Beyond - Legends Saga "Cut Into Little Stars" | UDC IX Collection; Multi-Era, Ensemble Cast

Title: “Cut Into Little Stars”
Author: Mira_Jade

Genre: Everything!
Rating: PG-ish
Time Frame: Everywhere!
Characters: Everyone! (See the Index below)

Summary: Moments from a galaxy far, far away.


Notes: Yay! The Ultimate Drabble Challenge is back, and so am I! It really is a joy to be writing drabbles again! For those of you who are familiar with my work you can expect much of the same: lots of PT goodness with some OT and Beyond-Legends scattered for spice, and then more than a few forays into my Song!verse AU – you’ll find it all here, and more! As always, I thank you for reading and hope that you enjoy.


Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, but for the words. (The title for this collection is a nick from Shoemaker, by Nightwish, which is really a nick from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, but this song entire album is my muse's anthem right now, so it deserved the nod. )

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Index of Entries​

Week I: "In Answer to the Dark" (Beyond-Legends; post-NJO AU) | Jag Fel/Jaina Solo | Kyp Durron/Shawnkyr | Luke Skywalker/Mara Jade | Han Solo & Soontir Fel | Kam Solusar/Tionne Solusar

Week II: "Night Will Come, But Not to Stay" (Saga-PT; post-RoTS, Song!Verse AU) | Anakin Skywalker/Padmé Amidala | Bly/Aayla Secura | Darth Maul & Mara Jade | Kix | Obi-Wan Kenobi/Luminara Unduli

Week III: "The Ways I Battle Myself" (Beyond-Legends; post-VoTF) | Mara Jade & Tionne Solusar | Mara Jade & Jaina Solo | Sliven & Tahiri Veila | Luke Skywalker | Mara Jade & Corran Horn & Wedge Antilles

Week IV: "Tonight Any Dream Will Do" (Saga-PT; post-TCW) | Rex/Ahsoka & Cut/Suu Lawquane

Week V: "So Full of the Universe We Overflow" (Saga-PT; post-ROTS, Song!Verse AU) Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano & Rex | Yoda & Anakin Skywalker | Jesse & Kix | Rhysa Zy-Elss (OC) | Zeb Orellios/ Shulma Orellios (OC and Fanon borrowed from Findswoman and Raissa Baiard)

Week VI: "A Reminder to Your Lungs" (Saga-PT; TPM - post-RoTS) Shmi Skywalker & Padmé Amidala | Shaak Ti & Ahsoka Tano | Carasynthia Dune and Helianthus Dune (OC) | Owen Lars/Beru Lars | Boba Fett/Sintas Vel

Week VII: "We Have No Scars to Show From Happiness" (Before the Saga; KotOR) | fem!Revan/Darth Malak & Meetra Surik | fem!Revan & Canderous Ordo & Bastila Shan

Week VIII: "Enter, Life" (Saga-PT; Song!Verse AU) | Rex/Ahsoka Tano | Cut/Suu Lawquane | Cody | Jesse/Amily Gabrees | Bail Organa/Breha Organa & Briant Organa)

Week IX: "Theirs but to Do and Die" (Saga-PT; TCW) | Fives & Tup | Kanan Jarrus & Stance | Bly/Aayla Secura | Kix & Anakin Skywalker | Jesse & Kix



~MJ

 

Author's Notes: To start, I had to go with some fluff and mush featuring our much beloved Legends classics! All of these drabbles are set in a vaguely happy post-NJO AU that hand waves from DN on. Also! I have taken the option of writing imperfect drabbles. These drabbles are a little . . . robust, but are still as close to the hundred word mark I could get without spending a chunk of time paring down and editing. Did I mention that I love that new option? Because I really do!

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Week One: “In Answer to the Dark”
(Beyond-Legends; Post-NJO AU)​

I. Adamant (Jaina Solo/Jag Fel)

Jag Fel did not propose with a ring at first. Instead, he guided her into the hanger with her hands covering her eyes. When she was finally allowed to look she saw a ship – indescribably perfect and wondrously beautiful– waiting in its berth, back-dropped by the stars. Gilded with sleek durachrome and its every line engineered for precision speed power, it was love at first sight for Jaina.

“I want to spend the rest of my life’s journey with you,” Jag knelt – and then he did bring out a ring of matching ever-silver, inlaid with a single Corellian heart-stone. In answer, all she could give was a resounding, “Yes!”



II. Abide (Kyp Durron/Shawnkyr & OC)

Some nights, Kyp Durron couldn’t abide the dark. From his childhood spent imprisoned in the sunless mines of Kessel, to the still lingering pall of Exar Kun’s possession and the more literal Dark he ever battled, he had ample reason to be wary of the shadows. He often kept a light on, just to be assured of its presence.

Yet, when he tucked his daughter in between him and his wife after another nightmare – the familiar red of Shawnkyr’s eyes blinking with a light of their own as she stirred – he whispered: “You don’t have to be afraid of the dark, little one; not here.” Feeling her trusting nod as she burrowed in against him, the shadows receded just that much further.



III. Afield (Mara Jade/Luke Skywalker)

Though Mara Jade Skywalker would never admit it, she cared less and less for long field assignments as the years went by.

It wasn’t that she needed Luke with her every second of every day – and, really, the ember of his consciousness was always a warmth in her mind, no matter the star systems stretched between them – but she did miss him . . . missed his smile and his voice and the hundred little moments that made up their lives together.

I miss you too, love; see you back home soon.

The brief thought wasn’t quite the same as having him there, but it was enough. She smiled, and carried on with her mission.



IV. Aghast (Han Solo & Soontir Fel)

The baby boy was perfect: with ten fingers and ten toes and a fine down of black hair ghosting over the crown of his head, just like his father’s. His eyes were that same warm, deep brown that Han had come to love best – his mother’s eyes, his grandmother’s eyes.

“He’s perfect,” little Anakin’s paternal grandfather muttered. In spite of himself, Han couldn’t help but grin, smitten.

“I agree.”

Soontir raised a brow in mock surprise, effortlessly riling him. “Don’t look so shocked – and don’t expect a pattern here, Fel,” Han huffed. “It’s just . . . it’s a good day for a truce.”

“That,” Soontir’s expression softened in its own right, “it truly is.”



V. Aforetime (Tionne Solusar/Kam Solusar)

There was a pattern of good and evil winding throughout history, ebbing and flowing as if bound to the rhythm of a tide.

Tionne put her holocron away for the night, defeated. In compiling the history of the Old Order she hadn’t found an answer to the Dark, per se, but, rather -

“ - we can only control our own choices, Ti; there’s no finite solution,” Kam answered her fears with the truth he’d personally come to know. “We learn from the past, but it doesn’t define our future.”

She leaned against his shoulder, considering. In the end, she decided, this – this love, this light – was how she could personally go on fighting against the Dark, one day at a time.

Spoiler: End Notes

I don't have much to say about this set, but I do have to add that plenty more of Han and Soontir's grudging journey together as in-laws, Anakin Fel, and the absolutely fabulous rare pair of my heart that is Kyp/Shawnkyr can be found over in my Constellations ficlet collection if you're curious about more.

~ MJ

 

Oh, wow! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback, everyone! I really appreciate and value your words more than I can say.

Now, for a few replies before moving on with Week Two . . .

Amen to that! Canon, what canon? This is so totally what happened instead.

Don't mind me, sprinkling happy endings like confetti! As much as I love the Legends cast, the pro writers really sacrificed characters for conflict in the end - and you know how much I love fixing that in my work.

It's okay! Her secret is safe with us.

I am so glad you enjoyed these, my friend! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your thoughts!

They really are the best! Thanks for the wonderful comment.

Aw, thanks brodie! If I had to pick my favorites, those would be mine as well - and I know how much you love Tionne and Kam! Your work keeps them alive for me, too.

Thank you so much for the wonderfully kind feedback! I had all sorts of fun writing these sweeter moments for these characters, and I'm thrilled that you enjoyed them too.

Exactly! While I'm all for a good adventure story - that's half the draw of Star Wars, of course - I adore these characters and just want to give them a chance to thrive and live their best lives in between saving the galaxy. I don't think we're asking for too much there!

Thanks! Kyp would be the best father, that I really believe, and I loved writing that little glimpse of what-could-be here.

In the end, that's really all that any of us can do, isn't it? I loved writing this one, and am happy that it struck you too!

I can't thank you so much for reading, again, and for taking the time to leave such a wonderful comment!

Han and Soontir's bantering will always be one of my favorite things! But, in the end, they are just proud papas - and grandpapas! - who just want to kvell over their younglings together.

Thank you!! I loved writing that line, and indulging in some good ol' classic Luke/Mara!

I couldn't say it better than the Bard himself, could I?! And it did tie in so perfectly with my Constellations collection, you're too right! In the end, I couldn't resist.

Thanks so much for reading, and for taking the time to leave such a wonderful comment! I always appreciate your doing so.

I'M BACK! I am so glad that you enjoyed these, too, and hope you continue to do so!


Alrighty! More will come in just a few minutes . . .

 

Author's Notes: Soooo, the TCW finale was absolutely brutal and gutting (just like we knew it would be!), and though I was first inspired to sit down and write some hardcore angst to fill in the missing scenes, I finally decided that: nah, I'm gonna write happy fix-it fic instead. So, here I am with a few hefty drabbles (they're all 130-150 words, oops! ) set in my Song!verse - which is just an AU world where Anakin wasn't quite as dumb and Sithy, and thus made better life choices during RoTS. Because I think we could all use a little AU therapy right about now!

And, as a last note, the title for this set came from How's The Heart, by Nightwish. Because, as I mentioned, my muse is currently just a wee bit smitten.

Enjoy!

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Week Two: "dear one, night will come (but not to stay)"
(Saga-PT; Post-RoTS, Song!verse AU | Ensemble Cast)​

VI. Raid (Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker)

Padmé found it on accident.

She’d come home to find Anakin sprawled out on the couch with the twins tucked in his arms, content and asleep. Smiling at the scene, she moved to drape Anakin’s cloak over her family, but paused when she felt something in the pocket. Expecting to find an errant toy or some scrap from whatever project he'd been tinkering with earlier, she didn’t understand her error until:

Oh . . . it was a ring box.

Five years and two children into their marriage, and she still didn’t have a wedding ring – well, not officially, anyway. Her japor pendant had always been enough for her; she’d never thought to seek out anything more to outwardly proclaim their bond. Yet . . .

When he finally asked her, of course she would say yes.



VII. Pirate (Bly/Aayla Secura)

For years, he’d dreamed the same two dreams; all the vod’e did. One was benign: a memory that was his, but not, of ripe golden fields swaying in the breeze. The second wasn’t a dream, but a nightmare where his name was stolen and his very sense of self torn away. He had no choice (no choice!), because good soldiers follow orders and CC-5052 was nothing if not a good soldier. (Aayla, please, look out!)

Bly hadn’t had that nightmare in years, not since his chip was removed. He belonged only to himself now, and, of course, to -

“ - shh, love,” came Aayla’s sleepy mumble in the dark. “It’s just a dream.”

Yes . . . just a dream; this – this – he held on tighter to convince himself, was real.



VIII. Smuggle (Darth Maul & Mara Jade)

The girl was always bringing him gifts – little things, such as his jailers would allow. Yet, on her lifeday Mara somehow managed to smuggle an entire piece of cake from the celebration held in her honor. She should still be with her friends, Maul indulged his darker thoughts, and not humoring . . . whatever this was between them. She had escaped the shackles of their shared shadow, after all; he didn’t understand why she kept looking over her shoulder, expecting him to follow.

“Shouldn’t one be given to on one’s lifeday?” he sneered, yet he did not relinquish his plate.

But he had nothing to his name to offer, which Mara knew as well as he. Nothing, except . . .

“My name,” he voiced that one, faint memory that was still his own – wanting so badly, just this once, to give, rather than take, “is Zaed.”



IX. Maraud (Kix & OCs)

Kix mostly kept to himself in class. He loved studying at Alderaa Medical University, but he had prior battlefield experience that his fellow students – all natural-born civilians and so, so Alderaanian at times, just couldn’t understand.

Yet: “Once, some marauders got the best of us, and I had to do an emergency craniectomy on General Mundi with a vibroblade and a clean length of fuel line,” he absently mentioned. “He’s Cerean, so there was a binary brain and dual cardiovascular system to contend with, too. You know,” he, only belatedly, realized the attention he’d unwittingly invited, “just another day with the GAR.”

But he received a tentative question in reply, and then several – apparently, his classmates were intrigued, but had been holding their curiosity at bay for weeks now. Surprised, but pleased, Kix dove into the conversation that followed with gusto.



X. Steal (pre-Obi-Wan Kenobi/Luminara Unduli)

Sometimes, the future they had to look forward to felt stolen, snatched back from the very edge of a blade.

Obi-Wan sat, lost in thought while Anakin concluded another session with Master Lak, the Order’s senior-most mind-healer. For so many years, Sidious’ machinations had sank their roots in deep and rent such weeping sores with their long thorns. How, Obi-Wan couldn’t help but berate himself, had he not known? How had he not seen?

How had he failed his apprentice so?

“You did not fail him,” Luminara – there to visit her own former Padawan in Temple custody – laid a commiserating hand on his shoulder. “You gave him all the tools to make the light his own, and he is. Focus on that, my friend; there can be no greater blessing.”

Spoiler: Song!Verse Notes

Bly/Aayla - Lived a long and happy life together after Order 66 was subverted and Bly had his chip removed on Felucia, end of story! La la la, canon, I can't hear you! I've written a fair bit about them and why I ship them in both Color Me Pink and With Both Hands, but I still need to write a proper Song!verse story detailing the inception of their relationship. It is TCW canon that all of the clones had nightmares about Order 66 before it happened, and there's a line in the old Legends material - I want to say that it was somewhere in the Republic Commando series - that mentioned that the clones dream of Concord Dawn, Jango Fett's home planet. That idea just fascinated me, because that is not a genetic trait, but still something strong enough that it was passed on to his clones.

Kix - Kix was the senior medic in Anakin's 501st Battalion. After the war, the Clone Rights Bill was passed by the Senate; the clones were freed by the Republic, and reimbursed for their years of service. They had their natural lifespans restored by the Kaminoans, and were offered citizenship on a select assortment of patron planets. They then had the choice to be honorably discharged from the GAR to seek their own courses in life or continue on with paid military service. Kix, and Jesse with him, chose to settle on Alderaan, and he enrolled in Alderaa Medical University to become a proper trauma surgeon. I can only imagine that all of those Alderaanian college kids would just be fascinated, but politely keep their questions to themselves while Kix was just as awkward interacting with natural-born civilians, too. Fight me, canon, that's totally what happened. You know exactly what I'm ignoring, Season 7.

Darth Maul & Mara Jade - They have a very deep, somewhat unlikely connection as both being tools of Sidious who were counted unworthy to be the actual Apprentice. In Her Still, Small Voice, Mara was saved from Palpatine's Hand program at a very young age (which Season 2 of TCW showed him trying to set up - Palpatine was kidnapping Force sensitive children and exploring ways to brainwash them to be tools for his will), and put on a path of healing. Like Mara, Maul too was indoctrinated in the Dark Side from his infancy onwards, and, in his own way, is coming to grips with all the choices he didn't have in life - and the choices he still made, regardless of his circumstances. He is very slowly casting off his shackles - in no small part thanks to Mara, all the while serving a prison sentence for his many crimes. Zaed, according to my fanon, is the name his birth mother gave to him on Dathomir before the Nightsisters dubbed him Maul and sold him to Sidious. I more closely examine their relationship in Blooms in Adversity, if you're interested in more.

Luminara/Obi-Wan - Yep, I'm going there. Just give me time, I have fic in progress, but for now, enjoy this little snippet! I also have loads of stories from Luminara's POV in my Constellations ficlet collection, too. She is one of my TCW faves! There are just so many strong, awesome lady Jedi to write about from the PT era, and I'm trying to honor as many as I can!


Aaand, I think that's it! Though, as always, if you have any further questions, I am always more than happy to chat about this 'verse!

~MJ

 

I can't thank you guys enough for all of your wonderful comments, again! I enjoyed and appreciated every single one of them.

I know, right?? It's just too beautiful! That lyric just jumped out at me and stuck, so I was all too happy for the opportunity to borrow it here.

Ha! You bet she will! Though, really, Anakin could have come up with a better hiding place than his pocket! Silly boy.

Right?! I adore this couple, and to give them this warm moment where they could just enjoy their freedom and each other, as they would have chosen if they were allowed the choice, was just too cathartic! Especially after reliving how awful Order 66 was in TCW. It just broke my heart on so many different levels all over again, even knowing that it was coming!

Sadly, Mara sees a possible version of herself in Maul! They share almost an identical background that she was saved from and he was not. Though that doesn't excuse his many crimes, it certainly does present a very interesting opportunity or two for their way forward. If Maul will let himself take it, that is.

Oh Kix! I love, love, loved writing this one! I can imagine he's expecting his classmates to look at him as an oddity - most people in the galaxy view the clones as 'wet droids' with no minds or personalities of their own, and he's half expecting to be treated the same here, just by virtue of habit. For their own part, the college kids are fascinated, but just so Alderaanian and polite that it's hard to cross that chasm between them before they leap over it together!

I LOVED Obi-Wan and Luminara's bantering and easy teamwork when they partnered together in TCW, so here I am following that through to a possible conclusion, just as I do best! And they definitely have common ground, of a sort, in Anakin and Barriss. Even though Anakin subverted his own dark future, Obi-Wan is so painfully aware of how close they came to Sidious winning and that has to hurt. Of course he blames himself! But now they can all go about healing together.

Aw, thank you so much! You honor me. This 'verse is just a happy little haven for my muse, and I'm thrilled that you're enjoying watching it grow just as much as I am!

BECAUSE WE ALL NEED HAPPY FIX-IT FIC, DON'T WE??? I couldn't agree more!

Thank-you! That was the first drabble that came to mind for this set, and I adored writing it. These characters really do deserve all of the happy endings and then some, and I was more than happy to step in and provide!

Thanks so much for reading, again!

Thanks! I am so glad that you enjoyed.

Oh, I am just all too happy to write as many sweet moments of normalcy as I can! Everyone's nightmares are a thing of the past in this 'verse, and that's really just so refreshing to dabble in as an author! I'm glad that you enjoyed reading these as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Thank you, as always, for your kind words!

Aw, thanks! I have to tell you that I was wincing for a few of these, wondering if I was stretching too far from the prompts to make them almost unrecognizable - because this group really stumped me at first! - so I'm thrilled to hear you say so!

I know this was a relatively simple sentence, but it really hit me and made me so happy to hear! Thank you!

This was a really interesting insight that I loved reading! I can admit that none of that was intentional! But, when I think about it, it's that's a huge part of why I'm so drawn to this set of PT characters, in particular, is their journey of developing their own selves and taking their own agency back from those who would deprive them of their choices. I just love writing them living their lives for the best, here, as much as I can!

Thank you so much! Again, I can't thank you enough for your kind words.


Alrighty! Week Three will be up in just a moment.


~MJ

 

Author's Notes: I don't have much to add in the way of notes for this set, so I'll just say that here we are with some of my Legends favorites for this week, and I hope that you enjoy!

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Week Three: "The Ways I Battle Myself"
(Beyond-Legends; post-VoTF - NJO | Ensemble Cast)​

XI. Professor (Mara Jade & Tionne Solusar)

Mara had no idea what she was doing.

What was worse, she suspected that everyone else wondered too – from every Knight passing by her classroom, to her students with their wide eyes, to the cleaning droids who liked nothing more than to repeat the gossip about the upjumped ex-Imperial who’d attained her rank and privileges just because she’d snagged the Grandmaster as a husband -

“You’ve never turned down a challenge before,” Tionne – who usually minded the youngest initiates – brushed aside her doubts. “You're not being fair to yourself, either. After all, you’ve conquered the Dark in a way that these children will hopefully never have to. If you can help even one student find their path, how is that somewhere you could fail to belong?”



XII. School (Mara Jade & Jaina Solo)

“It’s just not connecting with me.”

Jaina sounded absolutely defeated, and miserable to be so. Welcoming her niece inside, Mara watched as she tried to assemble her lightsaber, but to no avail. The crystal was singing, eager to bond and complete its song, but Jaina couldn’t quite harmonize with its melody until -

- awed, Mara watched as a purple glow illuminated Jaina's face, shining from her amethyst blade. “You just had to believe in yourself,” she enthused, “and trust in your crystal to do the rest.”

Jaina ducked her head, pleased, and grinned a grin that was more Leia than Han in shape. “The right teacher made all the difference, too,” she pointed out. In answer, Mara felt as the Force nudged her, promising of a future yet to come.



XIII. Gifted (Sliven & Tahiri Veila)

He’d long known that the child wasn’t his to keep.

She was a gift, more so than him honoring the debt he owed her parents. The sand seas took and took and took, but the wise knew to seize what meager bounties they gave in return. He loved Tahiri as his own, but now . . .

The one they called Skywalker – sharing the name of the Revenger himself, many in the tribe feared as an ill omen – wanted to take Tahiri away, to train her to harness the mystical power growing inside her. Sliven knew how badly she wanted to follow, loath though she was to leave her surrogate family behind.

Slowly, the old Tusken chief closed his eyes. The desert ever took, yet this he was prepared to freely give.



XIV. Karma (Luke Skywalker)

Growing up, the Tusken Raiders had always been a cause for dread and superstition. Luke knew entire homesteads who’d fallen victim to their fury, and farmers who never returned after straying into the desert. He knew how his own grandmother died, at that – he could, even now, remember the dark satisfaction in the way Uncle Owen once said: “You’re safe with the name of Skywalker, your father made sure of that.” Still, he was never free to roam after the suns set for fear of the tribes.

Kneeling in front of the Skywalker family graves, Luke loosed a rueful sigh. Behind him, little Tahiri waited with Mara and Tionne, watching curiously. “I guess I had to unlearn this, too,” he bowed his head to the will of the Force. “Thank you for showing me the way.”



XV. Gambit (Mara Jade & Corran Horn & Wedge Antilles)

Jaina was, quite literally, born to fly. Pride filled Mara as she stood at the viewport, observing as Wedge and Corran thoughtfully evaluated the new recruits, all gunning for spots in the various GFFA squadrons that had need of pilots.

After pulling off a move that pushed the limits of her X-Wing and then some – a gambit for even a seasoned veteran, let alone a teenage girl, Wedge gave a long whistle. “That would be the Skywalker genes,” he dryly commented.

“Or a Solo flair for dramatics,” Mara smirked.

“Or,” Corran countered softly, meeting her eyes “the mark of an excellent teacher.”



~MJ

 

Yay, THE FEELS! I have done my job right as an author, then!

I am so glad that you enjoyed this set, as always! It was so much fun to write, as well.

Thank-you! I'm so glad you enjoyed this set!

Aw! That's just perfect; my work here as an author is done, then.

Thanks so much for reading and commenting!

Thanks! Iron really sharpens iron, doesn't it? It really was great to write a happy set of stories for these characters, just like they deserve.

Eugh, canon what canon? I'm so with you! Those two drabbles gave me an interesting POV to dabble with, and I love how they came out - so I'm glad that you did too! I can only imagine the further reaching repercussions of AOTC, even decades later.

I can't thank you enough for reading, as always, and for taking the time to leave your thoughts!

Oh my goodness, but you are too sweet! That comment just completely made my day, really it did!

I completely agree with you there! And that's just on RL matters, at that, let alone, you know, teaching children about the Force, which can possibly have very real consequences for the worse. And influence for the better, too! Just as Tionne says.

Thank you! I had goosebumps writing those, too, and I was so proud of how they turned out. There is so much fear and distrust between the settlers and the tribes, and bad blood on both sides that you can argue for right or wrong until you are blue in the face - and I found that really interesting to explore in writing. I'm so glad you did too!

Thanks so much, again! I really, truly appreciate your comments!!


Alrighty, this week's set will be up in a jiffy!


~MJ

 

Author's Note: After so much fun and fluff, I'm dialing it back this week to process the series finale of The Clone Wars in what small way I can. So, um, SPOILERS, obviously - but everyone knows the ending already from RoTS, let's be honest. The angst is strong with these as both Rex and Ahsoka process their grief - and I have to give a trigger warning for suicide in the second and third drabble. But, because I'm me, and this is Star Wars, I do end this set on a hopeful, uplifting note. I can't just write hurt without comfort, it seems. So! Here we go. Buckle in, folks! We'll get through this together.

Then, as a last note, the title here is nicked from the old-school Nightwish classic, Come Cover Me. Which is my post-Order 66 Rexoka anthem.

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Week IV: “Tonight Any Dream Will Do”
(Saga PT; post-TCW | pre-Rex/Ahsoka Tano)​

XVI. Misty

Ahsoka was too numb for tears.

Reaching out to the Force hurt then, furious and inconsolable as the incorporeal entity was following Order 66. The Jedi were all gone, and, their executioners . . .

She helped Rex pull every single one of the vod'e from the wreckage. They buried his brothers – her brothers – and used their helmets to mark their graves. Her hands ached from working the frozen earth, but she wouldn’t stop until all her men were properly honored.

Finally, it was done. They knelt, and bowed their heads. Ahsoka was first to start the rites: “Jesse.”

“Kix.”

"Vaughn."

Only then did her eyes mist as, together, they mourned their fallen.



XVII. Lonely

Rex had never been alone before, not like this. He’d always had his brothers . . . and he refused to abandon them now.

Bly, they only reached for a moment . . . but a moment was all it took. “Aayla,” he gave an inhuman wail, and Rex didn’t move fast enough: Bly turned his own deecee on himself, and then it was over.

Wolffe . . . he had to continue believing that General Koon was a traitor, even when told otherwise; it was the only way he could process what he'd done.

Grey and Styles, they learned, had crashed their own gunship to let little Padawan Dume escape. General Billaba hadn’t been so lucky.

Gree had fallen on Master Yoda’s blade, shortly after executing General Unduli; Saw and Salve, too.

Thire, Ponds, Bacara, Appo . . . over and over Rex tried, but with every failure he was that much more alone in the universe.



XVIII. Fiery

It wasn’t until he lost Cody – who’d gone ‘defective,’ the sliced Imperial report said, walking through enemy fire to take control of his fate the only way he could – that Rex cracked.

He hurled the datapad and screamed. Impotent rage seared through him, urging him to howl and avenge and destroy. He wanted war then, to raze the Empire down to ashes. They would burn as he burned, before -

“Shh, I’ve got you, Rex. Hey, focus on me: I’m still here.”

Somehow, Ahsoka had slipped into his arms without him realizing, and held on tight. Ahsoka – who’d lost even more than he had – was there, comforting him.

His rage faded as he clung to her. She was his only anchor in the storm, then, and her strength left him breathless.

“I know somewhere we can go,” finally, he whispered, “to be safe.”

He had to take care of his Jedi now, and so he would.



XVIX. Golden

Rex went first once they arrived on Saleucami, as a precaution. “Suu realized something was wrong when the Order first went out,” Cut assured him, “and took me to see the medic in town.” He tapped his scarred right temple; a match for Rex’s own. “You and your cyare are welcome here for as long as you need.”

Rex didn’t bother correcting his brother, and instead went back to give Ahsoka the all clear.

They spent months hiding there, healing as best they could. Suu took Ahsoka under her wing, just as being with Cut – his vod – filled a void in Rex that had been left so sorely wanting. Taking refuge in a world of golden fields and rich sunsets, succored amongst a family that was all light and love and laughter, Rex found himself again. There by his side, Ahsoka did too



XX. Undying

A part of Rex wanted this to be enough: the simple joys of working the land and family and belonging. (A dozen forbidden thoughts where Ahsoka was concerned, growing stronger every day.) Yet, he’d been bred for war, and there was a galaxy out there still in turmoil. Someday, even, the Empire would reach their safe-haven here, and they had no desire to put the Lawquanes in danger. Ahsoka, he knew, felt much the same.

They had not been born for peace, after all, but to defend.

Just as they were seriously considering their next step, Bail Organa found them. He left Ahsoka an encrypted message, harkening the birth of a rebellion. The Empire wouldn’t stand indefinitely, and he wanted Ahsoka to join the fight. Rex knew what her answer would be, just as he was certain of his own.

After all, as long as there was hope, the Republic they’d both served would never die.

Spoiler: End Notes & MEGA SEASON SEVEN SPOILERS!

Soooo . . . I know, I know! I kinda departed from canon at the end there. If you want, instead: Rex and Ahsoka (for some reason I still can't fathom) split up at the end of this set, in adherence to Rebels canon. Ahsoka will go on to honor her legacy and help found the Rebellion and fight back against the Empire, while Rex . . . wastes away in exile and retires to fish in the desert on a repurposed scrap heap? Um . . . sure. Whatever, I guess. As much as I love Rebels, that has always made me scratch my head.

Now, after watching Season 7, I can't understand that writing decision even more so. I mean, they were so happy to have each other back! After a season of Rex's growing discontent and Ahsoka being adrift and struggling to find herself during her year away from the Jedi, we have:




AND:







(JUST LOOK AT ALL OF THAT PLAYFULLNESS AND TEASING!!! I DON'T THINK REX HAS SMILED AND LAUGHED LIKE THAT SINCE FIVES DIED.)

AFTER MY TWO DEARS WERE SO HAPPY TO FIGHT SIDE BY SIDE AGAIN:



After he fights Order 66 so hard for her. (That single tear; his pupils dilating back and forth; HIM DROPPING HIS HELMET LIKE HE CAN'T BEAR TO HOLD IT!):





After she saves him from himself:





(The I am one with the Force, and the Force is One with me mantra they both repeated during the healing scene wrecked me. Aren't those basically SW marriage vows? )

After Rex kills his brothers for her:



After she comforts him for his actions, and refuses to do the same, all the while going through such unbelievable pain from feeling so many Jedi die herself:





AFTER THEY STILL FIGHT FOR EACH OTHER:



AFTER BURYING EACH AND EVERY FALLEN SOLDIER TOGETHER:





(BTW - that slow pan over Jesse's helmet was brutal. The symbol of the republic over the grave of one of its soldiers, ouch. )

. . . but, after all that, how do they ever go their separate ways?

The obvious answer is they don't, and you can't tell me anything different, canon. I have spoken.

Whew, but I need to go write more Song!Verse fix-it fic now, because I just CAN'T EVEN.

Also:

Cyare: Mando'a for sweetheart.

Cut/Suu: Cut is a clone soldier we met in Season 2. His transport was shot down right after the battle of Geonosis, and he was the only one of his battalion who survived. A local woman, Suu Lawquane, took him in and nursed him back to health. He fell in love with her, and instead of returning to the GAR, married her and stayed to become a farmer. Meeting Cut and his family was the first time Rex baldly questioned who he was and what he wanted from life onscreen, so I thought that it was fitting that he and Ahsoka rest and recover and figure out their next step together on Saleucami.

~MJ