seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Canada
seen from Latvia
seen from Sweden
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Brazil
seen from Paraguay
seen from Morocco
seen from China
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from Canada
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seen from Türkiye
seen from Argentina
seen from Sweden
seen from United States
Fox: Can we stay with you tonight? Bail: All of the guard? What happened? Fox: Someone was playing with an ouija board and cursed our barracks. Thire: Thorn wasn’t any help. He doesn’t know how to banish spirits, so he’s just throwing salt at them yelling “does this look like a hotel to you!?”
Coruscant is Hell - Part 2
Lieutenant 80 comes to terms with the fact that he’s not like the rest of his vod’e anymore.
I had an idea, and it turned into this. It’s short, but that’s because I have a fever and it’s hard to make the words do word things.
“What’s wrong, vod? Getting tired?” Dusk had a wide grin on his face as he caught Thire’s leg, which was aimed for his face.
“Tired of your mouth, maybe.” Thire shot back, as he hopped back on one foot.
“Hey! If you can talk, you can work harder!” Fox shouted from the sidelines, before he focused his attention back on 80, “Lower your shoulder, Lieutenant, you’re going to pull a muscle.”
“Yes Commander,” 80 gasped out.
“Good. Start from the beginning.” Fox ordered, before he turned to where Stone and Thorn were sparring with fake knives.
“Fuck,” 80 groaned, his head falling back, but, ever the obedient soldier, he slipped back into his starting form, and started moving again.
“Ah, don’t take it so hard, vod.” Hound said from where he was sitting on the floor, “Fox is only being hard on you because you’ve proven yourself in the last couple of weeks.”
“No one fucking told me that the Corries fought actual monsters,” 80 grumbled, as he gasped for breath.
“That’s because the majority of our vod’e don’t know. And you can’t tell them.” Hound pointed out, turning his attention towards Grizzer, who was changing a little more day by day with every monster he fought.
“We can prove it, you know.” 80 pointed out.
Hound sighed, “Would you want any of our vod’e fighting the things we do? Day in and out?”
80 opened his mouth to respond, and then he hesitated. Because no. He couldn’t picture any of the brothers he used to serve with doing well with what he was doing. Hell, he was barely holding it together. And he shot a fucking demon earlier that morning.
Hound’s smile was sympathetic, “You’re doing well with us, vod.” He reassured, “Just...” He hesitated, “Just don’t be too surprised if others, outside of the Corries, don’t want anything to do with you.”
“How do you mean?” 80 asked.
Hound stared at him, and then he exhaled slowly, “Take a break, LT, and watch the Cap and Commander spar.”
80 did as he was asked, lowering his fists and straightening his spine, as he turned to watch Dusk and Thire spar. At first, he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be seeing. But then-
“There,” Hound murmured.
And 80 saw it. Dusk’s eyes were just a smidge too golden to be natural, and, if he wasn’t mistaken, Thire’s smile revealing teeth that were just a little too sharp. “What the-”
“You’ve started changing too, 80.” Hound said, “Just like the rest of us.”
“I...how?”
Hound hummed thoughtfully, “Dunno yet. We all change in different ways. Dusk can see further, and darkness no longer bothers him. Which is a good thing, since he’s been hunting shadow demons for the last three weeks. Fox,” He nodded to their Commander, “I saw him punch a hole in a brick wall the other day.”
80 felt a chill, “This is normal?”
“Aa.” Hound smiled, “I’m getting more and more in-tune with Grizzer every day. My sense of smell and hearing is easily on par with his now.”
“Hound, are you distracting 80?” Fox snapped, from the other side of the room.
“Yes, sir! I am, sir!” Hound called back.
“Laps, Hound!” Fox shouted, “80, back to your sets!”
“Yes Commander!” The two men shouted. Hound and Grizzer scrambled to their feet and darted over to the track, while 80 resumed his stance. At least the constant movement would allow him to think.
******
Later, much later, 80 approached Dusk.
“Captain,” He said slowly, “I was wondering if we could talk?”
Dusk looked up from his flimsiwork, “Something bothering you, LT?”
“Yes. No. I...maybe?”
“Well, it does have to be one of those options, yes.” Dusk said blandly, before he kicked a seat over to him, “Have a seat. Talk it out.”
80 sat down, and took a moment to gather his thoughts, “I was talking to Hound,” He said slowly, “And...” He paused and shook his head, “When you were decanted, sir, what color were your eyes?”
Dusk rose a single brow at the strange question, “Brown. Just like the majority of our vod’e. Why?”
“Did you know that they’re golden now?” 80 asked.
Dusk blinked, and he slowly set his pen on the table, “I was aware, yes. Hound told you about the Change, then.”
“There’s a name for it?!”
“Of course there is.” Dusk leaned back in his seat, “A Jedi coined the term, but the Jedi who studied this effect never exposed themselves to Coruscant as often as we do.”
“So...so what? We’re just going to change and hope that it’s not terminal?” 80 asked.
“We’re not going to die because of the Change, 80. In fact, it’s even beneficial in some ways.” Dusk pointed out, “Within 6 months of joining the Guard, our enhanced aging slowed. For vod’e like Fox, he ages like a natborn, now.”
“What.”
“Yeah, the medics are keeping an eye on it, just incase we start aging backwards. Or stop aging all together.” Dusk said with a laugh, as though it was the funniest thing he’s ever heard, and not horrifying.
“Right. Right. How am I changing?” 80 asked.
Dusk blinked at him, and then leaned forward, “You walked through a solid door yesterday, vod. You were exhausted, so I don’t blame you for not noticing, but you had to have noticed Stone cursing at you.”
80 stared at Dusk, “I did what now?”
“Walked through a door.”
“...you’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
80 stood, “That’s impossible. Look.” He walked over to the wall and pressed his hand against it, “See. I’m not-” He trailed off as his hand phased through the wall. There was muffled cursing on the other side, and a door slammed open.
“Damn it, 80! Stop doing that without warning a guy!” Thorn shouted from the hallway.
“Sorry, Thorn.” Dusk shouted back, “80′s having a crisis, so maybe be less of a bitch!”
There was silent for a moment, until the door to Dusk’s office burst open and Thorn glowered at his younger brother. Electricity sparked around his arms. Dusk got to his feet, an almost feral grin crossing his face as his eyes glittered a little more gold.
“Hey!” Thire poked his head in the room, “Be a little quieter! If Fox has to come in here, he’s gonna throw you both off the roof.”
Thorn sniffed and Dusk fell back into his seat, both of them looking a little more like themselves. “You alright, LT?”
“My hand is in the wall.” 80 said blankly, still staring at his arm.
The three, slightly, older men shared a look, “Well, yeah.” Thire said slowly.
“Why are you all acting like this is normal?” 80 asked, faintly.
“Okay then.” Dusk stood and carefully tugging 80′s arm out of the wall, “I think you need a break.”
80 was staring at his hand like it personally betrayed him, “I can walk through solid objects. I...”
He was startled out of his shock by the sound of loud clapping next to his ear, “Alright! If you’re going to have a freak out, do it someplace else.” Thorn ordered, “It’s what we did.”
“Right. Right...I’m going to bed, I think.” 80 mumbled, as he slowly meandered out of the room.
********
“Is everything alright?” Kanna Rae was sitting on the edge of Fox’s desk, her feet propped in his lap.
“We had to explain the Change to Lieutenant 80 today.” Fox explained, “He’s not handling it well.”
“Neither did you, Fox.” Kanna pointed out.
Fox sighed, “Yeah, but I didn’t walk through walls, Kanna. If he can get through this, he’ll be an asset to Dusk’s team. And if he can’t...well...”
The fact was that, now that 80 has begun to change, he could no longer go with any other battalion. Even if he wanted to. And they both knew it. “He seems like he has a good head on his shoulders, I think he’ll be alright.”
“I hope so.” he tilted his head back for a moment, and then he smiled, and he lightly tugged her onto his lap, and he rested his chin on the top of her head, “How have things been at the temple?”
“Quiet.” Kanna snuggled against him, “Master Nu thinks that something is going to happen. Something big.”
“What do you think?”
“The Force on Coruscant has always felt...bad.” Kanna admitted, “But I agree with her. It feels like somethings waiting. Something old, and dark. Master Nu wants to come in and build some additional wards around your barracks. “
Fox shook his head, “If that’s what she thinks is best, but, honestly, I thought Jedi and Witches were two different things.”
Kanna shrugged, “I have no idea. I can only do the stuff Master Nu can because I was trapped on the lower levels for over a week when I was young. I think Master Nu had something similar happen to her.”
“I hate this fucking planet,” Fox admitted, as he shifted and pressed his face against her neck, “The only good thing that came from this is that the Senators are now too unsettled by the Guard to look at us. Or talk to us.”
Kanna smiled slightly, “Silver linings?”
“Something like that.”
She tilted her head, and regarded him thoughtfully, “You’re still wearing the contacts, Fox. You haven’t told your brothers-?”
“Red eyes are scary, cyar’ika. I don’t want them to get spooked.” Fox said, even as he removed the color contacts that Kanna had procured for him months earlier.
“I think they’re lovely.”
“Says the person who cannot see color.” Fox replied, as he lightly pinched her side, “You’re also biased, little miss tells me she loves me every day.”
“I do and you deserve to know it.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He kissed her temple and turned to his flimsiwork, “I have a squad down by Exchange territory, there was some kind of lizard creature causing trouble down there, so I’d like you to hang out until they return.”
“Can do.”
********
80 sat in a booth with the rest of his vod’e from the Guard. He was nursing something alcoholic, and was largely ignoring what his brothers were joking about.
He had accepted that he wasn’t like the rest of his vod’e anymore. He had. It was an easy thing to accept, all things considered, especially when other people kept popping in and telling him about their changes and how things had gotten better for them when the Changes began.
But it was harder to accept that the vod’e now viewed them as other.
He wondered if it bothered the other members of the Guard.
A vod wearing gray walked over to them, took a look at the color armor they were wearing, and veered off to go and chat with some of the vod’e from the 501st, and 80 felt a pang of disappointment.
Was this how it was always going to be from now on?
Dusk nudged him with his shoulder, “Don’t look so glum, chum.”
“But they-”
“I know. And being ignored is better than the alternative.”
“What’s the alternative?” 80 asked, not sure he wanted to know.
“Attacking us.” Thire said.
“They wouldn’t do that.”
“They have before.” Stone said tiredly as he nursed something that 80 was pretty sure was just rubbing alcohol. “We aren’t like them. Not anymore.”
“Is it always going to be like this?” 80 asked, his shoulders slumping.
his brothers didn’t answer, likely because they couldn’t. And also because 80 accidentally phased the table, and all of their drinks, and Stone, fell through the table and onto the floor.
“...sorry.”
“It’s fine, vod. You didn’t do it on purpose.” Dusk said cheerfully, his golden eyes glittering.
The table devolved into good natured jokes and conversation. If Fox needed them he would call them, but for now they could just be brothers spending time together.
Coruscant is Hell pt 3
Alright, so I finally sat down and typed out part three of this AU! Go Me!
Jedi Master Nu makes an appearance! Kanna is a badass medic! Supernatural Corries! Cody, Wolffe, and Bly make a mistake!
Please let me know what you think! I’m also going to need to do some research on various types of supernatural creatures. Less enthused about that. Oh well!
Tagging: @tazmbc1
It was starting to get normal, 80 realized one day almost 6 months after he had been reassigned to the Guard. The…running and fighting and constant fear. Apparently you could get used to anything. Even demons.
He phased through a wall, and then jumped down through the ground, landing one floor down, next to Dusk and Fox. They were on Jedi Babysitting Duty, the three of them. Of course, he had seen Master Nu cut an imp in twine without so much as a second look, so 80 was beginning to think that the Jedi were on Guard Babysitting duty.
Although…speaking of Jedi-
“Where’s Padawan Rae?” 80 asked, as he realized that the little jedi was missing.
“Kanna sensed something, so she went to go check it out,” Fox said absently, his blood red gaze locked on something in the distance. 80 halfway suspected that the Change was making his Commander force sensitive, since he was pretty sure Fox always knew where Kanna was. Or maybe it was something else.
“She sensed something?” 80 asked instead.
“She’ll be fine, she’s tougher than she looks.” Master Nu interrupted as she stepped over to the three taller men. She focused her attention on Fox, “You said that you’ve gotten reports of a higher number of imps in this area specifically?”
“Yes ma’am,” Fox nodded once, his arms folding over his chest, “We’ve started seeing them further and further out, but they all seem to be originating from this area.”
“What does it mean?” Dusk asked as he focused his eerie golden gaze on the older woman, “Imps are annoying, but they’re not exactly dangerous.”
“They can be, in large enough numbers, but you’re correct.” Master Nu closed her eyes and tapped her chin with her knuckles as she gathered her thoughts, “Generally speaking, an increase of imps means that there’s been a shift of some sort.”
“A shift?” 80 asked.
“Like filling a power vacuum,” Dusk explained, “It’s why we haven’t wiped out the Exchange, because whatever replaces it could be worse.”
“Yes, exactly like that.” Master Nu agreed as she nodded at Dusk, “It’s strange though. There hasn’t been a shift of any importance on Coruscant since I was a child.”
“Kanna’s back,” Fox said as his gaze flickered towards a corridor, and Kanna appeared on silent footsteps. She moved to the group, and settled herself between Fox and Dusk, a frown on her lips. “What did you find, cyare?” Fox asked.
Kanna’s frown deepened, “I traveled 2 miles in every direction I could possibly go in,” She explained, sounding troubled, “And all of the Dens were empty.”
80 jerked in surprise. “Empty? Like they’re hunting?” That would be bad if it was true.
But Kanna was shaking her head, “Empty as in abandoned. I think something big and nasty moved in, and scared the other demons away.” She folded her arms and leaned slightly against Fox, “It would explain the imps.”
Fox lightly gripped Kanna’s shoulder, “Do you have any idea what moved in?”
“Hm. There’s something but…” Master Nu was frowning, her eyes were closed. “It’s like trying to catch smoke, it’s there but I can’t quite get a lock on it.”
Dusk frowned, “Maybe it’s not hostile?”
“No, it’s very hostile.” Kanna said quietly, “It really doesn’t like us.”
“You have a lock on it?” Master Nu asked.
“Mm. Nothing quite so solid, no. But I did catch hints of it in the various dens…it’s old and angry.” Kanna paused, taking a moment to gather her thoughts, “I got the feeling that it believes that Coruscant belongs to them and that we’re interlopers.”
Master Nu frowned, her eyes were still closed, and then she exhaled slowly, “Yes. I think you might be right.” She opened her eyes finally, and 80 caught a glimpse of something wild in the older woman’s gaze, “Kanna, stay with the Guard tonight, I’m returning to the temple to do research.”
“Master Vokara won’t like that.” Kanna pointed out.
“I’ll take care of it.” Jocasta smiled then and flicked a finger at Fox, “No multiplication.” She warned the Commander.
Fox looked offended, “I’m not stupid, Master Nu.”
80 leaned over to his Captain, “I don’t get it.”
Dusk leaned in, “She’s telling him that he better not get Kanna preggo.”
“...are they sleeping together?” 80 asked, curious in spite of himself.
“That’s none of our damned business, 80.” Dusk warned, with an arched brow. And then he turned to Fox, “Your orders, sir?”
Fox ran his hand down his face, and then pulled his bucket back on, “We return to the barracks, there’s nothing we can do here right now anyway. Right?” He asked, tilting his head towards Kanna.
She nodded, “Yeah, whatever it is doesn’t want to be found just yet, so-” Kanna shrugged.
“Then we go back to the barracks.” Fox said, turning his gaze back towards Dusk and 80.
“...Master Nu wants Kanna to stay with us, but where is she going to sleep?” 80 asked.
80 was glad that Fox had already put on his helmet, since he was pretty sure the glare that his commander was shooting him would cause him to burst into flames, “Don’t worry about it.” Fox ground out, “It’s taken care of.”
Oh. Oh.
“Yes Commander.”
*********
Later that evening, in Fox’s room, Kanna was sprawled across Fox’s bed, absently folding a piece of flimsy into a flower. Fox was sitting at his desk finishing up some paperwork.
“None of the squads that went out tonight were badly hurt,” Kanna reported to him, “Though Drake’s squad is about to start the Change, so you’re going to want to keep an eye on them.”
“You can detect that with the force?” Fox asked, looking up at her.
“Roughly, Drake’s going to have a hard time, I think. Based on what his cell structure has started to look like.” Kanna said lightly, “Kind of like how 80 had a hard time at first.”
“80’s ability is fucking useful though.”
“Super strength is useful too.” Kanna said loyally.
“Yeah, so is my ability to find you no matter where you are.” Fox teased.
Kanna pouted at him, though she was clearly amused, “That’s a stupid super-power, Foxy.”
He quirked a single brow, “You can find me wherever I am.”
“Yeah, but that’s just because I’m a jedi and I love you.”
Fox leaned back in his seat, a fond smile crossing his face, “Yeah, yeah. I know.” He pushed away from his desk and walked over to flop on the bed next to her, “I’m fucking exhausted, Kan.”
His smile broadened when he felt her light fingers against his jaw, “Then get some sleep, you know, that thing that people need to do for about 8 hours a day to stay healthy?”
“Never heard of it.” Fox teased.
Kanna sighed and trailed her fingers up to his cheek, “I worry about you, Fox.”
“I know.”
Kanna was silent for a moment, before a small grin crossed her lips, “80 was really concerned about where I was going to-”
Fox groaned and rolled so that she was pinned to the bed under him, and he resolutely ignored her delighted giggles. “No. We’re not talking about 80.”
“I bet he’d be more than happy to share his bed with me,” Kanna continued, through her giggles.
Fox scowled at her, “You’re a pain in the ass, but you’re my pain in the ass and we both know it.”
She grinned at him, “How romantic,”
“Brat,” there was nothing by fondness in his words, “If I wasn’t such a greedy and jealous man, I’d let him have you.”
Kanna laughed, “No you wouldn’t.”
“No, I wouldn’t.” Fox agreed. He bumped his forehead against hers and his eyes closed as he relaxed. He relaxed even more when he felt her warm hands against his back.
******
“Padawan Rae, where do you want him?” 80 called as he stumbled into the infirmary with yet another badly injured vod through over his shoulder.
Kanna, covered in the blood of other people, pointed at an empty bed, as she continued cauterizing the wound of the man on the table under her. “You’re going to be fine. You’ll have a wicked scar that will definitely catch all the chicks.”
The vod let out a weak laugh, “I’m gay, Kanna.”
“Even better! I’ve never known a guy to be able to look away from neat looking scars.” Kanna replied.
He laughed again, and groaned in pain, “What was that thing, Kanna? I’ve never seen anything like it on Coruscant-”
“I’m sure Fox is dealing with it, Skye. You just focus on resting. The medication should kick in soon.” Kanna replied gently, watching as he slowly slipped into slumber.
She passed him off to one of the clone medics, and hurried to the bed that 80 was standing next to, “How many are left?” She asked distractedly.
80 frowned at the unconscious vod, “He’s the last survivor.” He admitted, “The others were ripped to shreds. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
“Damn, okay.” She focused her attention on the severely wounded man under her hands, “Get out of my med-bay, 80. I’m sure Fox has work for you.”
“Yes ma’am,” 80 saluted her, though she wasn’t focused on him, and he hurried out of the room.
He phased through some of his brothers, which they hated, and jogged over to Dusk, who was fully armored, “Sir. The last of the wounded are in Kanna’s care.”
“Good,” Dusk replied distractedly, “The Commander wants us to find this thing and contain it under Master Nu figures out what it is.”
“Just us, sir?”
“No. Thorn, Thire, Stone, and Hound are coming with us. Fox is staying here to coordinate with us, as well as be the point of contact for the Jedi.” Dusk explained, he focused his blazing golden eyes on 80, “Are you able to do this?”
For a moment, 80’s breath caught in his throat. Could he do this? He wasn’t sure. He was used to the bullshit that was Coruscant now, but this was…this…
His gaze wandered to the side, where the others were strapping weapons to their bodies and making sure that they were completely covered. Thorn was sparking, he was so angry.
80 turned his gaze back towards Dusk, “Yes, Cap. I can do this.”
Dusk smiled, and clapped 80 on the shoulder, “Good man.”
80 pulled his helmet on, and made sure his enchanted knife was secure in his boot, and then he followed his brothers out of the Corrie barracks. The entire world became razor sharp as he stepped out of the building.
In spite of that, he didn’t notice the group of vod’e entering the barracks as he ran after his brothers.
********
“Seems like there’s some sort of emergency,” Bly noted as he side-stepped the group of red-clad vod’e sprinting out of the barracks. “I bet Fox won’t be able to come out with us.”
“I’m sure it’s not that serious,” Wolffe replied dismissively as he stepped into the barracks.
“That’s not nice, Wolffe. Fox and his Guard work hard to keep Coruscant safe.” Cody pointed out as he followed Bly and Wolffe into the building. Only to pause at the sight of blood on the walls. “Okay…”
“Maybe someone got into a fight?” Bly asked, as he eyed the fresh blood on the floor that was getting cleaned up by a horde of mouse droids.
“Makes the most sense,” Wolffe agreed, carefully stepping around the droids and down the hallway. He had to side-step more than one vod’e who turned corners at a dead sprint.
But they finally made it to Fox’s office, and Cody didn’t bother to knock as he pushed the door open, “Hey, vod!”
Fox spared them a glance, but kept his attention focused on the holo in front of him, where Master Nu was standing, “-you’re sure that a Jedi needs to be there?” he asked.
Master Nu didn’t take her eyes off of Fox, “Quite positive, Commander. Is Kanna available?”
“I had two whole squads wiped out by this thing, she’s in the med-bay, with the survivors.” Fox said grimly, “I sent some of the others to contain it until you, or Kanna, can go.”
“I can’t leave the temple right now. It’ll have to be Kanna.”
“Fuck.”
“She’s capable, Commander.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Fox snapped, “I can still hate having to put her in danger in spite of knowing how capable she is.”
Master Nu paused, and then she smiled, “Apologies Commander. I mistook your concern for a lack of faith in her abilities. It won’t happen again.” She shook her head, “I sent all the information I have to you. I sent a copy that Kanna will be able to listen to when she’s free. I’ll keep in touch if I learn anything new.”
“Thank you Master Nu.”
She shook her head, “No, you and yours are putting your lives on the line, so thank you.”
The Holo cut out and Fox’s gaze snapped to his brothers, “I’m busy, this better be important.”
“...vod. When did your eyes turn red?” Wolffe asked, frowning deeply.
“A couple of months ago. Is there anything else?” Fox asked, pulling her attention away from his brothers, to focus on a map of Coruscant.
“We were wondering if you wanted to go bar hopping with us,” Bly offered, when neither Cody nor Wolffe said anything.
“I’m fucking busy, Bly.” Fox said sharply, before he listened to something over the comm in his ear, and he adjusted some things on the map.
“Okay…maybe we can help.” Cody offered, “What’s the problem? A riot? A train derailment?”
Fox stilled and his gaze snapped to Cody, “No. You can’t help. No, I don’t want your help.”
“Come on, vod. We’re not trying to step on your toes, but you look exhausted!” Wolffe snapped.
“I am fucking exhausted! And you still can’t help! I will not send you to your deaths!” Fox snapped, his gaze shot to the door of his office when it slid open, “What.”
Kanna stepped into the room, looking totally unbothered by his temper. She sidestepped the Commanders, and walked over to Fox’s side, “Master Nu set a comm saying I was needed elsewhere.” She focused all of her attention on Fox, “Where am I going, love?”
Fox relaxed slightly, and pressed a small comm into her hands, which she immediately slipped into her ear, “Master Nu sent information to you, hold on-” He sent the audio file over to Kanna, and waited a moment while she listened to it.
“Annoying, but not impossible. Loop me in the comms?” Kanna waited a moment, “Thorn, Master Nu says you need a Jedi, where are you?” She listened, “Alright. Alright, I’ll be there in a bit. Can you keep it contained until I get there?” She listened for a moment longer, “Alright. I’ll be there soon, I promise.” She cut the comm and turned her head towards Fox, “Can I borrow a speeder?”
“Yeah, It’s yours.” Fox replied, “Be careful, cyare.”
“Always am~” Kanna replied as she favored him with a warm smile, and then turned and left the office.
“...Fox?” Cody stared at the place Kanna had once been standing, “What’s going on?”
Fox was quiet for a moment, a very long moment, “Your war is outside of Coruscant, our war is with Coruscant.” He finally said, “I need you three to leave. Stay off the lower levels for now.”
“Fox-”
“I’ll explain later.” Fox just sounded so very tired. “I need to focus.”
Cody ushered Wolffe and Bly out of Fox’s office, and the three of them shared a look, “Something’s wrong with the Guard,” Wolffe said quietly.
“I want to know what’s happening on the lower level,” Bly added, his gaze sharp.
“Agreed.” Cody nodded, “Come on, I think I saw where the little Jedi is going.”
***********
80 thought he was going to cry when he heard the familiar crackle of a lightsaber coming to life and he saw Kanna run up to him. “Padawan Rae, you made it!”
There was the familiar sensation of Kanna looking at him through the force, and even more of the tension drained from 80’s body, “Are you alright?” She asked.
“Yes, ma’am. Just exhausted. Commander Thorn sent me back to wait for you.” 80 explained, “Are you ready to go?”
“Absolutely,”
“Good,” 80 led her further down the street, until they came to the creature. It was human sized, the color of freshly fallen snow, and was able to contort itself like it didn’t have bones. In fact, 80 was fairly sure it didn’t have bones, based on how it made a hole in its abdomen to avoid a burst of electricity. “What do you think, ma’am?”
Kanna wasn’t listening to him, or it seemed like she wasn’t. “Face Stealer.” She grumbled, “We’re lucky we caught it before it could steal an identity.”
“Ma’am?”
“You remember how Master Nu said that imps were a sign of a power shift?” Kanna asked as she dug some flimsy out of her pockets, “Face Stealers are another sign of a power shift. There hasn’t been a face stealer on Coruscant in…fuck…since before Master Nu was born.”
“You’re telling us that this thing isn’t the thing causing the shift?” Thorn shouted.
“Nope. They’re still dangerous, but-” Kanna moved suddenly as the face stealer flung itself at her, “But only because of how quick they are.” She continued.
She pressed the flimsy into 80’s hands, “Take these and place them around the area while I distract it. We need to contain it in one spot. Before we can get rid of it.”
“Understood. Are you sure you can distract it?” 80 asked, worried.
“Yeah, it’s quick, but so am I.” She smiled reassuringly at him, and then flung herself at the face stealer while 80 hurried over to his brothers.
80 just barely managed to finish setting up his set of the barriers, when he heard something strange. It sounded like a noise of surprise. He turned his head, and his heart fell into his stomach.
Commanders Cody, Wolffe, and Bly were standing there, opposite of Padawan Rae. With the Face Stealer between them.
“What the actual fuck is that?” Bly asked, his eyes wide.
The Face Stealer grinned, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth, and also fueling 80’s nightmares for the next year. And it launched itself at Bly.
“Move!” Kanna moved at the same time as the demon, and, somehow, she was faster.
80 wasn’t sure what happened, but he could guess. It looked like Kanna had used the force to make sure she was between the Commanders and the demon, and it looked like she used the force to fling the Commanders outside of the barrier.
But that didn’t matter, because she had become so intent on protecting the Commanders that she made a mistake.
Kanna screamed in pain as the demon's foot long nails pierced her shoulders, and slammed her into the ground. It lowered it’s head until it looked like it was going to devour Kanna whole.
And 80 moved.
He wasn’t the only one. Dusk flung himself from the roof he had perched himself on. Hound and Grizzer sprinted from their hiding spot in a nearby alley. The air was filled with lightning as Thorn started running towards the demon, with Stone and Thire on his heels.
But the truth was obvious. They weren’t going to make it. There was too much distance between any of the vod’e and Kanna.
They were going to have to watch her die.
And then, miraculously, Fox was there.
Standing over Kanna as though he had always been there, and just waiting for his time to move.
“Let. Go.” 80 felt his stomach drop again. He had never seen a look of such fury on his older brother’s face, he slowed to a jog…and then a walk…and then he just stopped.
And. Fox. Moved.
The creature released a noise that could only be a wail, as Fox’s fist slammed into its head, and flung him away from Kanna. “Can you activate the seals from here?” Fox asked, kneeling next to the Jedi.
“Y-yeah.” Kanna shakily pulled another piece of flimsy out of her pocket, and slowly, painfully, activated the seals around the area. Creating a bubble with the demon in the center.
“And now anyone can kill it?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
Fox turned to the creature and pulled his pistols out of their holsters. He walked over. Calmly. As though rage wasn’t written across his face. As though he hadn’t just punched a demon hard enough that it was wailing like an infant.
Commander Fox fired 6 rounds. Three from each gun.
And when he finished, the Face Stealer was dead.
Fox stared at the eerie looking corpse, his face blank, “Dispose of the body.”
“Yes Commander,”
And then Fox turned back to Kanna, and helped her to her feet, before swinging her up into his arms, “Temple or Guard medics?”
“Guard.” Kanna murmured, allowing her head to thump against Fox’s chest plate, “Master won’t understand.” She paused, and tapped his cheek, “Don’t be too mad.”
“Oh, I’m fucking furious. But I’m also smart enough to know that if I try and talk to them now, I’ll fucking kill them.” Fox admitted, “80, make sure my brothers make it to my office.”
80 jolted, and then hung his head, “Yes Commander.” He waited until Commander Fox and Kanna were on the speeder Kanna used, and then he walked over to the three Commanders.
“So…” He said awkwardly, “Commander Fox wants you in his office. Immediately.”
“What the fuck was that?” Wolffe snapped.
“And,” 80 continued, as if Wolffe hadn’t spoken, “to be completely honest, I like Fox a lot more than I like you, so we’re going to Fox’s office and you’re going to comply, because it’s been a really long day and I don’t want to force you, but I will if I have to.”
“First of all,” Cody said shortly, “There are three of us, and one of you. And secondly of all, what the fuck was that thing.”
“Riiight.” 80 turned his head, “Commander Thorn, sir! The Commanders are being non-compliant.”
Thorn scoffed, “So make them fucking compliant, 80. You have permission.”
80 grinned under his helmet, “Don’t worry Commanders,” He said reassuringly, “This won’t hurt a bit!” And then he reached out, and in. And with a simple touch, Commander Wolffe collapsed. And then Cody and Bly joined him.
Hound and Grizzer joined him standing over the sleeping Commanders, “You’ve gotten pretty solid at that.” He said cheerfully.
“Yeah…Fox is going to kill them.”
“Not if we take our time with clean-up here.” Hound replied, as he hoisted Commander Wolffe over his shoulder, “We’ll toss them in the back of the ship, and then help Thorn, Thire, Stone, and Dusk with clean up here.”
“And hopefully by the time we finish, Fox will be feeling less murderous.” 80 continued, “Clever.” He reached down and carefully draped Commander Cody over Grizzer’s back, before picking up Bly.
“That’s the plan. And, hopefully, the Commander will have a believable explanation for them.” Hound added.
“Eh, worse case scenario, we get Master Nu to make them forget this ever happened.”
Hound snorted out a laugh and led the way back to the speeded. Now that the danger had passed, they were back to just being brothers, rather than being Coruscant’s prime demon hunters.
Anything else bad could just be pushed to the side, for now.
Coruscant is Hell
So, since it’s Sunday, and I’m bored as fuck, I decided to try turning my Coruscant is Hell AU into actual, like, words. Rather than conversations. Allow me to introduce my second Corrie OC - Lieutenant 80, a transfer from a combat battalion.
Once again, I barely proofread.
tagging: @starrrgazingbunny and @keantha (since you put the idea in my head this morning)
It was late. Late enough that even the Lower Levels were largely abandoned, or maybe the criminals of Coruscant were just smarter than anyone gave them credit for, and just didn’t work after a certain hour.
Unfortunately for the Guard, they didn’t have the choice to be smarter about their life choices.
“’It’ll be fine’,” 80 rasped out as he sprinted behind his older brother, “’Night patrol is easy’. You fucking liar, Cap.”
Dusk, sprinting slightly ahead of him, didn’t even spare him a glance, “You volunteered for this patrol, 80,” He countered, barely winded even as he sprinted down the streets in his full kit, “The rest of us were forced. You didn’t wonder why that was?”
He took a sharp turn to the left, and 80 bounced off the wall as he scrambled to keep up, “Thought you all just wanted your beauty sleep,” He admitted, “Never even considered that Coruscant had fucking demons.”
“Well. Surprise.” Dusk replied, “Welcome to Coruscant.” He grabbed 80 by the collar of his armor and flung him into an abandoned building, before he scrambled in after him, and then he pushed him down.
“How the fuck are you so strong?” 80 hissed.
“Quiet!”
80 fell silent as Dusk crouched near the door and pulled a wicked looking knife from his vambraces. It was definitely not regulation, and 80 was pretty sure it was glowing.
There was the sound of a heavy footstep, and then another one. Then there was silence. 80′s blood was pounding in his ears, and even though his legs were starting to cramp, he didn’t twitch so much as a muscle. And then-
“Captain? Are you here?” It was a vod’e, their voice muffled from their helmet.
80 went to stand, to go to a member of the squad that had been separated from him and the Captain, but he stilled when Dusk made the simple hand motion of “hold”.
“Lieutenant? Now’s really not the time to be hiding,” Now that 80 was listening, really listening, the vod’e voice sounded strange. Plus, he trusted that his Captain knew what he was doing.
There was silence again. 80 thought that the person pretending to be a vod’e had left. And then the metal door that they were flanking exploded inward. 80 floundered, falling backward in sheer disbelief, but the Cap moved.
The dagger slammed into what was probably the creature’s thigh, and it let out a furious shriek. Cap twisted the blade, ripped it out, flipped it into a reverse grip, and surged up, the blade dragging against the creature’s throat.
It let out another shriek, and staggered back, allowing Dusk to slam a shoulder into it. “Move, 80!” He shouted.
80 wasn’t ashamed to admit that he might, possibly, be in shock. But Orders were easy. He could follow orders half dead. So at Dusk’s command, he scrambled to his feet and chased after his Captain.
They sprinted in silence for a moment, taking side streets and alleys that Dusk seemed to know like the back of his hand. And then he slowed from a sprint to a jog, and then to walk, and then the Captain stopped. “Cap...what the fuck?”
“Like I said, welcome to Coruscant. Are you hurt?”
“I...no? Shouldn’t we still be running?”
Dusk’s helmet tilted slightly, “We’re safe. for the moment.” He paused, “Well, safe enough, at least.” Then he and gripped the...was that a tooth?
80 stared. And stared even more. As Dusk gripped a tooth that was easily the size of his own hand, and ripped it out of his armor. There was a small amount of blood on the end, but Dusk didn’t seem too concerned. “Ah, good. Not venomous this time.”
“Sir, what the actual fuck?” 80 sounded a bit alarmed.
Dusk glanced at him, “There’s a lower lower level. That’s where I fell when the shadow bitch decided that we were trespassing. I got bitten, obviously.”
“Are you okay?!”
“Surely you’ve noticed that our armor is a bit, hm...sturdier, than yours was when you were a frontline soldier?” Dusk asked.
“Well...sure. I thought,” 80 paused, suddenly ashamed of his thoughts on the Corries.
“You thought that it was for appearance’s sake? Or because we thought we were better?” Dusk asked, there was no heat in his voice, and that just made 80 feel worse.
“Everyone thinks that the Corries do nothing but paperwork...and protect the Senate.” 80 admitted, “Some of the vod’e have even started pushing to have your armor taken from you, since you don’t need it.”
“...And what do you think?”
80 stared at the tooth, now laying at his feet, “I think I might have judged too harshly.” He admitted, “Cap...what happened to the rest of the squad?”
Dusk was silent for a long time, “Best case scenario, they’re already dead. Worst case scenario, they’re still alive.” He straightened, “We have three hours before sunrise, 80. If you don’t think you can do this, let me know. There’s a lift to the upper level only a few blocks away. I can get you there in one piece.”
80 blinked, genuinely surprised. And then he scowled, “What, and leave you alone?” He straightened his spine, “What are your orders for the next three hours?”
Dusk regarded him thoughtfully, “There’s no way for us to kill demons, vod. But we can stop it for a couple of months.”
“Okay. How?”
“Fire. Lots, and lots of fire. Also, we’re going into it’s den. I think I know where it is.” Captain Dusk motioned for 80 to follow him, “Keep up.”
“I don’t suppose you have another one of those nice daggers, sir?”
“If you survive tonight, I’ll buy you one.” Dusk replied with a light laugh.
*****
Fox eyed the small pile of daggers laying on his desk, and then allowed his gaze to drift over to the young woman sitting in a chair in front of the desk, “Only 10?” he asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry. How many demon killing daggers have you enchanted in the last week?” Kanna Rae was 19 years old, and was one of the few people on Coruscant who was well aware of just how bad the planet was. She was also one of the only people who was willing to enchant daggers for the Corries. How she enchanted them, he wasn’t sure. So far as he was aware, Jedi weren’t witches, but really, so long as they worked, he didn’t care.
“I’m sorry, Kanna. Thank you.”
She sniffed, “You’re welcome.”
“Even though there are only ten,” Fox added with a small smirk.
“I can take them back you know.”
“They were a gift. That would be rude,” Fox countered, as he picked up a knife and examined it closely, though he already knew what he would find. He had three identical daggers that he was currently wearing, after all.
Kanna snickered, and slumped in her seat, “Fuck you.”
“Fuck me yourself, coward.”
“This is why you don’t have any friends.” Kanna pointed out with a laugh.
“I don’t have any friends because I’m an asshole. Well, save for you, I suppose.”
Kanna opened her mouth to reply, but she paused and tilted her head, “Dusk’s back.” She said, and then she frowned, “He only has one person with him.”
“...fuck.” His office door slid open, and Dusk and 80 walked in. Dusk was limping and his armor was singed. 80 looked a little shell-shocked. “Welcome back, vod.”
“Hey Fox,” Dusk said, as he stepped further into the room, and lightly tugged on Kanna’s padawan braid, “hey kid.”
“You have three broken ribs, and a puncture wound on your left side.” Kanna said with a frown, before her attention flickered over to 80, “You’re uninjured, but in shock.”
“And they will both submit to your health check after I get my report.” Fox interjected smoothly, “Where’s the rest of your squad?”
“Puppets. Ran into some kind of shadow creature in the lower level.” Dusk explained, “Blew up a street and knocked us into the sewers. Me and 80 escaped, but the others-” He shook his head, “Found them in the den.”
“Shadow creature? That’s a new one.” Fox murmured, walking over to a map on the wall and examining it closely. This was how Fox kept track of the supernatural side of Coruscant, with the help of his men.
Dusk walked over and grabbed a black tack, the color that they decided was for demons, and pressed it into the spot on the map where the den was. “I cleansed the den with fire, that should be enough, right?” He asked Kanna.
“Should be, unless it has another den.”
“Hm.” Dusk glanced at the map, and grimaced, There were a lot of black pins on the board. “I made sure the puppets burned. They deserved at least that much.”
Kanna made a wounded noise, “You all deserve so much more than that.”
Fox smiled at her, “You’re just soft, Kanna.” he teased, but he focused his attention on his vod’ika again, “You made the right call, Dus’ika. I’m proud of you.”
Dusk rubbed the back of his neck, “I feel like a fucking monster.” He admitted, and then he dropped his hand, “We might have a problem, though.”
“Another one?”
Dusk smiled humorlessly, “80 told me that some of the vod’e are making noises about having our armor taken away...and given to people who need it more.”
Fox went grey, and then red with fury, “Absolutely fucking not.”
“If enough of the Marshal Commanders go against you-”
“It won’t happen,” Kanna interrupted, her arms folded over her chest, and her knuckles white from where she was gripping the sleeves of her robes, “I need a list of every vod’e who had died in the guards for the last 6 months.”
“You’ll have it.” Fox promised, “But what are you going to do with it.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m going to fuck with the data until it looks like they were all killed by people, rather than demons, and then I’m going to shove the data into the hands of every single clone I can.”
“This. This shit right here is why she’s the best Jedi.” Dusk said, pointing at Kanna.
“You won’t hear any arguments from me.” Fox agreed, “Grab another dagger, Dusk. And make sure that 80 gets one too.”
“Can do, boss man.” Dusk replied, as he stepped over to the desk and scooped up two daggers. One slid into his boot, the other he remained sheathed. “Come on, 80. Time for medical attention. Mad-bay 4?” He asked Kanna.
“That is my normal one, yes.” Kanna replied, watching as Dusk guided 80 out of the room. “I’ll get them back on their feet.”
“Thanks. I’ll have your info ready before you head back to the temple.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” Kanna waved and slipped out of the room.
Fox eyed his map one more time, and then he walked over to his desk and dropped into his seat. He needed to request more men from Kamino, he needed to gather the information Kanna asked for, and he needed to pass out the remaining 8 knives.
He sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair. Better get to work then.
