cuda

AO3 Link | Exasperations (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Shmi Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker
Additional Tags: Drabble, Dialogue-Only
Summary:

Shmi doing the exasper-fond-sigh of “Anakin”... until she can't.

Exasperations

"Mom, I can make it work, give you someone to help you."

"Oh Anakin."

"Please?"

"Yes."

"What if he decides to sell you?"

"Anakin, he won't. You are too useful, and he doesn't know how to keep you healthy."

"Then… I'm never going to grow up."

"Ani!"

"Your new friends are very lost."

"I know, Mom."

"Are you being careful?"

"The Master Jedi made Watto mad, but I think it will turn out alright."

"Oh?"

"I mean, he's so wizard!"

"Of course, Ani."

"You have to hold on. I'm here. I can fix it all!"

"Ani…"

"Please, Mom."

"Anakin…"

"MOM!"

solarbird

This is why some of us are still out there, week after week, protesting at Tesla dealerships:

Here’s the story. It’s old, but it’s still pretty much true. Driving the stake through the heart of Tesla is how to take down the rest.

That’s why those of us who understand that this is a marathon are still getting out there, week in, week out. Not every protest, but over and over again, we’re there.

We’re not there yet. But sales keep falling. The more they’re reminded about who he is, the more sales go down.

We are that reminder.

Join us.

Posted via Solarbird{y|z|yz}, Collected.

senmut

Continuation of "Padawan Plight"

AO3 Link | Chaos Behind Them (1263 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars: The Clone Wars [2008] - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Barriss Offee/Ahsoka Tano
Characters: Barriss Offee, Ahsoka Tano, Luminara Unduli, Anakin Skywalker
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Kriffing Sith Plans
Summary:

The pieces have been placed, and while Ahsoka and Luminara are a part of it, neither lets it impact Barriss's peace.

Chaos Behind Them

Having aided the 501st in retrieving their man, and all the revelations that had brought, Luminara rested a hand on Anakin's shoulder, despite the fury and betrayal coursing through him.

"Do not let Tiplar's and Tup's sacrifice be in vain," she counseled. "Keep your men here in the field, with the 41st, to take advantage of Echo's intel. I will take him back to Corsucant, deliver him to Master Che for healing."

"But he—"

She squeezed, and Anakin was so unused to other Jedi braving his rage, touching him even!, that he subsided. "You cannot hide that knowledge. I, on the other hand, have no difficulty burying it beneath my Perfect Jedi Serenity," she said, her eyes amused despite the severity of where they stood in the war, to use that phrasing.

It worked, as Anakin sagged a little and huffed. "You and my Master."

"Sometimes, yes," she answered that, to add more levity, helping Anakin balance.

He groaned. "Don't … yeah, no, don't tell me any more about that." He searched her face, then took a deep breath. "Take Ahsoka. I have faith in your skill, Master, but you have seen her, you have worked with her."

"Her command of Teräs Käsi will protect the secret, and she is going to rival Kenobi for lightsaber skill, it is true." She inclined her head, privately thinking that if it grew too stressful, it would allow the padawan a chance to see Barriss as well.

"Don't tell me any of your plans," Anakin said, agreeing to the fact he was the major weakness in undoing it all, given who they knew the Sith was now. "She heard everything, made the jump to connect the pieces, so between the two of you — and Echo — I will trust in this being ended sooner rather than later."

"Thank you." She let go of him, then went to tell Gree he would be handling the battalion under Skywalker's command.

"No."

"He's my vod, my batch brother!"

Ahsoka looked at Fives and then moved to take his hands. "Trust me, Fives. You can't go along, none of you can. And you? I need you to look after Skyguy. You can't expect Artoo to handle it all by himself, and Rex is going to be busy without me here!"

She ached for him, where she wasn't a simmering cauldron of anger for all that she and the other Jedi had pieced together from Echo's intel. If they hadn't hit that listening station before the tragedy with Tup —

— well, they had. So Fives was distracted, and so was Rex, keeping them from putting the pieces together.

Fives had straightened, then he saluted her and left. She would trust him to stay close to Anakin, to keep her master calmer, even if none of the boys knew why he was so angry now. She finished throwing things in a bag, and headed to medical to catch Kix before she and Master Unduli took Echo away from him.

She had no doubt he was putting the pieces together… and she would warn him not to do anything risky until she got back.

The Master and Padawan, two pieces of different pairs, stepped out of the Council chamber and each relaxed from the strain in their own way. Ahsoka visibly sagged, then slumped against the wall without any cringing for what the Master might think. Luminara said nothing about it, still impressed by how well the girl had done under the long interrogation of all they had experienced. For her part, she caught the hem of her sleeve and started worrying at it, a small fidget that soothed her but could easily be stopped should someone walk out.

"When you go see Barriss, you cannot say anything," Luminara dutifully reminded Ahsoka.

"I know. Even if this didn't need to stay top secret, I wouldn't break her peace with it," Ahsoka said sincerely, knowing the words had to be said. "Will you be going there after they say we can leave?"

"I thought I'd let you have the first night back. I'll come tomorrow, if duty allows, and take her for a meal."

Ahsoka flashed a smile, wanting to hug the woman, but that was not Luminara's way, mostly. "Thank you, Master."

"Of course, Padawan."

Barriss did not betray her joy outwardly, too composed and controlled to be less than professional as she finished reviewing the medicine schedule with the family that had been her last appointment of the day. Ahsoka, however, could feel it in the Force, and relaxed even further to know that what they were was something that still mattered to Barriss. She really was grateful to Master Unduli for allowing her to come first.

Then again, no one on the Council really wanted the mere padawan to be as heavily involved in the operation they were planning as Master Unduli could be.

Commander Deron, Barriss's counterpart in this community outreach program, gave a brief nod to Ahsoka, then cleared his throat when the family left. "Ma'am, I can handle locking up with the others. Please go. It's not often Commander Tano is able to get back here."

Barriss opened her mouth, but the look from her right hand in all of this made her nod once, and turn to get her outer robe on, so she could go back with Ahsoka to the Temple.

"It is good to see you," she said, coming close enough that they were almost touching, walking out side by side.

"I'm pretty glad your master was willing to let me tag along," Ahsoka said blithely. "I've got to take an exam," she added, truth and her cover story for why she was on planet. In actuality, she'd had the pieces from Skyguy's side that made everything click into place, and had been the convincing part of their hours' long testimony to the Council.

"I'll help you study, if it is a subject I know," Barriss volunteered. "Your quarters?" she asked, a little shyly, but if her actual master was in Temple too, she wanted the privacy offered by Ahsoka's. "As it sounds like you are here without your master."

"Master Obi-Wan is en route, but not expected until tomorrow," Ahsoka agreed. He was coming to be part of the end game, she knew, while Master Tiin had been dispatched to help Skyguy, and their men, in the campaign against the Techno Union's latest captured planet.

"I… how soon is the exam?"

Ahsoka laughed merrily. "I won't need much study time."

Barriss blushed, but smiled down — not so far now — at her girlfriend.

Luminara took the fact that Barriss squeezed Ahsoka's hand in parting, in her own full view, as one more piece of her padawan's healing and growth from the awfulness of this war.

"I am looking forward to catching up on your life these last several weeks, Barriss," Luminara said once Ahsoka had left them.

The quiet smile she got in answer made her heart swell with pride for the padawan she did care for. If they could just shield her from the coming days' strife, all might stay on the best track.

"I wish to hear all about your weeks, and how our men are doing," Barriss agreed, as she did miss the people, if not the violence.

They settled into their catching-up, and Luminara firmly pushed away the horror behind why she was here, even as she decided to recommend allowing Barriss to help with the aftermath.

She thought her padawan would feel relief to save the men from their intended fate, after all.

patrokla posting in

yuletide

Here we go. Please watch this post! We will update here as each batch goes out:

Candy? SENT as of 6:47 PM PST 11/4!

Drinks? SENT (twice, lol) as of 6:51 PM PST 11/3!

Books? SENT as of 6:39 PM PST 11/3!

( INSTRUCTIONS & REMINDERS )

SENDING DEADLINE: Friday, November 21, 2025

Extensions/Defaulting: Pre-research your post office/courier service hours, and plan to send as early as you can! BUT if your best-laid plans fail, and you need an extension -- we get it! Please bypass the shame spiral and email us ASAP. We want to know what's going on but rarely hesitate to grant brief extensions, especially to historically reliable swappers.

And, of course, if you need to default for any reason, the above is doubly true!! Life happens, but if you let us know as soon as it does, we can help out your recipient AND probably have you back next year with minimal anxiety.

One More Time: don't forget to check in at Swaps Central! And a safe, merry Swapstide to all!

Current FAQ and very old resources post here, for anyone who needs them. Questions and comments here or via email, as always.

Kat & Livi & Helen

Current Mood: excited

senmut

AO3 Link | When They Met (200 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Transformers G1
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Jazz/Optimus Prime
Characters: Jazz [Transformers], Optimus Prime, Spike Witwicky
Additional Tags: Double Drabble
Summary:

Sometimes Jazz isn't smooth

When They Met

"So how did you two meet?" Spike asked. To his surprise, Optimus laughed while Jazz reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, a mannerism he'd picked up from Spike's dad.

"Ratchet and Wheeljack did most of the vetting of who would be in the unit closest to me," Optimus began, voice rich with joy and amusement.

"Ratch cornered me when I popped in to drop some intel," Jazz admitted. "I'd already heard stories about Prime, ya see. He was larger than lfe just from the first fight he saved us all in! And I was curious, but… still not really where I thought a Legend like that should be meeting those of us who were doing the dirtier work of spying."

Optimus brought his hand over to Jazz's backplates, and Spike grinned a little, seeing the shape of it.

"Ratchet brought him to interview with me, and I was completely fascinated by all the people Jazz had met before the war, all the stories he had, using them to try and distract me from getting to know him."

"What can I say, Prime? You were YOU, and I was intimidated!"

"I am very glad you got past that."

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