@cptfulcrum // Alexsandr Kallus
Kallus knew, just as much as the rest of them, how easy it was to be alone. Solitary had been his comfort. As an ISB agent they were conditioned to be on the outside. They weren’t in the same chain of command as the rest of the Imperial Navy. They were internal affairs, never trusted. His career had been based in solitude. He hadn’t realized until he joined the Rebellion that maybe he did prefer the company of others. Others like the Spectres, like Zeb and Hera and Sabine. “ You don’t need to explain yourself. “ he countered, finally relaxing his stance, hands moving into the pockets of his jacket. “ But do not feel the need to go through life without us. We are here for you. “
His eyes studied their face, watching the way their stance relaxed slowly. Alexsandr didn’t want Sabine to feel the need to assure him that everything was okay, but he understood the reasons why. It was easy to forget that they had been at the Imperial Academy. It was a lesson ingrained from the very beginning, to not let emotions cloud ones judgement. It was something he had taken to heart. As a Mandalorian, he assumed it was second nature to them. “ I am glad then. “ he didn’t believe them, but he also wouldn’t argue now. Not when he had just come back.
“ We’ve been integrating Lira San with the New Republic. Very slowly. Understandably, many are apprehensive. Some survivors from Lasan believe that another attack in imminent. “ he spoke mechanically, not allowing his own guilt from the event to break through. Sabine knew enough about his past. “ Garazeb is well, if that’s what you are wondering. Though he misses his family. “ he met their eyes again, raising his brows. “ If it can be believed, we have found as close to a retirement as possible for soldiers. “ At least they had, before Ezra and their guilt. Now his mission for Thrawn. “ I haven’t heard any updates on you as of late. What have you been doing ?? “
Sabine examined Kallus’s face while he spoke, studying how he measured his words and weighed his expressions before speaking to them. There was more he wanted to say, she was sure, but they weren’t about to pry. His words echoed in their ears. We are here for you.
Dank farrik, Sabine had been stupid. With their wandering about the galaxy with no contact, it was not surprising that Zeb had sent Kallus to check on her. The rest of the Ghost crew, they must be worried. That same feeling of shame boiled in the pit of their stomach, but they smiled to Kallus, nodding as he spoke about her old friend and his people. She knew how difficult it must be for Kallus to be on Lira San, how guilty he must feel. Still, they knew how hard he was trying-- and how much it meant to Zeb that he was there.
“I am...glad to hear you and Zeb are doing well.” She paused, wondering if they should voice their next thought. “You...deserve that, you know. A peaceful life away from the politics and danger of it all. You both do.”
When nothing was said to fill the silence between them, Sabine continued, finally answering the question she had been trying to avoid.
“I guess you haven’t heard from me because I haven’t really been in the action. I’m still with the Rebellion, just not in the heart of the fight. At least, not right now. I’ve been...” They hesitated, knowing that whatever she said would be repeated to her old friend. “I mean, you know how slow it is, trying to chase dead leads on information for the Rebellion. It’s an unreliable business. But, I’m glad you’re settled down now. Your days of action over, right?”
cravked // Trilla Suduri
the raise of their brow did not go unnoticed, but trilla was not in any kind of position to elaborate. it had nothing to do with the quasi-relationship that trilla had with sabine, but instead, more to do with the fact that they just didn’t know what to say. they didn’t know what was going on between herself and cal, or how to deal with that stupid, warm feeling in their chest that he gave her.
“at least avoiding food and alcohol is easy,” she offered with a shrug of one shoulder. they had been hesitant to even drink water here, but thus far, it seemed to be fine. “oh?” a slight question of disbelief. “you don’t seem like the diplomatic type.”
A chuckle escaped her lips, though not without some degree of acidity. It wasn’t the remark about the diplomacy that bothered them (she could handle negotiations and political affairs if it really came down to it). It was the gravity of the situation, the pull of the artifacts just hours away from liberation.
“Not that kind of business, I’m afraid.” Now, they pressed one hand to the glass, fingertips cold against the pane. Finally, her gaze focused on Trilla’s, meeting their eyes for just a moment before flitting away to the decorated sarcophagus. “If you know what I mean.” It was ambiguous, but Sabine was sure their friend would understand. (Somehow, she wasn’t worried that they would tell.)
@spectrcsix // Ezra Bridger
closed starter for @call-me-spectre-five -
“please don’t hit me. or shoot me. or throw something at me!” ezra calls out as he approaches, gritting his teeth. he fully expects sabine to do at least one of those things after the choices he made - not that she thinks she wouldn’t have understood, but that doesn’t mean it was necessarily an easy decision for everyone to have accepted. he gets that. he does.
he stands by it, though, just like he knows kanan stood by his choice despite the cost.
he holds his hands up in an attempt to show he’s not here for a fight, his trademark guilty-embarrassed-bashful sort of smile on his face. not that ezra expects that to be enough to save his ass from sabine’s wrath, but he has to try. right? “would it help to know you’re like - the second person i’ve come to see? so pretty high on the list. that counts for something, right?
Sabine had heard rumors about Ezra since almost right after he disappeared. Where to search wild space, who knew anything, what to do in the face of her loss. After one lie too many, Sabine had closed themself off, prompting weeks of solitude and grief. She had promised herself then that she wouldn’t respond to another false informant, but this, this felt...different. They couldn’t explain it, only that it was a pull in her gut leading to the point of the rendezvous. And…they actually couldn’t believe the figure standing before her.
“Ezra?” They asked, voice weighty with emotion. No, this had to be a trick. It had been a long time (too long) and she couldn’t be lucky enough to win this one. If it was Ezra, what had she done to deserve him back? Why now? But he kept talking and moving and breathing and being so Ezra.
“Ezra! Fuck!” They dropped everything and leapt into him, nearly tackling him to the ground. He was taller than them now, but all she could do was throw her arms around his frame, pull him close. They exhaled into his side, feeling for the first time in months a genuine sense of hope. Kanan was back, and now, so was Ezra. Her family was back, and there was nothing else she needed in this moment. And then, despite his warnings, she gave him a light smack on the back of the head. Nothing that would hurt, but something reminiscent of times when they could show affection through sparring (both verbal and physical). “Copaani mirshmure’cye, vod’ika? Where the hell have you been?”
@naboospage // sache
Saché didn’t like any of this one bit. This new reality was coming back at her, way too quickly for her liking - she would have stayed in the shadows forever if she could. It would have been too easy if her peaceful life at the orphanage lasted that long, though. Her alternate had a lifetime here - friends, loved ones. More importantly she had a real network in the Alliance, that Saché had no clue about. Well. She knew what her alternate shared with Yané. Anything else was a complete void. When the holo-message ended, luck was with her. Sabine Wren was more friend than just another member of the Alliance, and Yané actually knew about them. The basics, at least, which where pretty useful anyways. After a quick briefing, Saché had sent a positive reply. She always made time for friends - and apparently that old habit hadn’t died in thirty years. Today was the day her friend was supposed to come, and Saché wasn’t ready for it at all. She had to be, though, because EP - the protocol droid aiding her at the orphanage - opened her office’s door to warn her of Sabine’s arrival. She left her office to find Sabine in the hallway, and greeted them with a warm smile, letting her nervousness aside. “Hello, Sabine,” she said simply. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”It had been a stiff reply, sent with a smile that conveyed more courtesy than amity. Sabine’s mind filled with panic, thoughts racing a system a second through her head. Haar’chak, they were stupid! How long had it been since they had tried contacting Sache? Months? Years? Out on the fringes of the galaxy, Sabine had focused only on herself and her own thoughts. What if her old friend had needed help? What if she had tried to reach them and found nothing but radio static? Did she even want to talk to Sabine?
It was a stiff reply riddled with a smile that conveyed more courtesy than camaraderie. An influx of emotions swept over the Mandalorian. Haar’chak, Sabine had been stupid! How long had it been since she had tried to contact Sache? Months? Years? Had her friend tried to contact them, only to find radio static? Did she think they had forgotten about her? Did she even want to talk to Sabine?
Still, an invitation had been extended. So, it was with a nervous gait that they slipped through the building into the hallway outside Sache’s office. On the flight through hyperspace, Sabine had run through dozens of conversations in her mind, replaying the scene ahead of them time after time. None of those phantom words could have prepared them for what was actually said, though.
It’s nice to finally meet you.
Surely this had to be a quip, a retort about how long it had been since their last correspondence. Sabine had been ready for tears, for an embrace, even for a slap in the bucket. But they hadn’t been ready for...whatever was happening here. It caught them off guard. She knew Sache would have changed over time, but how much had truly happened since they last spoke?
“Uh. Er, well.” They couldn’t seem to find the words to match the unease that had settled in the air. “Nice to see you, too, Sache. I-I’m sorry it’s been so long. I really don’t have an excuse, but I’m glad you’re okay, and happy to see you again.”
This was going to be an...interesting reunion.
“Stand in the ashes of a trillion dead souls and ask the ghosts if honor matters. Their silence is your answer.“
Fingers itched to grasp the vibroblade at her waist, but paused. Of all of their interactions, this was the closest Sabine had come to an actual threat of violence. To hatred-- pure and unadulterated.
“Trust, Armitage, that when you join the silence of my ancestors, no one will mourn you, let alone notice your departure. Despite all your efforts to be remembered, no one will feel joy or pain or heartbreak, because no one will have cared enough about your life to waste the energy.”
Anger read cleanly across their face, cool and unwavering. Motionless.
“At least I have a family, even if they are ghosts. Can you really say the same?”
@generally-scheming
“i wouldn’t call myself lucky.”
The roar of blaster fire muffled his words, passed from one hidden visage to another. Sabine countered with a round of shots and ducked behind an empty freight car.
“Funny, I was going to say the same thing!”
An explosion rocked their six, and she had to shout just to be heard.
“Haar’chak, what did we get ourselves into?”
skywalkerxlegacy // Luke Skywalker
The human talking to Mando was not someone that Luke was familiar with. His head is cloudy, his thought in a haze. One hand holds the brownie in his hand and the other holds a glass of some bubbly liquid. He doesn’t think it’s champagne, as it looked nothing like the glass he’d had with Leia earlier. It’s colored and he takes a sip. It’s surprisingly smooth down his throat. “ Who are you? “ he questioned, looking at the colored hair. His brows are raised. He wouldn’t normally be so blunt, but he’s curious about who his friend is spending time with. It shouldn’t matter, really, but it does. “ I’m Luke. “
@call-me-spectre-five
Kriff, she was so glad that their friends had dragged her to this ridiculous party. It seemed so uptight and stuffy at the time, but now? Now she was surrounded by drinks and having the time of her life! It was only a few minutes after eating one of the brightly-colored desserts on display that Sabine noticed the man she had only heard rumors about, approaching them with a pointed gaze. A giggle escaped her lips at the question-- of course she knew who he was!
“‘m Sabine! Sabine Wren. Pleasure to--” hiccup “-- to meet you, Luke.”
They caught a server droid passing by and grabbed two drinks off the tray, offering one to the man in front of her.
“I fucking love your...” they paused, trying to form the words on her tongue (it felt so loose. that was weird, right?) “I love your outfit!”
@pilotheart // Zay Versio
*
Zay was standing in her corner, her breathing slow, letting people pass by. Being on duty tonight had been useful until now - guests only came to talk when they really needed to, and it was always a quick chat. Every time she was alone Zay scanned the room, her eyes searching for answers. The altered desserts had to be an accident. She didn’t see anyone from her time that could be responsible for it. What she saw, however, made her sigh. “How many drinks did you have, Sabine? You’re acting weird.”
Light flickered from above and around, filtered through the mass of people surrounding Sabine. It played on the walls and across all of the hues of stone and silk, and some of it had even made its way into their veins, carrying the Mandalorian over to a face that filled her stomach with a strange floating feeling. Their friend looked radiant even stone-still and sober, and she noticed their approach. What’s more, she greeted her. Sabine tried not to let a blush creep into her voice, instead shifting their distant gaze to the vaulted ceilings above.
“I—uh. Heh. Hey, Zay.” They glanced down at her toes bashfully. Something in their brain was turning into static, a molasses slowing her thoughts and words. “What d’ya mean? Isn’t this always how I act around a person as pretty as you?”
galaxywon // Hera Syndulla
Hera had been able to rely on Sabine when their life had been, even if they didn’t want to admit it, in ruins. They were an amazing role model for Jacen, someone he could both rely on for guidance and adore due to their fun and loving nature. It was hard for her to rely any of that to the Mandalorian, even after years of being together. Affection hadn’t come naturally to her. Even though she wished it did sometimes. “ I don’t know. He’s got Ezra’s trouble making tendencies. “ she smiled affectionately, going to stand next to her, watching the emotions crossing her face as she saw the designs that had accumulated since her last visit. “ He wants to be just like you. “ they informed, her arm wrapping around their shoulders, chuckling. “ If he asks use to borrow your jetpack, say no. “
They fixed a pointed glare towards Sabine, though there was no actual anger in it. It had been one of her hopes, for their son to grow up with values of all of their family. She saw small pieces them all in him. “ He’s been talking with Luke Skywalker, trying to control some of his abilities. “ If only Ezra had been there to teach him. He would be remarkable at it, just like Kanan was once he got his head into it. She was against sending him to the Jedi Temple, and thankfully Luke had respected their choice. Family mattered much more than becoming a fighting for the New Republic.
.
Sabine ran their fingers across the art, old and new, and gave the faintest smile. Hearing her parent talk about Ezra...it brought something of ache to the forefront of their chest, and she knew Hera shared the sentiment. With it, though, was joy (and, even still, a little hope).
“Shit, if he wants to be like me and Ezra, no wonder you’ve got your hands full. But, uh, I don’t know about the jet-pack. I’m sure I was much more reckless at his age.”
They took a seat at the well-worn Dejarik table and rubbed her hand across their neck, taking a moment to reflect on the other’s musings.
“Can’t say I know much more about the Jedi than whatever Kanan and Ezra were up to during our time as a crew, but I trust your judgement. I don’t know anything about Skywalker other than the legends, but I know Kanan. If you’re right about Jacen taking after Ezra, he’ll turn out alright.”
She met the tired eyes of her buir and held their gaze for a moment. They didn’t know how to convey the emotions that were conflicting inside her. Sadness mingled with nostalgia and guilt. It was almost familiar, this cocktail of feelings. Instead, they decided to ask about the unusual silence.
“Speaking of trouble-makers, where’s Chopper? I miss that old war criminal.”
tarre says ... ❛ i keep on hoping nothing has changed . ❜
“Yeah, me too.” She sat in the expanse of sand next to them, staring into the dying embers of the campfire. A solemn weight pressed itself against the two Mandalorians. It was inevitable, she knew, but having another set of shoulders to carry the load was reassuring. “I never knew ghosts could weigh so heavily on a heart.”
@finitefm
beskarbuir // din djarin
── THE CANTEEN IS EASILY CAUGHT, its coolness permeating past leather. it’ll be another while before they drink from it, at least until they can find another retreat from eyes, though they raise it up with a slight shake to signal thanks. they swallow down the lingering iron.
as anxiety passes through her, nicks at her speech, din lifts themself from against the ship’s side and approaches her with a languid stride. there’s not much else to indicate that there shouldn’t be so much worry around questioning them ─ though when they finally reach them, a hand grips their upper arm as reassurance before falling back to their side. the touch is as brief as a breath. in truth, they’re surprised she had waited this long to ask. her patience is wholly appreciated, of course, but they do not open themself from within. they could hide themself infinitely. a being encased in shell upon shell, they must be pried with anything but a knife. ❝ yeah. ❞ their tone is open, paired with a nod. wariness lies there, too. ❝ go ahead. ❞
in turn, nerves do not bind them but an old weight pulls at their spine, pooling at their feet and the ends of their fingers. they’re not sure what to expect, what vital differentiations will contrast the both of them. one of their tenets already invites perplexed looks ─ sometimes it leads others to cruelty, like it was a challenge to break it for them. ❝ i’d like to know more about yours, too ─ ❞ really, they already know the response before it leaves them. but if their companion sought permission for their history, they will give the same courtesy. ❝ ─ if you’re willing. ❞
The trepidation, though never malignant, was always present. It was a dance Sabine had practiced with every sibling by creed, but none more so than this one. There was no resentment or exhaustion or shame in it-- this was just the cost of their relationship. And Sabine was more than content to measure their words, to weigh their steps, to share meals in separate rooms, to avoid painful questions-- if it meant spending time with her friend. For them, it was worth it.
Their touch was as gentle as it was brief, and it returned her to the present. Sabine greeted his gentility with a waning smile from unmasked lips. Their answer was relief, another brick to the altar of trust built by them both. Of course, he knew her reply. Though nothing in the steel countenance conceded it, the fact made itself known. She would share with him whatever was asked. (They appreciated the formality nonetheless.)
“Yeah. Um. I think that would be...Yeah, I would like that.”
There was no telling where to start. Certain things were known, yes, but others? How were they to tread the trauma they’d experienced in the last few years alone? And how much of it did they really share? Amid the torrent of questions, a quiet reassurance chimed from the back of their mind: let’s start here.
“Did you-- er, do you have a family?”
Artist. Madalorian. Weapons Master. Rebel. "My friends make the impossible possible." // RP account for galacticshq
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