In honor of Mothers’ Day… any chance of getting a snippet from Anabasis with Shmi in it?

fialleril:

I warn you, anon, I don’t have any snippets with Shmi written yet that aren’t painful, but since several people have asked me for a Shmi snippet, I’m giving you this pain.

And as a bonus, you also get a glimpse of Ahsoka’s POV in the first section.

This snippet is super spoilery, so if you’re avoiding Anabasis spoilers for some reason, you probably want to give this one a miss.

Warnings for: harm to children, trauma reactions, panic attacks, hand trauma, mention of blood, mention of needles and injections

The door slid open.

Masters Yoda and Windu entered first, Yoda looking openly
troubled and Windu scowling. Behind them were two humans, a pale, work-worn
woman in her middle age, and an attractive young man with warm brown skin and a
smile that lit his eyes. He looked oddly familiar, like someone she knew not in
reality, but from images. His smile seemed actually genuine, but it fell when
he caught sight of Vader.

The woman beside him sucked in a shallow breath of air, her
face contorting with so many emotions that Ahsoka couldn’t begin to name them.
Her hand reached out, clutching thoughtlessly at the air, and she whispered,
“Ani.”

Keep reading

Star Wars: Ashes and Hope: Through Shadow and Flame

The main story finally has a title, and it’s being posted to AO3 while I re-read, and hopefully can figure out where it’s going next.

Through Shadow and Flame

Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
AU: Ashes and Hope
Word Count: 5184
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Vader, Sheev Palpatine | Sidious, Mace Windu, Zett Jukassa, Bail Organa

Anakin Skywalker has just rid his universe of the Sith Master and Emperor Sidious. So that can’t be Sidious, and that cannot be him kneeling to the Sith.

Or, it’s not his universe, and now he’s accidentally adopted an orphaned Padawan, a Jedi Master, and this universe’s Padmé and her children. Right. Now what?

I’d like to request the Jedi order investigating palpating because they think he’s a pedophile and stumbling into proof he’s a sith

swpromptsandasks:

“I don’t like how he looks at my padawan!” Obi-Wan snapped out
before he could put it on leash, gritting his teeth a bit at the
raised brows of the council and even Anakin’s startled look. Of
course Obi-Wan had done his best to project an aura of calm and
steady emotions in Anakin’s line of sight.

But there were a
few things no one knew about Obi-Wan.

Things he had kept
close to his heart.

For one of those
things he had never let go of his passion, he still burned like a
wild fire inside waiting to be released even if the outside was
tempered.

It just needed the
right kind of fuel to let all that fire out and he feared the day
someone hit that fuel and he couldn’t temper it and be the Jedi he
was expected to be.

And Sheev
Palpatine…

The name alone
bought a shiver up his spine.

“Explain you will
Knight Kenobi. Why this mission you will not take.” Yoda offered,
brows drawn together in disapproval at the young knights outburst
though a layer of concern was hidden beneath it all at the words.

Obi-Wan swallowed a
bit then glanced down at his confused looking padawan.

“…No
adult…should look at a teenager the way Sheev Palpatine looks at my
padawan.” He started quietly, trying to keep himself under control,
trying not to be upset but it was hard since he was genuinely
worried.

“The way he…”
Mace Windu sat back in surprise, his legs sprawled wide as he stared
at Obi-Wan. “Knight Kenobi, what are you implying?”

The council seemed
to be growing tense.

Anakin was shifting
on his feet.

It was too late to
take back his words now though and Obi-Wan had no desire.

“…He looks like
he wants to own Anakin, possess him in the most basic of ways. And I
am not going to allow him any access to my padawan without the
assurance that that man won’t…” Obi-Wan’s lips twitched
before an unbidden snarl escaped him. “I will not allow him to hurt
or manipulate my padawan.” He growled out.

There was an
uncomfortable silence before Depa leaned forward a bit in her chair.
“You suspect he wants your padawan alone under…intimate
circumstances?” Her eyes flickered over Anakin.

The blond was
starting to look faintly green and also somewhat panicked.

“I have no
proof.” Obi-Wan stated, shifting his hands into his sleeves. “But
tell me, is it normal that a man over the age of fifty in such a
position of power wants to meet with a fourteen year old without
something untoward going on when he has no personal relation to said
fourteen year old?”

The council members
looked to each other.

And Anakin pressed
against his side, Obi-Wan resting a protective hand on the boys
shoulder. Obviously Anakin until now hadn’t considered it that way.

And that was the
worst of it.

‘Perfect grooming
behavior. Nothing wrong in the mans behavior until its too late.’
Obi-Wan held the other to his side.

“K…Obi-Wan.”
Plo finally spoke up, his voice hissing but gentle through the
respirator. “We need you to name your suspicion before we can do
anything.” The Kel Dor offered carefully.

Obi-Wan looked down
at his wide eyed padawan then back at the council. “I suspect Sheev
Palpatine is trying to groom my padawan for his own benefits. I think
he’s a pedophile and I formally request the Order either
investigates him themselves or involves the Judicial forces.” He
got out.

Mace sat up, face
grim. “Then this meeting is adjourned, you and your padawan is now
Coruscant locked until we have resolved the matter.” He growled
out.

Anakin pushed more
against Obi-Wan’s side at the tone but Obi-Wan breathed out in
relief. “Thank you Masters, for listening.” He murmured, feeling
a knot ease in his stomach.

“All Jedi our
concern must be, differentiate between we can not.” Yoda offered
before he pinched his old lips together, ears lowering. “But
accusations like this not lightly we will take. Investigate the
Chancellor we shall. And if proof we find…”

There was a
bristling in the Force.

Obi-Wan felt
another knot in his stomach ease.

The Council would
help him protect Anakin.

Thank the Force.

He bowed to them,
deeply and gave Anakin a small, soothing smile.

And while I’m working on this particular AU – not everyone who has gone to rescue Qui-Gon is going to come back alive. Vinris and Olwin are going to come back (there are not enough women in canon, I’m not killing my female OCs when I have other options). The question is, who doesn’t? I haven’t even begun to decide yet.

Options: Mace Windu, Dooku, Tholme, Feemor, or Micah Giett.

I’m inclined to leave both Mace and Dooku alone, if only because they’ve got stuff in canon that they’re important for, and I can have a good deal of fun with Dooku and Sith and this little mess.

Feemor just knighted his first Padawan (Olwin), and if I kill him, it might do her some harm, particularly since she’s going to be present.

Tholme is already inside and in danger, which would make it easy to kill him. He also has a Padawan, and it’s not likely to be terribly good for Quinlan to lose his Master to this.

And Micah… I take @deadcatwithaflamethrower‘s Re-Entry as canon for the most part. He’s good at fighting, and there’s only going to be two Sith vs the rescue team (ok, and the security of the compound, which is not to be sneezed at). Which does not put him at the top of the list to die.

*chews on lip and contemplates reaching for a coin to flip between Feemor and Tholme* One or the other or I could embrace the power of and. Choices, choices. And not until after this dinner party at which Tholme and Vinris are being twitchy Jedi about Qui-Gon and his apparent switching of sides.

2200:

Fuck it. And. And is such an awesome word. *goes to plan out killing two Jedi*

Star Wars: In the Silence and the Dark: Holding Pattern, part 9

The last part of this particular story in the AU. Next up: back to Setan’s little moon base, where there is an impending confrontation between Sith and Jedi.

@poplitealqueen @mysoultogive

Word Count: 446 (4792)

Mace gives the Council Vos’s report, the information relayed from Tholme and Vinris worrying. A Dark Force-user who has taken a Jedi without any concerns that they’ll be caught, and who took one of the better duelists of the Order without any apparent difficulty, or struggle. Who is holding Jinn deeply enough in his compound that while they’re certain he’s there, they haven’t actually seen him. Only heard the servants whisper of a Jedi being in with their master, and their relief that it is someone else in that position, and not any of them.

They need to send others to help Tholme and Vinris, and Mace has a few in mind, provided he can convince the Council this requires more than the two already there. Perhaps even if he can’t – Mace doubts it will take more than informing Masters Dooku and Giett to convince them to gather the others he has in mind to take on the rescue mission of their own volition.

He suspects there would be more arguing if he’d chosen anyone else for this mission, and the debate over what the actual nature is of the place Tholme and Vinris had found is enough to make his head ache. It takes all day to get a team agreed on to take care of the Dark Force-user and rescue Jinn. A few more than Mace intended, himself included, but it will be good to get into the field again for at least a mission.

When the others are gathered together, and informed of the mission, there are frowns all around, and solemn agreement that this must be done. Dooku shares a look with Feemor, and Feemor’s newly-knighted Padawan, the three silently agreeing on something. Mace doesn’t want to know, not until after the mission is done.

The shuttle Vos brought back is the one they’re using to transport them to the moon. It hasn’t been touched except to refuel since Vos stumbled off it, and radiates the same chill evil that it had before. Mace knows it was supposed to be just a smuggler’s shuttle, but the impressions that roll off it make him wonder if the Dark Force-user they’re going after hadn’t used it himself more than once.

“Once we arrive, we make contact with Tholme and Rish before making any assault or rescue attempt.” Mace looks around at the faces of the other Jedi, reminding them of what they have of a plan.

“May the Force be with us.” That’s Olwin, the youngest of this group, and Mace hopes that her words are prophetic, despite the bad feeling he has as he turns to board the shuttle.

Star Wars: In the Silence and the Dark: Holding Pattern, Part 8

Also known as “why we do not let the Padawan with psychometry fly the shuttle stolen from someone who works for a fucking Sith lord”.

@poplitealqueen @mysoultogive

Word Count: 524 (4346)

Quinlan has not felt this ill at what he knows in a long time. Not since Tholme brought him to the Temple. And even then, at least the worst of the cruelty had been death. Not. Not the things that lurked in the shadows of the complex where Jinn was being held, or even in the little shuttle they’d stolen from one of the smugglers who ran supplies to the moon the complex was on.

He shivers as he lands the shuttle at the Temple, glad it’s his job to come back and report to Windu, and not to stay on the moon with one of the others. Even if he’d had to stay in this shuttle so not to lose any time getting back, rather than abandoning it and taking commercial transports back to Coruscant the way they’d traveled to Mandalore.

As soon as the engines have cycled off, Quinlan bolts for the main hatch, barely giving the ramp time to begin to lower before he all but throws himself out of the shuttle. Ignoring the techs approaching him, even ignoring the waiting figure that he thinks is Windu, in favor of stumbling far enough away that he feels safe collapsing to his knees.

His stomach is heaving, though nothing comes up – Quinlan isn’t sure when he last ate, but it was before they’d stolen the shuttle. Several days, at least. It’s been hard enough to get himself just to drink water, much less to eat anything in the atmosphere of the shuttle.

Quinlan twitches when a hand is placed on his shoulder, reaching for his light saber before he aborts the motion. Holding very still until he’s sure he can look up without following the movement with a snatch at his weapon. Meeting Windu’s gaze with a small, apologetic smile.

“Will you be all right, Padawan Vos?” Windu’s voice is steady and calm, though Quinlan is almost certain there’s a thread of worry in his Force-presence.

“So long as I don’t have to get back in that shuttle or go back to the moon where Master Tholme and Master Rish found Master Jinn.” Quinlan would like to help with the rescue, but he doesn’t think he can go back there right now. Not without at least a week of being here, and there isn’t that much time. “I have coordinates. There’s something very wrong there, Master Windu.”

Something corrupted and cruel that makes him want to scrub the inside of his skull. Even the places he usually goes with Tholme, dark as they are, don’t feel like this.

Windu offers him a hand to help him to his feet, holding his steady when he sways, before frowning at him. “When is the last time you ate, Padawan?”

“A week ago?” Quinlan isn’t certain. “I’m supposed to give you a report, Master Windu.”

Windu shakes his head, and escorts Quinlan first to the commissary, making sure he eats a meal, before he’s willing to hear Quinlan’s report. In his office, so a little closer to a formal mission, now that they have a place to go looking. To go rescue Jinn from.

Star Wars: In the Silence and the Dark: Holding Pattern, part 5

@poplitealqueen

Word Count: 535 (2845)

“I need you to go to Mandalore, and find where Master Jinn went missing from.” Mace looks at each of the three he’s called to his quarters to ask this for a long moment. “This is not a mission on the record.”

They’d have to inform the Senate, sooner or later, about the mission if it were to be an official one. Mace has a strong feeling that this would not be ideal, and for now, he can keep the mission off the books. Especially with those he’s chosen to ask.

“Do you want regular reports, or are we running silent until we have something to show for our trouble?” Vinris is watching her companions for this mission out of the corner of her eye, and Mace can feel her concern for taking a Padawan on this sort of mission. Even a Padawan who’s been following his Master into similar sorts of danger since he was cleared for field missions.

“Silent, I think.” Tholme lets a wry smile curl up the corner of his mouth a moment. “I don’t think it’s going to be safe to be known as Jedi going in, or to be talking to Jedi.”

Letting out a small chuff of laughter, Vinris tilts her head in acknowledgement.

Mace nods in agreement. “I want you to find out if there’s anything left there to tell you who or what took Master Jinn, and where he is. If you find him, report back before trying to rescue him.”

“We’ll send Quinlan back with what we find when we deem it better not to have a Padawan in the line of fire.” Tholme meets Mace’s gaze readily when Mace gives him an irritated glare. “You’re not going to stop us from rescuing Qui-Gon if we find him.”

“I don’t need to have three Jedi Masters missing.” Mace holds Tholme’s gaze, crossing his arms. “If you find him, don’t go charging in before you have backup.”

“That’s no fun.” Vinris grins when Mace turns his glare on her. “You asked us for a reason, Mace, and I doubt it’s for our investigative abilities.”

“Perhaps not, but I don’t have the resources to keep sending teams to rescue those who went before them.” Mace folds his hands into the sleeves of his robe. “Once you have located Master Jinn, I need to know how much backup to send to get him out.”

“What aren’t you telling us, Mace?” Tholme frowns a little when Mace shakes his head. “How bad is it?”

“I don’t know. All Kenobi and Kryze were able to say is it was cold, and they noticed nothing.” Mace would go himself, to see if there’s anything left of a shatter-point on Mandalore, but he can’t afford to leave right now. That much he’s certain of. But he can spare a Shadow, a Padawan with psychometry, and one of the more bloody-minded Jedi Masters he knows.

The frowns he gets from Vinris and Tholme about what little information there is about Qui-Gon disappearing echo his own feelings on the matter.

“You’ll leave tonight.” Mace stands, bowing slightly to them as they do the same. “May the Force be with you.”

Star Wars: In the Silence and the Dark: Holding Pattern, part 4

@poplitealqueen @markwatnae

Word Count: 440 (2310)

Mace doesn’t let more than a brief frown cross his face. Obi-Wan had also mentioned that Qui-Gon had left his cloak with him and Satine, though he’d mentioned also that his Master had been on edge that evening – and that Obi-Wan himself had been uneasy about something for the week before. Never able to pin-point why he was feeling uneasy, like something was just on the edges of his awareness of the future. He hadn’t slept that night, but he still hadn’t noticed anything amiss until morning, and that doesn’t bode well.

Neither do the words the young Duchess has repeated just now. Why would Qui-Gon say safe when none of them knew of any heightened risk of danger beyond the unusual cold?

“After you went to sleep, did you wake up before morning?” Mace doesn’t expect an affirmative, after Obi-Wan’s report, but he has to ask, has to know if there’s anything else that can be discovered about how Qui-Gon vanished.

“No.” The Duchess radiates frustration, though her expression barely shows any of it. “I don’t remember anything else until I woke in the morning, and Master Jinn was gone.”

Nothing. No struggle to wake her, or alert Obi-Wan, no warning along the training bond that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon shared, no one strange enough to stick out to either of the younger two either leading up to or after Qui-Gon vanished.

“Thank you, Duchess Kryze.” Mace stands, tilting his head politely to her.

“Master Jedi, wait a moment. Please.” The Duchess gives him a smile that looks more a grimace for all the tension still radiating off her. “Where should I go to find a meal?”

Or anything else, Mace suspects she’s asking, as well. What she should do, when she has nothing and no one to turn to, as far as Mace is aware. “I’ll send one of the Initiates to show you to a cafeteria.”

He’s not sure what to do about the Duchess, with the conflict on Mandalore spreading, and worsening. There will be more Jedi sent to try to contain the brewing war, to attempt to bring a peaceful conclusion to the conflict, but until then, Duchess Kryze’s situation is uncertain.

“I’ll inform you when the Council reaches a decision about what to do about the Mandalorian Civil War.” Once that is done, the Duchess will have to decide what she wants to do, if she wishes to continue to seek sanctuary here, and leave her fate in the hands of the Jedi Council, or to return home, or some other path.

“Thank you.”

Star Wars: In the Silence and the Dark: Holding Pattern, Part 3

In which I giggle to myself, and contemplate just how much of a headache Mace is going to have after talking to Satine.

@poplitealqueen @markwatnae

Word Count: 561 (1870)

Satine has just sat down to start scrubbing the muck off the armor she’d arrived here in – oh, how she wishes it had not been needed, but better to wear what the hated stuff than to die – when the door chimes. She hopes it’s Obi-Wan, after the distinct impression of unwelcome she’d gotten from the Jedi who’d escorted her to these rooms.

The Jedi on the other side of the door is not Obi-Wan, and Satine wonders if he’s ever smiled in his life, so still and forbidding was his expression. “Duchess Kryze. May I come in?”

At least he’s polite, and Satine gives him a polite smile, stepping back from the door to let him step inside. Watching his face as he looks over the armor she’s spread out on the floor, the better to have an idea how much work she might have to keep her busy until someone came. She doesn’t dare try to contact anyone at home, and put them in danger, and there is no one on Coruscant she has the code to contact with.

The Jedi takes the chair, leaving her the couch, folding his hands into the sleeves of his cloak. “Please, sit down.”

Satine hesitates a moment before she does as asked, watching the Jedi as he watches her, the silence stretching out uncomfortably between them.

“What do you remember of the days leading up to the disappearance of Master Jinn?”

It’s to be an interrogation, then. Satine takes a deep breath, almost glad it’s just that. She’s not sure what she’d do with sympathy right now, for all that she’s glad for the meager hospitality she’s been given.

“They weren’t really any different from the ones before. Hiding where we could, while Master Jinn looked for supplies and for safe places to attempt to negotiate from. He was trying to bring the other factions to a peace table.” Not that he’d had much luck, and Satine wonders how it is he was the best negotiator that could be sent to help end the civil war that has torn her world and her people apart.

“Did you notice anyone who didn’t belong, anything that might be considered unusual?”

Satine lets out a brief, sharp laugh. “I was the unusual one, unarmored and escorted by two Jedi. I didn’t see anyone else without armor until we left Mandalore.” Until Obi-Wan had argued her into armor, had dressed in it himself to get her safe off the planet. Leave Death Watch and the Mand’alor to destroy everything about their world between them.

“And the day Master Jinn vanished?”

“Like every day before.” Pushing back to her feet, Satine paces between the pieces of armor on the floor, trying to remember anything beyond the ever-present cold, the fear, the frustration. The surprise and unexpected spike of absolute terror when she’d woken to find she had only one protector. Jinn had never left before both she and Obi-Wan were awake.

“It was colder that night. Obi-Wan wrapped me in his cloak, but neither of us could get warm. Master Jinn lent his cloak, as well, and Obi-Wan and I shared our blankets.” It had been the only way to stay warm enough to sleep. “He said he’d sleep in the morning, the Force would keep him safe through the night.”

Star Wars: In the Silence and the Dark: Holding Pattern

Obi-Wan, after Darth Setan kidnaps Qui-Gon off Mandalore.

@poplitealqueen @markwatnae

Fandom: Star Wars
AU: In the Silence and the Dark
Word Count: 574
Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu

Notes: Do not be like Obi-Wan and not sleep for a week.

“… I thought it best to return to Coruscant and request guidance.” Obi-Wan hadn’t taken the time to even change out of the armor that had bought him the time to find passage off Mandalore with Satine, and gotten them free of the once-more escalating conflict. Only held the helmet in his hands as he told the Council about the disaster the mission had become.

There is silence all around him, even as the Force ripples a little with shock. Obi-Wan is too tired and unsettled to wonder at the Council showing so much a reaction to the disappearance of his Master. He idly prods at the spot in his mind where his bond to Qui-Gon should be, the dull ache of the emptiness not even enough to spark a little more energy. Drawing a deep breath, he pulls on the Force a little to help him stay on his feet until the Council is done with him.

“Thank you for your report, Padawan Kenobi.” Master Windu sounds no more ruffled than he ever does, and that helps, even if Obi-Wan still can’t settle. “Return to your quarters, and rest. If we have further questions, we will ask you tomorrow.”

Obi-Wan bows, a small flush of gratitude worming its way past the exhaustion, and gladly leaves the council chamber. He prefers when missions don’t go so pear-shaped as to require this kind of immediate report, and he can submit his report primarily in writing. Even if many of them involve talking to at least one council member later.

It takes him entering the code for the quarters he shares with Qui-Gon twice to get the door open, and once the door shuts, he stands there a moment, staring blindly at the room. It’s not entirely familiar, after nearly a year on Mandalore, never being able to stay in one place. Three long months without even his Master, and barely any sleep. Obi-Wan isn’t certain quite how he succeeded in getting himself and Satine safely off the planet, much less back to the Temple for help.

He blinks what seems only a few seconds later, taking a long moment to recognize his view as the ceiling, and the upper cabinets of the tiny kitchen seen over the counter that divides it from the rest of the room. Shrouded in shadows, though it’s not dark enough to be night.

His head aches, as does his right side. Obi-Wan rolls onto his back, letting out a soft hiss as edges of the armor dig into his skin despite the padding of the underlayer. Watching the ceiling for a moment before he tries to sit up. It takes a little more effort than he’s expecting, and he has to put out a hand to steady himself against the wall under the counter once he’s sitting up.

Looking over toward the small window that lets in light, it takes Obi-Wan a moment to process that the dim light is dawn, not dusk, pale sunlight just touching the upper part of the window, and he starts, flinching away from the idea that he’s been passed out in front of the door all night, and no one has checked on him. No one would know that he needed checked on. Wouldn’t know he hadn’t slept since leaving Mandalore, not trusting anyone to watch over Satine until they were at the Temple.

More notes

I have decided that the other story is a complete thing. There are more stories in the AU, and for now, I’m switching gears and figuring out what Obi-Wan’s doing. Other than failing to take sufficient care of himself, because this is Obi-Wan.

So, Obi-Wan, Satine, Mace, Dooku. Whoever else shows up. And at some point figuring out what’s going on with the training bond between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, and what sorts of fun I can have with that.