Saga - PT "The Dragon of Dagobah" (Clone Wars short story, OCs) COMPLETED

Yay, new Kurisan story!

So now we see Maya working together with the clone troopers that she first met in Episode II, and given that she wasn't so sure about some of them at first it's good to see that things are harmonious now. Though Blanco strikes me as a bit of a loose cannon; that was a scary few moments there at the start, and I fear that that sort of thing is not the best thing to have happen on important missions to uncharted worlds. (Blanco seems like a bit of a smartmouth too; is that "Fox" bit addressed to Maya? Though I seem to remember there being a clone named that too, perhaps in one of those Karen Traviss books...)

And yes, I too am curious why Dagobah isn't in the records, given that "if something isn't in the Jedi archives, it doesn't exist" (to paraphrase a different Nu). I like the way Maya relates it back to the similar situation with Kamino; of course the movies never do touch on how the Kaminoans or clones feel about their planet being treated as nonexistent, so it's neat that you raise that issue here.

Looking forward to finding out what Maya and co. will find on Dagobah, and how similar or different it will be from the Dagobah we know and love from Empire.

 

Oh, yep, that Blanco is showing definite signs of loose cannonism. So "Fox" is indeed Maya—doesn't sound at all like the sort of thing that's appropriate to call one's commander. (The flirtatious undertones, for one thing... is he trying to say she's a "foxy lady" or some such? I don't know, that doesn't sound good... ) And I see that's not the only area in which Maya and her team of troopers still have wrinkles to work out in their working relationship. It still seems like the troopers really don't totally want to treat her like an authority—they consider her to still be a little padawan who needs their protection, and they don't bother to consult her when discussing matters like searches. (Of course the other side of that coin is—and I may have said this in another story of yours—the whole business of making even padawans generals in the Clone Wars always did seem a little... much.) Naturally I'm raring to see what they'll find on their search, though I also will be curious to see how what they find will help improve or worsen their working relationship with each other.

I know you've said before you tend to minimize descriptions and focus on action, but I have to say I really love your description of the Dagobah landscape here, from the gnarltrees to the animal noises to the stench and humidity of the bog.

 

Ah ha! So this whole tension between Maya and her troopers does indeed relate to both the nickname business and the issue of padawans as commanders. The concept of earned team names makes sense among the clones, given their situation, and it would also make sense that the clones (and especially a flyboy like Blanco) would be unaware that the outside world (i.e., the non-clone world) does not assign names that way. I'm relieved that the nickname "fox" was just meant to reflect stealth and cunning—or is that Marker being diplomatic? Hard to say, and I certainly don't blame Maya for feeling funny about being called that. And as for Marker himself, he's always seemed like the most mild-mannered and reasonable member of the group, so it's not surprising to see him being the one making the effort toward restoring the rapport. I really appreciate that he's being patient and forbearing with Maya's mistakes (this is her first time in this sort of position, after all) and that he's not taking the hard-nosed-soldier-you-only-get-one-chance approach with her (the way Flint, for example, might—though now we know where that is coming from).

Now this line of beacons is definitely intriguing. I certainly wonder what that could be all about, and I hope Maya and co. will be able to follow them to their source in time! Clock's ticking...

 

Ooh, yoicks, catch-up time! But first I'll say that I promise that the Mists have not given me any kind of access to your story-planning notes—really, they haven't! If my guesses are turning out right, it's mainly just by chance, because Ewok Poet can tell you that I've guessed lots of things wrong about her stories and other people's. And don't worry, you have indeed surprised me plenty of times—the simulator business at the beginning of The Clones of Kamino was a huge surprise to me, for example, and I'm sure there will be more to come the way things are going in this story!

So now...

5: I was seriously worried about Blanco for a moment there. He may be a flyboy and blowhard, but he sure doesn't deserve to be gobbled alive by mysterious swamp monsters! Of course, that's an attitude that we nonclones take for granted—but to people like Flint who are accustomed (!) to being treated as expendable, cannon-fodder "redshirts" day in and day out (and he's got that added experience with Padawan Tarol on top of that), it's not at all a given that all team members would be considered equally worthwhile and equally worth saving. This chapter clearly shows us what happens when those two very different ethics rub up against each other (which the films should have shown but didn't)—rub they definitely do, but it works out in the end and they reach a mutual understanding. I do hope, though, that Marker won't get taken to task by Flint for "blabbing" about Flint's past! And I'm taking note of the fact that Maya isn't the only one sensing the darkness of the place—her (presumably) non-Force-sensitive companions are too, and that seems very significant.

6: And at last they make it to the strange humpbacked mountain, and I love that the first thing they do is come up with a plan for how to get all of them there, utilizing the skills and strengths of each person. Flint and co. are definitely starting to pick up on this whole "all team members are equally valued" ethos! And Mr. Flyboy Blanco is back to his usual snarky self, which is good to see. It's a bit concerning that he's pushing himself so hard with his injury and not admitting that he's still in pain, though that's true to his personality too, in a way. You spoke of surprises, and I have to say that I, like EP, was a bit surprised to see battle droids here—I had kind of expected that they'd meet a more "Force and sorcery"-type of mischief under this mysterious mountain, but that's no doubt lurking too (they're not mutually exclusive, after all!). Some quick thinking and action will be required, but this bunch is good at that!