talos had warned him not to tell her anything upsetting, that she couldn’t afford the stress. But he knew her well enough to know that she wouldn’t rest until he gave her something.

 

“Don’t make me get out of this bed.”

 

He hesitated at first but relented as she tried to push herself up in bed. Such movement was futile. Between the snaking tubes sticking out all over and her complete lack of muscle strength, she wasn’t going anywhere. But he knew she could hurt herself trying. “There isn’t time to explain everything now, Kinka. It’s...complicated. You’re going to have to trust us.”

 

She spared a pained smile. “You know I trust you, Vector.”

 

“Yes, but for this you’ll have to trust all of us.” He lightly squeezed her hand, brushing his thumb over the soft, fragile skin. “Because you were classified as killed in action on Corellia years ago, the Empire believes that you are your sister, and they want to take you back to Dromund Kaas for questioning. We won’t let them take you,” he added when her eyes flashed with fear. “But whatever happens, don’t fight it, and don’t ask questions.” He turned back to Talos, who had slipped in quickly and quietly. “He’s going to sedate you again now.”

 

Kinka didn’t say a word but looked from Vector to Talos with wide eyes. “As long as you’re unconscious, the doctors won’t let you leave the infirmary, and you can’t be transported off-world. That will buy us time to smuggle you out of here,” he explained. “Once we get you back to the ship, we’ll be able to explain everything.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead as Talos injected more sedatives into her bloodstream.

 

It couldn’t be time to sleep again. She needed more time — there was never enough. There were so many things she needed to ask, so many questions left unanswered. What happened to Vekkz? How could she do this? Would my own sister really give me up to the SIS? Beyond that, there was much she wanted to say to Vector, but she couldn’t make her mouth move. I just need to tell you I love you.

 

And what’s more, she was putting her life in the hands of her crew. It wasn’t that they weren’t capable; she wasn’t used to not being in control, and she didn’t like it. That was to say nothing of her nagging trust issues. But if the alternative was being hauled off to Kaas City for a few rounds of interrogation, she’d have to learn to let go.

 

Kinka heard Vector whisper “We love you,” softly in her ear as she gave in and closed her eyes. She pushed away the things she didn’t know — Vekkz’s fate, how much the SIS knew of her whereabouts, just how badly she’d been hurt — and breathed in deep, letting the rise and fall of her chest lull her into peaceful unconsciousness. The uncertainties would still be there waiting when she awoke again. For now, she could cling to her trust in Vector. That would be enough. It had to be.

 

[Tatile]

(skipping over some of the longer ones till I'm sure I have time.)

 

Irish - That started off really sweet and then it' hits a sort of Martin moment of 'haha! made you feel safe!'

 

Kabe - I haven't yet met Doc, but I do have the strange image of him dancing around a kitchen wearing tight jeans an apron, while Scourge watches, disapprovingly, waiting for bacon.

 

Adwynyth - We've all had a mission like that Ualane is going to need a lot of meditation and bubble baths.

 

Marissalf - Well, that is continuing into a downward spiral of danger and awfulness. Poor Vekkz, poor Kinka

 

Belated welcome to Syncrosect A nice comparison of the Force to beach, that would be an interesting metaphor to explore further.

Edited June 5, 2013 by Tatile

[Adwynyth]

(I promise I'll get caught up on responses at some point, but for now...)

Adwynyth, when I was playing Mags, that

Quesh sage part

was the only class mission I ever had to have help on, and I'm sure I was swearing more profusely than Ualane. It seems ridiculously hard for that level.

Hee hee. I asked for help, but at 3am when there's 4 people on Quesh...yeah. I used adrenaline and bile to beat it.

 

@ Adwynyth, my brother told me he took a very extended leave of absence from his Consular (in fact, he stopped playing the entire game for a while) after he did that mission. It is definitely most annoying...what were they thinking?

I'm still trying to puzzle that one out.

 

Adwynyth, I enjoyed Ualane getting so fed up she cursed out her superiors and demanded a raise. Also, Zenith taking C2 out to explain that it might not be the best time to chastise the Jedi about harming his ship made me laugh.

Hee hee! Thankee. I considered using Iresso, but thought Zenith might have a better handle on what can happen.

 

Adwynyth - We've all had a mission like that Ualane is going to need a lot of meditation and bubble baths.

Well, on my Sith Warriors, that mission for me was always...

Killing Darth Vengean, specifically that bastard inside the hexagon-shaped thingy that has one of the keys

...and I'd never completed that without help before.

 

Well, I'm guessing Warriors got quite a buff to something I use heavily in 2.0, especially marauders, because I got him the first time without even getting Jaesa killed. (Yes, I'm insane...I use Vette & Jaesa all the way up on my marauders; more channeling of hatred, but WAY more fun. And I rarely ever get killed. And no, I'm not Annihilation tree, so I'm not even getting self-heals. Carnage all the way, baby!)

 

And btw, I'm glad you all liked the droid/Quinn thing. Thankee!

Edited June 5, 2013 by Adwynyth

[alaurin]

Ok, I think I am finally caught up on my reading!

 

Comments:

 

@ Marissalf: I am loving your Sisterhood series....I can't wait until we find out what is going on after they smuggle Kinka off planet!

 

@Bright: Kinda sad for Vette and Mellekor and very intrigued by her with Ananz!

 

@Yoshi: This

"Are you sure?" Methic muttered. "Are you sure he can't reach me...even from the grave?"

made me shudder to think about!

 

@EverStream: I love Audra's interaction with Corso! Still snarky, even when injured and a bit intoxicated.

 

@Lesaberisa: Yay for an avatar!! I enjoyed your anniversary pieces with Arys and Amitia, I think they both need hugs!

 

@Euphrosyne: Poor Marade! That is a lot to take it, no wonder she got into doc's secret stash! I enjoyed her interaction with Kira.

 

@Magdalane: I have always loved Miriah and Corso! I got warm fuzzies reading their anniversary piece.

 

@Syncrosect: welcome again, sorry I didn't comment before. I will echo others' comments, I really liked how you compared the force to the flow of the tides, beautifully done!

 

@Tatile: TeeHee...Randy....hehe. Oh and this:

"F*cking really?! I thought Balmorra needed a hug! F*cking thrusters!"

was great!!

 

@Irishfino:

It wasn’t every day you shot someone’s remains into orbit.

Who?!!!! You gotta tell me!!!

 

@Kabeone: Doc was a very bad boy to forget something that important!!! Poor Scourge...never thought I would say that!

 

@Adwynyth: Oh, I was sooooo mad at the JC mission on Quesh!!! I was able to do it alone, but it took forever! I must have died at least 10 times! Luckily my kids were at school when I did that one because I am certain they would have learned a few new 'colorful' words from Mommy! I think my JC would have had a similar reaction to Ualane and Zenith was smart to get C2 out of there!

 

 

Replies:

 

@Tatile: Yeah, I don't like some of the class beginnings. Bella isn't really the type that is just going to say "ok, let me go be the hero while you guys unload my ship." There will be more of that coming up later into their misadventures on Ord. Also,

Alaurin - It's so easy to forget about the on-board camera

yes, Mallay has a bad habit of forgetting things like this when angry. She can be the 'speak before thinking type.'

 

@Marissalf: hehe, I knew at some point, some version of Leia's comment "I'd rather kiss a wookie!" to Han would come up in one of my stories. They are my favorite characters from the Star Wars movies. Also:

Alaurin, I like the different perspectives on a very difficult day, and I’m glad that Mallay finally got a happy birthday in the end.

thanks, I thought Mallay deserved a happy birthday after 9 years.

@kabeone:

@alaurin Oh, poor Mallay. She sure does put her foot in it when it comes to Jorgan doesn't she

Yes, yes she does, and she isn't done yet. Again, bad habit of speaking before thinking.

 

@Magdalane: Thanks! I worried about how long it was and didn't want it to be too repetitive. It was a difficult thing for the girls, but it was time they shared.

 

[alaurin]

Apologies for the double post, but this little nugget popped into my head while I was doing stuff on Alderaan earlier.

 

Title: I’m Not Getting On That Thing!

Prompt: Planes, Trains, and Thrantamobiles

Character: Belladonya-Smuggler, Mallayse-Trooper

Setting: Alderaan

Spoilers: Alderaan Smuggler and Trooper spoilers

 

 

“No way am I getting on that thing!” Bella cried, glaring at Corso, then at the thranta he expected them to ride back to Organa Castle. They had just finished getting the hyperdrive that Skavak had swindled the House Alde museum curator out of and were headed back to check in on Teraan siblings. Apparently, there was some trouble related to the datapad she had stolen for them from House Baliss.

 

“Come on Captain, it's safe.” Corso looked over at the droid who nodded. “Besides, you fly all the time.”

 

“I fly on shuttles, taxis, speeders, and my ship….not on an animal! I mean it Corso, I don’t want to get on that thing!”

 

“If we don’t take the thranta, it'll take us most of the day just to get back and I thought you wanted to get this finished quickly so we could leave Alderaan today.”

 

“What if it goes crazy and starts trying to dive bomb things?”

 

“It won’t, they're well trained.”

 

“Are you sure? Maybe this one's new….”

 

“I really don’t think they'd be using it if it wasn’t ready.”

 

“I don’t know Corso,” Bella admitted, “I don’t think I can do this!”

 

“I'll be with you the whole time,” then he leaned over and whispered, “we'll be all alone and I'll make sure you're distracted.”

 

Bella smiled at that thought, “Promise?”

 

“I promise. You know that I'd do anything to keep you safe and happy, don’t you?”

 

“I know and I do trust you….okay, I'll do it. Let’s just hurry and get on before I change my mind!”

 

They got seated, Bella in front of Corso, and strapped in. Bella closed her eyes and the thranta took off. She was shaking with fright, then Corso put his strong arms around her, brushed her hair to the side, and started kissing her neck. He's good on his word….I'm definitely getting distracted, Bella thought as she turned her head a little so he could kiss her properly.

 

Much to her surprise, Bella ended up enjoying the ride. The view was breathtaking and Corso wass a really good kisser. She was actually smiling as they landed, then she spotted her sister arguing with Jorgan.

 

*****

 

“I’m not getting on that thing!” Mallay insisted.

 

“We don’t really have a choice, sir.” Aric told her.

 

“Oh, I have a choice alright and my choice is not to get on that karking thing!” Mallay replied, glaring at the thranta.

 

Aric laughed at his CO, “Oh you must be upset, you’ve resorted to cursing in Huttese. Are you really that afraid to fly? You fly all the time you know.”

 

“Not on animals I don’t, and quit laughing at me or I'll make you do laundry for a week!”

 

Aric smirked at her, “Does that mean I can wash your delicate cycle stuff?” He laughed again as he watched the usual blush creep up her face.

 

Mallay glared at the Cathar, “I'm so glad this amuses you, now let’s find some speeders.”

 

“Speeders would take us most of the day to get to our destination! Do I need to call Bella and tell her that you're afraid to fly?!” Aric challenged her, hoping that would prompt her to just get on the thranta. He really didn’t want to spend the day travelling on a speeder.

 

“Go right ahead and Holo her,” Mallay retorted, “She won’t ride one of these either!”

 

“I don’t believe that!”

 

“Well, it’s true. In fact, 100 credits says she would never get on one of these.”

 

“You sure about that?”

 

“Absolutely!”

 

“Fine, you’re on!” Aric held out his hand and they shook on the bet. Then he grinned at Mallay and pointed behind her.

 

Mallay turned around to see her sister and Corso getting off a thranta that had just landed.

 

“Dammit,” she muttered as she dug out a cred stick and handed it to her Sergeant. Then she went over to her sister and hugged her.

 

“I can’t believe you got on one of these things, Bella!”

 

“Well, I wasn’t thrilled about it, but Corso finally talked me into it,” her lovely face brightened with a big smile, “He can be very convincing and was able to keep me distracted during the ride.”

 

Mallay looked over at Corso, who was blushing a little, and noticed a smudge of lipstick on his mouth. She turned back to her sister, “Oh Bella, you finally talked to him. I'm so happy for you both.”

 

Bella beamed, “I did! Risha pretty much told me the same things you did and I finally decided to go for it. We're taking things slow for now, but….” She trailed off smiling.

 

Aric clapped the younger man on the back, “Good for you both!” He and Corso had become friends over the past couple of months and Corso had recently told him about his feelings for Bella.

 

“You call making out on a thranta slow?! Only you sis,” Mallay shook her head.

 

“Hey, where's Elara?” Bella asked, noticing her absence.

 

Aric snickered at that, “We left Sergeant Dorne at Organa palace.”

 

“Oh Bella, she has it bad for Captain Cormac…it was lust at first sight! I think he likes her too so I told her that Jorgan and I would go on without her for this part. For once, she didn’t insist on going!”

 

“Okay, spill, what’s he like?”

 

“Well, he is a big guy, I think he's pretty good looking, sexy voice, seems nice, kinda quiet, serious type, but friendly still. I can definitely see Elara with him.” Mallay told her sister. “Hey, you should look in on her if you're going to the palace. They're in the small HQ that's off the main corridor. Just tell her you wanted to thank her for her advice while you all were sick. Then you can see for yourself what the guy's like and let me know what you think!”

 

“I will,” Bella assured her. “Now I'm guessing that you need to take a thranta. I assume that's what you and Aric were discussing when we flew in.”

 

“No way am I getting on that thing!”

 

“Come on sis, I did it!”

 

“It really isn’t bad at all Mallay,” Corso chimed in, “and the view is breathtaking!”

 

Mallay snorted, “Yeah Bella, you were making out with Corso during the fight, so I'm sure it wasn’t bad for you at all. Corso, I'm sure the view is lovely, but I'll just have to take your word for it.”

 

Bella smirked at her sister, “Well I am sure Aric would be happy to distract you…oh wait, that’s right, you would rather have a Wookiee. I could call Bowdar if you want.” She and Aric busted out laughing as Mallay turned bright red.

 

“I really hate you both!” Mallay hissed, glaring at them.

 

“Did I miss something?” Corso asked, confused.

 

Bella managed to stop laughing long enough to tell Corso that she would explain later, then turned to her sister.

 

“Awww, Mallay, you love us all. Now quit being such a coward and get on the thranta. It really isn’t that bad.” Bella assured her, “If I can do it, so can you!”

 

“Absolutely not! No way, no how, not now, not ever! What if it goes crazy and starts dive bombing things?!”

 

“Really, sir?! You're seriously going to make us spend the day on a speeder because you are afraid of a thranta?!” Aric demanded, getting a little irritated at her stubbornness.

 

“Yes Sergeant, I am. I outrank you, I'm in charge, and I am not getting on that karking thranta!!”

 

“Well, sir, that may be true,” he growled as he walked towards her, “but I'm a lot bigger than you are!”

 

Mallay stood her ground, glaring at him, “You may be bigger, but I fight dirty!”

 

“I’ll take my chances,” Aric retorted as he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, completely ignoring her squirming, hitting, kicking, and the tirade of cursing she let out at him. He nodded at an amused Bella and Corso. “I'm sure we'll see you soon.” With that, he climbed on the thranta, still holding his very angry CO.

 

Bella laughed, “Have fun you two!” Then she turned to Corso and filled him in on the wookiee story as they walked to the palace to check in on the Teraan siblings and Elara before they left.

 

 

Note:

 

I have to side with Bella and Mallay....there is no way I would get on one of those things!!

 

Edited February 9, 2014 by alaurin

[irishfino]

Replies ahoy!

 

Irish, Oooh, who are we shooting into space? Who? Who?

You'll find out soon!

 

Irish - That started off really sweet and then it' hits a sort of Martin moment of 'haha! made you feel safe!'

Muahahah, I am evil.

 

@Irishfino:

Who?!!!! You gotta tell me!!!

Soon.

 

 

Story is go!

Prompt: Anniversaries

Characters: Ald, Quinn, and a bottle of Chiss vodka

Continued from here

 

Something Blue

 

 

 

“Are you ready, my Lord?” Quinn asked. His finger was poised over the release button. He was ready. He was more than ready to move on with their lives.

 

Ald wasn’t. Or, rather, this method of disposal didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel right to leave them drifting in space.

 

“Change of plans,” Ald said quietly.

 

Quinn dropped his hand and nodded. He knew Ald would change his mind. He always did when it came to her. As always, he had a back-up plan. He informed Ald of this and was a bit disappointed when he only agreed with half of the plan. The other half he said he would take care of himself. Quinn didn’t like it one bit.

 

Later in the evening he approached Ald as Malavai, his lover and confidant. He found Ald sitting on the bed in their shared quarters on the Fury.

 

“Will this help?” Malavai asked quietly. “Disposing of her this way, I mean.”

 

“She wasn’t trash, Malavai,” Ald replied stiffly.

 

Malavai sighed and moved toward the bed. “I’m not implying she was. Unfortunately, when dealing with remains, there is no gentle way to put the handling of them. You dispose of them like trash because they are a shell that formerly contained someone you may have cared for.”

 

“You’re quite cold.”

 

“She tried to kill me.”

 

“She failed.”

 

“She only failed because of that modified virus. Technically, I still died. I’m still not the man I was before then.”

 

“But you’re alive. That’s all that matters. Right?”

 

Malavai quirked his lips up and sat down next to Ald. “I am alive, mostly healthy, and very happy.” He put his hand on Ald’s knee. “I know this is hard and I have no words to take away the pain you feel at doing this, but I will say this: I am here when you need me.”

 

“That means a lot to me.”

 

“I should hope so. It’s quite painful for heartfelt words to fall on deaf ears.”

 

Ald chuckled for a moment then sobered. “It really hurts,” he said quietly, his voice thickening with tears.

 

“I know.”

 

***

 

Ald wasn’t sure how he felt about all this. He left her there. He buried her with a sapling and left her there. She would live on, in a way, but he still felt strange about leaving her there. She had started this journey with him before he left Korriban.

 

It was Malavai who had the idea to have a drink. Some sort of glowing, blue Chiss vodka. It reminded him of her.

 

Ald raised his shot glass. “To Vette,” he said.

 

Malavai hesitated for a moment then raised his glass and replied in kind. They knocked back their drinks and coughed in unison. It was very strong vodka.

 

“Sweet stars,” Ald said with a chuckling cough. “That is strong.”

 

“That’s the point of it, isn’t it?” Malavai asked stiffly. He cleared his throat a few times to stop the burning. It didn’t help much.

 

“You know, I’ve never seen you drunk.”

 

“You never will.”

 

“Is that a challenge?”

 

“My Lord, with all due respect, I would drink you under the table and then some.”

 

“It’s a challenge.”

 

Malavai grabbed the bottle and poured another shot for them both. He knocked it back and smiled at Ald.

 

“It’s on, Quinn,” Ald said with a toothy grin.

 

“I’m Quinn now?” Malavai chuckled. He poured another shot and knocked it back. “You should catch up if you hope to win your own challenge, my Lord.”

 

Ald reached across the table and snatched the bottle from Malavai. “You’re going down.”

 

“Are you coming on to me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I’m in a relationship.”

 

Ald cackled and downed another shot.

 

It wasn’t every day you buried a friend. And Ald was thankful for that. Also this vodka. He was really thankful for this vodka.

 

 

Edited June 5, 2013 by irishfino

[bright_ephemera]

Folks,

Just an administrative note...a longish one. I've been maintaining the story index by character and companion since back when it was (arguably) sane for one person to look at this thread and say "Yes, I'll record sixteen fields of data about every single one of these stories starting at page 1!" While I'm tremendously psyched at how much the thread has grown, I'm also getting overwhelmed by the data collection process.

 

So as of post #3278, I'm suspending story indexing. For those who are interested, my full, monstrous multi-page spreadsheet is available for download here (.xlsx Excel 2010 format). It's messy and idiosyncratic, but then, so am I The advanced data pages require some Excel expertise to interpret, but all my day-to-day indexing stuff was done using only pages 1 and 2.

[Adwynyth]

So as of post #3278, I'm suspending story indexing.

You've worked so hard on this for so long (and done so wonderful of a job), I'd be surprised if anyone had a problem with this.

 

And thank you for all of it.

[sthrift]

Greetings Yall.

 

I'm sorta new around here, been lurking this particular thread long enough to read it and to be impressed by the talent displayed here. Anyway, I've got this here story that cropped up in my head after one of the Trooper missions and had remembered one of the topics here as "Worst Day Ever" that I hope yall don't mind my sharing. I was a Marine once upon a time so I could see where and how this would bother a leader. Also, I'll warn everyone now, since I was a Marine, I don't see my trooper, Major Voslic Halyard, as being Republic Army. Nope, my bear like trooper and his squad are all Marine. Imagine my relief when I found Republic Marines on Alderaan.

 

So I give you "Worst Day Ever", trooper spoiler immediately following "Objective: A77".

 

 

Worst day ever.

 

The armor lay in the corner where it had been thrown. The red and gold painted Republic emblems were scratched and worn. The blaster rifle was leaned against a stanchion in the stateroom with great care. The big Republic Marine sat staring at the datapd on the desk trying to think of how he was going to write the report on this one. His actions had saved the lives of 417 POWs but had doomed the life of a woman he had, what? What had he felt for her?

 

The hatch to the stateroom opened. A set of blue eyes focused on the man sitting on the edge of the rack. She watched him for a few minutes before speaking. When she finally spoke the prim Imperial accented voice sounded fragile. “Did you love her?”

 

Major Voslic Halyard, commanding officer of Havoc squad lowered his head and closed his eyes. How could he answer the woman that stood there? Elara Dorne had joined his squad as the team corpsman and had wound up healing more than bodies. She had become an irreplaceable part of Voslic’s life.

And now this. Elara had obviously heard the voice comms going on. She had heard Jaxo pleading for her life. She had heard the familiarity there also. She read between lines, and had read fairly well. Voslic needed her now but knew she would not be there for him for this one.

 

“I asked a question Major. Did you love her?”

 

Voslic thought for a moment about how he should answer her. Finally he sighed. “Elara, I met her long before you. She was what I needed at the time.”

 

“So you still had feelings for her? Well of course you did, she was what you ‘needed’ that weekend you disappeared on Coruscant. So soon after bedding me. Damn you Major! Damn you!” She screamed as she turned and retreated back toward the med bay.

 

Voslic stood and started after her. The bulky form of M1 moved into the hatch way making it impossible for Voslic to leave the stateroom. “Commander, I believe it would be wise to let her settle down before trying to communicate further with the Lieutenant.”

 

“M1 out of my way.”

 

“Actually sir, I think the pile of bolts may have it right.” Aric Jorgen said from behind the big droid. “Let me in there M1.” He continued. Voslic scowled as M1 shifted just enough to let Aric in. Tanno Vic slid through right behind Aric.

 

Voslic shifted his gaze toward Vic. “Well the droid and my X.O. are giving me advice, you gonna chime in with some to?”

 

“Oh no Boss. I just saw Jorgan heading this way with a bottle of your Corellian whiskey and thought maybe I could get a taste is all. But since I’m here and all you’re going to get out of Jorgan is how you shouldn’t be fraternizing and that are rules and regs against this, that and the other tarfting thing, then maybe I will say that I think you should wait till she cools down because a) think of the troop morale if our only Corpsman left and b) the troop morale if you two split. You’re happy together, don’t go breakin that.”

 

Aric had poured the amber liquid into three glasses but turned and glowered at Vic as he finished up. After a few seconds tho his features softened a bit he shook his head. He quickly downed the shot he had poured for himself and poured another before he started speaking.

 

“I hate to say this, and I’ll never admit it again, and now that I’ve had a shot I can blame it on the whiskey talking, but I agree with Vic, Skipper. And not just about what I’d say because that’s what I was thinking, but, damn I hate this, he’s right about you and Dorne.” He knocked back his second drink and refilled the glass.

 

Voslic took a glass and sat on the edge of his rack. “So what, I’m just supposed to wait this out?”

 

“I calculate a 37.258% success rate if you were to attempt to communicate with the Lieutenant at this point Sir.”

 

Voslic eyed the droid for a minute. “Never give a Corellian the odds.”

 

He eyed the men and the droid. “Damn it. I get a good operator killed and lose the woman I love in one day. Yeah, this has got to be my worst day ever.”

 

He shook his head raised his glass. The first round went to the Corps, as was tradition. The second went to fallen comrades. The third wouldn’t be remembered unless M-1 recorded the drink-fest that ensued.

 

 

Later

A very drunken Major Voslic Halyard stood unsteadily at the med bay hatch with a half empty bottle of Corellian whiskey in one hand and two glasses in the other. After standing there for god knew how long because in his state he didn’t know, he managed to tap lightly on the hatch. It slid halfway open. Lt. Dorne stood there in a plain bath robe. Her blonde hair was down and tussled and her eyes were puffy and red.

 

Voslic stared down at the woman for a moment. “Lieutenant, I came here to aformally, that is to say.”

 

“Major, you’re drunk.” She started to slam the hatch but he wedged his knee in before she could close it all the way.

 

“Damn it Elara.” He paused and took three deep breaths. “I’m sorry. Yes, she meant something to me but nothing like you mean to me. I love you and I’m sorry.” He pulled his knee from that hatchway and turned to go. Elara threw open the hatch and caught the big Marine by the arm.

 

“No Voslic. I’m sorry. Of course you had feelings for her.” She looked down at the floor before continuing in a small voice. “I know I’m not your first, I hope that I’m your last. You made a hard choice today, one that I’m glad I didn’t have to make. You needed me and I didn’t..couldn’t..”

 

“Elara, I..”

 

She reached up and gently placed her hand on his cheek. She reached down and took his elbow. She started back toward his stateroom but he stopped her.

 

“Think we could stay at your place tonight. Jorgan and Vic are passed out in my stateroom.”

 

She took the bottle and glasses from him. “For us?”

 

“Yeah. Help me forget the worst day ever.”

 

Elara pushed him in the hatch to the med bay. “Silly Marine. That may have been your worst day, but believe me, this will be your best night ever.” She said as she closed the hatch to the med bay.

 

And it was.

 

 

Oh, and my friends all call me Gunny.

[Magdalane]

Alaurin, loved the reaction of the sisters to the thranta! Distraction, thy name is Corso!

 

Bright, thanks for all the hard work. I know it was a labor of love on your part, and we love you for your dedication to it. Use those extra minutes on Vierce

 

Sthrift, welcome! My son is a Marine, and I volunteer with a Marine organization. Loved your story, it captured what I think is the defining moment for the trooper storyline. I was glad my trooper was female when it happened. Looking forward to more of your stories! (also, there are Marines in Denova!)

Edited June 6, 2013 by Magdalane

[Zethrodek]

Not sure what sort of prompt this would fit under...

 

A Change.

 

Xynri and crew.

 

 

 

Xynri frowned as the machine displayed the choices to her. It was about changing her future and her appearance. After all, enemies as a smuggler tend to be in the rather numerous category, specially with bills to pay. The Genetic Splicer booth was one way to change that so one wouldn't be seen right away. She browsed the selections for the Cathar slowly, weighing the options, choosing carefully; frowning at the lack of proper richness in the darker blue eyes. She shrugged, signaled the machine that she was done choosing, and instantly go a communication from one with authority.

"Ms. Hawklyn, we appreciate your business here, however we wish to remind you that the process which you have selected to take place is very very dangerous and carries a great deal of risk. Are you positive that you wish this course of action to be taken?"

"Yes."

Several hours later Xynri opened her eyes after what seemed like a nice nap. She felt little difference right off the top- wait. She lifted her hand and examined the black fur, then rubbed gently at her face, Whiskers, perfect..

 

The Mon Calamari frowned as he beat the game "Whack-s-Sith." for the 7th time in as many hours. He was rather annoyed honestly that the captain was still in there, but his senses told him there was something new in store, so he put down the game and watched the exit door as it swung open to reveal the captain, dressed like before.

"Captain?" At first, there didn't seem like anything was out of the ordinary, but as she approached, he noticed an additional feature that hadn't been present before. Before he could speak up however, she place a gloved finger to his lips.

"Not now Guss, just be aware that I got what I wanted. Let's go back to the ship." She took his hand as it was necessary to get through the massive population of people in the line for the new business aboard Carrick Station, and they made their way to the hangar.

 

The entire crew was in the lounge for a change, which made this easier-and harder; she had no idea how Corso would react. Dive right in, with both feet.

"So," She stated to ensure that her crew's focus was now on her. "I've gotten what I wanted here and I'm sure most of you have wondered what it is that I wanted to get done here." She unlatched the helmet and removed it under their collective gazes, though it was only Corso's reaction she really worried about.

 

His reaction came soon enough, "Y-you're a Cathar now... Your hair is different- I - Why Captain would you do this?" His mind was reeling, the Zabrakian had changed to a Cathar... He sat down in a dignified sort of way as his mind tried to process the happenings.

 

Xynri frowned at Riggs' reaction and raised her hands for attention. "I did this to make our enemies pause as they go looking right past us, intent on a Zabrakian and crew, not a Cathar and crew. True that eventually they will pick up the trail again, but for the time being, this was a convenient way to throw them off for a bit longer." She paused and looked around her crew, catching each gaze with her own as she spoke again. "I'm well aware of some of the sacrifices made to acquire this species change; the hair, the eyes, tail and tail holes in armor. I made this choice to do this, and I like it."

 

"Well Captain, I'm not sure what to think right now." Corso trailed as he frowned, looking at the floor. "I need time to myself." He muttered quietly, even though everyone heard him speak, and Xynri nodded slowly.

"I understand Corso, take your time." The newly minted Catharette watched the long time crew member disappear toward the airlock.

 

Corso exited the ship and wandered toward the space-side air shield and gazed to the stars beyond. There were times he thought he knew what he wanted, areas of life he trusted to be stable, issues that he thought would be stable. But his wife just decided to change that on him, everything he had known before now seemed moot. To him species was something you couldn't change, and yet, it was proven tonight to him that if one desired to, a change of species was within the realm of possibility now.

Riggs was a bit of a xenophobe, even after all the time he'd spent with the Captain, being around others for the most part he hid it very well. This time though it was too much, His wife had after all taken the calamari with her most of the time since Hoth, and he felt slighted by the lack of consultation before Xynri had went with her seemingly whimsical idea. A change from practically human to a cat-based humanoid was pushing his tolerance sensors a bit far.

 

Xynri's tail belied her thoughts, curling and uncoiling as she sat thinking to herself, frowning slightly, she had no idea what to do or where to go from here. She looked up at the wookie nearby, "Bowie, can you start putting tailholes in my armor?" She needed to do something, not just sit around and mope.

 

The giant monolith of fur rumbled a reply and Xynri nodded her head, "Yes, I'll help you, both me and Akaavi will."

 

The scene fades to black as everyone goes about their prospective duties... And Corso? Poor guys world turned upside down, give him some slack.

 

 

 

 

I figured that someone should try the near impossible.

[Magdalane]

Zeth, perfect rationale for the customization booth! The crew reactions were great, too. I can only imagine Corso's consternation at the sudden change in his wife's appearance, poor guy.

[Lesaberisa]

I'm waaaay behind on replies/comments thanks to work, so I'm going to be lame and throw up the white flag for the ones I've missed.

 

Also, @Bright - many thanks for your indexing work (it definitely helped me a TON even in my limited posting time) and, since I don't want to clutter your Vierce thread, I really loved your last post (well and all of it, but I'm trying to be reasonable in my effusive praise).

 

I do want to welcome our new posters - Syncrosect, I loved the contemplative nature of your JK post (and am definitely looking forward to more) and sthrift - I love the trooper storyline in general and the M!Trooper/Elara romance specifically, so yay!

 

A couple of short pieces, since I'm lagging behind on my Ayrs thread and I still haven't started Veresia's

 

Characters: Amitia(JK) /Olympia(JC)

Prompt: Food

Title: Betrayal

Notes:Game of Thrones spoilers. (Yes that episode, if you also watch)

 

 

"I can't believe they killed them all like that!" I could feel Olympia's hand slowly rub my back as she tried to figure out how to console me, but I knew nothing would. "Especially Lord Robbark, he was so nice to look at, and a good man for a Sith. He was too beautiful for this world."

 

Pia chuckled a bit, but nodded in agreement.

 

"I told you not to get too attached to characters in Game of Sith, Ami, it's just asking to be hurt. Just look what happened to you after they executed Robbark's father in season one, you were practically catatonic."

 

I didn't really hear any of that, between my sobbing and replaying the episode in my mind.

 

"His mother too. And his wife and unborn child. Even his pet direnerf, right in front of his youngest apprentice." The tears kept coming, flowing almost as freely as they had the night Scourge and I had watched the episode in increasing horror. Well, horror for me. I'm pretty sure I had heard Scourge grunting in approval. "Why does Game of Sith hate its fans so much? Why? I just don't understand." I wiped some more tears away with the sleeve of my robe.

 

Pia slid something along the table next to me, then patted me on the back again.

 

"Just think, they wouldn't have written the scene like that if they weren't going to balance it out with something uplifting next episode. We're all going to miss Lord Robbark, but there's plenty of other characters to root for too. Besides, if you stop watching now, who's going to keep everyone's favorite Sith company when he watches."

 

I sniffled, held back a laugh at the thought of Scourge angrily shouting at the empty chair next to him every time the show got an adaptation of Sith traditions wrong, then took a look at what she'd given me. A package of creme-filled chocolate eggs! I turned to her and gave her a broad grin through my misery and hugged her tightly. "You're the best!" If only for a minute, I forgot about Game of Sith, as I carefully peeled the wrapper off the first egg and took my first bite of creamy-chocolatey goodness.

 

"I mean, there's still the outcast Tortollan Lattiner, the three krayt dragons across the Jutland Wastes, tons of characters we have yet to see that we'll have to spend hours studying to remember before each episode."

 

I nodded blankly, more focused on the delectable treat in front of me. "Where you get th' eggs," I managed to get out, though the creme I had in my mouth slurred the words. "My thtupid droid didn't get mine."

 

Pia's expression changed, her eyes shifting from mine to the box the eggs were in, then back. I could feel her presence in the Force pulsating, as if she had been caught swearing allegiance to the Empire. She pushed her chair back from the table.

 

"Do you hear that? I think Rusk was asking for you?"

 

I hadn't heard anything, so I reached out through the Force, expecting to find the Chagrian in distress. Nothing.

 

"I don't feel anyth-." She was gone, I could feel her making her way towards the ramp off the ship. Weird. Then again, Pia always had her strange habits, and I wasn't really in a position to judge. I sighed, then turned the box over in my hands, only to find a shipment label on it.

 

The original addressee had been crossed out, but was still visible underneath Pia's name.

 

Amitia Khoury

C/o Jedi Order

 

I could feel my temper rising, but it had to be a mistake of some kind. I contacted C2-N2 over the intercom. "C2, who was the last person to perform maintenance on you?"

 

"Master, it is so good to hear your voice again. I always look forward to serving you as best I can."

 

He's stalling. A droid is trying to stall

 

"Tell. Me."

 

The menace in my voice convinced him. "It was Jedi Master Olympia, master."

 

The Dark Side flowed freely through me.

 

"Piaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."

 

 

Background:

Amitia suffers the first blow here, the betrayal revealed here

 

 

Character: Amurri (BH)

Note: Same GoT spoiler alert

 

 

I found Skadge drinking some brandy in the mess hall. It looked like he was smiling.

 

It was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen in my entire life, even worse than the pictures I'd seen on the Holonet of Darth Baras outside his armor.

 

"What's got you so happy, Skadge?" It would be easier to plan his death - if necessary - if I knew what was going on now, rather than later.

 

"Did'ya see the last episode of Game of Sith? It was fantastic. They killed all o'them. Lord Robbark went down like a chump, and you see how they stuck his lil' lady?"

 

I was already turning for the door as he started to laugh.

 

Edited June 7, 2013 by Lesaberisa

[Adwynyth]

I've been reading "Forced Companions Daycare" for far too long...

"Bowie, can you start putting tailholes in my armor?" She needed to do something, not just sit around and mope.

I was quite nearly surprised when the first words of his response weren't "I AM A SLAVE...".

[Striges]

A pair of entries for the Umrahiel clan.

 

Prompt: Anniversary

 

Characters: Varrel Umrahiel, Jaesa Willsam

 

Title: Spirit Festival--Varrel

 

This takes place post class story, post both Vashutarl and A Special Mission. Spoiler for end of Sith Warrior Chapter One.

 

 

Varrel set the candle afloat in the garden pond. It glowed peach in the deep shadows under manicured trees.

 

"I thought I'd find you here, husband," Jaesa said, leaning against the great vertical beam supporting the house. The glass doors were open. Light from the interior spilled across the tailored landscape, trading places with damp evening air.

 

"Mmm," Varrel replied, his thoughts elsewhere, "Vashutarl asleep already?"

 

She moved into the garden. Walked the gravel path to his side. "I left him with nana. He never settles for me," she said.

 

Varrel expected as much. Vashutarl's Force perception was sensitive. His wife's emotional storm set the child on edge. He had difficulty instructing the boy with his mother nearby. Varrel was as yet unsure if this trait would prove an asset or a hindrance for him. He lit a second candle and set it in the pond where it floated beside the first.

 

"Come inside," Jaesa said with a shiver, "it's a special day."

 

"In a moment, pet," Varrel said. He watched the candles drifting in the water.

 

Jaesa set a hand on his shoulder, "Remind me. Of the truth and the lies, and why I came with you."

 

Varrel looked up at her with a gentle smile, "I'll join you shortly, love," he said. He squeezed her hand, letting her fingers slip through his as she retreated to the house.

 

The Spirit Festival happened in late summer. On Atresia at least. The Empire did not celebrate such things, but Varrel chose to anyway, in his own time. He missed many over the years. Candles are hardly welcome on starships. Events often intervened. But now he had a home again, so he floated candles for the departed. One for Reka, her death not unexpected. One for his lost granddaughter, whose was.

 

The candles moved with unseen currents. Today, too, was the day he met Jaesa for the first time. Varrel looked back at the house, at his second wife drifting through the rooms. This time, on a whim, he had three candles, not two. He lit the last and set it afloat. Whether for her lost innocence, or something else, he could not say. He stood and returned to the house, to his waiting wife, and to her special celebration.

 

The rain began. It extinguished the candles one by one, leaving dark floats in dark water. Varrel did not notice their passing.

 

 

 

 

Prompt: Anniversary

 

Characters: Vashutarl Umrahiel, Kira

 

Title: Spirit Festival--Vashutarl

 

Takes place post Love is in the Air. Much earlier than Varrel’s story. No spoilers, though it does help if you know Kira’s backstory.

 

 

Vashutarl hid the bag under her robes. It seemed right in the store, seemed right on the tram, seemed right pretty much up until the moment of truth. Now, standing here, in front of the only water even a little like a stream she could find on Coruscant, she felt foolish.

 

Back home, the Spirit Festival happened in the late summer. When the big moon was dark and the two little moons eclipsed. Legend said that when the big moon was dark and little moons eclipsed, the hells opened and the spirits of the dead could look through the gates and see back into the world. If they saw the candles, saw they were remembered, they would rest easy. So every year she and all her family lit candles for the departed. One was the ancestor’s candle. The oldest family member always lit that one. Had to lump a lot of them together otherwise they wouldn’t finish lighting candles until the next festival. Then ones for more recent family. She remembered the year she lit one for her great-grandmother. After that, Anfather lit the ancestor’s candle.

 

But the rituals were a small part. Vashutarl remembered the festival as a family time. Friends, relatives, people she didn't see except on that one day. There were presents, traditional food, special messages from family who couldn’t make it. All the rivers and streams glowing bright with the light of hundreds of candles as the planet rotated into night. The old legend was just that, a legend. The spirits of the dead didn't really look through a portal in the sky. They wouldn’t really come through and haunt the living until they got the respect they demanded.

 

The first year on Tython, no one bothered to mention that Tython only had the one moon. It’s orbit was slow, crawling across the sky at a snail’s pace. It was always there. Until the day it wasn’t. Vashutarl remembered looking at the bright, star-filled sky. No big moon. The sky filled with the eyes of the dead. Superstition. Just superstition.

 

It wasn’t long after the moon’s disappearance that she realized it had been almost a year. One full standard year. A year since a Sith master helped her fake her death and escape Dromund Kaas. Superstition. She ignored it. tried to. When the anniversary rolled around for real, Vahsutarl snuck out of the dormitory, swiped an imitation electric candle from one of the old master’s meditation alcoves, crept out to one of the ponds around the Tython temple, and let it go, floating on a bit of driftwood. Feeling silly, yet still compelled.

 

The hells weren’t open. The spirits of the dead weren’t watching to see if she remembered them. But just in case, there was one light. They would see. They were remembered. They would stay away. Especially the ghost of the Vashutarl who never became Sith. That one could stay banished to whatever hell she lived in. It felt right, somehow. Like lifting a weight she wasn’t aware she carried.

 

No one noticed. If the groundskeepers found a flickering electric candle washed up with other detritus, they never said anything. The next year she planned better. Purchased real candles from the temple cantina. Lit them and let them float away on pale plastiform boats on the smooth surface of one of Tython’s many lakes.

 

One candle for the ancestors. One candle for her ghost. One candle for Darth Baras’ apprentice. The masters thought she didn’t hear their whispers, but she did. Heard them wondering if they should continue her training. Or if the danger of the dark side was too great, given who the rising star was on the other side. And who his granddaughter was. It hurt. Knowing they would never see the Anfather who lit the ancestor’s candle for the first time with tears in his eyes the year his mother died.

 

The ghosts weren’t forgotten. But they stayed away. Until the day rolled around again.

 

So here she stood. In the atrium of the Jedi hostel. Staring at the recirculating spring and artificial stream wending its way around the border of the room and the engineered plants lining its course. Holding four candles and four bright plastiform boats. Why four this time, she didn’t quite know. Feeling a little nervous. And a little silly.

 

This wasn’t Tython, with a large population and larger landscape. She couldn’t leave them in the water this time. She’d light them, let them make one circuit of the room, then take them out. It would be enough.

 

The atrium lights were low, reflecting evening outside the hostel’s walls. Vashutarl flicked the igniter on the wick of the first candle, set it in its float, and placed it in the water. The ancestor’s candle. For all those gone before.

 

It began its journey and she picked up the second one. She felt a presence behind her and dropped the boat but it was Kira who spoke, “Am I missing something?” she asked.

 

Vashutarl didn't jump, but it was a near thing. She wasn’t aware of Kira until almost too late. Still too easily engrossed in an activity. "It's, ah, it's..." Vashutarl considered making light of it. She looked up at Kira. There was no guile in the young woman’s face, no scorn, just curiosity. Officially, Vashutarl was 'an older recruit.' Kira was the same. The catchall story for all the students not given to the temple as children or infants. Neither of them shared much about their homeworlds, not yet.

 

She was supposed to be Kira's master. Masters shouldn't lie to their students. Sith lied. She wasn't Sith and she was trying to be a good master. Kira deserved the truth.

 

Vashutarl took a deep breath and began, "On my homeworld, the spirit festival is the way we remember the dead. With candles. Floating in a stream.” The ancestor’s candle came around already. Vashutarl set the next one in the water. For her ghost. Rest quietly.

 

“That’s, uh, nice,” Kira said, shifting her feet with sudden discomfort.

 

The words tumbled out now like water over the worn stones of her reserve, “In my family, it was usually the stream in our garden. Sometimes we went to the big public festivals. With hundreds of people, and the river alight with their candles, their memories.” Vashutarl realized she was homesick. She was tired of being the outsider, the one who wasn’t the same. The Jedi were nice and friendly and peaceful, but they were still foreign. She felt a resonance from Kira, the same chord played on a different instrument and went on, “My family isn’t dead. But they might as well be. I won’t see them again. Jedi aren’t supposed to form attachments and think or talk about their families and where they came from.” Her words came out more bitter than she intended. Vashutarl paused, breathing slowly like in the meditation exercises. When she felt more in control she continued, “I can’t. Not always. They’re a part of who I am.” Vashutarl watched the pair of little floats drift around the room. The added the third. For Anfather. For the good man she remembered, whatever he might be now. “So I remember. Once a year. Let them go. Be at peace.” That was the truth. The core of it. Specifics could wait.

 

For once, Kira was silent. The three floats meandered with the stream. Vashutarl held the fourth. She hesitated. She wasn’t sure who it was for.

 

“You still have one,” Kira said, her voice cracking.

 

Vashutarl didn’t look at her. She could sense Kira’s emotions. Reflecting her own. “Yes,” she said at last.

 

Kira knelt beside her, “Is it for someone?” she asked.

 

Vahsutarl handed it to Kira, “Yes,” she answered.

 

Kira turned it over in her hands, then flicked the igniter. The wick blazed up then settled into a steady flame. “Are there, uh, words I’m supposed to say or something?” she asked.

 

“Only if you want to.”

 

Kira watched the little candle, burning bright. Then she set the float in the stream and let it drift away.

 

[alaurin]

Comments/Replies:

 

@Irishfino: Un-oh, too much vodka can lead to disaster.....

 

@Bright: Thank you for all of your hard work with the story index and data collection!!

 

@Sthrift: Welcome!! That is definitely a defining moment in the Trooper storyline. I have yet to go through it with a male perspective, but as a female, she was a friend and that was hard enough. Very well done!

 

@Zethrodek: Welcome to you as well!! Poor Corso, I can't imagine what he is going through. I agree with Magdalane, that was a very good rationale for the re-customization booth!

 

@Lesaberisa: While I have not watched Game of Thrones, I am one of those that gets attached to the characters on TV shows. My husband makes fun of me terribly for it because, yes, I cry when my favorite characters die. I really loved those stories!!

 

@Stirges: The Spirit Festival seems like a lovely tradition and I enjoyed seeing the two different celebrations of it.

 

@Magdalane: Yeah, Corso is definitely a good distraction! I don't think Jorgan had as much fun riding the tranta with Mallay as Corso did with Bella.

 

 

 

Now to continue Bella and Mallay's misadventures on Ord Mantell. This comes right after I'd Rather Make Out With A Wookie!. It is a little silly, but hopefully worth a giggle or two!

 

Title: Girl Talk

Prompt: Sisterhood

Characters: Belladonya-Smuggler and Mallayse-Trooper

Setting: Ord Mantell

Spoilers: Smuggler and Trooper Ord Mantell

 

*warning: The topic of sex comes up!*

 

Mallay had just finished dealing with Saphrro, Vyru, and Bol, three Separatist leaders who were now dead, and took their data for Lieutenant Jorgan. She was making her way out of Mannet Point when she heard her sister call out.

 

She turned around to see Bella running towards her, “Hey Bella! I was wondering when I would see you again.” She hugged her sister, “So I see you got to visit lovely Mannet Point as well.”

 

“Oh yeah and I am just in awe of its quaintness and beauty!” Bella snorted. “Are you finished here then?”

 

“I am. You?”

 

“I’m done. I had to decipher a data pad and hack into the Separatists computer for some files. Corso and Viidu are going to slice into the files to hopefully find out where Skavak took those weapons in my ship.” Bella explained as they left Mannet Point.

 

“Good! Hopefully you will have your ship back soon.” Mallay noticed that it was starting to get dark. “Although, you may have to wait for morning to go chasing him down. Do you have a place to stay the night?”

 

“Corso offered to let me stay with him if I needed.” She giggled at her sister’s expression, “No Mallay, unfortunately, he didn’t mean it like that. He said he has an extra cot that he can set up. I don’t think Corso is the brief fling type. He is more like the sappy relationship kind.”

 

“Only you would be disappointed in that, sis!” Mallay shook her head, “Poor guy wants to be nice and proper and you just want sex!”

 

“Hey, I can’t help it if I am not the relationship type. There’s nothing wrong with no strings attached sex, sister dearest. Brief, uncomplicated flings are very nice actually. Also, I am always honest about the way I feel, if the guy doesn’t like it than it doesn’t happen.” She smirked her sister, “Besides, when is the last time you had sex? Fifty credits says you weren’t in a relationship either!”

 

“Not going there, Bella!” Mallay retorted, pointing at her armor. “My little outburst on our way out of Talloran was heard.”

 

“Oh relax Mallay, who cares if anyone is listening in right now. You aren’t talking about any of them. I am sure they don’t want to hear about your sex life….or lack of….” She giggled as Mallay shoved her.

 

“Hey, I have sex!”

 

“When was the last time?”

 

Mallay sighed, “It has been a while and no, I wasn’t in a relationship.”

 

“Uh-oh, why do I get the feeling things didn’t go that well.”

 

“Because things didn’t go well. It was shortly after I started my previous post. He and I were getting along well and decided to go for it one night. As it turns out, the guy was a jerk and got all freaked out about my scars. He wanted the lights out. It was the most boring thing I have let myself go through. Stars Bella, I made a mental inventory of my foot locker while we…”

 

“Wow Mallay, he sounds like a real winner! Why would you even sleep with that guy?”

 

“Well, I didn’t think it would be that bad. He was totally hot and it’s not like I have men banging down the door to sleep with me you know. Between my scars and cybernetic and the fact that I am a bit on the small side, I am really not that attractive.”

 

“Nonsense Mallay, you are attractive. If a man can’t see past your scars and implant, he isn’t worth your time. So what if you are small, I have seen your lithe little body do things that I could never do! Remember when that jerk on Hutta that stole my cargo and we broke into his warehouse to get it back? I would have never been able to get through those infared beams without setting one off and you just made it look like a dance!”

 

Mallay smiled at that memory, “That was an exciting adventure. Remember what you did to that guy after I shut the beams off?”

 

Bella laughed, “Yeah, I don’t think I have ever had a man beg me to put his clothes back on before.”

 

“Well, you did leave him tied naked to his bed with ‘I am a dirty thief who likes to sleep with animals’ written all over him.”

 

Bella shuddered, “I think I washed my hands at least 10 times after touching his nasty body!”

 

The girls could see Fort Garnik in the distance as the last of the daylight faded and started moving a little faster.

 

“You know, just once, I would love to have complete mind blowing sex with a hot bodied man,” Mallay sighed. “Is that really too much to ask for?”

 

Not at all, sis. You just need to be a little more outgoing! Part of the problem is that you are so shy about approaching a man you are attracted to.” Bella smiled, “Hey, remember that Twi’lek on Nar Shaddaa that did the tattoo on your back? Now that was fantastic sex!”

 

“Oh, I remember alright.” She snorted, “You knocked me out when he got to the part of the tattoo that was going over my scars because it was getting painful. I came to hearing you scream and thought you were being attacked!”

 

Bella laughed, “The look on your face when you busted in and saw us was priceless!”

 

“The image is burned into my mind forever. He did have a great body though.”

 

“Oh did he ever!” Bella sighed as they entered the fort. “Corso looks like he may have a great body, hard to judge without seeing him naked though. Too bad he isn’t the fling type.”

 

Mallay hugged her sister and the girls split off for the night, Bella wondering if she could change Corso’s mind and Mallay hoping that no one had been listening to the sex talk.

 

Edited June 9, 2013 by alaurin

[bright_ephemera]

Thanks for the support, guys Glad to know I've been of service.

 

And now, prompt day!

Week of 6/7/2013

Defenses: Sometimes our characters defend what's theirs. Sometimes they defend the things they care about. Sometimes they're asked to defend things they really don't like. Whether in combat or conversation, write about your character's efforts to defend something or someone.

 

And, as ever,

Night of the Living Prompt: Keep on using any prompt you like! Check out the list at http://www.swtor.com/community/showpost.php?p=5223753&postcount=1675.

This week's featured NotLP:

Confessions - Everybody has things they don't like to admit. Sometimes it's big, sometimes it's just something small. Sometimes it's nice to finally let it out. What does your character need to admit - and to who?