Wow, enjoyed that one! It did not need dialogue, it was very compelling. Inquisitor story background is the most intriguing to me so far, because it leaves so much room for a huge experience in the past, and plays so differently depending on the species. Again, really liked it! Thanks for sharing!

Oh, that’s very clever, a story that starts and ends on Corellia, if June is follow the game path from here. Exploring a deaf character world is quite a choice! It reminded me a story of a blind Bard sculptor in Baldur’s Gate from ages ago. It has the same feel of strength and facing the challenges head on. If you post more, I would definitely read it!

I hope you don’t mind that I decided to leave off the Bounty Hunter – huge apologies, but I think I will be finally playing her, plus I am trying to play a male one on a different server, so I now have hope to experience the class that I left untouched for so long. I dunno, by some reason I have high expectations from a BH.

But I was looking forward to Jax piece – an experimental male perspective, and no dialogue, that is bound to be fun. And it was. The piece was interesting, and it blended well both the psychological mindset and the physical appearance of the character into the narration. It was nice and intimate, and showed how comfortable you were with the character. Thumbs up!

Again, as we’ve chatted before, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ship names! Heh. Wish I was that creative. I call all mine the Ship. Elara is hard to like in her intro, she is so buttoned up. I do like it that Mallena is willing to give her a chance, foreseeing that she is probably the character that grows on the player. And, ah, Rakghouls. I doubt there is a single monster I dislike more than them. There is so much in their background, so twisted. I find the Taris is hard to write, so kudos for relating your journey through it.

You Mallena is looking for more personal relationship with her staff. Sir’s and My Lord’s really irritate me as well, but I came to be used to Sir in the military story – and I think it fits my character. But, I see how it works for Mallena, and it is quite interesting. The remark and thoughts are so in character for her.

Hope Mellena is alright! Cliffhanger!

“Snipers in the area!”

He felt a bolt tear through his shoulder at the exposed area between the plating and quickly ran for cover, Erin right behind him, “I’m hit, sir. Private O’Shay and I are making our way back.”

“Everyone, fall back immediately!” Zev ordered.

“I’m pinned down, sir!” Bradley shouted.

“Sergeant Roark, see if you can get to Private Bradley. Private O’Shay…….”

“I see ‘em,” Erin acknowledged propping her sniper rifle on the bolder they were ducking behind. She quickly fired off a shot, “Got one……watch it Private Bradley, one in the tree on your six…..I can’t get a clear shot!”

“I see him,” Raney called out, “Moving in to get a shot….”

“Go for it, Corporal Zinn,” Erin replied, “I’ve got you covered.”

“Dammit, Bradley,” Jax cursed as he ran towards the private, “You were ordered to abort and fall back! If you would’ve obeyed your CO instead of arguing like the spoiled son of a ***** you are…….”

Suddenly the ground shook as an explosion rocked the area, the force of the blast enough to knock Dek and Erin over from their positions. A painful grunt escaped his lips as the impact sent a sharp spike of pain through his injured shoulder. He felt hot air wash over his face and acrid smoke burned his lungs making him realize his helm had been knocked off. Ignoring the pain, he got his bruised body to its feet and took a look around. Then a bloodcurdling scream echoed through the air, loud enough to break through the ringing in his ears and he turned to the source. What he saw was enough to make his heart stop and grabbing his rifle off the ground, he took off at a sprint towards his best friend, who’d been thrown by the blast, along with Raney, into a Nexu den.

Jax was pulling Nexu cubs, more than half his considerable size, off of their now silent and still medic when Dek finally got within shooting range. He picked off two of the cubs Jax had already shoved aside and was about to get another when their very angry momma showed up, immediately pouncing on the huge Cathar attacking her children. Afraid to hit his friend, Dek ran towards them, hitting the enormous Nexu with the butt of his rifle, shouting in pain as the impact sent vibrations up his arm to his injured shoulder. She reared, catching him with her spikes, one of them ripping across his face just below the eyes, then swiped her tail at him hard enough to knock his chest plate off, before turning back to her current prey. Shrugging off the stinging on his face and the blood getting in his eye, Dek fired a shot into her back. The beast snarled, turning sharply, cutting into his face once more with those sharp spikes, then began to advance. He raised his rifle and fired off several shots that hit, but weren’t enough to stop the incensed Nexu. She was about to pounce when the roar of an assault cannon reverberated through the air and the beast was finally cut down.

Dek turned to see his cousin approach, face bleeding, holding his smoking cannon at the ready. The two of them walked over to where Jax was now laying still next to the body of Raney, his claws still in the throat of the last Nexu cub. Having some medical training, Zev knelt down next to their friend while Dek hauled the dead cub off of him.

“He’s alive for now,” Zev announced after a moment, “but he needs a tank ASAP.” He then moved on to Raney, shaking his head sadly, “She’s gone.”

“Oh, damn,” Dek sighed, “That’s going to kill him if his injuries don’t.”

Zev nodded, pulling out his com unit, “This is Captain Varlok, Tempest needs a med evac, stat! We’re at location Beta, repeat, Location Beta. We have multiple casualties and enemy snipers in the area, over.”

“Copy that, Captain, eta five minutes, over.”

A minute later, they turned at the sound of footsteps, Dek raising his rifle until he saw who it was. Erin must’ve found her helmet and heard Zev’s call for evac and was headed for them when a shot echoed the air. The petite soldier paled as she clutched her side and sank to her knees. Dek ran to her while Zev laid a spray of cannon fire to cover them. Dek hoisted her over his shoulder and was almost back to his cousin when he felt white hot pain lance through his leg, followed by another through his side, and a third through his chest. Blackness came before he hit the ground……

Dek bolted up in his bed, breathing hard, feeling sweat dampening his broad chest as he laid a hand over his racing hearts, his fingers touching the scar that puckered his crimson skin. After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he realized there was a small hand gently stroking his back and he turned to the slender figure next to him.

“You all right?” the blue Twi’lek asked, her hand stilling.

“Yeah,” Dek lied, uncomfortable at having someone witness him like this, “Just a dream…..sorry if I woke you.”

She cocked her head, lekku swaying gently with the movement, her violet eyes studying him….seeing too much, “You’re military, aren’t you?”

“I was,” Dek sighed, wrapping the sheet around his muscular torso as he got up.

“I figured,” she nodded, then went on as she began to dress, “You have that look about you and the way you and that other guy fought those men off…..I’m guessing he was military too.”

“He was,” Dek answered, then sighed, unsure what exactly to do. He wasn’t like Jax, who could sleep with a woman and forget about her the next day. He could probably count the number of one nighters he’d ever had on one hand and she seemed like a nice young woman, “Look…..uh….T’ana, about last night……well, I’m not…..”

“Relax big guy,” T’ana smiled, “We had a good time last night and I’m not looking for anything more.”

“Thanks,” Dek muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, still feeling a little awkward, “It’s just that I…..well, I don’t usually just take a woman to bed and…..”

“You’re a nice man, Dek,” T’ana interrupted, leaning up to kiss his cheek, “and it’s not that often that I get to spend the night with one. You take care of yourself, okay?”

Dek nodded and she blew him a kiss as she left the room. He ran a hand over his aching head, rubbing his horns as his fingers encountered them. He still felt a little shaky, not from the hangover, but from his nightmares……memories he didn’t like to revisit. He sat back down on the bed, regretting his decision to go cantina hopping with Jax last night. He was happy they did though, otherwise they wouldn’t have been there to save T’ana and N’ala, but the last thing he needed was a hangover when he was getting ready to embark on a huge endeavor. Today Dekkyn Varlok was going to meet his team for The Great Hunt, something that would seal his reputation as a highly skilled, professional bounty hunter when he won. A reputation that would hopefully allow him access to higher profile targets that needed to be brought to justice…..rich people that thought their money could buy their way out of trouble, politicians who thought they were above the law, and corrupt officers that allowed both those groups to get away with it.

@:Caernos:

Academic Value: Jayde making her employer uneasy is great. And public meetings seem to be wise in her line of work. And of course I am intrigued. What information did she trade for? What will be her next move?

Interview with a Sith Lord: Investigating in circles where everybody is paranoid and has reasons to be sounds hard. To have a Sith doing these investigations makes a lot of sense though. Most Sith suspects and witnesses probably wouldn't even bother to talk to somebody else.

Adjusted: It's good to have a friend to talk to to get through these 'adjustments'.

Leave No Man Behind: wonderfully chaotic!

@BenduKundalini: I like the description of the heightened sense of awareness of a Jedi master, seeing all the possibilities of the next moment.

@Striges:

Lettice scratched absently at the old burn scar across her collar and shoulder, the one she hid beneath long sleeves and high collars.

I liked the observation at the end that all Mantellians welcomed the visitor, that's a hopeful sign.

Jaelousy's marks are important and offending at the same time. I like how she memorizes them before getting rid of them and getting rid of them is clearly the only thing to do. The conlclusions she draws from this experience with pain and power make me fear for any participants of her future experiments.

@Mirdthestrill: I like how the helmet Mallena dons a bit unwillingly at the beginning saves her life in the end. Fitting first impressions of Elara, always good to find something to agree on with Jorgan.

@alaurin: First of all, thank you for all the work you put into the index!

Keeping the Memories at Bay: Being on the run from his own memories, seems like it takes a lot of alcohol when Jax is hanging out with Dek.

Everything’s Negotiable: Gault and contracts, you should consult a lawyer before signing! Her gaze flickering down for a brief second made me laugh...

Haunted By the Past: Good motivation to get into bounty hunting. I guess every high ranking politician has enough enemies that there are some bounties for him somewhere. Although I doubt they will be considered legal in the Republic.

@Mrtwo: Welcome back! You should contiue the story arc. Reading your other stories is worth the time!

But I won't complain if I get to read more about June, I get the feeling there are a lot of interesting stories in her past as well as her future.

Thorns wriggled to find a more comfortable posture without waking the sleeping beauty still resting on his chest, her sweat intermingling with his. Nobody would have called him spoiled but the bed in his cabin was too small. Although calling this closet a cabin was an euphemism, too. Complaining was pointless. There had been only this one ship heading for Vaiken Spacedock from Hutta’s space, and on the ship this cabin or none. On the bright side it was better than Hutta — Tattooine had been better than Hutta when he thought about it. Hutta’s stench was worse than Coruscant’s lower levels after several days without ventilation.

Well, Kaliyo had not complained about the bed. She had not had any objections to piling and he had not objected to her being on top. There had been no problem with her taking charge. After a drink at the bar she had told him with a grin and a wink he had earned a bonus for a job well done. Her companion had left and Mako had retreated to her cabin early taking the already sleeping Ungry with her. No reason to decline Kaliyo’s invitation. He had called his first encounter with her to mind — no, no reason at all. She had steered him to his own cabin and he had assumed she didn’t intend to stay for the whole night. Yet her she was.

She stirred and he caressed the nape of her neck. Still half asleep she pressed her body closer to his. So far the bed being too small was the only reason to complain.

He had no idea what she was up to. It would take a brighter guy than him to figure Kaliyo’s plans out. Like her new partner, the man posing as the Red Blade on Hutta, a dangerous man if Thorns ever had seen one. He still was not sure it had been the right decision not to shoot him and Kaliyo, too, when they met on their way into Fa’athra’s compound. He had assessed the option as risky and next to impossible without alerting Fa’athra’s men though. They had been in a quandary, neither daring to move on with the other in his back, neither wanting to cause a hubbub. After watching each other for some moments it had been Kaliyo who came up with a solution when she urged her companion to hire Thorns to help them get into Fa’athra’s palace.

His honor as a bounty hunter bound Thorns not to kill his employer once he had accepted his offer. However he hadn’t been sure about the other man’s intentions. He doubted that Kaliyo would have second thoughts about stabbing him in the back if it suited her. He had been wary at first, but they did not come far before it became clear that Thorns and Mako’s service was much-needed. Working together was for the best of all.

Thorns’ fingertips wandered down Kaliyo’s back now. Apart from some scars her skin was soft and smooth. Underneath it he could feel her muscles which provided an astonishing amount of power to her small body. It had been fun to watch her fight beside him. She’d be able to teach him some tricks in this field, too. They complemented each other well.

Thorns felt a push of her pelvis when his hand reached her bottom. Her eyes were still closed while her left hand started to travel a slightly tickling path down the side of his body.

Thorns had had suspicions about the Red Blade not being whom he pretended to be. Upon their return to Jiguuna the real Red Blade confirmed them when he showed up to confront the impostor. The criminal did not live up to his reputation. Thorns had not lied when he had told the hutt he had collected the bounty for the Red Blade. Of course the bounty had been paid for the original. Thorns smiled. He was not responsible for two persons going by the same name. Nobody would be able to hold Thorns accountable for the hutt’s wrong conclusions. Someday Nem’ro would find out but for now he was not looking for either Kaliyo or her new partner who now went by the name Smilo and was talking with an accent that sounded Imperial again. Thorns was curious what made her leave Hutta with the guy. He had hoped Kaliyo would share some information about Smilo; as it seemed Thorns wasn’t that good.

Kaliyo’s hand had made its way down the outside of his leg and had shifted to the inside of his thigh for the way up. Thorns decided to agree with her; he had earned the bonus — all of it. He grabbed her backside and pulled her into a more convenient position.

There has been this story playing in the future of the current events where Smilo appeared. My apologies for leading anybody besides Nem'ro to false conclusions. But clearly I couldn't let Thorns kill Smilo despite his temptation to do so.

Thank you for posting. It is a very believable background for a BH. The military part was really impressive - it had a group dynamic captured during the battle which is rather hard to do. I could follow the movements of the participants with ease and the combat made sense. The dialogue sounded real. The short, intimate scene was nice as well. Off he goes!

ye dog (a friendly shove on the ribs) Like mixing of the crews, to keep the romantic line flowing

I am not sure how the thing with Kaliyo happened. Somehow it was inevitable on Hutta, Kaliyo more or less threatened me. I would not call it romantic though, not with Kaliyo involved.

@Mirdthestrill: Yay, more Taris adventures......and a nice little cliffhanger you left us with, naughty, naughty! I hope you're able to continue the tale soon! I'd like to think they'd have helms and such by Taris and I like how you mentioned the helm dampening the sound and flash from the attack, otherwise Mallena would likely have been blinded/lost hearing as you said in your note.

@Mrtwo: Glad to see you back and a very interesting character to boot! You gave a lot of information in such a short piece and I'm eager to find out what Garza wants with her. You hear about all sorts of scars, wounds, and disfigurements in the various stories, but deafness would be a difficult disability to contend with, especially on Corellia.

@Striges: I remember reading this story when you first posted it on Tumblr and it still gives me chills, but I can understand why she felt the need to do what she did.

Wow Alaurin, you'd deserve a fanfare and a medal from Leïa Organa for the amazing work on the SFC!!

 

Thanks!!!!

@frauzet: I think the story is more risky than risque.......Kaliyo is a dangerous woman and I think I'd be afraid to be naked and unarmed around her. Thorns is a brave man indeed!

Also, glad you liked those stories. Yes, Jax has a harder time fighting off the memories when either Dek or Zev are around, but drinks and/or women do help. Hehe, glad someone caught Kat's little eye flicker and yes, they should've probably gotten legal advice before signing, but the girls did manage to find some leverage. As for Bounty Hunting, Dek doesn't want to be an enemy of the Republic, but was disillusioned by the incident. Clearing his name and making the real culprits pay is a bigger motivation.

@DomiSotto: Glad you enjoyed Dek's intro and in just a moment, Zev's will provide a little more info on what went down.

“Abort! Do you read me, Private?” Zev shouted over their coms, “Abort and fall back! Area is compromised, do NOT proceed!”

“Due respect, sir,” Bradley answered, “but I’m almost done. I don’t see why I can’t finish setting the charges…”

“Listen you little punk,” Jax snapped, “I don’t care who your dad is, you’re just a snot nosed little puke who needs to learn to respect his superiors. You were ordered to fall back, so move it, Private!”

“I don’t take orders from the likes of YOU,” Bradley sneered.

“I’m afraid you do rich boy,” Jax countered, “and I hope you learned how to do dishes in that fancy mansion you like to brag about because you just pulled kitchen detail.”

“That’s enough, Sergeant,” Zev barked, “I just got intel that there are civs in the area, Private. The mission has been aborted…..now grab those charges and fall back immediately!”

“We’ve got company, sir,” Dek called out, “Approaching from the south….Imperials, roughly two kliks…..”

“Copy that, Lieutenant,” Zev acknowledged, “Signaling for an evac now.”

“Snipers!” Raney shouted, “They got Specialist Ahja! Man down! I repeat, man down! Snipers in the area!”

“I’m hit, sir. Private O’Shay and I are making our way back,” Dek grunted.

“Everyone, fall back immediately!” Zev ordered as he tried to get to Raney and J'ada.

“I’m pinned down, sir!” Bradley shouted, shots heard over his com feed.

He looked around to see who was closest to the private, “Sergeant Roark, see if you can get to Private Bradley. Private O’Shay…….”

“I see ‘em,” Erin replied, then a second later he heard a shot, “Got one……watch it Private Bradley, one in the tree on your six…..I can’t get a clear shot!”

“I see him,” Raney called out, “Moving in to get a shot….”

“Go for it, Corporal Zinn,” Erin replied, “I’ve got you covered.”

“Dammit, Bradley,” Jax shouted as he ran towards the private, “You were ordered to abort and fall back! If you would’ve obeyed your CO instead of arguing like the spoiled son of a ***** you are…….”

Suddenly, Zev felt the ground shake under his boots and he felt a sting across his eye just before he was thrown into a tree by the force of the explosion that came from Private Bradley’s location. He slumped to the ground, his very breath stolen from the impact. A moment later, he stood, wincing as he felt his dented back plate cutting painfully into his side. Needing to me able to move without pain, the tall Zabrak removed the damaged piece as he looked out over the area. He went to call out over their coms only to realize his helm had been knocked off. He wiped the blood from his eye, wincing as his fingers brushed the deep gouge that ran down to his cheek. A few feet away, he spotted Specialist Ahja, her bright blue lekku easily seen against the green grass her still form was lying on. Dodging occasional sniper shots, Zev quickly closed the distance to find there was nothing he could to for the young Twi’lek. The sniper shot that had taken her down went straight through her neck, killing her almost instantly.

A shout followed by a loud roar got his attention and his blood ran cold as he saw a huge Nexu advancing on Dek who’d lost his chest and back plating. Dek’s rifle shots were failing to slow the beast down and Zev charged his assault cannon as he charged towards his cousin. As soon as he was within range, he let loose a barrage of fire, the powerful cannon cutting into the massive creature, felling her as she was about to pounce on Dek.

As Zev approached, he noticed Dek’s face was bleeding and his right shoulder was slumped, but the still, supine figures on the ground were more of an immediate concern. Both Jax and Raney had been close to the blast and had been thrown quite a distance to land at the opening of a Nexu den. Almost certain Raney was dead, Zev decided to see what he could do for Jax first. Dek pulled a dead cub off of the large Cathar and stood guard while Zev knelt next to their friend, pulling out his med kit. He felt around for a pulse, relieved when he found one, then ran the scanner over Jax’s body. He found several broken bones and damage to internal organs, most of which were probably a result of the crushing weight of the female Nexu. He carefully wiped the blood off the left side of Jax’s face, noting the eye still intact. He covered the deep gouges with a kolto patch, unable to do anything more until they could get him back to base and into a tank.

“He’s alive for now,” he told his cousin as he moved over to Raney, “but he needs a tank ASAP.”

The tall, muscular Mirialan was covered in deep, profusely bleeding scratches. Like the rest of them, her helm had been knocked off in the blast, but some of her plating had been torn off as well. One of her legs was bent at an odd angle, indicating a break, but Zev realized it didn’t matter as he failed to feel a pulse on her neck.

“She’s gone,” he sighed, shaking his head, knowing what that was going to do to Jax.

“Oh, damn,” Dek replied, jerking his head toward their friend, “That’s going to kill him if his injuries don’t.”

Zev nodded, pulling out his com unit, “This is Captain Varlok, our unit needs a med evac, stat! We’re at location Beta, repeat, Location Beta. We have multiple casualties and enemy snipers in the area, over.”

“Copy that, Captain, eta five minutes, over.”

Zev packed up his med supplies, and kept an eye out for enemies as they waited for the evac. A minute later, they turned at the sound of footsteps, Dek raising his rifle until he saw who it was. Erin must’ve found her helmet and heard Zev’s call for evac. The petite sniper was headed for their location when a shot echoed the air. Erin clutched her side and sank to her knees. Dek ran to her while Zev laid a spray of cannon fire to cover them. Dek got to her quickly, hoisted her over his shoulder and was almost back when shots rang out. Zev saw his cousin stumble as one of the shots hit his leg, immediately scanning the trees for the shooter. Then Dek went down as two more shots hit him.

“Dammit, Dek,” Zev shouted, pulling incendiaries off his belt and throwing them into the trees as he ran to his cousin. Dek was unconscious when Zev reached him, bleeding from the leg, side, and chest. Zev tore the mesh weave open and started packing the chest wound, dangerously close to Dek’s heart, with kolto patches. He heard the evac shuttle in the distance, but was too distracted with trying to save his cousin to hear the soft footsteps behind him until it was too late. He was going for his sidearm as he felt multiple shots tear into his back….

Zev jerked awake, disorientated as he felt a hand on his back, gently shaking him. He rolled to his side to see his roommate standing over him, a look of concern on his pale tattooed face.

“Sergeant…..you alright?”

“Yeah,” Zev muttered, his voice hoarse, “Sorry I woke you, sir.”

“You can call me Fuse….and it’s fine,” the smaller Zabrak told him, “I know what it’s like to have nightmares.”

“I guess you really can’t call it a nightmare……more like,” he sighed, running his hands over his head, rubbing the cranial horns his fingers encountered to relieve the headache that was already starting. He wasn’t surprised his memories surfaced after having his walker shot down by a missile when he’d arrived on Ord Mantell. Then that same afternoon, he found one of their informants KIA. Bellis had been shot in the back multiple times while waiting for him to arrive at the rendezvous point. Either one of those events were enough to trigger Zev’s nightmares.

“More like memories that creep up on you in the night……yeah, I know,” Fuse admitted, his tone speaking volumes, “Things that happened to you…..your squad mates. Things that haunt you……I get them too, ever since…..well, I’m not really allowed to talk about it. But you know….things…”

“Things you never really forget,” Zev finished, seeing his weariness reflected in the other man’s eyes.

“If you want, I can get something from Needles to help you sleep.”

Zev glanced at the chrono on the nightstand between the two bunks, “No thanks…..I have to be up in a couple of hours anyways. Commander Tavus and Lieutenant Jorgan wanted to brief us on the contents of Bellis’ field box at seven hundred.”

“I’ll talk to Needles later then,” Fuse suggested, noticing the large, deeply tan Zabrak was a little pale, “Maybe you can take something tonight so you can rest better.”

“After yesterday, I might need it,” Zev nodded, saying a silent prayer to the ancestors today would go better.

The operation could hardly have gone better, and this was what made Nova nervous. Despite the alien, Jheeg, losing her gifts and having to retrieve them, everything had gone according to plan. She had met Nem’ro the Hutt and successfully approached his lieutenant, Jarvis. It was only her first real job, but Nova Leril already knew to be suspicious when things were too simple. Imperial Intelligence wasn’t easy work. Still, she wasn’t about to complain, especially since Keeper was monitoring her operation himself.

Nova surveyed the dingy cantina she sat in. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised. It looked like you would imagine the interior of a Hutt’s palace. Everyone in here had at least one weapon displayed and smelled like they’d never seen a refresher on the inside. At least she wasn’t in uniform, it would have been hell to get the stench of this sinkhole of a planet out. But here, she was the Red Blade, and the pirate was accustomed to the surroundings, so Nova did her best to look relaxed, but still on guard.

At least the drink wasn’t bad, even though she didn’t trust the hygiene of this cantina. Better get used to it. After all, she was here for the Empire, not for her own comfort. Nova had thought she’d spend a little time in the cantina, see what she could pick up, but so far she hadn’t heard anything interesting. Although it was a good test of her language skills.

She was about to go when one of the people caught her eye. Nova hoped no one noticed her slight flinch. The young bounty hunter with the two blasters and scratchy armor who entered the cantina hadn’t noticed her yet, but that could change any moment. Now, Nova knew she had to act fast if she wanted to prevent her sister from accidentally blowing her cover.

The agent turned and leaned toward the hunter, who had taken a barstool near her. “Hey, hunter! Fancy running into ya here! Meyla, no Neyla, ain’t it? C’mon, don’t ya remember the Red Blade?”

Neyla’s eyes widened at the sight of her sister, but to her credit, she caught herself fast. “Course I remember you, Blade. How’s it going?”

Nova subtly checked her adoptive sister’s appearance. They were biologically cousins and had the same red hair (a stroke of luck regarding her cover), but didn’t look related otherwise, luckily. Nova shrugged. “Can’t complain. Nem’ro got a few problems I’m takin care of, the credits are good.”

“Glad to hear that, Blade. I’m taking a few bounties here, nothing special so far.”

Time to make an exit before something went wrong with the improvisational theatre. Nova checked her chrono. “I’d buy ya a drink for old times’ sake, but I really have to get goin. Trouble at the evocii village. See ya around, hunter.”

“That’s where I’m headed next, too. I’m sure we’ll run into each other again. So long, Blade.”

Upon leaving the Hutt palace to head into the wilds, Nova discovered that the rest of Hutta was even worse than Jiguuna. The swamps were unpleasant enough even without the aggressive wildlife and trigger-happy droids. Though they were obstacles rather than a real challenge. Somewhere else, she might have enjoyed the tour through nature, it was something she rarely came into contact with. No matter..

Not long after, Nova saw her sister approaching along her path. She checked that no one else was around, then waited for the hunter.

“Nova! Didn’t think I’d see you here, sis,” Neyla greeted her.

Nova smiled and hugged her sister. “Likewise. I’m here for the job, but you know I can’t tell you more than that. But you could help sell my cover. I’m a pirate called the Red Blade, and we met each other a year ago working on a contract for Godoba the Hutt. I helped you with going after a rival of mine. Okay?” This time, Nova didn’t bother hiding her Imperial accent.

“Okay, I suppose it’s the least I can do.”

“What are you doing here, anyway?”

“I’m trying to get into the Great Hunt and need Nem’ro’s sponsorship.”

Nova took a close look at her sister. “Seems like the bounty hunting’s going well for you, sis. Are these Dad’s blasters?”

The young hunter seemed uncomfortable at the question. “Yeah. He left them to me and I’m keeping them to remember him by.” She sighed. “I miss Dad. Hope you aren’t angry he gave them to me and not to you.”

“Of course not.” Nova shrugged. “I miss him as well, but it’s been two years, and you were always closer to him than me. Pretty natural, since he wasn’t really related to me and you two are very similar.” She grinned. “But I’m closer to our little bro.”

Neyla rolled her eyes. “No need to start a popularity contest.”

“Only because you know you’d lose.”

“You wish! But we shouldn’t stand around here. Want to go to that village together?”

On the way, Nova remembered the date. “It’s been exactly ten years since we first met. It seems like a lot longer.”

“You’re right. I’ll never forget that day.”

And neither would Nova. Thinking back to the scared nine year old girl she had been, her resolve to succeed in this mission strengthened. In the Empire, she’d found a new home, a family. A new life. And actions like ending a gang war on this miserable planet was not the worst she could do with her life. Plus, she’d discovered she liked the thrill of being an agent of the Empire.

I’ll explain the relationship between my characters in more detail in a later post. Those two are the daughters of my Inquisitor, so "Dad" is the Inquisitor’s LI. And in case it wasn’t clear from the story, they’re both human.

A small spec of blue sat at the base of a very tall tower. Atop the tower, a large, beautiful sphere rotated with a perfect precision, sending the rays of mauve light to crisscross the smoking sky above. A bluff fell from the base off the tower to the valley of a placid Sundray river. The waters reflected the dull pink, tinged with gray of the sky above. And everywhere, everywhere pyramidal rock structures reached for the sky, the brown questing fingers. Once, those rocks where hot and flowing aiming to reach the surface and erupt as volcanos. And they were still the source of Balmorra’s mineral wealth, exploited by its many factories. They made droids on Balmorra and arms of every kind, but always the toughest kind.

All and all, the blue spec, one Tishujen Dur, was out of place. She was a soft and squishy woman, dressed in a light jacket, leather pants and a wide-brimmed hat with lekku hanging down her back, unprotected. Oh, and the ear-muffs. The ear-muffs made Balmorra silent despite the never ceasing cannonade, blaster file, rocket explosions and the air raid sirens. All of it loud, most of it useless, at least on Tishujen’s side.

Those perfect mauve rays that looked so pretty at dawn rendered the best Balmorran arms impotent, stealing the lives away from the Resistance fighters in the valley. They stubbornly fought on. Using rifles as sticks, she imagined. Tishujen fixed the hat at a jaunty angle, adjusted ear-muffs and gave another look around. The path was clear. So she pressed her back against the wall, and shot at a booth. It fell open revealing many colored wires. Tishujen sliced some, and hotwired a few. Then she ran to her speeder and gunned it down the bluff burning the tufts with the exhaust as she passed. She had every confidence the tough grass will grow right back as it stubbornly done all these past years while Balmorra fought on.

Once a safe distance away, Tishujen Dur turned the speeder in a tight circle, not cutting the engine. She dropped the muffs down. The sounds of battle assaulted her ears, the deafening noise, but she paid no heed. She craned her neck to look up, up, up… at the sphere atop of the high tower. The precise rotations become irregular, and then the explosions wrecked the beautiful thing. One after another the mauve rays blinked off. One after another the sirens wailed. Then one, final explosion blew the sphere apart, the sound knocking Tishujen off her speeder. She climbed up to her hands and knees, spitting grit just in time to see the entire structure to fold onto itself and collapse.

For a short moment there was silence. Then, the cannonade, blaster file, rocket explosions and the air raid sirens once again filled the air with booms and wails and high pitch wheezes. A grin split Tishujen’s smudged face as she picked up her hat. Balmorra’s Resistance was at it again. Fighting. They made droids on Balmorra, always the toughest kind. But really, they mastered the art of making the toughest sentients first.

As for her… well, it was time to go back to Corellia. Betrayal, Riggs leaving, feeling used – it mattered zilch now. As long as she kept on fighting.

This soundtrack is from a show I used to watch and really embodies June's deafness for me (if that makes any sense) and the struggles she has to face because of her disability. It also has a hint of hope in it for her future and the ending crazy is the icing on the cake.

June looked deeply into the clear blue water of the fountain as it shifted and bubbled from the water streams coming out of the large symmetrical centerpiece. The uniform color of the water reminded her of the black of space, another thing she enjoyed staring into. She supposed the water made some sort of churning sound, although it had been so long since the accident now that she had forgotten what that would sound like. It was mid-afternoon in the city of Coronet on the planet of Corellia, and she was reasonably happy for once. This beautiful plaza with its green grass and wide benches was her favorite place in the whole city. Light glinted off a credcoin at the bottom of the fountain and June reached in eagerly to grab it; if it was a high enough value, she could buy a new hat with it.

Her fingers had almost reached the coin when she felt someone push her from behind and she fell head-first into the fountain. It was only a foot deep so she wasn’t in any danger of drowning, but pure hateful anger sent June splashing to her feet as soon as she could regain her balance. The water dripped off her simple clothes soundlessly as she steadied herself with the centerpiece. Jack Huvuro from her school was standing in front of the fountain with his new girlfriend, Lucy, and they were both laughing. June watched their big stupid mouths open and close, spittle occasionally flying out of Jack’s.

June had always had a temper, and being deaf, being unable to do so many things had made her wrath even fiercer. Her face wasn’t the type to get red, but the 14 year old girl clenched her fists tightly and gritted her teeth together in rage.

Her anger only seemed to make the two bullies laugh harder as they saw the deaf girl seethe. That’s alright, June thought, laughing leaves you vulnerable.

In one quick leap she soared out of the fountain and landed crouched in front of Jack and Lucy. Jabs to both of their legs sent them to their knees. June focused on the main perpetrator and delivered a solid kick to Jack’s chin that she felt make a satisfying cracking sound on impact.

Before the deaf girl could land another strike, Lucy was limping away dragging Jack’s unconscious form behind her. She was saying something, and June used her developing lip-reading skills to figure out what it was.

“Freak!” Lucy yelled again and again, tears streaming down her face. “You should have died with your mother!” The injured couple disappeared from sight as they exited the plaza and June suddenly felt very weary.

She fell to her knees and closed her eyes. Too much was happening at once and June needed to block it all out and calm down. She focused on her mother’s voice, one of the only sounds she refused to forget, and knelt there for a while replaying it in her head. Sleep softly, my June, the soft sweet voice repeated over and over, sleep softly.

She opened her eyes again when she felt a warm hand grasp her shoulder. The hand turned her around and June saw her father crouching there in his Corellian Security uniform.

“What happened, June?” her father asked, speaking slowly and deliberately so that she could read his lips.

June signed back, “They were cruel, father.” His sigh indicated that he knew there was more to the story then that.

“Did you use what I taught you on them?” he asked. A reply didn't seem necessary, so June let her eyes drop in shame to answer his question.

Her father grasped her chin so that he met her eyes again. They were a light blue, just like hers. “I know you were angry, June. But if you use my teachings again to harm others and it isn't self-defense, I won’t teach you anymore.”

June signed acceptance and her father smiled before rising to his feet and pulling her after. She looked up to see that that it was almost dusk now; she must have knelt there for over an hour. They got into her father’s nearby hovercar and her father sped out exit the plaza with the fountain. Tall buildings and lonely alleyways passed them as they proceeded towards the residential district of Coronet. June saw her school fly by and sighed as she realized that she would have to face Jack and Lucy tomorrow.

Even without sound, June could tell it was a quiet day in the city. Traffic was light and mostly composed of residents and C-Sec agents. In a couple of cycles, the harvests of wine grapes and other goods would be ready and traders from the Republic would flood the spaceport selling and buying all manner of things. The sights and smells were both amazing and sometimes disturbing. It was June’s favorite time of the year because she got to spend the money she saved all the previous cycles on exotic alien wares.

Her father smoothly parked the hovercar in front of their house and helped her out of the car. She entered the house, a one-story but reasonably comfortable dwelling, and went into the refresher to change out of her damp clothes. June’s father had dinner ready when she came out in clean nightwear.

They ate the Corellian nerf that her father had hunted himself in peace. Her father asked about her books and June excitedly signed back that the library was getting a new shipment of reading material in next week and that she hoped to find the last book in the series she was reading. She also told him about the new mall in the Shopping District that was opening next cycle that promised a wide variety of hats to add to her collection.

After dinner, June helped clean the dishes and then said goodnight to her father. She went into the refresher again and looked into the mirror. She was a pretty girl if you didn’t look too closely, if you didn’t notice the jagged scars on her neck and around her ears. If you didn’t look into her light blue eyes and see the everlasting pain etched into her soul. June brushed her teeth and retired to her bedroom. Two large holoshelves took up the majority of the room; she didn’t have much need for a Holo-TV or a radio, after all. Books were silent and June could read them just like anyone else.

June read a book about a princess who was rescued by a brave farmboy who had discovered he was a Jedi Knight. It was her favorite book in her whole library, excluding the sequel. Sometimes it made her sad, though. She sighed after finishing it and ejected the book chip from her datapad. If only she were a Jedi, then maybe she wouldn’t have to deal with Jack Huvuro and his stupid girlfriend who wasn’t even that pretty. June would even settle for being the princess. Hah, me a princess. The thought was too absurd to be true.

She picked up another book, this one a holo-album that her father had compiled for her, and loaded the chip into her datapad. Most of the pictures were of June and her father, but the last five showed her mother. She had beautiful white hair just like June, but hazel eyes instead of blue. June’s favorite picture was of herself and her parents standing in front of the fountain in the plaza, an old-fashioned picnic blanket strewn out beside them. They were all smiling. She had been six years old then; a year before the accident. Nothing in her mother’s face indicated that she knew her life would soon end.

A silent sigh escaped her and June set down the datapad and went to bed. She fell asleep surprisingly quick and dreamed pleasant dreams of princesses, Jedi Knights, and her mother.

I assume Corellia is relatively peaceful at the moment since this is roughly fifteen years before the game and is during the hiatus between the two invasions of the Sith Empire. If it isn't, well, try to suspend your disbelief

I like both the vulnerability and the emerging power in June. It is a believable portrayal of someone young, struggling with so many different emotions, with her perceptions sharpened by her inability to hear. I also liked the careful details of her day and the fact that her parent is present and very supportive.

Welcome! I love the two cousins set-up. It is really good that you are building the Legacy relation in. They make sence, their character comes through nicely in their banters.

There is one slight logical inconsistency for you to maybe take another look at. In the paragraph I quoted below Nova first she thinks that the swamps are unpleasant, adds nuisance to it, but the paragraph finishes with ‘she’d enjoy the tour’. I think it might be good to add why would she want a tour?

Upon leaving the Hutt palace to head into the wilds, Nova discovered that the rest of Hutta was even worse than Jiguuna. The swamps were unpleasant enough even without the aggressive wildlife and trigger-happy droids. Though they were obstacles rather than a real challenge. If only the stench wasn’t quite so bad, she might even have enjoyed the tour.

I like Zev, I really do. His memories are so very vivid and full of torrent violence. Thank you for sharing, definitely will be looking forward for more of his appearances. You really have him together, very consistent and compelling character with a very strong voice of his own.

The Disciple landed the speeder by a small shack perched on a gentle grassy hill sloping towards the gray cliffs and the sea. His heart pounded as he opened the door. Quinly was on her knees, apparently packing a chest with datapads. She was presently staring at one of them, frowning, biting her lip. She lifted her head and smiled up at him: "I can't tell heads from tails. I hope Chodo Habat could find someone who can."

He did not reply, just looked at her. Quinly shrugged and rose to her feet: "But you did not ride all the way here to help me pack Bao-Dur's things, Mical. Come, I will show you what the Order has just acquired."

She led him to the cliff and pointed out the extent of the lands around Bao-Dur's small dwelling, untouched under the shield the Zabrak held together by feeding his lifeforce to it. It was a beautiful strip of green, and the warm soft drizzle made his hair and skin feel pleasantly moist. He was getting used to living underground and expecting the outdoors to be nothing but endless snow. He told her about people answering the call they've placed. The drop-outs, the lost ones, the very young. He laughed at the ambitious parents that would not believe their children did not have the Force Sensitivity.

"Atris came back as well, Master. She's asking to help as an administrator."

"And?" Quinly asked.

"I think I should accept her," he said.

"Then do so," Quinly replied. "She will test you, and oppose you every step of the way, but you can manage her."

He stopped, swallowed. This conversation was trivial, but he did not have the guts to ask her the most important thing. "When…when are we to expect you at the Academy, Master?"

Quinly laughed and beaconed. She led him back to the shack, to a big stack of boxes with Habat's seal on it. A strange tool was leaning against it, really just a shaft with a wide, semi-circular metal blade. "Is that…" he raked his memory, "a shovel?"

Quinly nodded and took the ancient tool in her hands, then proceeded to dig a hole in the ground. He took the other shovel and joined her. She seemed to want a circular hole about a meter deep. When they were done, Quinly picked a handful of dirt. He followed her example again, and enjoyed the rich moist feel of freshly turned soil. Quinly opened one of the containers, and revealed a tiny tree, just a few sticks, no leaves yet, with a surprisingly large root bulb. Checking a datapad carefully, they mixed the dirt on the bottom of the hole with some supplement, planted the tree, and watered it. He wasn't sure the last one was needed with all the drizzle, but Quinly conferred with Habat's instructions. It took a surprisingly long time to plant this one tiny little tree by hand.

"I intend to plant a grove here," Quinly said at last.

He looked around. "It will be a place of power, Master, of course. But why now? The Order needs you desperately, when we are so few."

Quinly smiled sadly. "Mical, the Order has exiled me, and for a good reason. This is my place for now. My duty. I am afraid I will always be remembered as a menace of Malachor, the death-bringer."

"No!" he exclaimed, "no..."

"You are trying to white-wash me again. Do not. It will harm your efforts. Distance the Order from me. I have never seen anyone whose nature is more of the light than you. It is so apparent that even those who never touch the Force can see it. Do not confuse them, Mical."

He sighed. "There is one more thing. Mira wants—"

Quinly nodded: "I know what Mira wants, and my answer is the same as before. I shall not take another student."

"Is that all I should tell her?" he asked sadly.

"No," Quinly replied, and hope woke in him for a moment. "No, there is more you can tell her. But not until you accept that you are ready to take on your first padawan."

The chill of foreboding ran through him. "Once the grove is planted, what's then?"

Her face turned thoughtful. "I have Revan's ship, but Revan is lost somewhere beyond the Rim. And Admiral Onasi had asked me to tell her that he's waiting."

"Admiral Onasi has no jurisdiction to order you around!" Mical argued.

"That was no order, Mical," Quinly corrected him quietly, "That aside, Kreia prophesized that Revan must be found for our sacrifices to have any meaning."

"I will come with you," Mical offered quickly.

"You, Mical, will shine brighter once you step out of my shadow," Quinly told him with finality, turned away and started digging another hole.

There was nothing else to say, and Mical walked slowly to his speeder. So that's how a man feels after he'd lived his dream.

It seemed like a thousand years had passed since he was a boy sheltering among the white columns, looking down at the sparing grounds. Down there, a young Knight and a senior padawan sparred endlessly, until the Knight threw her hands up in frustration: "Quinly, if that was a lightsaber, you'd be long dead. Yield."

The younger woman cut the legs from under the Knight: "This is a training sword, Master Revan."

The Knight did not get up from the ground after her fall. She crossed her legs, looked up and asked intently: "And do you want to keep fighting with the training blades, Quinly, when the Mandalorians burn and pillage a world after world?"

Quinly stood to attention. "Master?"

"I have seen your battle simulations, Quinly. I found them impressive."

Quinly sounded surprised: "Then you are the only one. The Masters have barely let me pass."

Revan chuckled: "They would. You have sacrificed more than they could stomach. But you've come out victorious every single time. As I said, impressive." The Knight looked up, right at Mical's hiding place, and finally got up, dusting off her soft trousers. "Let us go chat about it somewhere… quieter."

Mical knew that Revan was everyone's talk, with her swift rise and unorthodox ways. Yet it was the younger padawan that captivated his imagination. Over the next few weeks he shadowed Quinly, watching her fight, meditate, argue. Everything she did had energy and purpose to it. She'd laughed back then, too, easily and happily. On the night they had given her the lightsaber, Mical trailed her, eager to ask if she would consider him as a padawan, but she was so lost in her thoughts, she'd never heard him call after her.

Tomorrow, he'd thought, tomorrow.

The next morning Quinly's abrupt departure and betrayal was the scandal everyone whispered about. But he did not stop dreaming of adventuring far and wide with Master Quinly.

Now he did. There was another part to those old dreams. That she'd notice him for a grown man. She did that too, and treated him as such. It is a hard thing to live longer than your dreams. He sped away for the pole and the many obligations of a Jedi Master.

Comforted that Mical finally went on his Way, Quinly straightened from patting the dirt around another tree. The saplings were falling into a pattern she'd dreamed about. She knew he was guiding her. Or she had hoped.

"Are you here?" she asked the dusk.

Slowly, the air darkened even more right by her side, thickened into a figure kneeling on the grass. "Have I done well?" she'd asked him quietly. He straightened and gave the rows of sticks a good long look, then took the shovel away from her. She started. From what she knew of the Force apparitions they were never substantial.

"You," she stumbled, "you could always make anything work."

"It's far from perfect," he said and shook his head self-depreciatively. The shovel dropped through his hand. "And I have never hoped for you to come here. Or to remember what I have told you about the trees and the shovels and making amends."

"That's because you are a fool," Quinly retorted. "Or maybe you are the wise one. It is me who still walks among the living, and plants in hopes to find forgiveness for all those who had died. There has been so much death, but it keeps skipping me over."

"Come here," he said simply. "Just don't lean in too much, or you might end up with dirt all over your face."

"Won't be the first time," Quinly replied, "I need a shoulder to cry on. Don't tell anyone." She pressed her forehead against his chest tentatively. He wrapped his arms around her with the same care. "Very strange," she muttered.

"Yes," he replied, "strange." A moment passed in silence, and then suddenly, her outward serenity gave way. Quinly's strong shoulders drooped and shook. Ever so slightly he touched the top of her head, her hair with his lips. It should have been imperceptible, but she lifted her wet face off his chest at once to look up at him.

"You?"

"Always, General," he replied.