Force of Wills: The Ties that Bind

[Serris_Kell]

AHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! I love what happens to Jasea, both whats she's done to herself and what happens to her. Talk about just deserts! Gods, I loathe DS Jasea. She's such a maniacal tryhard that I can totally see her "passions" leading her into being a sickening mockery of what she could have been.

 

"Darth Desperate" indeed. I may dislike you intensely Pierce, but I'll give you props on that one. All things considered, becoming vine cat fodder was probably a mercy for Jasea, because I doubt Ardyth would be very impressed with Jasea assaulting her husband over him telling the brutal truth.

 

Dantooine. Uh-oh.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Serris_Kell

[Ayanka]

Warning, this one is dark.

 

The Emperor’s Fortress

 

That's just great Your Emperor is behaving just as I myself would imagine him to. And sorry guys, who want to see her dead, but I still do love Ardyth for beeing just as evil, as she is

 

In fact, I love your whole story and most charakters, as everyone is behaving just the way he/she should. No evil Jedi and no nice Sith, people who should be ruthless are ruthless and people who should care about morale concepts, do care. Oh, and of course there's the rather thrilling course of events^^

[Earthmama]

Weather Light XS Freighter

 

 

The Weather Light was a big ship, despite his misgivings, three people should have been able to live comfortably in this ship. His mother had once lived with five others, but now that he was no longer alone, he had no idea how she did it. Already Aaron had forced him out of the Captains quarters and into one of the crew bunks, insisting Oriah have the big bed, which made no sense since she was the smallest. Aaron said something about manners and chivalry but Cohen tuned out when he started sounding like their father. So he was sharing a room with his brother like he had his entire childhood, and Aaron still snored.

 

The upside was Oriah, she was gorgeous, and smart and snorted when she laughed which he thought was the cutest thing ever. Problem was, again, Aaron, every time Cohen tried to find Oriah alone, he would round a corner and come face to chest his big brother. In the end Cohen would just hide out in the cockpit, working on the terminal there, trying to figure out an over ride for the transmitting signal. Cohen was close, but the signal was dynamic, the frequency would change slightly at seemingly random intervals, but there was a pattern, there was always a pattern, he just had to figure it out. He was eyeballs deep in equations, his mind turning over numbers as such that he didn’t hear her come in, or take up a perch next to him so that she could look over his shoulder at the console he was working at.

 

“It’s dynamic! How brilliant!” Oriah finally said, her voice made Cohen jump, his heart in his throat.

 

“Don’t do that!” Cohen nearly yelled.

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, I just thought I might be able to help. I’m good with numbers, perhaps a second set of eyes?” She looked at him earnestly, excited.

 

“Yeah, sure, have at it.” She slid into his chair her body leaning against his leg, Cohen smiled at the closeness, at the softness of her body, but when he looked back down at her, those blue eyes were looking at him expectantly, eye brow raised.

 

“Excuse me” She said, nudging his leg away.

 

“Right, sorry.” So much for that. Oriah looked over his work for what couldn’t have been more than five minutes.

 

“You’re algorithm is sound, but you failed to take into account the hyperspace fluctuations every third signal is travelling on. Here.” Her fingers flew across the keyboard, plugging in the missing information. “Now watch.” Sure enough the ship was now effectively blocking the signal.

 

Cohen looked from the terminal, then to Oriah like she was some kind of wizard. “Well, thank you, Oriah.”

 

“I didn’t do much, you were the one who did most of the leg work…wait.” Her eyes narrowed on the terminal. “There’s another signal.”

 

“What?” Cohen leaned over her to get a closer look at the terminal, sure enough, a second signal was getting through. “That wasn’t there before.” His arms reached around Oriah’s form, so that he could access the keyboard, their cheeks nearly touching. “This doesn’t make any sense” he murmured more to himself then to the red head his body was currently keeping captive. He ejected the data cube and spun Oriah around in the chair. He knelt in front of her holding it up for her to see.

 

“Does this look familiar to you?”

 

“It’s a datacube, I’ve seen hundreds of them in my lifetime.” Oriah was confused, she took it out of his hands and turned it over, looking at it from all angles. She gasped suddenly with recognition, not only in what Cohen was implying, but how she knew she had the missing piece of the puzzle. “A second cube.”

 

She bounced up from her chair and raced to her newly appointed room, and then turned her bag over emptying it of its contents, Cohen was right on her heels. She snatched up the cube her step father had given her, nearly identical to Cohen’s, then turned to present them both to Cohen, who wore a face of wonder.

 

“How did you?”

 

“It was a gift from my step-father. He never told me what it was, only that it was a puzzle.” She frowned when she thought back to the day he gave it to her.

 

Cohen walked over and took both cubes from her hands, then gave her a significant look, “Could he be using it to track your movements?”

 

Oriah had not even thought of the possibility, “I…I don’t think so, he never gave me the impression that he knew what was on it either.”

 

“Do you trust him?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then let’s get to work.” They left the room and started making their way back to the cockpit.

 

“Cohen, I think, we could even use your algorithm to reverse engineer the signal.”

 

“And figure out where the last two cubes are…and where the signal is going.” He followed her train of thought, she was brilliant, Cohen was impressed. She nodded her head excitedly at him and suddenly the spark that had driven him on this mad errand was reignited.

 

Aaron watched them both from the corner of his eye, Cohen was behaving, for now. He would have to poke his head into the cockpit in a little while, to make sure he continued. First things first, was getting a hold of his parents to let them know they were coming, no one had answered his last three calls, and he was getting worried. Finally his father appeared on the holoterminal, with a nasty cut on his forehead.

 

“Dad? Are you alright?”

 

Corso Riggs had an strange and unusually serious look on his face, for the first time ever Aaron thought he looked old, tired.

 

“I’ll manage son. You on the Weather Light?”

 

“Yeah, Mit and me were able to talk some sense into Cohen, Mitka’s still out in the field with work, but I’m here with Cohen, and a new….friend.” Aaron wondered why it felt strange to refer to Oriah like that. “We’re heading home to return the Weather Light to mom.”

 

“No, don’t, stay away from Dantooine, it’s not safe, especially for Cohen.” Corso’s voice was strained worried. Aaron was more than a little shocked by his words.

 

“I don’t understand dad, what’s going on?” Corso shook his head at his sons query.

 

“I promise your mother and I will explain everything when we can, but now’s not the time. Just stay with your brother, keep him safe alright?”

 

“Yeah, dad, of course, you can count on me.” Aaron felt a sinking feeling of dread in his stomach.

 

“Good, good, I love you son.” Corso sounded relived and ran a hand over his brown and grey dreads.

 

“I love you too dad.” The call ended, and Aaron felt a chill in his spine, then said a silent prayer to the Force, the old gods and the new, that he would see his parents again.

 

 

[Perihelion]

That's just great Your Emperor is behaving just as I myself would imagine him to. And sorry guys, who want to see her dead, but I still do love Ardyth for beeing just as evil, as she is

 

In fact, I love your whole story and most charakters, as everyone is behaving just the way he/she should. No evil Jedi and no nice Sith, people who should be ruthless are ruthless and people who should care about morale concepts, do care. Oh, and of course there's the rather thrilling course of events^^

 

I do want her dead, very much so in fact, but she is too interesting and deliciously evil, so I hope she dies at the very end.

[MilaniGrey]

I can't believe you made Jaesa fat and ugly. I totally have a girl-crush on Jaesa. Well, LS Jaesa. DS Jaesa creeps me out. My Juggernaut leveled LS, and it was before they fixed Jaesa's combat commentary. So every time I used Jaesa in a fight, I'd have to hear "Their pain is exquisite." (aka her DS combat comentary.) Super duper creepy.

[Earthmama]

Dantooine

 

 

Corso flicked off the holoterminal then flopped over on the couch, letting out his breath. He hadn’t realized he had been holding it. Ainsley had promised him Cohen would be alright, but neither of them knew who it was that had reactivated the Cabal, it had been over twenty years since it had gone dark and the last Hunter, Ainsley’s sister, had been killed. Corso wasn’t about to start taking chances with his children’s lives. That’s what they were to him, they might have been adults now, but they would forever be his three little imps playing naked in the sprinkler on a hot summers day, no matter how many military academies they graduated from, or ships they stole, they were his babies and he would protect them with everything he had.

 

“Was that Aaron’s voice I heard?” Ainsley wandered in, she crawled onto Corso’s lap and rested her head on his chest. They were both exhausted, they had barely slept in the past week since what had happened. Ainsley was afraid she would hurt someone again, and if Corso was honest with himself, he was afraid of the same thing. Akaavi hadn’t said much, only that Ainsley was her sister, and that she would be with them until the end, whatever that end was.

 

“It was, he’s with Cohen on the Weather Light, told them to stay away until we know more.” He smoothed his wife’s hair, he flinched when his fingers swept against her cybernetics. Ainsley had the grace to ignore it, knowing Corso needed to process everything in his own way.

 

“That’s good, I’m glad they’re together. Any word on Mitka?”

 

Corso shook his head, “Only that she’s working, doing some super secret classified Havoc mission. She’ll be ok, she has a good team.” Oh his three children Corso tended to worry about his youngest the least, not because she was adopted or different, but because she had already been through it all, and come out the other side stronger. She was smart and capable, force bless her, she was just like her mother, tough as nails, she would survive whatever could be thrown her way. He grinned to himself, at how much his views on women in general had changed since meeting Ainsley. His wife and daughter probably needed the least looking after in this family. The Riggs men on the other hand…

 

“Corso, you should grab some shut eye, I don’t know when my contact is getting here, and I have a feeling things are going to take a turn for the chaotic when they arrive.” Corso only grunted his answer, as they fell asleep together on the couch.

 

Akaavi woke them both, in what could have either been hours or minutes later they had slept so soundly.

 

“A ship just landed.” She handed Ainsley her gun holster with both pistols already waiting and handed Corso his rifle. Akaavi swung her tech staff from her back into her hands and the trio went outside to meet whatever had arrived on their doorstep.

 

Ainsley surveyed the slick silver Phantom class ship, the gangplank lowered and a person she did not expect descended. Ainsley took a few steps forward, hands on hips, never far from her pistols.

 

“Wow, you got old!” Ainsley greeted the man, with a faint quirk on her lips.

 

“Now, now, is that anyways to greet your father?” Dr.Lokin responded with a genial smile. Ainsley approached him, guard up but slightly relieved by the familiar face, at least she knew what kind of man Lokin was, knew what to expect. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and obliged him with a light kiss on his soft wrinkled cheek. “That’s better.” He examined her cybernetic eye, “I trust it hasn’t given you any trouble?”

 

“Nah, good as the day you installed it.”

 

Lokin looked past her and noticed Akaavi and Corso. His smile remained but his eyes were disappointed, cold and calculating.

 

“I believe introductions are in order, Hunter?”

 

“My sister was Hunter, call me Ainsley, this is Akaavi Spar, my sister in arms, and Corso Riggs, my husband.” Ainsley challenged him, she hadn’t realized it, but she had pulled one of her pistols on the man who was, genetically speaking, her father.

 

“This isn’t how it’s done Hunter, you know this, no loose ends.” He persisted anyways.

 

“Ainsley” she corrected, “and I don’t much care for how things are done, these are my people, and I prefer them breathing.”

 

Lokin held her stare a moment longer, thinking, “four is better than two I suppose, especially considering our next task.” He shrugged and turned away first, walking back up the gangplank. “Gather what you need Hu-, Ainsley, we leave as soon as you and your comrades are ready.” Lokin thought Ainsley was a lovely name, he wondered who she had been before his daughter had killed her.

 

 

[kabeone]

didn't see that one coming. amazing as usual. <3

[Earthmama]

Corellia

 

 

Mitka and the rest of Havoc were dug in deep, she never thought she would be fighting in a museum. She spun around the corner taking down another Imp before falling back in place behind the wall. She closed her eyes briefly, taking in a deep breath. She could hear Aric barking orders, quick efficient, M1-4X, sounded like he was singing the republic anthem between mortar volleys, Elara had the entire crew on monitor, dashing to each member with a bit of Kolto or a stim calling out “Hold still!” or “I’ll help you!” Her voice today felt unnervingly shrill. Tanno, laughed like a holonet villain as he crept back from setting another charge, and Yuun clicked and nattered in his strange language, she caught the words hunt and karma. Then a voice in the back of her mind, a voice she couldn’t block no matter how hard she tried.

 

“Major, you have to come and get me! Don’t leave me here! I don’t want to die!” Ava Jaxo, probably the best friend Mitka had ever had, and she had ordered her death. On paper it made sense, three hundred for one. In her heart though, it still felt wrong, like she had missed something, like she had failed. She flicked her yellow eyes open again full of grit and hate and flipped out from behind her cover aiming her rifle at the heads of her enemies. Three more down. The hangar like display was littered with Imperial bodies, the ship was ringed with velvet rope. She signaled the rebel pilots to her position and to get the flying antique out of her sight.

 

Once she got back to command she reported mission success to Garza, giving both her CO and the rebel allies the most thinly veiled semblance of civility before stalking out of the room. She was angry, and she still wanted to punch Garza in the face for congratulating her on rescuing the POW’s . She wanted to punch Aric for supporting her decision of leaving Jaxo to die, she wanted to punch Elara for not being Jaxo, and she wanted to punch Tanno for being a smug bastard. If Yuun decided to approach her and give her some of his hippy spiritual garbage, she would probably want to punch him too, but he was a smart man, and gave her space. She thought about putting a restraining bolt in 4X to shut him up, and simply thought that punching him would hurt. She had been like this for almost a solid week now, thankfully fighting on the Corellian front lines fed her rage, and Havoc had been supremely effective in their operations.

 

She tossed her kit on her assigned bunk while they sojourned on Corellia, grabbed a ration pack and Vik’s flask and headed for the roof. She sat looking at the skyline, the fight for Corellia had been stretching on for years now, each side gaining ground then losing it. If they could take the Bastion though, the Republic would gain an unmistakable advantage, and that was exactly where they were heading in the morning. She chewed her tasteless food washing it down with Vik’s sorry excuse for fine liquore, but it did the trick, filled her stomach and dulled her senses enough so that when it came time to sleep, she didn’t hear Jaxo’s desperate and scared voice in her head.

 

“You ever going to talk to me again?” Aric sat next to her, grabbing the flask and taking a drought, making a face as it went down. He was a whiskey man, and the contents of the flask was decidedly not whiskey.

 

“Dunno.” She responded without looking him in the eye.

 

“Mit, you did what you had to, it sucks, it's hard, but it's part of it.” He handed her back the flask.

 

“Did you know that there’s a Sergeant who has an almost perfect record, successful operations record, hasn’t failed yet. Rusk, I think his name is. Has a list of commendations a mile long. He also has a list of dead squad mates that is even longer.” She blinked hard. “I let a soldier die, and I got a pretty little medal to.”

 

Aric didn’t say anything, try as he might, he couldn’t get through her anger, it consumed her. Maybe it was the Sith in her?

 

“Leading the Deadeyes, did you ever get a shiny medal for leaving a man behind?” She asked accusingly.

 

“Yeah, I did.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a medal, attached to a blue ribbon, made to be affixed to a dress uniform, it had the image of a blazing sun on it. Probably had some pompous name. “I keep it with me, to remind me of what’s at stake, to remind me of my failures, and what’s necessary.”

 

Mitka reached out and touched it, “what was his name?” her tone had softened considerably.

 

“Her name was Katie Cannedy, she was a corporal under my command.” His husky voice seemed far away, “I loved her once” His thumb rubbed the sun absently, his eyes staring blankly. “I’ve never forgiven myself, I’ve tried, but her ghost and her memory won’t let me. I can’t remember what she looks like, but I remember…”

 

“I’m sorry Aric.” Mitka put her hand on his, he clenched it.

 

“It was a long time ago, old wounds.” He pocketed the medal. “Why do you think I went after my boys the way I did? I wouldn’t let them be betrayed the way Katie was.”

 

“Promise me you won’t die tomorrow. You’re leading B squad, I can’t make that call, not for you, so promise me you’ll survive, don’t put me in that position to choose the greater good or you.”

 

Aric grabbed her face and kissed her, she started to cry as their lips mingled, and she wrapped her arms around him, wanting to hold onto this moment, not wanting to think of the morning. Mitka’s lips started to quiver, which only made him kisser her harder. His fingers ran through her hair as his thumbs absently wiped away her tears. He couldn’t keep the promise she was asking from him, but he would try his damndest, Force willing it would be enough. He pulled away, keeping his forehead pressed against hers.

 

“Babe, you know I can’t, but what I can promise, is that when we’re done with this Op, I’m marrying you.”

 

“Usually a marriage proposal is in the form of a question.” Mitka laughed softly through the tears.

 

“Yeah, well I’m not asking, I’m not letting you get away. I love you, and I’m spending the rest of my life with you, if you don’t like it, then kick me out of Havoc…sir.” His voice was thick and there was an underlying growl that sent shivers down her spine.

 

“Then we’re getting married after we take the Bastion Captain.” He caught her lips again, he was more urgent, more commanding and she surrendered to the man she loved, as they half blindly found a secluded and shaded corner on the roof.

 

 

***

 

 

Gault cut the transmission, and looked away from his snipers scope. Everyone was having sex except Gault, he thought briefly of Mako, then shook his head, too skinny. He had a clear shot, but he was so deep in Pub territory, they would have been on him in minutes, he had already died enough in one lifetime, besides he was on an intel gathering mission. He tapped into Ava’s radio frequency.

 

“Hey Boss, I’ve got some Intel for you.”

 

 

[bright_ephemera]

["W]hat I can promise, is that when we’re done with this Op, I’m marrying you.”

 

 

Oh, Jorgan. I like.

 

Also, Tanno Vik laughing like a holonet villain...yep.

[Earthmama]

Defender class starship.

 

 

The last time she opened her eyes she had been floating, looking through the thickness of the kolto, she could see him. His eyes had opened, and he had laid in the darkened room watching her as her body moved with the slight current of the liquid in the tank. Through the sweetness and the thickness of the kolto she could feel his energy pulsing, reaching out to her, he was weak, but he was not diminished. She had extended her own senses, touching him faintly, shyly with the light. Their force energies mingled lazily, neither insisting, simply assuring the other that they were there. Eventually the warmth that surrounded her pushed her back into a dreamless sleep.

When she woke again she was in her own bed. She spread her fingers over the clean linens and dared a stretch, her muscled complained but obeyed.

 

“Welcome back.” Kira walked into the room, and poured a glass of water from a nearby carafe. Kianna sat up and accepted the water thankfully, and drank it all before speaking, first banishing the medicinal metallic taste of the rebreather and the sweetness of the kolto.

 

“Thank you, how long was I out for? How is he?” Kianna pulled the soft sleep warmed linens away from her skin, the ship air gave her a chill. Kira handed her a warm robe and soft leather slippers.

 

“Four days in the tank, and a good twenty four hours in your own bed. Scourge has been up for the last three, but has been anything but a model patient, he’s locked himself in the cargo hold. Won’t let Doc near him.” Kira stopped, a troubled look on her face. “His emotions are back, along with the senses he lost…they’re erratic, wild, it’s like he can’t control them, I know he’s Sith, but he’s everywhere.”

 

“I can feel it too.” He was there, not physically, but his essence, he was all over the ship, his anger, his pride, his shame, and passion, his unbridled power. Under it all was fear. After three hundred years of nothingness, it had all come slamming back into him, the force of it, had nearly killed him. She slipped into some loose fitting pants, and a warm tunic and headed down to the cargo bay.

 

Doc met her halfway down the steps, “Good you’re up.” He led her into the med bay, and took some scans, checking the wound sites, once satisfied she was alright, he handed her a small pill bottle.

 

“What’s this?” Kianna inquired quizzically

 

“Blood pressure pills. Big red needs to take them, but he won’t let me in the cargo bay. Whatever he is going through, his heart is weak, and he won’t let me treat him. These will help.” Doc was visibly annoyed, but all Kianna could feel was Scourge’s overwhelming presence from the cargo bay. She nodded to and crossed the hallway.

 

Kianna slipped into the large dark room, the lights were out. She felt around the wall for the switch.

 

“Don’t, the light, it still burns.” His voice was hoarse, her eyes fought to adjust to the dark, Kianna heard him stand, the dark side permeated everything, she found it disorienting. It was pungent like too much incense had been burned.

 

“Foolish Jedi, it was unwise of you to come to me unarmed. I expected better from you.” Kianna was acutely aware that she had left her lightsaber in her room, and she did not trust the tone in Scourges voice. She squinted her eyes and starting to see overturned crates, crystals scattered the floor, she didn’t see him, but sensed him come closer. Without saber or armor she felt distinctly like prey.

 

“I’m not your enemy Scourge, remember that we are allies...”

 

“You ARE my enemy Jedi, never forget that we are enemies, but I am not a fool. I will not kill you. I have regained my senses and emotions, I have not forgotten my vision in the process.” His voice was low and silken, it sounded like he was behind her and so she spun around cursing the dark.

 

“If you need help…”

 

“Do not pity me.”

 

“I don’t.” she lied.

 

“How do you hope to help me? What can a Jedi teach a Sith about raw emotion.” He had not been behind her after all, because his hand slid up her arm, he spun her around again and slammed her into the wall. Without armor on she felt everything, and she winced.

 

She saw his eyes first red glowing in a sea of black, slowly the contour of his face and body materialized. His hands gripped her, he would leave bruises. The look he gave her was pain, and anger.

 

“I know enough from fighting them, that those who use their emotions wildly and unfocused are the most easily defeated. Those that focus their emotions, convert them to power have been my most hard won fights.” He lessened his grip and smiled wolfishly at her.

 

“You think you can defeat me?” He let go of her, stepped back and ignited his light saber. He had lost reason, his instincts and impulses ruled him.

 

“I have defeated you, there is no thought involved, and I will not fight you like this, not as you are.” Her words were met with a vicious back hand sending her to the floor, splitting her lip.

 

“Fight me!” he spoke quietly, dangerously.

 

“No.” He punched her this time. She felt her eye begin to swell almost immediately.

 

“Fight me!” This time it was a roar, his fear was breaking through. Kianna shook her head, he punched her again, she grunted from the impact. He watched her for a moment on the floor, and then fell to his knees, “kill me.” He whispered, his terror exposing him.

 

“No, I will not do that.” She slowly got up and walked over to his form, his face was covered by his hands. Kianna reached out and tentatively caressed his bald head, she both felt and heard him exhale. She stood before him with a hand on his head and she channeled the light, the energy was precise, focused, like a sun beam it burned away his fear, exposing it as weak.

 

“What are you doing?” His voice was still a whisper; he did not trust himself to speak. His darkness snaked around the light.

 

“Just the fear.” Kianna assured him. In truth she didn’t know what she was doing, only that this wild unchecked fear was overwhelming him, and that he needed it gone to refocus the rest of his power. He had done the same for her not very long ago, crushing her fear, so that she could find her focus.

 

The smoky tendrils of the dark side wrapped around the light, two sides of the same coin, the light created darkness and darkness craved the light, she felt his strong arms go around her, and his head lean against her chest, his body mimicking his energy. When the fear was all but gone he pulled her down to him so that they were both sitting on the hard floor, she found herself surrounded by him, she sat between his legs, his arms still held her. He did not apologize, or thank her, however his brow did crease when he inspected her face, and she sensed his regret. His fingers lightly but tenderly touched her wounds, until his thumb stopped at the corner of her lips and began wiping the blood away.

 

“I feel like a child again, first discovering my power, it overwhelms me, demands to be answered…” His voice was quiet and husky. The blood was long gone from Kianna’s lips yet his thumb continued to trace their outline. “I had forgotten, what it feels like, after so many years…”

 

The nerves in her lips were singing, his touch was electric, her energy had changed, no longer a focused beam, but moving, like wind, stirring up the darkness playfully. His thumb moved, gently prodding her lips open, her tongue wanted to dart out and taste him, but she held herself in check. It was too soon, and Scourge was too unstable, it would be folly to give in to desire, when not even an hour earlier he had struck her as he did. She pressed her lips against his thumb, leaving just the smallest hint of moisture. His eyes closed and he pressed his forehead onto hers, holding her tightly. She stood up, gently pulling her energy away from his, he understood, even without words he knew he was simply too volatile. He let her go without protest, until light and darkness were once again separate, she placed the pill bottle beside him, then ran a hand over his head and along his face until he looked her in the eyes.

 

“Take them, please. I need you to be strong again, body and mind.” Her voice was quiet, rough. He nodded. Then with great reluctance she left him, sitting in the middle of the cargo bay alone.

 

**

 

The light in the hallways made her squint, Doc and Kira were waiting for her.

 

“Hey, what the? I JUST fixed you!” Doc turned and went back to the med bay to get a kolto pack for her face. “Tell me you at least got him to take his blood pressure pills?”

 

“I did, he’ll take them.” Kianna answered between winces as Doc dabbed the cool gel onto her black eye.

 

“Why did he hit you?” Kira asked.

 

“He tried to goad me into killing him. I refused.” Kira could only give her a bewildered look.

 

“I will never understand Sith.”

 

“Do you remember the first time you felt the force Kira? Do you remember how you felt?”

 

“Yeah, I was terrified, but, he’s been using the Force all these years…”

 

“He’s been using it, but he hasn’t felt it, felt its source in three hundred years.” Kianna stressed her words. Kira looked doubtful but nodded.

 

“T7 is almost done with the decryption from that data cube.” She finally said, dropping the subject of Scourge.

 

Kianna had almost entirely forgotten about it, “Great! Thanks Kira” Kianna hopped off the palette and headed towards the engine room. On her way she reached up and touched her lips and inhaled sharply thinking of his touch.

 

 

Edited August 29, 2012 by Earthmama

[kabeone]

I've read the last passage at least 10 times now. So good each time. *swoooons*

[MilaniGrey]

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

[Earthmama]

Shadowtown

 

 

Shiloh lay nestled in Malavai’s arms, he was still shivering, his fever burning his body, he was pale with a sheen of sweat covering him. Shiloh held on tighter, his body heat was nearly intolerable to her, but she did her best with the nothing that they had to treat him. After so many years of him looking after her, it was Shiloh’s turn to look after him. There had been no visitors since the last, and as the days dragged on, and Shiloh hoped that they might at last be forgotten. Malavai grunted and moaned in his fever induced sleep, she wiped the sweat from his face with a damp rag and lifted his lips to the mug of tepid water, he drank absently.

 

She couldn’t recall how long he had been sick, she remembered how he had collapsed, he had been tracking his daughters, Oriah had made contact with Mitka much to his delight, and neither had shot the other on sight. She had never seen such a look of pure joy on his face before, the pride he puffed himself up with, the Quinn girls they had taken to calling them. Then he had fallen from his chair, saying he was just tired, Shiloh had helped him to bed, and there he had stayed as illness ravaged his body. Some days ago he fell into a deep sleep, he had yet to wake up, no matter how hard Shiloh prayed, or willed him to open his eyes, he remained asleep, deteriorating. She starting singing to him, an old Chiss lullaby she remembered from her childhood, it seemed to calm him, even though they were sung in a language he didn’t know.

 

The cell was flooded with light, as a great many boots filed into the room. She shielded her eyes, one of the figures lowered themselves to her, she lifted her arm up, reflex from so many years of abuse. A hand reached out, and she physically flinched from the touch. Not now, she couldn’t be taken now, he needed her, she felt her stomach lurch, what if he died while she was gone.

 

“Shiloh, my dear, I’m not here to hurt you.” She knew that voice, and squinted against the light. \

 

“Lokin.” She breathed the word, not daring to hope, had he really come?

 

“Yes, I’m here.” His face cleared up, he had a few more wrinkles but otherwise looked the same.

 

“You’re still alive!” She reached out and touched his face, it was real, he was real, not a hallucination, she pulled him into a hug, fighting back tears. He was real.

 

“Why is everyone so surprised by my state of health?” He hugged her back, Ainsley might be his biological daughter, but Shiloh was the daughter of his heart. “Come, it’s time you left this place.”

 

“Wait, you must help him.” She motioned to Malavai, “He’s sick, and I won’t leave him.”

 

Lokin looked at the man Shiloh had indicated, “I’ll do what I can, I promise, but first.” He injected her with the anesthetic. “We need to remove that pesky bomb from the base of your skull.”

 

When she woke, she thought her hallucinations had begun again.

 

“Hunter?” She whispered, it had been so long, her ghosts had left her in peace for years now.

 

“Call me Ainsley, Hunter was my sister.” Shiloh was hit with recognition, Captain Ainsley Isiz, the last time Shiloh had seen her, was the day Malavai had beaten her and left her for dead…

 

“Malavai?” she tried to sit up but Ainsley held her down.

 

“Lokin is working on him, how did you two end up here together, and not kill each other? Last time I saw the two of you together…”

 

“He tried to kill me, yes. Malavai was sent here for failing to kill that same child, and I was sent here because I had hid a certain something from the empire…and failed to kill a certain child.” She closed her eyes, and felt the back of her head where a patch of hair had been shaved away. No loose stitches this time, but a plasma seal closed the wound. It was gone, she could almost taste freedom. Lokin came into view with a grim look on his face.

 

“I can cure him, it will take a week of intensive Kolto tank therapy and antibiotic treatment, but I can heal him.” His voice was flat dull, emotionless.

 

“But, we don’t have a Kolto tank .” Shiloh said, a stone in her stomach.

 

“No we don’t.”

 

“So, take the bomb out of his head, and we’ll get him to one…” Shiloh was pleading, she looked back at Malavai’s sleeping form, and for the first time in almost sixteen years she saw Vector, he was standing over him, a sad smile on his lips, her angel of death. “Get away from him! He’s not dead!”

 

“He’s too weak, if the anesthesia doesn’t kill him, the surgery itself will. Shiloh, I’m sorry.” Lokin spoke gently.

 

“No! Ekard, please! You have to try, I won’t leave him here to die alone, please, I’m begging you please. They took Vector from me, don’t let them take Malavai too. Please.” She was begging him, like she had begged Lord Ardyth so many years before to spare the man she loved. Vector was still standing over Malavai, she pushed herself from the hard cot and covered Malavai’s body with hers.

 

“You can’t have him.” She told Vector, who smiled sadly at her. “Now wake up, Mal, wake up, we’re being rescued, and you need to wake up, and show them you’re strong so that Lokin can remove the bomb. Please, we can be free, and you can see your girls. Wake up, please wake up.” She shook his body gently, kissing his face, wiping away the tears that fell on his warm pale face.

 

She felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see Lokin a determined look on his face. “I can try.”

 

The next few hours were tense as they prepared Malavai Quinn for surgery, Shiloh stayed by his side, holding his hand, willing him to be strong, to survive against the odds. She brushed the soft stubble on his cheek, and tried to sing to him through the lump in her throat. Eventually the tiny bomb was deposited bloody into the metal bowl beside the cot, and Lokin started packing the wound and closing his patient back up again. He cursed under his breath and his deft hands worked quickly to save his patient as his brain started to swell beyond the confines of his skull. Malavai continued to breath, Shiloh focused only on that. Lokin took his gloves off and covered his eyes with one hand, he couldn’t look at her. Shiloh kept singing to Malavai.

 

“He’s alive she said, you got the bomb out and he’s alive. We can move him now, to a kolto tank, and you can save him.” She focused on the rise and fall of his back, he was alive, he could be healed.

 

“No Shiloh, his brain, started to swell, I can heal him physically, but he’ll never wake up, he’s brain dead.” Lokin said gruffly.

 

“He’s alive, he’s alive….please. Mal, wake up. Just give him some time, he’ll wake up.” Shiloh was lying to herself, but she couldn’t let go, she gripped his hand, she couldn’t leave him here alone.

 

“Ainsley there’s a patrol of guards with at least one Sith on their way to this level, we’ve lingered too long.” Akaavi informed her Captain, but everyone heard her.

 

Lokin went to Shiloh’s side, and began the process of prying Shiloh away from Quinn. Unlinking her fingers from his. Shiloh looked up, Vector had returned and sat beside him.

 

“We’ll stay with him agent, we promise, he won’t be alone, he would be upset if you didn’t escape.” The ghost urged her

 

“I’m sorry Mal, I’m sorry…” She let Lokin guide her away, with the rest of the group, Ainsley hung back to cover their escape.

 

Before leaving Ainsley planted some charges, she walked over to Quinn, and turned him over on his back. “I promised you I would take care of your daughter, and I did, I still do, I’ll look after her too. Ok? I’ll look after her too.” She gave Quinn a quick kiss before shooting him in the head, so that he wouldn’t die alone in this place.

 

 

 

Authors note

 

I am emotionally raw after writing this. I think I cried the whole time, typing through tears. So i'm sorry if I upset anyone, cause it certainly upset me.

 

Edited August 30, 2012 by Earthmama

[bright_ephemera]

 

“I promised you I would take care of your daughter, and I did, I still do, I’ll look after her too. Ok? I’ll look after her too.” She gave Quinn a quick kiss before shooting him in the head, so that he wouldn’t die alone in this place.

 

 

Didn't wholly get me 'til the end, but, it feels like you punched me in my everything.

[MilaniGrey]

Excuse me while I go cry in a corner.

[greyjedibp]

Sorry can't understand frist part nut can't edit it for somereson

 

Here what said:

**** Ardyth I hope light Fire and Burn to Death and Shoot head 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 time and Kick her Body and Chop her head off

 

So sorry about it

Edited August 30, 2012 by greyjedibp

[kabeone]

Shadowtown

 

 

Before leaving Ainsley planted some charges, she walked over to Quinn, and turned him over on his back. “I promised you I would take care of your daughter, and I did, I still do, I’ll look after her too. Ok? I’ll look after her too.” She gave Quinn a quick kiss before shooting him in the head, so that he wouldn’t die alone in this place.

 

 

 

Authors note

 

I am emotionally raw after writing this. I think I cried the whole time, typing through tears. So i'm sorry if I upset anyone, cause it certainly upset me.

 

This was wrenching. I still hate Quinn but you made me love Mal.

 

<3

[Earthmama]

Let's tally the death shall we?

 

 

Vector

Risha

Temple

Kaliyo

Quinn

Jaesa

 

 

pew pew pew!!!

Edited August 31, 2012 by Earthmama

[MilaniGrey]

Who's next, Andronikus? Maybe Broonmark?

[Adwynyth]

Shadowtown

 

 

Before leaving Ainsley planted some charges, she walked over to Quinn, and turned him over on his back. “I promised you I would take care of your daughter, and I did, I still do, I’ll look after her too. Ok? I’ll look after her too.” She gave Quinn a quick kiss before shooting him in the head, so that he wouldn’t die alone in this place.

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The only decent Quinn in the galaxy dies!

 

[Earthmama]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The only decent Quinn in the galaxy dies!

 

 

 

Funny thing about this, Quinn was supposed to live, but every time I went to write it, or let him get to freedom he slowly started reverting back to calculating slightly evil Quinn, he would have eventually corrupted Oriah, let's just say AU Oriah who gets to keep her father end up just like him.....Game version him, emotionless repressed, dark. So in order for Quinn to remain good and redeemed he had to stay in jail, and he had to be with Shiloh. He would have died eventually, because Ardyth wouldn't have let him live, but I decided he would die good, instead of die as he slipped back into Quinness (is that a word?) perverting what Shiloh had envisioned for the Star Cabal.

 

[Earthmama]

Corellia

 

 

Avacynne surveyed the scene below her, her target was leading a full platoon of what looked to be four squads. She waited until they had finished clearing the Imperial soldiers. There were casualties on both sides although the Republic special forces coupled with the element of surprise seemed to have the advantage for now. They were mostly infantry, with one large battle droid who enjoyed singing the Republic’s anthem.

 

“Mako, can you take him offline, I don’t want to deal with his mortar volley’s.” Ava turned to her best friend and slicer. Her eyes went blank for a moment as she used her implant, when she refocused she smiled broadly at her. Just as the Droid suddenly fell silent. She turned to the rest of her crew.

 

“Target lives.” She looked at the large Houk in her midst, “Do you understand Skadge? The Cathar holding the big assault cannon lives.”

 

“Yeah boss, the cat lives.” Skadge snarled at her.

 

“Gault, you find your blind?” She spoke into her radio.

 

“I have a clear view of everything boss, I’ll keep your back clear.”

 

“Mako, I need you to make sure that droid doesn’t over ride whatever it is you did to it, so hang back toss out the kolto and keep the droid asleep. Torian, Blizz, Skadge, you’re with me.” Torian nodded and slipped his helmet on, Skadge grunted, Blizz somehow managed to lift his own assault cannon over his head with a hearty “Houtini!”

Ava removed her visor and put on her own helmet, charging her jump pack and loading her mini missiles for an opening move she lovingly called death from above. “Let’s earn our pay.”

 

With that she was propelled into the air and let her missiles fly, quickly reducing the remaining Republic soldiers to more manageable numbers. Her target though caught by surprise was quick to recover as her swept his gun towards Skadge and Torian keeping them from closing into melee range. Blizz and Ava swept in to flank him, Gault sniped the soldiers who went to his aid. Ava had asked her crew to keep it as non-lethal as they could, less casualties meant her targets would be more receptive to negotiation. Negotiation was key when it came to bringing in live bounties.

 

Soldiers from the Republic’s Special Forces fought fiercely but they were restricted by their equipment and what the Republic considered standard issue. They fell one by one, to a missile or blaster shot, until Ava was all but behind the Cathar in question. She kicked out his knee and pointed her twin barrels at his head.

 

“Surrender, you’re beat.” Both she and her target were breathing heavy, she couldn’t fight the smile under her helmet, it had been a good fight, hard won and glorious, now came the hard part.

 

“No.” He stubbornly replied.

 

“I don’t want to kill your men Captain, have them stand down and most will be able to walk away with their life.” She raised her voice, her crew stopped shooting holding their positions, all but one. “I said CEASE FIRE!” Skadge skewered then decapitated the soldier anyways with an ugly wild grin fueled by blood lust. Her target growled behind his helmet, and gripped his auto cannon, ready to go down fighting.

 

Ava saw red as she pulled off her helmet and replaced her visor, the rush of victory quickly dissipating as her rabid dog paid her no mind, sullying her honor with his disobedience.

 

“SKADGE” She yelled, before he could harm the soldier, the Houk looked up still grinning wildly, as Ava aimed a missile at his face, he snarled letting go of the soldier. She released the missile as he started charging for her, his face exploded in a rain of blood and skull and grey matter. His body fell flailing random nerves twitching his fingers while the rest of his body realized it was dead. She turned her attention back to her target.

 

“I’m sorry, I’ll ask again, lay down your weapons, the rest of your men will not be harmed.” She watched as he slowly released his weapon, unhooked his helmet and lifted his arms, linking his fingers behind his head. He glared at her with impossibly green eyes.

 

“What do you want?” his voice was a deep baritone, with an underlying growl.

 

“Just you Captain.” At that she gave her crew the signal and they sprayed the surviving soldiers with a carbonite composite, it would freeze them for only a matter of minutes but still give them hibernation sickness rendering them blind, thus covering Ava and her crews escape.

 

“Let’s get out of here.” They led their prisoner away in cuffs, and headed for the ship.

 

 

Edited August 31, 2012 by Earthmama

[bright_ephemera]

When I saw there was an update to this thread, I found myself in the uncharacteristic position of being reluctant to look at the latest story because I wasn't sure what manner of brutal heartstring-yanking awaited me. But, everything turned out better than expected! Unless you're Skadge.

 

Now you're just bumping them off for fun. *stern look*

 

I look forward to seeing how Jorgan handles things.

 

Ah, and re: Quinn:

I like your reasoning. There are times when the only way to keep a character where you wanted him to be or how you want him to be remembered is to kill him off before he can step back into the forces that would inevitably corrupt him again. It's rough when it happens, but from a narrative standpoint it's far better to deal with that death than to drag him back into the mud or, worse, drag him into the mud but insert artificial changes to pretend he wouldn't get dirty in it.

 

[Earthmama]

Now you're just bumping them off for fun. *stern look*

 

 

Am not!! >.>

 

That'll be the last one for a while....I think...Maybe....

 

 

 

Honestly though, I wish I could post my updated outline like some of you are, but i have this bad habit of deleting my outline as I reach plot points so my brain doesn't get over cluttered. I have the rest of the arcs and story planned out (and have discovered there will be a third Force of Wills to wrap everything up), and I've saved it, and will post it at the end of everything. All that to say Quinn was the unexpected death, not Skadge, there are time when I'm writing where I will deviate from the path I had laid out, simply because it feels better that way, that's what happened with Quinn, despite all the sad, sniffly tears as I wrote it.

 

Edited August 31, 2012 by Earthmama

[Serris_Kell]

So an unsupported crew of jumped up street toughs was able to take on a reinforced army platoon led by a full squad of top end SF operators, kill the line infantry, disable the SF squad, and capture one of them, with the only casualty being the leaders "sullied honor" (Skadge doesn't count), despite this SF squad being able to smash whole companies in the field without aid, wiped out their Imperial equivalent early on, laughs at fighting Stih, and tasked with taking out the Empires equivalent to the Pentagon?

 

"kay.

Edited August 31, 2012 by Serris_Kell