Before the Saga Just a spoonful of trouble - UDC IX

Name: Just a spoon full of trouble
Author: Kit'
Genre: mixed
Era: Some before, some prequel trilogy
Summary: These are drabbles from the point of view of Kithera and some of the other USJS characters. I've run with the mirror world version of Kit where she left the temple while pregnant.

Note: Written as part of the Ultimate Drabble Challenge IX.

Second note: USJS is one of the biggest impacts on my life as a writer. I'm very glad that I signed up to it twenty plus years ago. Because Kit doesn't exist in a vacuum I will be borrowing many of the other USJS characters like T’Lor, An-Paj, Rani, Kirsten, Leona, and Jane from the Original USJS and Kells, Eiko, and Castin from the current CCC USJS (with the permission (which I will ask for - trust me!) of the amazing authors who made them if they are still on the boards and my eternal thanks to those who have moved on to other pastures).

***

Week 1 - The trials of being a parent

Adamant -

“We can’t do it Rin, we have too many mouths to feed as it is.”

“It’s one more Del, just one. Besides he’s Eena’s nephew.”

“Yeah and the kid has got himself in so much trouble that Eena’s trying to ship him off to us? It won’t work. It’s not like we are going to set him on the straight and narrow.”

“Come on Del, he needs a fresh start.”

“It’s too many mouths my sweet, besides you said we wouldn’t have any more after the twins.”
“They our actual kids Del, this is a bit different.”
“Fine, but you find him a sleeping spot…And he has to work for his keep.”



Abide -

“The choice is simple Knight Rinani, to continue your service, you must give up your child.”

Her hand rested on her belly. She felt the shift in weight and the push of a tiny foot against her hand. It had come to this. Her child or the life that she knew.

Chin up little Kit, smile even when your heart is breaking. Her Master’s final words echoed through her head.

“Then I choose my child.” She stared pointedly at Mace Windu, “You win Master Windu.”

She smiled at them as she turned and left the chamber, head held high, even though her heart was breaking.


Afield –

There was that a sharp crinkle of moving plastic. The footsteps in the corridor stopped and there was a soft susurrus of conversation.

“She’s got to be around here somewhere.”

“Keep searching, once we find them we’re set.”

“Yeah, but remember the plan is not to take them now. We scout, we find where the hiding place is and then we come back later.”

“If we surprise her she’ll just find a new place to hide them.”

“Yep, so keep your voice down. She’s got the force and we don’t.”

“Hey! I can levitate stuff.”

“Knocking your milk off the table and calling it levitation isn’t really a thing sprout.”

They moved on, padding softly on bare feet. Behind the pantry door Kit let out breath. Her biscuits were safe…for now.



Aghast -

“Zallie, what have you done?” Horror filled every part of her. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Her little girl ignored her offering a half-chewed biscuit instead. Kit felt Del come up behind her. She turned to face him as he stared over her shoulder at the disaster.

“It’s okay Rin, it’ll be okay,” he said reassuringly, “we’ll fix it.”

“We can’t fix it,” she stammered, tears rolling down her cheeks, “we can’t fix this. We can’t just glue it back on.”

He brushed his thumb across her cheek and gave her a comforting smile.

“It’s just hair Rin, it’ll grow. Your hair was worse than this once upon a time.” They both looked at Zallie who was smiling under her newly cut fringe.

“Yes, but I was a padawan!”



Aforetime -

She leant against the railing, mug of hot caff in her hands. For one of the first times in her life she felt content, at peace. It was so strange that a feeling she’d spent most of her life chasing was suddenly so easily obtainable. A hand slid around her waist and then Del was beside her. Below her Zallie was convincing Del’s son Nicco to share his biscuits.

“Your daughter is going to be trouble when she’s older.” He mused watching the child score half a packet of biscuits and toddle off content.

She leant her head on his arm, feeling the muscles through the thin fabric.

“After that handful of sugar, she’s going to be trouble now.”

 

Superb first set Kit has definitely found a heart home place with Del. Zallie apparently was a handful and more from infancy to adulthood
Need to discuss the various timestreams and futures for Kit.

 

Lovely opening set! I like these little glimpses of family life.

Aww! I really liked this line in particular. And the last line about the handful of sugar was a great touch of humor to close this set out.

 

I like! And you totally have permission to borrow Kells for this.

 

Zallie is definitely going to be a handful. Don't grandparents always say that you end up with the kid that was just like you?

Aww, thank you! Have to admit some of these are a little close to home now. Although my boys haven't cut their own hair, I did have to take one to the hairdresser the other day so that they could fix what I'd messed up. It was bad! Glad you like them

Yay! Thank you! I'm really, really looking forward to doing little snippets of story stuff. It's a nice way to take my mind off work at the end of the day.

 

Week 2 - Yo ho. Yo ho. A _______ life for me.

Smuggle –

“How much stuff did you manage to get out of there?”

Clink. Clink.

“I don’t know. Some.”

Clink. Thunk. Clink.

“Some? Where are you pulling this from? Did you sew extra pockets into your dress?”

Clunk. Chink. Plock.

“No, Estra did. Your daughter is very handy with a needle and thread. She gave this dress some extra support.”

Clink. Snick. Clink Clink.

“I’m just impressed that no-one saw you.”

Snap. Thunk. Clink.

“I’m a Jedi, Del. Or I used to be or I still sort of am or something. I don’t know anymore. All I know is that there’s a lot that a simple hand wave solves.”

Plock.

“It’s still impressive.”

Chunk. Clink. Plock. Clink. Clink. Clink. thrum....clink.

“Thanks.”



Pirate –


“What exactly are we?” Her blaster hovered just above the bejewelled ear of one of the established ladies of Stelanan

“Seriously Rin, this isn’t the time. What do you mean, what are we?”

“Well, are we pirates? Picaroons? Sky raiders? Or are we some sort of noble avengers redistributing the largess to the populace?”

“Now? We’re having this conversation now?” His voice was exasperated.

“What do you think? What would you call us?” The blaster nudged the lady’s earrings which she quickly unhooked and handed over.

“Uh…pirates?”

“Hear that? We’re pirates. I think I need a new hat if we are pirates.”




Maraud –


“Are we marauders?”

“Seriously? This again?”

“Well, the flimsy referred to us as marauders, but I don’t think that’s accurate.”

“I’m trying to fly a ship through the mountains while being chased by the law and you’re asking if we are marauders.”

“They said that we were marauding through this sector. I wouldn’t use the term marauding.”

“I’m going to remind you about the fact that we’re currently being chased by the authorities. I’m more worried that we’re being talked about in the flimsies. In our line of work notoriety is bad.”

“True.”

“Also, aren’t you-sithspit that was close – supposed to be manning the guns?”

“Nicco’s got it…I’m going to write to them and say we’re not marauders.”

“Rin!”




Raid –


“Is this a raid?”

“Again? Why? Why every time we go to do something dangerous you start asking weird questions.”

“I think how we perceive ourselves is important. I’ve spent my whole life living up to a code and now has changed. So, I need to work out where I stand.”

“Can you do that later? So we’ll go in through the-“

“Well, I mean a raid used to mean just to travel by horse, but then it evolved to mean to attack, but we aren’t travelling by horse.”

“Seriously? We came by ship Rin, does that count? And we’re about to rob a bank and we may resort to violence. So yeah, this is a raid.”

“Okay. Now I know where I stand. Let’s do this.”




Steal –


“Are we-?”

“Nope. Not doing this again.” He rolled over and pulled her tight so that her body fit snuggly into the crook of his.

“But Del, these are the questions that keep me awake at night.”

“Really? You snore pretty good for someone whose awake all night.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny. It’s just a lot to sort out in my head. Three years ago, I was a Jedi and now I’m a- I don’t know what.”

“A thief.”

“I’m a not a simple thief.”

“You stole my heart, didn’t you?” She elbowed him and he grinned in the half-light as he played with her hair.

“Fine. Thief then. A Jedi and a thief. I can live with that”

 

Great banter and natural questions

 

Fun set, and nice job telling a story through all of the prompts!

Oh yes! Hats are very important for pirates.

Love all the banter, and "Steal" was a sweet way to end this set. Great work!

 

These are lovely -- I'm really enjoying seeing Kit's future self and her family. (That was a surprise development! But I'm used to her being a troublemaking Padawan. ) Zallie sounds like she'll be just as full of personality as her mom. Also liked seeing her relationship with Del, especially through the last set. Things have changed, and in many ways gotten more difficult, but at least Kit has him as an anchor through those storms. And an accomplice.

 

Thank you You are always so kind and sweet

Thank you! I believe hats are the most important aspect of being a pirate. I mean if you don't have the right tri-corner are you really a pirate? I think even though it's only the start that Steal is going to end up being one of my favourites too

I'm not sure all the trouble making has gone out of Kit. Also yes, this version of Zallie is definitely more of a trouble maker then her mum, and a lot more daring. Kit was trouble because she acted before she thought, Zallie thinks first and acts second - much scarier! I'm glad you are enjoying it

 

Thank you I had fun with the dialogue ones, they were really fun to write. It's definitely hard trying to build a sense of what's going on with limited description!

I think I'll definitely try for more young Zallie. She's going to be a handful for everyone!

 

This week's ones were really, really hard to write. Nothing was working, no muse struck and in the end it felt like I was trying to drag a reluctant story through a hedge backwards. Hopefully some of it worked. Hopefully @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha loves it as it's Taeyn and Namia's first meeting...which doesn't really go according to plan.

*

Professor – to lay claim to (to declare)


She ran her hands through her newly shorn hair and grimaced. She could have sworn that the barber had taken great delight in making it as uneven as he could. Namia winced as she got to the nape of her neck where it was the choppiest.

“I should have warned you,” her Master sighed, “I probably shouldn’t have let you grow it so long.”

She sighed. “Five years of being an ambassador in the outer-rim and this is my homecoming?”

“We’ll fix it tonight padawan, don’t stress.”

“Thanks Master.” She smiled half-heartedly, “in the meantime, I’m going to class with the ugliest hair-cut in Coruscant.”

“You'll be fine. I’m sure you’ll make an impact on whomever you meet.”





School –


A scrap of flimsy tore through the air and hit Taeyn’s ear interrupting his doodling. He turned frowning to see his friend gesturing frantically at him.

“Who is that?” Qui-Gon whispered motioning with his thumb to the door where Knight Khdue was talking to a Master and padawan. Taeyn shrugged.

“I don’t know, probably someone whose been off temple for a couple of years.”

“She’s pretty if you ignore her haircut.”

“To you maybe.”

Qui-Gon frowned and flicked another piece of flimsy at him. Knight Khdue turned back to the class, her hand on the back of the newcomer. The girl smiled at Taeyn and he frowned in response. Why did he have a bad feeling about her?





Gifted –


“Padawan D’levosh, can you answer the question on the board please?”

Taeyn looked up panicked. Khdue smiled patiently like a Gasnit sizing up its prey.

“No? Don’t understand? Need it clarified? Or were you just not listening again.”

“Uh, the third one. Sorry.”

“Excellent,” the young knight sighed, “at least you were honest. While you’re working out the answer to the next question, maybe someone else in the class would like to help you with this one.”

“Verpine are natural pacifists unless they have damaged antennae.” Taeyn turned to see the new girl speaking.

“Spot on. Good work Namia. I see all those years abroad have only broadened your education.”

Taeyn tried not to roll his eyes. Showoff.




Gambit –


“D’levosh, Zahalin to the floor please.”

She smiled at him as they sparred. Taeyn’s eyes narrowed. She might have had all the right answers in class but the lightsabre floor was his domain. He jumped, pivoted mid-air and brought his lightsabre down, she countered. Both of them retreated and she smiled at him again. He directed a quick blow towards her midsection, stepping in as he made the strike. She parried, bringing her lightsaber down hard pushing him off kilter.

He faltered, stumbling forward onto the floor. Her blade came down and hovered just above his chest. She smiled again and held the blade away as he scrambled to his feet.





Karma –


He reignited his lightsabre as he stood glaring at her. She had the winning blow, why hadn’t she taken it? She tilted her head and smiled in the most infuriating way. Taeyn face flushed. Was she trying to make him look like a fool?

She struck first. Her blade whirled through the air. Thrust to the head. Block. Slice to the stomach. Block and riposte. His hand came up, flicking a training block from the floor at her head. It was a cheat move and he knew it. She ducked, lost her balance and crashed into him. There was a tangle of limbs. The next second he was on the floor and she was sitting on his chest, her lightsaber at his throat. She grinned at him.

“Hi, I’m Namia.”

 

@Kit'

Professor & School I enjoyed Namia's reaction to the haircut and Qui-Gon and Taeyn's teasing.
Gifted -- Namia's knowledge was a double blow since Taeyn wasn't listening and even if he was, sounded like a subject he wouldn't be able to grasp anyway.
Gambit and Karma Lightsaber spars/duels -- woohoo! The best way to get noticed in spite of yourself. (My favorite L/M fanfiction "I'm not in love" moments are when they're sparring.)

---

On a side note for these what I find works is to brainstorm what pairing or combination of characters works for the given prompts then I write a sentence or two of broad ideas to either toss or use.

A couple of drabble series ago, I just wove a story seamlessly with the prompts in the narrative. That works, too.

 

Nice work on these!

I totally sympathize with Namia's feelings about her haircut. But she certainly ended up getting Taeyn's attention! Really great job with "Gambit" and "Karma". It's so hard to write a good action scene of any length (for me at least ) so I admire anyone who does it well.

Haha I lol'd! Well Khdue's right, at least he's honest.

Also, I know what you mean about this week's prompts. They were TOUGH! I completely agree with @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha's suggestions and just to add to that, I find if I can get one down (not necessarily the first prompt on the list) then if nothing else I can continue the story or take the same character/characters through the rest. Sometimes not thinking about it works too - inspiration tends to strike when I'm doing something else or thinking about something else. The downside to that is you have to either jot it down or remember it if you can't write it down right away, and sometimes that's a struggle in itself.

Anyway, you did a great job with this set and I really enjoyed reading it!

 

Aww. Thank you! I tried your idea this week and it worked so well I wrote them all while the youngest was asleep! Woot!

I think Namia's very good at getting people's attention! Even when she's managed to get the worst haircut ever.

Thank you! You're too kind. I hate writing action scenes so I'm glad it worked. It's so hard to get onto paper something that's so physical without getting into far more description. I decided to go with short, staccato sentences to hopefully get the action moving.

 

Almost no dialogue this week as I was trying to go for a reflection type story. Hopefully they worked as I had a really, really short time period to churn them out (toddler daytime nap)

Week IV - Life Loves

Misty –


If he closed his eyes he could still see her. Dark hair, chopped short. Almond coloured skin. The way she tilted her head when she smiled.

If he scrunched his eyes tight enough and didn’t make a sound her could almost smell her. Could almost touch her. Could almost imagine that he was holding her. That they were back on the grass watching the fireworks burst overhead. But that was never going to be. He could never go back. That was a life that he could never return to and he had to let her go. Let her become nothing but a memory. If he didn’t he would never survive. In the darkness of his cell he sat up, scrubbing the tears from his cheeks. He had to let her go to save himself.


Lonely –


He rolled over and pressed the button on the little clock. The blue light blinked the awful news that it was only 2am. He sighed and rolled onto his back. This ship had been his saviour. His Lady had meant that he had an escape, a chance to build a new life. But the life was a lonely one and it was always the loneliest in the early hours of the morning. He rolled across the empty cot, feeling the cold sheets wrap and tangle around his legs. His Master had always said that it was darkest before the dawn, but now he wasn’t sure that the sun was ever going to rise again.


Fiery -


He kicked the pottery shards out the way as he made his way across the floor. The night was still dark and cold and lonely. The sun on this force-forsaken planet was only just starting to rise. He could still hear Nessa’s voice screaming at him. “I can’t do this anymore. It’s too much, this life of running from place to place. I wish I’d never met you.” He had pleaded with her but she was having none of it. She’d turned away from him, red hair swinging and then was gone. That had been hours ago and she hadn’t returned. He sat down and put his head in his hands. Somewhere in the darkness of the ship the baby began to cry.


Golden -


In the warm light of morning he watched her sleep, her body sprawled next to him on the bed. He ran his finger down the soft gold lengths of her hair and her shoulder and she twitched in her sleep and smiled slightly. He didn’t understand why she loved him. She had no reason to. He had been responsible for so much of her loss and pain. He had tip-tilted her life and destroyed it. He hadn’t understood why she’d contacted him, or how she’d managed to forgive him. Then one day she’d kissed him and the sun had come up and wrapped him in her love.


Undying -


He leant against the door frame and studied them. Nicco grinning as he taught Zallie how to count cards without giving it away. Estra was perched on an end of the couch reading a flimsy while F’kisi, Eena’s tall, broad shouldered nephew, lay across the cushions strumming a hallikset. He noted how the boy looked at Estra and how she returned the look. He sighed internally - there would have to be a quiet conversation in the not so distant future.

The twins barrelled through the door almost knocking him over and earning a disapproving yell from their siblings. An arm wrapped around his waist and he felt her lean into him, the soft press of her pregnant stomach against his arm. This was it. This was what sustained him and made him himself. Love. Contentment. Always. He smiled.

“What are you thinking of?” she asked quietly.

“Nothing, Rin. Just thinking.”

 

Nice sets seeing the characters coming alive

 

These snapshots of the characters' lives are so fun and engaging, and I'm very curious to see more of the AU -- especially after also reading your other alternate timeline stories. Kit, Del, Zallie, and the whole little family/gang of scoundrels are very interesting. And I liked the earlier-era tales too; it's fun to see more of that generation in training. Have to say that the action one you said was challenging is one of my favorites. (I have trouble writing that kind of thing too, so I guess I appreciate it more! )

 

And now we know who Del is!

 

Thank you

Thanks I've got a rough A4 sheet that I keep a timeline on so I know when/where all the stories go. I have now amended that so all the stories around the family have the acronym FoS (Family of Scoundrels) - I love that name so much! I'm glad the action scenes worked as eventually, once it's written (it's taken so long) I've got to write a big one and so I figure any practice is good practice. I'm glad you're enjoying the AU and the characters - makes my day

Aww, thank you! The OCs (apart from Kit) are relatively new anyway and no-body has time to go back through the mega-threads that were USJS! I'm glad that you can see who they are though just from these little snapshots - makes me very relieved and very, very happy!

Ahh! You got me! I was wondering if I'd gone a bit overboard with the clues on this set.

 

This was another beautiful set! They're all so full of emotion - the pain and loneliness in the first three contrasted with the happiness and love of the last two. I'm with earlybird and Mira, your characters are so vivid and full of life even in these little snippets.

So soft and gorgeous! I think this one was my favorite of the set but they were all wonderful as always!

 

Nah, I just pay attention to USJS related stuff.

 

Week IV -- what a touching set!! It runs the gambit from loss to renewal and a happy family.