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eorzeashan · 1 year

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Okay. So. I've hit a huge problem in my kotfe/et replay because against all odds, Eight snagged Koth.

It's not even supposed to be possible if you don't help Zakuulans at every turn, but the guidelines on his romance are unclear as it varies online (i'm interested in seeing the code for it now) so most assume he will brush you off if you try to flirt with him after being indifferent to Zakuulan suffering; in some reported cases this happened after the above and he says he's busy. The romance reportedly ends there.

Since this seemed tentative I thought I'd go for it and if it failed, I could still go for the Theron romance.

Testing began; Eight didn't flirt with him much, but he did do the ones that felt in character in Taking Flight. He didn't even support him in the chapters before that as he's more of a spectator when it comes to personal issues between other people, much to Lana's chagrin, so I was thinking surely this wouldn't work.

Lo and behold. A few flirts after that smelled of good chemistry and wham, the overprotective Koth saving you from Arcann scene popped. I was SHOCKED.

What the hell are the requirements for this romance, because now I'm convinced it's all RNG-- it's clearly not your decisions over Zakuul. Either that or Eight's story-defying, gamebreaking personality guarantees he comes out on top no matter the odds, which could be it, too.

Anyways. Enjoy some kiss screens that had me blushing in embarrassment cuz I fidget over such intimacy close up. I guess Eight can't abandon him now.

Buyoware let me have polycules so I can romance multiple characters and not have to choose one over the other for the sake of seeing something new.

(I didn't dwell on it too much at first, but I definitely like their chemistry. Rough-and-tumble smuggler captain interested in the sleek and elusive agent who slips through his fingers like water each and every time just enough to leave a taste but never enough to quench thirst-- it's kinda nice.)

And now, a mini fic.

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Koth reels.

He's never met anyone like him before. Few can say they have when it comes to Eight, and not even Lana can nail down his specifics; that's what makes their whole dance so intriguing.

Eight doesn't hesitate at being unafraid to tackle the unknown by himself. He doesn't blink an eye when he says Koth can go to his crew if he wants and leave him to fend for himself; there's not an ounce of fear or doubt. As if this is as natural as breathing to him.

Eight says he's unable to understand what expectations they have for him, but if he has a wish, he'll grant it.

Just like that.

Brave. Strong. Smart. There's too many words Koth could choose to describe him and none of them would capture exactly what he feels watching him shake his world to its foundations. He's a reckoning on and off the battlefield. Anyone can see that.

Koth's wish came in the shape of a person whose shadows clung like a second skin, and he's never been one to pass up opportunity where it falls at his feet-- brilliant beyond anything he'd never imagined, and more luminescent than the shooting stars that fell to earth.

The captain thinks on how he'd watched him with unblinking, impossibly dark eyes that soaked in his every move at the foot of his bed, not out of malevolence, but curiosity. He'd wanted to know him. He'd wanted to know Zakuul.

That night, Koth opened himself up to him twice, and fell three times as hard.

It turned out Echani did not know others through words.

Hey, he was learning more everyday though-- and he saw it as a banging success that they'd exchanged uh, a lot culturally. And physically. And emotionally. There was a lot of banging regardless.

Not that he'd had enough of it. The Outlander was his wish made physical. He'd gladly get burned if it meant holding that star in his hands-- and he was never one to give up on his dreams.

All the luck in the galaxy was his, and it was named Eight.

#koth vortena x imperial agent #swtor #kotfe/et au #admin writes #partial ooc partial blurb wheeeeee #swtor fanfiction #wadda hell aint this just a different flavor of smuggy x tyr.#just kidding its completely different but these captains sure like their agents lately dohohohohohoho #no seriously how did this happen

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keldae · 9 months

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Writer’s Month 2023: Day Five

word: sun | setting/AU: poolside

Dantooine's sun shone warmly in the clear blue sky, radiating down over the little natural pool, tucked away in a hidden ravine close to the hidden Jedi refuge. It was peaceful enough that Korin could almost forget about the Zakuulans roaming the hyperspace lanes, making life hell for the rest of the galaxy.

He sat on the edge of the small pond, watching his companion lazily float on her back in the water. It was nice, he thought, to have this moment of quiet relaxation for both of them. Master Kiwiiks had pretty much ordered him to stay for a few days and rest, when he'd come in last night to deliver supplies to the Jedi – apparently he didn't wear the stress of supporting a growing insurgency as well as he thought. Normally, there would have been – he counted inwardly – three Jedi total that he would have ever willingly taken orders from.

But his Jedi mother had died ages ago. His Jedi sister had been killed early on in the Zakuulan invasion, a year and a half ago. And Master Satele was nowhere to be found. Outside of those three, he was normally inclined to argue with any Jedi who tried to direct him around.

It really wasn't fair how Kira Carsen could just look at him with those big blue eyes, and he could feel his willpower eroding away. Damned Jedi tricks.

"Credit for your thoughts?" he asked Kira, sliding back into the cool water.

Kira hummed, still floating on her back, her auburn hair creating a halo around her head. "Just thinking about how we'll eventually need to head back before people start to talk."

Korin frowned at the reminder that his time in this blissful oasis, with his cute companion, was limited. "What, they have you on a schedule or somethin'?" He slowly swam over to Kira, taking the time to oogle her slim form in the water. There were multiple reasons why he wasn't eager for them to get dressed and go back to the other Jedi yet, and the opportunity to check Kira out was a big one.

"Nah. But if someone notices we've been gone a while…"

"You're, uh, giving me meditation lessons?"

Kira craned her neck up to look at Korin. "While skinny-dipping in a secluded pond?"

"We're connecting with nature!" Korin insisted, and was rewarded with a laugh from Kira. "Ain't that supposed to be somethin' big with Jedi? This has gotta be a good meditation area – 's quiet, peaceful, nice sunny weather, good company…"

Kira laughed and straightened up to tread water. "And the fact that you got me naked is helping, right? Not distracting you at all?"

"I'm plenty focused, thank you." Korin dragged his eyes back up from Kira’s chest to meet her amused gaze. "Besides, you got me naked too, so…"

“If you could run around the galaxy in the buff without getting arrested for public indecency, you’d do it,” Kira retorted, her eyes alight with laughter.

“Oh, like you’re complaining…”

“I didn’t say I was.” Kira reached up to lazily drape her arms over Korin’s shoulders, conveniently bringing herself closer to him. “So, what’s your master plan, Captain?”

“Retire rich enough to own my own planet, somewhere Zakuul ain’t found yet,” Korin promptly answered.

“And in the short term?”

“Make sure that if you get in trouble with the Jedi, that it’s worth it?” The smuggler winked at the pretty Jedi, settling his hands on her waist under the water. “If you’re down for such a plan, that is…”

“You are such a bad influence,” Kira laughed. But from how she leaned in to kiss Korin, he figured she didn’t mind at all. And he definitely was okay with his current situation – it wasn’t every day he got to go skinny-dipping with a pretty Jedi girl, who was more interested in having a good time than in preaching Jedi morality at him.

He could almost forget that this was his late sister’s Padawan as he happily kissed her back. Between the warm sunshine radiating down on his head and shoulders, and Kira in his arms (as a friend, with extremely good benefits, if anyone asked), and the peace and quiet of this little pond, he could easily forget about his stress with the occupation, and his lingering grief for his sister, and even the anxiety about if a stray Jedi were to come upon the pair right then. All he wanted to focus on was Kira.

#kel writes #writer's month 2023 #Korin/Kira #SWTOR #KOTFE timeskip #probably best set in the Drastic Measures AU 'verse #in which someone has caught feelings #and he refuses to admit it #Kira Carsen/Male Smuggler #skinny dipping #because why not?

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bh-52 · 1 year

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Imagine the chaos that'd ensue if Starkiller & Vaylin fell in love.

#star wars #swtor #swtor kotfe #star wars the force unleashed #force unleashed #galen marek #starkiller #vaylin #galen marek au #empress vaylin #the eternal empire #knights of zakuul #knights if the eternal throne #knights of the fallen empire #eternal empire #dragon of zakuul #zakuul

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thelealinhypehouse · 3 months

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EYE OF THE EMPIRE

This is Masterpost of info about this AU in Star Wars The Old Republic Era

History: Organisation created at KOTFE/KOTET time by Dark Council approved by Emperor/Empress. After they got heavy beating by Zakuul killing of healthy and high skilled ones just because they dont "behave" is not welcome in current situation. They needet to tame them, control them and use them. In same time the role was to keep "eye" on the Empire affairs, to sniff out any possibility to betray. Thats was the only demand from Emperor/Empress. You wanna this organisation? Ok but be on your guard and best behave too.

Curentlly works with Hand of the Empire

The Hunt: They need members of diffrent ranks. Council gain favour and loyality from all the "weak" Korriban students and become Handlers. The officers, agents, high skilled bounty hunters, smugglers that was to dengerous to run free but to good to be killed off become members of this new organisation. In shock collars with own Handlers to keep them in check now they serve the Dark Council.

Uniforms and equipment:

Handlers as Force users thats are to weak to finish Koirriban trening but get second chance. With military trening they become dengerous mix. They cant use lightsabers so they use vibroswords. They are feared and respected by militarty officers but they must bow before sith.

Hounds are the ones who Council targeted to be dengerous but to silled to be killed. Still usefull. The most dengerous people in the Empire. Uniforms have alterations to be more fit to thier skills. More light outfit or more heavy.

Collar

The main way to control the hound. Far better than standard slave collar. With bomb inside thay can kill of the hound quickly if they are become too dengerous but this is last resort. More comon are special chemicals for torture. No need for full room to it. Pain and hallucinations by this most of the time are enough.

#eye of the empire #swtor #swtor art #eye of the empire masterpost

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knamil · 1 year

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Spoilers for the Jedi Knight story.

Filter if you don't want to see this ever again: #knamil stasis comic

This story takes place not long after the main Jedi Knight story ends. This is an AU Comic because nothing that was released after initial story launch (Makeb onward and esp not KOTFE KOTET are considered "true" for this universe.)

Notes and captions below the cut.

I wrote the story for this in 2014 and I'm using it as a basis to follow along with an art class I'm auditing. It's inspired by companion content that was originally cut from the game, but was datamined and posted online. If you've never seen it, there was supposed to be a quest where you can help Lord Scourge get his feelings back.

I don't know how to write captions for a comic so I'm including the script as a caption.

If there is a standard way to caption comics for screen readers, msg me and I will do my best.

Conventions used

IM: stands for Internal Monologue. Scourge’s internal monologue appears in black boxes with red text and red outline.

Speech bubbles are rounded white bubbles with black text and black outline.

Setting descriptions/general captions are blue boxes with black outline and black text.

The script labels each image as a page. Each panel will have a short description of the picture then the dialog within the panel.

Begin script

Page 1 Scourge kneeling in a cell meditating. Red forcefields surround him. Title: Stasis Part I (by knamil)

Page 2 Caption: Coruscant Holding Cells - 86 Days After the Emperor’s Defeat (A.E.D.)

Panel 1 Scourge is kneeling in his cell meditating. The frame shows a partial profile of his face. One of his eyes are open. A figure is shown walking toward him. Behind the figure are closed doors.

SCOURGE IM: The Medic. Interesting.

Panel 2 A head portrait of Doc

Caption: Archiban “Doc” Kimble

DOC Hey Scourge. How’s it going?

Panel 3 Scourge is kneeling in his cell looking at the floor. He says nothing. Doc stands in front of the cell facing Scourge

DOC Just seein’ if you need anything. Maybe you want to chat? Have a little heart to heart. You know?

Panel 4 Scourge looks up.

Panel 5 Doc is looking down at Scourge. The back wall of the holding facility can be seen behind him.

Panel 6 Closer focus on Scourge.

SCOURGE Tell me, Doctor… has the Jedi stopped screaming yet?

Page 3 Panel 1 Doc looks angry

Panel 2 Doc looks sad

Panel 3 Doc looks resigned

DOC I don’t know.

Panel 4 The Jedi is on a surgery table. Machinery and tubes cover her abdomen. A breathing mask covers her mouth. Her eyes are squeezed shut in an expression of pain.

DOC They kicked me out two days ago. Her wounds won’t close. The bleeding won’t stop.

They’re rerouting half her organs with cybernetics just to keep her alive.

Panel 5 Doc leans over to sit on the floor.

DOC I heard they put you in here because you wouldn’t talk when you brought her in.

I don’t understand why you won’t tell us what’s happening to her.

Panel 6 Scourge still kneels in his cell.

SCOURGE Because there is nothing in your limited understanding of the Force and its potential that can help her.

Panel 7 Doc is sitting on the floor on the other side of the force field facing Scourge.

DOC Can you?

SCOURGE No.

Panel 8 Close up view of Scourge. He looks down.

SCOURGE The ritual may not be undone.

IM: It would mean the end of everything.

End Script

#swtor #lord scourge #knamil stasis comic #oc: remi #long post #knamil tries to make comics #knamil art class #swtor jedi knight spoilers

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tiredassmage · 3 months

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actually, fuck it, woe! wip wednesday be upon ye! [i'm. we're basting another hyrohtyr au. i'm being unwell.] i'm currently too tired to give the entire context and i have no idea if i'll finish the whole piece, but i had to do something to get blorbo feelies out of my braincase bc i'm. i'm having a time. anyway!

what i will give you is this is sometime after ziost, but before kotfe. bc that's like. that's important timeline detail. xD

“Did you get my message?” The shell is familiar, the outline of a stance, but that’s where it ends. His feet steady into an ingrained rhythm that suggests parade rest, save for his hands clasping in front around the datapad. There’s… something about it she hasn’t seen since… Yavin. The frown finally stirs upon her lips. Nine was not one about whom she often searched the Force for answers upon, having learned quickly it was much too akin to an infringement upon the agent’s boundaries and trust, but she didn’t need it now to feel caution cool her previously racing thoughts. What happened on Ziost… It would change everything. Everyone. Touched by Vitiate’s influence directly or not. It was changing everything, almost faster than she could fathom stamping down upon it. And they’ve never spoken about what’s in his files, handed over to her in the wake of Imperial Intelligence, in the aftermath of Revan. She had known enough, when they stood on Ziost. It had not spared them a violent, jagged reality. No matter her intentions on the matter. “I… admit I haven’t had time to read it in full,” she says carefully. “Good.” He nods, his eyes dropping to his hands. “I… This is.” He clears his throat again, more roughly this time. “I felt this would be better delivered in-person.” Her brow furrows as he hands over the datapad without so much as a hint of expectation. Just an offering and exhausted, hollowed, waiting eyes. She takes the datapad. “I thought I made myself clear, Commander,” she says, stern eyes still on him. “You were supposed to be off-duty.” For barely a moment, a ceding, knowing smile ghosts the corners of his lips before he merely nods again. “You did,” he says evenly. His hands settle in front of him - a bit more easily, more familiar now in full rest. A beat of silence between them before he draws in a slightly deeper breath quietly with a faint bracing of his shoulders and a firmer set in his jaw as he levels his gaze with hers. “I… would like to make that arrangement more… permanent, Minister.” He knows how much I hate that title-

bonus:

i want to shake him and lana's dynamic like a gumball machine.

#put that blonde bitch thru more of the horrors [points at tyr]#dot words #wip wednesday #actually. him and lana. i guess. the horrifying ordeal of knowing ur idealistic ex-agent of a friend and coworker too well. oops?#ch: tyr #swtor fanfic #idk if i should tease by tagging this like that without solid knowledge of my intent to finish or not... sorry friends #anyway good night and good news and all that jazz #my eepy apologies for uh. idk editing is not a rn me i just. needed to get this out of my system so if the tenses are weird ahm. oops?

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pandora15 · 25 days

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no one asked me about this recently but I figured I should say that modern au is probably not gonna be updated in a long time, as is shifting shadows.

for modern au, I think it's gotten to this point where it would just be really difficult for me to dive back in. I can give it a whirl maybe once I'm done with remnants of destruction, but just thinking about the story in a general sense makes me pretty sad. my brainspace has changed quite a lot in the past few months, and I think I'll find it very difficult to continue this story.

as for shifting shadows, I think where I left it off is that I had the rest of the fic outlined or something? I'd have to check my document. but honestly I regret starting that fic. I've since realized that writing sequels to fic is really difficult and I wish I hadn't completely undone drifting starlight's ending for the sake of "shock value". I can maybe talk about the upcoming spoilers for that fic since I'm pretty sure I won't be updating it but only if y'all are comfortable with me doing that. let me know.

(you'll notice this is why I was so insistent on not writing a sequel to kotf)

what I do have planned right now is finishing remnants of destruction. I have the rest of the fic outlined, but I'm already thinking of making some changes to said outline (I want to make sure I do the story + characters justice and it's not easy).

after that, I had some other vague ideas including a kenobi series AU or maybe even some fun time travel thing where there's multiple obi-wans at the same time. because what's more fun than one obi-wan? MULTIPLE obi-wans.

case in point:

TLDR writing is very slow and difficult but I'm trying! I would love love LOVE to write something like kotf again but that would probably (definitely) have to wait until after I'm done with grad school and I finish remnants of destruction.

#pandora's ramblings #updates #writing #i wish i had more time to focus and work on writing but right now i don't #but i want to make sure that remnants of destruction is planned out properly to the end and i really give it a proper ending #so that's what i'm thinking about right now #(also this post is talking about multi chapter fic mostly. i do have some oneshots i want to write)

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greyias · 1 year

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Theron the Outlander???? 👀👀👀👀👀

This poor, neglected AU (that I really want to write and get out of my head), goes all the way back to 2017, and is an expansion on an innocuous little letter prompt ficlet. It's basically a role swap AU, where Theron, being Theron, in trying to reach out after Ziost intercepts a communication from Marr about the Eternal Fleet, and decides to do a bit of scouting before letting it go on through. And in doing so winds up taking the Outlander's place in the throne room, and all of the fallout that happens because of that decision.

A sick feeling that bubbled up in the back of Theron’s throat burned like bile. This had been a trap, just not the one he’d been expecting. Had he not intercepted the communication, she would be standing here instead of him. At the mercy of the monster that had already taken so much from her. Alone. Theron ignored the rapid pounding in his chest, instead deciding to face this head on. “We don’t always get what we want.” “I do,” Valkorion continued to stalk the room. “I always have.” “Yeah, well, life’s full of disappointments.” The emperor paused in his stalking to raise an unimpressed eyebrow as he looked Theron over. “Clearly.”

The road to hell is paved with the best intentions, and all that jazz. I have a sketchy outline of the whole story which would span basically up to KotFE Chapter 9. I think if I spent a little time fleshing it out, I might be able to finally hammer this baby out.

#thank you for the ask!#wip ask game #outlander!theron #au: theron the outlander #one day this will be written #and my brain will be free #thankfully it's less of a sprawling epic in my head than chance encounters #so that means it might eventually get donnnneee #outlander!theron au

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haledamage · 3 months

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finish your fics friday saturday

tagged by @queen-scribbles 💖 leaving my IFs out of this, but even so hoooooboy, I half so many half-finished fics right now lmao

rules: send an ask with one of the listed WIPs, I'll add five sentences and ramble about it a bit. :3

hope you like Etain, because she's featured in a lot of these :3

4 NWN2 Etain/Casavir: one pre-relationship, one in the gray area between pre-relationship and when they actually confess feelings, one somewhere after they get together, one post-Mask of the Betrayer reunion/epilogue, all of them prompt fills

PfWotR Etain apotheosis, with a side of Etain/Vikkari

Riykas/Zenith in "if swtor won't do it I'll have to do it myself"

2 Marii/Tragen AU that were supposed to be for OC Kiss Week, but both decided to take place too early for smooches so I set them aside for now XD one during the Yavin stuff, the other their reunion in KotFE

Kira/Adam snowed-in-as-an-excuse-to-cuddle fic, but it's still in very early stages of making the premise plausible ;)

I swear there were a couple more, but I can't find them at the moment...

who's working on something at the moment? you're tagged if you are! 💖

#rhi writes #I'm drowning in half-finished fic halp #sometimes you have a really bad year creatively-speaking and then all the ideas hit at once as soon as the writer's block clears #there's a couple of these I really REALLY want to talk about please ask me about them lol

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spitzobsessed · 9 months

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My forever favourite thing about KotFE and KotET expansions to swtor is the Eternal Alliance.

Mainly, the fact that Rebel Alliance cannot even dream of the highly concentrated chaos and number of extraordinary characters that follow the Outlander, and how mind-blowing their discipline in serious situation is.

Not even multi-class aus where two and more PCs join EA, just the canon one is such a disaster in the making, but it never (LS Commander) blows.

We know Arcann and Vaylin and Valkorion bever stood a chance at beating these gremlins, they literally sent the two least stealthy parties on a stealth mission of top priority while their commander is yelling at voices in his head out in the woods (and is scolded by mother jedi and darth dad). Mon Mothma thought Rogue One was too uncontrollable by going after Death Star plans? One of Commander's closest allies just stole the main and most important ship in the fleet. There's a part rakhgoul and a Hutt designing our weapons. There's a Jedi sitting in the swamp; a jawa on the loose.

Just. Palpatine's no idea gow lucky he is his enemies are nothing like Vitiate's enemies.

#swtor #have you noticed I'm obsessed with the game?

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dingoat · 8 months

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Five Years

[Well, this is a huge mess of rambling fiction, but I'm working on the philosophy that getting something out terribly is better than not getting it out at all! A response to @askshivanulegacy's Written In The Stars, musings set during KotFE that barely scrape the surface of what our characters have been experiencing. 2.2K words from my best girl's perspective (but they all get a mention), raw and barely edited, sorry not sorry for any incoherency, I need to get to bed hahaha.]

He was as infuriating as he’d ever been.

But that only meant he was still just as captivating.

She’d felt the breath knocked out of her, when the ship finally landed on Odessen, when she felt his presence walking the same earth as her paws tread. “They’re back,” she knew it was only through her that Blakk was aware, and she felt the thread of nerves flickering through him. It was still such dangerous territory, even muddied as it was after so many years. Watcher Five and Cipher Thirteen had been dead as far as the greater galaxy had been concerned, for five years. Each one mourned under a different name, one a polished public figure tailor made for the Empire to love, and the other all too raw and real, the sole survivor of the death of Ziost, the one man who had watched a planet turn to ash around him.

Most considered that cataclysm to be the beginning of it all.

To Ahuska, it had been the moment they had been sealed in carbonite.

She’d never stopped thinking about him, not really, even after Ulfran had whispered that it was for the best and gently undid the bond she’d built with Thirteen through the Force. It had served its purpose. Linked to his body through his very soul, she’d re-learned how to shift her body with the moon harmoniously, stabilising herself against him. She’d re-learned how to settle her form into one free of discord, free of pain, and she was able to exist peacefully and thoughtfully among those she’d only ever been driven to kill.

She owed him so much for that alone.

And yet he’d also… become something more to her. She couldn’t deny it, even if she still didn’t fully understand it. There was a part of her that loved him, would always love him, but it was a part of her that she’d never had the chance to fully explore, as she’d been physically separated from him and turned back to her study.

Her duty.

Ulfran had been right, of course. Master Tanak’qi had been right. Letting half her heart live half the galaxy away, she’d never have found the room or the focus needed to fulfil her promise to Blakk. She’d never have been able to give her all to Blakk, what he needed, what she owed him, what she desperately wanted to pour into him to see him reclaim his whole self and begin to flourish. To finally allow them both the opportunity, the space, to get to know one another properly and come to understand their feelings for each other without all the galaxy getting in the way.

She was devoted to Blakk. She was in love with Blakk.

But she’d never stopped thinking about Cipher Thirteen.

Was he even Cipher Thirteen any more? She wasn’t really sure what the state of Imperial Intelligence and the Cipher program was these days, and she cared very little for those who claimed to be running things. She heard the people up in the base referring to Five as Commander, and it made her stomach tighten and her lip curl, but when she saw the look in his eyes, when she felt that tear in his soul and the void that was trying to devour him from the inside, she found she felt only pity for the man who had once attempted to keep her as his prize trophy hound.

He was not that man any more, even if the Alliance members who trotted at his heels seemed to think his iron fist would save them all.

She listened to the people, in their little hive of warfare up above. Some still said Thirteen, but she wasn’t sure she’d heard the title ‘Cipher’ in quite some time. Nor Agent. There were those who spoke of The Survivor in sombre tones, or those who named him Corran, but she knew not even that was his real name. His true name… oh, she wished to whisper it to him some time. She wanted to let him know that she knew. She wanted to be able to give him something real.

She wanted to tell him that she’d never stopped thinking about him, but she wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear it.

About how she’d grieved his home planet from afar, when she caught wind of the devastation on the holonews.

About how she’d closed her eyes and let her heart travel and how she’d ached at what she’d found, how it had felt too raw and personal for her to experience without him knowing she was there. Those feelings… they were for the people physically there with him, who could put their arms around him, who could give him a place to rest his head and soothe his ragged soul.

About how she’d not been able to contact him, to find him in person, amid the surge of jammed signals surrounding Ziost’s cataclysm, or the way he’d gone dark when he’d begun hunting the rogue Emperor in earnest. With Five, and Crow, and Ulfran…

She’d tried, though.

She wasn’t sure he wanted to hear about how she’d known the moment his breath had been pulled from his lungs and Arcann had sealed him off from the rest of the galaxy.

Dead, the galaxy at large had said.

Asleep, her guts had told her. Quiet. Distant. But not wholly gone. When she ran through the Force in her sleep, she’d glimpsed a barren wasteland that echoed with his presence, but no matter how she called he never seemed to hear her.

Blakk had asked her about Five, once. Very softly. She’d closed her eyes and pushed the pain from her expression, but not before a flicker of it showed through. Five was the same, she’d told him. Somewhere distant, but not gone.

They’d stayed gone for years, and those years had been hellish.

For so long, she’d kept herself free of the never ending conflict between Empire and Republic, determined never again to be used by either side. Determined to keep Blakk free, and safe, and give him the time and space he needed to heal. But the galaxy raged on, and when a new player entered the field, when Zakuul moved in and began to decimate both sides with equal prejudice and unthinkable power, safe places to lay low and avoid the fight grew fewer and further between.

Odessen had been a perfect haven, for a time. One that they’d shared with Crow, where together with Ulfran she’d helped him come to understand the gifts that he possessed. It was a place they’d allowed others to take refuge on, in fits and spurts, a place to keep hidden, a place to be nourished by the Force. A place where she worked as a healer, when those she trusted brought wounded who’d seemed beyond hope. The Queen of the Wilds, they’d called her, and she and Blakk had retreated to wilderness in earnest, only to be pulled out, again and again, to tend to people who had done nothing for her, for the sake of those who’d done everything.

She wondered, sometimes, how different life might have been if she’d held onto her bond with Thirteen. If she’d been beside him, in person, or even riding in his heart, knowing his thoughts and seeing through his eyes, on that fateful day he’d been walled off from all the galaxy. Could she have helped? Could things have gone differently, could they have cut off the head of this new reign of terror then and there? She rose to her feet, wolf-shaped, huge and powerful, and moved to where Thirteen sat, hanging her massive head over his shoulders. None of the endless what-ifs were any good to them, and it seemed that Thirteen had become even more accomplished at dwelling than she was. He’d been lost, and… awkward, almost, in a way so uncharacteristic that it pained her to see. She saw the tension, between him and Five, and wasn’t sure what to make of it. She watched as Crow tried to reconnect, but Crow was somebody new now, as well, with unheard of responsibilities and years of growth and experiences behind him that Thirteen had… simply not been there for.

Ahuska wasn’t sure it was right to push herself into the middle of all that, if she was welcome or wanted, even if the piece of her heart that he’d always owned leapt at the sight of him.

And then the Star Fortress had fired, and she’d found herself shaken to the core, mourning a people, a planet, that she’d never taken the time to get to know. Rage and regret were a potent combination, and the last thing she’d expected was for Thirteen to come to her, after the news of the attack on Bothawui had spread.

He had come, and she’d seized his offered hand, and together they had stormed their first fortress together. Together, they’d cut loose, and together, they’d found an outlet for feelings they didn’t otherwise know how to express. Ahuska realised, as they raced through the fortress halls, shattering glass and splitting skytroopers and tracking the blood of Zakuul Knights through golden corridors, that in Thirteen she had an equal. Someone who understood her wildness and accepted it without judgement, because he knew it as she did, he relished it as she did, and he had never once made her feel like a monster for it. They were equally appalled at the activities of the Zakuul nobility, and they were both driven by red hot fury at the sheer injustice of it all. He had served for years; she had been used for years, and every hope they’d had of putting those bloody, brutal lives behind them and finding something good and new had been gutted.

With Thirteen, she finally found the nerve to stare the enemy in the eye and say no more.

Yet every attempt to express herself to him had fallen short.

He shied away from offering too much of himself… just like he’d always done, really, except now she sensed the hollow ache inside him, and now she didn’t want to let him slip away.

It was easier to be the wolf, to offer herself with no expectations of conversation, to accept his arms around her and give him something strong and stable, but… it wasn’t enough. She needed him to know. His eyes were so soft and his expressions so strained and she needed him to know that he didn’t have to keep facing this battle alone.

They would part, she knew. He would head up to his quarters, she would steal away back into the forest, each to the partners who were theirs.

But she needed to give him more.

She flowed into her smaller shape, halfway between bothan and wolf, taking one of his hands in hers before they went their own ways for the night. She ignored the uncertainty that flickered across his features, the tremor that rolled through him.

“Thirteen,” she said softly, letting her wolf ears splay loosely either side of her head. “Do you remember, years ago, when you told me I shouldn’t rely on a crutch to use my power? When you took the stones and said I didn’t need them?”

“You gave them to me,” he corrected, with hint of wariness about him.

“Yes, after you convinced me. And it was the right thing to do. You were right.” She paused, and dared to reach up and touch her fingertips to his cheek. “I never wanted to be cut off from you.”

His eyes went wide, and she nearly fell apart then and there. Never had they spoken of it; never had they faced what it had meant to have their bond severed with crude and ugly words. And maybe that had been a mistake. She clung to his hand, and forced herself to continue.

“But that had also been the right thing, because I would have leaned on it too hard. You… you would have been a crutch, just like the stones, and I never would have learned just how much I could be on my own, I’d never be where I am today…”

She tried not to look too closely into his eyes, she tried not to read too deep into the expressions tugging at his features. “It hurt, I never would have dreamed how much it would hurt and I… I’ve missed you. I’ve missed you all these years, even when it never felt right to say it, watching the way Crow and Ulfran searched…”

She swallowed, almost lost her nerve, but then pushed herself to find his gaze again. To meet his lovely eyes, did he have any idea how brightly his soul shone through them? “But it’s not a crutch any more. I’m stronger than I’d have ever imagined or hoped, or ever even wanted and so now, knowing you… it’s a choice. It’s something I can choose freely.” Did he hear what she left unsaid? Did he know when she spoke of knowing him, she meant to be connected as they once had been? Did he realise what she couldn’t quite bring herself to say aloud, that she would reach out and bind herself to him once more if he gave any indication that he would welcome it back? “It’s a miracle that you’re back with us and I don’t want to lose you again.”

#dingoat writes #werewolf au #swtor fic #kotfe #ahuska

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eorzeashan · 1 year

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Oh...she finally noticed. I didn't think she would, or I simply don't remember getting this mail. I remember my Nine's relationship with her being rather indifferent to what happened at Arcann's hands.

And Koth harped on it the entire time?

...He's sweet.

Eight's always been resigned to being a weapon. He already knew that was why she rescued him, and can it really be called a rescue if it's to be used? He wouldn't call it unfair. It's why he exists. Such is the nature of a Sith, as well.

I wonder if she'd feel worse if he told her that.

As for Koth...Eight's aware of the heart he has in that captain's chest of his, but given the way he initially spoke of him alongside the Gravestone, he relegated the same mindset to him as well and explicitly asked what he wanted of him.

But it is also clear in the most recent hours that Koth cares for him a great deal, even if he never planned on any of this happening. It does make his job a little harder if Koth is unwilling to let him go should his emotions get the better of using him so pragmatically, however.

But I imagine this is exactly what Keeper wanted for him: for someone to care and rally against others who might use him only for their purposes.

Eight has a lot to ponder now.

#kotfe/et au #swtor

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keldae · 2 years

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Fictober 2022: Day 8

Fandom: Star Wars: The Old Republic Warnings: None Prompt: “Do you remember?”

The hiss of melting carbonite filled the room as Lana stepped back from Arcann's prized trophy. She lowered the gun she had used to shoot the imprisoned Jedi with the cure for her carbonite poisoning – she had been assured that it would work, even for a five year long poisoning. Still, that assurance didn't stop her from anxiously watching as the red-haired human fell out of the chamber, gasping in pain, but alive. The Sith let herself smile. "Well, that wasn't quite so bad, was it?"

Xaja Taerich looked up, squinting at Lana. "Wha… you're a Sith! Who are you?"

Lana's earlier satisfaction with the Jedi's live status evaporated, leaving dread in its wake. "Do you remember? I'm Lana Beniko. We worked together before, on Manaan, and Rishi, and Ziost."

Xaja blinked in confusion, then frowned. "I would never work with a Sith!" She struggled up from her knees, then squinted behind a rapidly-paling Lana. "... Tee-Seven? Is that you?"

T7-01 beeped an affirmative, and whistled something about being pleased to see Xaja alive. Lana tried to not feel jealous that Xaja recognized her droid, but not her.

"Thank the Force." Xaja shook her head. "Oh, my head… Where is Master Orgus, Tee-Seven? Did he come with you?"

Lana looked back to exchange a horrified look with Tee-Seven, then back at Xaja. "... Hells, you really don't remember? Your old Master, Orgus Din, was killed in action almost a decade ago by Darth Angral."

"No! You lie, Sith!" Xaja fiercely shook her head. "I would remember! He's like a father to me."

"Your birth father can explain things to you," Lana said, trying to remain calm. "He's waiting for me to get you out of here safely. Now, come with me, if you want to get out of here alive. There’s no time for me to explain everything right now, but I promise you – I’m not your enemy. I’m your ally… and believe it or not, I was once your friend.”

“A Sith? My friend?” Xaja took a step backward, eyeing the carbonite chamber as though wondering if she’d be safer in her prison. “How can I believe anything you’re saying?”

//Lana = telling truth// Tee-Seven confirmed with a whistle. //T7-01 = present for everything that happened. Xaja + Lana + others worked together for months.//

Xaja frowned at Tee-Seven, then slowly nodded. “Okay. If Tee-Seven says you’re okay, then I guess I’ll trust you for now.”

“That’s all I ask,” Lana assured her, while silently praying to any power that existed for Xaja to suddenly regain all of her memories. “Come, I have your lightsabers. We need to be gone five minutes ago.”

#fictober22 #fictober #SWTOR #Xaja #Lana #KOTFE #amnesia #angst!#oh noooo Xaja doesn't remember anything!#I definitely don't have a full AU of this kicking around in my head anywhere

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