The Short Fic Weekly Challenge Thread!

[Morgani]

Sisterhood Part 8

 

Bear with me guys, we're getting to the climax/resolution part of the story. I'm terrified of disappointing people but Kabe has been holding my hand and she likes it so maybe you guys will too. I very rarely work on projects this big because the ADHD starts kicking but she's kept me on track. She's the best editor/beta reader I've ever had. Recommend A+++++++++++++

 

Spoilers for mention of False Emperor flashpoint.

 

Note links:

 

 

Part 1, Ipha wakes in Wrongville

Part 2, Brei'yu wakes in Wrongville, finds Pierce in her bed.

Part 3, Brei'yu meets Pierce's Sith lord, gets a surprise.

Part 4, The brain burns are discovered, a mystery

Part 5, Ipha talks with Jorgan, Brei'yu gets a warning.

Part 6, Brei'yu contacts Ipha.

Part 7, A hesitant meeting between sisters.

 

 

 

 

Rendrik Poole pulled up on his speeder outside the dilapidated laboratory in an under used bog on Hutta. He had had his squad combing the area for three days looking for Kodrevas. She had disappeared off the face of the planet while running an errand for him and the news of where she might be disturbed him immensely. A second and third speeder pulled up beside him, both with double riders. Behind them two male figures rode single, in preparation for freeing Ipha and her sister.

 

Elara used his broad shoulders to swing her leg off the speeder, pulling a data pad off her armor and sweeping the area. Poole stood and went to Westan. Poole was having trouble trusting the former Intelligence man. But they both had too much at stake not to work together.

 

Almost two days ago, the teams had converged on the same informant at the same time. After nearly killing each other, they discovered they were both looking for a Kodrevas sister. For expediency, and because the informant's information was excruciatingly alarming, Poole made the decision to work with what would have been the enemy. They pieced their ragged information together and singled out this lab out in the middle of nowhere.

 

Now Poole stood with the former Agent and regarded the building with deadly eyes. “Just making sure we're clear. This op goes down my way. I don't want questions, second guesses, stupid comments. If we're getting the women back, it has to be my way.”

 

Westan regarded the large Zabrak with narrowed eyes but finally nodded. “Hear that team? This goes the Major's way, and we take Brei home. Kaliyo, I'm looking at you especially.”

 

“You love my mouth,” she scoffed.

 

“Please Kaliyo. We fear for Brei'yu and want no harm to come to her,” Vector said with rare anxiousness.

 

“Don't worry, bugboy. We're getting your girlfriend back.” Kaliyo checked her weapon. “I'm happy as long as someone dies.”

 

Westan looked at Poole and shrugged. “She's good for that kind of thing, just keep it in mind.”

 

“Someone is going down for this,” Poole promised. He signaled to his people and they entered the lab, weapons drawn. They let Westan's team cover their backs as they moved deeper into the facility.

 

 

Ipha pulled up a few kilometers from the spaceport. She'd chosen higher ground as a place to get their bearings and figure out their next move. She had specifically moved out of the city and into the wastelands around it. The strange staring Anomids were everywhere and they were being stalked.

 

Jorgan had been the first to point it out but Ipha had felt it. Pale Anomids on speeders shadowed their movements. Ipha surveyed the landscape, barely picking them out in the swamps. “They're trying to herd us,” she said.

 

“Agreed. But where?” Jorgan asked.

 

“West as far as I can tell. But to something? Or away from it?” Ipha frowned as she turned her head to track their movements. “And they're getting bolder.”

 

“I say we go where they don't want us to go,” Brei'yu said. “And we shoot them if they get too close.”

 

“I'm for that,” Vik said.

 

“Okay, but shooting only when necessary,” Ipha said pointedly. “Let's go.”

 

 

The building was silent, but red lights shined off the walls in warning wherever they moved. Their presence was no secret. They turned a corner and were met by four armed Anomids. Their uniforms were generic and their weapons outdated but they stood at ease spread across the hall.

 

“Are you from the Republic?” the lead Anomid asked. None of them had reached for their weapons. Poole got the idea that someone was expected.

 

“Yeah,” Poole said.

 

“We weren't expecting so many,” the leader said. Poole assumed he sounded exasperated but it was hard to tell under the rebreather. “Which one of you is the Senator’s delegate?”

 

Poole had to make a decision. “He is,” he answered, pointed to Westan. “My people are his security.”

 

“And this is my entourage!” Westan improvised, dropping his Imperial accent in an instant.

 

“Hrmph,” the Anomid said. He looked them over and Poole couldn't tell if he was unsure or not. But eventually he shrugged. “Very well. The experiment is through here. Please tell Senator Fren'ishe we cooperated.”

 

As the Anomid turned to lead them away, Havoc Squad fell in to look as though they were guarding Westan's people. Poole caught Westan's eye and gave him a nod.

 

“So, what goes on in this place? Sure is rather... empty.”

 

“There were many Schism Collective experiments being pursued here until Wode realigned with the Republic. We were shut down for a while, then reopened to perform this one particular experiment, per Senator Fren'ishe,” the Anomid said.

 

“And what exactly is this experiment?” Westan asked, trying to keep his tone light and nearly failing.

 

“You'll have to talk to the scientists. They are through here.” The Anomid keyed open a door and allowed the united groups to enter. Once Poole and his people were through, the armed Anomids spread themselves out along the back of the room, at ease. The lead Anomid closed the door.

 

 

 

One would think that dodging skinny white Anomids on speeders would be a simple job. But the sons of gundarks were spry. Brei'yu nearly collided with two of them and would have probably lost a leg if the Weequay hadn't reached out and yanked her speeder handles to the side, forcing her along his trajectory and missing the welcoming party by only a meter or so.

 

She told herself she didn't have time to acknowledge a thank you to the large alien, because they were riding really fast up on a tree. Why was that one single tree sitting in the middle of the bog they were racing through? Its ancient trunk had to be four times the size of her. She made to go left. Again, Vik grabbed her handle, yanked her toward him and set himself on a wide path around the trunk. She followed in his wake, daring a look over her shoulder as two of the racing Anomids failed to adjust their courses properly.

 

When she heard the Weequay laugh sharply she nodded. He was alright.

 

She was feeling pretty good about herself until the first of the blaster fire whizzed past her head. The Anomids had just upped the ante. Whatever was ahead of them, they weren't supposed to see. Brei glowered and pushed herself lower on the bike. Screw that. She didn't even let Adris tell her where she could and could not go.

 

Tanno Vik didn't seem to carry a blaster. He pulled a giant techblade off his back with his right hand and swung in a colossal chopping arc at two unfortunate Anomids. Brei'yu covered his left side with her own shots, weaving and dodging so she was never too far from him. She was better with knives and her bare hands, but the white heads of the mounted aliens proved to be a good target.

 

“There!” she heard Ipha shout, somewhere ahead. Brei'yu looked up and over and saw the dilapidated remains of an old factory. They looked like crumbled building remains in the old bog. But there was something more. Something telling her that this was it, what they had been looking for.

 

She veered in its direction and the shooting intensified. “They don't want us there!” she shouted, unsure if she'd even be heard.

 

“All the more reason to go!” Vik crowed.

 

They dumped the speeders and ran for the cover of the wall, Ipha and Jorgan shooting long range out of their cannons. They found the front entrance destroyed, the durasteel doors warped beyond hope of opening. But a long thin crack had been wedged open in the wall beside it, and they could see the dim interior of building. Jorgan pushed Ipha in with Brei'yu right after. Vik covered them then squeezed in after the Cathar. In the dark, Ipha looked up.

 

“Oh. My. St- what the f*ck?”

 

There was no ceiling on the factory. It had crumbled away ages ago, large chunks of it having crashed to floor below leaving jagged boulders and dust. But beyond, the day sky was gone. As though they had passed from smoggy hazy day to bright clear night, the stars stood out like beacons. Nar Shaddaa, which should have been visible from this hemisphere, was nowhere to be seen. It was like looking out the view of a starship, facing away from any celestial body. The stars numbered in the millions.

 

“What's going on?” Brei'yu whispered, suddenly afraid to attract unwanted attention with her voice.

 

“We're still being shot at, boss,” Vik said as he ducked. “I'll stay here and hold them off. Come back and get me when I've had my fun.”

 

“Star's sake, use a blaster,” Ipha said, handing him her side piece.

 

“That gets old,” he said, but he took it anyway. “Don't stare at me, go figure it all out.”

 

Ipha freed a lamp from her belt and lit the devastated hall. She pushed down fear, looked her sister in the eye then began to walk.

 

<to be continued>

 

[Morgani]

Sisterhood Part 9

 

Spoilers for False Emperor lightside/darkside choices.

 

Much love to Kabe. One last part and an epilogue after this. Answers contained within!

 

Links:

 

 

Part 1, Ipha wakes in Wrongville

Part 2, Brei'yu wakes in Wrongville, finds Pierce in her bed.

Part 3, Brei'yu meets Pierce's Sith lord, gets a surprise.

Part 4, The brain burns are discovered, a mystery

Part 5, Ipha talks with Jorgan, Brei'yu gets a warning.

Part 6, Brei'yu contacts Ipha.

Part 7, A hesitant meeting between sisters.

Part 8, Poole closes in on the girls' location, the girls start to uncover the weird.

 

 

 

 

Poole had to put a hand on Jorgan's shoulder to physically restrain the man as they entered the exam room. But he heard the sharp intake of breath from Elara as they saw what waited for them.

 

A woman floated in a large tank constructed similarly to a kolto tank. Tubing and lines were snaking from every joint and vein and she wore a breathing mask over the lower part of her face. Her upper face was hidden under a strange helmet that covered her head and eyes. Poole could only tell it was Ipha because her black hair floated around her like a fan.

 

There was another tank obviously hooked up to the first and another woman floated bonelessly in it, trussed up the same as Ipha, her skin paler and her hair brown. Brei'yu Kodrevas. Her head was covered as well, a breathing mask fixed over her nose and mouth.

 

One of the Anomid scientists turned and regarded the group critically. “Are this many people really necessary? We have sensitive equipment in here.”

 

Poole glowered at the alien and he shrank back under the intensity of his gaze. Poole accompanied Westan to the front of the room, still pinning the Anomid with an angry stare. The smaller man went directly to Brei'yu's tank and stared into it.

 

“So,” Westan began, he teeth nearly clenched together. Poole could see the man restraining himself. “What goes down in here?”

 

The Anomids looked at each other. One turned away from the group and began adjusting and monitoring the console before him while the other spoke. “Look, I know the Senator wants results. But these things are highly experimental. We're moving as fast as we can while looking after the health of the subjects. We don't want to lose anymore.”

 

Vik moved in front of Jorgan, stopping the Cathar from coming forward. Westan glanced murderously over his shoulder at no one in particular. “I'm not here to judge fellas,” Westan said after taking a moment to carefully arrange his words. “In fact, I was given no information what-so-ever. You know, to form my own opinion. Why don't you start giving me details?”

 

“Why don't we start with names?” Poole asked. He pointed at the Anomid that had been talking. “Who are you?”

 

“I beg your pardon-” the Anomid began.

 

“Tut-tut. We want to cooperate with the Senator don't we?” Westan asked, waving his finger at the Anomid. “Answer the man.”

 

“I am Revus Qwib,” the first Anomid said dully.

 

“Uh-huh. And you?” Poole pointed to the silent Anomid.

 

“Naric Hist,” the second Anomid said suspiciously.

 

“Wonderful. Now. What's going down here?” Westan asked.

 

Qwib sighed. “The Senator told you nothing?”

 

“Not a thing.”

 

Qwib seemed to ready himself for a long explanation. “Very well. After the massive prison break on your Republic ruled planet of Belsavis, many Senators began to look for another, cheaper, better contained option for dealing with those who would be serving life sentences. The housing, feeding, guarding and sanitation behind Belsavis turned out to be more costly than originally expected and when the Empire so easily crept in and turned the prisoners violent, a new solution was direly needed.

 

“Senator Fren'ishe was one of the first to approach Arkus Wode, formerly of the Schism Collective, and request ideas. This is what Wode came up with.”

 

Poole glared unhappily about him. Wode had taken the Schism Collective, a radical technological subset of the Anomid race, and declared fealty to Darth Malgus when the Sith vied for power against the Emperor. Faced with death, Wode turned on Malgus in exchange for negotiations with the Republic. Apparently the Republic wasted no time putting the fractured Collective back to work.

 

“This is Subject 14,” Qwib said, walking to Ipha's tank and peering in at her. “And over there, Subject 15. They are the first in a new direction this experiment has taken after we were faced with failure in the first stage.”

 

“Explain this experiment,” Westan said.

 

Hist took the reins while Qwib replaced him at the consoles. “All subjects were put into a chemically induced coma and placed within an engineered reality created by their minds. They lived, worked, fought, procreated and died inside a world experienced only in their heads.”

 

Westan looked back into Brei'yu's tank. The woman was utterly still and if it wasn't for the occasional serene rise and fall of her breasts, he would have assumed she was dead. “Oh, is that all? So it's what? Virtual reality helmets? Thought scrambling?”

 

“We stimulate the brain waves of the subjects to create an existence they would assume was their waking reality,” Hist answered, his nasally voice compounded by the standard Anomid rebreather. “Both subjects are physically near shut down; heart rate, breathing, blood flow, and they have almost no motor function, but their brains are firing and what they are experiencing, they are assuming is real.

 

“We began with single subjects, introduced them to their inner lives and monitored their brain waves while they adjusted to the new normal. Unfortunately, there were setbacks we couldn't foresee. Death in the mind corresponds to death for the body. And being that we can't know what an individual’s life is truly like, we could only create a scenario for them based on what records we could get a hold of. Then we had to depend on the memories and desires in their brains to fill in the rest. For most of our subjects, they rejected their reality rather quickly.”

 

“This was a surprise?” Westan asked, fighting to keep a snarl out of his voice. “What happens if they didn't die right off the bat?”

 

“We began pairing the survivors up, giving them shared realities. But as the subjects did not know each other, there was nothing common within their minds and thus the reality was rejected again,” Qwib continued. “We reported all of this to the Senator.”

 

“So, to make sure I understand,” Westan said tightly, his Imperial accent almost leaking back into his words. “You're storing prisoners in tanks and stimulating their brains to continue living their lives like nothing happened?”

 

“That is almost exactly the goal for this experiment. When the solution is finalized, the subject can exist entirely in limbo while living a full life,” Hist said.

 

“Why these two subjects?” Elara asked. Qwib glanced at her with some curiosity.

 

“And who are you?” he asked dryly.

 

“She's with me,” Westan said. “Answer her question.”

 

“Her accent is Imperial,” Qwib protested.

 

“Ever hear of defection?” Westan snapped. “Answer her question.”

 

Qwib glowered and gestured to Ipha. “Subjects 14 and 15 are blood relatives. We were ordered by the Senator to find close relatives with well documented histories. Subject 14 here is Republic military. We were given a full work up of her profile by the Senator's committee. 15 was part of Imperial Intelligence. There's some part of 15's history that is not on record, therefore we made 14 the host mind. We hope that 14 will create a reality that 15 accepts, and being related, they have a shared history to create from.

 

“What's more important,” Qwib said, coming to stand next to Westan and gazing at Brei'yu like she was some sort of prize. “Is that 15 is a Force sensitive. We discovered quite late in the final stages of the previous experiment that those with Force sensitivity were easier to manipulate into believing their comatose realities were real. What's more, and what we're hoping to study further with 15, is that in a shared reality setting, the Force sensitive can be prodded into helping the other subject's mind accept what they are experiencing. Unfortunately, 14 is the host mind. We may bring the equipment down to switch that. Once we know how it will affect the subjects.” He sounded fascinated by his work and Westan reached deep for the willpower not to bust his face in.

 

“How did you find them?” Elara further pressed, exchanging a horrified look with Poole.

 

“Oh, that was planning and a little luck. People go missing from the streets of Hutta and Nar Shaddaa all the time. We were tipped off by the Senator's committee that 14 and 15 were blood relation. Senator Fren'ishe set in motion a plan that brought 14's squad to the planet while enticing 15's smuggling crew to be here at the same time. They weren't difficult to procure.”

 

Westan lost his temper. He'd been tricked here and Brei'yu was paying for his stupidity. No more. He grabbed Qwib by the throat and slammed the back of his head into the console in front of him. Sparks erupted and equipment shuddered, taking a little of the edge off the sudden bloodlust. “Ever stop to think that someone may come looking for them, a**hole?” he snarled as he forced the Anomid to his knees. At the back of the room, the four security Anomids were subdued almost before they could draw their weapons. Kaliyo marched them to the computer console, kicking their knees out from under them.

 

Poole secured Hist beside him as the crew drew their weapons. “Ipha Kodrevas is Havoc Squad. Someone didn't give you detailed enough intel. And being Havoc Squad, we weren't about to just forget about her.”

 

“The Senator didn't send you!” Qwib said, astonished.

 

“Good guess,” Westan said.

 

<to be continued one last time>

 

[Magdalane]

Dancing, literally dancing, on pins and needles here, Morgani! This whole story deserves it's own thread, for sure. Edited September 30, 2012 by Magdalane

[Striges]

@ Morgani: Still interested! Not disappointed! Seriously, this has been an entertaining read, and I'm looking forward to the conclusion.

 

 

 

How many times has Corso stood, helpless, while I schmoozed some guy into doing what I wanted?

 

A taste of your own medicine indeed. There's been a lot of discussion on Corso's obvious jealousy; it's neat to see the shoe on the other foot.

[iamthehoyden]

@ Morgani

 

<whispers in awe> omg is that Senator in trouble. I cannot fully comprehend how much trouble he's in. Like oodles and oodles of trouble. Mounds, heaps, and other assorted massive amounts.

 

By the way, I woke up this morning and literally reached for my phone so I could check if you'd posted the next segment. That's how good this story has been.

 

@Mag

I thought this was really good. Really added perspective to Corso's reactions through the story.

[Striges]

Prompt: Bad Timing

 

Title: Unrequited Love

 

Characters: Malavai Quinn (In Varrel Umrahiel’s universe)

 

I don’t write Quinn. There are plenty of other people writing Quinn. So I don’t need to. Except when I do. Again, I’m kind of hitting the prompt at an oblique angle. Quinn technically isn’t my character. The ‘bad timing’ does get around to causing trouble for Varrel, but he doesn’t experience the actual issue. Short, 600 words.

 

For chronology purposes, this story fits in right before King and Pawn versus King (Varrel Umrahiel, featuring Quinn, Discovery)

 

Implied spoilers for SW act 3 (yeah, you know the part).

 

 

Quinn sat at his station, recomputing the hyperjump. Reconfiguring the sublight engines. Running endless diagnostics. Anything to keep his mind off what was no doubt going on in the quarters behind the bulkhead. He imagined he could hear the sounds of their lovemaking, which he knew was utterly ridiculous. The room was soundproofed.

 

He double-checked the schematic. Yes, soundproofed. That was the hull groaning, not Jaesa. Wrinkled, old hands caressing her—

 

Stop it. Just stop it. This was stupid. He was thinking like a jealous idiot, and he had no call to be. They were married, doing what married people do. In private. With no one listening to their—

 

Quinn stood up quickly. He paced to the other station and resumed his seat. How the hell could he not think about it? Jaesa was young, was pretty, it was crazy to see her in the arms of a man three times her age at least. Umrahiel seemed so fixated on honor and obligations and such it was almost beyond belief he would engage in such…scandalous behavior.

 

And yet, he was a man, wasn’t he? Enough of a one for Jaesa anyway.

 

Quinn fought the urge to slap himself. He went back to the computer. Running diagnostics. Reconfiguing the sublight engines. Recomputing the hyperjump. He sighed. Nothing worked. Quinn sat back in the chair and rubbed his temples. He’d had his chance early on and missed it.

 

No that wasn’t true. He’d never really had a chance with her. She never had eyes for him, only Umrahiel, bizarre as it sounded. And to be frank, he wasn’t even sure if he really wanted her. Early on she’d as like to have taken his head off just to see if it felt different from beheading, say, a dozen other people. Umrahiel had managed to rein in the worst of her bloodlust, but she was still mynock-sh*t crazy by anyone’s measure. Even Sith.

 

But that was it, wasn’t it? She was Sith. Marrying her, making her Jaesa Quinn, would have lent the Quinn name a cachet independent of Darth Baras and all his machinations. Would have given him status beyond his military rank. Would, Force willing, have given him children to send to the Sith Academy. The start of a Quinn line of Sith. Social status that wouldn’t disappear on the whim of someone far distant. Like Broysc. Like Baras.

 

So would it have mattered if, to gain all that, he had to walk on eggs all the time? He was doing that as it was.

 

A code flashed across the comm panel. Just once. A pattern of lights familiar to him and him alone. A familiar cold feeling ran up his spine. He wasn’t due to report to Darth Baras for another two weeks. Had more happened on Voss than he was privy to?

 

Quinn stood and fished the two halves of his decrypter out of adjoining uniform pockets, inserting them into the bridge comm interface. Entering his code, the device acknowledged the signal from Darth Baras’ servant and waited for the proper response.

 

Instead of the disembodied voice of a minion, a tiny projection of Darth Baras himself resolved above the terminal. “Captain Quinn,” came Baras’ modulated baritone.

 

Quinn snapped to attention immediately, “My lord,” he answered.

 

“The time has come, Captain, for you to demonstrate your loyalty and reap the rewards you so richly deserve,” Darth Baras began.

 

“Of course, my Lord,” Quinn replied. A knot of nerves in his stomach joined the chill in his spine. He was working himself into an ulcer this way. “What would you have of me?”

 

[bright_ephemera]

Fame: Honorary Member, Vierce Savins. No spoilers. Set at the beginning of Tatooine. 1150 words.

 

 

 

We hit the ground on Tatooine ready to hunt, but our local contact didn’t have any leads to start with. We ended up riding out to check some of the farmsteads outside Anchorhead in the hopes of hearing some news of Imp activity. That’s how we found one woman out fiddling with a hand scanner near one little homestead.

 

I took off my helmet and tucked it under my arm as I approached her. “Ma’am. I’m Lieutenant Savins, with the Republic Army. Can I ask a minute of your time?”

 

She shook her head at me. “We have to be inside by nightfall. Please go.”

 

A little kid, no more than eight years old, ran up to her side and gawked. “Wow, Mister! You’re done up like Havoc Squad!” He gestured at the spot on his shoulder where my insignia would be.

 

“That’s because we are Havoc Squad, kid.”

 

“Whoa–”

 

“Inside, Devy,” said the woman.

 

“We got half an hour ‘til sunsdown, Mom.”

 

“Inside. Now. The Sand People don’t always wait until full dark these days.”

 

That got my attention. “Um. Sand People, ma’am?”

 

“Yes. Natives, savages. There’s a band that’s been raiding farmsteads all around here for weeks. You understand, I have to get my family to shelter now.”

 

“But they’re Havoc Squad, Mom! They’ve got a battle droid! I bet they could take the Sand People.”

 

That really depends on their numbers, how well supplied they are, what the terrain around here is like, whether we can find a spot to fight that doesn’t give them comfortable sniper sights – and good luck with that, they know this country better’n we do – what kind of vehicular and droid support they have…

 

The kid was alternately staring at our uniforms and admiring M1-4X with big brown eyes. I like kids. There’s a light in their eyes that goes out somewhere on the way to growing up, and no one ever gets it back. I try to delay that moment as long as I can.

 

“I bet we could take those Sand People,” I said. I looked around at Jorgan, Dorne, and M1-4X. “Optional assignment, guys, I know it’s off hours. Anyone who stays, I figure we’ll find a place nearby to lay up and watch, clear out anything that tries to hit the place.”

 

“Such a gesture of goodwill toward the potential allies of the Republic is an excellent idea!” announced M1-4X.

 

“I’m in,” grunted Jorgan.

 

I waited for Dorne’s recitation of all the reasons it was irregular and therefore bad. “We’re all in, sir,” she said instead.

 

I hid my surprise as best I could. “That’s what I like to hear.” I looked to the woman. “Ma’am, if you don’t mind me talking to your son.” I knelt to meet the kid’s eyes. “We’re going to need a decent place to watch from, someplace we can view the whole perimeter of your house and where it’ll be hard for anybody to sneak up on us from behind.” Kids can think in those terms when they’re horsing around; grownups don’t always do so. So I asked the expert. “You’re my scout here. Got any recommendations for me?”

 

Devy didn’t hesitate more than two seconds; he scampered off in one direction and I followed, making sure to keep a pace his mother could keep up with. She still seemed on edge. I guess I would be, too.

 

The kid brought us to a sweet spot on a low rise with its back to the city. Good visibility, enough rocks for cover. “Here’s where I would go if I were gonna shoot ’em. If I had the blasters,” he said.

 

“You’ve got a real good eye, kid. And luckily we do have the blasters.”

 

Devy surveyed the landscape and smiled a gap-toothed smile. “Can I watch?”

 

“No,” his mother said quickly.

 

“I’m afraid you’d better stay inside and look after your mother,” I told him. “It may sound boring, but making sure things stay safe and quiet on the inside’s just as important as shooting the bad guys on the outside. Each of us doing what’s needed, that’s what makes us a team.” I nodded to his mother. “You’d best get him home, ma’am. If there’s any trouble we’ll clear it out from here.”

 

We didn’t have to wait long. The last sliver of Tatooine’s second sun was still clinging to the horizon when thick shadows started scudding between the rocks a little ways around the complex. I heard one of M1-4X’s missile turrets swinging into position beside me.

 

The action was surprisingly short; I don’t know how Sand People usually fight but this was a small and not very well-coordinated group. We cleared the field in minutes and immediately set about gathering the bodies to burn.

 

We had just gotten that under way when running steps came up behind us – too light and irregular for a fighter’s. Devy ran up close to us and stopped short, staring at the slowly catching fire.

 

“Did you kill ’em all?” he asked, wide-eyed.

 

“Sure did. It’s nothing pretty to look at, Devy. But I can tell you they won’t be bothering you any more. You did good, showing us the right place to watch from so we could catch ’em.”

 

“Jint and Leese are never gonna believe Havoc Squad got rid of the Sand People.”

 

“Not gonna believe you, huh?” I took off my helmet and knelt to face Devy. “You can just show ’em this.” I turned the helmet around and gently placed it on his head.

 

The second my hands were clear he yanked it off again and stared at it. “C-can I keep it?” he squeaked.

 

“Sure can. You helped Havoc Squad get the job done tonight. You earned it.”

 

He ran back off toward the house, clutching the helmet tight. I stood up and nodded at his approaching mother. “We’re in town a few days longer, ma’am. If any other trouble comes of this, call Anchorhead’s mayor, he’ll get you in touch with us.”

 

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

 

“Just doing my job. Good health to you and your son.”

 

With that the four of us started on back towards Anchorhead. I freed up a hand to run through my hair, letting the startlingly chill nighttime wind ruffle it further. It felt good.

 

“I like that part of my job,” I said to no one in particular.

 

“I’m not sure running yard maintenance for non-citizens in the back end of nowhere is part of our job, sir.”

 

I rounded on Jorgan, ready to tell him exactly what I thought of his grumbling, and found him looking at me with a gleam in those wicked yellow eyes.

 

I rearranged my attitude around that and returned his sly smile, then gestured on towards Anchorhead. “Let’s pack it in, people.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it possible for a story about shooting warriors in the desert sands to be saccharine? Because that’s the word that keeps coming to mind here.

 

Oh, well. Vierce gets to be a teddy bear sometimes. A Havoc Squad teddy bear, which is the most patriotic kind.

 

Edited September 30, 2012 by bright_ephemera

[Striges]

I <3 Vierce. And 4X. Not often you get a sweet trooper story. Nicely done.

[Magdalane]

I would seriously consider dumping Corso for Vierce, I love him!

[Magdalane]

Bad Timing

 

Really this is an excerpt of a draft for another story, and mentions the whole Chantalle group. Basically a force senstiive vs. force blind scenario.

 

 

“What’s going on, guys? Kids keep everyone up last night?” Aric saw the slight smile on Corso’s face, and caught a slight blush on Miriah’s.

 

“No, everything was fine, I’m just concentrating,” Miriah said, looking at her datapad. “You guys look refreshed, though. Good night?”

 

“Any night with Maura is a good night,” Aric grinned, getting a cup of caffa from the kitchen and bringing one for his wife. They sat across from the other couple. “Are you sure there’s not a problem somewhere?”

 

“No problems,” Corso told him, “Just sleepy, I guess. “ He glanced up at Miriah and saw her grin, and winked at her. “I did run into a few issues with supplying this latest mission with rifles, that’s why I’m looking at the Czerka models.”

 

“We might as well tell them, Mom will.” Miriah was definitely blushing now, and turned to Maura. “Mom can’t help but sense emotions, right? Well, evidently, her blocking ability isn’t as well honed as Magdalane’s is, and I woke her up. Only problem is when she came to our room to tell me to knock it off, she, uh, saw probably more than she really wanted to.” Miriah looked down, remembering the look on her mother’s face, still feeling the sting of embarrassment.

 

Aric was holding his stomach, laughing so hard he had tears. Marua looked incredulous, “So, what did you do?”

 

“Well, she couldn’t have really seen too much, I mean it was dark, but I was still shocked. I just told her I would, I mean, what could I say? I really was having a little difficulty with coherent thought at that particular moment.” Aric was still laughing, Corso still concentrating intently on his terminal screen, a carefully neutral expression on his face. Marua threw her arm around Miriah’s shoulders.

 

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I mean, it was fairly obvious when we were on the ship that you guys enjoy each other on a more than regular basis. She’s an adult, she’ll deal with it.” Maura patted her sister’s arm, and walked to her own desk to start work.

 

“Wait, you mean when Mags is on planet, she can tell…” Aric looked at Maura, who nodded, and Miriah who added her nods.

 

“Only if she doesn’t block us. I think I’m on perma block with her,” Miriah said. Aric shook his head, not really knowing what to say to that. “She’s pretty good, though, she hasn’t complained about me waking her in a long time.” Miriah shrugged, and went back to her list, Corso absently massaging her socked foot as he read.

 

 

[iamthehoyden]

I would seriously consider dumping Corso for Vierce, I love him!

^ This. Well, not that I have a Corso yet, but Vierce is just awesome on so many levels. A Havoc teddy bear - I like it.

[Adwynyth]

A woman floated in a large tank constructed similarly to a kolto tank. Tubing and lines were snaking from every joint and vein and she wore a breathing mask over the lower part of her face. Her upper face was hidden under a strange helmet that covered her head and eyes. Poole could only tell it was Ipha because her black hair floated around her like a fan.

 

There was another tank obviously hooked up to the first and another woman floated bonelessly in it, trussed up the same as Ipha, her skin paler and her hair brown. Brei'yu Kodrevas. Her head was covered as well, a breathing mask fixed over her nose and mouth.

You just earned an official...

 

OH SNAP

[RepublicGurl]

Week of 9/21/12

 

Affection - It's more than just a game mechanic. How do your characters show it, whether to their lover or their family or to their friends? Does it always have the intended effect, or do things get lost in translation?

--

 

NOTE: I know this is uber late, but... uh, here ya go! *dashes off*

 

--

 

:Affection:

 

(Featuring my Jedi Consular, Iyani Zarru- Zabrak- and Qyzen Fess)

 

 

 

The soft hum of the Defender’s engines is soothing, even for Iyani; who prefers being on the ground to floating in space. But when duty calls, she is never one to turn away.

 

Rotating her arms and trying to get the kinks out of her stiff muscles, Iya stands smoothly to her feet. A soft pop fills the air as she rotates her left arm some more, and she winces.

 

Reminder- no sitting for hours on end overlooking taxing paperwork, she thinks with a grimace. Moving over to her bed, the Zabrak loosens her outer robes, letting the brown material slide off her shoulders and down her arms before tossing it onto the bed.

 

Next, she toes off her boots, leaving them in a somewhat messy heap- (no one is here to see it but me, she tries to reassure herself) –and is in the process of loosening her tunic top, more than ready for a quick stroll into the shower.

 

But a heavy banging at the door of her quarters brings her up short. Hands still at the top of her tunic, which is partially undone and hanging loosely off of her creamy, brown shoulder, Iya stretches out her senses with the Force.

 

Once she realizes who is on the other side, she chuckles.

 

One who never seems to sleep, she muses with some affection. Her hands fall to her sides, and she speaks loud enough for her visitor to hear, even through the door.

 

“Come in,”

 

With a swish, the door slides open to reveal a tall, red-skinned Trandoshan. His reptilian yellow eyes zero in on the Jedi, and a low, rumbling hiss emanates from deep within his throat.

 

Though it may sound threatening to one just coming into contact with the non-Human hunter, Iya has spent enough time around him to discern many of his sounds and body language.

 

Right now, Iyani can tell he seems quite... pleased.

 

“Qyzen, you’re up late,” Iya says by way of greeting, one of her brows lifting in question. She sweeps out an open hand in show of motioning him to come in further. With a bow of his head and another hiss, the Trandoshan obliges her.

 

But she notices that as he comes in, he carefully keeps both of his hands behind his back. He has something, and she cannot see what it is.

 

But the slight smell of iron and… something else makes Iya’s nose wrinkle ever so slightly.

 

“Greet you in honor, Herald,” Qyzen hisses. “Gift for you, from my affections. A show of appreciation to the Herald’s kindness.”

Iya blinks slowly. Usually she is ready with a reply or words to settle discord- after all, it’s one of the main… requirements for her position.

 

But now, she cannot find words at all.

 

Because Qyzen finally removes his arms from behind his back to hold them out to the uncertain Zabrak, and blood drips from the hunk of… meat in his claws.

 

Whatever the Trandoshan has killed, Iya has no hope of discerning, because it is just one bloody mass of flesh. Being carnivorous herself, the sight does not overly upset the Zabrak.

 

But Iya is dismayed to see that she is going to have to get on hands and knees to scrub out the blood that is continuously dripping onto the floor.

 

“Uh… t-thank you?” Iya says slowly, almost embarrassed at the way her voice catches on the end as Qyzen shoves the bloody mass towards her face.

 

It takes all of her Jedi training not to jerk back from his sudden, lightning fast reflexes. Qyzen holds it out, looking at her expectantly.

 

For a moment, no one says anything. And then Iya hesitantly holds out her own hands, and Qyzen eagerly places it in her grasp.

 

Blood seeps through her slender fingers, and Qyzen seems to purr with approval.

 

“More gifts to follow, great Herald,” Qyzen assures her.

 

Iya tries to give him a reassuring smile, and is sure she fails miserably.

 

“O-okay…?” She is entirely confused, and has no idea how to properly respond to the Trandoshan’s randomness.

 

Before she can think of a proper reply, the Trandoshan leans over… and licks the side of her face.

 

Iyani freezes, completely caught off guard.

 

“Until later, Herald.” Qyzen declares, and leaves the room briskly.

 

When the door slides close behind him, Iya continues to stand in the same spot, a look of pure bewilderment on her features. Her Master never told her that Trandoshans engaged in such… varied behaviors when trying to show their thanks and appreciation.

 

She glances again at the hunk of meat in her hand, and then to the blood on the floor.

 

I hope Seetwo’s devotion to me extends to cleaning up bloodied floors, Iya thinks with a sigh.

 

 

 

Author's Note: I just started rolling a Sage after a friend of mine finally got the game and rolled a Sentinel. I love my Sage, and for some reason I just thought it would be amusing for a Trandoshan to show his affections the way Qyzen does.

 

Disclaimer: I am not an authority on Trandoshan behaviors, so take the story with a grain of salt!

Edited September 30, 2012 by RepublicGurl

[iamthehoyden]

@RepublicGurl - I loved that! Lol, so funny.

[Irrissa]

Ahhhhh!! I am a little behind. But here is my Parenthood story and another Companion/Affection story.

 

Parenthood is a continuation of Minalde's story.

 

 

You Can't Live Their Life

 

Minalde entered the room where her mother sat quietly working on a flower arrangement. Dakis followed behind his sister, a hovering protective presence.

 

The only sound that could be heard was the faint tinkling of wind-chimes.

 

Outwardly her mother appeared the picture of serenity as she precisely placed blooms in a bed of clear sparkling stones captured in an exquisite crystal vase. But Minalde could sense the turmoil, the anger roiling through her mother. She could not fathom why this situation was causing such a strong reaction from her mother. She valued her mother's input because her mother had been her staunchest supporter since she left for training as a small child. Her mother always believed she would be the best,strongest Jedi ever.

 

Making a formal bow to her mother, she started,” Mother I came here out of respect for you and the family,I value your input. This is a unique situation though. I would like to explain it to you and ask your advice”

 

“NO!” stated her mother, loudly and firmly. Dakis looked startled. Their mother never spoke like that.

“No, you will NOT do this, to do so you would break the Jedi Code or have to leave the order and either will shame our family. You have already gone to far for it to have come to this point. Recited the Code Daughter”

 

“But Mother” interjected Dakis.

 

“Quiet” she snapped “Minalde, the Code”

 

Minalde suddenly felt five years old again,waiting to be sent away to training, standing before her mother, recited the code that had been drilled into her as her first words.

 

“There is no emotion, there is peace.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

There is no death, there is the Force.”

 

“Do you see?” said her mother “No Emotion, No Passion. You have already violated that part of the code. But to marry now that you are so well known, that will let all know you have broken it.”

 

“But Mother” retorted Minalde, “the Council knows, they are considering this,should we decide to..”

 

“I don't care what the Council says about this” she interrupted” I am your mother, and you have broken the Code already. If you do not stop, do not remove that man from your life, you will no longer be of this family, you will be as dead to me.” She stood up abruptly knocking over the vase,flowers flying and the stones cascading to the floor, sparkling like the tears Minalde was trying not to shed. She swept out of the room with Dakis on her heels trying to reason with her.

 

Numbly Minalde began to clean up the spilled items, trying to sort out her mothers very strong reaction. The tinkling sound of the wind-chimes faded, followed by a soft sigh.

 

“Minalde,” came a familiar voice,” you need to know something” Recognizing her fathers voice she looked up but she was not able to see his spirit.

 

He continued,”There once was two promising young padawans. They fell in love, allowed their passion to carry them away, they tried to hide it,indulging in deceit. When they found they were with child, they realized the affair could not be hidden any longer. The Council laid out their choices. Break off the affair, never see each other again and give up the child. Or they must leave. He couldn't bear the thought and begged Her to come away with him. So they left the Academy. And when the baby was born, she lost Her connection to the Force. This may have been due to the child or her feelings of guilt. Its unknown. The babe though was strong with the Force. She planned to redeem herself through the child, to raise the perfect Jedi.

But a parent cant live a child’s life for them. Its your life. You must do what is best for you. No matter what you do, I am proud of you and will always love you. Be happy.”

 

Stunned at this revelation, she sat back on her heels, the sound of the wind-chimes again tinkling in her ears.

 

 

This Affection/Companion story features Rissa - Sith Sorcerer during Act 2 with Story spoilers

 

 

Nightmares

 

Rissa tossed and turned, the voices whispered in her head relentlessly.

 

“Serpent” hissed Andru.

 

“I can’t believe she drank it so trustingly” chortled Ergash “but she is very strong. And there is much unknown out there”

 

“She still may betray us” moaned Andru “They all betray us in the end”

 

“Hush Andru” stated Horak-mul “I won’t listen to your ranting anymore. I wish to make this young Sith give us power and freedom”

 

Kalatosh Zavros said “So much power, she has so much. We must find a way to control it, control her.

 

The voices went on and on, how to use her, how to usurp her power back and forth the ghosts raged.

 

She shivered as she watched them argue, fear rising in her. These were some of the strongest Sith in history and she dared to usurp their power? Control them? Her overwhelming sense of desperation caused her heart to pound. Suddenly they all turned their attention to her and advanced on her, her promised death in their eyes. Involuntarily she let out a scream and bolted upright in her bed.

 

Her door flew open as her crew rushed in prepared to confront whatever, whoever could cause a Sith to scream. She quickly composed herself.

 

“Out” she shouted “Out out, I am fine. It was just a nightmare.”

 

Ashara just nodded as she left. She had her own nightmares every night, reliving the deaths of her masters.

 

Khem Val muttered as he left “Little Sith will be eaten, should she wake me again.”

 

Talos just blinked sleepily and turned back to his bed.

 

Meanwhile Andronikos leaned on the door-frame and watched her intently. Rissa glared at him but he didn't move.

 

“You can fool them, but not me. That wasn't just a nightmare. “ He matched her glare with his own. “Look Sith, I have thrown my lot in with you for now, so it’s in my best interests for you to stay sane and healthy”

 

In his mind though, he thought she looked tiny and helpless sitting in the middle of that large bed. He knew she was anything but helpless having watched her plow through anything getting in her way with her lightsaber, lightning or straight kinetic energy. Still, he had this odd protective feeling about her and the thought of her being scared made him mad. He just wasn't sure who or what he was mad at.

 

They stared at each other for a few minutes. She toyed with inviting him in, distracting herself with him. He was quite entertaining that way, but she knew in her heart, he was not just another fling. Something she did not have time to deal with right now. She felt her cheeks get hot and rather than deal with her confused feelings, she chose angry.

 

“Out!!” She yelled.

 

“No” he countered. “Talk to me, let me help, let me do something”

 

She hated being vulnerable. “I’m fine! Leave me alone!!” This was punctuated by a flying data-pad that hit the wall beside him.

 

“Hey! Not necessary! I am trying to help.” He shouted back “Fine, I will be outside if you need me” He felt himself being force shoved out the door and it slammed shut behind him. He nodded at Ashara’s questioning look, leaned against the wall outside the door. “Go back to bed, I will just hang out here, keep an eye on things.”

 

She smiled behind her hand as she went back to her quarters. Maybe they didn't realize it, but it was obvious to her they both had strong feelings for each other.

 

In the room, Rissa threw herself back on the bed. She heard Andronikos talking to Ashara and sensed him as he settled outside the door. She didn't need protection, couldn't be protected from the ghosts in her mind, but she felt oddly comforted by his presence, enough to allow her to drift back to sleep.

 

She didn't even wake when he slipped back into the room, into the bed, pulling her close into his arms.

 

Edited October 2, 2012 by Irrissa

[RepublicGurl]

Week of 9/28/12

Bad Timing - Sometimes, the worst thing about something is when it happens. Even a good thing can end up being not-so-great if the timing is wrong. Write about a time when your character had to deal with something that just plain came at the wrong time.

 

:Bad Timing:

 

(Featuring my Bounty Hunter, Kerrick- Human- and Mako and Blizz)

 

 

 

The party is an absolute drag, and the only thing stopping Kerrick from taking his blaster from its holster and applying it to the inside of his mouth is the fact that he’s getting paid to actually attend it.

 

Hard to spend his own credits if he’s dead.

 

Gods above, who have I pissed off to end up on Sith watching detail? Kerrick gripes internally, standing near the bar at the back of the large gala room. Mostly Humans and a few Purebloods are intermingling on the floor, while a few non-Human species move around with service platters, or are showing the newly arriving guests to their seats.

 

“Doing alright over there, Big Guy?” the familiar voice speaks up behind the disgruntled bounty hunter. Relief overwhelming him at finally being around someone he can actually tolerate, Kerrick turns to regard the genius girl.

 

Mako’s inky black hair has been pulled up for the occasion, and the dark blue formal dress she is wearing fits her slender form perfectly.

 

Kerrick tries to stifle a grin at the thought of Torian’s inevitable objections of Mako coming to attend the gala to keep him company, dressed as she is.

 

“Good as I’ll ever be,” Kerrick says with a one-shoulder shrug. He lifts his hand to pull at the bowtie tied around his neck, and grimaces when the mini death-trap doesn’t loosen an inch.

 

Whose idea was it that he wore this dreadful uniform anyway?

 

“Liar," she cooes.

 

"Your attire is dashing,” Mako says with a smile, coming closer to him. She lifts her hands and bats his away to loosen the bowtie herself. She does it effortlessly, while giving him an impish grin. “But you look like you’ve been dragged through the sewers on Hutta,”

 

Kerrick glares at her, and she just giggles.

 

“Don’t even compare the two,” he growls. “Hutta was much more pleasant this.”

 

Mako looks around the room, before turning back to Kerrick. She nods, before pulling her hands away and turning her attention to the drinks and treats on the bar.

 

"That is true,” she says after a moment of silence. “But don’t worry, boss,” she adds softly. “We have a plan to spring you,”

 

Kerrick raises an eyebrow in suspicion.

 

“We?” he reiterates slowly. Mako looks up at him, and the smile she gives him is so downright mischievous and evil that it warms Kerrick right down to the tips of his toes.

 

He’s proud that the girl, so much like a cherished sister he’s never had, has learned some things from him.

 

“Me and Blizz. He was all too eager to… er, help get you out of this once I told him how miserable you get at formals.”

 

“Help me? And how is the little guy gonna-”

 

Kerrick’s words are cut off when a loud explosion rocks the room. Screams fill the air, and another explosion rocks the room. Dust falls from the ceiling, and smoke begins to fog the air.

 

Coughing, Kerrick reaches out and grips Mako’s forearm, keeping her close to him.

 

“This was Blizz’s plan?” Kerrick hisses, as people begin rushing past him to the exits. Mako hacks a cough and tries to wave the smoke away from her nose.

 

“Uh…well, we never managed to go over details,” Mako says weakly, as Kerrick half-drags her with him to an exit.

 

Once they reach a corridor that’s filling up with the guests, Kerrick peers back into the room to see Blizz dashing across the floor, a large blaster hoisted over his little shoulder.

 

When his yellow eyes peer at Kerrick from beneath his hood, the bounty hunter sees Blizz give him a wink. Then he’s gone, disappearing into the smoke.

 

“That guy is low, dirty and so destructive…” Kerrick mutters, watching the patrons scrambling about to get the situation under control. “He really tried to blow up a room just to get me free of a party?”

 

He turns to Mako, just in time to see her nod.

 

“I love him,” he declares after a moment.

 

Mako just grins.

 

 

Author's Note: Blizz FTW!!

 

... Actually, I think this may fall under "right" timing? Well, maybe not for the innocent bystanders involved...

[RepublicGurl]

@RepublicGurl - I loved that! Lol, so funny.

 

Hahaha. Thank you!

[iamthehoyden]

:Bad Timing:

 

(Featuring my Bounty Hunter, Kerrick- Human- and Mako and Blizz)

 

 

 

“That guy is low, dirty and so destructive…” Kerrick mutters, watching the patrons scrambling about to get the situation under control. “He really tried to blow up a room just to get me free of a party?”

 

He turns to Mako, just in time to see her nod.

 

“I love him,” he declares after a moment.

Bwahahahaha!

Edited September 30, 2012 by iamthehoyden

[RepublicGurl]

Bwahahahaha!

 

Heehee.

Edited September 30, 2012 by RepublicGurl

[Irrissa]

:Bad Timing:

 

(Featuring my Bounty Hunter, Kerrick- Human- and Mako and Blizz)

 

 

 

The party is an absolute drag, and the only thing stopping Kerrick from taking his blaster from its holster and applying it to the inside of his mouth is the fact that he’s getting paid to actually attend it.

 

Hard to spend his own credits if he’s dead.

 

Gods above, who have I pissed off to end up on Sith watching detail? Kerrick gripes internally, standing near the bar at the back of the large gala room. Mostly Humans and a few Purebloods are intermingling on the floor, while a few non-Human species move around with service platters, or are showing the newly arriving guests to their seats.

 

“Doing alright over there, Big Guy?” the familiar voice speaks up behind the disgruntled bounty hunter. Relief overwhelming him at finally being around someone he can actually tolerate, Kerrick turns to regard the genius girl.

 

Mako’s inky black hair has been pulled up for the occasion, and the dark blue formal dress she is wearing fits her slender form perfectly.

 

Kerrick tries to stifle a grin at the thought of Torian’s inevitable objections of Mako coming to attend the gala to keep him company, dressed as she is.

 

“Good as I’ll ever be,” Kerrick says with a one-shoulder shrug. He lifts his hand to pull at the bowtie tied around his neck, and grimaces when the mini death-trap doesn’t loosen an inch.

 

Whose idea was it that he wore this dreadful uniform anyway?

 

“Liar," she cooes.

 

"Your attire is dashing,” Mako says with a smile, coming closer to him. She lifts her hands and bats his away to loosen the bowtie herself. She does it effortlessly, while giving him an impish grin. “But you look like you’ve been dragged through the sewers on Hutta,”

 

Kerrick glares at her, and she just giggles.

 

“Don’t even compare the two,” he growls. “Hutta was much more pleasant this.”

 

Mako looks around the room, before turning back to Kerrick. She nods, before pulling her hands away and turning her attention to the drinks and treats on the bar.

 

"That is true,” she says after a moment of silence. “But don’t worry, boss,” she adds softly. “We have a plan to spring you,”

 

Kerrick raises an eyebrow in suspicion.

 

“We?” he reiterates slowly. Mako looks up at him, and the smile she gives him is so downright mischievous and evil that it warms Kerrick right down to the tips of his toes.

 

He’s proud that the girl, so much like a cherished sister he’s never had, has learned some things from him.

 

“Me and Blizz. He was all too eager to… er, help get you out of this once I told him how miserable you get at formals.”

 

“Help me? And how is the little guy gonna-”

 

Kerrick’s words are cut off when a loud explosion rocks the room. Screams fill the air, and another explosion rocks the room. Dust falls from the ceiling, and smoke begins to fog the air.

 

Coughing, Kerrick reaches out and grips Mako’s forearm, keeping her close to him.

 

“This was Blizz’s plan?” Kerrick hisses, as people begin rushing past him to the exits. Mako hacks a cough and tries to wave the smoke away from her nose.

 

“Uh…well, we never managed to go over details,” Mako says weakly, as Kerrick half-drags her with him to an exit.

 

Once they reach a corridor that’s filling up with the guests, Kerrick peers back into the room to see Blizz dashing across the floor, a large blaster hoisted over his little shoulder.

 

When his yellow eyes peer at Kerrick from beneath his hood, the bounty hunter sees Blizz give him a wink. Then he’s gone, disappearing into the smoke.

 

“That guy is low, dirty and so destructive…” Kerrick mutters, watching the patrons scrambling about to get the situation under control. “He really tried to blow up a room just to get me free of a party?”

 

He turns to Mako, just in time to see her nod.

 

“I love him,” he declares after a moment.

 

Mako just grins.

 

 

Author's Note: Blizz FTW!!

 

... Actually, I think this may fall under "right" timing? Well, maybe not for the innocent bystanders involved...

 

hehehe.. this was great. and I sooooooo love Bilzz

[RepublicGurl]

hehehe.. this was great. and I sooooooo love Bilzz

 

Thank you! And I love Blizz, too! Great minds do think alike!

[imnotawitch]

Just wanted to pop in and say that due to a non-Star Wars incident yesterday, my brain is rather out of it and there may be a while until I get back into the right head space. I'll still be in IRC, so feel free to stop by!

 

Edited to add: It may be a while until I'm able to write again. That was what I meant. Sorry, brain got really messed up.

Edited September 30, 2012 by imnotawitch

[Magdalane]

@ Bright_ephemera and Kabeone-- thank you so much for the indices, I know it was a lot of work but they are much appreciated! I like to maintain continuity and it helps to be able to find things quickly.

 

@ Irishfino--you make me almost feel sorry for Quinn, quite an accomplishment

 

@ Tatile-- Hot, that's all I can say

 

@ Irrissa-- it's always a struggle to validate emotion in a Jedi family, well done

 

@ Striges-- never would have thought of the Quinn Sith legacy, interesting

 

@ RepublicGurl-- Qyzen always kinda freaked me out, so this was very fitting!

 

@ Iamnotawitch-- hope things are better for you soon!

 

You guys have no idea how much being able to come here and read has helped me this past week. The son has safely arrived "over there" and I'm finding a new normal, day by day. All of you have been so wonderful, and your kind words so very treasured.

Edited October 1, 2012 by Magdalane

[Morgani]

Sisterhood Part 10

 

Hey guys! I'm at the best part! You would have never seen any of this, or at least you would haven't seen it this good, without Kabeone. Not only did she make sure I stayed on track and kept making sense, but she helped me up when I was sitting at the bottom of a page, clueless. Thank you Kabe. I really appreciate your help and your great ideas. I added a lot of them to the story with her permission. And over all, I feel like I told a story people want to read. And that's the best kind.

 

@Mags I'm glad things are becoming a new kind of normal around your place. I think about you and your son sometimes and hope he comes home safe and whole. I should have said this earlier, but I was selfishly smothered by my own writing. I get lost sometimes. I'm sending positive thoughts to the universe for your son's health and thank you for raising a man that will defend me and the people I care about, because there are days I can't do it myself. And thank him for serving.

 

And, you mentioned I should make this its own thread. I'm thinking of doing just that. Not just for this, but the whole Ipha/Brei'yu continuity. I'll let everyone know how that goes, once I have time to see what a dumb idea that is.

 

Links!

 

 

Part 1, Ipha wakes in Wrongville

Part 2, Brei'yu wakes in Wrongville, finds Pierce in her bed.

Part 3, Brei'yu meets Pierce's Sith lord, gets a surprise.

Part 4, The brain burns are discovered, a mystery

Part 5, Ipha talks with Jorgan, Brei'yu gets a warning.

Part 6, Brei'yu contacts Ipha.

Part 7, A hesitant meeting between sisters.

Part 8, Poole closes in on the girls' location, the girls start to uncover the weird.

Part 9, The plot revealed.

 

 

 

 

“There's medical supplies everywhere,” Brei'yu said, stooping to lift a cracked and discarded kolto injector from the ground.

 

“I hear water,” Ipha said.

 

“So do I, now that you mention it.” Brei'yu stopped to listen. “Not running water. More like floating in a tub.”

 

Ipha dropped to the ground suddenly as Jorgan's legs gave out. “Aric? Aric what's wrong?” she asked frantically as he slid to his back.

 

“I tried baby. But I can't go any further than this.” Brei'yu heard pain in his voice and knelt on his other side.

 

“Oh, you were hit!” Ipha cried. “What were you thinking? Why didn't you tell me?”

 

Jorgan reached for her hand and she grasped it with both her own. “This is it for me. But you know now, don't you? Some of it?”

 

“We're trapped here, aren't we? Which of us real and which of us is like you?” she whispered tearfully.

 

“You know the answer to that already. Hold on to each other. It's the only way to wake up. Ipha. I love you.”

 

“I love you, too,” she murmured and leaned down to kiss him.

 

“Then tell me.” He exhaled once then Ipha was left holding nothing as his body burst into golden light. Parchment sprang from the empty space and began to flap. Thousands of small, tawny wisps of flapping paper swirled in the air above them, then vanished against the open night sky.

 

“The center can't hold,” Ipha whispered.

 

“Ipha?” Brei'yu asked, her eyes as round as plates. She stood and looked up at the ceiling. The walls were crumbling down, actively, as though the building was trying to bury them, or eat them. But Hutta wasn't revealing itself beyond the factory walls. Only more space, more black empty space.

 

“He was all I wanted. I should have known. I should have known when I woke and I had him that none of this was real. None of it true. He'll never love me but in here. In my head.” Ipha's voice was changing, getting higher and almost hysterical. Then she gasped and sobbed.

 

Brei'yu turned when she heard Ipha cry out. If the walls crumbling around them and revealing the dark unforgiving expanse of space was fear, then what she saw next was nightmare. Ipha clawed at her face as her features melted off and puddled at her feet.

 

Brei'yu felt a scream stick in her throat and could only stare. Ipha reached for her with hands that dripped. Her fingers were melding together. Her mouth gaped on the floor between them, no sound emitted now that it wasn't connected to her lungs. One green eye came unattached and plopped on the ground next to it.

 

Brei'yu keened her sister's name, reflexively reaching for her. When their hands touched, Brei'yu felt only sponginess. Her sister was falling apart before her eyes.

 

Ipha went to her knees as her body convulsed. Brei'yu slid next to her, catching Ipha's body in her arms. “It's going to be okay, I'm right here,” Brei'yu said as tears slid down her face. “I'm not leaving you here. Oh, Ipha. I'm sorry. So, so sorry.” Tenderly, fearful that her sister would burst like water in her hands, Brei'yu held on.

 

Ipha's face was featureless, her hands gone and her shoulders were beginning to slide away. Soon, there would be nothing left of her. Brei'yu sobbed, apologizing profusely until she felt her voice give. She was disappearing too. She bowed her head over what was left of her little sister and closed her eyes.

 

 

Within the tank, Ipha began trashing. The equipment squealed and klaxoned. Lokin and Elara rushed to the consoles and began conferring.

 

“The equipment is sensitive!” Qwib shouted. “The comas can't be sustained without around the clock monitoring!”

 

“The Subjects are waking,” Hist said, sounding horrified.

 

“Enough is f*cking enough,” Jorgan snarled. He shouldered his weapon and went to Ipha's tank. Elara joined him and tried to stop him from ripping the top clean off. She pushed herself between the raging Cathar and Ipha's tank, pleading for a little sanity.

 

“Captain! You need to give me a moment. She's attached to life support systems, you can't just disconnect her. Captain, she'll die. Please, let me!” Jorgan had shoved her out of the way but she went right back at him, nearly throwing herself onto his back. Poole ran over, grabbed Jorgan by the shoulders and shook him. “Aric,” Elara said as he deflated in Poole's grasp. “I'll help her. Let me do my job.”

 

Jorgan put his face in his hands. “Get. Her. Out.”

 

“Sir, I just need a little time.” She returned to the console where Lokin was humming over the Anomid technology. They silenced the alarms, and carefully canceled systems as the women's bodies began to operate on their own again.

 

“Fascinating, just fascinating,” Lokin murmured. “Look at this chemical compound. Built to deaden the body but keep the mind active. I see, I see. But it metabolizes too quickly.”

 

“Yes,” Elara answered. “And the dosage needs to be adjusted constantly or they'll awaken.”

 

Jorgan jumped when Ipha's hands thudded against the glass of the tank. Her mouth was moving beneath the breathing mask but her eyes were covered with the wired helmet. He shouted to her, wanting her to hear him through the pane and liquid. She thrashed again, putting her hands to her head and trying to pull herself free of the device.

 

“Brei'yu's not moving!” Westan called to Lokin as her body sank.

 

“Just a moment, she's perfectly fine,” Lokin assured him. “Whatever connection their brains had, they are on separate support systems. I just need a moment.”

 

Vector gave a small cry when Brei'yu shifted groggily.

 

The scientists were babbling, yelling and trying to get up. Kaliyo smashed her rifle butt into Qwib's skull, sending him skittering forward and flat on the floor. She pointed her rifle at Hist. “You want to look like that? Just keep moving,” she warned him.

 

“I like this girl,” Vik said with a feral smile as they guarded the Anomid security.

 

Poole moved up beside Elara. “Is it complicated?” he asked, worry coloring his tone.

 

“The life support systems are very basic and common,” she answered immediately. “The Anomid technology that affected their brains, I don't recognize most of it, but they came out of that all on their own once the scientists were in custody. Qwib was correct. If the equipment wasn't monitored and adjusted every moment, the comas would not have been sustainable.”

 

“Can we get them out?” Poole demanded.

 

“Yes! It's perfectly safe now. I recommend it.”

 

Jorgan didn't need to be told twice. With Yuun on the other side, they heaved the top of the tank off and grabbed Ipha's arms as she bobbed to the surface. Jorgan shouldered the majority of her weight, letting the gummy liquid coat his armor as he freed her. Elara rushed to his side and began disconnecting the tubing, pulling needles from her skin, the device from Ipha's head and the mask from her mouth, leaving her gasping and shaking.

 

Her eyes were unfocused and Jorgan could hear a slip of a sound emanating from between her cold lips. He leaned forward and realized she was trying to scream. He gathered her to him, wishing he could take off his armor and warm her against his skin. She was so cold. He called her name over and over until she blinked and looked at him. Her eyes focused on his face and she jerked violently.

 

“I don't.. I don't know,” she cried thinly. “I don't know what's real.”

 

“I'm real,” Jorgan assured her. “I'm real and I'm right here. Just hang on to me.”

 

“I have no mouth,” she moaned. “ I can't scream! I need to... scream.”

 

Jorgan bowed his head over her. He heard her name called behind him, looked to see Brei'yu slipping over the wet floor, her feet unsteady under her. The pale man with the black eyes was holding her up as she desperately tried to reach her sister. Finally he lifted her into his arms and carried her over himself.

 

“Ipha,” Brei'yu sobbed. “Your face, oh your face. You're okay, honey. You're just fine.” She pushed away from Vector and knelt beside her sister. She looked into Jorgan's face, and he into hers, and she was fiercely glad it was him that held Ipha. Rather than pull her sister from his embrace, she leaned over her, wrapping her arms about her shaking body. “We're here,” Brei'yu murmured.

 

Ipha slowly raised one limp arm and found the strength to sling it over her sister's back. The other reached up to Jorgan and rested briefly on his cheek before falling into Brei'yu's hair.

 

Westan moved up beside Poole, his clothes soaked and sticking to his body, his eyes dark and deadly. Poole watched the restrained chaos, his chest tight with rage. “They need medical attention,” Westan said.

 

“You want to separate them now?” Poole asked.

 

“No, that would be bad.” Westan ran a hand through his hair, leaving it standing up in all directions.

 

“My ship is fully stocked and medical capable,” Poole said. “Once... we know they're alright, you and your people will be free to go.”

 

Westan looked up at Poole with a hard eye. “You're asking me to put a lot of trust in you again,” he said.

 

“Do it for them,” Poole answered.

 

“I don't have a choice.”

 

“No,” Poole said. “You don't.”

 

Westan moved to Vector's side. “We're taking them out of here,” he told the Joiner. Vector nodded with relief.

 

“Brei'yu,” he murmured in her ear as she clutched her sister tightly. “We are leaving. It's time to go, love.”

 

“I can't leave her.”

 

“We're going with them,” Westan said. “Just, let us help you.”

 

“My head,” Brei'yu moaned. Vector swept her back into his arms.

 

“Kaliyo,” Westan snapped. The Rattataki looked up, met Westan's eye and nodded.

 

“Done,” she said.

 

Poole heard the rifle shots as he left the room. He didn't look back. As he lead his team out the door, he heard a crash and the sound of glass breaking.

 

Just let Fren'ishe try to put another experiment here. “Light it up!” he cried as he reached the speeders.

 

<to be concluded>

 

Edited October 1, 2012 by Morgani

[iamthehoyden]

Sisterhood Part 10

 

“You know the answer to that already. Hold on to each other. It's the only way to wake up. Ipha. I love you.”

 

“I love you, too,” she murmured and leaned down to kiss him.

 

“Then tell me.” He exhaled once then Ipha was left holding nothing as his body burst into golden light. Parchment sprang from the empty space and began to flap. Thousands of small, tawny wisps of flapping paper swirled in the air above them, then vanished against the open night sky.

Just. Omg. Wow. And holy crap. That whole thing was awesome and I CAN'T WAIT to see the conclusion, but this part up here ^^ <whimper> and bounce bounce bounce!!